by S. E. Weir
“You know our people won’t survive if we go to war.”
Braeden nodded. “We could physically survive, but our way of life as a people would be over. There are too few of us left to have enough brothers to train up renewed brethren after they perish and are brought back by the Mother.”
“Precisely. Traekor can only blow smoke. Everyone will see the consequences of following what he’s spouting.”
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Braeden shook his head sadly. “I fear everything is changing already.”
And with his brothers no longer listening to his advice as they once did, if they got caught up in Traekor’s fervor, there would be little Braeden could do to prevent it.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Diplomatic Institute
With her mentor gone for who knew how long, Phina threw herself into training harder and longer, as well as learning and studying hard in class and reading at night. Training became a relief from the brainwork, a place where she could push her body to its limits.
After being physically drained, she rested by reading texts like Communication Principles, which she had mentally renamed, How to Make Friends Instead of Scowling and Crossing My Arms, and History of the Empire, also known as How Bethany Anne Saved Earth and Came to Space to Kick Kurtherian Ass.
The more she learned, the more she enjoyed it, something that still surprised her since her high school work had been as boring as watching water drip since she had learned the whole four-year curriculum the year after her parents died. What else was an emotionally repressed but highly intelligent eleven-year-old with only one friend supposed to do? She had begun learning spycraft at twelve to keep herself from being bored.
Phina’s classes went well, each one holding her attention, though she still had her moments of distraction and inattention. Since Karillian was the current subject of her Languages class and she already knew it, she worked ahead to learn Shrillexian. She formed the sounds in her head during class as she learned to read the language and practiced saying them out loud at night.
The trouble started when Phina was in her Current Events class two weeks after Link had left and one week after he was supposed to be back. Not that Phina had been counting. The students had each received a brief summary of the pertinent details for a particular planet. Their teacher droned on about details she had read in the packet during the first ten minutes of class.
Phina had begun to daydream and was wondering when Link would be back and what he might teach her next when her attention snapped back to her teacher.
“Excuse me, Professor Bergen. Would you repeat that, please?”
He looked at her with distaste in his beady eyes as he sputtered with indignation. “Why? If you can’t be bothered to pay attention, then I can’t be bothered to repeat myself.”
Some of the other students snickered, which caused the back of Phina’s neck to burn. This class wasn’t just taught to the first-year students but to the entire student body. She felt the weight of Jace Anderson’s conflicted gaze since he didn’t appear to know how he felt about her at the moment. He had subsided in both his attentions and his skepticism. Phina hadn’t known what to make of it.
Most of her classmates didn’t seem to either but mostly avoided speaking to her since she had confronted Jace weeks ago. They seemed content to talk about her behind her back, even when she was in the room. However, what they thought didn’t matter right now.
“Please, Professor Bergen. It’s a matter of importance.”
The teacher’s mouth curled in scorn, but his ego apparently decided to show off as he finally repeated the words that had caught her attention. “I said, the planet of the Baldere has been so well-adjusted since its acceptance into the Empire eight years ago that it could be called a shining example of diplomacy.”
“Thank you, Professor Bergen. That’s what I thought I heard you say. I just couldn’t believe what I heard was correct.”
“What makes you say that, child?” He spoke to her in a condescending tone, but she thought his pride had been tweaked by the look in his eye. Still, it seemed he couldn’t help but be curious.
“Well, because the Baldere are about to be at war.”
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Diplomatic Institute, Anna Elizabeth’s Office
“I demand an apology! Her behavior in class was outrageous and preposterous! The girl is obviously seeking attention!”
“Yes, I heard you, August.” Anna Elizabeth spoke firmly and with far more patience than Phina thought she would exhibit in her place. Of course, this was why Anna was the Dean of the Diplomatic Institute and Phina was still a student.
“Then you aren’t listening!”
“August Bergen!” Anna Elizabeth glared at the man, her voice the iciest Phina had ever heard from the woman.
Professor Bergen flinched and grew quiet. Phina almost felt sorry for him, but he had proved to be one of the most arrogant and annoying men she had ever met. With Greyson Wells in the picture, that was saying something.
“Now, please tell me what happened and why in full detail, and I will decide what needs to be done.” She looked at him expectantly.
“She interrupted my class and made wildly speculative statements that completely disrupted my classroom!”
“Yes, I have that bit, thank you. What I am looking for is the substance of the conversation and particulars.”
Anna Elizabeth stared at Professor Bergen and waited while his mouth flopped open and closed like a fish’s. Anna finally turned to Phina with a raised eyebrow that made her want to snicker. Phina wanted to be like Anna when she grew up. She spoke as seriously as she could manage.
“Yes, Dean Hauser. I sat in class listening to the professor when he said that the Baldere could be considered a shining example of diplomacy because they’ve been so well-adjusted. I…”
“That’s when she said they were going to war!” He glowered at her, his face pinched and difficult.
“I see.” Anna paused as she mulled that over. “No, actually, I don’t see. How did you come to such a startling conclusion, Phina?”
