by Tim Morrison
Chapter 9.3
Breakfast Lounge, Royal Palace, Tara -3 BA
Gya and Cato shuttled down to the palace for sunsrise, getting there a few minutes before the revellers began to wake up, and they were ushered into the break room close to where the majority of the senior officers had slept.
They were enjoying a mug of Kaf when the other officers began to make their way into the room, and Gya looked at them all. “It certainly looks like there was a big party down here last eve.”
Cato laughed. “I think we're going to have the palace brew some big kettles of Kaf for this morning.”
“My head hurts.” Aya said as she sat at the edge of the bed, looking down at her feet as her toes wriggled in the deep carpet.
Kya looked at her slightly bleary-eyed, then sat up, and propped herself on one elbow.
“How was the evening?” She asked casually, seeing how much Aya would remember.
“I met my Father. I danced with my Father, and with Tyo, and with a whole bunch of other people.” Aya sighed. “I drank way too much bubbly wine. Oh my gods! Kya, I told off my Father!” Aya said as she spun around to look at her Lari'Sota
“You were magnificent.” Kya said.
“I stood here on this bed. I was naked! I-Why are you smiling?” Aya said looking at Kya suspiciously.
“You, my little Lady, stood down the most powerful man in the Confederacy. Ryo Camelin commands the entire TGX fleet. If he told them to take out the palace, they would follow his order without question.” She leaned over and kissed Aya's nose, making the other woman wrinkle it.
“You stood on this bed, naked, and told him that you were a woman and to back off. He obeyed you. You proved to him that not only do you have honour, but that he had better respect it, and respect you.” Kya finished.
“I did, didn't I?” Aya said, bemused.
“Yes, you did. I am so proud of you for standing up for yourself. You are most certainly not a pushover, my Aya.” Kya said, gathering Aya into her arms for a long hug.
“I never thought I was a pushover, Kya.” Aya said, muffled by Kya's breasts and hair.
“After this night, nobody else will ever think that, my Lady.” Kya murmured as she stroked Aya's hair.
Both girls got up and went to Tyo's large refresher to get ready for the day. After a cursory cleaning, they wrapped themselves in long flowing robes and then went the door, which Kya pushed open to see two guards standing at attention. “Is anybody else up yet?” She asked.
One of the guards nodded. “End of the hall, conference room, some of the guests are already arisen.”
Kya nodded, and taking Aya by the hand, they walked down the hall to greet the other guests.
The Emperor swept in to the breakfast area and seeing Gya, came over to give her a formal hug, then shook Cato's hand, greeting and congratulating them on their part in the victory. He then made his way around the room, mingling with everybody as they came in and making it feel much less formal than it had before.
“He does that, a lot. One thing Tyo Masilec knows, is how to work a crowd.” Gya said, then finished her mug and went for another.
“One of these days, Sylva, I'm going to send you to try and talk Captain Kalen out of his brew for Kaf. We need a decent brew on the ship.”
Cato laughed into her own mug. “You still got a sting on the tail from the last time you tried it, Gya?” She said with a wink. “I recall that we could hear the slap across your rear from the bridge, two decks down. You were so red in the face, and refused to look at him for a week.”
Gya smiled. “That was the first and last time I ever tried to wrap the Captain around my finger. He's not wrappable.”
They noticed two young women come into the room, wrapped in long warm robes, and be greeted by the Emperor, then promptly sat down and mugs of Kaf pressed into their willing hands.
“She still has no idea of the relation, does she?” Cato whispered.
Gya shook her head as she watched her younger sister being waited on by the Emperor and his attendants. “No idea, and until the Commander says different, that's the way it shall remain.”
“You ever feel jealous that she got all this, while you get to run a warship?” Sylva asked her.
Gya pursed her lips. “No, this made sense. I was old enough to know what happened, Aya was too young, and she was truly an innocent victim. She was still a babe, and Mother loved to give her all the attention, I wanted to fly. In a lot of ways, we both got what we wanted.” She sighed, and Cato put her hand on the taller woman's shoulder.
“We're still looking, Gya. You know that. I don't think we'll ever stop looking for him.”
Tyo turned as he noticed movement and saw both girls coming in. “There are the two princesses of the palace. Come here, my dears.” He held out his arms and both girls came over to receive a warm embrace, then sat down beside him.
”Don't you ever sleep, my Lord?” Aya asked him, noting that he looked fresh and awake.
“Not many hours, Lady Aya. My body refuses to require rest, so I am up a great deal these days.” He said with a chuckle, then leaned forward to pick up a bowl full of fresh fruits and berries and offered it to both girls. They looked around as they ate, a few of the Officers from the night's festivities were there, but The Captain and Fleet Commander had not yet appeared. Aya noted that Commander Desinlo was present, chatting with some officers, always so tall and proper, with her icy blue hair and slate grey eyes, she somehow terrified Aya, but the young Lady did not know why.
