Warlord 2: The Nobility

by CJ Williams

  Since arriving on Japurnam Five Carrie had never been to the municipal hall, but she could have spotted it if asked. It was a big, nondescript building with a colorless facade and broad steps leading to multiple sets of double doors. The top three stories were framed by ornate stonework and Corinthian-like columns. It reminded her of the IRS building in Kansas City. She used to drive past it every day on her way to the university. The Japurnam bureaucratic center gave her a nostalgic twinge.

  The police vehicle drove to a side entrance. Once inside the building, a pair of female attendants were waiting. They took her to a private room that was more lavish than she would have expected for a common prisoner. The paneled walls gave the room a cozy feeling and the floor was carpeted. Her curiosity was piqued. Did this have to do the incident in the market square or was it something else?

  She started to worry when a medical technician pushed a rolling cart into the room. He wanted a sample of her blood. That could mean a DNA test and she didn’t like the implications.

  Should she bolt? She was reasonably certain that she could make it out of the building. The ease with which she had deflected the captain’s attack gave her confidence. But then what? Life on the run was not on her itinerary.

  Still, no one was threatening her. If anything, the attendants were showing a certain amount of deference. Could this have to do with what she had learned from Sadie’s message the other night? It seemed impossible that they could have found out so quickly. She hadn’t discussed it with anyone.

  If that was the case, however, they might start probing into her background and other relationships. There was no telling how long she might be kept in custody or who else could be ensnared.

  At the very least, she wanted to keep Germander out of whatever was going on; he was her insurance policy. No matter what kind of trouble these people planned to give her, as long as Germander was free to prepare for the journey off planet, she could escape beyond their reach. A little precaution might help.

  JF307, did you keep the transactions between Germander and me a secret?

  The AI’s reply was a surprise. All transactions by the royal family are private.

  Royal family! What was up with that comment?

  Do you know who I am? Carrie demanded.

  You are Paeli Pokeuneo, daughter to King Peyha. You are sixth in line for ascension to the throne of the First Family. You are originally from a planet you call Earth and go by the name Carrie Faulkner.

  Carrie gasped at the answer. “How do you know that?” she said aloud, startling the attendants at hand.

  Your implant identifies you.

  “When did that happen?”

  Last night when you asked for an appointment, and again this morning when you transferred funds.

  The light came on. Both occasions were after she had gotten the new implant. More information was being transferred to the AI than she realized. But then it made sense, now that she thought about it.

  Carrie recalled Lieutenant Weeks’s description of the communication protocols in her cell phone. It was amazingly complex. The little gizmo was talking to other computers all the time, sharing who it was, where it was, its authorization to talk, and much more. As it traveled around town in her car, the phone continuously coordinated with the phone company and nearby cell towers to make sure her phone always had access to service and to keep it from dropping a call. It was a busy little sucker.

  Considering the Nobility’s technology, how much more data could be transferred between AIs and a person’s implant?

  “Does anyone else know about me?”

  The business of the royal family is restricted information.

  “You didn’t answer my question. Does anyone else know about me?” The other people in the room were giving each other worried looks. Carrie ignored them and stared at the ceiling.

  There was a concern about your status. The local government intends to resolve the issue at this time.

  “What about other members of the royal family? Do they know about me?”

  No, but due to recent events, they must be informed if you are confirmed as a legal heir. In that case, I must let them know. Please allow the attendants to proceed.

  “What’s the big deal?” Carrie asked in English, her frustration breaking through. “I’m nobody. Just let me be on my way.”

  Please allow the attendants to proceed, JF307 insisted.

  After another moment, Carrie sighed. “All right.” She pushed her sleeve up, exposing the inside of her elbow. “Go ahead. Just please get the vein on the first try.”

  The medical attendant gave her a peculiar look and took her hand. He pricked the end of her second finger and squeezed out a drop of blood, which he smeared on a glass slide. It was a ridiculously archaic exercise, once Carrie thought about it. Whatever happened to cheek swabs?

