Jarvis frowned. “True, anyone with enough money can run for office and win. But-”
Helena considered offering him a smile, but she restrained. Offering only her words, she said, “Forgive me, I was just having a little fun at your expense. Examining a population’s accepted form of government provides great insight into their culture. I’m merely learning, as well.”
Jarvis chuckled and his nervousness from the day before returned. That suited Helena. This man was easier to throw off balance than her Captain Connor. She was disturbed to find she was the one in disarray when he was near her. That risk had to be corrected.
“Did you receive the materials on our legal system this morning?” Jarvis asked. Helena sensed the ambassador was desperate to change the subject. He felt outclassed.
“Yes, thank you,” Helena said. “Though, I must admit – there’s quite a bit of material there.”
“I understand,” Jarvis said. “So I took the liberty to bookmark some important sections on interspecies law and universal accords. I recommend you review them thoroughly before your audience with the Human Council tomorrow.”
Helena nodded. “I will do so.”
♦
After her breakfast with the ambassador, Helena returned to her suite to review the material. Over the course of the next day, she studied Human law and found it complex and brutal towards outsiders.
The morning of her audience with the Human Council arrived too soon for her liking. She preferred to over-prepare for anything this important. Unfortunately, the Humans worked faster than she had anticipated.
“Do you think you’re ready?” Duronius asked in their coded language.
Helena flicked a speck of lint from her midnight blue dress and said, “The natural harmonics of the Chamber will be my biggest obstacle. If things turn sour, I suspect the worst they will do is brand me a liar and send me home. Well, that’s my best interpretation from what I read in their interstellar law.”
“Something else you read last night bothered you, didn’t it?” Duronious said.
Helena reprimanded herself again. Was she that readable? Or, was Duronious more skilled than she had first thought? Why was she forgetting her years of study and discipline when it mattered the most?
She eyed the praetorian and said, “Yes, I discovered that the penalty for treason against the Human government is death. In our case, my father would bear the punishment and our people would be subjugated.”
Duronious said, “I believe the emperor knows the risk.”
Her speech still masked in code, Helena said, “I’m not sure he knows about the ultimate price to his own person for failure.”
The light above Helena’s door blinked and a soft chime signaled a visitor.
“They are here,” she said.
The gathered praetorians jerked to attention and Helena inspected their ceremonial blue and black attire. Though a small group, Helena felt closer to her countrymen than she ever had before. Perhaps the feeling came from being so deep in the enemy’s den.
Helena inhaled and opened her door.
“Greetings, Lady Helena,” Ambassador Jarvis said. “I am here to escort you to the council. Are you prepared to depart?”
Jarvis wore a white suit adorned with a black sash and the purple and orange symbol of Terra. He appeared slightly recovered from their exchange of political views at breakfast a few mornings prior, but he was still awed by her. A fact that kept him sleepless.
Helena adjusted one of her white, elbow length gloves and leveled her painted face at the Human. Without any emotion, she said, “The Antaran Heir is ready to speak with your council.”
Jarvis led them down a wide staircase, past statues and enormous paintings. Activity at the embassy seemed lighter than the past few days, but Helena focused entirely on her task. She must convince them to allow the daughters of Emperor Agreios onto their battleships.
As they descended, the rock became more uneven and natural. Their collected footsteps echoed in a patterned way. The Chamber of Truth was close.
After waiting in a small but lavish room, Jarvis reappeared and motioned Helena through a door. Alone. As Helena entered the Chamber of Truth, she recited the serenity chant in her mind.
Blue-green marble encased the room, though the numerous lights couldn’t break the darkness above. Uneven formations served as natural columns and Helena recognized a pattern. This wasn’t a natural cave. Someone or something manufactured this room eons ago, probably before the Humans settled here. She understood why the Humans thought it natural, but this room served one purpose – to detect fluctuations in sound with unerring accuracy.
A holographic image appeared near the center of the room and Jarvis said, “Please stand right here. I’ll wait for you on the other side of that door.”
After Jarvis retreated to the waiting room, Helena turned to the faces in the hologram. Three Human males and one Human female stared back.
One of the males spoke. “The Human Council welcomes you to Terra, Lady Helena of Antares. I am Councilor Durgess. In order to your right are Councilors Zedem, Oartil and Wethersund.”
Helena nodded, but didn’t speak.
“We understand your trip to Terra was marred by the Proxans?” Durgess said. “Please accept our apologies on that matter.”
“Thank you, Councilor,” Helena said, noting how her voice echoed in the room.
“We just have a few preliminary questions for you,” the female councilor, Wethersund, said.
“Very well,” Helena said, realizing they were attempting to establish her harmonic baseline.
“You are the heir to the Antaran throne, correct?” Wethersund asked, her eyes probing Helena.
With a stonewall face and even voice, Helena said, “Yes, I am heir to the throne.”
“And you are here to open diplomatic negotiations with the Human Confederation?” Wethersund asked.
Varying her voice slightly to give her room for error later, Helena said, “Correct. My people wish to open diplomatic talks.”
Councilor Oartil asked the next question. “And who was the Human captain you met on your homeworld?”
