by P. S. Power
Alice snorted again, and sighed herself.
"We can work that out. I can have the Ranford and Midlist there today. Call it two hundred bodies? Is that enough for you? You can give Judy Press the jump ships. She's rated on them, being in tight with Tor and his crowd. You know them?"
He nodded, and was honest about it all, not knowing what this woman would need to know or not.
"Tor is my father. I just found out, for sure, about half a week ago. Five days? So I haven't really adapted to that yet. I met Timon, Tiera and Tor though. His wife too. Alyssa?" There had been others, but the Ancient woman seemed to be fine with that.
"Ah. That's different then. You don't look much like him. Tor is a little scamp, trying to trick me all the time. Probably into bed, but that's good looking men for you. They're all like that."
He nodded, since for her it really was probably like that.
"I have a disguise on. Kolb said that you wouldn't trust me looking like I normally do, so I'm hiding it. Everyone says I look more like Timon. I need to get along with you though, so if you prefer me looking like this, I will." He waited, hoping that she wasn't going to hear that and hate him. Instead she laughed at him. It wasn't mean, so he smiled back.
"Good idea. Better than those pretty men have ever managed. The Ranford will be in first, I think. Call it four hours?"
"Sounds good. I'll be here, working. There's a lot of cleaning to get done. Waste has just been dumped from ships, for years. The kind from people."
She winced, and then nodded.
"Understood. I'll pass the word for people not to do that anymore. Poor sanitation habits lead to deaths."
He nodded, seriously. "Exactly. Since I'm just learning how to fight, I can't do that yet, so I'll need help with that part. Great plan though."
The woman looked at him for a moment, then nodded, just as seriously, as if it weren't just a joke.
Then the communications device went dark.
Just in an instant the woman was gone and he held a pale glassy thing in his hand, with names on it. It was tempting to go and and just get to work, but there was a line of people coming already. Like Tam-unit had mentioned. Dare went outside, and waved to the fifty or so people, men, women and children, who were walking up to the focus stone path that he'd run on earlier. When the first ones got there, he waved.
"I'm Dareg Canton. I run this spaceport. We need to hire some people for various jobs and tasks. We also have help coming in from space fleet, but they won't be here full time, just for a few days. Right now, I'm going to call things out. If you have the skills to do a given job, please come forward. If you don't..." He shrugged and waved at the Tam-unit. "Then you work for the boxes. Tam-units. They'll tell you what needs to be done. For now, regardless of what job you're doing here, if the Tam-unit tells you to do something, or asks, please see to that? Here, let me show you." That meant walking closer to the shining blue box, and people applauded when the pretty face of his aunt Tam appeared in the window on the top.
"Hello, Dareg."
"Hey, Tam-unit. I was just telling these people that you were in charge of them. If they want a job here. We need to get your team up first. Mainly cleaning, and making sure you stay filled with materials."
"Goody. I look forward to working with you all." She seemed really happy about the whole thing. Too much so, really.
It took several hours for everyone to be situated, and not everyone seemed thrilled with their assignments, even though it was probably about what they were going to be best at. A few of the women that came were clearly whores, which made him happy to see. The big problem with them wasn't that they didn't want to do their job, or that he had to put a house up for them, but rather that each of them thought they were the best one to be in charge. Finally he pointed at the oldest looking lady, who had black hair with gray in it, lines on her face and bright red lips.
"You. You're in charge, for now. Like I told everyone else, we want low prices for things, but you get housing and food. Maybe clothing, if we can work that out. I want everything here to undersell what people charge in the city. Enough to be competitive, but not so much that we'll have to fight them over it. Do you think you can set that up?"
The woman smiled at him, then winked.
"Sure thing, sweetie. Clara, by the way. No last name. You want a girl sent to your room each day?"
He nearly said no, then realized that he kind of did want that. Who wouldn't?
"Sounds good. We'll have to work out the timing on that, since I'm going to be busy a lot of the time. We'll want more women than this, but it should be a good job, over all. A silver a week to start, but like everyone else you get to keep part of what you earn. Tips, and that kind of thing. Do what works best for everyone."
He had to run to set up more houses then, and carefully made them look a lot plainer than the fine inn, or the new visiting houses that King Richard had asked for.
It left the place looking pretty real by nightfall, and while the kids on the dirt crew weren't fast in particular, Tam-unit had them doing a decently good job at picking everything up.
That was good, since he was getting stiff, from his workout already. Mainly his legs, and right elbow for some reason. Well, the running for the legs, but his right arm was aching fiercely. Probably from the locking movements Petra had put on him earlier, pushing this arm straight in a painful fashion.
It reminded him to go over what Kolb had said, which was still fresh in his mind, but not automatic yet.
Then, before the Ranford or Midlist were due to get in, he flew around the city, going toward where Collette had been taking them the day before. It wasn't hard to find, being that the place was called Tor's palace and there was only one that grand on that side of the walled city, by the river. There were several buildings, but only the one place that looked that large and fine. So, floating above the ground, about four inches, which seemed to be the set distance for the thing, he got there in about fifteen minutes.
