"No, that won't be necessary," said the Dark Mother, answering in her master's place. "We are gathered here for other reasons, and Marian being my protégée has nothing to do with them."
"Also, the topics I am interested in are much more serious than one Truth Seeker's antics," said August, coming to life and rejoining the conversation. "Georg, I am deeply upset. Because of you, the Iseyek have become completely unmanageable. They are creeping over the galaxy at an unstoppable pace, capturing one human-inhabitable planet after the other. They've even had the gall to take vassals from us! The Swarm is the most serious threat to the Empire that exists, so it must be stopped! Yet you coddle the insects and make concessions to them. You give them military technology and strengthen our potential enemy in many other ways! I am very unhappy with that and demand that you explain your actions!"
Here the Head of the Green House wedged his way into the conversation, slightly out of place:
"Together with the accusations made by the Emperor, I would like to raise the issue of the trapped Green House squadron. It was sent to our border with the Iseyek precisely to serve as a counterweight to the Swarm, but the ruler of Unatari blocked it in! He played right into our opponents' hands! That is bordering on treason!"
I stood up, looked directly at the head of the Green House and, with unhidden mockery in my voice, said:
"Duke Amelius ton Lavaelle, I would like to remind you that openly lying in the presence of the Emperor is a very stupid tact. I have irrefutable evidence that the Green House armada's movement was in no way connected with the Iseyek, and that the Swarm was in no way mentioned in the fleet's original mission. The Green House ships were on their way to attack Unatari State planets, which are Imperial core territory. We have a crystal drive with a recording of our interrogation of the First Strike Fleet's commander, Demyen royl Amelius ton Lavaelle. We could present it, if necessary."
My cousin Katerina, expressionless, placed the data crystal on the table. The Space Marshal reached for the drive, preparing to place it into his screen, but I intercepted his arm:
"One minute. I would like to generously offer Duke Amelius ton Lavaelle one last chance to retract his worthless accusation before we watch the recording. If he does not, evidence will be presented of premeditated slander, and the intentional dissemination of false information in a trial before the Emperor himself. That is a very serious violation of Imperial law, and would have to be punished by revocation of title."
The Head of the Green House stared at me for a few seconds, but then turned his gaze away and said loudly:
"I retract my accusation! Perhaps my son misinformed me on the true goal of the military campaign. But I want to know, what is the current location and status?"
"Of your son, or the fleet?" I couldn't hold back from the jab. "Crown Prince Demyen has been released to the four winds, alive and well. I suspect that he is on his way to the Green House as we speak. Baroness Veronica ton Taki was released as well. I wouldn't dare keep yet another of the Emperor's personal Truth Seekers."
The reaction to that was worth seeing! In Duke Amelius' eyes, confusion and surprise flashed by, and another second later, were replaced by unhidden spite. It seemed the Duke wasn't aware of the Throne World's embedded spy!
A semi-transparent personal message flashed before my eyes, and I focused my gaze on it.
"Duke Amelius requests your support for a motion: lower the standing of Emperor August royl Toll ton Akad. Agree? (Yes/No)"
How wonderfully unexpected! The old Duke surprised and even delighted me. Not everyone has the resolve to express disapproval to the Emperor in such a public fashion. I chose the option "Yes," and watched as my accuser's face stretched out in surprise. Emperor August sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, reading the system message closely. It should be said that August's standing fell by fourteen points over the course of just a few seconds to +222. Clearly, the head of the Green House hadn't requested that only I participate in the digital attack.
When August opened his eyes, he was seething with manifest rage. The Emperor clearly wasn't accustomed to having his numbers lowered all of a sudden. Fortunately, his hatred wasn't directed at me, though. The Head of the Green House withstood the Emperor's severe gaze with aplomb and merely smiled in reply. While the pair of aristocrats were trying to turn one another to ash with their eyes, the floor was taken by the previously silent Head of the Blue House:
"There's one more accusation that cannot be forgotten. Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky officially promised Blue House systems to my cousin Crown Princess Natalie ton Miro."
