Retreat And Adapt (A Galaxy Unknown)

by DePrima, Thomas

  "May I escort you inside, My Lady?" the chamberlain asked.

  "Yes. I'm anxious to see the palace. Perhaps you could give us a tour."

  "Of course, My Lady," he said. Gesturing towards the front entrance, he added, "Please come this way."

  The palace tour lasted for hours, and they didn't enter even a quarter of the rooms. Since it had been constructed to serve as the main residence of the King and Queen of Nordakia when they were on Obotymot, the palace was as ostentatious as it was enormous. The royal court always traveled with the king and queen, so the palace was built to accommodate many hundreds of guests in spacious suites, all with the requisite private rooms for handmaidens. Separate suites for up to a thousand staff members were available on the lower floors.

  The size of the palace necessitated use of an oh-gee cart if they were to see all the floors of living quarters on this occasion. Even with the cart there wasn't time to view all of the suites, so they only visited the more sumptuous ones on the top floor and then viewed a sampling of the lesser suites on lower floors. The tour of the ballrooms, dining rooms, sitting rooms, conference rooms, kitchens, and work areas, plus the numerous pools and gardens, added several more hours. They finished up and took their leave of Chamberlain Yaghutol in the area of the 'family' suites on the top floor.

  "I'm beyond speechless," Annette Carver said to her daughter as they walked around the suite intended for the King and Queen of Nordakia. "You told me how large and impressive the palace was, but I never dreamed it was this large and this impressive. Our home on Earth would fit into this one suite three times over."

  "I'm almost as speechless," Jen said. "When I first saw the governor's palace on Quesann, they told me they had modeled it after this palace, but I never knew they had downsized it so extensively. That palace would be dwarfed if they set it down next to this one."

  "You did tell us that it was intended to accommodate the king, queen, and entire Royal Court on extended visits, so it's understandable that it would be this spectacular," Marisa said. "But it's going to take some getting used to. I've never slept in the middle of a football stadium before. At least the bed in the suite I picked is only the size of a small condominium," she added with a smile.

  "I'm glad I don't have to sleep in this suite," Annette said. "Even the handmaiden rooms are larger than most homes. I hope you can sleep in here, sweetheart."

  "I'm not going to sleep in here, Momma. I'll use one of the smaller suites on this floor."

  "But you're the Azula," Marisa said.

  "Yes, but that doesn't mean I want to sleep in a bed that's large enough for a thirty-person sleep-in. We'll reserve this suite for when the king and queen come for a visit."

  "What did you say?" Annette asked in a shocked voice. "They're coming here? While you're away?"

  "Not that I know of, Momma. As I've told you, they've never visited this planet." With a grin she added, "But if they do happen to drop by while I'm not here, I'm sure you'll have no trouble hosting their stay. They're both wonderfully nice people. The queen is someone whom I think you'd really enjoy talking to."

  "But I don't know how to host royalty," Annette said.

  "They're just like regular people," Jenetta said mischievously, but with a perfectly serious facial expression. "And I'm sure the staff has been trained in all the appropriate protocols. Just make sure the royal banquet outshines every dinner party you've ever attended, combined, and that the king and queen get anything they want, when they want it."

  Annette just stared at her for a minute. "Okay, I know that look; you're pulling my leg. You haven't done that since high school."

  Jenetta couldn't hold her serious expression any longer and her face broke into a wide smile. "The king and queen aren't coming here, Momma, so don't worry about it. But we'll hold this suite open for them simply because none of us want to sleep in it."

  "I'm getting hungry," Marisa said. "What time is dinner?"

  "Whenever we want. It's been a long day, so let me call the kitchen. Any preferences? Or would you like to take pot luck with Nordakian dishes? I love having a bowl of Queelish as an appetizer, or even as a whole meal."

  "What's Queelish?" Annette asked.

