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The Tourney

Page 19

by Juliet Sem


  Vahin nodded absently at Captain Nebo as he looked Keestu over. "Good, you dressed in the outfit Rue laid out for you. We should go get our meal and then be on our way."

  They formed ranks at the airlock, and Keestu grinned at Rue, who smiled back. They were getting the hang of their switched roles.

  Vahin grimaced at their mirth, but for once kept his mouth shut. Keestu was grateful for the reprieve, wondering if her comment to Tenget had been passed on to Vahin, who was trying to adjust his behavior accordingly. As they were exiting the ship and were within pickup range of any recording devices, she refrained from asking him as they passed through the tube back into the station.

  Keestu found their baggage had been piled onto the back of a long electric cart, which had several rows of seats and a large rear area for hauling cargo.

  Prince Dinus stood at attention beside the transport, grinning widely when he caught Rue's eye again. Keestu wished she could see her handmaiden's face to see if she was blushing.

  There were no side doors on the transport, but adequate hand holds and safety belts were provided, and they were quickly seated, belted, and ready to go. The transport, however, did not zoom off as she expected. Instead, it crept forward at a sedate pace. Keestu frowned a question at Tenget, and he looked around, smiled and pointed behind them.

  Turning, Keestu saw the guards that had been standing outside the Jewel jogging behind them. As she watched, some of them broke into a run, passing the transport and taking up positions in front of it, where they maintained the speed that the transport had set.

  "The restaurant I am taking you to is Phaet's Finest, which is owned and operated by my family. It mainly serves foods found on Phaet, though many other Autocracy dishes are available. We have found the Rillul partial to some of our traditional dishes, which have been modified to accommodate their higher metabolisms. We seldom see any Triker in here, as I heard you witnessed on your trip to The Happy Crewman here on Autocracy Station. It's not that we do not accommodate them, it's that they have little taste for our traditional vegetable-rich diet. As you'll soon see, while a large portion of the main continent of Phaet is mainly comprised of high desert, it is rich in palatable edible plants. We have several mountain ranges harboring stands of forests on the main continent, but for the most part, you'll find plenty of wide-open spaces on Phaet's main continent, where my family lives. In addition, Phaet has one large moon, which is in a close orbit, and tourists come from other parts of the Autocracy to see it rise. In fact, our tourism peaks every month when the moon is full, since the only larger body you'll see rise in the Autocracy is Vulo II rising over Vulo I."

  Keestu estimated they had traveled approximately one kilometer when the transport veered out of the lane it was traveling in and found a parking spot out of the way of foot and other motorized traffic. It settled to the deck with a soft whoosh, the faint hum of the engine vanishing as the driver shut it down.

  Dinus jumped nimbly from the transport, hurrying to assist Rue. Gontu, who had been extending his hand to her, frowned, but stepped aside so as to not offend the eager prince.

  She was surprised that the Autocracy guards accompanied them into the restaurant. Once inside, they visibly relaxed, lapsing into a soft chatter in an Autocracy dialect amongst themselves. Keestu glanced down at her cuff and noted that they were using Phaet; her cuff identified it and was translating most of their comments without problems.

  They and their escort filled three tables. Keestu remembered to look around, and noted that Dinus had steered their group close to the kitchen and sat himself so that he could see the entrance to the restaurant. Rue, playing the part of princess, took a seat on the same side of the table as their host. Her gaze darted around to identify possible escape routes, and a look at Dinus showed he was both impressed and amused that she was taking the same precautions he did in chossing where to sit.

  Feigning ignorance of all the subtle maneuvering that was going on, Keestu took a seat opposite Rue so that she could easily reach her place setting, remembering that she probably would be forced to act as food taster again.

  However, to her surprise, when complimentary raw vegetables and dips were brought out to them, an Autocracy guard was assigned to that duty.

  Her mind filled with questions about Phaet, but in the role of handmaiden, she gritted her teeth and kept silent, listening instead to Dinus expounding the virtues of this or that vegetable and how well flavors were preserved even after prolonged freezing, a method of food conservation that was widely used throughout the Autocracy, especially in places that couldn't afford the power needed to run a stasis locker.