Tyo was making his way through the groups of Officers when he heard footsteps and straightened up. Ryo Camelin came around the doorway, followed by Captain Kalen. Both looking fully refreshed and ready for duty, as always.
Gya kept an eye on her younger sister as she watched the entire room, then looked up as the Commander and Kalen walked into the room, looking fresh and ready for duty. She was about to go over, when Cato's gentle grip on her arm tightened and Gya realized something was up.
She watched her Father get a mug of Kaf, look over to where Aya was sitting, nod at her, then turn away to speak with Kalen as if he was dismissing her out of hand. That was not like him at all.
“He's mad at me.” Aya whispered to Kya who was curled up on a chair, holding a mug of steaming Kaf and watching some of the younger officers, flirting with her eyes.
“No he's not. He's bothered by last night and probably has no idea how to talk to you. Remember, my Aya, this is the Military man. He's all Rank and posture. Give him a war and he'll win it. Give him a determined daughter, and he'll go all to pieces.” Kya said with a smirk.
Aya finished her mug, then stood. “Aya, what are you doing?” Kya said, also leaning to put her mug down. Aya stopped her with a single finger. “You stay here. I am going to have a talk with my Father.”
Gya watched the tiny girl finish her mug then hand it to her companion, rise, and stop the other girl with a gesture. Then to Gya's amusement, the little princess walked over to the military men and stood as Lord Ryo Camelin watched her carefully, almost warily. Gya realized, that her father was somehow afraid of this tiny thing.
“Father.” Aya said, looking up at him.
“Yes, Lady Aya?” Ryo replied, carefully keeping his tone moderate.
“I would speak with you now.” She said, then indicated a couple of chairs over by the ocean-facing windows.
Ryo followed his youngest daughter and once she had sat down, he also sat, then looked at her as he carefully sipped his Kaf. Gya kept a close eye on them, but now flanked by both Kalen and Cato, knew that no matter what, she was to keep out of this.
She saw Aya and the Commander talking earnestly, body language indicated something major had occurred, this conversation was something serious. What had happened?
“You had no business making an assumption like you did last night.” Aya stated quietly.
Ryo nodded. “I am aware of my error, Lady.”
She glared at him and quietly growled.
“You left me here when I was just four. You effectively abandoned me. Now you come back, flush with victory over a war, and expect things to work the way you feel they should work? This is not your world, Father. This is Tara. This is where I was raised. Not the Clanworld, the Palace. Things do not work here the way they work back at your home.”
Ryo nodded. “It is your home as well, Lady Aya. Even though you do not remember it.”
“I don't know it.” She whispered, then looked at him. “Are the other Clan Members like you?”
Ryo thought before replying. “Probably not, I tend to be very rigid in my thinking. I am, after all, Commander and Clan Leader. Aya, I am sorry for my actions. I was wrong.”
Gya clearly heard what Aya said next, the entire room did, in the sudden silence.
Aya looked at her hands, then looked at him. “You're sorry?”
Ryo nodded.
“You're the Commander of the Battlefleet. You never back down from a fight. You don't apologize, why are you apologizing to me? I'm nothing.” She said.
To her surprise, Ryo slid off the chair to both of his knees and took her hands in his. Gya gasped and felt Cato's arm grip her shoulder so hard it nearly hurt, so she remained still. "Don't react, Gya. Just wait." She heard Kalen say quietly.
“Father, get up please.” Aya hissed.
“My daughter, I humbly offer to you an apology for my shameful actions of the previous night.” Ryo said, quite loudly.
Aya felt her face burning, and glancing around, knew that everybody was watching.
“Father, please stand.” She whispered to him, trying to pull him back to his feet, but Ryo resisted, looking at her earnestly.
“I am sorry for the manner I acted towards you. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I would be forever grateful to you.” Ryo continued.
Gya saw both Aya's companion and the Emperor come up beside her, then her companion leaned over and whispered something into the small woman's ear, which caused the little princess to blush even more.
Aya felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Kya standing beside her. Tyo was just behind her, staying back, but close by. Kya leaned over and whispered “Accept the apology, my Lady. It is not often that the Commander of the Combined Fleet gets down on both knees to beg it from a Lady.”
“I-I” She swallowed. “I accept your Apology, Father. Now please rise.” Aya managed to stammer out. Ryo took each of her hands to his lips and kissed the backs, then gently placed them both in her lap and got back to his feet, bowed to her, and took a step backwards, to stand at rest, but still at a form of attention.
“Thank you, My Lady. Your apology means the worlds to me. May I be permitted to excuse myself?” He asked her in a very soft voice.