  The attendant gave her a sharp bow and set the sample on a tray inside a microwave-sized box that rested on the rolling cart. The machine began to hum and a display on the side illuminated with glowing numerals.

  Carrie could feel the tension in the room grow. After a couple of minutes, the police women began to pester the medical attendant. He waved them away and concentrated on the machine.

  A moment later the humming stopped and the light went out. The medic quietly pushed the cart out of the room and closed the door behind him.

  “Is that it?” Carrie asked. She had expected at least a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

  The two police women faced her with grim expressions. For the first time since seeing them in the entry hall, Carrie looked past their uniforms. They were actually quite young. A solitary tear rolled down a cheek of the younger lady. Carrie realized the women weren’t angry, they were terrified. The lips of the tearful girl quivered slightly. Carrie rolled her eyes and felt a rush of sympathy. She reached for the young woman and the girl flinched away.

  “Stop worrying, honey,” Carrie said softly. “I don’t know what’s going on, but no one will hurt you. Come here.” She put an arm around the woman, who unexpectedly burst into tears.

  There was a commotion outside in the corridor. Shouting voices and the sound of booted feet were growing louder. The door burst open and a new troop of men Carrie had never seen entered the room. These were not normal policemen. They were carrying shields and truncheons. The officer at the head of the troop pointed at the policewomen.

  “Take them!” he barked.

  “Hold it!” Carrie countered, stepping in front of the women. Everyone froze in place.

  “My lady,” the officer said, and dropped to one knee. His cohort followed suit. “These women have offended you and will be punished accordingly.”

  JF307, Carrie sent, I guess the answer came back positive.

  That is correct, Highness. The government of Japurnam Five now officially recognizes you as Princess Paeli Pokeuneo, daughter to King Peyha. I have sent confirmation to all jurisdictions. Your life is in danger.

  So what else is new, Carrie thought to herself. “From these guys or someone else? I need some background on all this, JF. What in the world is going on?”

  Major Juohan, of the royal guard, will explain.

  Carrie examined the soldier. He was a good-looking guy, in a military kind of way. But he was a bit too spring-loaded to mete out punishment, at least in this case.

  “Major Juohan.”

  “Highness!”

  “These girls work for me now. They are my assistants. You will treat them with respect. Got that?”

  “Yes, Highness!”

  Carrie looked at the two women. “You guys okay with that? You want to work for me?”

  The crybaby couldn’t speak, but the older female gave her a look of pure gratitude and nodded vigorously. Carrie handed the younger woman over to her new assistant and then faced the officer.

  “What’s the plan, Major?”

  “We will escort you to your residence.”

  Carrie assumed he didn’t mean her pub. “Let’s
go then,” she said.

  The major barked more orders and the soldiers fell into a protective formation around her. Carrie made sure the two women were included in the zone of safety.

  Rather than proceed to the front doors, the troop led the way toward the back of the building. In a curved, bricked driveway, an elegantly decorated coach was parked in the middle of a convoy of other vehicles. It looked like Cinderella’s carriage in the middle of a presidential motorcade.

  The soldiers escorted Carrie to one of the limousines near the back of the convoy. The major barked at the two policewomen to ride in the coach.

  “Hold it,” Carrie interrupted, shaking her head at the absurdity. “Tell me what you’re thinking,” she told the major.

  “Highness! We want to be cautious of an assassination attempt. These two shall serve as decoys.”

  “No they won’t,” Carrie countered. She faced the older of the two women. “You girls get in my car. We’ll go together. Major, if you want a decoy that badly, you ride in the coach. Otherwise, leave the stupid thing here. Why ask for trouble?”

  The women hurried to comply with her instructions and Carrie didn’t wait to listen to the major’s arguments. She followed the women into her vehicle, a bulky, heavily armored limousine.

