"So, this may be seen by more than just the drivers here on the perimeter avenue," Kris said.
"Yes."
"I like that. Who arranged for the photographers?" Kris asked.
"The media is free to float on the waves," the general said. "Someone may have made a call to them suggesting there was something happening near the palace that they might be able to sell to their media outlets. Thus, the waves washed them up on our beach."
"Ah, yes. I have helped land just such fish," Kris admitted.
The parade of excited kids of both species and the parents who were dividing their attention between the hijinks of their offspring and the other adults they now shared childcare with, reached the crosswalk to the Palace gate.
MPs took their lives in their hands to step out and stop traffic. Apparently traffic lights had not been invented in the Empire. Only when all lanes ground to a halt did the senior Iteeche MP wave for the kids to cross.
To shouts of "Walk, don't run!" both in Standard and Iteeche, the kids launched themselves in one huge wave for the other side of the broad avenue and the wide gate into the palace grounds.
There was a broad bridge across the moat. It had to be that wide to accommodate the palanquins that clan lords rode through it. The kids spread out, wanting to see over the bridge at what was in the water. There were whispered shouts that monsters with huge teeth lived in the moat. One Iteeche lad claimed to have spotted one, but it was gone before anyone else did.
He got a lot of joshing from both Iteeche and Human kids, but it was in good humor. Kris suspected they all wished they'd been the one to spot the elusive legend.
Once the last kids had toddled across the street, the road guards recovered, and traffic resumed whizzing around the avenue.
Kris was glad to be safe on palace grounds and out of that potential shooting gallery on the streets, but Ruth and Johnnie were not satisfied with her progress. Once they had finished looking over the low stone walls on the side of the bridge, they headed for her. Johnnie was so excited that he was hopping in her direction.
"Mommy! Mommy, hurry up!" the two insisted as each of them took a hand and began to pull her faster up the tree shaded lane.
Behind her, Kris heard General Konga do that strange Iteeche laugh. Apparently he thought it very funny that the commander of the victorious Combined Fleet could not resist two humans half her size.
Kris didn't mind. She let herself be towed along until she'd caught up with the two tutors that had the duty for this outing. They laughed, too, as the kids hurried her past them.
Soon, the lake came in sight.
It was quite lovely. The waters were mirror smooth and pale green, reflecting trees that shaded the banks. There was a large sandy beach, white and sparkling in the sun. It, too, might have been smooth, but now it showed plenty of footsteps. From Kris's left wafted the delicious aromas of wood burning grills and the first of the hamburgers and hot dogs, as well as barbecued brisket, pork ribs, and chicken.
Kris had to smile at the thought of the many light years that the food had come so it could feed humans in the center of the Iteeche Empire.
However, her kids had other ideas. They'd seen the water. They dropped her hands and took off running, hopping, and dancing - whatever it took to shed their clothes. As a mother, Kris checked to see that lifeguards were on duty. They were.
A reasonably large area off the beach had been roped off with floats for the kids to romp in. Outside that, there were several floating platforms for swimmers to rest on. Beyond them was a marked off area, complete with goals for water polo.
A game was just starting.
Good. It looked like someone had everything in hand. So, of course, she spotted just who that someone was.
"Hi, Abby, you keeping busy?" Kris called.
"No rest for us wicked."
"Where's Cara?"
"Getting the third field set up for polo. You wouldn't believe how many fools signed up for that game. Oh, and we're getting Iteeche who want to play, too. You think anyone would mind if we had twice as many people on a team, half Human, half Iteeche?"
"I won't tell the Olympic committee if you don't," Kris said.
"Good. I will not let them have a Human against the Iteeche. We don't need to start another war over polo."
"Yeah. We got enough working on that outside of the water."
There were screams of "Mommy, Mommy!" from where her kids were splashing around in the shallows.
"I better go spend some time with the kids."
"It don't look like anyone has a gun to your head," Abby said, dryly.