He didn't go as fast as he could, since it had mental controls and Dare wasn't totally certain how well he could work that kind of thing yet, if a distraction came. It didn't, so he floated up the smooth walk that led him to the large white doorway. There were large stone columns on either side and several steps that he had to go up first. They looked like white and polished marble, though were probably magic. He'd been working with similar houses all day, after all, so was starting to get the idea when he saw it.
Handily enough, when he knocked, someone actually came to let him in. A small woman, who seemed cute, in an average kind of way. Her face was a bit round, and if she were five feet tall, it had to do with her shoes, not her noble background.
"My lord?"
That was her being polite, not being confused as to his real status, Dare figured. Though technically it was also correct. She smiled at him, happily enough. Probably because he wasn't looming over her nearly as much as most people did in the Capital.
"Hello. I'm Dareg Canton. I was wondering if Collette Sorvee is here?" He didn't go into why, since it would be hard enough for him to apologize anyway. He knew how, at least for his own city of birth, but that kind of thing might be a bit different from place to place.
The small woman, who was ten years older than he was at a guess, curtsied a bit.
"This way, sir? I can find the butler to announce you?" Her words were heavily accented, but used correctly, so he got the meaning easily enough.
Nodding, she let him in, then scurried away to find a man in a nice black and gray suit. That required him explaining his reason for being there again, then being led to a side room, the dapper man going to the door, while Dareg stood back. Ready to be sent away, actually.
That was probably fair.
"Ma'am? A Dareg Canton to see you?"
"Oh? Yes, we should, this way." Her voice was a bit happier sounding at least than the last time they'd met and she hadn't said anything.
Inside the room, naturally, there were three
other people, each sitting already. A shorter man, who had a mustache and dark hair, a noble giant that had been at the Thomson's dinner party and a blond woman who smiled at him, her face questioning.
That was what came over Collette too for a bit.
"Dare? A disguise? Is there treachery afoot?" Her words were honestly questioning.
He smiled then and shook his head.
"Nothing like that. I was just talking to Alice Orange earlier, and had heard that she didn't like good looking men that much. It went well, even after I told her I was in disguise and why. Here, let me..." All he had to do was turn the thing off, which got everyone in the room to smile at him suddenly. Collette, for her part, gave him a hug.
That surprised him a bit, but as soon as she backed off, he bowed, going low. It was less than fun, but when you were in the wrong, it didn't make you look good to hide the groveling too much. People needed to know you would own it when you screwed up.
"I'm so sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Petra took me to task for being oversensitive after you left. Then pushed me into combat rage and made me fix it, over and again. She did say that she doesn't think I should have a problem that way. I can control it, I mean." A hand came out, to help him stand, as the woman beamed at him.
"I understand. That's good to hear about. I wasn't truly doubting you, it was just unexpected news. I was rather yelled at earlier by Tor when I got with him on the topic. I hope we can be friends? I'd hate for my poor phrasing to get between us that way."
It was, he knew, better than most would have offered after being so frightened like that. That meant he nodded at her.
"Yes, thank you? Good then. I need to get back to the space base. The Ranford is due in soon. I managed to convince Alice Orange that sending a few hundred people to work through the next week was a good plan. I also hired fifty-three people earlier. No entertainers though yet. That part has me a little worried." Then he shut it, because no one there would care all that much about his little problems.
The large man, Count Ward, smiled at him. The fellow was seated and still nearly as tall as he was, meaning he had to be about as large as the King. About nine feet tall.
His voice was deep, powerful and rumbling. Also decently friendly sounding at the same time.
"I could look around for you? I'd heard that the port here is growing suddenly. What kind of acts are you looking for?"
Dare smiled and bowed in his direction, then did the same with everyone else in the room. No one stood up, but they did nod their heads back at him.
"Anything. Jugglers, singers, musicians, players. We already have whores, but could use some more. It won't pay as well as in the city, but they get room and board, plus a silver per week, guaranteed. I set that as the rate for everyone. The real coin will be in what they can pry from the customers. I know that isn't a lot."
More to the point, it wasn't a lot for some of the people there. A tavern woman would get that in a week, but it would come a copper or two at a time, in tips. A whore would make more, but it came the same way, overall. Inn people normally got twice that however, and the Dirt Children would have normally been lucky to make that in a month, doing the work they were.
No one had complained, not once they realized what Tam-unit could get for them. Especially after he pointed out that, as long as they were kept full, the people that were working there could get level three things, instead of just level one. That would let them sell to the space people, and travelers, if they weren't happy with the lower level of service provided them directly.
The news got Collette to run away, meaning he had to chat with the others. They killed time by going over who was who.
The smaller man did that for them, standing. He bowed, then waved at Dare with a closed hand.
"This is Dareg Canton. Prince of Harmony, Countier Lairdgren, Countier Baker, controller of the world's spaceports. Tor's son, as you know?"
That got the blonde woman to shake her head, though she smiled about it.
