"Come on, Georg, that's enough! Do you think I like to hear comparisons like that?"
I just chuckled in reply to the Queen's annoyance. It was her own fault. She shouldn't have been reading my thoughts. She didn’t have to get this upset. But I didn't have particular complaints about my wife. The Queen was not in conflict with my favorite, because she didn't take Astra even remotely seriously as a rival. Astra then, after quickly figuring out that the Queen of Unatari, despite her ghastly reputation, was not working to destroy her, accepted Miya more as a piece of furniture or yet another of the monarch's bodyguards. Insofar as I knew, the Queen and my favorite had a conversation three months ago, in which they had come to an understanding, laying down rules to help them coexist in peace. But I didn't really know the details.
"What do you even mean details?" my spouse cut into my thoughts yet again. "The Princess was utterly oblivious to my hints, so I told Astra directly that she had to go straight to the medical wing of the starship to senior doctor Nicosid Brandt and get the very best in contraceptives. I assured the Princess that she didn't have anything to fear from me, as long as she took the medicine as he prescribed. And if she decides to break that rule, well..."
Because Miya didn't finish that sentence, I made sure to clarify the possible consequences Astra might face.
"Georg, you know perfectly well that my arms and legs are bound by a promise I made to you and that I cannot do any harm to your favorite. But that didn't necessarily mean she had to know that. Astra is still abusing her impunity and has basically moved into your cabin. If it weren't for her son, with whom Astra spends lots of time in the playroom, the Princess would never leave your chambers."
I walked over to the Queen of Unatari, who was looking cantankerously at her reflection in the mirror and gave her a tender hug. Then quietly, so Likanna and Astra wouldn't hear me, I said:
"Miya, you shouldn’t get upset. Astra has lived that way since her first day in my retinue, so she considers such behavior normal and doesn't even suspect that it bothers you."
My explanation was interrupted by an incoming call signal. The staff communications officer informed me:
"Your Majesty, incoming call from the Throne World. The Dark Mother would like to speak with your second Truth Seeker, Florianna ton Veyerde. Shall I put her through?"
It was a mere formality to ask such a question — could one really refuse such a powerful Truth Seeker? So, of course, I gave my approval. After finishing her rejuvenation procedures, my spouse turned around. Alarm could be read on her now youthful and flawlessly beautiful face:
"I don't like this, Georg. The Dark Mother has obviously got something in mind, and I don't trust her. For the last few weeks, I have had a growing sense of danger, and it has now become unbearably keen. Someday soon, something irreversible will happen."
I had no reason to doubt the presentiments of such an experienced Truth Seeker. To be honest, I had observed a strange lull in the political life of the Empire in the last few days, and didn't quite feel right about it myself. Normally, something happened every day — aristocrats would fight and make up, "eternal" alliances were formed and broken, reports came in from the fronts where the fleets of the Purple and Blue Houses were holding back the Alien onslaught with varying levels of success. But now, it was like the calm before the storm.
I turned to the table, which my servants had just finished setting under the watchful eye of my butler Bryle. I had lost all my appetite for breakfast, though. I just spoke to no one in particular, knowing that my order would be heard and handed off where it needed to go:
"We planned for there to be a conference of Unatari fleet commanders in four days, to discuss the production timelines for the new ships. Explain to all those invited that the scheduled time has been changed, and I expect them in forty minutes on Joan the Fatty. Miya, you'll be coming with me. As it happens, there’s some work up your alley."
* * *
I was in a small circular room on my flagship, built to hold secret negotiations and conferences. It was totally blocked off from the outside world. No recording devices would work here, and all implants would be deactivated. My android secretary Bionica turned off instantly in this room as well, so the translator in this conversation, which would involve humans and Iseyek, was the head of my security team, the chameleon Popori de Cacha. I was normally accompanied by Flora, who checked the sincerity and loyalty of all those present but, today, my Truth Seeker was Miya. This was the first time the Queen of Unatari had attended such a conference. She was engrossed in a huge touch-screen in the middle of the room, over which there hovered a huge glowing hologram of Imperial Space with all Perimeter Sectors. There were a great number of variously colored markers showing the position of all known fleets, including those of the Empire, Great Houses, allied kingdoms, and even Aliens.
