by Robin Roseau
"Wait. You built these benches for us?"
"Of course. The Talmonese rarely travel through here. Did you not notice they are new? I am sorry for the comfort. We have had so many duties, and so I had to slip away and make these when I had time."
"Wait," she said again. "You made these yourself. Personally. With your own hands. And as I understand it, you have no machines. What is this?" She rapped the seat with her hand.
"My brother helped for some of it," I said. "It wasn't that hard. We selected a nearby tree, cut it down, then cut what we need from it. The seat is a half log; the back another half. You see? I cut the trees down and cut the lengths I needed, but to saw them in half requires two people."
"I thought you didn't cut the trees."
"We don't cut the mother trees," I said. "Mother trees are much, much bigger than this tree was."
"You are Aunt Cecilia's personal assistant."
"Yes."
"And you didn't delegate this?"
"This is personal. A gift." I looked down. "A poor gift."
We sat quietly. I looked out over the water. It really was beautiful. There were birds wheeling in the wind. They weren't birds from Earth; these were Talmonese birds, and entirely inedible besides. Our animals could eat the local plants, and we could even eat some of them. But we couldn't eat the native animals, and they couldn't eat us. And so a predator might try to eat one of us, but he would get sick if he tried, and we smelled wrong to them besides. So they left us alone; we left them alone.
The wind was at our backs, blowing the trees, and the water was calm, at least by ocean standards. To our left was a sharp point of land jutting out into the ocean, and I knew the current outside the rocks would be murderous to any ship that drew close. But if one took a ship to that point, carefully, one could see the entrance to the Sudden harbor.
The resort was to our right, although not quite visible yet.
I loved this point, even if Delilah hadn't cared for my benches, and I let the serenity calm me.
But then she placed her hands on my shoulder and her chin on her hands. I knew if I looked, she was right next to me. She spoke, almost directly into my ear.
"I have never heard of someone doing something like this," she said. "I am terribly sorry for my careless words. This is a lovely location and a gift beyond compare. Thank you."
I couldn't help but smile. "You are welcome." I turned my head slightly. "You are on Talmon now. This is what it is like to be on Talmon."
She didn't say anything about that, but then she said, "I want you. I intend to have you. Are you going to fight me?"
I cocked my head and considered. "Probably not very hard, Delilah."
* * * *
If she wanted me, she was going to have to wait, at least a while. When I arrived at the resort, everything was in turmoil, or at least appeared so. Cecilia's eyes lit up when she saw me, and she beaconed me closer.
"I'm sorry. I have to handle whatever is wrong." I dashed away from Del before she could stop me. Whatever was wrong, I wanted to handle it without her intoxicating scent wrapped around me. And so I hurried to Cecilia.
"What's wrong?"
"Personality conflicts," she said. "My two granddaughters are fighting lately, some feud that's been going on for months, and they refuse to share a bungalow."
"No problem," I said. "We have more."
"They're all closed," Cecilia said. "There's no bedding. The water is turned off."
I grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face me. "What's really wrong?"
"I wanted it perfect."
"Perfect is a dream," I said. "You do not have to handle everything. That's my job. Give them a tour. Show them everything. I will have this entirely straightened out before you're back. Make sure you take Delilah with you."
"You don't care for her?"
"She is distracting," I said.
Cecilia laughed, her old self back. "I believe she has intentions."
"She has already declared them. I can't believe how good she smells."
"She can control it, too," Cecilia said. "Rejuvenation. She doesn't play fair."
I smiled. "Take her with you. I'll handle everything. Are there other conflicts?"
"No, but no one knows where the luggage is."
"Everyone's things will be in the proper bungalows by the time you get back. Go." And without another word, she did.
Fixing everything wasn't quite as easy as I had let on. We had staff, and I let them do their jobs. I called out what I wanted and where I wanted it, and then I made sure it got done. Two people prepared another bungalow on top of the others we had hastily prepared when we saw their numbers. Then I had one more prepared and had my things moved; I had intended to share with Mallory and Erica, but I decided perhaps a little extra privacy might be better.