I raised my hand and, scanning with my eyes for the Dark Mother, said:
"Stop, stop, stop. It would seem, Duchess, that you have been misinformed. The Unatari State is not planning now and never was planning to go to war with the Blue House. The Dark Mother is here and could verify my words. The conversation with Crown Princess Natalie, in fact, was about a hypothetical situation. If the Aliens, after having destroyed the Red House, were to continue their campaign and move to sweep away the Blue House defenders as well, the Unatari Fleet would be the only force capable of coming to the Blue House's aid and saving it from total destruction. I intended, in my conversation with Crown Princess Natalie, that the reward given to me for that service be very generous, to equal the scale of the favor: at least one of the six Perimeter Sectors belonging to the Blue House."
"I hope that is never allowed to happen," the young Duchess frowned. "The Blue House is the largest in territory, and will never be occupied by enemies. Very well. That accusation has been refuted."
My tongue was itching to tell Crown Princess Ovella that her Blue House was already as good as occupied, as the power really belonged to the Throne House plant Krista, not the Blue House Duchess at all. But I held back, thinking it not the best time. Instead, I returned to the topic of the Green House armada:
"Perhaps those gathered here are not yet aware but, three days ago, the First Green House Strike Fleet surrendered in its entirety to the Unatari State in the Forepost-31 system. Now we are filtering through the captured officers and team members. After all those procedures are completed, those who so desire will have the opportunity to swear allegiance to me and become my subjects. If it pleases the Imperial Joint Chiefs, I will even send these captured starships to Iseyek space. Though I personally don't see any reason for that, as these ships would be more useful to me in other regions of my large state, not only those inhabited by insects."
What I said didn't reach the great leaders immediately. The first to realize it was the Head of the Purple House, Duke Takuro. The old man coughed and asked:
"Georg, I don't think I’ve understood you correctly. You mean to say that the Swarm is part of your State?"
After these words, silence came over the room. I thought the moment ideal to call up the internal interface and accept Triasss Zess's offer. A great many messages came in on star-system sovereignty changes, so many that my eyes started flashing. The final one amused me:
Achievement unlocked: Master of the Hive
Global fame increase. Current value +67
While those gathered were still frozen, their mouths hanging open in surprise, I commented:
"And now, let's get back to the very beginning of the meeting and the words of Emperor August on the hypothetical threat of insect invasion. As the autocratic Master of the Hive, I officially declare the Swarm problem nonexistent. All Iseyek systems, their planets, their armies, and their combat ships are subject to me now. No insect starship will move an inch without my order. Not a single empty planet will be occupied by Iseyek if that is not my will. There is no problem with splitting up trophies from the war with the Aliens; all the systems and combat starships that were captured by the Aliens belong to Unatari in one way or another."
In the silence that came over the room, the first words spoken by the Dark Mother sounded out especially distinctly:
"Very bad. The Swarm was a problem all on its own
. Now, then, in its strengthened state, with additional systems, new technology and a good fleet commander, the Swarm has become an unacceptable threat, whose existence we can never tolerate. Neither I, nor the Emperor will allow such a force to be under anyone's control but the Throne World's."
I was utterly thrown off and turned to August:
"Your Imperial Majesty, was it not you who gave me the mission of strengthening the Unatari State Fleet at any cost? Do you not need my fleet as strong as possible to invade the Antagonists?"
The Emperor smiled, or more accurately bared his teeth predatorily and, looking me right in the eyes, said:
"Georg, the invasion of the Antagonists will begin one day, but it is not certain to be today, or even in a year. The fact that Swarm ships are moving without order while their King is in the Throne World, though, leaves me with a much greater imperative! I cannot allow such a historic moment to slip by. Guards, take him alive! No need to use kid gloves with the others, either!"
In the micro-headphone that was helping me maintain connection with the other members of my delegation, I heard the shots and shouts of Popori de Cacha, Phobos and my other bodyguards that had been left in the hallway:
"Crown Prince Georg, we've been attacked! Aaaahhhh!"