"Here, you can find the most up to date information on the position of all combat starships we've infiltrated. Even the Imperial Joint Chiefs don't have such accurate data," I said, unable to avoid bragging to my wife.
Miya didn't ask any questions, clearly reading all the information about my secret sources directly from my head. This tactical map was the true pride of the Unatari Fleet. It was kept up to date by tens of thousands of modest androids, who flew under the radar, working on military ships of the Empire and Great Houses as housekeepers, haulers, mechanics, or even pleasure bots for the crews of the combat starships.
The number of android agents sympathetic to the Unatari cause had grown significantly. Bionica had long been swamped with all the encrypted data we were getting from our many agents. For that reason, two months ago, a special department of twenty robots was formed in my headquarters to receive the encrypted messages on service channels, check them for reliability, then place the data on the tactical map. As a rule, any messages about fleet movements were reaffirmed by dozens of independent sources, so any false information arriving to the headquarters would be immediately filtered out. But, as far as I knew, we hadn’t yet detected any unreliable information, which gave me hope that no one in the Empire had yet guessed about my secret network of android spies.
An alternative source of information was the Arites, the very same diplomatic servants "killed" on the Throne World, as well as a hundred other shapeshifting secret agents flying around the Empire and embedding themselves in headquarters, fleets and communication centers. It was still a mystery to me how the Arites could recognize one another and converse amongst themselves, as they were very reluctant to discuss this topic. But the fact remained — the most valuable information about the Empire's secret docks, where they were building giant supercarrier-class starships, had been received from the Arite Iseyek.
The Unatari State had plenty of normal spies, as well. My authority in military circles was already high but, after the first successful counterattack against the Aliens in history, the defeat of the terrifying fleet of the Alien Queen and the liberation of nearly thirty star systems, the Imperial Military faction’s opinion of Crown Prince Georg had jumped to nearly +60. As far as I knew, that was the highest such number among all fleet leaders and aristocrats in the galaxy. I could make use of that, but didn’t think it prudent to do so for simple data gathering. Florianna and Miya were quite good and exposing spies in my ranks, so it made sense to assume that the other sides' Truth Seekers would be capable of the same.
The doors opened, and the members of my secret council entered the room one after the other. They were veterans of a great many battles, and experts in their fields, whose outstanding ability and loyalty I didn’t doubt in the slightest: Sector Nine Fleet Commander, Admiral Stefan Antri-Mesfelle; Sector Eight Fleet Commander, Space Major Nicole ton Savoia; First Unatari Fleet Commander, Admiral Mike ton Akad; Second Unatari Fleet Commander, Admiral Kiro Sabuto; Virho Heavy Fleet Commander, the Alpha Iseyek Admiral Masss Azhzh; Ayho Strike Fleet Commander, the Alpha Iseyek Admiral Kheraisss Vej; Swarm Landing Operations Commander, Marshal Savasss Jach; and my second
cousin Duchess Katerina ton Unatari, my political advisor.
I also had one new member, my Beta Iseyek First Advisor, Apasss Ugu. He scurried into the room last on his many little legs. He had previously been an advisor to Queen Nai Igir. When I first met him, I was unable to believe my luck. The unique insect had a phenomenal intellect and memory, and knew absolutely everything about all Swarm systems. Apasss Ugu could instantly provide information on ships under construction at all my docks, how long they would take to finish, material reserves, and the necessary number of transports to sustain every garrison. Such valuable staff had to be taken care of — even on the massive scales of the Swarm, such genius was exceedingly rare. So, in one of my very first orders as ruler of the Iseyek, I awarded my First Advisor a blue stripe on his abdomen, which indicated absolute untouchability.