"Is that the shocking news that Collette was going on about? I can see it. We should have you over soon, to our county, for a visit. I hear that your father and the others are coming back soon? Within the week?"
He smiled and nodded at her, then looked at the Count.
"That's what I hear as well. One of them came back already. Kolb?"
It was the mustache man, who was about six-four, who nodded at the name.
"Really? Interesting. It makes sense however, to truly test the safety of things. I used to take some classes with him at school. He was in charge of the fighters section. One of the Ancients as it turns out. The old sort?" This was for the Count, who nodded his giant head, his dark skin smooth and almost unlined.
"My sister, Petra, mentioned him to me, many times. I hear that even great fighters consider him impressive."
The man doing the introductions bowed in his direction then.
"Count Marvin Ward. Sitting ruler. Next to him is his wife, Countess Maria Ward. Collette's sister. Half-sister, but family is family, don't you think?"
That got him to nod, a bit stiffly, thinking about his own half-sister.
Everyone looked at him, concerned, so Dare threw off a slightly loopy looking smile.
"I... It turns out that I have a half-sister, too. I don't know what to do about that. It's easier with Tor and the others so far. They're away, at least for a few days. What am I supposed to do with Queen Constance though?"
Marvin gave a slow nod then his eyes pensive.
"That would be difficult. I think I take your meaning. If you press in, it will seem as if you are grasping for riches or title. If you don't, you might give insult, not being attentive enough. There isn't much you can do, except be attentive, without asking for anything of note. I have to say, it does sound like you have titles enough for one your age. I mean, I've never felt the lack, myself, and Prince is higher than Count."
That got Dareg to smile.
"There are so many of them in line though. Plus, I'm not really one of them, it's more an honorary thing. What's the word for 'son of a man who is not in line for the throne, but whose relation there puts his child in line for it, possibly?' I know that it was never covered in my classes." It sounded funny, but Maria nodded a few times.
"Dolphane. It isn't one commonly used, so I can see tossing it out and going with prince. Plus, it's a bit of a promotion, isn't it?"
Collette came back in then, a floating chest behind her. It was about a foot high and that big on each side. Reaching back she patted it.
"Better than half of this is in copper and silver. I put several different types of bags for delivery in as well. The blue velvet one is your stipend for the month. If you need more, you'll have to come and beg for it, just like a proper son of a wealthy house. It's tradition."
Oddly enough, each of the people there nodded, like that was really the simple truth.
Then, it was coin that he wouldn't have had otherwise, so he wasn't going to whine over it too much.
"Thank you. I'm afraid that I didn't get the name of this man?" He did what the fellow himself had, and used his whole hand, with his fingers closed tight together. It was less rude than pointing with a single finger, which basically told a person you intended to have sex with them. Possibly against their will.
Count Ward stood suddenly.
"Ah! The oversight is mine. This is Dorgal Sorvee. Of the Sorvee merchant empire. Also the former King of Vagus. Collette's husband."
Which made sense. Dareg bowed low to the man, who it seemed had once been a King, and then took a deliberate step back. Collette moved to him, handed him an amulet, which made the chest move, and then hugged him again.
She didn't speak, so he let his eyes open a bit wider, then smiled.
"If my apology was accepted, then I should run off now. If we can manage anything at all, you should all come and see me in a few days? For dinner perhaps? We won't have palace level service, but I'm hoping we
can near being festive? The first day of King's week?"
That got a smile from all of them, and Count Ward to stand, come across the room and clap him on the shoulder.
"I can't of course, since Maria and I will be at the palace for the formal meal that night. I think we have the third evening free?"
It was clear he was planning to set something up for then, but wasn't certain what to do. It was right there, on his face.
Dareg nodded taking it as a good idea.
"Can the rest of you make it then? On the third evening? That will give me a bit more time to set things up, so it would be good. At... Nine in the evening? We can set it up at Sam Builder's Palace? After all, he doesn't know that he has one there yet. It's a gift, from King Richard."
That actually got a pleasant murmur, so he described the location for them, then got away before they understood that he was out of his depth by so much. Unless that part just was assumed. He thought he was doing a good enough job faking his way through things, but it was far from perfect.
There were, in fact, probably a thousand ways in which he was messing things up. The kind of thing that he just didn't know about. For instance, he'd shown himself to his aunt, Petra. Now that the moment was past, and his head wasn't being abused by rage, he could see that one as being a bit of an issue. Then, he hadn't forced her at all, just taken it out, in his own home.
Still, that wasn't normal, was it? Even in Canton he'd have never tried that kind of thing and it wasn't as if he were simply doing what everyone else had around him. One thing he knew was that no one was going to come for him over bowing too low, or too often. So he did that and backed from the room.
There were people there, scurrying to do things, but no one stared at him as he left. It had, he hoped, gone well enough. He did have a small chest floating behind him. It was about five feet behind the sack that he was still wearing. That probably seemed strange, but no one had mentioned it. Really, his refusal, if unspoken, to be without it had probably made it seem like he wasn't planning to stay and visit, which would explain why he hadn't been offered a seat.