“I read the handout the professor gave us earlier in class and noticed some peculiarities. The Baldere’s imports are up, but their revenue doesn’t seem to be reflecting what they are taking in. Even more concerning, however, are the census reports.”
Anna Elizabeth blinked twice as she watched Phina. “The census reports were more concerning than money disappearing?”
“What important information about a war can you get from the census reports?” The professor huffed in irritation.
Phina tried not to let his dismissive attitude bother her, though she was extremely aware that someone hostile to her stood only a few feet away.
“The census records I’m concerned about are in reference to the Gleeks.”
“The Gleeks! Those sanctimonious pricks—”
“August!” Anna Elizabeth’s blue eyes blazed. “Perhaps I should be reconsidering your suitability as a professor, and perhaps even as a diplomat?”
He flinched, his mouth clicked shut, and his face blanched. He sat down and stayed quiet.
“Go on, Phina.”
“Yes, Dean Hauser. The census records from one and two years ago show there was a small group of twenty-four Gleek living in the Baldere’s capital city—in a sort of commune, I would imagine. However, the census taken just a couple weeks ago shows no Gleeks at all.”
“You are right, that is concerning and something that slipped through the cracks of our attention, I’m sad to say. However, what causes you to believe they will make war on the Baldere? That detail doesn’t seem to merit such a response. They could have simply gone home.”
Phina took a deep breath. “I’ve been reading up on the Gleeks in the texts...”
“What? That’s not covered ‘til next semester! How did you get those?”
Phina and Anna Elizabeth ignored the professor’s bluster. Phina thought she saw a hint of amusement in the dean’s eyes.
&nbs
p; “...and I believe that the Gleeks seek to understand above all else. They periodically send groups of their people out to various cultures and planetary populations and more rarely send one at a time for a specific task. These Gleek groups usually stay in that location for a minimum of five years, generally closer to ten, so to leave after only two years is a glaring difference in protocol for them.
“I also read that honor is one of the highest tenets of their society. An insult through dishonor must be satisfied. Not just desiring it to be satisfied, but imperative. If they believe recompense for a dishonor will not be granted, they will seek it to the fullest extent from the perceived injuring party.”
“And you believe something like this occurred?”
“Why else would they all have withdrawn after being on Vermott only two years? Not just a few but all of them.” Phina shrugged, hoping Anna Elizabeth believed her and she wouldn’t get into too much trouble for accessing the texts for later semesters.
Anna Elizabeth tapped her desk as she grew lost in thought. Professor Bergen huffed in irritation but didn’t say anything. Perhaps he had learned some wisdom. Finally, Anna Elizabeth looked at the both of them.
“What made you wait ‘til the end of class to say something, Phina?”
“It took me some time to put the pieces together in my head, but I thought for sure someone else would have noticed already. I didn’t realize no one had until the professor stated that the Baldere were well-adjusted and acquiring them within the Empire was a shining example of diplomacy. He obviously wouldn’t have such an opinion if you all knew there was a big problem.” Phina shrugged as Anna turned to Professor Bergen with an eyebrow raised.
“Really? A shining example of diplomacy, was it? I’m sure Grey would be so pleased to hear you say so, given that the last time you encountered him, you called him an arrogant, overqualified busybody.”
“Well, I…I…” He looked alarmed and not a little taken aback.
Anna waved a hand and moved on, turning back to Phina. “Right now this is only speculation, but it certainly is suggestive. The Gleeks are not part of the Empire, though we have approached them and been refused once already. However, the Baldere are, and if the Gleeks have a problem with the Baldere, it will by extension become a problem for us. Phina, I’d like you to be involved in the fact-finding to determine if this is something serious or not.”
“What! But she’s only a student and a first-year at that!” Phina privately thought Professor Bergen sounded like a bird squawking and had a hard time keeping her snickers to herself.
Anna continued as if he hadn’t spoken, though the woman’s eyes warned her she needed to be more careful about masking her expressions. “Yes, I know you are a new student as yet, but I already know you have a good head for drawing out information that could turn the tide of a situation from your past briefs for the General. Your mentor should be back at any time. I’d like you to share this with him and see what you can come up with. In the meantime, check with ADAM to see what information you both might be able to access that could help you determine the situation.”
“Of course. Thank you.”
Professor Bergen huffed again. “And you are just going to let an infraction go? Even reward her for it!”
“Which infraction would that be?”
“Disrupting my classroom! If not that, then what about accessing the texts for later classes? Surely that’s not acceptable!”
“Ah, but Phina has my permission to access those later texts when needed.” Anna gave her a small smile before turning back to the professor. “I believe she may be one of the rare students who will be able to graduate early, though much of that depends on how well she does in her Communications classes.”
She turned back to Phina and raised her eyebrows. Phina nodded, though she was slightly anxious. Learning facts and information? Piece of cake. Speaking to people she didn’t know and needed to impress? She didn’t see any way that didn’t end with her in a gibbering puddle on the floor. She sighed and nodded again, meeting Anna Elizabeth’s eyes. Phina was determined to do this and just needed to figure it out.
