(56) - Shutting The Doors

Griffonclaw looked at the summons in his hand; he didn't open the parchment envelope.

He knew what it said. He smiled grimly, remembering what Kestralil had told him about how Universal Exports had been created. While Griffonclaw had still been in a coma, his spirit drifting around Azeroth, Kestralil had been summoned to a secret meeting by Lady Jaina.

The night had been dark and stormy, like all good nights for secret meetings. Kes had been brought to the main hall at the top of the Foothold Citadel, and introduced to those assembled.

"Kestralil Shadowhawk," Jaina began, "may I have the honor of introducing Highlord Bolvar Fordragon, the regent of Stormwind?" Kestralil bowed, and Fordragon stepped forward to kiss her hand in courtly manner, murmuring "Charmed, milady" before straightening. "These gentlemen" the mage continued, indicating the three goblins, "are representatives of the famed Steamwheedle Cartel." The three goblins, faces obscured by the heavy hooded cloaks, nodded their greetings.

"And this man," began Theramore's ruler as the fellow to be introduced dropped his own hood, "is Tirion..." she paused as Kestralil jumped forward into his arms, giving him an affectionate hug of welcome.

"Dame Kestralil is well-known to me" grinned Tirion Fordring over Kestralil's raven-black hair. "Her husband is sworn to the Order, after all..."

"So we see..." smiled Jaina gently, bidding them all sit, and offering them refreshment.

"How is he, dear one?" Tirion asked, his voice low.

"He is still asleep. We feed him, but... " Kestralil controlled the emotion in her voice; her husband had not woken from his death-like sleep that had allowed them to survive time in the Void, as Kestralil had.

"Do not worry overmuch... his work is not yet done here. I feel it in my bones," declared the paladin. "In re-founding the Order of the Silver Hand from the ashes left by Arthas, I've had to tread carefully... the splinters of the Order, like the Scarlet Crusade, the Argent Dawn, the Crimson Horizon... they all have their own agendas, and priorities. I have learned the value of planning, and patience. Griffonclaw will return to us, in time."

Kestralil nodded, not trusting her voice to speak,

"And so, to business... " Jaina began, "Kestralil Shadowhawk FitzSilver, none of what is discussed here tonight may be spoken of except to your husband, when he wakes." Kestralil nodded; in her time as a member of the Hammers of Magni, she had learned of the importance of confidentiality, handling such matters for His Iron Magesty of Ironforge.

"Tirion has made a proposal that the Alliance mount a crusade to Northrend, to take the battle to Arthas directly while diverting some reinforcements to the Argent Dawn. If he can hold the Scourge to their current areas, and take the battle back to Arthas, he will have to marshal a defense instead of reinforcing his forces in Lordearon. Meanwhile, we can strike to the heart of the Scourge, and send Arthas and his Death Knights to defeat," explained Bolvar. "Unfortunately. right now the Alliance is stretched to breaking, what with the Defias in Westfall and Darkshire, the Dark Irons in Loch Modan and the Wetlands, and the Blackrock Orcs attacking Lakesire, and the mysterous Black Riders on the loose. We can barely support our troops already in the field... and so..."

"And so... we come to the crux of the meeting - how to raise money and supplies for the crusade in secret, so that the Scourge remain unaware," concluded Jaina. "Fortunately, our friends in the Steamwheedle Cartel have some ideas..."

That night the basis of Universal Exports was planned. Kestralil would be appointed the General Manager of a trading company based in Theramore, and its initial funding would come from the cartel. Bolvar would supply the warehouse space in secret. Universal Exports would begin mercantile operations, with its profits being used to purchase supplies and other war materials.

When Griffonclaw had awoken weeks later, he had enthusiastically joined them, using the underworld and Horde contacts he had made as Magni's "privy agent" to secure underhanded deals with the un-organized crime in the Alliance cities.

MacLhir, however, had come up with the most brilliant part. She remembered how he had met Kestralil for dinner, and explained his plan.

"Auntie Kes, you reallly are doing things the hard way... " he had begun, explaining how if Universal Exports would begin to deal in arms supply for various customers, how those shipments could be insured by a third party - the Venture Company - and their loss could be blamed on the Horde, while the insurance monies could then be used for yet another cargo.

Griffonclaw had added his own refinements, diverting the occassional cargo of food, blankets, and medicines to the refugees at the Greymane Wall. Even though bastard-born, many of those refugees had come from Silverlaine lands, and their pight tore at Griffonclaw's heart; once a month, on his way to his mother's and sister's graves, he stopped at "The Wall" and spent time healing their hurts and drilling their volunteer defenders in weapons practice.

Universal Exports had used its money to expand its shipping line of armed merchant vessels, while replacing the ferry service from Theramore to Menethil Harbor with their own ships and crews. The Steamwheedle Cartel got a cut of the passage monies, and also had secured the contracts to supply lumber to the mills. The Cartel had even established a trading outpost nearby, Mudsprocket, so that they could enjoy the increased trade with Theramore in closer proximity.

For awhile, things had gone smoothly, even with the interference of Kul Tiras on Theramore's morale and increased harassment of its shipping. Universal Exports had exposed their scheme to send Theramore to war with the Horde once more, and had worked with SI:7 to set back their efforts to inspire wholesale desertions in the Theramore guards.

And then the investigations began. Goblin mercantile agents from the Venture Company began to investigate and spy on their activities, and the shipment insurance ended. People started noticing that ships that had flown under the Theramore flag and lost were showing up with Stormwind Navy designations Kes stepped down as General Manager, and Griffonclaw stepped up. All of the suspicious activities stopped, and all of the Universal Export agents and captains were given a sealed set of orders marked "Omega Protocols" - they contained detailed instructions on how to transfer the last assets to the Alliance command, and resources on how to disappear for awhile.

When the Venture Company agent had delivered the summons for Griffonclaw to appear in an Undermine court on the Isle of Kezan, he knew the game was up. He had this morning sent messengers with orders for Universal Export operatives to follow the Omega Protocols. Inside two weeks, their warehouses would be liquidated, their merchant fleet turned over to the Stormwind Navy, and its agents vanished. Only Griffonclaw, and the lawsuits in goblin courts, would remain.

As a matter of pride, the Steamwheedle Cartel's attorneys would bribe judges, file motions, and delay action until Griffonclaw was old and gray. "Like, say, sometime next week..." the paladin chuckled, having turned prematurely gray after Stratholme. However, Griffonclaw had worked for the goblins before returning to the path of the Light, and he knew full well that the Venture Company would not wait to serve their own version of justice and vengence upon him. When he failed to appear, Ravenholdt and the Syndicate would both be contacted. While assassins and rogues, the were also patriots, and Griffonclaw had already informed them of the true purpose.

The Syndicate was a different matter.

Their death squads would be coming.

Griffonclaw sang the last parts of "Paladin" softly in the deserted Universal Exports offices:

We spill out lots of our blood and hopes and tears
Resisting their shadow bolts, hellfire and fears
They think they can roll us up without a fight
Oh no no no I'm a Paladin
Paladins, holding back the Scourge in Lordaeron

I've lived a lot longer than I thought I would, thought Griffonclaw FitzSilver, husband of Kestralil Shadowhawk, bastard scion of House Silverlaine, Citizen of Ironforge, and paladin of the re-formed Order of the Silver Hand. He had done as Tirion had asked; he had found financing for the crusade to Northrend, to take the battle from Lordareon to Arthas' front door.

Let them come.