So after an uneventful 20 day journey, they arrived, taking up orbit around the yellowish-white desert planet with small specks of green and blue oases dotting its surface. No white clouds or weather systems could be seen, except the massive dust storms which rolled across its vast, barren expanses.
The first sign that something was definitely amiss occurred when they first approached. The hundreds of private freighters that orbited the planet fled as his escorting battle group entered sensor range. He'd responded immediately, sending frigates in an attempt to intercept the runners. But he doubted they would have much luck, the freighters having too much time to accelerate before the frigates could catch up.
Their communications with the surface were brief, and suspect, since the ruling noble, Baron Tuhbil, was currently overseeing his holdings in an adjacent star system. His subordinates had no knowledge of the fleeing freighters, and were most adamant that he should wait planet-side for the baron's return, to be provided all the hospitality his rank demanded. Except, he had found their entire explanation odd, while Lady Vickie pointed out that Baron Tuhbil was almost assuredly a pawn of Duke Zehman. This complicated matters, since there was no Program present on Alutia V5432 to help discern who may be against them. Instead, they would have to rely on intuition and diplomacy.
“Sir Georigi. The shuttles are ready,” informed Rear-Admiral Pom'Tis from her station at the head of the fleet command deck's CID. He nodded his thanks and stood, grabbing Lady Vickie's outstretched hand and escorting her to the transport tube at the rear of the fleet command deck.
“Do you have a plan, my dear Sir Georigi?” Lady Vickie asked, her voice sharp, as the transport tube started towards the hanger bay.
“We shall meet with the administrator and Baron Tuhbil's noble retainers to investigate if there is any truth behind these most heinous accusations.” Sir Georigi felt relieved that he'd thought up an acceptable plan, heading off her wrath.
“That is all well and good, dear. But what if they lie? Are we going to mingle with the petties and ask them what they think?” She talked to him like he was a child and he suddenly felt like one. “What happens if we discover the accusations are true? There is a garrison of at least five thousand guards stationed on planet...and if they are loyal to Baron Tuhbil, what then?” Lady Vickie turned away, appearing to now be talking to herself.
“Lady Vickie I do not th-.” She covered his mouth with her hand, still not looking in his direction.
“That's it! We will tell them we know nothing about what may be occurring, while acting like we are both against Sasha and Trent. Then, after we have gained their trust, we will be able to investigate...and maybe even hear exactly what's going on from the mouth of Baron Tuhbil himself.”
Sir Georigi forced Lady Vickie's hand away from his mouth. “That is preposterous! How could we allow innocents to die while we scheme? It is not noble and I am not one to lie, no matter the reason,” he explained, furious at the thought of having to, once again, tarnish his honor. But she glared at him once more, this time as if he was a child throwing a tantrum.
“Sir Georigi, if you do not listen to me and we charge down to the surface screaming our intentions, we could not only die, but the innocents you speak of would continue to be mistreated. Sometimes the noblest act is the one that saves others by sullying one's self...and it's about time you learned this fact, my dear, before this universe eats you alive.” She held his gaze with eyes of cunning and grace, and once again, he knew he was beaten.
“I will go along with your plan, Lady Vickie,” he sighed, “but I will not claim to be an ally of Duke Zehman,” he knew his words were childish, but he felt if he acted the part once, it may end up coming true.
She stared at him for a moment, then nodded. “My dear Sir Georigi, you shall not have to worry. Remember, you may be a grand marquis, but you are still my noble protector. I shall take the lead in all discussions and you shall act as my companion, nothing more.” Her words almost stopped his heart, but he would not question her further. The idea of him being protected by the woman he loved ate at his honorable soul. Whatever will I tell mother?
For the remainder of the transport tube ride they stood in silence. Sir Georigi, noticing Lady Vickie occupied with her BC node, decided it best for him not to dig any further into her intentions. The transport tube came to a silent stop and the door slid open to his private hanger bay.
