our transportation link through Bantor can become a trade route as well."
"Perhaps you could convince him to approach King William about changing over to our Solar Gem system.” Hanlin suggested, Enda forgotten as he turned and followed Katar back to the study.
"You read my mind, their plasma energy experiments aren't going well. It could become a clean efficient system. But I'm afraid the technology that's necessary to contain such a potentially lethal power source may never come to life. If they don't shut down soon, we could see another catastrophic event." Katar said.
"The plasma wave is merely a mass of free floating electrons. Surely someday they will find a field strong enough to contain it." Hanlin defended the new technology, knowing it would do little injury to the Solar Gem System. Since the gems were engineered for the conservation of energy, it might be possible to combine the two systems. If they could find a way to safely contain it.”
"That's the problem. William has too much confidence in his advisors. They are not scientists. If they do find an energy field that will hold it, providing it can be built on a small enough scale to be feasible, just one mistake on anyone's part could vaporize an entire region. Exactly the way it happened before. It’s the recreation of the nucleus of a star, about 20 million degrees. Even on a microscopic scale, it could balloon out of control, just like last time. There has been no explanation why the fire storm stopped at the edge of the Ragal River. It should have destroyed the entire planet. I don’t think we should risk that again."
"That was over a hundred years ago, Katar.” Hanlin explained, "The deep chasm beneath the River Ragal has been credited with the extinguishing of the wall of fire."
"That is mere speculation. The northern continent is still a barren desert, in all that time not a single form of life has yet to grab hold. I informed King William personally of Queen Sari's and my disapproval. After all the destruction that the last attempt created, the plasma wave should be left alone.”
"Modern technology has improved tenfold since then." Hanlin said.
"Hanlin, we don’t need the technology. Three million people died because of that modern technology. The solar gem system is safe, clean and has no environmental effects. I am not interested in another form of energy until our scientists figure out exactly why the fire storm stopped at the River Ry and how it can be safely contained. Treborel faces the desert to our north across the river. It’s understandable that the sea halted its progress, but the River Ry is not wide enough. No matter how deep the chasm, it couldn't have provided enough water necessary to extinguish such a large wave of fire. It should have jumped right over the river and destroyed the entire eastern continent. The Empaths believe our mystical heritage saved Treborel that day, for once I'm likely to agree. It's a grave reminder of what greed and carelessness can aspire to."
"This conversation is best left to the Continental Alliance." Hanlin answered taking a seat on the sofa.
"I look forward to it. I'm told Commander Connor is a very effective debater." Katar smiled refilling Hanlin’s glass with ale.
"The Summit is only three weeks away. Are you sure you can effectively show the Commander a proper hunting excursion in only two weeks?" Hanlin cautioned not wanting the Prince to disappear into the mountains at such a crucial time.
"You take the Queen's helijet transport when the time arrives. I will take the hunting party through the Western Chasm. I will meet you at the Regent's Retreat a few days before the Summit."
"Regent Dana will be expecting a Prince, not a barbarian wearing the skins of dead animals." Hanlin reproached, reminding Katar of Lon Tesse’s protests against the annual slaughter of the giant sraebs of Treborel.
"I promise, no presents oozing with blood." Katars smile broadened as he went back to the bar to return the decanter of ale. Glancing out the long windows that covered the wall, he studied the new blossoms that had begun to appear, blanketing the giant trees in vibrant pink and violet hues. The warmth of the sun pushed its way through the dense layer of clouds and touched his face as the fountains began to flow.
"My mother must be bullying the gardener again. He's turned on the fountains." A fleeting image of his father appeared before him as his eyes focused