by Dave Bara
We were served drinks and made simple conversation while we awaited the prince and princess, whom I was anxious to meet. At precisely eight o’clock the orchestra stopped the dinner music and began what I could only assume was the royal anthem. All the guests stood and we followed suit.
From underneath the balcony at the far end of the room the prince came in dressed in full royal regalia, his crimson military uniform adorned with numerous medals and what I assumed was the family crest, which to my surprise contained a symbol of a green tree. He hesitated for a moment at the door, then extended his arm. Out of the shadows came the princess, her dress in the same style as the other ladies, but in pure white with only a few gold adornments, her hair topped by a sparkling tiara. The crowd started applauding as they approached and we joined in. It took only a few steps for me to recognize the princess as the woman from the interrogation room on the station, the same woman who had visited me in my bath. I looked to Serosian and Dobrina. He smiled at me and tipped his head as if to say, “What did you expect?” Despite her best efforts, Dobrina couldn’t quite conceal her displeasure.
The princess was seated directly opposite me, ahead of Kemal and his wife, while Prince Katara waited for the glasses of everyone at the table to be filled with sparkling gold champagne. When the task was complete the prince rose and raised his glass.
“A toast,” he said in Standard, “to our newfound friends of the Union, and to Sire Peter Cochrane, of Quantar.” He tipped his glass to me and I rose and touched mine to his, then we all drank and the table erupted in applause.
The band started in again with background music as we began our dinner, avoiding any formal discussion for the time being. I did note that Serosian was fully engaged with Kemal over some sort of proposal, while Dobrina was clearly unhappy at swapping conversation with General Salibi and his wife, stealing looks in my direction as often as she could.
The prince’s hand on my arm brought my attention back to the matter at hand.
“May I introduce you to my sister, Sire Cochrane,” he said with a sweep of his arm. “The Princess Janaan.” I stood and bowed my head to her, and she extended her lace-gloved hand, which I kissed.
“A pleasure to see you again, Princess,” I said as I sat down. “And it seems I do finally know your name.” Prince Katara looked back and forth at us.
“You’ve met before?” he asked of me. I nodded.
“Yes, on your space station,” I said, tasting an hors d’oeuvre. The princess smiled narrowly. “And again later, in my bath.” At this her face went blank. I couldn’t tell if she was angry or embarrassed.
“She came into your bath?” he said under his breath, clearly agitated. He turned to her “Janaan . . .” he started, shaking his head, but she cut him off.
“Do not lecture me, Sunil. I do what I have to do, you know that,” she said tightly, then returned a happy smile to her face for the benefit of the guests.
“I know, Janaan, but the bath—”
“He was available and so was I. We did nothing but talk, you can ask Sire Cochrane yourself,” she said, smiling all the while as if we were making small talk. Prince Katara turned to me.
“She’s practically uncontrollable. Still, she is my most valuable asset,” he said, loud enough for her to overhear.
“Of that I’m certain,” I said, smiling back at her. I admired her forwardness, obviously a tough task in light of Levant’s customs. She eyed the two of us, assessing our conversation, but was then forced to return to her social duties as a pair of court ladies came up to greet her.
As the princess was engaged in small talk with other guests, Prince Katara leaned in close to me.
“So what do you think of the princess?” he asked. I wiped my mouth with a napkin to buy myself some time to formulate a response.
“Honestly, I’m not sure what I think,” I said. “First I met her as an interrogator on your space station, then in my bath as a protocol adviser, and now as a princess. I’m not sure which is the real one.”
“Sometimes, neither am I,” he admitted.
“The role of women on your world is limiting, isn’t it, Prince Katara?” I observed. He said nothing for a moment and I feared I had insulted him, but then he leaned in close to me again.
“It is something I’m desirous of changing, yet these things move slowly. After the war, once we were cut off from the more progressive Imperial culture, our society regressed to more conservative norms. Religious institutions gained more sway over our morals and society. Thankfully, my father instituted reforms, but when he died it was left up to Janaan and me. In some ways it’s an advantage for her, being co-regent, which would have been unheard of in my grandfather’s time. She can move about without much question of her motivations. Other times it is more of a burden, and I find myself having to make excuses for including her in major policy decisions. The military sees her as an asset, and that’s good enough for now. Still, perhaps these negotiations could be used as means of liberalizing more of our customs?” he said. I nodded.
“This may be a good time to bring in our chief negotiators,” I commented. “These things have a way of being worked out to the advantage of everyone involved.” Prince Katara agreed and waved Kemal and Serosian into the conversation. Princess Janaan and Dobrina both gave us annoyed looks, occupied as they were with court ladies.
“And what progress have you made, gentlemen?” asked the prince. It was Kemal who spoke first.
“We have a framework agreement, Your Highness. Trade and cultural reforms, technology, establishing forward bases for the Union Navy near the jump point, and such,” he said. At this Katara looked right at Serosian.
