Duke Takuro listened to me carefully and declared:
"Georg, to be honest, I would very much like my granddaughter to win this competition. Not even so much for the unique title, as for the prestige it would bring to my House. I understand that your daughter Likanna is also participating, so I won't ask you to cheat for Joan, just tell me, do you already know what kind of help the Orange and Blue Houses are giving their Princesses?"
"In terms of the Orange House, I have no idea. My Unatari Government is at war with them, so there is, in fact, no line of communication there. But as for the Blue House, I can answer no problem." Here I remembered my recent conversation with Duchess Ovella at the exact right time, so I barely had to bend the truth at all. "Crown Princess Natalie royl Cruz was promised five billion credits, though this promise was not made by the Head of the Blue House herself, but by her Truth Seeker."
"That's basically the same thing, Georg. Krista is officially young Duchess Ovella's top advisor, and has the authority to make such promises. The Blue House speaks through her. So then, Natalie will get five billion... Which is about as much as I was expecting. Then my granddaughter will get twice that from the Purple House and, beyond that, I will send a team of the greatest designers, architects and engineers I can muster to the Oort system. Though I am disconcerted by rumors that the new Head of the Orange House, Duchess Silva royl George is planning to renew the transportation blockade against Unatari. I'm afraid that my people will run into issues. The only way to reach you now is through Sector Nine, but I've heard that that way is also blocked..."
The Head of the Red House, Duke Claudius royl Michael ton Sid has died at age 162.
ATTENTION! The new head of the Red House will be Duke Robert royl Claudius ton Sid (85.3% of votes)
The system message popped up unexpectedly, and Duke Takuro and I shuddered simultaneously. The old man read into the lines of text, shook his head and said thoughtfully:
"Of the five Great Houses, four of them have changed leaders in the last year. I am the last of the old-timers. This is truly a time of chaos and change..."
The news was quite worrying. A change of leaders always brought some commotion with it. Meanwhile, the Red House was already on the retreat from the Alien onslaught, and losing the war. I was also on edge over the fact that the route into the Empire through Sector Nine would be closing soon. I had no doubt that the Head of the Purple House was well informed. His tips had never been wrong before. That meant the Orange House would block off Sector Nine...
"Duke Takuro, I will have a talk with the Iseyek in the very near future to make sure they will allow your people passage through their territory. If Sector Nine is still closed... What can I say? I am currently involved in negotiations on an alternative route. I have received information that there is a way around Perimeter Sector Nine through Arite and Mechanoid space. That is precisely the path I plan on taking with my diplomatic mission. If I can talk with the Mechs on exchanging information and opening up transport lines, the Orange House's blockade will lose all meaning."
The Head of the Red House, Duke Robert royl Claudius ton Sid has died at age 66.
ATTENTION! The new head of the Red House will be Duke Albert royl Claudius ton Sid (58.7% of votes)
Another system message. What exactly was going on over in the Red House?!
The old Duke on the screen thought for a long time, or perhaps he was consulting with his assistants mentally. Finally, the Head of the Purple House rejoined the conversation:
"My sources are saying that the Red House has undertaken a counterattack against the Aliens with the Sector Thirteen, Fourteen, and Fifteen Fleets. The Sector Thirteen Fleet was led personally by Duke Claudius royl Michael ton Sid. Clearly, his older son Robert was also on one of the combat starships. I am now getting a message from my secretary. It would seem I am getting many calls right now from Red House aristocrats who want to change their allegiance and join the Purple House. Clearly things are have gone south for the 'reds.'"
I had also received a number of personal messages during my meeting with Duke Takuro, though I hadn't yet taken the chance to look at them. By the way... Bionica was in the next cabin over from mine, so I ordered my android secretary to deal with the mail I still had piling up. The Duke, though, returned to our conversation.
"Georg, you mentioned the Mechanoids. My servants have already checked. The Mechs are old allies of the Empire and should be no obstacle. Our scout teams use a sliding scale from one to ten to evaluate the aggressiveness of every species they come across. The Mechanoids were recorded as a zero. And that evaluation has only been further proven in the centuries that have followed. Their little five-star-system cul-de-sac was searched up and down by Blue House scouts, but was deemed uninteresting. The Mechanoids do not undertake any kind of trade. Their space contains no inhabitable planets, they do not allow embassies or bases built there and, what's more, there is no reason for us to do so. My people got ahold of some curious information in the archives stating that, two hundred years ago, the Imperial Joint Chiefs considered the possibility of war with the Mechs, but couldn't find anything there worth going to war over. There is, in fact, information that the Mechanoid system farthest from the Blue House, Pritta, does contain some kind of anomaly, which causes ships to disappear without a trace. Some sort of devilry. Mysticism."
I began laughing, as I had very recently had a long conversation with the Arite, who had told me in detail about this "devilry."
