There Before the Chaos

by K. B. Wagers

  35

  How long has it been since you’ve been to Earth?” Johar asked as we walked out of the Hailimi’s cargo bay into the twilight.

  “More than a decade, I think,” I said, blowing out a breath in surprise and pulling my jacket tighter around myself. It was the height of summer in Geneva, supposedly, but still far cooler than Pashati, and it appeared I’d acclimated from all those years in space back to my home planet’s climate a lot faster than I’d thought I would. “You?”

  “Not very long ago,” she said after a moment’s thought. “I did a job for Rai a few standard months before you showed up in Santa Pirata. Brooklyn space port is not nearly as pretty as here.”

  The mountains surrounding the landing pad for the Interstellar Swiss Complex were drenched in purple from the sun settling down behind them. The occasional streak of gold cut through mountain and cloud, running the length of the landing pad and casting our shadows onto the buildings on the far side. It was late by local time, and my smati automatically reset itself to match.

  “Your Imperial Majesty.” Ambassador Heyai Zellin dropped into a curtsy, the members of her staff following suit as they greeted me. “Welcome to Earth.”

  “Everyone up. Thank you, Heyai; I wish I were here under better circumstances, but it’s nice to meet you.”

  My ambassador was a round-cheeked woman with curly black hair and wide-set amber eyes who jumped a little when I embraced her but recovered and smiled up at me.

  “We have your rooms ready. Your advance team has already secured the area if you’d like to head in that direction.”

  I knew by the movement around us that Emmory had already issued an order to several of the BodyGuard teams as we headed to the embassy vehicles.

  “I’m surprised there wasn’t anyone from the Solarians here,” I said to Heyai as we settled in the back of the car.

  “They wanted a larger welcoming party, Majesty, but your Ekam and I thought it would be better for just your own people to be here tonight.”

  I glanced at the driver’s seat and the back of Emmory’s head with a smile. “Ah, well, I try to stay out of Emmory’s way where those things are concerned. And I’m not going to lie, it’s more than a little amusing to think of the blustering confusion that happened as a result.”

  Heyai chuckled. “There was some, though I think they’re getting used to you. It wasn’t nearly the fuss that they made after you kicked their people off Canafey.”

  “Heyai, I removed them from an active war zone for their own safety.”

  “Oh, of course, Your Majesty.” She grinned at me.

  Zin looked over his shoulder at Emmory. “I think we’re in trouble here putting these two together.”

  “It’s fine,” I said. “Not like I’m doing some delicate negotiation between two mortal enemies that could plunge the galaxy into war if I fail.”

  That earned me the Look from Emmory in the rearview mirror.

  The first full day on Earth I had completely to myself as we waited for the delegations to arrive, and after my check-in via com link with Indrana, Emmory allowed me to leave the Indranan compound and wander the shops of the nearby outdoor mall.

  It was a shade on the touristy side but also surrounded by the various compounds of the other galactic governments, which explained my Ekam’s willingness to send only two BodyGuard teams and Major Ilyia Gill’s squad with me.

  Gita strolled at my side, while Kisah and Riddhi’s teams covered us front and back.

  A young woman crossed the street in front of us, stopped, and bowed low to Sergeant Biem Rose.

  “Majesty,” Gita said, holding an arm out. “Wait.”

  “Dve, the young woman says her grandfather owns a restaurant nearby. She would like to invite the empress to have a meal,” Ilyia said over the com link. “Should we check it out?”

  Gita glanced my way, but I merely smiled. “You are in charge,” I reminded her.

  “Would you like to go, Majesty?”

  “You know I would, but I’m not going to push it if you don’t think we should.”

  “Major, head on over and check it out. We’ll hold here.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Ilyia and the rest of her squad followed the young woman down the sidewalk and turned down a street on their left.

  I turned my face to the sunshine with a hum of contentment and heard Alba’s poorly concealed amusement.

  “Hush,” I said, opening my eyes with a smile. “It’s a new feeling.”

  “What is, Majesty?”

  “I’m a bit invisible.” I smiled and gestured around us. The other people out and about spared us a few glances but otherwise went about their day. “No one really cares who we are. Other than the young lady who recognized me, it’s like no one knows me. It feels a bit like old times, I guess.”