Just in case I decided to let Delilah catch me.
Oh, whom was I kidding? I already knew the answer to that.
We got luggage sorted, and then I personally went through each bungalow, checking the names on the outside against the assignments on my tablet. I went through and checked every bed, every water closet. I made sure everything that was supposed to run ran, and if it wasn't supposed to run, it stayed where it belonged.
I finished my last inspection barely in time, or perhaps a minute or so late, and I hurried back to the main path to intercept Cecilia, leading everyone back to the bungalows.
"Everything is sorted," I said in Talmonese. Cecilia nodded, and I switched to English and spoke up. "All your things are in your bungalows. I have assignments. Governor Grace, Bungalow Seven." I gestured in the appropriate direction, although Cecilia certainly knew where it was. "Vendart Sartine with you, of course, and August and Christianna. Savannah, you're next door in eight. Delilah with you. In six, Corinne and Shawn along with your partners."
I read off the rest of the assignments.
"If there are conflicts, please let me know, and I will resolve them. If you wish to trade with someone else, that is between all of you, but please let me know so that I can adjust the roster. Each bungalow has a small packet with the information for connecting to the local network and how to retrieve far more details about the resort, the planet, and anything else we thought to provide. The local network is tied to the planetary network, which is not remotely what you normally experience." I looked around for a moment. "There is a formal dinner and dance at my parents' this evening. We need to be in the jumpers by six, or you will experience what happens to Talmonese food when it is overcooked. That makes for a poor showing on your first evening, and my mother's cooking is normally quite good. Until then, the time is yours. Are there questions?"
One of the children raised his hand. I didn't remember his name, but I gestured to him. "Go ahead."
"Where do we get a soda?"
"A... soda?"
"Yeah," he said. "The vending machines. What kind of soda do you have here?"
I glanced at Cecilia, who was smirking, but who was not offering to handle this question."
"I'm sorry. You are on Talmon, not Centos Four. I am not sure what a soda or a vending machine is, but I suspect we do not have any."
"How could you not know what a vending machine is?"
"Do you know what a quint is?"
"A what?"
"Different worlds have different things. It may be these vending machines are common to you, but we do not have any on Talmon, and I have never been anywhere else. I think I'll let your parents explain more, if they like. Are there other questions?"
One of the parents stepped forward. "A soda is a sugared drink, normally delivered in a can."
"Thank you for explaining."
"Perhaps you have an alternative."
"We have sugar, of course," I said. "And a local tea. Some people put sugar in their tea. However, I have noticed that the Governor does not care for our tea, and I don't recall any of the other members of the embassy delegation drinking tea, either. So I suspect it will n
ot be to your taste."
"No, that isn't what I'm thinking of," he said. "But a glass of orange juice with champagne would be wonderful."
I stared for a moment. "I'm sorry. We have no juice that is orange. We have apple cider when it is in season, and apple juice available all year, when there are not shortages. And I am sorry, but I do not know what this cham... I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear the word."
"Champagne. It's a style of sparkling wine."
"We have wine. I do not know what makes it sparkle though."
"It's how it's made," he said. "There are little bubbles in it."
"Bubbles of what?"
"Air, I believe."
"Oh. I am sorry, but none of our wine comes with bubbles. But we have straws, and I remember as a child blowing the wrong way through a straw. Perhaps you could add your own bubbles. Would that turn the wine into champagne?"
"Um. No. I guess I'll just have a single malt."
"A... single malt?"
"Scotch whiskey. Certainly you have whiskey."
I glanced at Cecilia, and she had her hand over her mouth.
"Cecilia Grace, have you encouraged your family to tease the locals?"
"Of course not," she managed to say. "I wouldn't do that."
"Perhaps you would care to answer their questions. I do not know what these things are."
