A half-circle table held the important people, presumably the Committee by body language. They were dressed in a range from thug to worker bee. Flunkies lined the wall. The empty seat in the middle must be Guen’s. Conversations died as they watched Mitchie’s arrival.
“Everyone, this is Michigan Long,” proclaimed Guen. “She’s an officer in the Akiak Space Guard. You heard of her as the hero of the recapture of Demeter. Now she has urgent news of our enemies.” Guen turned and began walking to the end of the table. She glanced back and made a ‘start talking’ gesture.
‘Ladies and gentlemen’ was too formal for this crowd. Mitchie opened with, “My friends. I bring harsh news. Stakeholder Ping has organized a revolt against the Fusion of Inhabited Worlds. His supporters have formed a new polity called the Harmony. They are enslaving the stipend collectors and threatening war against the rest of humanity.”
People seated at the table cursed and made other exclamations of outrage. The flunkies confined themselves to echoing whoever they were standing behind. Mitchie used the interruption to reorder her thoughts.
“I am under orders from the Combined Fleet to bring Ping to the high command to answer for the Fusion’s failure to meet its obligations under the Treaty of Lapis. Ping refused and threatened my crew with lethal violence. He demanded I serve as a messenger for him. Rather than endanger my loyal crew I cooperated.”
Mitchie held up a data crystal. “Here are his demands. Put the stipend kids to laboring at useless make-work. Assign watchers to double-guess the decisions of every freelancer, entrepreneur, and businessman. Give parents control over their children’s decisions on where to live, what to do, and who to marry. And wage war against anyone who doesn’t comply with those demands.”
This time she talked over the curses and grumbles. “Which means he’s demanding you make war on us, the Disconnected Worlds. We want to be friends with you but anyone who attacks our people’s freedom is our enemy.”
Guen declared, “The Committee of Public Safety supports the Treaty of Lapis,” from her seat in the center of the table. An uncertain stir went through the other committee members but no one replied.
“Then the Disconnected Worlds will stand by our friends and allies,” answered Mitchie. I wonder if the treaty covers internal conflicts? The DCC is going to be pissed if I just dragged them into a civil war.
“Can we see the details of the Harmony’s demands?” asked a committee member in a shiny lime green jacket and blueberry beret.
“Of course.” A technical-type flunky scampered up to Mitchie with a datasheet. He accepted the data crystal from her and plugged it into the datasheet.
“You’ll find most of it is philosophy, explanations for why their system of total control is the only acceptable choice for society and best for individuals . . . in the long run.” Mitchie watched as the committee members began fiddling with their datasheets.
The meeting devolved into a general argument about the horribleness of Stakeholder Ping, his Harmony, and the ultimatum. Mitchie drifted toward the wall to avoid attracting more attention. She studied the dynamics of the Fusion’s new rulers. Guen confined herself to shutting down personal attacks between committee members. Most of the speeches were competitions over who was most outraged.
An older man stood out by his silence. Mitchie noticed he didn’t participate in the debate but his terse comments would steer it in new directions. His fingers stayed busy on his datasheet, presumably passing private messages to one or another grandstander.
Proposals to attack the Harmony were side-tracked into arguments over the state of the Navy. Apparently a wave of new recruits were in training. That was good news, if they would actually be available to support the Combined Fleet instead of being ground up in a civil war.
“That’s enough for now, people,” broke in Guen. “There are subcommittee meetings in half an hour. Chairs need to make sure they have their agendas ready and I want everyone there on time.” Apparently that was a formal adjournment for this body. “Commander Long, thank you for your help today. I will follow up with you to coordinate our response with the Disconnected Worlds.”
Mitchie nodded.
***
Guen arrived in a three truck convoy. They pulled up next to the Joshua Chamberlain in a flurry of dust. Brightly colored thugs jumped out of the front and rear trucks and formed a loose perimeter around the ship. A squad of professional bodyguards dismounted smoothly from the middle one. They formed a corridor to the gangway. Mitchie recognized some from Guen’s old security crew.