  "It's a vegetable stew made mostly from Nordakian brononako leaves. When it's cooked, it's like a thick Escarole Minestra soup on Earth but without the sausage or any meat products."

  "I'd like to try it," Marisa said.

  "So would I," Annette said.

  "Okay, we'll have that as an appetizer, if they have the necessary greens, and then whatever entrée items the chefs have prepared."

  After Jenetta had called the kitchen and arranged their evening meal, she said, "Dinner will be ready in an hour. They have the ingredients for Queelish, so that will be the appetizer. The main entrée will be a sort of vegetarian meatloaf, with side dishes of stuffed tubers, rice pilaf, and a mushroom soufflé."

  "It all sounds delicious," Marisa said. "By the way, what activities did you have planned for tomorrow?"

  "I thought that in the morning we'd take an oh-gee craft and tour the local area to see how the farmers are doing and how well the crops are coming back. I receive the monthly production figures from Chamberlain Yaghutol, but I'd like to see the progress in the fields firsthand. I can still remember how devastated the farms were on my first visit here almost twenty years ago— it was absolutely horrendous. The wildlife was mostly gone, and the winds constantly eroded the topsoil because there wasn't enough vegetation left to hold it. Now the wildlife is making a comeback and the land looks green again. It's wonderful to see nature coming back."

  "I wonder how many species of wildlife managed to survive." Marisa said.

  "I don't know. I heard that they did their best to round up all of the species they could and house them in impromptu zoos or aquariums all over the planet. But they must have lost a lot of the diversification in species and among subspecies."

  "I'm sure we can learn a lot from the tenant farmers tomorrow," Annette said.

  "Probably," Jenetta agreed. "Well, perhaps we should clean up and get ready for dinner."

  On most populated planets, oh-gee vehicle flight was restricted to very low altitude levels and specific strata based on the direction of travel. Additionally, built-in governors enforced a maximum ceiling to prevent interference with government and commercial passenger traffic. Over the Gavistee Peninsula, there was little traffic except farm carts, so Jenetta had the palace mechanic disable the ceiling governor. Her position as a member of the nobility was enough to ensure that no mechanic would voice objections to her order about the flight governor. Besides being the Azula and therefore the final authority on all matters on the peninsula that did not fall under the purview of the royal family, she was also a military-rated pilot and qualified to fly above the normal height restrictions on any planet in GA space.

  After breakfast the following morning, the three women set out to view the farmlands. Jenetta didn't allow either the palace security force or the security force from the Ares to tag along, but she knew the Ares security force had launched several small observation satellites when the ship arrived in orbit and would be monitoring her travel wherever she went. For personal protection, she had Tayna and Cayla in the vehicle. Chamberlain Yaghutol wanted to join them, but Jenetta said they were looking for a relaxing day as they roamed about in an oh-gee vehicle and that he probably had much more important activities waiting. He tried to insist, saying that they might get lost, but Jenetta held firm, saying she could always call for assistance if all instrumentation in the vehicle were to suddenly fail.

  It was mid-summer on Gavistee Peninsula and the weather was wonderful. The air was crisp and clean, and the scent from abundant wildflowers floated on every breeze as the vehicle lifted off from the small parking pad near the palace. The warm day was especially pleasing after the freezing February weather recently experienced at the Potomac base.

  Jenetta took the vehicle up to three hundred meters above g
round level, a height that should guarantee they didn't encounter any other vehicles, and pointed the small craft north. The height gave them a great view of the farmlands as they covered the first of the estate's thirty-six million hectares. At roughly three hundred sixty thousand square kilometers, the estate was about the combined size of Kansas and Oklahoma back on Earth. While most of the estate was arable, it was still extremely under-utilized in many areas. As they began to pass over the farms, the scent of wildflowers mingled with an occasional whiff of fertilizer, but the scenery always remained pleasant.

  It was wonderful to see the remarkable changes since her last visit to the planet. Where farmers had returned to their family plots, the fields were now mostly alive with healthy crops. When they overflew one farm where the crop seemed a bit undeveloped, Jenetta landed the vehicle.