"You're doing just fine," she said. "Please continue."
I sighed. "We do have whiskey. Whether it is the style you prefer, I could not say. I do not drink hard alcohol myself, and so I wouldn't know any of the differences." I looked around, and Sartine was smirking. "Perhaps Sartine would be able to answer your questions."
"No, no," Sartine said.
I sighed. "I do not believe we will have whiskey for you tonight, but tomorrow you could visit one of the taverns in Sudden and see if they can help you."
"I guess I'll make do tonight," he said.
One of the women raised her hand. "What is on the menu tonight? Do you know?"
"I believe Mother intends for you to sample from a variety of local dishes," I said. "I do not know the specifics. It will depend upon what was available in the market. But Mother is an excellent cook, so I am sure there will be several things you will enjoy."
"There won't be any burnt animal flesh, will there?"
"Excuse me?"
"Burnt animal flesh. I'm a vegan. I don't eat any products that were once part of an animal." She eyed me. "Is that leather you are wearing? Do you have any idea what life is like for the animal who eventually died so you could wear its skin for your clothing?"
I stared at her for a minute, then looked at Cecilia. She had her face buried in Sartine's shoulder, and she was shaking. I didn't think she was crying.
"Governor," I asked, "would you care to explain the reality of life on a backwater planet like Talmon?"
She didn't even peel her face from Sartine's shoulder but simply waved a hand back and forth, fending me off.
I turned back to the woman who was going to have a very difficult time finding things to eat. "It is early in the season. None of the fruits or vegetables are available for harvest yet. We have a limited variety of canned foods. I will let mother know of your needs, but you arrived at a poor time of the year to make a request of this nature. I'm sorry. If there will be nothing else, I must return to Sudden and warn my mother of your needs."
I didn't even wait. I turned on my heel and began to walk away. I was happy to let Cecilia deal with them. They were her family, and she was the diplomat. I got three steps before someone called out, "Miss Chaladine."
I stopped and turned around. One of the teenage girls had her hand raised.
"Are you about to ask for something we don't have?" I asked.
"I was just wondering why you don't call your mother to tell her about my aunt's food."
I sighed. "My lungs are not so big as to reach to Sudden. Perhaps the Governor's son could call for me. His lungs may be sufficiently large." I tried to turn around.
"No," she said. "Use your tablet."
"Ah," I said. "A video conference."
"Yes."
"Mother does not have a tablet."
"Then contact her implant."
"Mother does not have an implant. Sartine is the only native Talmonese with an implant, and she is here."
The girl ran out of questions, and so I turned around again. I got another two paces before someone called, "Miss Chaladine?"
I turned around. "If there are additional questions, the Governor is more than qualified to answer them. Welcome to Talmon."
I turned around and stormed off.
* * * *
I got halfway to a jumper before I changed my mind. I didn't get enough names, and so I didn't have a name to place on the woman who insulted my clothing, but she would eat what mother made or go hungry.
I changed directions and headed for my own bungalow.
I didn't understand it. Everyone who had previously come to visit had been such excellent guests, and sensitive to what we could provide. How could an entire family be this rude? How could such a family have produced Cecilia? And I had liked her mother, too, and her sister.
But the rest? I was ready to ship them back off the planet tomorrow.
And Cecilia thought it was funny, to rub in my face the fact we didn't have anything? I didn't think she was like that, either.
I was seriously reconsidering nearly every decision I'd made in the last several years.
I stormed around my bungalow for a few minutes. Then my tablet dinged with an incoming video conference request. I sighed and pulled it out. It was Cecilia. I stared before accepting it.
"What can I do for you, Governor?" I asked.
"Are you halfway to Sudden?"
"I'm in my bungalow. Niece or granddaughter or whatever she is can eat what mother makes. If she is unable to eat the local foods, I hope she brought a shipment of acceptable foods with her."