"Nope, just pudgy little fingers wrapped around my heart."
Now it was Kris's turn to shed her clothes and join the kids. There was splashing and swimming and all kinds of jumping up and down. It seemed that just adding water to kids made for a mix of delightful fun.
If Kris had thought to wear them out, it worked the other way around. She finally had to wave for one of the nanny/tutors to step in and she trudged across the sand to where a row of pavilions stood for those wanting a place to rest out of the sun. General Konga had saved a low chair for her and found a comfortable bunch of pillows for himself.
She joined him.
"I'd never seen one of you Humans without your clothes," he said in greetings. "You have a lot more bumps and stuff," he said, waving his hands, two in her direction, two at the crowd in general. "It is strange. You treat men and women equal in status, but you are much different."
The general was still in his undress uniform, but Kris had seen Ron the Iteeche naked one night when she was recovering from battle wounds and could not sleep. She'd wandered down by the pool just before he chose to take a moonlight swim.
Seated in the shadows, she had gotten her first glimpse of a bare Iteeche. They were smooth down there as well as everywhere else. Both male and female had a small cloaca, an orifice they used for everything. While the general found the Human anatomy interesting, Kris found theirs strange as well.
Both Iteeche sexes look pretty much the same unclothed. So, why did the Iteeche treat their females to purdah and keep them out of the workforce?
The two species were certainly alien to each other.
"We like the way we are just as much as you like the way you are."
"Yes," the general said, musing. "Yes, but the way you play with your children, and they with you. I wonder. If I and my woman were to mate in our small pond and chose from the best of the fingerlings, could the three of us enjoy each other as much as you enjoy your children? Oh, where is your husband?"
"Checking on security. We need to get permission to fly a helicopter over the pond."
"A helicopter? Why?"
"Do you like the small white fish?" Kris asked in return
"Of course. Every Iteeche does. There isn't a planet in the Empire where we don't have free or farmed white fish."
"Well, I don't think you'll want any of our barbecue."
The Iteeche Guard general glanced at the smoking grills and shook his head. "No. Definitely not. You don't even have fish on the grills."
"Yes. So, what would happen if a helicopter made a low pass over the pond and dumped several tons of living white fish into the water?"
The general made a loud coughing sound, "Our younglings would be diving and snapping the fish up in their beaks. It would be . . ." suddenly he got serious. "It would be the most fun. Yes, I think I would actually understand what you mean by fun. Wildly doing something for the pure joy of it. Nothing required. No propriety. Just good food caught like our ancestors did it before we came out of the water. You would do that?"
"I will if we can get permission from the admiral controlling airspace over the Capital, yes."
The Iteeche general made a face. As much as an Iteeche could. "Admiral, can your marvelous computer connect me with Capital Airspace Defense?"
"Yes, I can," Nelly answered immediately.
"Please do," the Guard general said, th
en added softly to Kris. "I can't believe I just asked a computer to please do something."
"It's always a shock the first time," Kris whispered back.
"Capital Airspace Defense," instantly came from Kris's neck.
"This is the Commanding General of the Imperial Guard. Put Admiral Fanz on the line."
"One moment, sir. He is on another line."
"I am on the Imperial grounds. Is there anything more important than the defense of the Palace?"
"N- n- no, sir. One moment, sir."
"Nelly, is Jack on the other line?"
"Yes, Kris."
"What is it, Konga?" an irritated Iteeche admiral snapped, a moment later. "I've got enough problems from those denizens of chaos-from-the-deep Humans."
"That is the matter on which I must talk to you."
"Don't tell me that you have a Human badgering your ear as well."
"As a matter of fact, I do have the Imperial Admiral of the First Order of Steel seated next to me. I am watching Iteeche and Humans swimming together in a most proper and fitting way. I think all our Iteeche younglings and even their Choosers would find the dropping of white fish into the palace pond a pleasant reminder of how our ancient ancestors fed themselves from the sea. Please grant the Humans the brief use of the airspace between their palace and this lake."