“Captain Nathan Connor,” Helena said, changing her voice a tad in the other direction. “To prove my peoples’ worth, I also bested the captain in a match of chess.”
This time, councilor Durgess spoke again. “A game you have never played before?”
Helena returned to her first harmonic tone and said, “That is correct.”
A few moments passed and Helena kept her emotions deep within herself. Now was not the time to second-guess her tactic. She required some vocal elbow room for when she needed to lay her groundwork of deceit. Helena hoped whoever built this cave could be beaten.
After another minute, councilor Wethersund said, “Very well, Lady Helena, we can proceed.”
Durgess said, “We have the Antaran proposal in front of us and we wish some clarification before going into detail.”
“Very well,” Helena said.
“Your claim of telepathy is unlike any we’ve ever heard,” Durgess said. “So, please excuse our skepticism.”
“Do you not also have Admiral Stugardt’s report?” Helena asked.
“Yes,” Durgess said, “we have read the report in detail. However, we require a good faith demonstration, if you will.”
Helena paused and waited.
“You cannot show us your powers?” Wethersund asked with skepticism heavy on her words and face.
“That is not the problem,” Helena said. “I find your lack of faith in your own people… disappointing.”
“We trust the admiral, and Captain Connor,” Durgess said. “We just want to know the full extent of your capabilities.”
Helena sensed both deceit and fear from the councilors. They mostly trusted the admiral’s report. However, their faith was based on seeing, so Helena decided to give them a show. Perhaps she didn’t need to defeat the Chamber of Truth, if that was even possible. She
closed her eyes to concentrate and block visual distraction.
After a few moments, Helena opened her eyes and stared at the councilors. “You all sit in a room beyond the far wall. If I pass the tests of the Chamber, we will meet in person. Though you trust the admiral, you do not trust his report. Maybe he was delirious or perhaps he’s losing his faculties at his age. Regardless, Councilor Oartil is constantly checking a report from a scientist. This scientist, Hines, is nearby also. He’s monitoring the harmonics in the room and in my voice to detect variations and striations.”
The holographic image of the councilors faded for a minute and then returned.
“Ambassador Jarvis could have told you all of that,” Durgess said. “I wrote down three numbers on a sheet of paper in front of me. Please-”
“Seventeen, thirty-eight, two-thousand four hundred and five,” Helena said. Now that she was in the councilor’s mind, predicting his every move and scanning his surface thoughts was child’s play.
Surprise spread over each councilor’s face.
“Now, for the second test. You are going to ask me how many Human military ships maintain a high orbit?” Helena said, probing the councilor’s line of thought. “And how many crewmembers in total?”
“I… um-” Durgess fumbled with his words.
Helena sighed and closed her eyes. “Try not to talk to me,” she said.
Blocking all external stimuli, Helena focused outward and into space. She sensed pockets of emotion and activity. After singling out what she believed to be the starships, she kept her eyes shut and said, “Four starships.”
Wethersund gasped and Helena furrowed her brow in concentration. This was no small task. The math flowed through her mind as she briefly touched each mind. Some were awake, some were asleep. Counting each one at such a speed was taxing, but Helena’s ability to sense the presence of life was her strongest trait.
Then, exhaling, Helena said, “Two-thousand and ninety-two crewmembers total,” Helena said. “Wait. Count three less. A shuttle just departed from the frigate called Comet.”
Silence filled the empty spaces in the cavern. The councilors were shocked.
Helena opened her eyes and took some heavy breaths. “Councilor Oartil, look at your readout. Mr. Hines doesn’t know what to make of it. The Chamber tells him I’m lying but we both know my numbers are accurate.”
Oartil’s face disappeared for a moment.
Helena used the time to compose herself. Then, she said, “Is there anything else you wish to be demonstrated? I would very much like to meet you in person and talk about the Antaran proposal.”
Chapter 14
“Sounds like things went in our favor,” Duronious said.
Helena entered the banquet hall flanked by her guards. Their footsteps fell in perfect unison, and more than one Human stopped to stare.
They no longer risked talking in code after Duronious found a hidden listening device in one of the antechambers. Time was scarce over the past few days as the Humans kept Helena on a frantic schedule. So she resorted to sharing information between official functions.
“After the dinner tonight, I am to meet with their commanding admiral to discuss where my abilities can be best utilized against the Proxans,” Helena said as she returned her tattoo brush to its case. Though the tattoos didn’t normally smudge through the course of a day, the rigorous movement from place to place in the embassy left them slightly altered – not that any Human would have noticed the minor corrections she made.
“And after that?” Duronious asked.
Helena smiled, looked at each of her praetorians and said, “After that, we return home.”
Though she sensed relief from the men, they didn’t show it on their faces. Each of them watched the shadows and Human onlookers. Her father’s guards were ever vigilant.
The banquet hall opened from a triangular doorway into a room of crystal and rock which slanted upwards from the floor to a point three stories high. Chandeliers reflected light off the walls, throwing sparkles and prismatic colors in every direction. Already, the hum of the gathered Humans carried outwards from the hall’s interior.
Ambassador Jarvis waited at the entry and bowed when Helena approached. “Lady Helena, you are radiant as always.”