And so, all the participants in today's private conference had arrived. I nodded at Popori de Cacha, and the head of my guard ordered a subordinate to close the door and activate the electronics suppression system. I knew when the electromagnetic cocoon that enveloped the room had turned on, because my electronic implants shut down. The only electronic device that did work in the room was the huge tactical screen, which had been designed with electric shielding for this very purpose.
"So then, let's begin," I said, walking over to the glowing hologram in the middle of the room. "I don't think my wife Miya needs any introduction. Because the topic of today's conference is extremely serious, the Queen of Unatari herself will be serving as Truth Seeker. Miya will make sure you all remain honest. She will also be blocking all mind reading until the end of the meeting."
The council members started making a din — they didn't all like the idea of mind reading being blocked. But no firm objections followed, so I continued:
"I remind you of one more rule — here, we speak as frankly as possible, not afraid to hurt the others with our remarks or suggestions. The restrictions of laws or morals do not apply to those in this room. We consider all possibilities, regardless of the fact that some of them may not be met with approval in the outside world. So then, I want to give the first word to the Queen of Unatari, so she can share her thoughts and suspicions."
Despite the spontaneity of the speech, Miya held herself excellently. I suspect that my spouse had been made to give speeches to the public a number of times in her long life. I already knew she’d attended special rhetoric courses, and that experience was a major help. Miya didn't speak very loud, but each of her words imprinted in my brain as the infallible truth, like a dogma, to which doubts did not apply.
The Queen of Unatari told us she sensed a growing threat with her Truth Seeker abilities, and had even determined its source: the Antagonists were ready to invade. The Empire knew about our age-old enemy’s plans, and a collision of the two most powerful forces was already unavoidable. And it was not a question of the far or even middle-term future, but the very nearest days or even hours. No matter who got the upper hand in the squabble, the victor's plans did not make room for an independent Unatari State. The Queen finished her speech with the following words:
"I don't see us in the future. None of those present. That means that, if no actions are taken and things are left to go on autopilot, everyone in this room is doomed, even me. We have a year and a half at most."
To be honest, the Truth Seeker's words left me with a ghastly feeling. That sense of alarm was shared between all participants. I directly felt the tightening grip of the future she described. When the Queen finished her speech, silence took over the room. The first to come to his senses was Admiral Masss Azhzh:
"I don't have the slightest doubt in the abilities of the Red Queen, but I really cannot understand how we have so little time left. Unatari has a powerful space fleet and would be able to withstand the attack of any enemy. And if our opponent is too strong, we can always turn off the warp beacons."
"Turning off the warp beacons will only prolong our agony, but it will not change the result," Miya parried instantly.
Duchess Katerina came forward. She greeted the council, and started speaking, glancing at the tactical map:
"The risk of a Gold House invasion is clear, although I don't see any signs of the Imperial Fleets being redeployed to the Core peripheries. I am surprised by something else, though. If you break it down, the brewing war between the Empire and the Antagonists is a struggle for the throne between Emperor August and his sister Eleonora. So, I suggest we all think over the following question: why have the Antagonists not yet reached out to the ruler of Unatari? After all, if you look at the question from a purely technical perspective, Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle is the grandson of the ruler of the Antagonists, and the most logical thing for him would be to join his closest relative, not someone from a totally different branch of the genealogical tree. So then, why has the Gold House not offered us an alliance?"
Kiro Sabuto sharply stood from place. The ethnically East Asian admiral, glancing severely at my cousin, started speaking in a none-too pleased tone:
"Duchess, I hope very much that your suggestion that the Unatari State join forces with the Antagonists was just a hypothetical. As with the majority of Unatari Fleet officers, I have spent my whole life serving the Empire in faith and truth, and I remain true to it. It was one thing three months ago when Crown Prince Georg was vilely attacked in the Throne World. I and all my officers would have stood to the defense of our commander without hesitation then, even if that meant going against the whole Empire. But it is another thing entirely to fight against the Empire for money or political calculations. That would mean going against friends and brothers in arms, of whom we all have a great many in the other Imperial fleets. The Unatari armed forces would be deeply perturbed by such a thing."