"There's nothing mystical or mysterious in it. It's just that the Arite Iseyek consider Pritta theirs, though they do not inhabit it permanently. Approximately every seventy hours, the warp beacon in the densely-Arite-populated star system of Dumo, their second capital, can be seen from Pritta. That's how the Arites make their occasional raids on Pritta. They'll destroy any ship they see in order to prevent any colonization from taking place there. But the Arites assured me that they are prepared to end this aggressive practice and normalize relations with the Mechanoids. There will be an Arite with the delegation I send to the Mechanoids so, soon, these long-time neighbors will have their historic first meeting..."
The Head of the Red House, Duke Albert royl Claudius ton Sid has died at age 34.
ATTENTION! Insufficient votes to determine new Red House Head. New election attempt underway.
ATTENTION! Insufficient votes to determine new Red House Head. New election attempt underway.
ATTENTION! The Red House has ceased to exist.
Duke Takuro and I exchanged surprised glances. The Red House had fallen. Was that even possible? The old man on screen bid farewell quickly and signed off. And I understood him perfectly. There was no time for talking when God-knows-what was happening in the Empire.
* * *
My daughter, having rolled back over to me on her chair, said thoughtfully:
"Natalie royl Cruz is getting five billion credits. Joan royl Reyekh is getting ten. Dad, how much will the Orange House give me to develop Yal-II?"
Not knowing the answer to that question, I suggested Likanna that she herself ask the Head of the Orange House, Duchess Silva royl George ton Mesfelle. My daughter nodded and left to get herself in an appropriate outfit for a conversation with the Duchess. I was feeling significantly better after my massage. I thanked Bionica and put on my uniform. And it was good that I did so at that very moment. Not a second too soon, a timid knock came at my door, and the little Blue House Crown Princess came in. Extremely embarrassed, Natalie asked me a question:
"Georg, I heard the Blue House would give me five billion. But when I tried to call my cousin Duchess Ovella, Krista answered instead. The Truth Seeker told me to ask you about the money."
I had long been preparing for this conversation, and had even had a number of consultations on it with my cousin, thinking through all the possibilities. On my request, Katerina royl Unatari had gathered detailed information on the political situation in the Blue House. Now, just a quarter of the population supported littl
e Natalie in her ambitions for the throne. Two months earlier, over forty-five percent had been on her side. Duchess Ovella had done quite a good job bringing that situation under control. The graphs and tables on the screen that Lika found so boring, were actually calculations of the possible ways events in the Blue House could unfold. The only thing that left Crown Princess Natalie's allies with any chance in the conflict was direct military intervention by Unatari. In all other scenarios, they would lose the war in no less than six months.
"Take a seat, Natalie, because we're about to have a long and difficult conversation," I said, pointing at the still-spinning chair Likanna had just vacated.
Without hiding a thing from the little Crown Princess, I told her the truth about the Blue House head seeing her not as a beloved cousin, but a rival and threat. I informed her that one of the strongest Truth Seekers, Krista, had promised to do everything in her power to stop Natalie's influence in the Blue House from growing, and had even offered me money to kill her. I shared my opinion that her going to Blue House space had become extremely dangerous and would probably end in her death. I finished my monologue by explaining the most recent events:
"As you already know, the Red House fell to the Alien onslaught for good today. From a political standpoint, you are the one who suffered most from that."
"What exactly does the Red House have to do with me?" asked the little Princess, not understanding.
I then delved into the subtleties of interstellar politics for the Princess:
"The Red House's fleets are all destroyed. There's no one left to hold the Aliens back. Many star systems have been left vulnerable to Alien invasion. Also, Red House refugees have begun streaming out in all directions. But it isn't just normal people fleeing. Aristocrats, industrialists, financiers and the rulers of the as-of-yet-unconquered star systems will all be looking for new suzerains and patrons. Even my remote, little-known Unatari State, has already received sixty settlement requests from noted aristocrats, and rich people from the former Red House, offering to bring their families, servants, employees, money and property with them. Other than them, tens and maybe even hundreds of thousands more refugees will soon be coming to Unatari as well. And now, imagine what will happen in the Blue House, nearest neighbor of the Red?! Your political rival, Duchess Ovella will soon take a great many star systems under her protection, as well as billions of people, who will to see her as their savior and so will be absolutely loyal. Ovella's political position has suddenly grown much stronger. Her military capabilities are also growing, as the remnants of the Red House's combat fleets are joining hers, bringing millions of soldiers with them. So, you clearly lose out. Politicians loyal to you are already in a clear minority, and soon they will be forced to either obey the Duchess or die."
The girl sat down, clammed up and scared, digesting the difficult information. Finally, she found the strength inside to ask:
"And what should I do in this situation, Georg? I have plenty of loyal allies in the Blue House, and I cannot allow them all to be killed by my cousin."
"Natalie, I see two ways out. First, you could start a war for the throne of the Blue House. You have allies, and they do have modest forces. But my advisor Katerina royl Unatari and I have run through that scenario, and you and your allies lose every time. The second option is longer and trickier. We'll talk with your ruling cousin together, and we can negotiate the best possible compensation in exchange for you abandoning any claim to power in the Blue House. I've been told they are prepared to give you five billion, but I suspect that amount could be increased further. After that, you and your allies can leave the Blue House and receive protection from the Unatari State. You will become a Princess of Unatari and will even be one of the first ten in line to the throne of my new government. Your allies, then, can flee Blue House space unencumbered, and link up with us in the Khs system."