“And our request for full Union membership immediately, complete with, shall I say, appropriate military considerations?” said the prince. Serosian smiled.
“He means a Lightship of their own,” he said to me. “This is acceptable, as long as the prince understands it will take time to train even your best naval officers to the demands of such a vessel.”
“I am sure our spacers can make the transition. How soon until we receive our new vessel?” asked Katara.
Serosian contemplated this. “Optimally, we would require two years of training. That can probably be condensed down to one, after the signing of the Union Concord agreements,” he said. Katara looked from the Historian to Kemal, then to me.
“Six months,” he said to Serosian, “after we sign the accords. Not a day longer.”
The Historian’s eyes narrowed just a bit at this, but then he smiled and laughed. “You drive a hard bargain, Prince Katara,” he said.
Katara smiled back and then gestured for more champagne. “Let’s drink to our newfound friendship,” he said. And we did.
By this time both Princess Janaan and Dobrina were looking quite put out, so we resumed our dinner courses and kept the conversation light and friendly.
After dinner the crowd took to the dance floor, swaying to the delightful music provided by the orchestra. I found myself in a receiving line the with prince and princess, Dobrina, and Serosian, shaking hands with well-wishers and court hangers-on. The handsome Marker had more than enough attention from the ladies, and even Layton had an impressive array. This went on for a while until the prince broke from the line, bringing his sister with him by the hand. The orchestra changed quickly into a classic waltz and the two of them began dancing to the applause of the crowd.
I never got more than a few feet without someone putting a glass of champagne in my hand, and I was beginning to feel the effects as I watched the two siblings dance elegantly. The waltz concluded and the prince bowed formally to his lady, who replied in kind. The crowd thundered again and then the dance floor filled with many couples. I was about to turn to Dobrina and ask for a dance, feeling my oats, when General Salibi stepped up and beat me to it. Dobrina gave her assent to the general but still managed
to glare at me with a put-out look.
“Careful,” came Serosian’s voice in my ear. “A lady’s heart, even a Lightship captain’s, can be a delicate thing.” I turned to him.
“I appreciate the advice. Captain Kierkopf and I are friends, for the moment. Probably best we keep it that way,” I said before draining another champagne flute. Before I could even put it down it was gone and another took its place.
“Are you sure she feels the same?” he said.
“You’re not serious?” I said, then took another drink. “In all the years I’ve known you, for all the advice you have ever given me, this is a first.”
“What do you mean?”
“The great and knowledgeable Serosian, Earth Historian, Man of Mystery, giving his young charge advice on the one subject he knows nothing about: women,” I said, taunting my friend.
He laughed. “Just because you’ve never seen me with a woman doesn’t mean I have no knowledge of them.”
“Pray tell then, what is your expertise in this matter?” I asked, pressing him.
“I have been married for thirty-five years,” he stated. I scoffed.
“You’re lying, man! To look at you you’re barely that age now!” He smiled but revealed nothing. “So what is your advice?” I finally asked.
“Treat her as your commander when you’re both on duty. But treat her as a woman in all other things,” he said.
I nodded agreement. “Sound advice in any situation,” I said. Then there was a hand on my arm. I looked up to find the prince and princess standing in front of me.
“Sire Cochrane, I would be honored if you would share this dance with the princess,” the prince said. I looked into her dark, sultry eyes. It was not a difficult decision.
“The honor is mine,” I said. Serosian made as if to say something to me, then shut his lips again as I took the princess by the arm to the dance floor. The crowd parted for us and the orchestra broke off the song they were playing to start a new waltz.
“I fear both my experience and my dancing skills are lacking, Highness,” I said to her. She smiled.
“It’s no matter. I will pick you up if you miss a step and fall,” she said confidently. Now I smiled.
“I believe you would.” We swung out to the center of the dance floor as the crowd began to applaud. On the third turn I spotted Dobrina in the crowd, just in time to see her turn and stalk determinedly away from the festivities. I felt a lump form in my throat.
Big mistake, I thought.
Just as my concern for Dobrina came to the fore, the princess engaged me on another line of battle.
“If Levant joins your Union, will you be willing to support feminine equality and religious freedom?” she asked, no, more like demanded of me.
I was startled. “I haven’t really thought about these things, Princess, except in passing conversation with the prince. My position is—”
“You are the highest ranking member of your contact party. Are you telling me you don’t have the power to negotiate such things?” she said.
I stumbled a bit but quickly recovered as we spun around again.
“Princess, this is a military mission. By rank I am third in command. My royal standing gives me no special dispensation to negotiate such matters,” I said.
“So you cannot include these terms in our agreement? Do I have to tell my brother that you are a powerless puppet?” She was growing angry with me now, but still we spun to the music.
“Diplomatically I hold the senior rank. But any agreements I make would have to be cleared with my compatriots—”
“Sire Cochrane, my people, especially the women, look to me as the cultural leader of our world. My standing allows me to negotiate these issues for all of Levant. If you are not empowered to act, just tell me now and I will find another dance partner,” she said.