  "So there are areas in the Autocracy that have power shortages?" Rue was asking Dinus.

  "No, it's mostly the Dunnes who don't have it. They live a simpler life and therefore demand less power than the nobles, and so rely on solar or hydroelectric rather than nuclear power."

  "Are the Dunnes a religious faction, then?"

  "Oh, no, most certainly not," Dinus explained. "They are the lower class, the workers, just as you have on Sandar."

  Dinus then deliberately steered the conversation back to the foods of his homeworld. Rue frowned, as did Keestu. There apparently was something about the Dunnes that caused Dinus to want to divert the conversation away from them.

  However, unlike Keestu who was used to command, Rue did not press the issue and question Dinus further regarding the Autocracy's social hierarchy. They were given datapad menus identical to those used in The Happy Crewman and scrolled through the selections, many of which were vegetarian.

  Their meal was served hot and in what seemed like record time to Keestu. She realized it was because Prince Dinus was at the table; of course the visiting owner's son and any guests with him would receive deferential treatment. However, Keestu knew she had nothing to complain about since she was at one of the tables receiving expedited service. If she were at one of the other tables, she wondered if she would grumble about being shuffled to the back of the queue or if, being brought up to expect it, she would ignore it. Would she be like Sirin, suddenly so out of his element that her curiosity would get her in trouble, as it had him?

  Keestu sighed, remembering their brief encounter, trying to interpret the nuances of his expressions, and finding that what she most remembered were his eyes. Shaking herself, she tried to concentrate on eating her meal in relative silence, though her mind kept turning back to fantasies of what it would be like to live a life of lower status, to be free to associate with Sirin if she should choose, when suddenly she realized that the meal was over, and it was time to go. She guiltily realized she should have paid more attention to the conversation between Rue and Dinus, but somehow just couldn't find herself able to focus on what he was saying, as he had begun to sound to her like an infocom ad for the privileges of the noble class of the Autocracy.

  They were ushered back to the transport, where Dinus received a whispered report, delivered rapidly in Phaet, but spoken softly enough that her cuff's microphone didn't pick it up.

  "Phaet's Mérel is serviced and ready to leave, Princess," Dinus smiled at Rue as he helped her board the transport, "so there will be no delays when we arrive."

  "Very good, Prince Dinus," Rue replied rather coolly. She rescued her hand from his grasp, and as Keestu wondered what she'd missed during her private musing at lunch, Dinus simply grinned at Rue before taking his seat.

  Keestu was not surprised to see more guards waiting for them when they reached Phaet's Mérel. Vahin indicated which bags should be taken to their quarters and which were to be stowed, into the boarding tube before Dinus led them onto the ship.

  "Phaet's Mérel is our finest vessel, often used by the Autocrat or Autocress when they travel on Autocracy business. It has a full armament, a triple thick armored hull for protection, and our leader's quarters and those of their entourage are located in the secure central section of the ship. The Autocrat's suite is where you and your party will be staying. We," and here
he gestured with rare inclusion at his companions, "will occupy the entourage's suite, so I and my bodyguards will be available at a moment's notice should you need us."

  They stepped aboard, and other than the interior corridor seeming unusually wide, Keestu realized she wouldn't think there was anything extraordinary about Phaet's Mérel if she hadn't been told of its hidden assets.

  Tenget frowned next to her the entire way to their suite of quarters, where Dinus left them to settle in while he went to the bridge to issue orders before they left.

  Rue sighed mightily after the door hissed shut as she carefully stepped around their baggage, which had been deposited in the middle of the floor a short distance from the outside door. She opened her mouth, only to close it after both Tenget and Gontu gave her quelling hand waves.

  "It is certainly gracious of the Autocracy to send one of their rulers' vessels for the Crown Princess of Sandar," Rue finally said.

  "Yes, Your Highness," Vahin said, "That they are taking no chances with your security speaks of how highly they value the opportunity to secure a trade agreement with the Union."