Aya nodded numbly, without saying another word. She watched Fleet Commander Ryo Camelin turn and walk out of the room, snagging another mug of Kaf as he left. Kalen tipped his fingers to her in a salute, then with a firm hand on Commander Desinlo's shoulder, steered the woman with him and they exited as well, Gya keeping an eye on her young sister until they were out of the room and down the hallway.
“Kya ... what just happened?” Aya said as she felt shivers start. Kya wrapped her in warm arms and gave her a hug as Tyo brought her over a fresh mug of Kaf.
“Thank you.” she said to him and began to drink the liquid, coughing and sputtering but made herself drink the entire mug so she could feel the heat flow through her.
Tyo sat in a chair opposite to her and leaned over. “You, my dear Aya, have just received a formal apology from the Clan Leader of Camelin. Your Father has said sorry. I can count on one hand, the number of times I've witnessed that happen.”
He sat back and snapped his fingers. A server came over with a tray of delicate flaked breads and jellied cakes. “Grab some food, Ladies. You have another big day ahead, and you, my Lady Aya, have a surprise coming that I do hope you will enjoy. Otherwise I will be devastated.”
With a wink, he rose, kissed Aya's hand, then kissed Kya on the cheek, and strode out of the room, beginning to bark orders left and right as the crowd of advisers gathered around him for the morning reports.
Aya looked at Kya, then gabbed the mug out of Kya's hand and drank it dry as well. She coughed. “That's not Kaf!”
Kya laughed. “Well, it is, but I added something to it. I enjoy a little spice in the morning, my Aya.”
Aya got to her feet, then looked at her Lari'Sota. “Do you have any idea what the Emperor was talking about?”
Kya nodded. “I think so, and if I tell you, he'll have me flogged in front of the entire palace, so I think I would prefer to keep my bottom intact, thank you, my Lady.”
“You're not supposed to keep secrets from me, Kya.” Aya said as they walked back to the Emperor's bedchamber.
“It's not a secret, my dear. It is a surprise.” Kya said, then pushed open the door so Aya could go in. Kya told the Guard to send for their clothes and then pulled the door shut behind them.
...
Kalen slipped away to catch up to the Commander, leaving Cato to ensure Gya did not try and challenge her younger sister, or follow too closely.
“Commander, are you doing OK?” Ryo heard as Kalen hurried to catch up to him. Ryo slowed his pace so his XO could match it.
“I'm doing fine, Kalen. Better than fine, actually. I made a mistake, and now it's dealt with. Things should begin to go right again.” Ryo said as he walked down the corridor, sipping the mug of hot drink.
He turned into another conference area, and noticed the other Officers were slowly walking down the corridor. “You people, go do whatever you want to – we're not on duty. Enjoy yourselves, be gone, vanish.” He said then walked into the conference room and sat down in a large chair that overlooked the windows. This room oversaw the elaborate palace gardens.
Kalen sat down beside him, and took the mug offered by the server.
“Kalen, you don't need to hang around me, go enjoy yourself. This is Tara. There are ten thousand ways to enjoy yourself here. Go indulge your senses.” Ryo said as he finished his mug.
“What about you, Commander?” Kalen asked.
Ryo nodded. “I'm good. It's been a long time since I visited this place. The last time was with Lya, and we spent a day exploring the gardens. I may walk them again today, just to see what has changed.”
Kalen stood and put a hand on his Commander's shoulder. “I have my Comm. You call me if you need anything.”
Ryo nodded and then listened as Kalen's quiet footsteps echoed out the door and off into the general background noise of the palace.
Kalen turned the corridor to find Gya, and as she started towards the conference area, he grabbed her arm. “Let him be, Gya. He needs time.”
“But, he just...” She started.
Kalen steered the other Commander away from the area where the Fleet Commander was now enjoying some solitude.
“Give me the report, Commander. How go the repairs?” Kalen asked her, making Gya switch gears back into her normal business mode.
Gya blinked, then nodded. “Right. TGX-6 has only minor damage from the mutiny. We did more damage with barrage fire to her hull. Nothing unrepairable, they figure six weeks of drydock is required to bring her back up to flight status.”
Kalen nodded. “Excellent, what about your ship?”
“We suffered a reactor failure. Unit 3 went critical, again. It is out of action and we can do nothing until propellants have vented safely. We're running on reduced power for a month until we can properly bypass the systems. The entire aft quad is flooded with hard greys, Captain.”
“Reactor 3 has been an issue for a long time, hasn't it?”
Gya nodded. “It has a bad history. Once it cools the techs are going to swap it for a new unit.”
Their conversation faded into the general background of the palace as Kalen guided Gya away from where her father was finally able to enjoy some quiet.
Ryo Camelin sat and watched
the gardens, seeing the many people who walked through the massive complex every day. The gardens were enclosed on all sides by the Palace, which was itself enclosed by the landing fields and support facilities. The war was finished. Michelab had sworn Fealty. Warriors were at rest. Ryo ... had nobody to rest with, no urge to relax.