  “So who are you guys?” she asked.

  Their names were Lieutenant Choego and Patrolwoman Sunchall. Sunchall had stopped crying and was now wide-eyed with excitement.

  “Tell me, Choego,” Carrie said. “Is assassination really such a possibility? I haven’t been here that long and I’ve been quite low-key.”

  “Highness. My personal feeling is that it is unlikely. But there were several attempts on the life of Her Royal Highness, Princess Gimi. I am sure the guards are being cautious. Now that you are here, it would be a tragedy if something happened to you.” Choego’s professional facade slipped momentarily. “This is exciting. I didn’t even know there was a third princess.”

  Carrie nodded. “Not many people do,” she said. “What was all that back in the room? Why were they angry with you?”

  “We were told someone was being brought in claiming to be a royal. Our supervisor said it was probably a pretender. I thought so too.” Choego’s eyes widened in concern. “I beg your pardon, my lady.” The fear started to return to her eyes.

  Carrie waved away the apology. “Let’s get one thing straight at the beginning, you two. You never have to apologize or worry about being honest with me. I am only here to fulfill a special mission, and I won’t be successful if I can’t trust those around me. Okay? Understand?”

  “Of course, Highness.” Choego slapped Sunchall’s knees to make her respond as well.

  “Of course, Highness,” Sunchall parroted.

  “So then what?” Carrie prodded.

  “You were so calm. No commoner could act that way under those circumstances. And then you spoke so frankly to the administrator. As if you were scolding him!”

  “Who’s the administrator,” Carrie asked, puzzled by the reference?

  “The planetary administrator,” Choego replied, as though that explained everything.

  The light went on for Carrie. “You mean the artificial intelligence? JF307?”

  Sunchall gasped. “You even know his name?”

  Carrie chuckled. “I’ve wanted to call him other things, believe me.” Carrie looked at the roof of the car. “JF307, these women are safe now, aren’t they? No repercussions?”

  “They are safe.” JF307’s voice emitted from an unseen speaker. “They have been reassigned to your retinue. In what position shall they function?”

  Carrie looked at the women. “Do you two know anything about hand-to-hand combat? Could you take on the major or one of his men?”

  Sunchall flicked a worried glance at her superior.

  “Go on,” Choego said. “Tell her.”

  “I’m quite proficient,” Sunchall said demurely.

  Choego’s expression indicated that Sunchall’s words were probably an understatement. “Okay,” Carrie said. “We’ll save that for later. Do you know where we’re going?”

  The convoy started to roll. The decorative coach had been removed from the cavalcade.

  Choego said, “I imagine we are headed to the Imperial Palace. At one time it was the home of Princess Gimi.”

  The palace was on a hilltop beyond the city limits. From Carrie’s perspective as they approached, it was only a high wall topped with regularly spaced battlements.

  “Do you get a lot of peasants storming the castle?” she asked.

  The two women returned a blank stare.

  “Never mind,” Carrie sighed.

  The convoy drove past an elaborately carved stone entrance. Inside the fortress wall, the interior was more palatial. Still, Carrie didn’t think it was as fancy as Buckingham Palace or Versailles.

  The main building was a one-story affair spread across several structures connected by covered walkways. It was attractive enough; the color scheme was red and gold. In a way, it reminded her of the Forbidden City in Beijing but without the turned-up roof corners. Carrie felt a pang of regret. She had been unable to convince the Chinese to let her rebuild Beijing. So many historic treasures were lost now.

  As the limousine pulled up, fifty people were lined up along the curb, waiting respectfully. There were both men and women, all similarly attired. Near the center of the line were four tall, uniformed men, obviously military guards. One of the guards opened the car door and everyone in front of the palace bowed at the same time.

  An older gentleman stepped forward and introduced himself as Tolliver. He took charge and led her inside, all the while murmuring platitudes that she didn’t have to worry about a thing; he would take care of her from now on. No doubt it was meant well, but it didn’t come off as the most reassuring thing Carrie had heard.