The Chairwoman hopped out of the middle truck’s cab. She strolled calmly up the gangway into the open hold.
Mitchie had most of the crew lined up to honor their guest. Guen swapped hugs with Mitchie. She hugged Guo until he squeezed back. The rest of the crew received handshakes and polite greetings.
When that was done she whispered, “Privacy?” in Mitchie’s ear.
“Let’s go up to our cabin.” Mitchie led Guen and Guo up the ladder to the main deck. When she closed the door of the double cabin behind them and announced “Privacy” Guen flopped on the bed.
“Oh, God, I’m safe. At least for a few minutes. It’s been a nightmare.”
“You keep wanting to wake up?” asked Guo.
“Worse. The kind where you wake up, and think it’s over, but it’s another nightmare, and you wake up again, and it’s still nightmare.” Guen pulled on her hair.
“Well, you’re safe here,” said Mitchie firmly.
“Thank you.” Guen sat up on the edge of the bed. She twisted her back to relieve the pinch from her top.
“That outfit looks uncomfortable,” commented Mitchie.
“Oh, it’s terrible. I’m doing this woman-of-the-people routine so I have to wear stipend kid fashions. It’s all catch-the-eye crap. I have creases on my boobs when I take this off.”
“No one’s watching now.” Mitchie unlatched a drawer. “Try this on.” She tossed Guen a nightshirt.
“Oh, yes.”
Guo turned to contemplate a poem on the bulkhead.
Mitchie had to pull the knee-high lemon boots off.
“That is so much better.” Guen bounced a little to enjoy her freedom.
Guo asked, “If you’re up to talking about it, why are there so many historical references in the revolution? Committee of Public Safety, guillotines, political sentencing?”
“Oh, that’s Professor Corday. He always has a suggestion when we need an idea and half the Committee loves him. Sometimes he’ll throw a fit and we can’t get anything done until we agree to do it his way.”
“Why isn’t he the Chairman?” said Mitchie.
Guen’s smile was too cynical for such a young face. “The Chairman is first one to be executed when things go wrong. Wish I’d known that before he maneuvered me into the job.”
“Wait,” said Guo. “Georges Corday, author of Bloodlust as Politics: The French Revolution?”
“That’s him. He gave me a copy of his book. I’m only a third of the way through it. Every page has something I have to spend an hour reading about to understand.”
“Good God. I’d think he’d remember how that revolution came out.”
Guen shrugged. “He’s testing his theories on the mob. Sometimes I think he’s just doing it all to write another book. He’s constantly taking notes. But it’s useful. The guillotines are providing more satisfaction to the mob with fewer executions. It’s a better show than firing squads.”
“Hey, you must be doing some good.” Mitchie spoke brightly to keep Guen from noticing the shocked look on Guo’s face.
“I’m trying. The economy’s going again, even if some sectors are running on barter. I put a lot of the family fortune into that. Oh, and there’s millions of volunteers training for the Navy. Turns out the Navy had a virtual reality boot camp program. They wouldn’t use it because it’s only 80% effective.”
“That must make Admiral Vitelli happy,” said Mitchie.
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“No, he was dead before I heard about the training software.”
“What happened?”
Guen let out an unhappy sigh. “He told the Committee we were a bloodthirsty junta. Which we are. But a dozen committee members immediately moved to execute him. Nobody voted against it. I wanted to, but I was afraid they’d execute me if I was the only one opposing them.”
“You are way too stressed,” said Mitchie. “You need to relax. Lie face down.”
Mitchie and Guo traded massages often enough to be well-practiced. They started on Guen’s arms, Guo on the left, Mitchie right. After rubbing her legs from toes to top they split the back. Mitchie took the shoulders and upper back. Guo stroked the lower back, and after Mitchie nudged him, below.
When she was done on that side they flipped her over. Guo worked neck, scalp, and face, while Mitchie stroked pectoral and abdominals.
