"Alright. As it happens, I have a medical check to go to right now, then a half hour in the gym and sauna. So, we can talk after all that."
* * *
All tangled in wires and data transmitters, I was pedaling away on a stationary bicycle like a madman. My physician Nicosid Brandt was reading the data on a monitor and noting something to himself on a small tablet, periodically giving satisfied commentary:
"Blood pressure, normal... Heart function, just great... Hemoglobin levels, normal... Veins, clear... Cholesterol, normal... Muscles, in good shape... Brain activity, normal. Alright, that's enough for now. Crown Prince, please stop and get on the scale. Height: six feet. Weight: two hundred twenty-seven pounds... Your Majesty, I would set this as your target weight and just try to stay there. It really is optimal for your bone structure and muscle mass. Losing that couple extra pounds would mean a lot more fuss."
I turned to a big mirror on the wall and spun around, looking at my figure. It really was a joyful sight — the folds of excess fat on my chest and thighs were long gone. My stomach had sucked in and my arm and leg muscles were clearly visible. I wasn't Mr. Olympia of course but, for a fifty-year old man, I would say I looked very, very good. The biggest thing, though, was that I felt wonderful and could easily handle the dense schedule of the monarch of a space government. I suppose I was prepared to agree with the physician that I didn't see any reason to continue the intensive weight loss.
"Now, about the crystals..." Nicosid Brandt went silent, looking at some graphs I couldn't make head or tail of. "The tests are looking good. Your physical dependence is already neutralized, and the psychological is also going down. I suppose it’s time to admit that I was overly pessimistic about the possibility of complete recovery. Oh, if only I didn't have to maintain doctor-patient confidentiality, I would publish a great treatise on how to cure a person of crystal dependence!"
"Well, go ahead and publish it. I won't mind," I allowed. But the old doctor got embarrassed for some reason and tried to stifle the topic:
"I cannot, Crown Prince. Too much of your personal medical information would have to be made public. I’ll just have to get by without a scientific study. But now, I need to change out the microcapsules in your shoulder."
"What for?" I waved off the procedure as, to my eye, utterly unnecessary. "Just one month ago, you inserted new capsules, and said they'd last half a year!"
The old doctor's eyes started darting about nervously, while his voice started giving a suspicious quaver:
"Y-y-your Maj-jesty, I wa-as wr-r-rong about the dose. I, uh, ass-ssumed th-the regeneration would go much worse."
Nicosid Brandt was a great doctor, but a terrible actor. Saying that I merely got on guard after he tried to reassure me would be putting it lightly. There wasn't even a trace remaining of my calm and good-hearted mood. The hair all over my body was standing on end in near panic.
"Flora, Miya! I need you now!" I called mentally, and heard an answer just a second later from my wife:
"Flora is sleeping. I ordered her to have a crystal dream so we would stay on different phases, and one of us would constantly be with you... Woah! Don't let the doctor inject anything! Don't take any medicine! It's an attempt on your life!!! I'll be there in a second!"
That means my instincts didn't mislead me. Distinctly, I spoke into emptiness:
"Seke-ti huma ('restrain this man' in the Ravaash language)."
A second later, the old doctor was lying spread-eagle on the metal floor of the medical room, immediately set upon by the trio of chameleons. Another second later, Nicosid Brandt's arms were pulled painfully back and a set of handcuffs clinked on. Meanwhile, Phobos and Rosss were standing over the dog-pile on the floor. The huge Alpha Iseyek had guns in their upper appendages, ready to shoot at any of the medic's assistants I pointed to.
I slowly bent down and picked up the injection gun the old doctor had dropped.
"Tell me, doctor, how many years have you been with me?" I asked him, looking at the apparently harmless medical device, loaded with millimeter-diameter microcapsules.
Nicosid Brandt, pressed down by my bodyguards, rasped back with difficulty:
"Crown Prince, I was sent to you from the Throne World when you were just four months old..."
"I've known you my whole life, and trusted you completely... So, tell me, doctor, how much must one pay a person for them to forget fifty years of flawless service and wish death upon a man they've sworn to protect and provide medical treatment?"
