There Before the Chaos

by K. B. Wagers

  “If I could introduce my wife, Your Majesty,” Chad said as the cameras were ushered back toward the door and we proceeded into the building.

  “Your Imperial Majesty.” Laila Hudson dropped into a curtsy. “It’s a great pleasure to welcome you to Earth.” She was a tiny thing, with perfectly styled short blond hair and a robin’s-egg-blue suit.

  “Thank you so much for having me.” I held out my hands, taking both of hers as I pushed aside everything else to focus on my duty. “These grounds are lovely.”

  “They are the cornerstone of the intergalactic complex. It was built in 3257 by President Inuwle. She was a great woman with an eye on the stars. The Solarian Conglomerate owes a great deal of its prosperity to her forward thinking.”

  Adora smiled at President Hudson’s explanation. “She was a great benefit to humankind overall. We made first official contact with Earth during her terms as president.”

  “Ladies, as charming as this conversation is, I think we will excuse ourselves. I am in need of a drink after this afternoon’s excitement,” Aiz said with a bow.

  I watched Adora’s jaw flex as she held in whatever comment wanted to slip free, and I waited until Aiz had led Mia off before I murmured. “He does that precisely to get a rise out of you, Adora. I’d have thought after all these years you’d realize that.”

  Adora focused her platinum gaze on me, the silence stretching out for a full breath. Then she shook her head and smiled. “You would think so, Majesty; however, I have ever struggled where Aiz is concerned. He is in many ways my greatest triumph and my greatest failure.”

  “That sounds like a fascinating story,” I said.

  “It may be.” She shook her head again. “However, it’s not one for a party. Mrs. Hudson, thank you for your hospitality. I think I will go rejoin my people.”

  “They are very strange, are they not?” Laila asked softly after Adora had walked away. She still wore her perfect public smile, but the uneasiness in her blue eyes disrupted the illusion. “I know it’s probably wrong to say so, but they feel quite dangerous.”

  “It is wrong. They are no more dangerous than any human,” I replied, slipping my arm through hers with a smile of my own. “Why don’t you introduce me around the room, Laila? Rumor has it I’m quite dangerous, too, but I think I’m slightly more of a people person than our other guests.”

  For the better part of an hour I let her lead me and Alba around the room from one conversation to another, from one group of important people who’d wrangled an invite to the function to another until even my smati was swimming in names and faces.

  I was strolling past the balcony that led off the massive room, deep in conversation with Kalpak Saito, head of the farmers’ union on Kurma who’d been on Earth on business and was almost unprofessionally delighted at a chance to talk to me about the new Tarsi agreement when the sound of rushing water filled my ears.

  The sensation of cold water up to my chest was instantaneous and I had to force my feet to keep moving as my vision started to narrow to a single point on the far side of the room.

  “Majesty, are you all right?” Gita subvocalized over the com.

  “I need somewhere quiet.”

  “I am terribly sorry, Mr. Saito, I need to steal Her Majesty away,” Alba said aloud, closing a hand around my upper arm.

  “Quite all right, my dear.” He smiled brightly. “It was a great pleasure, Your Majesty.”

  I managed a smile in Mr. Saito’s direction but couldn’t force any words past my throat. We made it into the hallway, Jagana and Kisah in front of us and Ikeki behind, before I stumbled. Alba caught one elbow while Gita slipped her arm around my waist.

  “It’s all right, Majesty,” she said. “Can you take a breath?”

  I tried, but shook my head when it stuck halfway down and tears filled my eyes.

  “There’s a library here, Dve,” Kisah said. “Empty.”

  “Check exits. Ikeki on the door. Emmory is headed this way with Team One. Majesty, have a seat for me.” Gita’s voice was low and soothing as they lowered me into a chair.

  “There was a waterfall outside, when we passed the balcony, ma’am, that was supposed to have been turned off for the party,” Jagana’s voice was equally low. “The noise triggered her.”