The admiral was supported by Sector Eight Fleet Commander, Space Major Nicole ton Savoia:
"Forgive me if this is too harsh, but he speaks the pure truth. I have been entrusted to lead the Perimeter Sector Eight Fleet, and we would never fight with the Antagonists against the Empire. I would consider such a turn treachery, as would all my officers. And as for Duchess Katerina ton Unatari’s question, I know the answer. It's just that none of the sides in the conflict wants to make any promises to Crown Prince Georg they are not planning to keep, as not to provoke a strong reaction. In my time with the Imperial Joint Chiefs, I managed to familiarize myself with the ruler of Unatari's personal record, and got a strong impression from one very accurate entry on psychological characteristics. It reads: 'Certain to reject any attempt to impinge on his interests. He goes off the chain if someone tries to appropriate property which the Crown Prince considers his. Also, he has no understanding of concepts like equivalent or appropriate retaliation. The ruler of Unatari is the kind of person who would bite of somebody's entire arm for accidentally flicking him on the nose.'"
Miya thought it over and closed her eyes.
"Yes, that is true," the Truth Seeker agreed. "Power over a united Empire is not the sort of prize that can be shared or promised to a potential ally. So, I'm a bit confused about why such an offer has come in from Emperor August. I don't sense any trickery there, either — the Emperor really is prepared to give up his throne, if Unatari can defeat the Antagonists."
"But August also has a son, Duke Julius royl August ton Akad, who is first in line to the Imperial Throne," Katerina noted reasonably. "And what is stopping August from stepping down not long before victory over the Antagonists, thus passing his throne to his successor, who has not promised a thing to the ruler of Unatari?"
Kiro Sabuto shook his head:
"That would make war between Unatari and the Empire inevitable. I have a hard time believing Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky ton Mesfelle would forgive such trickery, and he has enough proof and influence to get a large portion of the Imperial Military to stand on his side. The Emperor's son would lose, and lose everything at that."
Everyone in the hall went silent. I found the moment appropriate to voice m
y thoughts:
"Let's take it as a given that sitting on the sidelines will be impossible and that, somehow, Unatari will be forced to act. But I really don't like the idea of sliding into a conflict between two of the most powerful armada's in the galaxy, not knowing all behind-the-scenes understandings and positions of the other players. For example, the Green House has a colossal fleet of almost fifteen thousand starships. The Greens are still formally part of the Empire. Will they simply stay aside in the big squabble, or go against the Antagonists no matter what? What has the Emperor promised them for such support? And how would the Green House Fleet behave if it found itself in the same star system as one of our fleets? Might they perhaps stab us in the back?"
"The Green House will never be an ally of Unatari, there are too many old grievances," Duchess Katerina said. "The Lavaelle family will never forgive the ruler of Unatari for the killing of two of their Crown Princes and the shameful capitulation of their First Strike Fleet. They would certainly try to destroy our ships."
Unfortunately, I was in complete agreement with my cousin's assessment. Since my very first days in Perimeter Defense, my relationship with the Lavaelle family had only grown worse, having now reached the level of irreconcilable hatred. Although the Unatari State and the Green House were both part of the Empire, I certainly did not consider us allies.
And my relationship with the Purple House had grown significantly worse after swallowing Sector Seven as well. My twin sister Violetta royl Inoky ton Mesfelle-Damir was angry at me, and she had been aiming Purple House policies toward severing diplomatic relations with the Unatari State. For some reason, the head of the Purple House, Duke Takuro royl Andor had not done anything to check Crown Princess Violetta, which meant he had agreed to sacrifice our good relationship for some end I didn't understand.
A Game With No Rules (Perimeter Defense Book #4) LitRPG Series Page 2