The old man took a very long time to answer, just sitting in silence, before saying barely audibly:
"This has nothing to do with money... These capsules were sent to me from the Throne World medical center along with the latest shipment of medicine... People I've known for many years told me it was for the good of the whole Empire... At one time, identical capsules were injected into you in a Throne World prison, but I removed them. Each capsule, along with the necessary dose of medicine, has a bug in it to track you and a micro ampule of poison that can be activated at any moment with a special command. I was told it had to be done to control your unpredictable nature. Someone in the Empire wants to make it impossible for Unatari to join our enemies..."
Miya entered the room decisively. The Queen of Unatari didn't ask any questions, just looked carefully at the tool lying on the table and held her gaze on Nicosid Brandt's assistants.
"His assistants didn't know anything. They're all afraid, but in general, don't feel guilty. They can be trusted."
"Let him go! Nicosid Brandt, I want you to call your old friend right now, and tell him you couldn't carry out his plan. After that, you may go. I have no more need for your services, because I cannot trust you. Considering your half century of flawless service, I'll still write you a great recommendation, pay you a half-a-million-credit bonus and order you a ticket on the most comfortable express flight to the Throne World. You'll find a new employer there, if your age allows it, or you can collect an honorable pension and spend the rest of your life in relaxation."
I got dressed quickly and left the medical bay, not wanting to be there while my former personal doctor talked with his co-conspirator. Miya remained with him. I didn't know a more reliable guarantee that all those guilty in the assassination attempt against me would get their comeuppance.
* * *
"My Prince, you seem utterly crestfallen..." said Bionica, looking gorgeous in nothing but a micro-G-string as she deftly massaged my back and shoulders with her surprisingly strong fingers.
"Yeah, I've just had such an idiotic day. It was packed! The news channels don't even know exactly where to begin their broadcasts. But I feel that my government and I have been shuffled to the edge of history and written off... Look, Emperor August didn't even invite me to a conference of the heads of the Great Houses, even though the Unatari State is larger than the Purple House economically, militarily and territorially."
I was forced to end my sniveling and outpouring of problems, because Bionica asked me to turn onto my back and started in on my stomach muscles. That part of my body could, thankfully, no longer be called a gut, but it was still quite far from being a six-pack. I clenched my teeth in pain. It felt like the android's fingers were going nearly all the way through to my spine.
"But only the Dukes of the Great Houses were at the conference. If the Emperor had invited any of the monarchs, even the most powerful, all the others would get offended. Otherwise, he’d have to have invited all the other kings, right down to the most minor..."
"Maybe you're right, Bionica. But I'm still offended. And then there was the death of the Dark Mother and her last words, which just won't get out of my head... What connection could Crown Princess Elisa royl Clement ton Mesfelle-Lavaelle have with today's events? But the most upsetting thing, of course, was the assassination attempt by my personal doctor. Who in the galaxy can I trust if even those I've known my whole life have started betraying me?!"
"Crown Prince, you can
always trust me," the pretty android girl chuckled and, playfully looking me right in the eyes, reached her fingers a bit below the laces of my swimsuit.
But I stopped Bionica, because I was very far from being in the right mood, and this also wasn't a good place. And it was good I did — just a few minutes later, without knocking, Katerina ton Unatari came into the massage room, which was next to the pool, in her swimsuit. With a judgmental look at the barely-dressed Bionica, my cousin just walked right up to us and sat on the nearest seat:
"I'm already done with everything, Georg, so I decided to come talk with you now. The Blue House has accepted our offer of negotiations, and set a time and conditions. Our diplomatic mission can consist of no more than three starships: one heavy cruiser and two of a lower class."
I stopped Bionica kneading my leg muscles, and sat up on the bench:
"Three ships? According to protocol, up to seven ships are allowed to be part of a diplomatic delegation, right?"
"Yes, that is true," my advisor confirmed. "It looks like the 'blues' are worried that seven starships under the command of such a renowned fleet leader could capture the whole Blue House. If we agree to such conditions, we'll have to fly out in two hours to make it on time."
