"Stand ready, Guberdot."

"Yes, Sir, Four-planet General Sir."

"You know I don't have this title..."

"Sir, you're our commanding officer, you're entitled to the title as a matter of course."

"Begin Operation Nightfall."

"Yes, Sir."

Six hours later, in a furious melee, part of Operation Nightfall.

"What's the situation, Kon?"

"We're being swamped, and they brought snipers this time!"

"Zim, Kon-Zim, we have inbound, one of their officers under a truce flag.  And he looks like us?"

"What?"

"Apart from the skin colour, he could be Arndan."

"He's what, the mythical mauve?"

"Negative, he's a  pale beige, with some pink highlights."

"Those aren't arndan colours!"

"Affirmative, but he has the same eye size, a nose not out of place on a Brecian, hair the same colour as ours."

"If he's inbound, what's his ETA?"

"Reaching your guard perimeter now Zims, what do I tell the guards."

"Wrap and enfold, he's a surprise, and I don't like surprises."

"Zim-Zim-Zim."  Both men blurted to her.

"I am Lieutenant-Colonel Javik Guberdot, who do I have the privilege of addressing?"  The newcomer spoke accented Hand.  Flora didn't speak it, but Amarat did.

"This is Goshawk Flora Rolli, second in command of Kagomine Sixth Fleet, and I am Decorated Dagger Bundle Amarat Veneer, junior."

"If I may ask, what is a Goshawk?"

"It is a fierce flying bird."

"But it doubles as a title?"

"Yes, commanding several thousand flyers, and what is a lieutenant-colonel?"

"A colonel is a regimental commander, a lieutenant-colonel is a junior version of same."

"Junior as in?"

"It is instructive to see that the Colonel's insignia is a stylized planet in profile, the lieutenant-colonel's is half that planet."

"So a lieutenant-colonel would be an executive officer for the colonel?"  He repeated back in Kagomine for Flora: "He is a regimental-level flag officer.  XO or command post material, but not a full regiment, he says." Who grunted assent.

"No, well some are, but it's only a subaltern title, it does not equate to xo.  What do you call this language we are speaking?"

"It is the language of the Hand People, otherwise known as Ghanndhi."

"Interesting, since I am speaking to you in the language of my people, the Massimi."

"Massimi?  And where would be this Massim?"

"The star Massimo is not visible from here without instruments, but it would be between this blue star."  He pointed to a very bright blue star, far to the North, so far North, that it was part of the Northern Diagonal Flare constellation, which Arndans used to reckon North, also called Serendip.  "And this green star."  He pointed to the next "flare", Dominar, the star of rulership.

"You named yourself after the star?"

"Yes, we live in constructed habitats around the star, none of us are planet-born."  He couldn't keep the glum out of his voice, not completely, he envied this planet-born softie.  "And these Hand, what are they famous for?"

"They are famous for being a prolific people, and live on a peninsula with fierce beasts, but scant food.  The name from their language comes from their way of denoting 'plural'.  Ghanndhi, or hand-ga is 'many men'.  But going back to what you are here about, just what do you want?"

"What am I about to say constitutes treason, so I hope you are trustworthy.  I wish to discuss an alliance.  An alliance of our people."

"And you are our people? How?"

"Look for yourself, count fingers, and toes, look at our eyes, the same shape, same colours even.  Look at our hair, mostly similar as well.  Two lungs, one heart, body temperature 38 degrees.  I have more physical differences with the people I sail with!  We have no world to call home, but you do, perhaps you are our homeworld, the one we lost!  And even if you are not, I would rather fight by the side of your people, who fight with honour, than with the Agoban and Ti, who know naught but deceit!"

"Can I talk to you for a minute, Amarat?"

"Sure, Zim, what's up?"

"In the squadron ready room."

Dang, must be serious, Amarat thought...

"Zim?"

"Something must be done, Amarat, you're starting a lot of great ideas but not finishing any one of them!"

"Err, it's always been a problem..."

"It's a major issue now because you're my XO, I'm the one supposed to have the ideas, and you're supposed to see them to completion.  Come on, talk to me..."

"I don't know what to say, Zim. I've been fighting this all my life and been promoted despite it..."

"There's another issue...  What's causing this flab Amarat?"

"Flab?"

"You're gaining weight, and you're over the regulation body mass index again..."

"Err..."  He blushed and stammered.

"Come on, and I'm your commanding officer..."

"You have no idea how much worse it is because it's you..."

"Because I'm a woman?"

"Because you're the woman I've fallen in love with..."

"Well gee, Amarat, it'd be easier to say it was becoming mutual if you didn't seem to let yourself go, personally and professionally...  You're supposed to work for my regard as Hérevallin, remember?"

"Is... is it that important to you?"

"Would I overlook 5 kilos too heavy?  Maybe.  Would I overlook that you're trending upwards with no sign of slowing down?  Not a chance...  Listen, I'm not ok with the reprimand I'm supposed to write you for this..."

"Could you..."

"Could I what?"

"Could you actually write me up?"

"Are you trying to dare me to do it?"

"No, I... I don't think anyone's done it. I guess I thought it couldn't happen."

"If it's a reprimand you want, you're way out of line for a pair, I assure you..."

"I wouldn't try to stop you, Zim!"

"Make me understand this, Amarat...  Look, there's no one around, make me understand your duty in this..."

"It's simple, Zim. I'm a scion of the imperial family, with a Merit of Honour...  Every piece of scuttlebutt about me says no one has ever managed to discipline me, and most people barely believe the Merit at all... on account of me getting more stripes than my commanding officer..."

"What?  That harms your credibility how?"

"We both did it together. I'm at a lower rank, so how come I'm benefitting more from it?  Must be favouritism!"  His voice was bitter, bitter and bitter cold...  Flora shivered.

"That was my fault, I got more half-stripes than you, and I felt bad that you didn't...  I took for granted you deserved more than I did and added them to you from my command pool..."

"Well, gee, thanks."

"You should watch the drink intake too..."

"Is this hérévallin nagging, or commanding officer nagging, I can't tell them apart!"

"It's both, it's neither, ugh.  Listen, I don't like you when you're drunk.  And your commanding officer needs her medical officer, not to mention chief of staff, to set a much more stellar example.  So help me, you better shape up!"

"Or what?"

"I don't even need to elaborate..."

"Suppose you did?"

"Well, first... That hérévallin thing?  I don't have to stay héréval if I don't like you as a person anymore.  Second, that reprimand is going into your file."

"Hmm, can I say something?"

"I'm listening, can you just... skip breaking the hérévallin, give me another chance, I mean, we've been engaged for so long I almost gave up hope, but... we tried for so long, I mean unless the plan was to string me out for as long as possible..."

"No, you're right, you were making progress, then you started making progress, in the wrong direction!  Focus, Amarat!"

"I will, I promise."

"You're really not worried about that reprimand. Why?"

"You really think a reprimand for being overweight is going to outweigh the Merit or my blood tie to Meihomei?"

"Hmm, ok, you got me there, it won't hurt you... much..."

"But it will also show up as a sign that I am not above discipline.  It will show as definitely not preferential treatment."

"And this matters to you?"

"Of course it matters to me. I'd rather you weren't the one doing it..."

"Why not?"

"Because, because I love you, and I really don't like the idea that you're disciplining me.  But at the same time, I really need to have something I can point to when people say for the hundredth time that I'm getting preferential treatment.  Something to show them they're wrong."

"Ok, but that's not enough."

"What will it take?"

"You're coming with me tomorrow, 0800 hours."

"For what?"

"PE, I'm going to whip you into shape if I have to whip grooves into your skin!"

"Hmm, really?"

"Well, I hope I can get you to get some actual exercise, Namei Amarat..."

"Yeah, yeah, so what's the plan?"

"I show up, and you show up, we exercise together if you actually manage to keep up with me... well..."  She wiggled her behind.  "You may find a view you may enjoy, and I may... just let you enjoy it...  But you gotta earn that!"

"And if I do earn it?"

"Well, since you'll be behaving like a proper hérévallin, other rewards may come your way..."  She batted her eyelashes at him.

"Including actually marrying you?"

"Well, since you are so close, I can't really exclude that now, can I?  But I do expect some effort...."

"I've laboured for 1056 days!"

"To earn me for the rest of your life, or any day before then, you should not act in such a way as to lose me forever!  Is that not motivation enough to wait no matter how long?"

"No, of course not, but it's a long time without a sign..."

"Consider this your sign then, but brace yourself, I'm giving you a sign that you've earned a second chance, not that I'm in any way easy, am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal!"

In another place, outside of time, where emotions and motivation replaced the laws of physics, the being Amarat knew as Gallantry, Honour, Manners, Tradition, was looking at him and approved.  The emotions that this scion of Duty, Flora, were inspiring was just what Amarat needed. Truly he'd been pampered, the chosen one, and for almost all his life.  Someone that will hold him to a higher standard?  Just what the elements ordered!  She was pretty plain compared to the other women Amarat had been in a relationship with in terms of looks... But her personality was firing up the young man powerfully.  Wait... What's this?  Oh, she's being influenced by her, is she?  Well, that explains it...  Hmm...  Such fond memories...  

"What's the matter, Namei?  Can't keep up?"

"I need... to.. catch... my. breath..."

"You'll have to do better than that!"  She goaded him, but inwardly, she was pleased with the fact he was giving it his all...  If anything, that flash of dogged determination on his face, despite the fact his body was at its limits... looked quite attractive on him, she decided to wiggle in between two running steps, and his reaction was hilarious!  It was like he had been shot with adrenalin!  Wait, he's actually catching up now?

He was grimly silent, but the determination she had seen earlier was back, only twice as intense.  Hmm, if he knew how good that looked on him, she bet he'd do it more often...  Come to think of it. He had looked that grimly determined when he won his Merit of Honour...  And she had never properly congratulated him for that...

"Two! Kloms!"

"Tomorrow is three, but fine work!"

"Three?"

"Ten is standard for a navy runner, or five Kloms running and five Kloms swimming."

"I'm sure I'd do better swimming."

"Yes, but I don't..." She muttered

"You don't... know how to swim?"

"No, and well..."

"We'll alternate, we ran two, we'll swim two, until we're running and swimming ten each, deal?"

"You just want to see me in a swimming suit!"

"No, well.. not just... But, I can't claim it's not extra motivation..."

"And just how badly do you want to see me in that swimming suit?"

"How badly do I want to do anything with you?  You've been torturing me for two arnds. And I ..."

"You almost gave up..."

"I almost gave up because I thought the torture was continuing, but my chances of reward were dwindling..."

"Your chances of reward are always proportional to your efforts, Namei Amarat... If you try, you have a chance!"

"Is it really that easy?"

"No, but if you don't try, you will fail that easily...  So start by not giving up on us..."

"Is... it me, or you're looking pretty good for someone drenched in sweat?"

"What, you think I look good like this?"

"I think you look good all the time, hérévallin, but.. well... I'll say this because we are alone...    I want to pick you up, grab you and carry you to the shower and have my way with you under a cold shower until we make the water steam off!"

"Hold that thought... You ain't earned... such a privilege... YET."  You have not... but.. damn, how did he go from flabby to a defined six-pack in just 2 kloms of running?

Unbeknownst to either of them, Elements were watching and putting bets on who'd give up the chase first, or indulge, as they were wont to call it.  Who'd give in to their passions, their impulses...  And it was quite a close race, according to how Elements scored such things...  Both Elements also englamoured both their charges to make the chase more... interesting...

No way she had that defined cleavage this morning... I'd have seen it... How did she go from girl next door to magazine cover?  He thought to himself.  And... wait, something's not right, I know she had underwear on, I saw it poking out...  Now it's invisible, and I can see everything through her clothes... What's wrong with me... It's not like running with a branch between my legs is going to be any easier...

"Well?"

"Milady?"

"You going to open that door for me?"

"Sure, I'll take pity on the door and not let you vent your anger on it..."

She hid her smile.  He was pretty funny when he wasn't trying to be official...  Steady girl, don't think about it too hard; I mean, one of Meihomei's closest living relatives, and he asked you to marry him...  I never thought I'd trade up that high... But, and that's the thing, I can't let him think he's trading down... I'm not settling or saying it's ok just because he is who he is.  He's gotta work at it, and it's actually taking so long, partly because I'm not finding flaws in him to call the whole thing off, but at the same time, he's so full of secrets...  So full of surprises too... 

Like when he flew me and some friends over to that restaurant, he's part-owner of, on Eo Island!  And not any restaurant, she saw the four swatted flies that marked a truly superior dining establishment.  The legend says it's one for every hour of patience or for every truly outrageous request the evaluators put the restaurant through, on short notice, and them coming through regardless.  The friends he had brought over, well, Syrtis was nice, pity he had chosen Avalline, and not her, he was... very nice, so was she, if she had to be honest with herself.  But he and Avalline were well matched, and they had invited Dentrag, her favourite waiter at Kannie's at #2 and this Casho player, Rucca, Rucca Milone.  She was a benchwarmer on the Megamisama Deities, not a superstar, but certainly an up-and-comer; and... well... If so many fine men hadn't surrounded her, well, Flora'd have been inquiring, Rucca certainly had impressive curves, and a wicked sense of humour.  Ugh, Flora told herself, that's not thoughts that a Hérévallin should be thinking, not with them working on their Hérévale...  She was thinking those thoughts a lot about her Hérévallin today...  Enough that it was becoming a concern.  Blowing off steam, ha! the way he had suggested would have given him emotional leverage, and certainly made him think he was getting closer...  She didn't want him to lose hope, but she didn't think giving him too much hope too fast would do any good either...  Wait, he's actually bowing to me?

"Milady, please allow me to kiss your feet..."

"My feet?  After I've run two Kloms, and they're sweaty and ..."

"Don't remind me, I'm managing to resist the temptation to remove your shoes and socks, but only just..."

"You're... serious?"

"It's a dirty fantasy, in my dirty mind, but it would certainly lead to my kissing every piece of your skin that I could reach..."

"Oh, stop!"

"Yes, Zim!"

"Keep that for later, when, well I'll tell you when, but... I'm not entirely displeased..."  Her cheeks were on fire, just admitting this to him.  But then, her mind was... choosing to interpret his words in a particular way, and calling how she felt heated was underselling the emotion significantly.  She was an adult!  A virgin maybe, but an adult, and she wasn't supposed to be melting for a man like this...  She was shivering!

