Scene 21, Hello, Goodbye
Karen watched Alexander walk out of the dining room together with Christine, after saying his goodbyes to both her and Adam. Before his absence on Arisia became too noticeable, she guessed he wanted some time alone with his wife before Jumping back. Karen had been watching him all through dinner. Although his age was difficult to pin down, as it was for all but the youngest or oldest here, he seemed to exude an air of quiet strength and confidence, along with a physical grace, that gave away just how truly old, by her standards, he really was. That she too could have such a long lifespan was something Karen was still trying to get her head around.
During dinner, she had found Alexander to be a warm, yet private man, quick to laugh or crack a humorous comment, yet she could sense a desperation beneath the surface that Karen thought was a genuine concern for the people in his Empire and family. Strangely, he was reluctant to talk too much about his time on Earth and always managed to change the subject when she’d asked him about it, although he was more than happy to discuss aspects of Earth’s history that the family had been involved in, all of which had made her gasp with surprise. His current knowledge of Earth also surprised her, until, she realised sheepishly, Vimes was obviously providing him with a constant stream of information obtained from the recent visit or the reconnaissance systems they undoubtedly had left monitoring Earth.
She shook her head slightly, not for the first time wondering how long it would be before she took all of this for granted, then reminded herself she had only been here a short time and to stop being so impatient. Despite finding Vimes an excellent, if a somewhat mercurial companion, she had only just begun scratching the surface of her implants capabilities.
“Well, what do you think of him?” Adam asked, breaking that particular train of thought and bringing her back to the present.
“You two are so alike, Adam,” she began, then shushing him before he could deny it. “He does seem worried, though.”
“He is that, but don’t worry about him, Karen. I have every confidence he and Vimes will sort this all out.”
Karen looked at Adam with a surprised expression. “How can you say that? A third of the Empire has rebelled, both of your parents barely escaped death by the skin of their teeth and you think he’ll just be able to sort it all out, just like that? I know things are different here, but that’s just plain daft.”
Adam was genuinely taken aback at her comment and seeing the look on his face, she instantly regretted her words, despite them being true.
“But he’s Alexander, Karen,” Adam replied, “With mother, the two of them fought back against worse odds than this. It took them years, but they won the Empire back, so there’s no chance the two of them aren’t going to do so again this time. Back then, almost everyone thought he wasn’t even the real Alexander when he turned up after being reported dead.”
Karen didn’t have the heart to argue with him, so settled for shaking her head again. “I hope you’re right, Adam. I really do.” She wanted to change the subject, so asked what he thought was going to happen next.
“Father is assembling the Home Fleet and will be arranging for some of his most experienced officers to take up commands in the new fleet he has waiting at Arisia and elsewhere. He’s already indicated to me I will be expected to accompany him when he goes back.” He moved closer to Karen and hugged her, then continued, “I know that Mother wants to keep an eye on you and make sure you get a good introduction into your life here. She’s currently debating whether to take you with her on a diplomatic mission to visit the Felidae Empress. I think she will.”
Karen felt her pulse accelerate at the news. Of all the alien races she’d heard about, the Felidae interested her the most, especially as they were potentially the most powerful and deadly. “What makes you think that?
“Actually, she’s already told me,” he confessed, looking a little sheepish. “Both she and father want to make sure the border with them is secure, enabling us to move the maximum number of ships away from Capital and the border to reinforce the attacking fleets. They’ve proven themselves honourable in the past, but we can’t afford to fight a war on two fronts, hence a diplomatic mission from one Empress to another won't go amiss. Mother and their Empress seem to have an understanding of sorts. You will also get the chance to see Duke Gallagher, whose Sector also lies next to the Felidae and has been asked to assist with the negotiation. He’s my Godfather and very nice, you two will get on really well, providing you give as good as you get.”
Adam looked into Karen’s eyes. “I’m so sorry, Karen, but we will have to be apart for a while. Christine will look well after you and I promise to talk to you whenever I can.”
Karen remained silent, then kissed him and took his hand. “Come on, Adam, I think we need to follow your parent's example and snatch some quality time while we have the chance, don’t you?”
He smiled and not at all reluctantly, let himself be led away, knowing this was going to be the time when they both truly found out how they felt about each other.
Naked, they lay in each other's arms, having fallen into bed after having run almost all the way to Karen’s suite, throwing off their clothes as they neared the bedroom. Between kisses, Karen felt a question come from Adam via his implant and allowed it through, curious.
“Hello, my beautiful princess,” spoke Adam in her mind, “Do you trust me?”
“Of course I do, silly,” she replied, giggling.
“Let me show you something…that’s it…now let the emotional content open up…that’s it.” Suddenly, the full power of his feelings came through for the first time and she could feel how much Adam felt for her along with the increasing intensity of his sexual arousal. His emotions complemented and magnified her own, increasing them to a level she’d never experienced before, both scaring and making her want more at the same time.
“Oh my God, this is amazing, I never knew…” she thought back at Adam, not bothering to speak as her mouth was clamped firmly over his, hands roving all over his body. “Wow.”