  As the oh-gee ship settled onto its skids, a farmer and a young boy who had been working in a field hurried over and dropped to one knee while adopting Jenetta's skin color. Cayla and Tayna stood by Jenetta's side as she stepped out of the vehicle but apparently didn't sense danger because they didn't adopt an overly protective appearance.

  "Is this your farm?" Jenetta asked the farmer.

  "Yes, My Lady. My family has farmed this land since Gavistee farmland was first allotted to tenants. My grandfather was the first tenant on this land, and the lease was passed down to my father when grandfather died. It has now been passed to me, and my son will take it over when I'm no longer able to farm."

  "Raise your heads, please."

  "Yes, My Lady," the farmer said as he looked up. The boy looked up without saying anything.

  "What's your name?"

  "I'm Gerravx Hthumakp, My Lady. This is my son, Beauxvu."

  "As we overflew your farm, we couldn't help but notice that your crop seems to be a bit— stunted."

  "Yes, My Lady."

  "Do you know why? Are you getting enough water for irrigation?"

  "The water is plentiful, My Lady. The problem is with the topsoil. The wind took the good soil away after the disaster. We've done what we can, but it will take many years to rebuild it. I fear it will be a long time before we'll have a good crop for you."

  "The farms around this one all seem to be doing well."

  "They've been able to get free allotments of fertilizer. They've each given me a little, or we'd have no crop at all."

  "Why haven't you applied for your own free allotment of fertilizer?"

  "I have, My Lady, but I haven't received any."

  "Have you informed Chamberlain Yaghutol that you haven't received an allotment?"

  "Yes, My Lady. He knows."

  "And what has he said?"

  "He's said he'll look into it."

  "When was that?"

  "Several times, My Lady. The last time was just before spring planting."

  "But you've received seed assistance."

  "Yes, My Lady. But the seed can't mature properly in such poor soil."

  Jenetta looked around at the sickly looking plants in the fields. She wasn't a farmer, but even she knew that plants needed proper care, sufficient water, sunshine, and good weather, plus the nutrients found in soil or fertilizer, to grow strong and healthy. It appeared that the farm had only been getting four of the five things needed to produce a good crop.

  "How long have you known Chamberlain Yaghutol?" she asked the farmer.

  "Most of my life, My Lady. As young boys, we were in school at the same time."

  "Were you friends?"

  "Uh, we were when we were very young, but then later we had a falling out."

  "What was the reason for the falling out?"

  "Uh, we had a bit of a rivalry over a girl."

  "A girl?"

  "Yes, My Lady."

  "Who won her?"

  "Uh— neither of us. She chose another."

  "And you've never reconciled your differences?"

  "No, My Lady."

  "Are you aware of any other farmers who haven't received a proper allotment of seed, fertilizer, or water?"

  "Just one, My Lady. Kurthxl Werxziall has said that he hasn't received any fertilizer."

  "And was he also a suitor for the same young lady?"

  "Yes, My Lady. He was the one who won her hand. But she left him after the disaster struck. I heard that she's moved to Nordakia. Kurthxl farms the land with his three sons now, but his crops are as poor as mine."

  "I see. I shall discuss the situation with Chamberlain Yaghutol and see that he gets the accounts straightened out so that you get your allotment of fertilizer. Perhaps it might be too late to help this season's crop, but it'll help with the next."

  "Thank you, My Lady. I promise to produce better crops in the future."

  "What did the farmer say?" Annette asked after they were airborne again.

  "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot you don't speak Nordakian. But even if I hadn't, the situation was such that translation would have made the discussion more difficult. Essentially, this farmer hasn't been getting the allotments of free fertilizer necessary to replace the nutrients in the soil. I'll have to speak to Chamberlain Yaghutol about it."

  "And everyone else has been getting free fertilizer?" Marisa asked.