Amarat wasn't a virgin, technically... But he'd only count as more experience than her if he could remember the two times he had sex in a drunken stupor.    Right now his emotions were swirling in his mind like a category five hurricane, and he couldn't tell if it was making things worse, or better.  Better, but infinitely more complicated, he finally conceded.  His former commanding officer, yes, former, he kept forgetting he'd be reassigned laterally, just far enough to be out of her command, well she had him wrapped around her little finger, and there was nothing he could do about it...  With her elements strongly in the lines of duty and authority, she was almost tailor-made to make him obedient.  The next element she was strong in, physicality, meant that she had turned every dream of his in which she appeared into a wet dream, something he wasn't proud of.  He didn't know it wasn't his fault, and he probably would have felt bad even if he knew.

At Flag Bridge, on Northern Diagonal Flare, first light, Hexem Ninth, 814.  "I am OF-08 Goshawk Mun-Si King.  Attention to orders!"

"Zim-Zim!"

"I will read."

"It is the spoken will of Meihomei that OF-07 Raptor Flora Rolli, Meritant of Honour release herself from command of Sixth Fleet, Second Division's Air Wing, and that she be recalled for consultations at our Imperial Palace in Megamisama.  Our imperial hero and nephew Amarat Veneer Junior, Meritant of Honour, Feyd Veneer, na-Legendary of Kimaguray is to accompany her as well as an honour guard of no less than eight men under arms of appropriate rank."

"Can I speak to you in your ready room, Falcon Rolli?"  Amarat asked, seeing Flora shaking.

"Come on, say it!"

"What?"

"Say it, I blew it!"

"No way, if you had blown it, I'd NOT have orders to accompany you, and in any failure's wildest dreams feature an honour guard of eight men-at-arms!"

"What, that's significant?"

"It's the Elements' number, silly!  It's also usually reserved for promotions, one man-at-arm per rank.  Future Goshawk or Taimine Rolli.  She wouldn't have sent someone with a Merit to bodyguard you either.  Only the Secretary of Defense has that."

"Secretary of State Valias now.   She, Minister Sothlee and your mother traded places apparently."

"So Mother is back as prime minister now?"

"As Nameihomei, she had the job anyways."

"And Secretary of Defense De Byzance is now our boss..."

"Isn't she the one recalling me then?"

"Not when your orders say it's the spoken will of Meihomei.  You're getting purple, and red."

"Purple?"

"Just what fleet handed those guys their defeat?"

"Sixth."

"And who was commanding Sixth Fleet's air contingent?"

"Some unknown, name of Rolli."

"You're being so very hard on yourself.  You do know you only got that recall because Meihomei knows your name, and spoke it, right?"

"What?"

"Whatever else, 'spoken will of Meihomei' is not metaphorical.  Not with those orders, and a recall to the Palace."

"What, the palace?"

"Yeah, that's where I'm escorting you remember?"

"Ohh, a handsome Kon escorting me to Meihomei?"

"You think I'm handsome?"

"Surely, I'm not the first one to say so."

"I didn't care about their opinions then."   Flora was trying not to blush.  Two of his ex-girlfriends were powerful chiefs of state, some of the most powerful in all Arnd, to say he didn't care about her opinion was probably hyperbole, or else... he lacked perspective.  But then, she lacked perspective, in a different way, surely, if what he said about the promotion came out...  Food for thought, she told herself.

"Someone please welcome those heroes, I'm in the bath!  Dratted timing!  Can you take care of it, Sothlee?"

"I shall attend, as directed, Meihomei.  Should I hand off Robyn then?"

"No, Robyn is a friend of theirs, let Robyn say hi too..."

"That little devil!"

"You've such a flair for the dramatic, Flora, Robyn is a good kitty, right?"  He was petting her.

"Hiss" the cat went, towards Flora, showing it wasn't all one-sided...

"Oh oh, Nameita Robyn has it in for you Flora, I'm worried."  That was Amarat,  good-naturedly teasing Flora.

"Please come with me to the Throne room, heroes."

"First Dutiful, we're no greater heroes than you are, surely."

"Well, I did manage to get myself a green ribbon, so don't think I want to underestimate its value."

"Precisely, except you individually have two to our collective two."

"You're very well informed.  The second one is classified."

"No merit is classified from the Nameihomei, and I... learned to eavesdrop on mother at a young age."

"I bet.  Not that I feel it should be classified from the other Meritants, but I do not make the rules of classification either.  Meihomei was in the bath or she'd have welcomed you herself, young lady."

"Zim!"

"Just which Zim am I to you right now?"

"Most of them?  Zim for being Secretary of Defense, Zim for being an Eagle."

"Here, let's await Meihomei in her intimate throne room.  I believe you're familiar with the Nessun-Honour?"

"Tcha-chai!"

"Pumpkin-spice!"

"I see you're not just familiar, but sisters from different mothers or close enough."

"The Nessun-Honour was my babysitter when I was younger."

"Kon-Meritant, I salute you."

"The Nessun-Honour does me too much honour, I'm only here to escort FFOF-08 Falcon Rolli..."

"You could say that to others, and have them believe it.  Not to someone who's seen Meihomei call you her Hero.  Nor to someone who knows just what you did to Non of the Temple of Chalant."

"He is well?  He is a noble enemy."

"He and Colonel Guberdot are both in custody, as much for their protection as anything else.  The treaty, we hope to announce within the week.  Thanks in no small part to both of you."

"That's Amarat's work, I had almost nothing to do with that."

"He disagrees, and there's plenty of credit to go around, no need for him to hoard it."

"Here she comes, unbowed, unburdened she walks, daughter of heroes, she is Meihomei." Announced a page.

They all took a knee.

"Rise, rise my hero and heroines, Sothlee is right, I do want to reward all of you, this is unprecedented, with the fine work that 'Mikhi' did getting us an alliance, the fine work Sothlee did getting that alliance to put their fighting mettle in the right places, the fine work Maelle did in coordinating the strikes, and the fine, fine work, you and Amarat did, getting them to offer us peace terms, I'm overjoyed, and frankly, the Green will flow."

"The Green?  More merits?"

"I have given a third Merit for the first time in years to a single individual, to Sothlee, for as before, saving my own life in peril of her own.  For 'Mikhi', she is getting the retirement she asked for.  Maelle will become a Knight of Kagomei, commander grade.  Now you, young lady..."  She indicated Flora, "...will become a Knight of Kagomei, officer grade, and him..., I will make a Knight of Kagomei, and Secretary of the Order."

"What's that mean?"

"That he's the next in line for the succession of the Fount of Honour, that distant cousin to both of you, Marhamat Dandelion, will eventually retire...  Amarat will take his place then."

"Meihomei, that's too much..."

"You saved my kingdom, you saved my subjects, hundreds of thousands of them, by deciding to listen, instead of fighting!  You showed the best part of valour then, the most crucial face of honour.  Besides, I might as well name you, before Marhamat does it himself!"

"He... said something like that?"  Amarat just fainted.

"Is he going to be ok?"  Sothlee checked his pulse.

"Sure, he's ok, his pulse is steady, it's just a lot of emotions for him, Meihomei, you gotta be gentler on your troops, especially the ones wearing lots of green!"

"Amarat wears the green since his birth, and no one can take it away..."

"I must insist, Meihomei, you must be gentler with his feelings, he would fight a slash-beast one-handed for you, but telling him "Marhamat sees much potential in him", he's not up to that..."

"Marhamat?  Tadros?"  She called two men from an adjacent room.

"Yes, Meihomei?"

"Please take my dear nephew to the infirmary, it seems I was too brusque with him..."

"Why us?"

"You must ask cousin Marhamat?  He will soon be the third most decorated hero in Kagomine history, Meihomei would not let such as he unguarded."

"It's been a while since I bodyguarded anyone..."

"And when you did, you saved Meihomei's life, thrice...  No one would doubt the safety of one in your charge, guide me, Hero of Kagomei."

"But surely..."

"Yes, I don't mean for you to be his ONLY lifeguards, I mean for you to organize it...  He is precious to me, and as his mother agrees, if anything happens to me or Shen, he is next in line...  Guard him as you would me.  You are both heroes of great lineage, I expect not a hair on his head to be harmed."

"We leave you with..."

"With triple-Meritant Aumhivina Kautanissian, a dual-merited sorceress of the second circle and a merited FlyForce officer whose sixth box of honour was just added.  I fear not for my life, guard my nephew well..."

"I know I'm old Tadros, but did I hear well, that lady has SIX boxes of honour?"

"Yes, she's commanded air wings who have dawned over six hundred enemy craft, including two of their Retribution-class Battlesuns, no other wings have come close."

"What about Maelle?"

"Maelle was giving her orders, as Fleet Commander, Flora was implementing them, giving feedback on tactics, which ones worked, which ones needed work.  But Maelle was not her commander for her whole career, so Flora has perhaps ten craft more to her credit than her."

"Frak ME!  Six hundred, and the difference is around ten?"

"Vision Hunter and Eagle Baker just said 'we stay out of their way and collect the glory, we're not stupid!'"

"Why aren't those two more involved?"

"Because they need to build a service with a planned twelve FlyCarrier air wings, they can't micromanage the most successful air wing."

"Oh, the building versus the running, eh?"

"Quite, although people who see Hunter, Baker, or Maelle's boxes of honours should still wear sunglasses."

"Ah, yes, shiny indeed."

"I'm sorry, are we interrupting?"

"No, of course not Dreamy Domei Dan."

"You brat!"

"Hey, Rei is not the only one entitled to be bratty, I get to have fun too."

"Hey Mister-Plum-Ice-Cream."

"Hey Casho-fan."

"Do I get a hug?"

"Sheesh, this is getting out of hand." Posited Kei-Mist.

"Hugs, getting out of hand, that'll be the day." Dan walked to the hugging Rucca and Ami and wrapped his arm around both.

"We're forgetting why we're here!"

"Calm down, my beloved wife, I'm getting around to that."

"Chicken Noodle soup?"

"Yes, please."

"You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, thanks and sorry for the hoo-hah, I'm better now."

"You and Amarat going to be ok?"

"Oh, we're fine. I just was disappointed we didn't land on the same detail."

"And he's more politically aware, so he's relieved."

"What?"

"Title sixty four, he said. Rule that says a chaplain can't get too friendly with people in his crew."

"But I'd be in command."

"Says it means of just him, you'd both be in trouble."

"Oh."

"Yeah, he's glad you're on the same ship though."

"I am too."

"Do I get to meet him?"

"You think he rates meeting the parents?"

"You said you Mom and his mom did high tcha, guess I'm looking to be a second opinion."

"And did you ask my mom for her opinion? Or you're just going by body language?"

"I didn't.. you think there's something she's keeping to herself?"

"Yeah, her opinion."

"It's so annoying when you do that."

"I can't help that."

" Your mom is supremely good at subadult handling though, she just twists her body language upside down."

"Meh."

"You youngsters try to read her at first degree, and she proves you wrong every time."

"She's… not said anything against Amarat yet."

"She's said anything about any of the others?"

"Not at first."

"Now your body language is interesting… You look scared."

"What?"

"What if Dad number one, dad number two or dad number three, or worse any combination of them don't like him?"

"Tough cookies, command officer and chaplain? We're practically married."

"You're not on the same detail? Presumably not on the same skycutter."

"No we're on alternating crews, black, silver, of the same skycutter, he hands her over to me."

"Must be an important flyer, if its kept continually in the air."

"Traffic control's pretty important. Especially if you factor adding in missiles."

"Oh, like denying enemy the use of sensors?"

"And painting targets, and guiding avoidance tactics for any friendly being painted, if there's time."

"Time?"

"Reaction time, not a lot of it with hypersonic weapons."

"And your job there?"

"Guiding our friendlies, especially on the way back to the ship.”

“And they gave you what rank to do that?”

“I am a Gyrfalcon, Mastgirl to you.”

“Your mother’s daughter you are.”

“Not really, Mom was a NCO first…”

“What are you saying?”

“She showed that she could DO things, then showed again she could teach people to do this, and then lead them in doing those things. I skipped the first part, I’m too lousy at crafts.” She said impishly.

“She still is very good at command.”

“Well, she is, but she’s better at being my mom, when I think of command, I think of M...Officer Comma.”

“Trying to pull the wool over my eyes?”

“What?”

“Trying to pretend you didn’t want to call her by her first name, right there?”

“Well, it’s not like it’s not known, I mean, where I go to school, it’s all over the place.”

“I bet.”

“I thought you met her?”

“I dated her, for a lil bit, fascinating woman.”

“I thought she was engaged, when she met Mom? You met her before?”

“No, I was casually dating a woman whose fiance would have trampled me, if he’d known. I was such a reckless fool back then.”

“Oh, so… Maelle was…”

“No, or at least, she never said they were open, but I was clearly just filling the gaps until they were together again.”

“He’s older though.”

“Yeah, she did try to explain that… I couldn’t follow the explanation, not that it would make sense to anyone outside a circle.”

“Oh, you’re not magical, like at all?”

“No, neither are either of your dads, come to think of it. The magical ones are the girls around here.”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

“What?”

“That you three are non magical?”

“No, it’s not like magical dudes are common, remember?”

“Oh.”

“But it bothers you now, thinking that Amarat is special, maybe that he englamoured you.”

“I doubt it, I caught him, not the other way around.”

“He wasn’t running away though, was he?”

“Oh, no, he was more like ‘who’s this crazy girl, and what does she want?’, it was kinda funny.”

“Had him fooled?”

“Huh.”

“About what you wanted…?”

“I just wanted to get to know him, that first day, he was the only person my age at a naval ball, and I had lots of hero worship for Maelle, but she was the guest of honor, and the guest of THE Honor, if you get my drift.”

“Oh, I thought Meihomei was there…”

“I didn’t see her, I assumed she had retired early. I saw the Honor though, and all the Nessuns, some Taimine, a pair of Eagles, the Laurana, some important civilians.”

“Civilians too?”

“Ministers, only one or two are serving officers.”

“Oh, anyone I’d recognize?”

“Aumhivina Kautanissian, two Domeis. A Legendary, Venatori, his name was, I think. Hit on me, the creep, and I was clearly subadult then.”

“Lucky for him, you didn’t break anything he’d miss… Did you see Amarat’s mom?”

“Not at that party, I only met her at his place, later. He told me she had retired early, she was just back from Moniq, for a conference, and really tired.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Has she invited you to her place since?”

“Technically, it’s Amarat’s place. She’s just sub-Aumhava of Veneer, under the Aumhava of Veneer-Simular.”

“Who’s that?”

“The potentate.”

“Oh, so your high boss, is his mom’s direct boss?”

“Yeah, and they both dated Amarat’s dad.”

“Oh?”

“Least, I hard stories that they dated Amarat Senior. And I heard stories, stories I can only repeat with you sitting down, that Amarat Junior isn’t Amarat Senior’s son…”

“Oh, juicy. Who’d he be the son of then?”