“Wow, indeed. Now just relax and open your mind completely to me…I’ll help you…there,” came Adam’s response, and Karen found herself linked to Adam’s emotions and thoughts in the most intimate of ways, reaching a depth of emotional attachment and feeling his love in a way she had never experienced before, the nerves of her body tingling and responding to his caresses in a pleasurable fire. Before she lost herself completely to their joint passion and the insanely intense emotions, Karen felt a small, sane part of herself observe, “A girl could get used to this.”
Some time later, the two couples met at the entrance to the hanger in which Alexander’s yacht was being readied by several servitors in anticipation for his return Jump to Arisia. Both couples shared a knowing smile with each other, their goodbyes already having been said in the privacy of their quarters. Father and son embraced their partners, then walked quickly up the steps and into the sleek yacht, turning at the entranceway and waving as they said their final words to each other via their implants.
Karen and Christine stood close together, their hips almost touching as they watched the entrance vanish back into the hull metal, each saying goodbye in their own fashion. The ship rose silently then slid away from them to create sufficient distance so they wouldn’t be buffeted or caught up in the Jump field when it activated. Knowing now what to expect, Karen covered her ears as she watched the ship become enveloped by the growing Jump field as it expanded to cover the yacht. With a final, heartfelt goodbye sounding in their minds from the two men inside, the yacht Jumped, leaving the two women alone with the slowly disappearing servitors as they merged back into the hanger floor. Karen stood patiently, looking to take her cue from whatever Christine did next but even so, was glad of a few moments silence to help her try and organise her own thoughts.
Christine turned to her and spoke first, “So you want to meet aliens, Karen? I know Adam has already spoken to you about my pl
ans but I’ll leave the decision with you. There are risks involved, as I’m sure you realise.”
“Is the sky blue?” Karen replied, nodding, “of course I do,” smiling at the look of surprise and humour on Christine’s face as she remembered what the response meant.
“I’ve not heard that expression for a long time. Not surprising really. It’s been years since I’ve spent any real time on Earth. Apart from distant cousins and nephews, there’s no-one left, everyone’s dead and buried.” She locked eyes with Karen. “That’s one of the less enjoyable aspects of having such a long life, Karen. When all your friends and family back on Earth have such ephemeral live’s compared to your own, it’s hard to see them age and pass away so quickly.”
Christine stopped herself before she let her guard down any further, a little annoyed for expressing her vulnerability in front of Karen, knowing she should be encouraging the woman, not depressing her. To lighten the mood, Christine decided to get something out in the open and remind Karen of their shared history and experiences, both being from Earth and having to learn about this world.
“How did your goodbyes go with Adam?” she asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow, “there are some pleasurable advantages in having an implant, aren’t there?”
Karen felt herself reddening as if she was still a shy, awkward teenager but couldn’t stop herself from laughing out loud. She forced herself to look at Christine.
“You can say that again, Christine. It feels a bit strange talking to you about…you know…this sort of thing and Adam. Actually, it’s quite uncomfortable for me to talk to you in this way but if this is where we are going, answer me this. How can you stand being apart from Alexander for so long when being together is so intensely sharing? I could actually feel how he felt for me…it was like being one person.”
Christine smiled. “Your previous, Earthly notions of privacy, sex and morality would be considered quaint here, Karen. It’s not easy, but you get used to it, believe me. It came as a real culture shock to find how open people were here about their sexuality, yet they…we…are very moral in our own way. So much of what we were taught on Earth can be traced back to religious practices. Take those away and life becomes much simpler.” Her smile broadened. “Homecomings are worth it, however. Come on, there’s a lot we have to do and discuss instead of reminiscing about what might-have-beens and talking about our sex lives.” She took Karen’s arm and gently motioned her towards the exit. “What did you think of your armoured suit?” she asked Karen, walking towards the nearest transit tube to take them away from the ultra-secure hanger bay and back up to the main wing of the Palace.
“Being fitted for one was certainly a weirdly intimate experience, that’s for certain. It felt as if every nerve in my body was trying to tell me something at the same time. Some places were certainly more interesting than others too,” she replied, lifting an eyebrow at Christine, who laughed again at the comment and gave her arm a gentle squeeze.
“Yes, I do know what you mean, Karen. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you feel about it, it’s something we undergo every five years or so to make sure the suits are properly calibrated, but like other things, it’s something you get used to. I will make arrangements for you to be properly tutored in how to use your suit.”
The entered the transit tube and Karen looked thoughtfully at Christine as she gave it instructions, “Christine, how long did it take you to get used to all of this… this stuff?”
They sat down, opposite each other and Christine waited a few moments before speaking.
“There're not many days that go by without my asking myself the same question, Karen, so I suppose the answer has to be, never. However, we humans are adaptable creatures and everything soon becomes the norm, but it’s important you never lose sight of who you are and where you have come from. I don’t mean Earth, rather your humble beginnings. Hold on to those, especially if your relationship with Adam lasts long enough for you to become Empress, although you will have a very good idea now about how he feels towards you. The power, wealth, and temptations are so, so seductive, that it’s easy to begin taking them for granted, but I think you have the strength of character to resist.”