Helena sensed a feeling of utter awe from the ambassador. His first assignment was turning out to be an important one and he had gone to great lengths over the past few days to accommodate Helena’s every wish. Like a potter molding the vase, Helena kept these Humans in the lines she needed between her hands. The only exception was Captain Nathan Connor.
“Ambassador, thank you for your kind words,” Helena said as she handed her shawl to Duronious.
“We have arranged a table for your guards,” Jarvis said. “If that is okay with you.”
Helena glanced at Duronious and said, “That is fine.”
“Your table is this way, My Lady” Jarvis said, crooking his arm.
“I thought I made it clear,” a voice called from the crowd. Admiral Stugardt weaved between guests. “That I was to escort the lady to her table tonight.”
Helena tilted her head and said, “Admiral, I am glad to see you again.”
Jarvis hesitated and then allowed his arm to drop.
“Come with me, Lady Helena,” Stugardt said. “I have some people I’d like you to meet.”
The admiral offered his arm and Helena accepted. Admiral Stugardt’s dress garb reminded Helena of the handsome Captain Nathan Connor. Why was he constantly in her thoughts?
As if he was reading her mind this time, Stugardt said, “Nathan couldn’t be here tonight, unfortunately. He’s quite busy lately with his new command.”
“New command?” Helena asked, annoyed at the elation she let slip in her voice over the subject of the captain.
“Yes, I recommended him as my replacement,” Stugardt said. “Sure, there were others in line to be Captain of The Jupiter, but I feel some younger blood should take the reigns in these troubled times.”
The Jupiter! In her father’s plan, the duty to destroy that battleship was Helena’s responsibility. For the first time since the Human ship crashed on Antares, Helena allowed fear to creep into her mind. Could she really kill these people she’s come to know and possibly admire? Could she destroy Nathan when the time came? Were her doubts founded?
No. Now wasn’t the time to falter. Helena cleared her mind and scanned the crowd of Humans, her enemies. These people could never be her friends.
“Here we are,” Stugardt said as he stopped and swept his other arm towards a table of seated guests. “My wife, Nadine, the famous reporter and universal traveler.”
Helena smiled and said, “I am pleased to meet you, Nadine.”
Tall, gaunt and gray, Nadine rose and shook Helena’s hand. Though the gesture was shocking when she first arrived on Terra, Helena had accepted the Human custom as second nature.
“Oh hell,” Nadine said as she pulled Helena into an embrace. Though her voice was weak from her years, strength resounded from within the woman’s soul. “Thank you for saving my Gregory out there in space. All these years worrying, and he comes closest to danger after he retires.”
Why did these Humans push physical contact so much? Did they respect no boundaries?
Helena waited for Nadine to release her grip. Then, she straightened her gown and said, “The admiral has been most kind to me on my journey.”
Another Human male stood and extended his hand. “Lady Helena, I’m Josh. The admiral’s son.”
Helena took the hand but braced herself for another hug. Luckily, Josh wasn’t interested.
“This is my wife, Chloe, and my kids – Adam and Hillary,” Josh said.
Helena greeted everyone at the table and she was about to leave when the girl, Hillary, approached.
“Yes, my dear?” Helena said.
“Why is your face like that,” the girl said.
Chloe choked on her water and said, “Hillary, come back
here!” Turning to Helena, the embarrassed mother said, “I’m sorry-”
Helena kneeled and said, “No need to apologize. Children ask the most amazing questions. How old are you, Hillary?”
“I’m five,” Hillary said as she splayed her hand out for everyone to see.
“Five solars old,” Helena said. “Do you know, Hillary, why I am here?”
Hillary shook her head.
“Well,” Helena said, “I’m here because my planet wants to be friends with your planet. I’ve answered many questions over the past few days, but you are only the second Human to ask about my markings.” Helena turned to the table. “Isn’t that amazing, the mind of a child? Sometimes, the most important information can be gained from the simplest of questions.”
Helena knew the meaning of her words was lost on the Humans. They had no way of knowing that the early Antaran people used the markings to perfect their mental discipline. When the lines no longer moved, then complete control was obtained. Someone could tell Helena that the planet was about to explode, and her training would keep every line on her face in perfect alignment. This was but one step in a long regimen of mental discipline. Nathan had asked about the markings, so he knew. But the Council was too disinterested. Fools.
“Well, my dear,” Helena said, “the lines represent my royal heritage. They mean I am a… What’s your word? Oh yes, princess.”
Hillary’s eyes widened. “A princess?”
Helena tapped the girl on the nose and said, “That is correct.”
Stugardt offered his arm to Helena again and said, “If we take this long at every table, we’ll miss dinner. My Lady?”
Helena stood and wrapped her arm around the admiral’s. Everyone expressed their pleasure at meeting Helena and she sensed their sincerity. She had duped them all, so far.
As Stugardt led her to another table, Helena said, “Nice that your family is allowed to be here. I sense much joy in your heart when you are with them.”
“It was the least the navy could do,” Stugardt said. “After they begged me to return to duty as an advisor.”
“Advisor?”
For Duty (Antaran Legacy Book 1) Page 10