At the same time as that, one of the Emperor's bodyguards drew a short-barreled laser rifle and emptied its battery into the back of my advisor Katerina royl Unatari. Some other soldiers ganged up on me, and knocked me off my feet.
"What are you doing, August?! He is loyal to you!" The scream belonged, it seemed, to Duke Takuro.
"August, you are breaking laws you wrote yourself!" The Head of the Green House objected.
"Think nothing of it. It'll be good for my grand-nephew. He'll spend a few months in jail detoxing from the crystals, then he'll be a good boy and give up all the warp beacon codes to his new state. He can learn some manners while he’s in there, as well. It seems his quick rise in popularity has made his head spin! We can't let this historic moment pass. We have the chance to destroy the entire Swarm!"
With my hands already tied behind my back, I managed to see my cousin's body, shot full of holes, as it melted into a while cloud, then drifted away into the ventilation. It seemed the time for me to flee had also come.
"Miya, the time has come!" I gave the mental signal.
"He's fleeing! I don't know how, but he is fleeing! Shoot Georg!" The Dark Mother shrieked hysterically.
But it was too late. I was already lying on the metallic floor of a huge room. I needed a few seconds to realize where I was. It was the main banquet hall of my flagship, Joan the Fatty. There was a multitude of people surrounding me. The closest of all were the three Truth Seekers, Miya, Florianna, standing (!!!) next to her, and Millena. All three of the psionics had their eyes closed, and were holding hands. Next to Miya, clinging off her red dress, little Deia was sitting on the floor.
A bit further off, on the floor of the room, there were Beta Iseyek sitting on the floor. Hundreds of huge pill-bugs had their many of arms placed on the person or Iseyek in front of them, leading all the way to the Truth Seekers themselves. It was all clear. It was a living battery, charging up the Truth Seekers.
I turned around. Right on the cold floor, with their hands on the shoulders of the person next to them, were my friends, distant and close acquaintances, and just random subjects. They were all looking at me. Many were doing nothing to hide the tears of joy rolling down their cheeks. In the first row, I saw Nicole Savoia, Bionica, Phobos, Popori de Cacha, my cousin Katerina, her husband Duke Corwin royl Unatari-Ugar, my daughter Crown Princess Likanna her friend Crown Princess Natalie, and many admirals, generals and captains...
"It worked..." said Miya, wavering, but being held up by the other Truth Seekers and the Beta Iseyek.
I stood up and approached my spouse. She was so weary she could barely stand, but she still found the power to smile at me and say:
"I know what you want to say to me. I am forgiven."
"Yes. We’re even now; once you killed me, and once you saved my life. I have something to admit to you, Miya. I was planning to not return to the real world and stay here with all this," I led my hand around the huge room and those gathered in it, people and nonpeople. "Perimeter Defense is my world now, and the only place I feel truly alive is here. I was actually planning to kill you near the end of the contract. I had even started thinking up methods. Nevertheless, I expect you to give me a full account of what is happening, with no vague sentences or omissions."
"Very well, agreed," Miya smiled and took Deia in her arms. "By the way, when you're free, come to your bunk. I think you'll like what you see there."
I wasn't able to clarify what I was supposed to see, because I was interrupted by Katerina:
"Georg, the video we got is just awesome! The unmotivated treachery of the Emperor, the attack on our diplomats, August breaking his word and the laws of hospitality. I have broadcast it on all Unatari news channels, and it has even made the rounds on the Imperial news already. August's standing is at forty and falling. Truth be told, the Throne World has already released its own counterpropaganda. They're accusing you of conspiring with your grandmother Eleonora royl Akad, ruler of the Antagonists. But for now, those on the Emperor's side are going pale. The most elementary Truth Seeker verification would make all their insinuations crumble."
Popori de Cacha walked up. The Chameleon looked impossibly happy.