The NHA Super-Capital GBF Loyalty had ten hanger bays, five less than a standard Super-Capital. Six were for the use of the GBF Battleguards King Class assault shuttles, two for arrivals and departures, and two for his own personal use. This allowed him to keep multiple Emperor Class shuttles at the ready for whenever he, or his guards, needed to leave the starship in a hurry. It also provided him one less item to worry about, since the two shuttles, sitting in adjacent docks and aimed out of the bottom of the starship, were always on standby.
Crewmen and maintenance personnel bustled in all directions, prepping the shuttles for launch while loading human sized, rectangular crates he didn't recognize. Sir Georigi started down the ramp, towards the U shaped dock that held the first shuttle, stopping a crewman carrying one of the strange crates.
“What is in this crate, crewman?” The man stumbled to a stop, eyes going wide as he realized he was being talked to by his prince, or ex-prince.
“Your Highness! These are the Lady Vickie's dresses and gowns! We just received orders to load them onboard with all haste,” the crewman's voice trembled. Sir Georigi nodded, dismissing the frightened man, then turned towards Lady Vickie.
“You have your combat armor, my dear, and I have mine.” She wiped her long, brown braid over her shoulder as she started walking briskly ahead, providing him no chance to respond. He quickly caught up, weaving through a group of his guards carrying their packed combat armor on their backs.
“Lady Vickie, I hope you don't intend to wear any of “those” dresses?” The thought terrified him. He'd experienced her tastes in attire once before and didn't want to have to deal with it again with nobles he did not know or trust.
“Sir Georigi...this is business. I will do whatever is necessary to protect the Alutia Duchy......and if that means I must prance around naked...so be it!” She pulled her arm free, hurrying up the ramp and into the waiting shuttle. He looked at the ceiling, and held back a scream.
“Prince Georigi?” A questioning voice rose from behind and he suddenly realized he was blocking the boarding ramp.
“My apologies,” he responded, following Vickie into the shuttle.
The passenger compartments were full of guards and servants. Til'Ma sat at Lady Vickie's side, forcing Sir Georigi to sit across the aisle, next to his Guard Captain, Sir Ea'Qwa.
“Are you alright, Sir Georigi?” the man asked politely.
“Of course,” he cleared his throat. “Sir Ea'Qwa, have you been provided proper orders?”
The man nodded. “Yes sir, we are to accompany you like this is any normal shore expedition, but to be prepared for possible hostilities, which is why we have brought our combat armor,” Sir Ea'Qwa responded professionally.
“Good, and tell your men to keep their eyes and ears open. If they hear anything regarding the mistreatment of the planet's petties, let me know immediately.” Ea’Qwa seemed surprised by the order, but only nodded his understanding.
The shuttle flight to the surface only took a few minutes, but when the atmospheric thruster came online, the shuttle bucked wildly. Swirling winds carried a blinding dust through the atmosphere, masking the view through the projected viewports, but suddenly vanished, as well as the bucking, when they entered the shielded area of the main colony. After landing, the guards streamed out of the shuttle first. Once clear, Georigi stood, stretching out his hand to Lady Vickie. Without a word, she rose to her feet, extending her own arm, and they proceeded to the shuttles exit.
The landing pad was packed with Sir Georigi's guards, standing in four squads of 22, while creating a
corridor to a small group of men and women wearing the robes of Alutia administrators. He immediately found it odd that no guards stood at their flanks, being standard protocol, but he shrugged it off as a good sign.
His eyes were drawn to the colony that spread out from below the massive, silverish-green, cube shaped building where they'd landed. The primary colony was built around a vast oasis, with a massive shield wall separating the colony from the outside desert. Smaller cube and pyramid shaped buildings, of the same silverish-green color, were built in a grid like pattern following the edge of the oasis, vanishing into the misty horizon. These buildings extended for about a kilometer from the water’s edge, the most distant intersecting the protective shield’s base wall. Outside the protected colony lay even more buildings of an unusual, half-domed design, appearing to extend deep into the desert, while running adjacent to the barrier protecting the primary colony.