"Alright, these negotiations are important to us, so we won't try to find fault with the conditions. Three it is. Our main ship will be the heavy assault cruiser Emperor August, the second will be one of the light cruisers like a Curse or Thrush, and third will be the Mechanoid."
"The Mechanoid?" my cousin asked in surprise.
"That's right. That way, we can mark out a path to the Blue House capital just in case — it might come in handy in the future, if negotiations break down, and the blues decide to turn off their warp beacons."
I stood up from the massage table and walked over to the edge of the pool, preparing to jump into the water. But Katerina stopped me:
"Georg, maybe we should have One-Eyed Python as our second ship. My husband has long been growing bored with the lack of action. He's down in the dumps, and that's been getting on my nerves. Yesterday, Corwin got drunk and started a fight again just because there was nothing better to do, accusing me of turning him from a combat captain into a 'marriage general' — the Duke of a star system, who doesn't understand a thing in politics and just follows his wife everywhere."
"Alright. Our second ship for the flight to the Blue House will be the light cruiser One-Eyed Python. What is more, my retinue and I will fly on that very ship but, for safety's sake, we can place some Arites on Emperor August disguised as us. Tell Corwin ton Unatari to prepare the cruiser. Will you come with me?"
"To be honest, cousin, I see no need for that. You can manage just fine without me. I already have a bunch of things to do here on Unatari, and Corwin and I could stand to take a break from each other."
I jumped into the cool dark blue water and swam to the other side of the pool without coming up once. When I did raise my head, I saw Miya standing no more than three feet from me in a long, bright crimson dress, and shuddered in surprise.
"Don't worry Georg, I'd have had enough tact not to come in if you decided to fool around with your synthetic masseuse. But I really have come on business."
"Alright, go to Katerina and Bionica. I'm gonna swim another few minutes."
When I got up on the edge of the pool, Miya was lying with her face down on the massage table, wearing even less clothing than Bionica, who was zealously kneading her shoulders.
"This is so nice!" the Truth Seeker said good-heartedly, lying with her eyes closed. "I really shouldn't have neglected these traditional methods of restoring my health! To be honest, I was always afraid to let anyone get close to my body — too many wish death on me and would joyfully tear my head off at the first chance. But it's much easier with androids... Georg, would you be opposed to me spending an hour a few times a week using your personal translator as a chiropractor?"
I had nothing against that, and Bionica didn't object either.
"Very well. But I actually did come on business," Miya continued, still not opening her eyes. "I really don't like the upcoming negotiations with the Blue House, or the terms they’ve laid out. It's not that I saw an unambiguous threat to the delegation, but the future is somehow worrying. I beg you not to take Duchess Katerina or Princess Astra with you — it is precisely their presence, whether together or apart, that could set off a chain reaction of scandalous and even tragic events."
"This must be connected with my husband!" Katerina cut into the conversation. "The Duke has been flirting openly with girls lately. Two times I've had to literally kick made-up trollops out of Corwin's bedroom. I'm afraid that the presence of Astra on board One-Eyed Python might lead to potential conflicts."
Remembering Captain Corwin ton Ugar’s unhealthy interest of in my favorite Astra, I was forced to agree that those fears could have a basis.
"Alright, to keep everything copasetic, neither Astra nor Katerina can come. Anything else, Miya?"
"Yes. As everyone here is trustworthy, and this confidential information cannot get out of your innermost circle, I have to admit that I am very bad at checking peoples' loyalty, and even worse at distinguishing the hazy boundary between loyalty to the Unatari State and loyalty to the Empire as a whole. For example, I checked Nicosid Brandt very thoroughly, and didn't see anything dangerous in him, yet George just finished rubbing my nose in the fact he was quite unreliable indeed. I'm afraid that I'd never be able to check all of Unatari's ten thousand officers, or million soldiers even with a hundred years. I cannot even be certain that no traitors have wormed in among the six hundred members of the Unatari diplomatic delegation. Perhaps, Florianna can do better than me, but she'll be sleeping at least another few days."
"What do you mean, Miya?" I asked in surprise. "After all, you're stronger than Flora!"