"General, you want me to give in to the Humans?"
That was no question. The admiral was asking the Imperial Guard general to accept responsibility for any risk attached to this wild Human carrying on.
"Yes, Admiral, I will cosign any order you wish to write that will give the Humans the use of the palace airspace for . . ." the general turned to Kris. "When do you want to do this?"
"Between the second and third hours after midday," Kris answered.
"So be it upon your head," the admiral said, and cut the call.
"Well, I hope you will not do anything too improper," General Konga told Kris. "How do you Humans call it? My neck is out a mile."
"We will be very careful," Kris assured him. "I'll make sure the first drop isn't too large. Nelly, can you get me Jack please?"
"Of course, Kris."
"Hi, honey. How's the swim party?"
"Can't you hear the squeals in the background?" Kris asked right back.
"I do think I hear some small riot going on. Or is it a large riot by small people? I can never get those two right."
"Nope, you got it right both ways today. Listen, General Konga called the Capital Airspace Defense admiral. We've got permission to run choppers between the embassy and this pond between fourteen and fifteen hundred hours. Can we use smaller skitter choppers and have more runs with smaller loads?"
"Sure," Jack said. "It will make for a better lunch for the kids. I'll break the fish into six or eight loads and space them out every eight or ten minutes."
"I think that might be better," Kris said.
"Ah, admiral," interrupted in the voice of a very nervous Human. It came from Kris's neck also.
"Yes," Kris said.
"Ah. Sorry to disturb you, ma'am. This is staff sergeant Munez. I'm covering the road and I think the Emperor is coming to our party."
"Are you sure?" General Konga asked, directing his voice at Nelly.
"No, Sir. Neither is the Iteeche sergeant with me. He's never seen the Emperor before. Neither have I."
"He should be in pretty fancy clothes," Kris put in, "and have half his court with him."
"Yeah, Admiral. That's what we expected, but this Iteeche is just wearing a singlet and he's only got a half-dozen guys in fancy clothes all arguing with him, telling him to get back in the palace."
"That sounds like my Emperor," General Konga said.
"Make sure he is safe, but take no action, sergeant."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Jack?"
"I heard. Nelly cut me in. I'll tighten up surveillance in the airspace over the pond. I've got a nano spy over that group. You want to see its take?"
"Please," General Konga said.
A moment later, a holograph appeared in front of them. Sadly, Kris still had trouble telling Iteeche apart. Of course, the problem was returned. Iteeche couldn't tell Humans apart. Still, even Kris could tell that the young Iteeche in the simple purple singlet, surrounded by a half-dozen fussbudgets in many-layered formal court clothing was indeed the Emperor she'd seen several times over the last month.
The Emperor was coming and she had nothing to wear. She glanced around the beach. Some nice person had collected all the clothes that had littered the sand an hour ago and put them somewhere.
"Nelly, how close is the Emperor?"
The holograph swapped for a map. The Emperor and his entourage weren't more than two hundred meters away.
Well, this is a swim party.
Kris and General Konga went to meet his Emperor.
12
The Imperial Household Staff was busy arguing with the young Emperor They didn't notice the approach of the Guard general in undress uniform and the Human in little more than a smile. A smile which she struggled mightily to keep friendly and not nervous.
NELLY, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?
PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU'D EXPECT. 'YOU CAN'T DO THIS,' 'THIS IS NOT PROPER.' THAT KIND OF STUFF. YOU DON'T NEED ME TO TRANSLATE.
NOPE, Kris admitted.
The Emperor noticed Kris and Konga and turned to them, ignoring his harridans. Kris bowed. Konga bowed deeper.
The kid was loose and ready for play in the Emperor's voice, “Please see me today as Tranna. I heard that you were having a swim party," he said. "May I attend?"
"Of course, Your Imperial Majesty," Kris quickly answered. "After all, we are borrowing your pond. There is always a place for you whenever we Humans throw a party."