“You may rejoin your classes now, Phina. I believe you only have five minutes left of this period, so why don’t you meet your classmates in the lunchroom?”
Phina nodded in agreement, then stood up and nodded in respect to the professor. No matter whether she felt him deserving of it personally, he remained her teacher. She stopped halfway to the door when the professor began to loudly complain that he still hadn’t gotten his apology. Phina looked back to see if she should wait, but Anna Elizabeth shook her head and waved her on.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Diplomatic Institute, Dining Room
Phina left the room and was relieved to have a few minutes to herself before classes let out. She entered the dining room down the hall and found the meal already set up, the food in its dishes pristinely arranged since no one had yet come in to eat. She looked around but didn’t see anyone in the room to ask if she could begin.
She shrugged and filled her plate, then found the table at the back where she usually ended up. Phina had just picked up her utensil when the first students began to pour in, raising the noise level from comfortable silence to an almost painful cacophony to her sensitive ears.
After a few minutes of eating and ignoring the students as they gave her side glances while they whispered, Phina heard the tap of Yollin claws on the floor as Sis’tael approached her table. She glanced up to give the young Yollin woman a smile when she saw Sis’tael’s mandibles click in agitation as she sat down in the special seat designed for a four-legged Yollin.
“What’s wrong?” Phina frowned, her eyebrows drawing in with concern. She hadn’t wanted another friend, but shortly after introducing herself weeks ago, Sis’tael had cheerfully told her she wasn’t going to give her a choice in the matter. Phina had reluctantly given in and now felt quietly relieved that she wasn’t by herself when the other students began whispering. Phina had never seen the young female so agitated.
“I’m just furious about people’s reactions to what happened in Professor Bergen’s class. Some beings resent you, some admire you, but everyone is ignoring you! They will speak behind your back, but they won’t talk to your face. I’m furious, but I’m also disappointed.” Sis’tael’s voice rose pointedly at the end as some conversations at the tables around them died down to whispers when those involved tried to hear their conversation. Some looked away in shame or irritation.
Phina struggled with her surprise at the assertion that some admired her and tried to cover it up by joking. “What, spending your day with judgmental, arrogant gossips is not your idea of a good time?”
“Well, it certainly wasn’t my idea of the Diplomatic Institute!” Sis’tael’s mandibles clicked a few more times, but the agitation had lessened enough for her to begin eating.
Phina shrugged, intensely aware of all the eyes on her. The weight of those gazes was almost enough to make her grab her food and go elsewhere for lunch, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so and leave Sis’tael alone.
“I’m not here to make friends.”
“You say that, and yet here we are.” Sis’tael sounded like her quiet but cheerful self now.
Phina gave her a smirk. “In the dining room, surrounded by judgmental, arrogant gossips?”
“Yes!” Sis’tael pointed a segmented finger at Phina. They both laughed since the conversation around them rose and fell as normal.
Phina held up her fingers, counting as she spoke. “Here’s how I see this. I have a few choices about how I respond. First, I could get angry. This does me very little good and usually just makes it worse in the long run.”
Sis’tael nodded in agreement as she continued eating. Phina could hear the Yollin’s teeth crunching her protein chips.
“Second, I could get depressed. Depressed doesn’t do much for me and usually sucks my mind and emotions into feeling nothing, so I can’t bring myself to do any
thing until I get out of it.”
“I don’t like that one. Depression sounds like zombies.”
“Zombies?” Phina stared at the Yollin, surprised she even knew about the monsters from Earth’s folklore.
Sis’tael nodded, slurping her soup before responding. “Yes. They eat your brains and you shamble along, not feeling anything except the desire for something to fill the emptiness.”
Phina froze, her fingers drooping as that idea crystallized in her mind. “Wow, that’s…brilliant.”
The Yollin’s mandibles clicked happily. “Thank you.”
Phina shook her head before continuing. “Third, I could argue with them and tell them where they are wrong, but I haven’t seen arguing change anyone’s mind.”
Sis’tael nodded, then looked sidelong toward the table next to them where some students were busy boasting and one-upping each other. “Agreed.”
“Fourth, I can ignore them and just go my way in the hope they will leave me be.”
Phina held up four fingers, then shrugged and began playing with the roll she had left on her tray. She avoided looking at Sis’tael.
Her friend clicked her mandibles. “I think you forgot one.”
“No, I didn’t.” Phina shook her head, not wanting to hear it.
The Yollin’s feet scraped the floor as she shifted forward to lean closer. “Yes, you did, Phina. You didn’t mention that you can also confront them and show how their thinking is wrong like you did with Jace.”
“And look how well that turned out!” Phina turned to her friend sourly, then began to tear pieces off her roll and eat them.
Sis’tael stilled, then looked thoughtful. “Perhaps you added a little too much arguing to it instead of understanding or compassion?”
Phina sighed, thinking that as satisfying as it had been to tell him off, ultimately it hadn’t solved anything. Sis’tael was likely right.
She didn’t want to admit it.
Chapter Fifteen
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Open Court