  I pressed my hands to my eyes but jerked them away when all I saw were the metal walls of Wilson’s box and swore with enough viciousness to make Jagana gasp.

  “Can you breathe for me, Majesty?” Gita repeated, unfazed by the curse.

  I tried again, filled my lungs a little more on the second try, and sucked in a full breath just as Emmory came through the door.

  I exhaled, trying to ignore the sudden chill running through me as the last vestiges of the flashback cleared themselves. “I’m all right, Emmy. Just a bad memory.”

  He dropped into a crouch at my side anyway, staring intently at me—or rather through me—as he assessed my status for himself. Finally, he smiled and pulled off his glove before he touched my face. His hand was warm, comforting on my cold skin.

  “Flashback.” It wasn’t a question, but I nodded anyway.

  “Hail, where are you?” Hao asked over the com link.

  “Library, east side of the big room just past the balcony,” I replied. “Hao’s coming.” I got to my feet, pulling Emmory up as I stood.

  When Hao came through the door several moments later, I was standing by the window trying to pretend like I wasn’t holding off a second round of tremors.

  Hao’s eyes flicked from me to Emmory and back again, but he kept his concern behind his teeth as a tall man in a severe black suit followed him into the room. “There you are, Your Majesty. I wanted to introduce you to a friend of mine.”

  The man tapped the heels of his expensive black shoes together and gave me a perfunctory bow. “Your Imperial Majesty. I am Marius Cavit. It is a great honor.”

  “Mr. Cavit is the CEO of Cavit Bank, one of the Solarian Conglomerate’s largest financial institutions,” Hao said.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I waited for him to come up from his bow before I offered my hand. “Your bank is also one of the oldest institutions on Earth, isn’t it?”

  “You are well educated in our history, Your Majesty,” Marius’s accent recalled a brief stop-off outside Paris and the heady scent of baking bread. “And you’re correct. I believe my ancestors funded a loan or two for yours during the expedition preparations.”

  “Did they?” I smiled. “I assume we paid them back, or are you here to collect?”

  Marius’s smile didn’t waver, though I spotted the flicker of wariness in his blue eyes before he answered. “Hao asked if I would speak with you, Your Majesty. I hear you are in need of some proof as far as certain things go.”

  “I am.” I shot Hao a smile he didn’t notice because he was busy having a staring contest with Gita.

  “Concerning some questions you’ve had lately on several large cash transfers?”

  Translation: Cavit Bank did business with Po-Sin, which was somewhat surprising, though not wholly unexpected. The more well-known banks could handle any legal money Po-Sin’s various businesses made without fear of harassment from governments. And any illegal money was easily hidden through other channels.

  For my part, I had preferred the smaller, unknown banks. Cressen Stone’s funds were scattered among half a dozen systems under as many different names. I could have brought them all together, made the money more easily accessible and officially mine, but a part of me wasn’t willing to believe things weren’t going to slide out from under me.

  The need for a safety net, it seemed, wouldn’t go away after just a few months.

  “I may,” I replied with a cautious smile. “Not sure this is the best place for a conversation like that, though.”

  He smiled back. “It’s actually far preferable, Your Majesty. I get far less attention speaking to you at a function like this than I would if you were to show up in my bank. It wa
s my understanding you wanted confirmation of the companies responsible for several large deposits.”

  “That would be helpful.”

  Marius glanced over his shoulder before he continued. “The companies in question were BlueWater Incorporated and Penultimate Holdings.”

  I couldn’t stop my derisive snort, and the man arched one black eyebrow at me.

  “You know the names, Majesty?”

  “One of them. Thank you, Marius. I appreciate the assistance, though I confess I’m curious as to why you’re helping us.”

  “I owe Hao,” he replied. “My daughter was kidnapped several years ago. He rescued her, made certain no one would ever attempt anything like that again.”

  “That was your daughter?” I’d heard the details of Hao’s job after the fact when we’d met up for a job on Passault, minus the name of the girl he’d rescued. Hao was funny like that about his clients. It explained a lot as to why Marius would risk angering Po-Sin by working with us. Blood debts were something even Po-Sin would make an exception for.