“Better?” asked Mitchie.
“Oh, yes. Well, better physically. I still have all my worries.”
“Maybe we can help. What’s the biggest one?”
Guen laughed. “Just one? I don’t know enough to do this job. The military hates us almost as much as they hated the Stakeholders. Half the stipend kids want to beat people up as a personal dominance display. Everyone who was doing well under the old regime would kill us all to put things back the way they were. And I have no idea how to fix it.”
She shivered. The couple enveloped her in a warm joint hug.
“Oh, that’s better.”
“What have you been doing?” asked Guo.
“Treading water. Approving everything with majority support so I don’t piss off the Committee. Offering food and entertainment to the stipend kids so they won’t riot again. Supporting people who stand up to Professor Corday so he doesn’t get complete control.”
Mitchie slid closer, following Guen as she leaned into Guo’s side of the cuddle. “What’s Corday after?”
“I don’t know. His supporters go in different directions. He talks about an ‘improved status quo ante’ but I don’t believe it. There’s just too much sneaking around for that. I keep thinking if I knew more history I could figure it out.”
“I can recommend some books to start with,” said Guo.
“I’d like that. I don’t know when I’ll have the time. If I wasn’t here I’d have a line of people waiting to talk to me.”
Mitchie chuckled. “It would take three years to read all the books he’d give you anyway. You don’t have time to learn everything.”
“I know. I hate being so ignorant. And I can’t ask questions because that’s showing weakness. Or the answers I’d get would just be to manipulate me. At least I have some basics in economics from working in Dad’s company. That let me get food distribution going again.”
“That’s good,” said Mitchie. “What do you need to know the most?”
The younger woman paused. “This is embarrassing.”
Guo tightened his hug for a moment. “We’re good at keeping secrets.”
“It’s . . . I don’t know anything about sex. It makes me feel like a child working with all those adults who know everything.”
“Surely you’ve seen holos,” said Mitchie.
“Yeah. But there’s violence in holos too. I’ve seen people beaten and killed. It’s nothing like the holos. So I can’t trust holo sex to be accurate. And I can’t ask anyone to demonstrate for me.”
Mitchie had been watching for a vulnerability she could plant hooks into. This was it, if she could get Guo to cooperate. She chuckled. “Maybe you can’t ask. But someone could volunteer.”
Guen suddenly looked hopeful. “If . . . if you wanted to.”
“Oh, if you weren’t here we’d be screwing anyway. This guy won’t pass up a chance.”
“Kettle,” said Guo. “We should really talk—”
He broke off as Mitchie knelt before him and undid his fly.
“Isn’t that uncomfortable?” asked Guen.
“Mmmmm. Depends on the guy. This one is a perfect fit for me.” She went back to what she’d been doing.
Guo tried to say something, but it was incoherent.
Mitchie had peeled her jumpsuit most of the way off while on her knees. She kicked it the rest of the way off as she stood. Guo’s only took her a moment to take off. “Come on, lover. Let’s be educational.”
She flopped back onto the bed, pulling Guo after her. Any resistance he’d had to the project was gone now. “Ooh, that’s right. Lift up your chest, let her have a good view.”
Guen scooted closer to find the best viewing angle. A hand disappeared under her nightgown.
Mitchie moaned in appreciation of her husband’s efforts. She turned to study Guen’s fascinated face. “If you’re feeling warm you can take that off.”
The nightgown flew away.
Mitchie leaned up to whisper in Guo’s ear. “Doesn’t she look kissable?”
They both looked at Guen. The teenager looked very kissable—eyes wide, cheeks flushed, lips barely parted.
Mitchie twisted her hips to make Guo lean toward Guen. Lips met. Guen whimpered. Mitchie said, “Kiss her right.” Mouths opened.
She slid out from under Guo. A hand on his ribs pushed him toward Guen. He rolled her onto her back.
Guen froze in a moment of panic.