“The Earlmage.”

“Oh, son of a powerful sorcerer huh?”

“Not the reaction I was expecting.”

“Why?”

“Oh, I guess I’m wondering why she’d call him Amarat, if he wasn’t his father’s son.”

“Amarat Senior got killed protecting his wife… Maybe she called him that to show she’d have forgiven him, if he’d lived? How close to his death was Amarat born?”

“Oh. rumors say Amarat had to have been conceived while Amarat Senior was still alive, but she met the Earlmage forty cycles before Amarat Senior’s death.”

“Just enough for a tryst or two, but not enough for them to get hot and heavy.”

“Well he is married, twice.”

“Twice?”

“Nobles are allowed multiple marriages…”

“Yeah, I’m surprised it’s only twice. Wait, your information is dated…”

“What?”

“Mom was there, when Maelle got married, and it was a triple marriage. Maelle with Hamburg, Jhessail with Toemuss and Jaimee, Nyakki, Kimi, Xiang, Sothlee, Carmine, Ami, Rei, Mikhala and Keia with Dan.”

“Wait, Mikhala?”

“Yeah, fancy, it’s his mom’s name.”

“You didn’t see a wedding ring on her?”

“I… did…”

“So his mom… fell head over heels with the Earlmage I guess?”

“Ooh, juicy. They’re both Domeis now, I hear, in fact, I think I saw him at that party…”

“Oh?”

“He’s not particularly my type… But he’s well put together…”

“If he’s Amarat’s dad, he’d be pretty close to your type though, wouldn’t he? Amarat Junior didn’t fall too far off the tree, by all accounts.”

“What, they … You..?”

“Look at these pictures… I haven’t been able to find a single picture of the two in the frame together, mind you. But I do have these, from your mom, at that party you met Amarat at.”

“Wow, I hadn’t seen the resemblance, I did talk to his dad, briefly.”

“Why so briefly?”

“The women with him kept trying to drag him away, I didn’t want to make a fuss.”

“Apparently, they’re very grabby, greedy of his time.”

“Well, with twelve of his to one of them….”

“Is it true? I mean, don’t sorceresses have… backups?”

“Hmm, you’re asking me a theological question?”

“Well, I guess, I’d ask your mom, but she’d probably call me a pervert.”

“You ARE a pervert. But in this case, they likely do. First circle? If he can keep 16 women all topped up by himself, and keep topped up, himself, he won’t have time left to sleep.”

“I thought you said he married ten women?”

“He married ten, he had two wives before, making twelve, and he’s announced he was marrying the four remaining next darkest day.”

“He’s seriously said that?”

“I hope so, Amarat’s invited, so I get to party with the bigwigs.”

“What?”

“Well, it IS a very priestess-y, sorceress-y affair. Amarat is a chaplain, but I suspect he’s invited through his mom.”

"Hey Ami."

"Hey Rucca."

"Nice place we got here, I can't figure out why though."

"What do you mean?"

"We got room to live in Mountain Home, why do we bother owning a place in Dunkehl, it's not so far we couldn't make it work."

"Oh, you mean besides the small matter of the regulations that say no one can live in Mountain Home except for rituals?"

"Yeah, because obviously, the circle made those regulations, and we could change them if it felt it made sense."

"The reason they put in those regulations is that there's a lot of trainees in Mountain Home, and younger priestesses, like you and me."

"I don't follow."

"People still learning restraint and boundaries... So likely to do crazy stunts and either offend the elements, or at least get drunk because they're bTe ehd, and... Well it's just too big anyways, there's no way the circle could garrison enough senior priestesses to keep Mountain Home under our eye, so instead, we room them in the village, a smaller place, still nice, but not so big you could have a five woman orgy and no one would notice."

"Hey, I resent that implication."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't targeting you, just quoting the book."

"Which book?"

"The rules and traditions of Mountain Home, as codified by the First Merlyn, with Annotations by all the First Nine since."

"Sounds like a real page turner..."

"Ugh, don't get me started, but it does keep Rei in line, somewhat."

"Rei?"

"Captain of the Els, Rei Matsumoto."

"Whoah, she's a priestess?"

"She is co-Meiho of Mountain Home, with me."

"What, you're...?"

"I am mistress of rituas, she's keeper of the runes."

"Whoah, seriously Mei." Rucca bowed low.

"I take orders, just as you do, from Fetishest."

"How'd she swing that?"

"Meiho-Aumhavar Kimi Naloli, First Fetish, Keeper of the Protocols? It goes with the territory."

"D'oh, I just walked into that one, didn't I? I keep forgetting you're both first circle, and so have to be Mei so high as to be orbital."

"I'm not, I brush my teeth in the morning same as you do."

"And yet, you're one of THE Meihos."

"I am currently ranked fourth among Meihos."

"Who gets to be higher? Dang, it's not like there's room that high."

"I'm not Aumhavar, so I get points deducted. Meihomei is first, obviously, even if almost no one remembers she's the granddaughter of a Dandelion, and so, a member of our family."

"How does that even work?"

"If you're in our family, and a priestess, you get inducted into the order of Meiho, and get to use the Meiho surname, if not, you get called a Dandelion, like Meihomei's grandmother, a past Domei of Didina."

"Then?"

"Meihomei's cousin Mikhala, who's also in first circle, Domei and Aumhavar of Didina like her grandmother, then her son."

"She's Aumhavar?"

"She's of a power level with Ritual Wave, First Circle, it does not get that much higher."

"But she's not a member?"

"She's second to Sothlee de Byzance, Aumhivina Kautanissian in her main element. She was considered for Advantage, and was only slightly less powerful than Carmine Thurmanssen."

"How far are you from the top, really?"

"I'm tenth, Rei's eleventh, you'd be fortieth, by my lights."

"Yeah, I got a long ways to go, and my powers stabilized already, unlikely to rise that high. I take it yours haven't yet?"

"No, I still get the mood swings that go with the fluctuations too, although I've been trying to control them."

"Aww. Hug?"

"Yeah, sure cuddle-bug."

"What title are we presumed to have infriged on?  I'm a Ryder, you can't do this to me..."

"Relax, Ryder No-one, you're way lower down this particular totem pole than you think you are..."

"And you're not?"

"If they are indeed hassling us with undue cause, I'll ask Auntie to have a chat with them."

"You're with A.u.n.t.i.e.?"

"No, not that particular task force no, my actual aunt... by adoption."

"Who happens to be?  My Father is Domei of Jannet!"

"My aunt, may she shelter in the embrace and grace of the Elements forever and a day, is Meihomei of Kagomei , whose will booms and outlouds all others, Aumhavar of her own self."  Avalline, long used to being the loudest fussbudget in a room, had to sit down.

"Please, come this way, I will explain when we arrive at our destination."  The precise, clipped tones were like rain on a slate roof, brooking no nonsense.

"By what authority do you hold us?"

"You've deputized yourselves with that paper, which is now classified, being relevant to the state of readiness, or lack thereof, of a major ally of Kagomei, and of especial military interest to the defence of the realm."

"How long will you keep us?"

"You're not in detention, but you are to make a deposition on your paper, and the original research you made, and how you could know what you knew.  Outside our intelligence agencies, this was considered..."  She paused. "...sensitive material."

"And you needed to get us out of school?  Wouldn't that bring attention to this knowledge."

"Well, it would, now, wouldn't it?"

"You sound unfazed by the possibility."

"I am convinced whatever happens is more pleasant than what'd happen if I gave the slightest hint that what happens to you six is predicated in any way by you being the firstborn children and heirs of some of the most powerful nobles in Kagomei."

"Oh, so this is all spectacle, to show we're not getting preferential treatment?"

"In a sense, and you are not getting preferential treatment, anyone who'd written such an intriguing paper would get an invitation to work with us... You six just happen to make us work for it more than most..."

"I already have a job, outside of class, I'm afraid..."

"But of course, and the duties of a Bameimeito are not small..."

"I meant my military service, I am..."

"Was your service related to the paper in any way?" She thought the answer obvious, but her orders were explicit.

"No, this knowledge predates my entrance in the academy."

"And you?"

"Feyd Veneer speaks of what he knows in the paper, I don't, although, not all the ideas are his in there, and I fully support our conclusions, from the testimony he bore."

"Obviously, you don't remember me?"  She smiled a coquettish smile.

"Douallé?"  Both Avalline and Amarat started.  Then doubly so, realizing the other had done the same.

"You know her?"  They spoke in unison.

"Before you do any more synchrony, I baby sat the both of you, no you're neither of you unique, people in my line of work supply details for security purposes to nobles all the time.  You just happened to have been my charges during the same year, I was watching Avalline in winter and Amarat in the summer.  And you've both grown so much!"

"I bet, I was only five."

"You were both that young age, no wonder you took so much time to recognize me."

"Why'd they send you?"

"Because your conscious minds didn't recognize me, but your subconscious minds did.  Your body language was not someone going with a stranger wearing a strange uniform."

"It's not, you're wearing Meihomei Second Lifeguard colours..."

"What, my, aren't you observant.  And what does that signify, for the rest of the class?"

"That you're not Meihomei's own bodyguard, but that of everyone in her immediate family, Nameihomei, Senior Voices, while they're in the capital city."

"Yes, except him.  He's First's problem."  She pointed to Amarat.

"What, when?  What happened to Shen?"

"We're stopping by his hospital bed... It's... not good."

"Then where are they?"

"They're looking for you, I told Senya I'd bring you to them, simplifies so many things, when first and second aren't trying to count coup on one another."

"Who's Senya?"

"Senya Frangibald, my majordomo's daughter, and head of Meihomei's First Lifeguards.  She was second- in-command of Meihomei's Lifeguards."

"She no longer the second in command, Senya's third.  Command of first cannot be the senior position, there's an edict.  And Shibué Dandelion is in command."

"And you know this Shibué?"

"Douallé wasn't my only babysitter...  And she's dating my cousin now, according to rumours."

"Fie, for shame!  You'd listen to rumours?"

"Well, yes, 'a rumour' is the only thing I can call what my cousin told me about his new Miptun."

"We're getting sidetracked, where are we going?"

"@[Restful Repose Military Hospital](landmark:949d54c8-0ff6-4de6-a750-654b7ee0b47d), penthouse section."  Douallé's clipped tones were back.

"What's there?"

"My cousin, Shen, Bameimeito."

"Except..."

"I'm saying goodbye, then we're going..."

"Spyglass."  Douallé swore.  "Forget I called it that, we're going to Lai Dang Treaty Authority Command Centre."

"We should declassify the name, LDTACC is not nearly as nice a name."

"Sure, right.  At any rate, we're going there because you six wrote a paper that all but declassified a key element of our intelligence posture vis-a-vis the Moniqans."

"Like how could we know?"

"It's not that obvious, but it's not that unobvious, either.  Whoever thought of it thought it was repressed enough the Moniqans wouldn't admit it, even to themselves."

"Oh, great, Arndology, but applied..."

"Yeah, applied arndology, aka headology.  How to get people to do what you want, without telling them..."

"That's the last lesson in the class we're taking..."

"Oh, well, you're getting extra credit, I think, for this... Getting a whole intelligence agency to sit up and take notice..."  Her tone was tart.

"Did you expect this, Amarat?"

"What? No, I had no idea this was classified, if anything, it sounds prudent, to have your judges stay at home, less chance for them to be influenced."

"Clan Mothers are judges?"

"Not per se, but they have the power of tribunal, and the head of the Hunarch's clan has the power of Edict in certain fields."

"Edict?"

"Yes, by all that is holy, do not make her mad.  Edict includes power of summary execution in Moniq."

"And you know this?"

"Hunarch Xanadrigal's wife passed sentence on her husband's moniqan assassin, who was a known agent of one of my ancestors.  She also said, in my presence, that if she knew who had slain Prithyanka, they'd die the same coward's death."

"Prithyanka?"

"Prithyanka-who-was-Nameihomei to you, my adoptive grandmother."

"Prithyanka Dandelion, the Dandelion Soul of Diamond?"

"I hadn't heard she had become Dandelion Soul."

"She was rehabilitating the role the Dandelions were granted in Kagomine society, when she married Meltran-who-was-Meihomei."

"Bring me my Ambassador of Pain, the child of suffering!"

"So he is your Hérévallin?"

"Yes, in fact, I need to talk to you..."

"Oh, getting close now?"

"I'm told your family does a special version?"

"Yes, instead of him being the last to know, he is next to the last to know.  By our tradition, it's Meihomei who is the last to know, so she can't prevent the wedding.  It has been known to happen, with second cousins at least."

"And Meihomei is his first cousin, once removed?"

"First-cousin, once removed, by birth, nephew by adoption."

"So I don't have to worry about that?"

"No, but Meihomei being the last to know is also practical, once she and her entourage know, keeping it a secret is almost impossible.  Also, you do have to invite her to the wedding..."

"What?"  Flora's jaw just dropped, she couldn't think of a proper response to 'the ruler of your country is required to be invited to your wedding'.

"Amalthéa babysat Amarat, it's like Maelle or some other family friend you've had since forever not being invited to your wedding."

"She babysat him?"

"Well, the butler changed his diapers, not her, but she was keeping an eye on him  for me when I needed to be out of the house for a bit; like a sister would."

"Dang, he wasn't kidding, was he?"

"What?"

"When he said he was fourth in line?"

"Domeita Mikhala, please come speedily!  There's urgent news on your jadebank."

"All right, I'll come and check.  Please abide here Flora.  Like a good little daughter-in-law."

"You're saying that just to bait me, I'm not adopting you, I'm adopting him."

"We come with the package, I'm afraid, I learned that to my sorrow."

About an hour later, Domei Mikhala's office was a pandemonium of activity.  Pages brought bouquet after bouquet of flowers, letters, cards, etc...

"I'm sorry, but I should return home now..."  Trying to address her hostess, in the middle of the maelstrom.

"Say hi to Jima for me?"

"Eh, I'm..."

"Staying at my son's now, then?"

"Hmm, kinda..."

"He said he cleared you your own closet, but he didn't mention you lived there yet..."

"I don't, well I live there on weekends, I live with mom during the week, on base."

"Smart choice, the alternative would be much more complicated."  was the tart answer.

"Hmm, what's the agitation?  I've seen your office during an actual attack on the palace, and it looked more peaceful..."

"My young nephew Shen, sadly, has passed away...  Amarat is now next-in-line for the throne, this... agitation... is just well-wishers.  Could you tell Amarat?"

"That his cousin has passed?  Perhaps, surely there is more he will wish to know?"

"If he does, tell him I'll be expecting his call before his old curfew."

"Ok, I'll tell him."

"She said to call before your old curfew."