"Ashlyn isn't vegan," she replied. "Chaladine, they were teasing you."
"I noticed you found it pretty funny listening to me apologize for all the things we don't have."
"I thought it was pretty funny they were willing to tease you barely minutes after they arrived. I haven't figured out who put them up to it."
"You thought it was funny they picked on someone who was helpless? Should I have father put me in the stocks so they can continue later?"
"You are hardly helpless, Chaladine."
"It's not like I can give it back to them."
"Why not?"
"They are the Imperial Governor's family. I wouldn't do that to you."
"Why not? Give them hell. Just make sure you nail the right ones."
"I can't pick on a couple of teenagers."
"Why not? They picked on you. 'Where are the vending machine's?' Seriously. Go for it. But make sure you figure out who put them up to it and include her hardest of all."
"I am not yet convinced it wasn't you."
"It wasn't me, Sartine, or my mother. My father wouldn't think of it. Who else did you talk to long enough to be sufficiently brave to tease you this hard?"
"Only Savannah and Delilah."
She was quite for a moment, then she replied slowly. "Savannah would definitely do it. She'd do it to see how you handled it."
"After just meeting me?"
"I talked about you the last time I was home. Yeah, she'd do it. I don't know Delilah well enough to judge."
"You're really going to let me pay them back."
"As long as your response is proportional to their crime."
"Ashlyn insulted my clothing and they were all willing to let me travel all the way to Sudden and back, plus have mother scramble to make special dishes besides. Not a single one stopped me. In fact, you didn't stop me, either. You stood there and laughed."
"Leave my parents, Sartine, and me out of it," she said. "And Corinne and Shawn weren't involved, either. Ashlyn is Delilah's sister; they may not know she was teasing
."
"Didn't they just travel for two months on a star ship together? Wouldn't they have shared meals?"
"Possibly but not necessarily, and even if they did, they may not have been paying attention."
"Fine. I'll leave them out. The rest are getting it. I'm pretty sure one of those hooligans was your great-grandchild."
She sighed. "The girl. Her name is Kayleigh."
"That means her parents were probably involved, too."
"Probably."
"Enjoy your afternoon, Governor. Maybe I won't get you, too. Maybe."
"Just remember who you work for."
I paused. "Cecilia, I was ready to resign."
"Oh. Chaladine..."
"You let them."
"It was just teasing."
"It was reminding me in no uncertain terms what a poor planet this is and what a poor welcome we're giving them. It was putting me in my place."
"You know that's not how I see Talmon, Chaladine."
"I'm not so sure. Was there anything else, Governor?"
"No," she said in a small voice.
I ended the call. I slammed around the bungalow, thinking, and then I picked up my tablet and made another call.
"Chaladine," said Maddalyn after a brief pause. "Are things okay there?"
"Not really. Do you know the word hazing?"
"That's like teasing, but worse?"
"Yes. Cecilia's family is hazing me."
"No!"
"Will you help me?"
"What do you need me to do?"
A Little Walk
I had to admit, everyone looked amazing. Cecilia was wearing her magic gown, and it was evident that Sartine had something to say about the cut. Sartine was dressed in her most dashing leather, as was I. I had intended to go with a gown myself, but the hazing changed that.
Cecilia's wasn't the only magic gown. Christianna and Savannah both wore one as well. For someone 150 years old, Christianna looked darned good. So did Savannah.
No one else seemed to have magic gowns, and I was left wondering if this was a style choice, or if they were that expensive. But Delilah looked amazing. She had a form-fitting dress that shimmered in different colors. And upon her feet were the most delicate shoes.
I collected everyone after stepping out of the jumpers; we didn't have more jumpers than ground craft, but they were bigger, and so we had been able to take everyone in a single trip. I managed to avoid Delilah's clutches through the expedient method of attaching myself to Cecilia instead. But I knew that wouldn't last long; I didn't intend it to, actually. Oh no, I had plans for Delilah.