Mitchie took her hand and stroked it, whispering, “Relax. Just lay back. He knows what he’s doing. It’ll be good,” into Guen’s ear.
Guo managed enough self-control to start slowly. Guen gasped, then began to pant. When Guo sped up she pulled her hand out of Mitchie’s grasp and clutched his shoulders.
They finished with shouts and moans. Mitchie fought down an urge to applaud.
She joined in the cuddle behind Guen, laying her arm on Guo’s where it rested on the girl’s waist.
Neither fell asleep, though it was close for Guo. Guen explored him with her free hand, growing bolder after Mitchie whispered, “You can touch him anywhere.”
When he responded Mitchie guided her to kneel above him. His attempt to help was quashed by, “Hold still. It’s her turn to be in charge.”
After some fumbling and shifting a moan from Guen announced that she’d made it work. It worked well. He was quieter this time, she was louder.
They’d actually fallen asleep when a gadget in Guen’s discarded clothes began beeping.
“Crap. Meeting.”
Guen rolled off the bed and grabbed her clothes. Mitchie had to help her with the boots again. Guo was the last to finish dressing.
Guen wrapped herself around him with a deep kiss. “Wow,” she said. “That was—wow. I love you.”
“I love you too,” he replied.
Guen gave Mitchie a quick hug. “Thank you. For everything.”
“Hey. Friends help each other.”
Once outside the cabin they kept a casual demeanor. They handed her off to the bodyguards at the gangway.
When the trucks pulled away Guo said, “We need to talk.”
“Agreed,” said Mitchie. What she needed was for it to be her turn. But Guo would want to talk first.
***
Guo sat down in the reading chair, legs crossed with a foot resting on his knee. Not willing to let her change the subject, Mitchie decided. She sat on the edge of bed facing him.
“I’ve known non-monogamous married couples,” he said. “They make a big point of everyone communicating so they’re all working from the same assumptions.”
She nodded.
“This kind of, of spontaneous fun could bite us in the future. Hard. It’s probably going to bite Guen harder. How’s she going to feel when she realizes she’s falling in love with a man who’s always going to pick another woman over her? And that’s not even considering dealing with diseases or pregnancy.”
“You’re worried about catching a sexually transmitted disease from a virgin?”
“This time, no. The next time we land on Pintoy who knows what she’ll have been
doing. And there’s still pregnancy.”
“Until two months ago Guen regularly received the best medical care the Fusion could offer. I’m certain she has a contraceptive implant and immune system boosts.”
“But you didn’t ask.”
“No.”
“And you wouldn’t let me ask.” Guo was annoyed over that.
“I was worried about breaking the mood. If we’d started going over ground rules and medical checks she would have gotten cold feet and we’d all have wound up watching Magic Princess Journey. Then you’d claw your eyes out.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“You’ve seen it?”
“You met my sisters. Stop changing the subject.”
Talking about his sisters wouldn’t get her what she wanted. “Okay.”
“Yeah, breaking the mood would have ruined the chance of having that fun today. And I’ll admit that was incredibly fun. But she could think about whether the mob would kill her for sleeping with Diskers or if she was ready for this or whatever. And we could discuss how to handle a teenager with a crush trying to get between us. You noticed she did put herself between us?”
“I was fine with her having the middle of the cuddle. She’s lost some weight, probably gets cold easily.”
“I’m not worried about her being cold. This is about you and me and protecting what we have.”
“We’re here, safe, and talking openly. That’s a solid relationship.”
“Yeah? How solid is it going to be with Guen asking me to meet her one on one without you? Because she doesn’t seem to have that much interest in you.”
“No, she has to be the most hetero woman I’ve ever—never mind.”
“So you’re fine with me going off to see her? I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
“If she asks I think you should. I don’t know that she will. She did get nervous at one point, she may not be up for more.”
“Wait, nervous? I didn’t notice her being nervous.” Suddenly he sounded nervous.
“You were being, mmm, focused. I coaxed her through it. She didn’t say anything.”
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