"I didn't have one... Oh wait...  That was code, it means she wants me to call before the official 'regular people' curfew."

"

"You are hereby summoned to court hall 4, Megamisama Hall of Justice, toanswer the questions of Presiding-In-Black Hamburg Schweinfurt in the matter of Xavien 

“Hey, I’m Paper, Jack Paper.”  A tall, sparse man walked into Dan’s office.

“Pleasure, I’m Dan Ma, you’re here to join my lifeguard?”

“Yeah, at least, that’s what the letter says.  You got many people after you?”

“Not people, not arndans anyways.  Demons, and some aliens.”

“Trippy.”

“Tell me about it, so what were you doing before this?”

“It was my honor to serve in Meihomei’s city guard of Megamisama.”

“Oh, so you were handing out parking tickets?”

“Err, no, I spent a turn in narcs, then financial crimes, bomb squad, then organized crime.  I made a few good arrests, seems this is a promotion, going by Meihomei’s signature on this letter and the fact that it avoids saying anything at all critical of me.”

“Lifeguards are seldom a promotion, tell me why you’re really here.”

“Your enemies have started replacing people?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m a specialist at doing that, and at spotting “replacements’, I spotted one playing at being a square.”

“A square? What’s that?”

“Largest gang in Megamisama, the Silvertips, a square is one of the four lieutenants of the Payback, their leader.  Their badge is also a square, solid silver.”

“And they’re square because?”

“They rule over the drug trade, and are killed by the Payback, if they ever use their product.  So they’re… “Square”.  Only the lowest levels of sellers actually use in the silvertips actually, the higher you go, the less you must use..  Was a pain to infiltrate them, you gotta get addicted, then go clean.  It’s part of the initiation.”

“You managed?”

“I needed magical help, some of this stuff is addictive in ways you can’t imagine.  Moneydime, my associate, is a minor sorceress, works for Shabue Dandelion at the palace, refreshes the wards.”

“Oh, so you’re used to working with sorceresses?”

“You got them around here? What you need me for?”

“I am a sorcerer, Jack, surely the letter says that much?”

“Actually, no, it says you’re a Domei, Domei of Didina."

“I am, but also the Earlmage, and Centre of the first circle.”

“Oh, no wonder you need a lifeguard.”

“I have three squads, I’m told you’re joining the second.”

“Three SQUADS?  What kind of a threat are you under to need that much?”

“The Manflayer himself wouldn’t mind feasting on my liver, if that tells you anything.”

“What? No, he… he can’t be real, he’s a spectre.”

“He’s a demon, not a spectre, but yeah, he’s not Arndan as we know it either.”

“And you mentioned aliens?”

“As you’ve no doubt heard, Meihomei charged all the circles with preventing the replacement of military personnel and high ranking Nobles, including herself.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I got this job finding out someone had replaced Meihomei.  No clue if whoever did it is Arndan.  Then Mountain Home folk saw a very strange individual, someone with a ring of double-horns, back to back, all around the crown of the head, his face red and black.  He tried to replace my father.”

“Harsh man, wait, you said “he tried”?  You caught him?”

“Yeah, might make sense to make it your mission to interrogate him, find out what he wants, what he expected to do.”

“You don’t know me, you don’t trust me, and you’re letting me interrogate infiltrators?”

“Yeah, because the sorceress behind you tells me you’re on the level.”

“A sorceress? Where?”

“Right here.”  Carmine Thurmanssen, who’d accompanied Jack Paper from Megamisama, invisibly, faded into view.  “Take good care of him, Dan, they threatened his family for finding out their 'square'.''

“She was right there the whole time?”

“I walked with you to the flipping circle, and flipped myself, was simpler than to explain why I was invisible.  Thankfully they said pretty loudly and in great detail where you were flipping to.  Some operational security concerns there.”

“You can do it on your own?”

“Yeah, it’s standard curriculum for Lucre, so we can follow the money.”

“Neat.”

“So my job here?”

“You know this Moneydime?”

“Yeah, she’s not flashy, but she does a good job with the wards.  Her and Annarchee got a thing going too.”

“Annarchee?  I thought she preferred men.”

“Being invisible lets you scoop up more secrets, seems they’ve acted on it since they discovered a mutual admiration for First Sword Tholborg.”

“Charming gossip, but that wasn’t why I was asking about her.”

“Oh, why then?”

“If she’s trustworthy, she can take a look at the wards around our guest.  Maybe he can be moved out of mountain home.”

“I’d advise against moving him out.”

“Why?”

“The prisoner transfer will attract attention.  And any place, almost by definition, is less secure than Mountain Home.”

“No security is perfect, and putting all our eggs in the same basket means if we lose the basket, we lose everything.  Plus… I kinda find it strange and creepy to have sex in a place with a prison in it.”

“Yeah, the wrong kind of dungeon vibe, eh?”

‘I didn’t need that mental image, all three of them.”

“Three?”

“Three different wrong ways, trust me, can we change the subject?”

“Ok, so provided you move him out, where to?”

“It there even a supermax to move him to?”

“Harhui, next to Byzance has one.”

“That’s in Garay?”

“Didina, fourth largest town.”

“But close enough to move our guest?”

“Yeah, what would we use to move them?"

“Gunskycutters, to a ship, maybe, if it's far?"

“Gunskycutters could make it direct.”

“They’re pretty vulnerable in the air.”

“Pilders then?”

“What’s that?”

“Some new thing, the Navy has them.”  Faster, nimbler and punch that rivals a gunskycutter, more survivable for technical reasons.”

“Would the navy let us have any?”

“Don’t know until you ask.  Who would you ask though?”

“I gotta start at the top, ask Meihomei.”

...Later

“You want to move prisoners out of Mountain Home, why?”

“It’s a holy temple, not a prison, I know we have great security, but it’s not ideal.”

“And where to?”

“Harhui’s supermax.”

“Ok, you’ve done some research, it’s opened only a month ago.  Not entirely public knowledge either.”

“Why not make it military prisoners only, while we have an emergency?”

“Oh, we have a few problem customers already in there that aren’t military.  I do think we can curtail non-military for the moment.  Let’s go see Valias.”

“Oh, why?”

“Military, makes it her turf.  Plus how are you going to move him?”

“Thinking gunskycutters.”

“Any gunskycutters rated for prisoner transport are military, I know, I haven’t approved a single civilian one.  And that’s a lot to ask, we don’t exactly have that many.”

“Are any earmarked for Dunkehl?”

“Yeah, 17th, Djinns, under Tercel Al  Ladin.”

“How close are they to forming up?”

“Month, maybe six weeks.  Why?”

“They would liaise with me for airspace permission, lodging.”

“You, as Earlmage?”

“Or as Domei of Didina.  More likely the latter, civilian authority for Dunkehl, remember?”

“Earlmage is civilian authority for Dunkehl, you just happen to be in personal union with your direct liege, Domei of Didina, who’s civilian authority for larger, but wouldn’t be involved at this level..”

“Why not?”

“Bigger fish to try.”

“The invaders are big fish.”

“Yes, and they’ve only struck at Megamisama, and Dunkehl repeatedly, everywhere else, they only struck once.”

“I’d ask for a Cutter, but I don’t have a sea to put it in.”

“I’d put ships in Mountain Lake, just not cutters..  Marina de Bay military base is authorized for construction.”

“What about Mountain Home military airbase?”

“You think it’s necessary?”

“We’re the only place they struck twice besides Megamisama, wouldn’t it make sense for us to have permanent facilities?”

“That’s actuallly the attractive bit about the new tech, don’t need as much.”

“But people need places to sleep, places without civilians who could be spies.”

“But where would I put it”

“Between Elements Stadium and Temple Guardian, there’s a vast space there, it’s hard to reach, so secure, isolated.”

“But there’s a large stadium?”

“Don’t put the base near the stadium, put it the other side, with a no man’s land or park  near the stadium?”

“I haven’t inaugurated a park since I took the throne, I definitely look forward to that  What do you think Valias?””

“The idea is sound, but why this insistance?”

“We’re more exposed, finding a place that isn’t on mountain lake makes more sense, I don’t like mixing business with pleasure, and I still go to the beach at Marina de Bay for pleasure.”

“We’ll still need a base on the lake.”

“Yes, hopefully on the other side.”

“The other side?”

“Marina de Bay is the side towards Dunkehl Village and Mountain Home, I’m thinking you have better spots, towards Lavali.”

“That’s a sheer cliff, almost half the lake is bordered by two-story cliffs, on the other side.!”

“Oh.”

I only remember tomorrow

I only quote the future

I'm broken by stretches of time without you

Death stalks me like a vulture.

 Intercontinental Occult Diplomacy, I remember tomorrow

 

I was without words, I was without sounds.

“Thanks for seeing me.”

“Same, if anything, I’m the one thankful, you certainly have grown in fame since I first heard your name.”

“Interesting monicker: ‘The Payback’.”

“I earned it when I formed this organisation, someone thought me a bit more dead than I really was.  They discovered trying to kill me, without doing a proper job, was certainly not a good idea.  So what brings you here?”

“Mister Paper?”

“Boss, we allowing this <Expletive> in?”

“Oh, so you’re not visiting me on your own behalf, but on his?  Knowing the price I’ve put on his head?  That’s interesting.”

“I’m interested in talking to get that price revoked, Mister Payback.”

“And you think there’s enough gold and favors in the world, for him killing my best friend in the world?”

“I  know there isn’t, except…”

“Except?”

“Except, he’s not killed your best friend, he avenged him.”

“What?”

“Mister Paper, if you please.”

“Your friend had already been replaced, by this individual.”  Flipping the switch on an tridee projector, the image of an orange-skinned humanoid, six pairs of back to back horns around the crown of his head.

“And just why do you expect me to trust anything you say?”

“I don’t… I expect you to trust something this humanoid says though, if he confesses to sending the first one to replace your friend…”  Flips a button, another humanoid, same horns, only more black makeup on his face, in a pattern of xes.  Proceeds to admit to replacing the Square, as part of a plan to influence Megamisama, hoping to unseat Meihomei enough to start a rebellion.

“And, this individual is in your custody?”

“Yes, and we very much want him to stay that way, so we won’t tell you where he is.”

“But… Could I visit?  I want to see the truth of his statement in his eyes.”

“Assuming we agree to some terms, that may be possible.”

..Later

Payback tries to kill the Antooinian, but isn’t told it’s not the real thing, but a hologram.

“Mister Fenris, tut tut, bad manners.  I know you weren’t being straight with me you know.”

“What, how did you, how could you know about that?”

“Mister Paper knew a lot about your organisation, and about you.  Breaking your sworn word to me?  Trying to kill my imprisoned guest?”

“Trying?”

“You see, you said you wanted to see his eyes… And I did say I'd let you, but I didn't say through holographic projection, in real time, I certainly knew better than to let you in a room with him.”

“Miss Moneydime, please make sure that knife is retrieved, and impounded correctly, Mister Fenris will be our guest for some time."

...Later

I don't think keeping Payback is such a good idea."

"Has he tried to work his wiles on you?"

"Why, you jealous?"

"Does it make him safer to keep it I say yes?  I don't think so."

"Phaw, you're so transparent."

"So are you, enjoy eating the eye candy that is Dreamy Domei Dan?"

"Well he is well set up."

"Better than me?"

"Yes, or at least with a glamour to make it look that way."

"Oh?"

"He can do those as easily as breathing, so say the rumors."

"Really?"

"I asked if his his circle mates, his power tiers are close to a whole circle's, by himself."

"Damn, and you are?"

"Not even in the same league as the weakest in first circle."

"And he's?"

"So strong they aren't even in the same league as him unless they team up."

"But they outclass you?"

"I barely make sixth circle, they're first."

"But you're strong, I've seen you throw grown men!"

"The weakest in third circle throws a ship with the men in it, first circle… probably can throw a fleet, after all a middling in third threw 75000 tons."

"What?"

"Maelle Comma, third circle second power, so fifth understudy Potentate, threw some three ships off course so hard, they needed repairs for a month.  And not small ships, one is Meihomei's own flagship!"

"A new day."

"Aye, a new day begins, I relieve you Ballista Coromodr."

"I am relieved, Kon.". He used the traditional term for the most Senior Noncoms, reserved for NCOs exempt from quota.

"You don't think I earned this Coromodr?"

"In the contrary, I know you earned this, I just expected you to get promoted to officer instead of flagging up your Kon."

"You think of me as an officer?!"

"I know command talent when I see it."

"So, should  I be flagged as Adjani on this ship?"

"Let's drop the pretense, Tujen Comma is a better officer, because she had better teachers and training, but you would not be out of place as her flag Ballista, but with that actual rank."

"And I'm her Adjutant, certainly not without my own credentials."

"You misunderstand me, I'm comparing you to other officers in Meihomei's Own.  However there is a strict hierarchy on a ship of war."

"And if I try for a silver kon instead?"

"It is more individually difficult, I just think you have the breadth and scope of a Tujen, maybe a Taimine."

"And Maelle?"

"The betting men on this ship won't take her at Nessun or higher except at fifty against.  Honor starts at ten against.  They just will not offer bets where you bet "for" anymore."

"Not, at all?"

"Then again your next promotion is at most three months away, or one of then loses money."

"But, has any of them any idea how hard this choice is, without them betting on it?"

"They just have money at stake, you're betting your career.  Mind you, the house I could buy if I bet right would be impressive."

"What?"

"I've seen amounts that could buy you a small mall in Harhui."

"A mall?"

"Two Nessun yearly salaries would fit."

"And all I have to do is bet I can do command."

"I know you can, they're mostly betting you won't dare."

"And if I try for Telbun?"

"They aren't betting against you there, but they think it'll take longer."

"I wouldn't bet against that myself, I wonder if it'd be more fulfilling though."

"They're even betting that in a few years your child is in the academy."

"How are those rates?"

"Fifty to one, she's a shoe in."

"Ugh, they must have a spy in my house."

"What, she's navy born?"

"Born, bred and fed.  Not betting against her making Tujen either."

"Oh, navy straight from the teat?"

"Navy scholarship since birth."

"And schooled in navy stories I bet."

"Not taking that bet, not giving away free money."

"How navy is she?"

"She's been wearing navy blues since she was four arnds of age"

"So her idea of navy is 'here, let me show you how it's done, before mommy comes in and kicks you.'"

"Kinda, but she's a bigger fan of Tujen Comma, so more: 'You sorry excuses for landlubbing lowlifes, you better hope Tujen Comma doesn't see what a poor show of showmanship you manage or it'll be bilge cleaning for the lit of you."

"You are xxxing me."

"She and Maelle get along like split souls."

"Not exactly unexpected, but she's serious boss."