  Marius nodded, a brief smile creasing his sober expression. “Don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything else.” He tapped his heels together again, bowed, and left the room without another word.

  “Is that proof enough for you?” It was hard to tell if Hao’s question was for me or Gita.

  “It is.” I answered before my Dve could. “Rai is such a pretentious ass. Penultimate Holdings.” Rolling my eyes at the ceiling. “Does he even know what that word means?”

  “It’s hard to say. I don’t have to point out that he doesn’t have that kind of money. I thought this was going to lead us to our source, but we’re going to have to keep digging.”

  “Can I just beat it out of Rai? Or let Jo do it?”

  Hao chuckled. “I think I can handle it. Are you all right?”

  I smiled at his concern. “I’m okay. The waterfall outside made things—” I waved a hand in the air, at a loss for words.

  “Here, I brought you this,” he said, holding out the mug he’d been cradling in his hands. Gita intercepted it, sipped it, made a face, and passed it on to me.

  I took a drink with a smile, paused, and forced myself to swallow the mouthful instead of spitting back into the cup. “What horrendous thing is this?”

  “They claimed it was chai,” Hao replied with a laugh.

  “They were wrong.”

  “Do you want me to take it, Majesty?”

  “No, Gita, I’ll hold on to it. At least it’s keeping my hands warm.” I couldn’t help the grin I shot in Hao’s direction. “This is not chai,” I said, shaking my head.

  “I’m going to dump it over your head if you don’t watch it.” Hao’s gaze slid past me to Gita. “And don’t think your BodyGuard there will keep you safe.”

  I slipped my arm through Hao’s. “Don’t pick a fight. I’m feeling better. Let’s go back out to the party before someone notices I’m gone.”

  We headed out of the library and back out into the main room, exchanging greetings with people as we passed. Gita stayed at my side; the other BodyGuards fell back toward the wall behind me.

  “Your Majesty.” Adora approached, flanked by the other Farians.

  “Itegas Notaras. Are you enjoying the party?”

  “Well enough.” She kept her gloved hands folded at her waist. “I would like to apologize for my behavior this afternoon; it was undignified. You are right about letting Aiz and our history get to me. I don’t want to give the impression that the Farians aren’t committed to the idea of peace, and it was pointed out to me that I may have done just that.”

  “I appreciate it,” I replied, recalling Johar’s words about Aiz not being invested. “We will pick up in the morning, see where compromises can be made, and start from there.”

  “Thank you, Majesty, both for your patience and for agreeing to this in the first place.” Adora bowed, the gesture echoed by her companions, and the group turned and headed for the doors through the crowd.

  I watched them go and spotted Mia, who was leaning against a table talking to a waiter, Aiz at her side. She looked away from the young man and smiled at me. I was distracted and nearly missed the waiter turning from them and pulling a gun from beneath his jacket.

  “Gita?” I put my free hand on her arm.

  Hao stiffened at my side. “Hail.” He breathed my name a split second before the shooting started.

  42

  The screaming started with the first shots, guests scrambling for cover as waiters dropped their trays and opened fire. Aiz kicked the feet out from under the waiter as the man swung toward him with the gun. The waiter went down hard. Aiz grabbed for Mia and vanished in the mass of people rushing for the exits.

  Hao spun away from me, kicking the nearest mercenary in the chest before he could bring his gun around to bear on us.

  The AK-334 was an older-model laser assault rifle favored by Solarian-born mercs both for ease of use and for the low cost. The power magazines held 334 shot bursts, or a decent two-and-a-half-minute full-auto spray, though that kind of sustained fire tended to melt the barrel.

  Hao finished off the merc with a shot from the man’s own gun and immediately dropped into a crouch behind an overturned table, picking off targets as fast as he could find them.

  I scrambled backward, pushing Alba toward the wall, looking for cover and a weapon.