Lady Vickie followed his wandering gaze. “Petty housing...only nobles and commons are allowed to live within the Barrier Oasis Colony,” she explained, he having already guessed at that fact himself, knowing it was common practice. The administrators bowed as Lady Vickie and himself exited the cordon of guards.
“You honor us with your presence, Grand Marquis Georigi,” the lead administrator said as he recovered from his bow.
“It is an honor to be here. We are fatigued from our tour of the Alutia Marches and wished for a brief respite on a populated world,” Lady Vickie responded before Sir Georigi could open his mouth.
The robed men turned their gaze to her in surprise. “Ah...we were under the impression that a pressing matter had brought you here Lady...” the man paused, not sure if he should actually be listening to the woman on Georigi's arm.
“Vickie...Lady Vickie, Sir Georigi's companion, Sir...” Lady Vickie paused in the same manner, causing the older, bald man to flush when he realized he too had forgotten his introduction.
“Administrator Vazik,” he turned, pointing to the robed man at his side. “And Assistant Administrator Illion,” the younger man bowed. “And Guard-Captain Ve'Asu.” The third robed member of the group pulled back her hood, and for the first time he realized the coloring was slightly different. Instead of the robe being the crimson of an Alutia administrator, it was black with red stripes, similar to the ABF Guard uniforms.
“The pressing matter you are referring to, Sir Vazik, is Sir Georigi needing to get me planet-side as fast as possible so he would no longer have to listen to my complaints,” the group laughed, as was expected, in response and Sir Georigi couldn’t help but blush.
“A smart man I deem. If you would follow me, we shall have drinks and discuss the happenings of the galaxy...out of this oppressive sun, of course. Guard-Captain Ve'Asu will see to your men,” Administrator Vazik turned and started towards the waiting elevator. Lady Vickie grabbed Georigi's arm as they followed. Twelve of the guards, including Sir Ea'Qwa, fell in behind as more of the robed guards appeared from a hidden platform set just below the edge of the landing pad, to escort the rest of his men to their temporary quarters. The sight of the hidden guards sent a shiver down his spine, and he suddenly wished for Grand Duke Trent's ability to read the color of one's heart.
After a short elevator ride, which he'd found nostalgic, since his old childhood home on Planet Giri, Giri Hold, had a similar, antiquated system. The doors opened to a grand hallway with polished stoned floors of the darkest green under smooth, grey walls. Hundreds of figures in greenish robes scurried in both directions. Sir Georigi's breath caught as he beheld the statues that lined the hallway.
“Duke Zehman was responsible for the construction of this colony, which is why you will see many of his touches in its design,” Administrator Vazik explained as he recognized Sir Georigi's surprised reaction. Lady Vickie squeezed his hand, causing him to realize his mistake.
“If you would follow me.”
They exited the elevator and walked a short distance down the hallway, stopping before a large, ornately carved, wooden double-door. Two robed guards bowed before they marched in unison to its center, and then slowly pushed the doors open, whose weight must have been quite considerable. They followed Vazik into the lobby beyond, with ornately designed green chairs and couches lining each wall, and a circular desk built of a greenish tinted wood in the center. Three beautiful women, all dressed in the same, skin tight green uniforms, stood with backs straight, in the middle of the circular desk as they approached.
“Administrator Vazik, lunch is awaiting you and your guests,” one of the women spoke as she removed herself from her stationary position, pointing towards one of the many doors lining the side of the lobby.
“Thank you, Fa'Zel. Lady Vickie, would you care to freshen up before lunch?” the question was innocent, but Sir Georigi squeezed her hand to let her know what he thought of them being separated.
“I appreciate the offer, Sir Vazik, but I currently care more for food and drink then I do a bath. Starship food may be fine with Sir Georigi, but not for a lady such as myself.” She winked at him as there escorts laughed without amusement.
The dining hall they entered was lightly decorated, with a programmable matter portrait of Duke Zehman on one wall and the Hulk'Zif Duchy crest, two coiled serpents, one bright green and the other dark, wrapped around a strikingly blue world over a forest green background. A round table, of the same greenish stone he'd seen throughout the building, sat in the center of the room, surrounded by ten cushioned chairs. The administrator and assistant administrator sat first and Vickie led him to the opposite side of the round table. Servants arrived with drinks and a small dish of multicolored beans as soon as they were seated.