"Boss? She's in grade school!"

"And the kids four schools away get warned.  She is that authoritative.  She is top maven under twelve for Megamisama."

"She's barely six!"

"The older kids don't think they can boss her around, they know who she is.  Then ones that doubt, soon need their plush animals.  She's showing pubescent young adults how wrong they are."

"What? But she barely knows how to write!"

"Methinks she is a natural Dominus."

"Not taking that bet.  Maelle is a natural and her role model."

"I'll make a note."

"At any rate, my Kon is flag bridge, thanks Coromodr."

"Time for me to take it easy, thanks Kon."

"Decorated Javelin Bundle Hanford."

"Kon Rolli."

"Tacks Hanford, what gives?"

"We have a special request, from the enlisted mess."

"I see that, any of them have any idea how hard Mountain Home tea is to get?"

"They saw it was traded to Rannick, so they think some may be obtained."

"Yes, it was traded, traded for its weight in gold.  Request denied."

"I had no idea, it's that dear?"

"Tell you what, if during this mission, we run into anyone from 9th Air Wing, aka Mirages, we can ask them, the airbase is on the mountain itself."

"Funny you should mention us, Meiho.  And yes, we can see Temple Guardian from the base, but on a clear day like today, you can see both the base and Temple Guardian from here.". Said a suit of power armour hovering overhead.

"Flag on deck!"

"Goshawk De Byzance, ringmistress, 9th Air Wing, Mirages, accompanied by Pilders from 26th, Invisible killers.  Gyrfalcon Meiho, Kestrel Saumar."

"Raptor Rolli, 1st div med, chap adj.  Flag bridge.  Decorated Javelin Bundle Hanford, tactical officer.  And of course you know you're hovering over EMS Great Kagome."

"Aye, orders are to liaise with you for prisoner transport."

"No gunskycutters for this one?"

"We're escort, 6th tactical air support wing will have the prisoner, and 4th fast movers are on overwatch."

"And you're liaison because?"

"Besides being Aumhivina Kautanissian, I happen to have met Tujen Comma before.  Connections through third circle."

"I know she is… wait Kautanissian?  Your first?"

"Yes, I thought some people how to cast a tidal wave spell, I hear Tujen Comma used it."

"And you expose yourself in a Pilder?"

"I can still cast spells in this, helpful to see what's happening though.  Is the Tujen available?"

"She's retired for the night."

"Kestrel Saumar!  Please find the deck duty officer and supply him with my flag, since we're here for the duration."

"Zim-Zim."

...later on deck

"A Flag?  Just what designation is this?"

"OF-08, Zim."

"I gotta move all of them?  What a bother."

"The Goshawk is how high?"

"She is in command, our Tujen, Meihomei's Own Factual is only OF-07."

"Don't cross-service ranks count two less on a navy ship?"

"D'oh, I didn't even ask what branch, you're not navy?"

"I am currently Aircrew, but I was a landlubber before."

"What?"

"So was the Goshawk."

"The water on the flag?"

"She's first circle, mark of Water, Fire Earth and air."

"Oh, you are right, I used to know this mark, she's a high-up priestess?"

"Highest you get to meet.  When the Nine meet, she signs the directives."

"Isn't that Kautanissian?"

"It is, but Broadsword isn't one to advertise."

"And she comes here?"

"She lives there." He pointed to Dunkehl Lake, lapping at Mountain Home, halfway up the mountain, a singular rose-like bush bloomed blue, spread over an area larger than the nearby casho stadium.  "Reason enough to take an interest in your guest."

"Aye Zim."

"I'm an officer now?"

"You read as OF-01 to me."

"If you were a noncom, you'd read OR, Zim."

"Aye.  I have no idea when I caught Officer brass.”

"Has to be recent Zim, you don't show stripes, but obviously your commanding officer's commanding officer trusts you enough to hand you her flag."

"Let me guess, OF-02 doesn't rate a flag here."

"No, Zim, We're good."

"What's the least to rate flag?"

"On EMS Great Kagome?  OF-05, or OR-09.  I might move fifth flag for a very senior OF-04."

"What?"

"If a Striped Javelin Bundle or Ornate Dagger Bandolier or Tribune or Cymena shows up with

Half stripes in the 300 range, same for a scorpion above 10 half-stripes."

"Wait ? Isn't  512 automatic Telbun? And Ballista's only sixteen half stripes!"

"No one has gotten that many and not made it to Telbun.  Doesn't mean it's automatic, the quotas stop way below 200."

"So who the hell got that flag as a noncom?"

"Striped Javelin Bundle Jima Rolli, 1st div chap, 1st div med, 1st div adj and a bunch of letters? Telbun candidate number 3 and catching up."

"Just... how many letters?"

"A few, written by Meihomei, we stop counting then "

"As you should."

"Glad our bird friends agree."

"Just for my edification, how many letters?"

"When Meihomei signs more than five letters to your name, we kinda lose count."

"At that point, Meihomei's your children godmother, right?"

"Given the high bridge is on a first name basis, wouldn't exclude it."

"What's a high bridge?"

"The flags, the ones who aren't just visiting."

"Oh."

"Yeah, Scorpion would need an escort to the bridge..  Which also means you need one too, Zim, try to remember that.". Meaning their duty station would be elsewhere.

"Oh for the love of the elements, just how elite is this fleet element?"

"The Honour isn't flag actual, but factual."

"Sorry, my Navy jargon failed me just now."

"OF-10… you know who that is right?"

"Yeah."

"Second Flag. permanently."

"First?"

"ME-30"

"M?"

"Meihomei, it is Meihomei's Own."

"I right walked into that one didn't I?"

"You did, when Meihomei goes anywhere outside Kagome, it's with us."

"I didn't see the Parrot nor the Red Striped eagle, we won't have dignitaries with us?"

"No, not for a prisoner transport, unless it was a ransomed foreign sovereign.  We're pretty good, but we can't double security, we're already under the strictest protocols for a ship of war."

"Good, don't need the hostages."

"The Tujen appreciates the reminder, will that be all?"

...Later

Mishal salutes a.. gotta be an Adjani.  "Excuse me Zim, would you direct me to my billet?"

"Let me look at your numbers.  Oh, Tacks pool for you."

"What's that?"

"You're billetted with the other intermediate officers, like myself.  Main superstructure, left wing, lowest level, next to the flag bridge."

"I'm very junior, though."

"You're also a sorcerer, we don't let those sleep in the enlisted areas or the crow's nest."

"Wouldn't you rate a cabin as an Adjani?"

"Not on this ship, or I should say, when I do, I know better than to get attached."

"Oh I bet, would my commander rate one?"

"The Goshawk rates one of the six private cabins on the ship, can't say I know which one."

"Thank you Zim."

... Later

"You put her where?"

"Next to your cabin, with the two levels she drops as navy she outranks everyone else."

"You have any idea how highly ranked she is, as a civilian?"

"Err, no Zim."

"Kautanissian mean anything to you?"

"Isn't that the authority, the highest authority, amongst the Nine?"

"Yes, you just put her in the second best cabin, fix that immediately!"

"No need Maelle, it's perfectly lovely, and I'm sure properly moving out all the secret documents from your safe would take days."

"Zim!"

"Nice to see you, Pacer."

"Same, Big Cake."

"Do I need to make it an order?  Don't move my stuff, I've already warded everything."

"Zim-Zim!"

"In the book, Zim."

"You were not this big when last I saw you."

"It's temporary, part of the spell that lets me fly the armour makes me three paces high and change."

"Oh like the one I cast on Mariwolfe?"

"Oh, yes, she flew with us, that was you?"

"The Honour couldn't do it without attracting attention, so it fell to me."

"Back then we were both in Megamisama, how is she doing?"

"Medical leave for final transition, she should be fine."

"Oh, she is finally doing it, she mentioned getting antsy but having cold feet."

"Yeah, have you met Andermani?"

"No, I'm Sothlee, pleased to meet you."

"Juraian Andermani, KEMS Yesugai flag. We're one of the escort ships."

"9th air wing, flag.  And I know Yesugai, was Maëlle's command, earlier, wasn't it?"

"Aye, she moved up, that's why I'm here."

"What, something the matter?"

"You took your adjutant, our chaplain and chief of staff, and she won't replace herself."

"There's a reason for that."

"I'm listening."

"If Jima leaves the ship, you all get beached."

"Respectfully, Zim, that's ridiculous."

"Meihomei herself told me this, it's the new staff doctrine, the chief of staff leaves, a new one is assigned to build a new crew."

"That makes perfect sense for cashiering, but not for promotion."

"I've asked OPM to delay any beaching while I decide on who to promote internally."

"Any candidate?"

"No one else has people chops, except…"

"Except?"

"Gyrfalcon Baker."

"Couldn't she accept it as temporary duty?  I know she'll refuse if she has to give up the sky."

"Yes, Jima's working on the paperwork."

"Are you sweetening it up for her?"

"What do you propose, she's a line officer, if she ends up outranking you, we're back to square one."

"I'm a Ballista, there's room for her as scorpion."

"You're pretty free with half stripes, there."

"Just saying the chief of staff doesn't have to be too far below me, either."

"Would you excuse us, Sothlee?"

"Sure, let me find my Pilders."

"You sure her being near equal in rank won't cause problems?"

"Me, sure of anything? That'll be a first."

"I mean you and Juraian won't freak out?  That skirt she'd rock as a Skua won't make you and Andei drool?"

"Sigh, we are getting better, and we're used to her now."

"If she fleets up to chief of staff, who is fifth flag?". She didn't mention Cavill nor Quinn, Juraian appreciated.

"Mareeyhev Dhoubloon.  Transferred from Sangho, high marks all over,  not experienced enough yet for chief of staff, but likely understudy."

"And she's a priestess?"

"Yes, a talented one I hear."

"She's high enough to flag Kon?"

"I was thinking she'd fly green drop on Yesugai's flag."

"Oh, how is she ranked right now?"

"Half spear."

"Ok bundles would be quite a jump then."

"I do want to trust her with as much authority as she can handle, but she hasn't been at sea for a year yet."

"What do your instincts tell you?"

"They'll tell me more once I've gotten third and fourth conversations with her.  I know Yesugai is famous for bringing people along fast, but I do have to spend more than fifteen minutes in her presence before I say she's command material."

"Are you talking back to me, Juraian?"

"Why Zim, I guess I am, respectfully."

"Good, withholding you a chief of staff certainly isn't making your job easier.  Now I'm even asking you to evaluate her understudy, without her help?  You've earned a growl or three."

"You always been to able know where the line is."

"No, I don't, I just expect to be wrong some of the time."

"And yet, you've had conversations with Meihomei, how do you get along with her?"

"She doesn't notice Navy mistakes.  Now the Honour is a proper terror."

"She also expects us not to outperform the Telbun on a daily basis, or so I hear."

"She does keep the genuine article close at hand to remind everyone what he is like."

He winced.  "A proper terror indeed."

"I'm prepared to offer two cross service stripes to Ria, enough to rise her from Gyrfalcon to Skua, how do you think she'll react?"

"Respectfully, those are mine to offer."

"I'm ok with you offering them, but they are from command's pool, you're tapped out."

"I'm tapped out because you and Jima fleeted up and count against me.  Respectfully, it's not a fault of Yesugai we train the best.  It's even worse if you deny me promotion picks so you can use them."

"I'm not denying them to you, the regs say your picks go up because you have the most promotions in the fleet element.  Someone not on the ship has to promote people from the ship for a while."

"And no one thought that giving them to our promoted wouldn't help?"

"I still look bad if Meihomei's Own looks bad, Juraian."

"And you're tempted to give those promotions to the other ships?"

"No, or at least, I only want to swap out Mareeyhev to Meeroku, and give you back Stang Silverfish."

"Isn't he incredibly arrogant?"

"I heard the same, but he doesn't foster the impression I'm giving you ALL the best crew, at least, and he is proper navy."

"Any reason we can't get lady officers Zim, we already have a boys club for poker night."

"The ladies of Yesugai already shine, what about the boys?"

"Respectfully Zim, did you expect me to rank Flag Medjen?  I'm only six below your total now, and this is despite the fact I started lower, in no small part because you were obviously an officer's officer from the academy onwards."

"Are you saying I'm treating you unfairly Juraian?"

"I'm saying if you expect me to shine, I wanna know how bright, I guess."

"You..re not doing a bad job either."

"So you have to be harder on me, because you know me."

"I actually have to show that if someone on Keekyo, say, is as qualified as you they'll get the job."

"And with Yesugai as a testbed for Jima's theories, it's not fair to them."

"What?"

"Jima unlocked 100% of a cutter's potential with her filling out shifts.  The other ships are lagging."

"How much of that is Jima?"

"How much of that is having a navigation officer who slept enough to perform his duties?  Plenty."

"I am overlooking exhausted officers aren't I?"

"Among other cumulative effects.  But for a while we'll have the inverse, without  a chief of staff I'll have exhausted people."

"And they can't gripe to the chaplain, some will gripe to you, of course."

"And because Jima hasn't completely fleeted up she has to handle more of our traffic, comparatively, since she's our chaplain and our chaplain's superior officer in one."

"I am working on it, Juraian."

"There's another problem." His tone indicated it was a weightier matter.

"What's the matter?"

"Quinn and Cavill are in a relationship."

"And?"

"And I thought a tetrad was disruptive.  Having third and fourth flag sleeping together has the crew in a tizzy."

"They came out, or it was an accident?"

"It was an accident, but one so blatant they stopped any attempt at pretense."

"And two men is the problem?"

"No, two roommates is.  Makes it look like they've been carrying on for a lot longer than they admit they've been in a relationship.  Some less well advised crew suggested the tetrad rumors was to hide them."

"What? You cashiered someone over this?"

"No, just transferred off the ship, out of Meihomei's Own, since they think we can and will do things to hide, I've sent them to see how second fleet does things."

"That was badly timed, Gatch from second is being disciplined for fraternising with his ringmistress."

"D'oh."

"Next time, run that by my chief of staff at least?"

"Zim-Zim."

"Don't beat yourself up over this."

"Zim?"

"You're short-staffed and under pressure, and that's not your fault."

"Flag on deck, arriving!"

"Dammit big cakes, give us a minute."

"Mine aren't that big, Tujen Comma.". From the upper deck came the frosty voice of Honor Valias Herringbone.

"Zim!". Gulp.

"Ballista Andermani, just the next person I want to see, how convenient."

"Your Honor."

"OPM is throwing a fit, asking how you two knew they were disciplining Gatch and Precess this very weekend.  They accuse you of transferring Midshipwoman Harrington at that precise moment to make them look bad."

"Preposterous Zim, my sources aren't that good."