"In other words, Georg, you suggest I give up without a fight?" the little girl asked, making an unhappy face.
But, I shook my head in the negative.
"No. I am merely suggesting that you protect the politicians and officers loyal to you instead of throwing them to the dogs, because they are a valuable human resource that you will want to make use of in the future. You've got a rich new base, the Khs star system with billions of unreservedly loyal inhabitants. You will have experienced advisors and assistants. You will have sufficient funds for development, as well. Beyond the five billion already promised by the Blue House, I will give you matching funds from my own treasury. And also, I have spoken with Marian Sabati and obtained her agreement in advance. One of the strongest Truth Seekers in the Empire is prepared to become yours and protect you from the scheming of your cousin and the ghastly Krista. You just need to wait and develop your system, increasing the power of the Unatari State's economy as you do. But then, here is where it gets interesting. Do you really believe that the Blue House will be able to succeed where the Red House failed?"
Natalie raised her uncomprehending eyes to me. The girl clearly hadn't caught my meaning. I had to flesh it out for her.
"A little bit of time will pass, then one day, your cousin will figure out that she is not capable of stopping the Alien invasion. What's more, Ovella won't be the only one to notice it. All her subjects will as well, especially the refugees of the former Red House, who will have fresh memories of the horror they went through. Then, people will turn their gaze to the only force truly capable of helping them. No one in the Empire fights the Aliens as effectively as my Unatari Fleet. At that point, as if by magic, everyone will remember that one of the Unatari Princesses was, in fact, forcibly driven out of the Blue House by her cousin. If they don't remember themselves, my cousin Katerina royl Unatari can freshen their memories with some reports. Then, your future subjects will call on you to lead them. You will come to save the Blue House with the united fleet of Unatari and the Swarm at your back. I assure you, you won't even have to fight for the ducal throne. The forces will be so mismatched that they will come out to hand it to you on a silver platter. My role in all this will be to drive back the aliens. Yours, though, will be to guarantee the peaceful, legitimate transfer of power over Perimeter Sectors Nine, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, and Fifteen."
The Crown Princess began to think and, displaying a wisdom unexpected for such a young person, clarified:
"They truly are grandiose plans. But, your Highness, what will I get in the end? After all, I understand that I will not be simply allowed to keep this huge territory without a fight, and I do not have the forces necessary to pacify it on my own. Also, your Majesty has three of his own children to think about, and they will also clearly want something."
"Yes, you’ve understood everything perfectly, Natalie. Your reward will be your choice of any one of the six Sectors. Or two Sectors if you already have the title Swarm Duchess at that point."
The girl gave a deep bow to me and said in a ceremonial tone:
"I accept your plan and my role in it, Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle. I am prepared to leave the Blue House immediately, and take an oath of loyalty to the Unatari State. Though I ask that you not include me in the unpleasant conversation with my cousin, and come to an agreement with her on your own. I do not desire to see Ovella, and I am not prepared to lower myself and beg for a more generous payoff. Five billion from the Blue House is quite enough for me."
Ten minutes later, everything was set. The Head of the Blue House didn't even try to hide her joy at the political victory, and sent me the thirty billion credits I asked for without the slightest hesitation. Right after the end of the conversation with Duchess Ovella, I sent ten billion to Crown Princess Natalie royl Cruz ton Unatari.
And, actually, my daughter came back into my cabin at that very moment. Likanna, her face warped in anger, dripping with rage and vexation, flung the screen remote at the wall.
"Dad, that evil hag Duchess Silva won't give me any money! What a bitch! I swear, that fat cheapskate..."
>
I gently pressed my finger to my daughter's lips, stopping the child's overly emotional display, then shook my head in consternation:
"Crown Princess Likanna royl Georg ton Mesfelle-Unatari, I'll have to have a talk with your teachers on the Throne World about your vocabulary. For a true Princess, those kinds of words are totally unacceptable, as is inability to hold one's self together. As a father, I am very ashamed at your behavior."
Lika immediately grew embarrassed and lowered her head. I, then, changed my tone and tried to calm my upset daughter:
"Lika, I'll admit that I already had an inkling your conversation with Duchess Silva might end that way. The Orange House Heads have always been famous for their extreme cheapness. Great House prestige is nothing but a totally empty sound to them. Also, Marian Sabati, the woman who was sleeping on the ship to Dekeye with you, did a pretty good job of cleaning out the Orange House coffers. So then, perhaps Duchess Silva simply doesn't have it. Or maybe what she did have she already spent on the war. But don't worry, Lika. I won't allow my own daughter to be disadvantaged in comparison with the other Crown Princesses."
New Contract (Perimeter Defense Book #3) Page 26