  The palace itself was a mixture of styles that she would describe as ancient-modern or, more accurately, just worn out.

  Ladies-in-waiting in a grand entryway took her to a magnificent bedroom. Here, at least, there was a sense of luxury. The ladies offered to help her undress, help with a bath, help with anything she desired, but Carrie shooed them out. For the moment, all she wanted some privacy to collect her thoughts and then a long hot shower.

  When she emerged from the shower, her clothes had been spirited away. In exchange, someone had put out several outfits for her to choose from. Carrie chose the simplest offering, a rather oversized shirt, turned into a roomy day dress. It was comfortable and came off as surprisingly business-like. She peeked outside her chambers and found several guards standing by. In a nook close by, Choego and Sunchall stood unobtrusively in new red-and-gold uniforms. Carrie closed the door and plopped down into a deep-cushioned lounge chair.

  JF307, it’s time we had a talk.

  The AI replied without hesitation. Tolliver will brief you on your current status.

  “No,” Carrie countered. “I don’t want some old fogey trying to pat me on the head. Give me the straight scoop. What is going on?”

  Tolliver will brief you on your current status.

  Carrie wanted to scream but it would be useless. It was difficult to argue with an AI once they had their minds set. What she actually wanted was a situation report. The familiar terminology help put things into perspective. She needed to quit acting like a princess and start leading. The familiar role of command settled around her shoulders. It felt good.

  Carrie stood up with a new determination. It was time for a staff meeting. “How many department heads in the palace.”

  Ninety-three.

  “Are there speakers in this place? Can you talk to me verbally?”

  Yes.

  “From here on, when you are talking to me, speak aloud unless there is an emergency that dictates otherwise.”

  “Acknowledged.” His voice was baritone, slightly deeper than George’s was on the moon. But it was monotone, without George’s personality.

  “And I
’m tired of calling you JF307. From now on, I will refer to you as Jeff.”

  “Acknowledged,” JF307 replied

  “Where is the largest table in the house?”

  “The banquet table in the ballroom.”

  The ballroom sounded good. “Is there seating for a hundred people in the ballroom?”

  “The ballroom can accommodate up to one hundred and fifty persons.”

  “I want to meet all department heads in the ballroom in one hour,” Carried ordered. “Tell whoever you need to, to make it happen. Understand?”

  “Acknowledged.”

  She left her chambers. In the hallway, she nodded at Choego and Sunchall. “You two are with me.” She turned to one of the guards. “You. Take me to the banquet hall.”

  He gave her an astonished expression as if she had asked him to grow wings and fly away. His gaze flicked to another guard, presumably his boss. Carrie wasn’t in the mood to argue.

  “I said take me to the banquet hall!” she barked. “Now!” Still, he hesitated. “MOVE IT!” she shouted.

  He jerked away from his post and led off down the corridor, throwing a beseeching glance back at the other guard. Belatedly, the rest of the guards fell in trail. There were furious whispers between the guards and the two erstwhile policewomen. The whispers quickly escalated into loud arguments.

  Carrie stopped and glared at everyone. “What’s the problem?”

  The guard captain stepped forward. “Highness! It is not appropriate to have these women between you and the royal guard. I have ordered them to move and they refused.”

  “Fair enough,” Carrie said. “Who is your best fighter?”

  “Highness?”

  “Never mind.” Carrie pointed to one of the guardsmen at random. “You. Step over here.” She pointed to an intersection of hallways where there was a little more space. The man hesitated. “Now!” she growled, and the guard lurched uncertainly to where she pointed.

  “Sunchall,” Carrie said. “You face him.” Sunchall quickly assumed a fighting stance in front of the guard. The girl was a quick thinker. Addressing the guard, Carrie said, “Okay. Fight’s on. Take her out.”

  “Highness?” the man said.