  "Let us settle in," Rue commanded, motioning vaguely about. They stood in a small common room, which held numerous acceleration seats, while side doors led to the cabins. Tenget and Gontu inspected their quarters before indicating that Rue should take the larger of the two rooms located directly opposite the entrance door, since it was the most secure. Keestu was assigned the room that was no doubt for the Autocrat or Autocress's closest assistant, while Tenget would take a room to the left and Gontu the one to the right so they could cover both sides of the common room should there be a need. Vahin was to stay in the same room as Tenget.

  Keestu explored her room. It had a small private shower and toilet facility, with a surprisingly large closet next to the entrance to the bath, and in addition to the generous bunk, there was a comfortable looking swiveling chair bolted to the floor in front of a small desk and compact computer console.

  Gontu knocked on her door before entering with two suitcases stowing them in the closet without comment.

  Keestu went back out into the common room to rejoin her traveling companions.

  "How are your quarters?" Rue asked as they buckled themselves into acceleration chairs.

  "Small, but complete," she replied, "Though the shower stall looks a little cramped."

  The com on the wall beeped before a voice issued from it. "Crown Princess Keestu?"

  Rue struggled out of her chair and went up to it. "Yes?"

  "Ah, very good, we are preparing to take off from Autocracy Station. You and your entourage are advised to secure yourselves either in the acceleration chairs in your individual rooms or in the chairs in the common room."

  "Thank you; we will do so immediately," Rue replied.

  Another announcement was made, this time in Phaet. Keestu hadn't turned off her translator, so she glanced at it. It was a secure quarters call for the crew, advising them they had two minutes to reach a chair and belt in.

  Vahin came out of his room, Gontu came out of Keestu's, and Tenget came out of Rue's room. All the men sat down with Rue and Keestu and belted in. To Keestu's delight, the screen in the common room lit up, showing images forwarded from the bridge. For the moment, it only showed the poorly lit exterior of Autocracy Station, showing dark metal in every direction they could see. A rumbling vibration began below them, barely audible in their shielded quarters. Keestu felt her heart speed up in anticipation of lift off.

  "Thirty seconds," the com advised in Phaet, "Outgoing on time."

  "Lifting off." This was accompanied by muted clanging as the landing grapples were retracted by both the station and Phaet's Mérel. For another few moments, there was only the sound of the engines rumbling softly through the cabin, no sign of movement. Then, the ship began to lift, and Keestu shook her head at the vertigo caused by seeing the image move without feeling the motion accompanying it. They quickly cleared Autocracy Station, and as it dropped out of view, she briefly spotted the inner rings and their connecting corridors shining in the light of the host star.

  The Autocracy star cluster drew a gasp of appreciation from her. Now that they were free of the station, she could more clearly admire the scope and beauty of it. "It's so beautiful," she murmured.

  "Yes, Rue," Tenget said, "Beautiful, but deadly. Without Autocracy star charts, no ships could hope to penetrate the cluster without being in great danger. This crowded section of space is rife with stray planetoids, comets, and the occasional asteroid that escapes the many belts they boast. Passing through one of the gas clouds could be detrimental to any ship's operation, due to the abrasives and radioactive materials they contain."

  They heard no more announcements, and their view of the Autocracy cluster didn't noticeably change for a few minutes. Keestu sighed, hating the wait, but then Tenget pointed at the screen. "I think I see their outgoing ring, which I understand is identical to ours. I heard from King Ismer that their rings will automatically send enemy ships their doom if you don't have the right pass codes, and getting clearance for them is a lengthy process. An alien craft's access can be revoked at any time, so all traders who enter the Autocracy are on their best behavior at all times in order not to find themselves directed into an asteroid belt or marooned in orbit around one of the hot giant stars at the left edge of the cluster, where there are said to be no habitable planets."

  "Do they have habitable planets that aren't occupied? Looking at the cluster's size, I would think they'd occupy more worlds." Keestu wondered if that wasn't an inefficient use of their sector of space.