Karen nodded. “Thank you, Christine. I suppose Vimes has told you what I was like.”
“Only about what he saw and felt about you and then only up to the point where he merged with your implant. After that, he has been his usual tactful self. “Haven’t you Vimes?” she asked, looking up to the ceiling for effect.
“Yes, Christine,” Vimes responded in both their minds, “As I told you earlier, Karen, unless there is a good reason, what goes on in your head or between us will remain private. Christine knows this and would never pry.”
“Anyway,” continued Christine, “I didn’t get to live this long without picking up a few things on how to judge someone. Your job, for example. You are used to keeping confidences and your choice of medicine as a profession indicates you have an empathy for others.”
The transit tube came to a stop and the door opened, revealing several Marine guards and assorted courtiers waiting for Christine, who turned to Karen. “I’ve suggested several books and videos for you to catch up on the Felidae and have arranged for them to be downloaded so you can go over them at your convenience. I recommend you spend the next few hours catching up, then I’ll meet you later for a bite to eat after I’ve dealt with a few matters, OK?”
Karen nodded and was surprised at the outward show of affection in front of everyone when Christine leant across and kissed her on both cheeks, before acknowledging the others and walking quickly towards where her important business was waiting. Karen stood still for a few moments, wondering what to do next when a warm message came in from Christine, just as she vanished around a corner, trailing people, “Don’t forget, if you want to know something, ask Vimes.”
Karen looked at the now empty corridor for a moment, taking stock. “What should I do first then, Vimes?” she asked, heading towards the entrance to her quarters.
“Wash, change, read-up, then spend some time familiarising yourself with the armoured suit’s functions, then if you have any time left before meeting with Christine, read some more. The Felidae are a fascinating species but in some areas totally unpredictable, so if you are going to interact with them you’ll need to be thoroughly prepared.”
“That makes them sound dangerous,” Karen replied.
“Yes, they are, but fortunately, the ones you will be meeting are almost certainly going to be trained Diplomats, familiar in the ways of humans and as such will make allowances.”
Karen entered her quarters, the doors opening automatically as they sensed her approach. Inside, on an instruction from Vimes, her rooms had already altered their scent and lighting to one conducive for concentration and study. Safe from being overheard, she continued their conversation out loud.
“So, these Felidae, do they eat people or what? she asked, only half seriously.
“No, but not for the reasons you might think. Human notions of morality, good and evil, can’t be applied to alien races, Karen. Your favourite author, Terry Pratchett, once wrote, “take the universe and grind it down to the finest powder and sieve it through the finest sieve and then show me one atom of justice, one molecule of mercy.” He was right. You need to remember this when dealing with non-human races. Incidentally, the reason they don’t eat humans is they find the taste repulsive.”
While she was trying to think of a suitable response, Vimes interrupted, “Shower or bath?”
“Shower, please,” she responded, walking through into the bedroom where she began undressing, leaving the clothes in a neat pile on the floor to be picked up by a servitor, then walked into the bathroom where the shower was already on, set to her preferred temperature and scent.
Concentrating on washing and not wanting to talk through a mouthful of water, Karen remained silent until she’d finished, then took up the conversation from where she’d l
eft off as she dried herself. “So, what are the main pointers I need to know about them, Vimes?” she asked.
“Warm bloodied, mammalian, our size, feline in appearance, the males solitary by nature unless with family, females far less so, similar in strength to humans but more supple and athletic with slightly faster reactions. Cunning and intelligent problem solvers. You like cats so might think you’ll get on with them, but don’t be fooled, these aren’t anything like the domestic ones you're used to. We believe their empire to be made up of multiple family groupings, called Gatherings, of which the most powerful has historically provided the Empress. She and members of her Gathering tour the empire for half of every year, in a royal progress, just like your old kings of England did to keep an eye on their nobility.”
Karen finished towelling herself dry and walked into the bedroom where fresh clothes had already been laid out and the dirty ones removed. Form-fitting, light grey trousers and top, with a small orange and black Imperial sigil woven into the left breast, they fitted perfectly over the silk undergarments. Karen instructed a wall to turn into a mirror and spent a moment admiring herself from all angles. Her skin had finished changing and she thought the tanned look really suited her. She’d noticed other, more subtle changes also happening to her body. For the last year on Earth, she had been suffering from worsening plantar fasciitis, brought on by being on her feet for long periods but the pain this brought was now almost gone. The eyes that looked back at her in the mirror seemed brighter and she felt more alive than she had since being a teenager.
“Bah, probably my imagination,” she thought to herself, pulling down the fabric of her top, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles, then turning to admire her behind, wiggling it and smiling at her vanity.
Satisfied, Karen walked out into the main room and sat down in a comfortable looking chair by the window. “Vimes,” she asked, “where is this information for me to read?”
Imperium: Revelation: Book Two in the Imperium Trilogy Page 22