  Gita plucked the tray another waiter had thrown in her direction out of the air and hit an attacker in the face with it. The resounding clang rang out over the chaos.

  Ikeki died with a choked gurgle, the only warning we had of the attacker behind us. I shoved Alba to the side. A Shen man I didn’t recognize grabbed for Kisah, his dark eyes devoid of emotion. I smashed my mug of hot non-chai into the side of his head before he could touch her and he staggered back, blood dripping from the side of his face.

  “Gita! Get her out of here!” Emmory shouted, tackling the assassin. The pair landed hard on the floor of the ballroom. They rolled several times, the Shen coming out on top.

  Gita was tangled up with the merc who’d thrown the tray at her. Kisah and Jagana were calling out targets, firing at the mercs on either side of us.

  “Kisah, gun!” I shouted, and my BodyGuard pitched hers in my direction without hesitation.

  I caught it.

  The Shen pressed his hand to Emmory’s throat.

  I squeezed the trigger and the Shen collapsed.

  “Emmory!”

  “I’m all right, Majesty.” He pushed the Shen to his side and got to his feet, grabbing me by the arm and jerking me lower. “We need to move,” he said.

  Something exploded in the entrance, and the lights went down, plunging us into a darkness that was broken only by the moonlight streaming through the smoke. Emmory threw himself over the top of me as debris sprayed into the room.

  Gita scrambled across the floor, one hand pressed to her side and blood flowing from a cut high on her cheek.

  “Gita—”

  “I’m all right.” She spat blood on the floor. “Zin’s holding the back corridor with Iza and Indula. We can get out that way or through the windows in the library.”

  “Call in,” Emmory said over the com link. “I want everyone to call in.”

  “There are more gunmen in the street,” Riddhi said. “They blew up an aircar right in front of the building, sir. Muna and Sahil are both with me. No injuries.”

  “Ekam Tresk, Captain Saito here. We have a shuttle headed your way for extraction. Please advise if you think more firepower necessary.”

  “Not right now, Captain Saito. I’m not sure the Solies will take kindly to our warship breaking atmo. Riddhi, make your way around to the back, stay low, stay sharp. Do not engage unless necessary. We’ve got a shuttle incoming from orbit.”

  “Copy that, sir.”

  I searched for Hao through the chaos, spotting him with Alba, the pair calmly picking off targets from behind an overturned table.


  “Hao, we’re moving.” I jerked my head toward the door. He nodded in response through the smoke and waved a hand.

  “I’ll cover and follow,” he said over the com. “We’ve got more hostiles coming in through the opposite side.”

  “Don’t get killed,” I ordered. “And before you say it, I am the boss of you, gege.”

  Hao’s muttered curse was drowned out by the sound of him firing. Emmory shoved me through the door as the answering gunfire from the mercenaries slammed into the wall above our heads.

  A moment later Alba dove through the doorway and I wrapped my chamberlain up in a tight hug. “Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine, Majesty.” She gestured at her bare feet. “Though I’m better understanding your insistence on low heels.”

  I choked back a laugh. “Where did you learn how to shoot like that?”

  “Gita’s been teaching me, ma’am. I thought she told you,” Alba replied.

  “Hao, covering fire, move your ass.” Gita knelt in the doorway, half hidden behind the frame, and fired back.

  He slid through the door under her covering fire and I heard him say, “You are definitely not the boss of me.”

  “Asshole,” she replied, but there was laughter in her voice.

  We moved down the hallway, the sounds of my BodyGuards clearing rooms one by one was oddly soothing. I gripped Kisah’s gun, my free hand on Emmory’s back as we worked our way through the dark.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked over our private com link.

  “I’m fine. He didn’t get close to me. He touched you. I shot him while he was touching you. You should be dead.”

  “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  “He killed Ikeki.” The grief was sharp and fresh, strong enough to poke holes in my adrenaline rush.

  “I saw.”

  “Jamison favors the AK-334, Emmory. I’d put down credits this is his people. But I saw Aiz just before the shooting started; he took down one of the shooters.”