Page 12 of Souls of Steel
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have Selene Renard around. If things turned out the way I thought they would, she’d certainly make the classes at Chimera Academy more interesting.
The Journey Begins
Selene
The New Washington Tribunal of The Grand Judiciary wasn’t very far from the plaza where the chimera display had been set up. Even so, it had survived unscathed, kept safe by a set of shields fed by unique, Tartarus energy.
I’d never been here before, since it was another place where women weren’t allowed to go. As we stepped into the building, I looked around and couldn’t help but be disappointed.
For something I’d been so curious about all my life, the tribunal was bland and small. I supposed that made sense. The Grand Tribunal was located on Tartarus Base, of course, and the embassies that existed in every major city weren’t used a lot. A larger building would’ve been a waste of resources we couldn’t afford.
Everyone regretted that very much when we entered the main meeting room of the tribunal. Between the entourage of the general and my mother’s inner circle, we barely fit inside.
Or maybe that was just my impression because of the tension between General Rhodes and my mother.
“My daughter isn’t under your authority, General,” my mother said without preamble. “You can’t push her around as you see fit. She is first and foremost a child of Gaia.”
“That may well be, but she also has to follow the laws of The Grand Judiciary. She accepted the responsibility of being a chimera tamer and that comes with a price.”
“I didn’t agree to any of that. I’m her mother.”
“You don’t have to agree to it. It was her choice. If it wasn’t one she was supposed to make and she is not of age, she will become a ward of The Grand Judiciary.”
Okay, this was seriously getting out of hand. I hadn’t realized me being the pilot of the Sphinx would be such a problem. I’d known I’d get in trouble for the events today, but no one seemed to care that I’d broken the rules and come to the plaza. And yet, the general was talking about The Grand Judiciary taking custody of me? This was crazy.
Yes, they were officially the central government of the planet, but they didn’t really get involved in the affairs of the people on Earth. Those duties were assigned to High Priestesses like my mother. The Grand Judiciary focused on the military, whereas we organized administrative affairs and provided supplies. That had been our system for hundreds of years. And while I was grateful for The Grand Judiciary’s protection of our planet, I had no desire to become their ward.
“I’m of age,” I blurted out. “This was my decision and I stand to it.”
“That’s admirable, Ms. Renard,” General Rhodes replied, “but you can’t just become a chimera tamer in the blink of an eye. Take Flight Lieutenant Alexander. He trained for ten years before he was considered as an appropriate fit for the Cerberus and they were introduced. You’re a clear anomaly.
“We cannot deny the Sphinx’s choice, but at the same time, giving an untrained woman a Grand Chimera would be folly.”
He said the words ‘untrained woman’ like they were an insult, not a simple truth. I didn’t flinch, but I came very close. “And what do you suggest, Sir?”
“There is only one solution. You must go to Chimera Academy.”
My mother let out an outraged gasp. “You cannot be serious. The academy is all-male. My daughter has never been in the company of any man except her father.”
“It didn’t seem like it earlier,” General Rhodes said, his voice tight with barely suppressed anger. He didn’t like this anymore than I did. “The Sphinx didn’t bring your daughter to the plaza, High Priestess. She was already there, in disguise, among hundreds of men. I can only imagine what reasons she must’ve had for the deception.”
All eyes turned to me and this time, I couldn’t suppress a shudder. And there it was, the moment when I had to explain my blunder.
“I just wanted to see the chimera, Mother. It wasn’t anything inappropriate.”
“You and your love for those machines… I should’ve discouraged it when I had the chance.”
But she hadn’t, because she knew, just like I did, that the chimeras were a gift from the gods, and she respected that. She’d never thought it would mean anything for me.
I wanted to tell her I was sorry, but the words refused to come out. I wasn’t sorry, not really. Like the Sphinx had said, if I hadn’t been there, she would’ve been stolen. So many more people would’ve died. I had my suspicions about that—about why the Sphinx had ended up in that position in the first place—but either way, it was clear to me that my new friend wasn’t safe in the hands of The Grand Judiciary.
Before I could worry about the Sphinx, though, I had to worry about myself. My mother faced General Rhodes once again, and impossibly, she seemed even tenser than before. “Is there no other way?”
“No,” General Rhodes answered, shaking his head. “I understand your dismay and I agree with you. Chimera Academy is no place for a young woman. But unfortunately, your daughter doesn’t have much choice.
“She’s already displayed her skill in controlling the Sphinx. If she doesn’t learn how to properly use that power, she’s a danger to herself and others.”
My mother clenched her fists and sparks of blue-green magic danced around her arms. “We can teach her how to control her magic at the temple.”