  "Well, the farmer told me of another who hasn't received it. But everybody should have been getting it. It's absolutely necessary to rebuild the land and make the farms self-sufficient again. Once the topsoil is revitalized and the farms are profitable, the farmers will be responsible for securing their own fertilizer and seed, although water for irrigation will always be freely available."

  The women stopped near the bank of a winding river at noon to enjoy the picnic lunch prepared by the palace kitchen. They were out quite far, and there were no farms nearby. Mother Nature was still struggling to gain a foothold here as evidenced by the small clumps of wild grasses sprouting around the area. Within a few years, the banks would probably be covered in green during the summer.

  The peninsula was too vast to be seen in one day, but the women made it as far as the mountain range that formed the northern boundary before it was time to turn back. The highest peaks were still covered in snow, and water flowed down to the reservoirs in fast-moving streams that would probably continue all summer. By autumn, the snow would be falling again on the mountains and continue to provide fresh water until the high mountain streams turned to ice in winter.

  Jenetta took a different route back so they'd overfly previously unseen farmland sections. As on the trip out, most farms looked healthy, but a couple had sickly-looking crops. Since all of the farmers were using the same water supply and were getting seed checked by the King's Agriculture Ministry, it appeared that the problem might be a lack of fertilizer. Jenetta recorded the map coordinates of those farms.

  As the oh-gee vehicle settled onto the skids, Chamberlain Yaghutol hurried over to greet the travelers.

  "Thank Nallick you're safe, My Lady," Yaghutol said as the women exited the car. "We were getting nervous. We expected you back earlier."

  "It was such a delightful day that we went all the way to the mountains at the north end of the peninsula," Jenetta said.

  "Oh, I expected that you would only view the farms nearest the palace."

  As they began walking towards the palace, Jenetta said, "We'll have time for more sightseeing, but there is something I'd like to speak to you about. While most farms seem to be doing well, we saw some where the crops appear to be suffering. Have you looked into that?"

  "Uh, yes, My Lady. There aren't that many. Usually it's a matter of poor farming skills. Some of the tenants have grown too old to farm during the years since the disaster, and the younger family members aren't experienced enough. We're trying to establish training courses to improve their skills."

  "I see. Then you feel that's the problem with the farm held by the Gerravx Hthumakp family?"

  "Hthumakp? Oh, he's always got an excuse for everything."

  "Really? He mentioned that he's the third generation
to farm that plot, so I would have expected him to be quite knowledgeable. He also told me that he hasn't received any allotments of fertilizer. The soil appears to confirm that— at least to my untrained eye. Would you please confirm that he has received his allotments?"

  "Yes, My Lady. I will check the books this evening."

  "Thank you. Please check on the allotments to a tenant named Kurthxl Werxziall also. And while you're at it, have your staff check the allotment records against the names of every tenant to ensure that everyone is getting their proper allotment of fertilizer. I didn't have time to stop, but we overflew a number of farms where the crops seemed stunted. I want to make sure that the tenants can't claim incompetence on the part of you or your staff here. We must be able to show that poor crops are owed to their own ineptitude or the Family Carver will get an undeserved reputation for being uncaring. We certainly wouldn't want that to happen."

  "Of course not, My Lady. I— uh— mean about the uncaring reputation. Naturally I'll have the records checked as soon as possible and make sure that every farmer is receiving the fertilizer he needs."

  "Thank you, Chamberlain."

  After dinner, Marisa asked, "Did you believe the Chamberlain tonight when he said the poor crops were owed to the inexperience of some farmers? He seemed nervous."

  "Did he? Well, I'm sure he'll do what I've asked and ensure the farmers get their fertilizer because I suspect he knows I'll be checking up. Undoubtedly, a few very young tenants now hold the most senior position on their farms, but even among them most have probably grown up talking with others and learning about crops and farms. If inexperience is the problem, they'll pick up what they need to know if the farmers here are anything like I've heard."