"Your sources aren't that good, present company excepted, you mean."

"What, she's implying I told him?" Growled the Telbun from her side.

"She's implying you told Dandelion who told him."

"I respectfully submit it was an awfully weak way to make her look bad.  And risky, showing I had knowledge I'm not supposed to have."

"Which she fully knows.  The only question in my mind is if she's framing you for just the act, or for even knowing about Gatch."

"He was just told, Zim, and I do not believe he was faking his ignorance."

"How do we prove the negative?"

"We don't.  We can't .. wait..."

"What is it Tacks?"

"The best way to plug a leak is to trap a mole in it.  We leak information related to the case to OPM, which they should hold secret, but we pick something juicy enough they'll try to use it."

"Like what?"

"Chaplain weekly bisexual group sex.  Involving the tetrad and Quinn and Cavill."

"Bit sulfurous, don't you think?"

"Exactly, then we follow the trail.  Doubt Osker would handle the leak herself, but she is Judge Advocate in this, and of Gatch's case,  even a minor breach or leak would be a serious matter indeed."

"If me or Andei or Juraian look, it sounds like family business."

"And Jima and me are implied participants ourselves."

"This is a job for big cakes?"

"Goshawk?"

"Sothlee to you, your Honor.  I'm not even Navy, and I'm Indigo Law of Dunkehl, if there is a conflict of interest, I don't see it."

"I see, and your authority on this is appealable?"

"To silver law, Megamisama, then to a plenum of the five first circles."

"Ouch.  Is the silver law even named yet?"

"Meihomei has yet to make the announcement."

"You do know who he is, then?"

"Yes, and as Maelle's fiancé he can hardly not recuse himself from the case."

"Hamburg is Silver Law?"

"He will be, once the paperwork clears."

“What’s our endgame though?”

“What?”

“Well, if we catch her doing this, can I punish her, I’m not green law of megamisama.”

“Well, if she misuses her authority for personal vendetta, it can fall under a host of different titles.”

“Like?”

“Dereliction of duty, treason, corruption, abuse of power, most of which carry at least dishonorable discharge.”

“And treason is a bit more final than that.  You serious about this?”

“We need you to investigate, we’ve not found her guilty, and we don’t know the circumstances.  We suspect if she presents this evidence, she will leak it, which is a crime for a magistrate, that’s not unique to the navy.”

“How is it a crime?”

“These are allegations, which since we’re fabricating them, we know they are false.  These allegations are of serious crimes in the purview of her court.”

“Wait, she’s not the court here.”

“What?”

“No, she is the prosecuting attorney, my Aunt, Caith Sealer, Green Law of Megamisama would be the court.”

“Oh, no, not anymore, she recused herself from green court, citing a conflict of interest since you’re a rising star in the navy.”

“Has a replacement been named?”

“No."

“So, she could be leaking it to force action, it’s a valid defence.”

“How do we prevent this?”

“Well, a new green law has to be nominated, or Meihomei has to give a ruling on how to proceed.”

“Oh, I have an idea.”

“All Rise!  Bameita and Na-Green Law of Megamisama Mikhala Veneer, arriving.”

“Please strike Bameita from the record, it is irrelevant to these proceedings.  I am here to provide this court with a venue as an impartial observer, for the investigation of very serious allegations into the conduct of Nessuna Osker, of the Navy Office of Personnel Management.  I will be advised into protocol and proceedings by Indigo Law of Dunkehl, Dutiful Sothlee de Byzance.  Counsellors, please introduce yourselves and your cause.”

“I am Honour Valias Herringbone, I will be representing the Navy, as is customary whenever a Nessun is called to court..”

“I am Amandon Sosayadiel, I have been presenting cases for 25 years in Megamisama, mostly green law, some white and some grey, I will be representing the Nessuna in this case.”

“Please state the specifics of what events you requested this court to investigate, respected Herringbone.”

It stung, she hadn’t been a mere ‘respected’... since the last time a Nessun had been cashiered, she had been his flag ballista, and the court had elevated her in his stead.  A few months later, she was named Honour of the Navy.  It bothered her quite a bit, this… being ordinary again.  “On Dodeciem ninth, unconfirmed reports were released, speaking of wild orgies on KEMS Yesugai, involving all bridge staff of both sexes, several copies were made, each different in a few key details, making a signature.  Those reports were fabricated, designed to identify a leak in the Navy.  Those reports were leaked to Nessuna Osker, other members of OPM, and investigators in the area of Megamisama Drydock.  Those whose signature were leaked matched Nessuna Osker’s own copy, only accessible to her, and to her personal assistant.  Her personal assistant is required not to read such correspondence, and has agreed to testify on his conduct in this matter."

" And what does the law and customs of the navy require Osker to do, in this case?”

“She was to investigate, as prosecuting attorney, such allegations, and present them to this court.”

“And respected Sosayadiel, speaking for Nessuna Fersen Osker, what is your statement?”

“It is scandalous that the Navy is attempting to entrap its own.  Obviously, some of the officers involved are some personal pets of the Navy, and my client is being sacrificed to protect them!”

“Order!”

“Respected Sosayadiel, the moment the information was leaked by anyone but the navy, it ceased being entrapment, according to title 43 of the civil code, and 23 of the military one.  For it to be entrapment, you’ll have to prove they did it themselves.  I certainly will not be party to people playing fast and loose with legal facts.”

“I.. must tamper my enthusiasm, as it does not reflect well on my client.  I meant to say the Navy had an unusual amount of control over the situation, and my client did not.”

“We shall endeavour to verify this, but for now, this court is to verify her control over her personal copy of the document.  But before this, I call to the bench investigator Vull Caine, to discuss the contents and identification of said document.”

“Presididing Veneer.”

“Investigator Caine, as part of your duties as First Centre, Second Circle, what is your participation in the case?”

“I was asked by Dutiful de Byzance to set up a system where certain copies of certain documents, in the style of a news report, be tailored to be identifiable, a signature of seven different markers for each, and to make 10 different, unique copies, and then to set up a filter, in the public network, such that if those documents were leaked, which copy was involved would be identifiable, provided the markers were not altered themselves.”

“Respectable Sosayadiel, you may ask your questions.”

“Thank you, Presiding Veneer.  Were such markers altered?”

“Two markers were altered in the copy that my filters detected, leaving five unaltered.”

“And what was the nature of such markers?”

“Half of them were the choice of particular, uncommon alternatives for descriptions of the actions alleged to have happened.  The other half was particular grammar and punctuation, together they identified a document.”

“And each alternative was unlikely to have been coming from a different copy?”

“One such signature perhaps, but all five, all matching those from a single document?  And the two that were altered were not the same as any other document, but were a more common description of the acts allegated to.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning most likely that the editor changed them to make sure people understood what acts were alleged to, not to dissimulate their presence or confuse the markers, which remained undetected.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because the analysts who chose each particular signature each submitted the likelihood of each version being used as is, as part of the signature selection process, their risk assessment predicted the alterations.”

“It seems this is a well practiced process, Investigator Caine.”

“It is used in some highly sensitive cases, mostly related to organized crime.”

“And foreign intelligence?”

“I wouldn’t know.  My current caseload is focused on the Silvertips and I am restricted from entering Megamisama except with a lifeguard and a very strong need, such as this court.”

“Would you say such arrangements are common?”

“I cannot say, they are vital for Meihomei’s ongoing struggle to neutralize the Silvertips’ threat, and the details cannot be declassified at this time.”

“How convenient, my client is targeted by secret methods, whose details could not be divulged.  Such serious business.”

“I don’t like your implication, Respected Sosayadiel, using secret methods to identify leaks of confidential document related to prosecution of title 64 is hardly scandalous, as title 64 itself can only truly be investigated discreetly, it gains nothing by public hoo-haa.”

“Excuse me your honor, what is title 64?”

“Unlawful, excessive fraternisation of a superior officer with subalterns, when one is a chaplain or has chaplain's authority over them as well.”

“Why would it be title 64, instead of 63, Presiding Veneer?”

“The allegations concern officers Comma, Rolli, Andermani, Dandelion, Baker, Cavill and Quinn.  Both officers Comma and Rolli have chaplain training, authority and trust.  The five other officers rotate on the flag bridge, and present the only authority anyone could appeal chaplain authority to, aboard each ship.  In the absence of relief, cases of Title 63 get bumped to 64.”

..Later, in a small audience room in the court.

“They’ve got you in quite a bind there…  Whatever possessed you to leak the thing as-is?”

“I’m no spy, I had no idea they could track it.  What’s the difference you were making about title 63?  Does it matter?”

“Oh, it matters all right, if they HAD been engaged in title 64, the whole lot of them land in jail for 10 years, a title 63 would land them a dishonorable discharge, and at most two years, if the judge is particularly vengeful.”

“But what’s that got to do with me?”

“A title 64 is so serious, you not investigating it, indeed, not having files of your investigation ready when the court will ask for them, will land you in contempt of Meihomei, at the least.”

“What?”

“Tell me I’m not defending someone whose head is in the clouds.  This is serious!”

“But it’s fake!”

“And you should have found out, you should have an Advocate come on stage ready to say ‘I looked, and it was fake, none of the dates and places matched, so we cleared them.’”

“But it wasn’t… They were on board the ship…”

“With armed escort with them at all times, each of which can testify to their alibis!”

“They’re all tainted, they’d all lie to protect their officers.”

“One or two, maybe, but 50 officers, all swearing on risk of being cashiered that they didn’t leave their duties?”

“The officers accused are the ones assigning those duties, and punishing any infraction.”

“Two of the officers are OPM watchers, inserted especially to prevent this, and they didn’t report anything?”

“What?”

“Your predecessor set it up, project Sudets, flagsquares, quarterstaves, officers with just enough authority to assign guard details, and know everything there is to know about shift assignments aboard ship.  On Meihomei’s Own ships, there’s at least 5 such officers, but not all of them could be assigned to those officers, it beggars the mind NONE of them were, since their orders specifically instruct them to make nice with the officers and try to get lifeguard duties.  How come you didn’t know of this?”

“Oh, Honour me sideways!  I just handed this to Venkat, too many things competing for my attention.”

“Indeed, you are in quite a bit of trouble, ironic since you were chastising them for interfering with your investigation of a title 63, when this broke.”

“I have him deal to rights.”

“You had him dead to rights six months ago, what stayed your hand?”

“Well, I can’t discuss that, the case is still open.”

“You’re kidding, you can’t discuss the scheduling of a case with a fellow advocate?  Just how deep is this?”

“Deep enough I can’t talk about it, and that’s all you need to know.”  I hate replacing her now, the Antoo disguised as Fresen Osker thought, such a simple assignment at first, replace a senior naval officer, sow discord, try to get the Honor cashiered.  How wrong this had all gone.

“Well, without something I can give to the Presiding, I got no wiggle room for you.  Even if it had been TRUE, you’d be in hot water for not having arrested them already, so them fabricating it just makes you look bad.”

“What?  You’re hanging me out to dry?”

“I’ve got nothing, I’m not sure I can enter into a plea bargain, not with the Honor herself on the other side.”

“Yeah, she hates me.”  Of course she does, but you don’t need to know why, thought the Antoo.

“That helps us how?”

“Can’t you argue she’s prejudiced, and wouldn’t pursue me if I was more.. Ordinary?”

“Ordinary?  I admit the dress like a guy isn’t exactly common, but it’s been ruled out as a defense a few times already.”

“Come on, there’s gotta be something you can do.”

Later, back in court

“

“Preposterous!  The authority of my court is not subject to such whims, and my case history proves it!”

..Elsewhere

“Was pretty good, that case history bit, considering you’re a first time judge?”

“Was the only thing I could think of, I do have my Feyd rulings…”

“Oh, friendly to the non-conventional?”

“Neutral, very scrupulously neutral, but endorsed for it by the crooked line association for Veneer.”

“Oh, crooked line eh?”

“I’m family court now, but I’ve been mostly ruling these cases anyways, Veneer Feyd doesn’t have much commercial cases.”

“No, they’d go to Silver, Gold or Black Law for Veneer, logically.”

“Well, Family Law is Red, in Veneer, and corporate is White.”

“White?”

“I don’t assign them, but that’s who was looking into them.”

“Any of them upheld those rulings?”

“Three out of four got upheld, not perfect, but certainly not a bad score.”

“And this hogwash of her being persecuted for being non-binary?”

“Oldest tactic in the book, get the case thrown, since I’m a special prosecutor assigned specifically for neutrality to the case by Meihomei, not the regular coloured judge, it’d make everyone look bad, including Meihomei.”

“What would normally be done?”

“If Caith hadn’t recused herself specifically for this, Meihomei could have asked her to take on the case, personally.  Except Maëlle as a witness prevents that."

“You think they’d give Caith as much guff?”

“You obviously haven’t seen Caith in court.” Said Valias, walking in.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Only person I know that can make being too small for her judge’s chair work FOR her, not against.”

“Guess it generates sympathy?”

“Caith just walks in, she doesn’t care.  Bowls over any taboos in her way too.  She's there to see justice done and she's not keen on how you're slowing things down.”

“I can totally imagine auntie doing that.”

...Later

“The bench calls to witness, Officer Maelle Comma.  State your name and occupation.”

“I am Maelle Comma, I command Meihomei’s Own Fleet Element, as it's Medjen, and Ceremonial Detachment, Megamisama Drydock and Port Facilities.”

“Objection!”

“How can you object to a description of her job?”

“I object to it being portrayed as being chummy with Meihomei, that’s not objective.”

“Meihomei's predecessor himself named the detachment, and Meihomei presented officer Comma with repeated medals,and made a point to do so in person, clearly, the favor you imply is proved, objectively.”

...Later

“That didn’t go well.”

“You’re telling me, why did you object to everything she said?”

“You have any idea how much trouble you’re in?”

“Actually, I do.  But I don’t think you do me favours by losing your temper.”

“No, you’re right, I’m sorry, I must do better, I must argue from calm.”

“So what are we arguing against, during cross examining?”

“That Officer Comma refused your invitation to discuss the matter privately.”

“And just what does that gain us?”

“I’m trying to gauge their interest in a plea bargain.”

“All Rise, President included!”

“What’s the meaning of this, Seneschal?”

“First Meihomei Lifeguards, attending!”

Mikhala rose.

“Cousin, good to see you!”

“Amalthea!”

“Cousin, we must discuss something in private.

“This case is taking too long!  Yesugai and Kagome’s kill ratios got halved, and Meerokhu almost got sunk!”

“What do you propose?”

“Are you still discussing preliminaries?”

“Mostly, Osker’s lawyer is obstructive and quite good at it.  Honor’s not made a dent into his arguments.”