  "Yes, there are a number of planets that they didn't colonize," Tenget told her. "Two are locked in extended glacial periods, three are young planets experiencing violent upheavals due to volcanic activity, one has a greater mass and gravity than that tolerable by humans, one has such a severe axial tilt that its weather is too hostile to allow a decent growing season or habitation safe from either tornadoes or violent lightning storms, and four are located too close to the younger stars in the leftmost region and receive doses of radiation deadly to humanoids. Naelia was the last planet settled when it was discovered it had been mis-catalogued as uninhabitable when it fact it has a very strong magnetic field and lays well out of the ejection plane of the radiation coming from the young stars near it."

  Vahin spoke up, "The Autocracy does maintain an underground hostel on the overactive weather planet with multiple observation domes that allow one to see the extreme weather in person. I understand it's a very popular vacation spot."

  Rue shuddered. "See a tornado or lightning storm so violent that it's considered unsafe to live on the planet? No thanks!"

  "Yes, and I'm glad Sandar restricts habitation in our extreme weather zones, too, Your Highness" Gontu said. "I can't imagine any government allowing homes to be built if the danger to the inhabitants or chance of loss of property one would experience if living in such a zone was so great."

  "Well, those who live in the hurricane prone areas get adequate warning should one be approaching," Vahin commented. "And Sandarian laws require all buildings in harsh weather zones to be able to withstand the worst level of storm and then some for an added safety margin. Our fishing industries thrive on the coasts of the southern baronies of Eastern and the northern baronies of Eastique despite the violence of the summer storms in those regions, since all ships out fishing are given more than adequate opportunity to return to a fortified port before a storm arrives. With the passage of laws that any fishing boat that stays out after a warnings must pay for their rescue and compensate any injured workers due their negligence, it's rare that one of them takes the risk now, since the law requires tamper-proof transponders be built into every ship to record that the warning was received."

  "While I am glad we eat the fish of several Union planets, especially that of Weegai," Tenget said, "I must confess a great love of breaded and fried Sandarian kashani, which is caught in the waters between Ea
stern and Eastique. It's a traditional favorite of my family from when we lived near the coast in the eighth barony of the eastern continent, before we became career military people and moved first to the Ranell family seat, then to CeCe, and finally to the fifth barony of Western because it has a milder winter."

  "You know, I don't recall ever having had kashani," Rue said.

  "Perhaps we can suggest it to the palace chef when we return? Maybe an all Sandarian meal to celebrate our return," Keestu said, thinking she would do just that. "What other foods are served with that fish, Tenget?"

  "Mashed peen root with gravy, boiled hirot stalks, and bread."

  Rue turned to Keestu, "Do you think my father would approve such a simple meal?"

  Keestu grinned back, "It won't hurt to ask, though the chef could interpret the traditional meal in an non-traditional fashion."

  Tenget spoke up. "I think there's really no wrong way to cook and eat kashani, though I know people who swear that their family's traditional way of making it is the only way it should be cooked, and that all other ways are 'wrong'. I've known people who like to soak it in sweet sauce and bake; some bread, fry, and serve it with balsamic vinegar, while others serve it with mustard sauce, and some put Chtawlikt nectar on top. Some pan fry bare filets rather than deep fat frying battered filets. Others serve peen that's sliced and fried along with the fish. If you want it breaded and deep fried like I always had it, with Chtawlikt nectar sweetened mustard sauce, I'm sure I could get copies of the family's recipes from my sister."

  Keestu, fascinated with this revelation, suddenly noticed the Autocracy ring on the screen. "You were right, Tenget," she said, pointing. "That is the ring."

  They watched in silence until it finally filled the screen, and they passed through. The screen in their room went blank after dissolving into the chaos of hyperspace.

  The speaker chimed for attention, then announced in Unity, "It will take several subjective hours to reach Phaet. We will settle you in the capital for the night, as we will arrive after work hours are done, and in the morning, you will have an audience with the Autocrat and Autocress.."

 

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