  “Cressen Stone!”

  The man who emerged from the crowd shouting my name never had a chance. Gita caught him by the throat and slammed him to the ground. People scattered when my other BodyGuards pulled their guns free.

  “So much for that,” I muttered, looking down at where Alba had stepped in front of me, her fists raised. I peeked through my wall of BodyGuards and laughed. “Gita, at ease.”

  “Majesty?”

  “I know him.” Patting Alba and stepping around her, I stopped just behind Gita. “Ahmed, that’s a good way to get yourself killed.”

  The man on the ground had dark eyes and close-cropped hair, and was dressed in an outfit I’d charitably call well-worn. He grinned up at me, apparently unfazed by the body slam, but then Ahmed Hasigan had always had a strangely high pain tolerance.

  “This is a far more protective crew than the last time I saw you, and that’s saying something.” He eyed Gita. “Prettier, though. Who’s this?”

  “You are addressing the Empress of Indrana,” Gita growled.

  “The what? Was I really that drunk the last time I saw you, or did I miss something?” He demanded. Ahmed had a baby face that was excellent at looking innocent, but I wondered if he was really surprised or just pretending. I’d been expecting to see some old faces around here. The Shen would be foolish not to count on some mercenary backup for the negotiations, and others would be looking to cash in on the bounty on Hao.

  “Have you had your head buried in a rock?” I asked, laughing despite my suspicions.

  “I’ve been in the outer rim for the last five years. We just got back into port today. Thought it was my good luck when I spotted you.” He glanced in Gita’s direction, and then back at me. “Can I get up now, Your Highnessness?”

  Kisah choked on her laughter, barely managing to smother it before it burst free.

  “Ikeki?” Gita said.

  “Scans clean, ma’am, Sergeant Ahmed Hasigan, Hyperion Royal Marines, honorably discharged. He’s done some black market runs, a few jobs for Po-Sin. One for Jamison. A handful of lower-level criminals, nothing of consequence.”

  “You did a run for Jamison, really?”

  Ahmed spread his hands after shooting Ikeki an impressed look. “He paid really well, Cress, give me a break.”

  “I should break your arm,” I countered, but waved a hand. “Gita, let him up. He’s mostly harmless.”

  “It’s ‘Your Majesty,’” Gita said as she lifted Ahmed to his feet. “And I shoot you if you touch her, understood?”

  “Yes, ma’am!” Ahmed braced to attention but didn’t salute.

  “I’m going to hug him, Gita, so don’t shoot him.” I stepped around Kisah and wrapped my arms around the lanky man. “Honorable discharge, huh?”

  “Yes, Cressen—uh, Your Majesty,” he said, shaking his head. “Got out a few years back. I’ve been freelancing supply runs since then.”

  “Where’s S.T.?”

  Ahmed’s face fell. “Killed in action on Indigo XIII not six months after we met you.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” S.T. Toulous could have charmed a saint into her bed if her morals hadn’t pr
evented her from such underhanded tricks. She’d sung like a chorus of Adityas and I’d had more fun than I probably should have coaxing smiles out of her and getting her ass drunk the last time I saw her.

  “You and me both,” Ahmed said with a shrug that masked the pain in his dark eyes. “Where’s Portis?”

  As expected as the question was, it still hurt and I closed my eyes a moment, struggling for the words as Ahmed muttered a curse.

  “He was killed about a year ago,” I said, opening my eyes and trying to smile. “My navigator, Memz, and part of my crew mutinied. She’d been paid by—” I stopped and shook my head. “It’s a very long story.”

  “I’m sorry about Portis. I always liked him.” Ahmed’s answering smile was sad.

  “Majesty, Major Gill says the restaurant checks out. We can go.” Gita put a hand on my back, her eyes scanning the area around us.

  “Of course. Ahmed, do you have somewhere to be? Or do you have time for some food?”

  “All the time in the world, Your Majesty.” He offered his arm and I took it as we headed down the street.