I was stuck between my roles as a navy officer and as royalty, but I had to make a decision or risk blowing the entire mission, at least the diplomatic part. I made my decision.
“I will take your requests to my contact party, if we can reach an agreement on terms,” I said firmly. This now put the negotiating onus back on her and seemed to quell her anger a bit. The Levantines were serious about their haggling.
“You would support language in our agreement that encourages the promotion of women’s roles on Levant if we join the Union?” she asked. That was simple enough.
“I would.”
“What about religion?” she asked. “We have a mixed population: a Maronite majority and a small Muslim minority. Would they all be welcomed by the Holy Church?”
That was more difficult. I seemed to remember reading something about this once in the Union Concord. I decided to take a risk. “Serosian speaks to all matters regarding the Church, but to my reading of the Union Concord Agreement, as long as the Levant government pledges loyalty to the Union and secular law is obeyed, then religious pluralism is acceptable, if not preferred,” I said.
We spun around the dance floor one last time as the music concluded. It was easily the most important and eventful dance of my life.
“Then I believe, Sire Cochrane,” she said to me as the crowd applauded, “that we have an agreement.” I bowed to her then as I had seen Prince Katara do, and she returned the gesture. I took an extra step then, pulling her hand to my lips and kissing it again.
“I believe we do, Princess,” I said, then escorted her back to the table, there to resume our social duties for the evening.
Dobrina was noticeably absent for most of the next hour. Only when the prince insisted we take a walk in the royal gardens did she return, and even then she avoided eye contact with me at all times.
We walked in pairs, Katara and I together, trailing the ladies, with Serosian, Kemal, and the others following behind us. Katara had a cigar and offered me one, which I lit, even though I had no idea how to smoke it. I sensed we were nearing the conclusion of our negotiations and our mission on Levant. If Starbound had received Serosian’s signal, then they should be entering Levant space soon, and I would be able to return to my more natural duty as a navy officer.
The women were in pairs as well, and I noted that Dobrina and the princess were together.
“So tell me, Cochrane, now that you’ve met my sister, what’s your opinion of her?” the prince asked.
“Very impressive,” I complimented her. “In many ways.”
“I agree. So tell me, what are your intentions toward her?”
“Intentions?” I thought about that a second. “Actually,” I said, “I was wondering what her intentions were toward me.”
“Come now, Cochrane, a woman can’t have intentions toward a man, at least not in our society. Is it really that different in yours?” Katara asked.
I shrugged. “Not really, no. The man still must be the suitor. But I am a bit puzzled by your meaning of the word ‘intentions,’” I said. The prince stopped then, as did all the others, leaving us with a considerable space for private conversation.
“Would you consider marrying her?” Katara asked out of the blue. I was stunned.
“I hardly even know her!” I blurted out. He waved his cigar, like he was discarding bad business advice.
“As if that matters. This is about politics, my good man,” he said and started walking again. I followed.
“I think I hate that word.”
“I understand your reticence,” Katara said. “But our culture is different, Cochrane. We seek to bond ourselves to our allies by more than just financial and military means, and the strongest bonds are family bonds. Surely you agree with this?”
The mention of family turned my thoughts toward to my brother. If Derrick were here, he would be dealing with these issues, but he wasn’t. I had to step up and make the decisions now.
“I do agree, Prince. Family makes the strong
est of bonds,” I said.
“Then you can see the wisdom of joining our two families?” This time I stopped our walk.
My thoughts turned to Janaan’s earlier warning about accepting any proposal that was offered, even if only under unlikely conditions. I rushed through the scenarios in my mind.
“With respect, Prince, you must realize I am still a young man. If I should marry now, what if the next world demands the same of me? And the next? And the next? There is only one of me to go around,” I said.
We started walking again.
“So your answer is no?” he said.
“I did not say that. Your sister is a fine and capable woman, and quite attractive. Would you have her married to a man who spends years in space? Returning home only briefly for short leaves? Or would you have her come with me, and lose her to Levant for those many years?”
“That would not be my first choice,” admitted the prince.
“So let us reach a compromise,” I said. Katara eyed me.
“I’m listening.”
“I will agree to marry your sister, on the condition of my not being married to another woman of royal standing before the end of my navy service. That way I am free to make political alliances for the benefit of the Union, you retain the companionship of the princess, and if things work out, I can return to Levant in the future and our two families can be joined,” I offered.
“How long?” said the prince.
“I’m twenty-three now, so say, seven years?”
“Five,” he said. I nodded agreement.
“Five it is.”
“And we can announce the engagement before your departure?” Katara asked.
“If the princess will agree to marry me,” I replied.
“Oh, she will, I guarantee it.” Then the prince took a long puff on his cigar and held out his hand to me.
“I’d say our negotiations are concluded,” he said. I took his hand and shook it.