“Well, Honor’s absence from high command is noticed.  Calloway can only do so much.”

“I take it you have a plan?”

“Have Honor join us.”

...Later

"That was timely, we needed that victory."

"How do I look?"

"Let me get a good look, hmm, that's strange..."

"What?"

"I swear, someone forgot their duty, because you're a treasure of Kagomei walking around without an escort."

"Oh, you..."  She giggled and blushed bright red, which considering her complexion and hair colour, was quite red indeed.

"Will you allow me to be your escort, Treasure of Kagomei?"

More giggles.  "It seems prudent, you are after all my Hérévallin, wouldn't you get in trouble if something happened to me?"

"There are things scary and horrifying beyond description, and then there is the thought of you being hurt or inconvenienced in any way, please, Zim, do not mention such unfathomable terrors again, my heart cannot take it."

She made an impish smile, and grabbed his arm.  "I feel safe here."

"Oh, do you?"

"Safe and warm and protected, cherished.  And groped, you dork!"

"I notice you're not stopping me though..."

"I'm not... I kinda like your touch..."

"You will address me as Kon Veneer... I am Thistle to this fleet!"

"Zim, Meritant-Kon-Veneer, Zim, we await your orders!"

"Just which of you lowlife shenanigan-wearing tutu-promoting ballet-far-wanderers got the Raptor's dandered everloving freckles up?"

"..."

"Meritant Brevet-Falcon Rolli is not easy to rile, unlike some I could mention..."  The troops immediately felt he was referring to Nessun Comma's temper, as evidenced for her having an actual criminal record for being in a brawl once...  Not a single commissioned officer in the Navy had as much as a parking ticket, or anything from a civilian court, for quite some time.  There had been the unfortunate Edict that saved a few Nessuns from Courts Martial, and the latter had happened to a few more...  Therefore, she was quite a contrast.  Of course, most in the audience didn't know, but Amarat did, that now that she had been promoted, she wasn't his problem... anymore.

"Furthermore, Meritant Brevet-Falcon Rolli is the second in command of Sixth Fleet, and her being... irritated with the whole lot of you louts shows badly on the lot of your records, fitness evaluations, parentages and fitness to live, am I making myself clear, you sons and daughters of smelly gibbons?"  A clear voice rang out, as the owner was crossing the drydock's assembly area.

"Meritant-Kon Veneer!"

"Zim, Yes, Zim?"

"By what process of interpolation do you happen to conceive of the hilarious notion that I want you to shape up these soldiers?"

"Pity, Meritant-Zim, I've seen what happened to troops you seem to like more, who disrespect your Merit, and I was thinking I didn't want to be cleaning up any blood..."

"Charming thought, Meritant-Kon.  Is there a soldier among them?"

"I would... I would speak for this troop, Honoured Zims..."

"And you are?"

"GFOR-03 Axehaft Gormotto, Zims."

"Kon Gormotto, these soldiers are..."

"Pray excuse, Zims, but these are civilian contractors, hired out to build this ship, not a single one but me has their fighting license."

"They all wear a uniform, Kon, them not having to fight doesn't give them a licence to embarrass the uniform in Meihomei's eyes!"

"Please, Zims, you are being harsh, and while much of what you say is true, but this is a new cohort, they were assembled on this dock today to work, they could not know much of the greater situation in so short a time."

"I expect them to learn..."  And she did a perfect about face, and left at a brisk pace.  Amarat, caught flat-footed, almost fell on his face, and after a brief recovery, raced after her.

"Is..."

"Look, crew, I know you guys ain't military much, but that medal on her isn't even dry, and she got it from preventing us being blown to bits by that ship you're supposed to be repairing..."

"What, she captured it?"

"They did, and made it look like they blew it up, too..."

"He's not nobody either, I've seen his eyes..."

"Amarat Veneer Junior?  No, he's not nobody, they mint you royalty underpants for less of Meihomei's blood the lad's got!"

"He's related to Meihomei?"

"Second cousin, once removed.  His mom gets 'sister' by the way."

"I served with him."  'Martik' who had asked them to hide him, said.

"Listen, I didn't like lying to them about it, but you made us all feel sympathetic, your diagnostic and all..."

"Look alive, he's coming back..."

"Listen, just stay quiet, Martik."

"FFOF-03 Skua Martik Fanciel, Meritant-of-Honour-candidate, Attention to ORDERS!  I will read."  Amarat's face was red with upset, with rage, he could barely contain the betrayal he felt... Then he looked at the man he was about to berate... seeing in his eyes hurt, confusion, fear, then resignation....  Something changed, something inside Amarat, he just decided to read the review board's decision, getting upset wasn't going to improve things...  The Flight Officer, a deserter tomorrow if he wasn't back on billet, stiffened like he'd been shot, which might still happen...

"It is the board's decision that pursuant to regulations and to the acts we have been made privy to, to declare Martik Fanciel has fallen short of the criteria set forth for personal award of, and fallen short of the burden of proof for a personal award of the Merit of Honour.  It is our considered opinion that, however, his actions are fully in line with any and all regulations, and he has acted with dedication, honour and self-sacrifice.  In view of this, we extend our panel's authority to extend to him two half-stripes of exemplary conduct, and his own personal award of Meihomei's Bronze Star of Readiness, a personal award of Rembrandt's Medal of Sacrifice, as well as an increase of 20% in his pay allotment, to compensate the damage he has suffered, which is likely never to be repaired, unless the elements themselves take an interest."

"By all the elements on down!"

"By the count in your file, Martik, if you come back to billet tonight, you're getting red leather to go with that purple silk, are you sure you want to throw it all away?"

"Why?  Why won't you just leave me alone?"

"Martik, you got hurt, you got hurt defending your country, you got hurt following me.  I'm not going to let you run away, you put yourself between your people and their enemies, I do not forget."

"But.."

"I'd have given you all a Merit if it was my decision, but obviously, I didn't even have one of my own before that day, so I don't get to vote.  I don't get to vote if I got one either..."  He had to watch what he was saying here, he could earn himself a title 118 just for being too candid, too free with the truth.  "But I've spoken to people, and they think you're a fine flight officer, ready for more than your own plane, maybe a squadron."

"A squadron? Me?"

"Flora's..."

"What, the Falcon's in on this?"

"She was in the hospital, recovering, when I visited you, unaware of what you did, or what it cost you.  It's not her fault, it's mine."

"What, no, I mean, she thinks I can run a Squad?"

"I countersign promotions, Skua, I don't sign them.  You had to convince her first."

"What about Doola?"

"What about your miptun?"

"She'll never believe me..."

"You've taken leave of your senses... It's not like you could fake the rank tabs..."

"Oh.  You're serious?"

"Tell you what.  You come back with me, to the billet, we sign you in, we frock you properly.  Then we give you a day off, you've gotten a raw deal as it is, you take the day off, and you come with me and the Falcon, we're going to this little place I know, you bring the Miptun."

"Where is it?  And why you say I gotta get frocked first?"

"You ran away, without leave, you don't come back and get signed in, you get a disciplinary."

"Oh fuck, I been gone three days!"

"As I was saying, you come back with me, I'm going to make this right Martik, trust me."

"And you want me to bring Doola?"

"I'm going to do the impossible for you Martik, you're going to celebrate like it's impossible, am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal, where we going, so I can tell the Miptun how to dress?"

"Tell her to dress like the elements are watching, but she's hot enough she can tell them to stay away."

"You're cute Martik, what's with all the mystery?  'dress like the elements are watching, but I can tell them to take a hike?"

"Listen, this guy at FlyForce, he's got some serious authority, and he said, I'm going to party, and you're coming with me."

"It's related to your injury isn't it?"

"He was there."

"And he's a big shot?"

"The biggest, you'll know as soon as you meet him, no one has eyes that colour."

"What, his are blue??"  Doola was Loroni, not Kagomine, she wasn't used to the meaning of green eyes on people yet.

"Emerald Green, like a Kagomei from way back.  Which he is."

"What's his name, maybe I heard of him, I do follow the royals a bit..."

"Amarat Veneer Junior."

"No effing way, you didn't just happen to know the most eligible bachelor in all of Kagomei."

"Oh, not a bachelor anymore, he's bringing his Herevallin."

"Hotness with a fiancée, huh?"

"You gotta make do with me, I guess.  I thought you were used to that."

"Yeah, yeah, OF-03, that's..."

"Not anymore, OF-04, that's what we're celebrating."

"You've made Harfang? Congratulations!  But, are you going to be ok?  I mean the doctors seemed to think..."

"He's Thistle, that means staffing to us, it's his job to handle promotions and who is in what slot.  He said it was going to be ok, babe, you ready to come with me?"

"Where are we going?"

"He didn't say, he only said it was a little place he knew, but that we needed our passports in order."

"Passports huh? You taking me out to eat some Tsou?"

"He didn't say, I suspect he wants to surprise us."

"Thank you Necassian, we will be ready for take off as soon as the two remaining passengers have boarded."

"Milord, there's a cold front over Magrat's plains tonight, we should avoid them."

"Detour over Sardé, if you feel it's warranted, we're not in that much of a hurry, although we do want to be back in town by Harhuday morning..."

"That will not be a problem Zim, provided we leave by Vividay evening."

"Welcome, I will be your host, please do stow your belongings, we will be leaving shortly.  You are the formidable Doola?"

"Yes, and you're even more handsome than I've been lead to believe, Zim."

"Flattery where my Herevallin can hear can only lead to trouble, but welcome Doola, welcome Martik."

"Where are we going Zim?"

"I happen to partially own and operate a restaurant in Alessia, we will be having a nice meal there..."

"Alessia!!!!"  They exclaimed, but boarded.  The distant land of culinary arts and fancy cheeses was a fevered dream for many.

Flora was sitting in the aisle just behind the airplane's cockpit, dressed in her finest from Bellisama's.

"Welcome, Martik, and.. Doola?"

"Obviously, I under-dressed for this party..."

"How come you say that to me, but not to him?"  Pointing out to Amarat, wearing matching finery from Toutatis, every bit as exclusive as her own dress.

"Because he's the one who extended the invitation..."

"And you think I can't withdraw it?"

"Hmm, actually you probably can, apologies, I'm not used to this..."

"I'm giving you a hard time...  What's with Martik?  Last year he wasn't seen with the same woman two weeks in a row..."

"Oh, I may have something to do with that...  But he did too.."

"Oh?"

"He tried to pull that leave before breakfast nonsense, I wasn't having any."

"Oh, then what happened."

"I happen to be a traditional girl, he showed me a good time, so I had plum cake out for him..."

"What did he say to that?"

"Just the usual... I'm not that kind of guy, I love em and leave em..."

"And what did you say?"

"I said: 'You're in the military, obviously, my after action review of last night was more positive than yours...'"

"And?"

"He said: 'Well no, but I ain't no prize either...'  I told him: 'That's for me to decide, flyboy.  In the meantime, I got breakfast and plumcake for two, you don't have to leave, but I won't take it as a promise of eternal love, either, just stay, and talk?'"

"And by the time he was done, you had looped in for a second date?"

"No, and we didn't see each other for three weeks, then I ran into him at base, I had never told him I was in the service."

"What service and rank are you?"

"Naval cartographer, NFOF-02.  He's a few ranks higher, obviously."

"He's a fine officer.  But we'll talk about him when he's here, ok?"

"And I am."  He manoeuvred his prosthetic to sit in his assigned seat.  "My, this is the life, five seats for the whole plane?"

"Seats six."

"But there's room for twenty even without crowding."

"First time the plane has carried more than four in about a year, including the pilot."

"Who uses it, normally?  I mean, it's obviously a duty plane."

"It's sixth fleet's now.  Used to be third fleet, but got transferred."

"The fleet has a hypersonic?"

"Liaison duties, we're escorting Nameihomei, so we need her plane."

"How did …  Oh wait, that's your Grib's mom, isn't it?"

"Yeah, he asked mommy to borrow her plane for tonight."

"Won't he get in trouble?"

"He might have, but not right now, not with what he's celebrating..."

"Oh, you're not just celebrating Martik?"

"He wouldn't have gone to Platinum Redoubt just for himself, that's Martik's contribution."

"What, The Redoubt?  Why there?"

"Grib owns it, or close enough for the Elements."

"No way!  He OWNS IT?"

"Hush, not for distributing around, ok?  But if we go there and anyone gives you guff, they'll have to explain themselves..."

"Neat, I've never been anywhere near that fancy though, won't we cause some scandal?"

"Oh, we have the place to ourselves.  It's daytime over there, not supposed to be open for late meal yet."

"Oh, but for us, it's nighttime..."

"Yeah, they expect us to be further along a party vibe than they are, it should be fine."

"Oh, and you've been before?"

"Five or so times, so far..."

"Used to it?"

"Not on your life, I'm just the daughter of a flag officer, not any kind of fancy-schmancy."

"Flag officer, huh?  Do I know your parents?"

"Just my mom, she's a Nessuna."

"Noyjitat!"

"Hey, mind the language, we don't want the motive engines to stutter."

"Wait, Rolli? Your mom's Thistle of the Navy?"

"My mom's Nessuna of OPM yes."

"But HE said he was..."

"Follow that to its logical conclusion yet?  His MOM calls Meihomei 'sis', HE's in the line of succession, in the lower single digits...  My mom still takes orders from Meihomei, not requests, last I checked."

"I'm feeling faint, I've never met anyone that important before."

"Don't get your heart aflutter, Amarat's a fine officer."

"We're not in a fleet plane though, are we?"

"We're on a third fleet plane, as honoured guests.  Amarat administratively owns the plane."

"What?"

"Third Fleet liaison duties are handled as part of Morale, he's top Kon in that department."

"Does he have a flag?"

"Yes, has had one for years."

"I thought he screened for above quota last year?"

"Any noble of sufficient rank gets assigned tribunal status, and flag rank commensurate."  Amarat hadn't explained that to her, Syrtis did, and she wondered why Amarat hadn't said.  She couldn't know Amarat had been 'frocked' before he was legally of age, and simply forgot since. The Tribunal duties absorbed by his Mother for all his life, so far.

"So he's a Kon an an officer?"

"When he takes off his Kon uniform, he puts his Noble... uniform I guess, and becomes a Tribunal."

"Talking ill of me?  Fie, for shame, and while you're my guests, and I am your Sun'ga.  More bubbly?"

"This orange wine is nice, from Tsou?"

"From Kimaguré, in barrels seasoned by making Tcha liqueur."

"Tcha?  Hmm, I'll have to try that sometime."

"What were you talking about earlier?"

"About you having your own flag..."

"Oh, yes, I have."

"Actually, when did you first have one?"