  Twenty minutes later I found myself at a table in a quiet corner of the Grand Nepal restaurant, sipping one of the best cups of chai I’d had in my whole life. I’d whispered a little prayer of thanks for the pants I was wearing, because sitting on the floor in a sari would have been awkward. Though Alba had shed her heels and tucked her feet up under her skirt with a grace I could never hope to match.

  The establishment was owned and operated by one Rajesh Thapa, a wiry old man with no hair and gorgeous dark eyes. His parents had moved from India to Switzerland when he was fifteen to pursue their political careers. Rajesh had fallen in love with Geneva but never lost touch with the food of his homeland. Now, his granddaughter Esha had come to stay with him while she attended a nearby university; she had recognized me from the news and invited me to eat.

  They were Solarian, not Indranan, but so much of it didn’t seem to matter. The few times I’d been to Earth I hadn’t had the opportunity to visit the land of my ancestors, but the stories were strong connecting us across the black.

  Bright paintings of the gods decorated the walls, and equally bright statues had lined the entrance to the restaurant. I reached a hand out, touching my fingers to the dancing Ganesh’s foot as we’d passed.

  Rajesh and Esha came out of the kitchen, bearing two trays of food. Gita followed behind them, a smile on her face.

  “We’re going to have to cart Major Gill and her team back to the embassy,” she said as Rajesh passed plates and bowls of food, both familiar and not, onto the table.

  “What’s wrong with them?”

  “Nothing, Majesty. They volunteered to taste everything. Rajesh is quite the chef.”

  “You are very kind, Dve Desai.”

  Gita smiled down at him and nodded. “Emmory and Team One are headed this way with some Marines so Ilyia can take her team back.”

  “You messaged him, didn’t you?”

  Her smile was brief, and her eyes flicked to Ahmed, who was talking with Alba, before she answered. “Of course.”

  “It’s a fascinating coincidence, him showing up, isn’t it?” I asked over our com link, and had to hide my grin behind my chai mug as I watched the surprise flare in her eyes. “Do you think I’ve gone soft, Gita?”

  “No, Majesty, of course not. It’s just—”

  “I’m teasing, mostly.” Rajesh was wrapping up his speech about the food and with it our window for this conversation. “It’s fine, Gita, you made the right call. I’ll find out what Ahmed is up to before we’re done eating.”

  “Can I eat, Dve?” I asked aloud.

  “Yes, Majesty.”

  “Cress—” Ahmed cleared his throat at Gita’s stare. “Sorry, Your Majesty. How on earth did you end up here?”

  “On Earth? Hitched a ride.” I laughed, digging into the food with my fingers, when he leveled me with a glare. “I told you it was a long story.”

  “We got time.” He gestured at the food.

  “True. I was born Hailimi Mercedes Jaya Bristol, second daughter of the Empress of Indrana …”

  36

  Emmory came in through the front door of the Grand Nepal just as I’d finished my story, and Ahmed blew out a breath.

  “That one is going down in the history pages.” He saluted me with his glass.

  “Most likely already has, at least back home. Emmory.”

  “Majesty. How was lunch?”

  “Amazing. Alba, go see if there’s enough leftovers for us to bring back so the Guards can enjoy it once we’re at the embassy.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” She scooted out of her spot, taking Emmory’s offered hand before she slipped her shoes back on her feet.

  I leaned in as soon as Alba was gone. “Why are you here?”

  Ahmed smiled at me and then at my grim-faced BodyGuards, who stood arrayed around the room so that every exit was covered. “I just ran into you on the street. It was a happy coincidence?”

  “I don’t believe in those.”

  “I don’t blame you,” he said, placing his hands carefully on the tabletop. “It’s mostly true. I heard Hao was in town; I was looking for him. When I saw you, I figured you’d know where he was.”

  I sighed, disappointment settling into my chest like a stone. “Ahmed, I will give you this one chance because you are—were—a friend of mine. Anyone who goes after Hao will answer to me. He is mine and I will not tolerate anyone who seeks to harm him.”