"Tuki-tuka-de-sa, all the Arites who accompanied your Majesty to the Throne World managed to escape, including those from the yacht. The Throne World is now overflowing with our spies and saboteurs. The Throne World's corvettes did blow up Queen of Sin, though."
"The Truth Seeker Baroness Veronica ton Taki was having a crystal dream on one of those bunks!"
My cousin shook her head:
"That didn't stop the Emperor. August was simply enraged, kicking and cursing. They say he even slapped the Green House Head for trying to stop your arrest. The Green House has announced a referendum on their leaving the Empire. The Swarm Embassy to the Throne World has been destroyed. Some of its diplomats have been killed, and others arrested. Senior Ambassador Triasss Zess blew himself up with a bomb as not to be taken alive."
I lowered my head. What a shame. My relationship with the praying mantis ambassador hadn't always been smooth, but such was life. Nevertheless, Triasss Zess was loyal in a way. He was prepared to give his life for his kind. My former father-in-law Duke Valesy approached me and patted me on the shoulder:
"You're a tricky one, Georg. You defeated all the accusations against yourself. All of us here were watching anxiously and applauding. I just didn't understand why you accused Marian Sabati of sabotage."
"I simply took a wider look at the situation. Who, knowing of the Swarm's plans to start a counterattack, probably would have given an order to a spy to stop the insects from expanding their territory? Marian Sabati was just following orders. Also, she was the only one whose story we couldn’t have verified. And what's more, the shield control and battery programs used on our flagship were written in the Empire, so Throne World experts would have known how to break them."
"I see. But what now? War?"
All the conversations around us went silent. Everyone in the room was hanging on my every word. I, then began speaking clearly and decisively:
"First, we should send an official ultimatum to the Throne World. We'll give Emperor August twelve hours to apologize and pay compensation for the perfidious murder of our ambassador and the destruction of my property. We will also demand that August apologize to all Dukes who were at the meeting. If he does not meet those conditions, the Unatari State will declare independence from the Empire. If they won't let us go peacefully, we'll have to fight for our right to freedom!"
Those present began to make an agitated racket. A joyful mood took over the room. The people supported the decision of their ruler and were prepared to follow me even against the Emperor. That was a good
thing.
"Crown Prince Georg, I would like to remind you of Miya's words and ask you to go to your bunk."
"What is there, Flora?" I asked out loud.
"I'm not telling. It's a surprise."
Alright, I was intrigued. I left the common hall and, surrounded by a group of vigilant bodyguards, set off down the hall to my room. I opened the door... and froze in the doorway. On the little couch next to the big window, her legs crossed, was Princess Astra sitting in a short robe, squeezing a swaddled baby boy to her chest. Astra turned her head to the sound of the opening doors, met my gaze and smiled:
"I came uninvited, as usual. I saw in the news that my son was given the Orange House Capital, and realized that Crown Prince Georg hadn't forgotten me after all."
"How could I forget about you?" I walked up closer, embraced the feeding mother carefully and took a look at the boy nursing at her breast. "But how did you get here?"
"I went to the captain of Star Mutt, Tazar ton Akad and told him to fly to Crown Prince Georg," the Princess explained matter-of-factly. "I promised the captain that he would be generously rewarded for bringing your favorite back. To be honest, he argued for a long time and told me about how he'd be losing a year of flight time, but in the end agreed. Your Majesty, you will reward him, right?"
"Of course. The captain of Star Mutt has given me the greatest gift I have ever received, and deserves a truly kingly reward."
Achievement re-unlocked: Favorite's Iseyek Mating Dance
Achievement lost: Denied paternity
Global standing increase. Current value +21
Astra smiled, but just then pursed her lips and said, offended:
"I've already been told that your Majesty flew to the Throne World alone without me again, even though you promised to bring me there and show me the wonderful palaces and fountains."
I smiled. Astra hadn't changed one bit. All these wars with the Aliens, interstellar border crossings and harsh political battles-royal, could not have had less importance in her little internal world.
New Contract (Perimeter Defense Book #3) Page 36