"From birth, I've never not had a flag, or a protective detail security code."

"Birth?"

"My mother was born Mikhala Dandelion, I was born Amarat Kagomé."

"I don't understand."

"You're not from Megamisama?"

"I'm not, why is it significant?"

"Most locals know this by heart, it's impossible to escape within the city, all the media just won't let up.  You can only be born to the Kagomé name if your mother is the heir to the throne when you are born."

"So your brother could be born, but you'd have different family names?"

"Yes.  That'd be annoying."

"And your mom was Bameimeita when you were born?"

"Yes."

"And who is that now?"

Amarat blushed.

"You?"

"Yeah, I'm currently first in line and heir to the Throne of Emeralds."

"To your health!"  Starting a round of ˈkaiknye ˈustri ˈcinong , the traditional circle-toast of Kagomei.

"Aw, thank you.  To Martik, may he recover fully."

"To the Raptor's health, helping me meet interesting people."

"To Doola, for keeping Martik's edge sharp!"

"Aw, thanks, I think.  She knows you well?"  She looked at Martik sideways.

"Been my commanding officer for a bit, flying a plane for her for two arnds now."

"Well, we shouldn't talk shop, we're in another country, and they don't need to know our soldiers mess up just as well as theirs, think of the scandal!"

"Please fasten your seatbelts, Mei passengers, we are just within range of Aless Maltiv Hyperfacility, and I will be taking her down when instructed to do so, should be only five minutes." The co-pilot was holding the plane steady, while the pilot was making the announcement.  "Pilot's airplane.  Drop velocity to 200 kloms, angle of attack 45, targeting runway 3, as per control tower."

A minute later: "Thank you for swift compliance, Kagomei-Two, is that your actual call-sign?  It sounds short..."

"Eurani City Control Tower, we are to be identified as Kagomei-Two until one of our passengers leaves, then we'll be Kagomei DV-1356."

"Just who ranks that high?"  The inquisitive control tower controller got poked by his supervisor, listening in.  "The heir to the throne, silly.  They got Kagomei-One for the ruler, and Kagomei-Two, for the heir, they work the same way."

"Oh."

"What's that?  An Aircar?"

"Flying shuttle, it's ours."

As they got closer.  "For Platinium Redoubt, Zim?"  The question, in Kagomine, seemed awfully well-informed.

"Before you worry, I've seen you before, Zim, on the third floor."

"Ah, that's all right then, so you know where we're headed."

"To the third floor, you are expected, we shall try to get you there with speed."

Doola sat next to Martik, trying not to shift her weight on his leg, but failing.  "Easy, little feather, you're not so heavy that you can't take your time."  He was ogling her as he said that, and she retorted:  "One of these days, Martik, to the moon with you."

"You'd miss me when I was gone."

Amarat's suit coat itched, not helped by the armful of Miptun resting on him, but it felt good.

"What else are we celebrating?"

"Sirius Technologies just signed a contract to supply six Flycarriers to the Lai Dang Treaty organization."

"Six?  That sounds like a lot."

"Yes, the contract amount is half as much as the whole company did last year, in gross revenue."

"Twelve billion?  You're serious?"  That was Flora, who had seen the contract, after all, she was Amarat's miptun.

"Let's not say it that loudly, ok.  Even in The Redoubt, I don't need publicity of this sort."

"But... This is a major financial success?"

"Yes, there's a billion or two in profit in there, if Sirius manages not to fall to a corruption scandal or the like."

"How much of that is your share?"

"I'm the largest shareholder, but not billions-worth.  Some millions, certainly."

"You look worried."

"The treaty covers more than Flycarriers, I had hoped to sign a Skycarrier too."

"Like Starstrider?"

"Yeah, but they aren't yet ready to commit to that..."

"You say nothing, are you truly one of mine?"

"Oh, my what a technique... I'm swooning..."

"Zim, I'll introduce you, just remember, let me do the talking."

"Aye, Kon Veneer."

"Oh, you, such sauce, much wow."

"Kon Veneer, I will be respectful and silent."

"I'll believe that when I see it..."

"Arriving: Meritant OF-08 Falcon Flora Rolli, second-in-command, sixth fleet.  Arriving, Meritant OR-09 Tigerstriped Spear Bundle, sixth fleet staff officer, Amarat Veneer Junior, Feyd Veneer."

"Two meritants?  Meihomei doesn't have that many in attendance all the time..."

"Auntie has to send cousin Tadros away from time to time."

"Cousin?"

"I have that distinction as the grandson of Meltran-who-was-Meihomei."

"Oh, of course."

"Zim, to whom do I have the honour?"

"Flora!"  The VERY senior officer was hugging Flora, which had Amarat a bit flabbergasted... Then he heard:

"Tcha-tchai's daddy!"

"You two know each other?"

"I've never met him, but I've seen his picture hundreds of time, this is Maelle's dad."

"Maelle's been updating about things happening in her life since I was dead, you have been featured prominently, Flora..."

Amarat tried not to let his sour emotions show, but it was apparently, more difficult than he thought.

"You ok Kon?"

"Sure Zim, just hot in here, I'll go check the climate controller."  But he didn't move to do so...

"She didn't mention the Merit?"

"A Merit? No, not that I recall..."  Hers was shining conspicuously at this very moment.  "Both of you?"

"Aye, Zim."

"You have me at a title 118, twice, then.  I salute you both!"

"I doubt Tcha-tchai would appreciate me getting her dad jailed..."

"Please do not misconstrue my inattention with disrespect, Zims."

"How do I rank Zim now?"

"The Merit... You rank Zim to anyone that salutes first, which in your case is everyone but your aunt and your mom..."

"Actually, my aunt and my mom don't HAVE to salute me, but both choose to... To say it feels awkward is such an understatement..."

"Now I hope you can tell me why you are here?"

"It's about him."  He pointed to recorded cell surveillance footage taken of Javik Guberdot.

"Hmm, he was on that ship I captured, but escaped?"

"Yes, and when I captured his commanding officer, he was instrumental in that."

"Oh, so he's not in that jail because he's our enemy?"

"No, he's in that jail for his protection."

"What have you done Javik?"

"Can you truly understand the Coalition's laws and custom so little?"

"I understand them just fine, it's your behaviour I don't.  Why would you betray your own people?"

"What is the Coalition definition of a people."

"A group of people from a single species, on a single world or space station with a stable population over time."

"Species, what's our definition of that?"

"Interfertile, there's lots of legalese, but it boils down to we can have kids together, tied with the stable population."

"These Arnd have 23 chromosomes, in an XY system."

"And?"

"Nek-Mo-Ti have 24 chromosomes in an XYZ system, Agobans have 48 chromosomes in an XY system, Antoo have 23 chromosomes in an XZ system.  Massimi have 23 chromosomes, in an XY system."

"What?"

"You didn't think it was strange, when we got sick from your targeted bioweapon that was meant to leave our forces untouched?  I sure did.  Turns out they've mapped their own genome here, there's less than 1% of genetic material they have we don't, and because the Massimi have such a massively smaller population, our own genomic map has less than half of one percent of material they've not mapped.  They've sent a proposal for a gene-therapy cure for Kruen-Wattabar syndrome back to Massimi last week."

"They?"

"These natives, that you're so quick to have us call enemies.  But are biologically our own people."

"This... this has implications!"

"Of course it has, for one, the Massimi representatives are calling for a formal recount according to article 10 of the Coalition articles of association.  The Massimi, new name pending, are no longer planet-less."

"What? You're not even the same colour!"

"Of course not, but did you really think that wasn't an adaptation to our respective environments?  All Massimi are born in the stars, all Arndans are born groundside, with a very active star, spectrum-speaking."

"This isn't over!"

"No, but when we speak again, our nations will not have the same relative standing in the coalition."

Damn his eyes!  He's right!  The Nek-Mo-Ti allied themselves with the Agobans, wielding the balance of power, but it was never meant to be stable, it was meant to curtail the Antoos, and their exports of violence, angst and despair, and the Djenni, Soma and Nilus were not much help, with their small populations of planet-bound.  The Massimi had quite a large population for such expatriates, but it didn't count because they didn't have a single planet-bound civilization to their name.  With that changed, they're the most populous civilization in the coalition.

Ok, so this morning on the plaza I see... Hmm, red, flaming hair, smooth creamy skin, legs down to there...  Stop watching you perverts, that's my Hérévallin.  No idea how I managed to marry up that high...  How does a prince of the land marry up, you say?  Well being a prince of the land is a lot about being fake, or about perceptions, and stuff like that.  Not a single hair on her head knows how to be fake or pretend, she's always 100% herself, authentic, and that's why I love her.

"Whatcha thinking?"

"That I'm the luckiest man in Kagomei."

"Hmm, and what makes you think you're so lucky?"

"I get to spend time with you..."

"Tcha-chai, Amarat is being pervy again!"

"Oh, you two, put a sock in it!  We got work to do."

"Zim-Zim-Zim."

"Meanwhile, find us a table, Amarat, please."

When he had moved away.  "Why did you ask him?"

"I wanted to ask you, what's with the skirts?"

"Skirts?"

"Yeah, you stopped wearing pants, you used to never wear skirts, growing up..."

"Just noticed now?  I switched to mostly wearing skirts after my Herevallin, what's with sending a prince of the blood to fetch us a table?"

"I didn't' think...  I mean, I just wanted to ask you, it's the first time I notice that we don't get interrupted before I can ask...  It is real, isn't it?"

"What's real?"

"The extra green, he wasn't kidding?"

"No, oh no, he wouldn't joke about that, instant title 117, you do NOT joke about membership in the Emerald Knighthood."

"And if he was joking, you'd tell me?"

"He's not joking, you are the best candidate, and if he doesn't give the title of Valour-Keeper away soon, he's going to be in a constitutional crisis."

"Doesn't he have until..."

"No, he's in the constitutional crisis because he's Nameihomei part-time, not because he's Meihomei."

"Part time?  How do you get to be the empire's number two 'part-time'?"

"His mom's Nameihomei, except when she's unavailable, on vacation, etc..."

"So when his mom's not around, he's potentially in a constitutional crisis, and only then?"

"But his mom's going to retire soon, she needs to wrangle up state."

"And Valias needs to wrangle up Defence, as I understand."

"Yeah, there are titles to assign, and backup structures to fortify, we've been at war long enough we need to stabilize our government, lots of interim, many brevet ranks.  State is worse because four of the top eight officials retired, leaving gaping holes."

"Nessun-Honour Comma, Eagle Flora, what a pleasant surprise."

"You have the advantage of me, you are?"

"I am Lusitania Van Pelt, and this is my brother, Linnaeus Van Pelt, we work for the state department."

"Ah, yes, and you're Amarat's first cousins..."  Flora added.

"Why, yes, we are, was he with you?"

"He just went in..."

"Clearing you a table?  A prince of the blood?"

"Gotta use that ridiculous amount of authority and prestige sometimes."  Maelle addded and smiled, thinly.

"Careful, or he'll buy the place to make it simpler..."

"Sirius owns the building...  Might be redundant."

"Sirius owns this?"

"Sirius owns all the places not owned by the government in the Plaza.  Number one, number three are public property, number two and five are Sirius."

"What about number four?"

"Transport authority, the mixed dock and train station isn't civilian."

"I've been meaning to ask, where do FlyForce personnel meet in the city, I thought the Admiralty would be Navy-only."

"We have an agreement, FlyForce personnel, especially carrier-based, are welcome at number one like they were navy.  Flora IS second-in-command of her FlyCarrier task force, after all."

"Sec..second-in-command?  But she can't be older than Linnie!"

"She's younger, I'm sure.  But then, you missed it when she made the news as the youngest flag officer in the fleet, beating Nessuna Comma's own record."

"Youngest?"

"Not even 40, dear sister, and division-level officer."

"And the Nessuna, of course, beat a record there, too."

"I'm perfectly comfortable with my records being broken, provided my service record shows I did my duty."

"Six boxes of honour say you did, and furthermore, who do you think inspired us to try?"

"Hey Amarat!"

"Linnie, Lusi, nice to see you, you guys join us for midday meal?"

"Sure, you can help Lusi with her dilemma better than I can Amarat."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't have a table for five..."  Interjected the Sunga. "But one of the upstairs room is free...  Can I bring you there?"

"Oh, sure, family business Lusi?"

"Personal."

Later...

"We're doomed!"

"What?  Don't be ridiculous.  I admit my falling head over heels for this man is... irregular, it's not world-ending..."

"That's not that, I just thought I'd left title 65 shenanigans behind me..."

"What's that?"

"Getting involved with people with whom you have a conflict of interest..."

"Oh, I am doing that, aren't I?"

"Can't you just get another analyst?"

"He's the only analyst currently, three got fired for a different kind of conflict of interest..."

"Can't you hire faster?"

"Finding people who can do this kind of discreet business takes some time...  And he is the best there is, he's leading the search.  I'm mostly worried it's catching...  Next I'll hear Linnie is getting involved with someone at work..."

"Well..."

"What?"

"Mind you, this is a good story, I don't remember you getting interested in Elemental Activities before, Linnie, someone I know?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Come on, tell me."

"Shibué Dandelion."

"What, you got your eyes on that Amazon?"  Interjected Lusi, who looked stunned.

"Not really, we just spent time together when I was filling in for everyone at state, then when it was all over, I just asked her if she had spare time coming."

"She said, sure, why did I ask."

"I asked her if she would come to number two with me, the next presentation of Men in Green."

"And she said yes?"

"She said no, she didn't want to be seen in so public a place with me, not with the job she had, but she said she'd let me buy her a moonbread at Kannie's at the end of her next shift."

"Oh, aren't you smooth Linnie, then what happened."

"I bought her moonbread and we chatted, she's... different, when Meihomei isn't around."

"How many dates?"

"Four, we went back to Kannie's, but for late meal, then caught a movie.  Invited her to my place, introduced her to my cats..."

"That's two?"

"We spent a weekend out of town in an Inn a friend of her father owns."

"Ohhh, aren't you smooth lil brother.  I take it you didn't get seperate rooms..."

"But we did..."

"Aww."

"They did, but... I don't think they used both rooms..."  Interjected Amarat, who knew Linnie, at least enough to tell when he was avoiding a topic."

"What, my lil brother, having Elemental Activities with a girl?"

"Nothing wrong with that."

"Well, she is hardly untrustworthy, I mean she's allowed weapons in presence of Meihomei."

"Was she allowed weapons in your presence then?"  Flora asked, salaciously.

"No, they'd have ruined the mood."  Linni's half-smile looked slightly demonic at that.

"What kind of mood, lil brother?"

"Why, the best kind of moon sis, the one that leaves you with unanswered questions..."