  “Oh.” Ahmed shoved a hand into his hair. “Oh, no. That all makes sense now. All I heard was Po-Sin put a bounty on him, but you—oh.” He pointed at me with a grin. “I’m not—sorry. I’m not here to try to get you to turn on him. I have a warning for him. I figured you could pass it on.” His laugh was sheepish. “I didn’t even realize that you—he turned his back on Po-Sin for you? Wow, I didn’t put any of that together.”

  He was cute but not all that bright. “A warning?” I asked, snapping my fingers. “Focus, Ahmed.”

  “Yes. There are a ton of mercenaries converging on Geneva. This is the biggest payday in the history of paydays. Everyone wants in on this action.”

  I couldn’t figure out if Ahmed was trying to muddy the issue by focusing on the bounty or if he really didn’t know about everything that was going down with the Shen. I was leaning toward the latter. He’d never been the brightest star in the black and most of his mercenary associations had been secondhand. The run for Jamison had been well before this whole mess started. Given that he was trying to warn Hao, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

  “Do they have any idea what’s going on here starting tomorrow? The amount of security there’s going to be?”

  “It’s an extra challenge, according to some,” Ahmed said with an apologetic smile.

  “Why the sudden desire to help Hao?” Emmory asked, breaking his silence.

  “We worked together on a job right after I got out of the service. He didn’t have to help me, I owe him,” Ahmed replied, and then he smiled at me. “Plus, I got a chance to catch up with you.”

  I returned it, cautiously. “I’ll pass the warning along. He’ll appreciate it, Ahmed, and so do I.”

  “Are we still friends?” he asked.

  “At the moment.” I hoped my smile eased the sting of my words. “Emmory, you want to see Ahmed out while I say good-bye to our host?”

  “It was good to see you,” Ahmed said, getting to his feet and giving me an exaggerated bow. “Your Majesty.”

  “Get out of here before someone spots you,” I replied with a smile.

  Emmory led Ahmed to the door. Alba returned, Rajesh in tow, and I got up from my spot.

  “Thank you again for the food, Mr. Thapa,” I said to the elderly man, folding my hands together and bowing.

  “You enjoyed it?”

  “Very much so. I never realized how much our cuisine changed over the years. It was a delight to taste the original dishes. Plea
se tell your daughter thank you again for thinking of us.”

  “I will, Your Majesty. Thank you. I wish you luck with your negotiations.”

  Back in the embassy, I settled onto my couch and shared a look with Emmory. “That’s another hurdle to deal with,” I said. “I’d like to think they’ll all be smart enough to follow Po-Sin’s example and the fact that there are not one, but two alien races here and keep their guns in their holsters.”

  “Mercenaries aren’t always known for their common sense, Majesty.”

  “I’ll pretend like that comment doesn’t include me anymore,” I said, reaching for my glass.

  “Why would Ahmed go out of his way to warn Hao?”

  I stared at the ice in my whiskey for a long moment before I replied. “It’s complicated. Hao is—he’s always been good at engendering loyalty from people. I don’t know that there’s really any explanation for it.”

  “Sounds familiar,” Emmory murmured, a smile tugging on his lips.

  “I didn’t learn it in the palace,” I replied with a laugh, but then I sobered. “Emmory, Hao will try to leave because of this. To keep me out of danger. I don’t want him to.”

  “I know, Majesty.”

  I got up from my seat with a sigh of frustration. “Our lives were so—” I broke off as I passed the cracked-open door, hearing Johar’s voice in the hallway, and waved a hand at Emmory to keep him quiet.

  “I’m not saying he’s not an ass, Gita, because he is, and you have every right to keep hating him. I’m just saying it means something when the great Cheng Hao admits he was wrong.”

  Gita’s sigh was heavy with frustration. “He could have gotten her killed, Jo.”

  “We all know that. Hao knows it. He’ll carry that regret for the rest of his life, no matter what kind of absolution Hail gave him. Think on that, though, Hail forgave him. Be mad at him for betraying you, if he did, but don’t take on his betrayal of her as well. It’s not your place, and you know it.”

  “Why are you so fucking smart?”

  Johar chuckled. “So many reasons, my friend.” She kissed Gita loudly on the cheek. “Have a good night. I’m going out. Rai is in town and he wants to apologize.”