From the water polo field, a shout rose up. One team had scored a point.
That drew the eyes of the Emperor. "What are they playing?" he asked.
Kris gave him a bare outline of the rules and strategy of water polo.
"Oh, I must play."
"They are starting up a new game," Kris said as they anchored the third field in place. "I'm sure you could join."
The Emperor glanced around. Within his view, all the Iteeche and Humans in the water were unclothed. In a moment he pulled his singlet over his head, tossed it aside and dashed for the water, letting out a whop of pure joy.
Did General Konga actually grin at Kris as he went to collect the purple singlet?
"Jack," Kris called on net, "I need more lifeguards and safety boats. Include diving gear. I've got an Emperor to take care of."
"You're kidding me."
"No joke. It's his pond. He's come out to play."
"I bet he's got some minders that are upset."
"Yep, and they're glaring at me. Fortunately, I have General Konga to hide behind."
"Oh no you don't," Konga said, making that weird Iteeche laugh. "If they come at you, I'm running. Oh, and I heard about tripping people in case of an event called the Zombie apocalypse. The fiction of you Humans makes me wonder what actually goes around in your brains."
Kris laughed. "Sometimes we don't have brains."
The Emperor, or should she say Tranna, dashed through the shallows, sending spray scattering before him, then dove in and swam for the third game that was just forming up.
"Nelly, get some drifters or tiny skeeters over the Emperor. Nothing obvious, but don't let him out of your sight."
"Doing it, Kris. Kris, we need more lifeboats and crews. There's only one boat at that new field.
"I know. Jack?"
"I've got a fast skitter headed your way with a dozen strong swimmers," Jack reported.
"Good," Kris said. For the moment, she and Konga strode toward where the water lapped on the sand. Konga had been talking into the commlink Kris had given him. Now, a dozen Iteeche Guardsmen raced from the gate guardhouse; they were tossing off their formal dress uniforms. They were down to the buff by the time they reached General Kon
ga.
"The Emperor is swimming in that game over there. Examine the other two games. Physical contact is allowed by all players. Do not interfere in the game unless you truly see that the Emperor is hurt. Bleeding, maybe. Not surfacing, definitely."
The senior NCO in the group took his ambiguous instructions in without so much as a blink. "Yes, General."
"Some Human lifeguards will be joining you with boats. You will be able better to see what's going on from one of those boats."
"Yes, sir."
"Now get out there."
Twelve Iteeche charged into the water and threw themselves into racing dives. Kris was amazed at how well their four legs and four arms worked in the water.
A moment later, a large four-engine skeeter raced up the path they had walked an hour ago. It went straight for the playing fields. A dozen strong swimmers dropped from the air vehicle before it settled to the water and divided itself into six boats.
These were well-balanced catamarans, stable, as well as a good platform for viewing the events around them. Each had a ladder at its stern and the Human swimmers were soon hauling themselves aboard, two to a boat. They offered the Iteeche swimmers a hand up the ladder as well.
One of the catamarans took station at each corner of the field the Emperor's game was being played on. The other two hovered in the middle between the first two fields. After a few moments, the catamarans sprouted a high chair that offered a Human swimmer a good view all around. Meanwhile, an awning unfurled itself to shade the three other swimmers, Human and Iteeche, without interfering with their watch. Soon, chairs for Humans and stools for the Iteeche appeared to make it easier to stand their watch at either corner of the bow and one at the stern.
"Nelly, could you walk one of those pavilions over here?" Kris asked.
"Of course," Nelly said with a laugh.
A moment later, one of the pavilions began a stiff-legged walk on its four corner poles toward where Kris and Konga stood.
"Magic," Konga said, shaking his head.
"I can almost agree with you," Kris admitted as the ungainly thing did a slow waddle up to them. Covering them, it settled into place around them, then spat up some pillows for the Iteeche and a lounger for Kris.
Kris Longknife Stalwart Page 8