"Yes, that is true, Georg. Now, I am the second strongest Truth Seeker in the whole Empire after Krista, and Florianna is approximately eighteenth. But every Truth Seeker is specialized in something. The Dark Mother had the best understanding of mental defense. Marian Sabati is tricky and capable of hiding her actions, and can also heal people. Flora, from what I know, is the only one who can detect enemy ships. Also, in reading thoughts, she's got at least a hundred points on me. I meanwhile, am best of all at killing..."
My wife sharply opened her eyes, and I saw that her pupils were sparking with a violent orange flicker. Bionica cut into the conversation:
"But if even the very strongest Truth Seeker cannot manage this task alone, maybe we should try to get help from others? There are billions of people living in Perimeter Sectors Eight and Nine. Among them there are quite a few Truth Seekers — their powers may be weak and unstable, but they have at least some mental abilities. Flora is an illustrative example — she was weak, and was not taken seriously until gaining power. Now, she is respected in the Unatari Fleet to the point of near worship. We could gather others, train them, and assign them missions. Let them work! Or is there something I don't understand, and that's impossible?"
Miya closed her eyes again and laid down in silence for nearly a minute before answering:
"Well, it might work..."
My cousin immediately lit up, becoming a font of ideas:
"An official invitation must be broadcast on all state news channels to everyone who feels they have psionic abilities. We'll have to pay for them to get to the Unatari star system. Yes, most will be impostors or simply confused, but it won't exactly be hard to pick them out. And the others, who really have even the most minimal Truth Seeker abilities, I suggest we give an official stipend or salary. We'll even have to create an official uniform..."
"And we can start a perfect analogue of the Truth Seeker school that was once led by Krista in the Throne World," Miya said, finishing the thought. "I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but I personally would be ghastly displeased due to the ghoulish discipline and draconian measures. Alright, Duchess, send the invitation. I'l
l handle the teaching."
The Throne World has lost sovereignty over the Lyghia system
The Green House has gained sovereignty over the Lyghia system
Katerina and I shuddered at the exact same time and exchanged glances. Miya, clearly having read the information from my head, got up on her elbows and said distractedly:
"Very bad news for the Empire. If this keeps going, there won't be any need for an Antagonist war — the Imperial Core will simply be split up into parts, and the enemy can just come to an agreement with the Great Houses."
"It's even worse than that..." my cousin said thoughtfully, then turned to me: "Georg, you asked about my opinion of your mother. Well, although I don't have any undisputable facts, just tangential evidence, I wouldn't doubt for a second that Crown Princess Elisa royl Clement ton Lavaelle has been working for the Gold House her whole life, and still does. Now, your mother is the very person determining the Green House's external politics. Your mother precisely will be advising Duke Amelius royl Mast ton Lavaelle on how the Green House, the strongest of all the Great Houses, should act."
I kept silent, because I didn't know anything about my mother's position in the Green House, and so I had nothing to judge the veracity of the information.
"That is true to the last word," Miya confirmed.
"And now, let's look at the bigger picture," Katerina continued. "Imagine a star map before your eyes. The Imperial Core has a hundred star systems. All around it are eighteen sectors, given to the Great Houses to control. So then, the leader of the Antagonists controls Perimeter Sectors Seventeen, Eighteen and One. Plus Sector Sixteen, which is cut off from the Blue House, but does border on Gold space. I have no doubt that the Antagonists already consider it theirs and have the situation firmly under control. Let's take this further. Elisa's daughter controls sectors Two, Three and Four. Her granddaughter, your twin sister Crown Princess Violetta determines the politics of the Purple House and controls sectors Five, Six and Seven. Meanwhile, her very own great-granddaughter, the Crown Princess Likanna will determine the Unatari State's policies, if something happens to you, giving her control over Sectors Eight and Nine, plus the whole Swarm, as well as the thirty systems liberated from the Aliens... open your eyes, Georg — the Antagonist invasion is already in full swing! But the Throne World refuses to see it and is trying to buy the loyalty of the Great Houses with gifts of Core star systems, thus actually strengthening the Antagonists!"
A Game With No Rules (Perimeter Defense Book #4) LitRPG Series Page 4