“If you do not mind me asking, we have been out of the loop for such a long while...and only bits and pieces of real news ever reach us. Is it true that the capital of the new Alutia Duchy was moved from Don'Alutia to a new paradise planet called Alutia'Earth?” the question surprised Sir Georigi, but Lady Vickie seemed to be expecting it, setting her drink down with a sly smile.
“It would be a pleasure to inform you with my limited knowledge, Sir Vazik. Grand Duchess Sasha decided it would be appropriate due to its proximity to a newly discovered gorian deposit,” the administrator nodded absently in response.
“Is it true it's the largest ever discovered?” the assistant administrator blurted, receiving a hard look from Vazik.
“Yes. I'm not sure of the exact size, but I recall overhearing that it would take a hundred thousand years to mine it all, even with 200 class Z mining stations active,” the administrator's eyes went wide, knowing that the value of a gorian mine of that size was beyond imagining.
“But unfortunately, the Grand Duchess and Grand Duke seem to have strange ideas. Did you hear they are allowing commons to live on a paradise world?” Administrator Vazik coughed, having choked on his drink as he heard Lady Vickie's words.
“You cannot be serious, Lady Vickie? That is illegal as well as immoral. The idea of destroying a pristine world by allowing commons to live there is just...” the administrator trailed off and Sir Georigi began to understand the man.
He was a traditionalist, and any sort of change to what he knew was blasphemy. Of course, this wasn't always a bad trait, but it was at odds with his own noble views, since he and his parents leaned more towards the realist political standing.
“I am, Administrator Vazik. It is why we have been out exploring uncolonized marks, instead of relaxing, as is my noble right, on Alutia'Earth,” she squeezed his hand under the table, a sign of something to come. “But that is not the worst of it. Sir Georigi was awarded his own mark, but it's not actually a reward, mind you, but a way to remove his voice from the noble assembly within the Alutia Court!” Lady Vickie's ability to lie so calmly bothered him immensely, but he knew this was not the time. The administrator's furious gaze fell on him and he noticed a sign of interest.
“Interesting, I'm guessing you were responsible for the opposition to their heinous pl
ans?” A painful squeeze on his hand told him to forget his honor for a moment.
“Yes, Sir Vazik. The disgust I suffered at their proclamations made me stand and shout my displeasure. Other's joined my beckon call and the only way they could silence my cohorts and I was to award us...me with my own mark.” A strange gurgling sound filled his ear as he responded and he felt his vision start to spin. But he did not fall, he did not waver. He would listen to Lady Vickie, his lies were honorable, or so he told himself.
“At least you...standing up for your beliefs, ended with you being rewarded a holding, even if it was only meant to silence you. Bide your time, Sir Georigi, the universe won't stand long for those who sully her,” the administrator's words were proof enough that the man had no support for the Alutia Duchy, and from the way none of the Hulk'Zif decorations had been removed, he could easily guess where his allegiances lie.
“Well said, Sir Vazik. If you do not mind me asking, what sort of industry do you administer on this world?” The anger that contorted Vazik's face faded and the happiness of someone showing interest in his chosen trade took its place.
“I'm so very delighted you asked, Lady Vickie. It is very rare an opportunity I am allowed to discuss the finer points of why this colony is so worthwhile.” Vazik took sip of his drink before clearing his throat. “We have three major exports, raw and cleaned gems, Minisola silk, and Moss stone.” He turned to his assistant, who went “node locked” as he accessed his BC node. A projection of the planet appeared above the table, large portions of which were highlighted varying hues.
“Alutia V5432 is a very old world, and as such, has an abundance of precious gems. These are mined by our petty workers and after we allocate a percentage to the duchy, the rest are sold to the noble and common business interests within the barrier oasis,” Vazik explained and Georigi responded without thought.
The Noble Petty, Complete Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 2) Page 33
