by P. S. Power
Dare nodded.
"Before the dinner, a bit ago. An old woman, not the other one, sadly enough. Not that she wasn't cute enough to consider that way. I don't know if she did that however, getting the... DNA. That's a physical thing? Related to cloning? Rosemarie, my school teacher in Canton, wasn't too clear about how that worked, but I remember the letters. Something about skin samples? Maybe hair?" The poor woman really hadn't known what the heck that was all about, but it had been in the book about recent history, so she'd tried her best for them all.
Tor seemed impressed.
"Both can work for it. Don't be confused on that score however, if Doris wanted to examine you, she has. She's one of the old Ancients. Thousands of years of experience can pay off, as far as being good at things goes. Trust me. We should know a bit more about you after she's finished, if nothing else. What kind of things you'll be good at, and that kind of thing. If you'll like men to have sex with and matters like that." Again it was half teasing, but this time there seemed to be something of a question in the words.
Not that he didn't know the answer there.
"Women, only. Speaking of which, you aren't dating Commander Derring, are you?"
"Um, nooo. Why?"
He snorted a little, but didn't look away.
"The obvious reasons. I want to get her into bed. She's afraid that you'd be mad at her over it. Which, if you aren't seeing her yourself, would be ridiculous. You can talk to her about it, and recommend me to her when you get here tomorrow. I'm totally unskilled, so try to gloss over that portion of things?" It wasn't a question, but it did get a laugh.
"Oh? So I'm your match maker now? Are you looking to marry her, or just get her into bed?"
That the first one was possible got him to blink. Not that it should have. If the woman were married she would have mentioned it or possibly produced a husband already.
"The second one. People here have mentioned Princess Karina for a betrothal. I mean that, too. Apparently the bloodlines are all right for that? You know her, right? Can you recommend her for the job?" He was just asking, but Tor stiffened, then seemed to force himself to relax.
"I... Yes. She's a wonderful person. Do you want me to mention the idea to her officially? Ali should do it really, since it's her job, as your mother. I'm going to have to warn you there, she has plans for you. Real ones, I mean. As your new mother. She's even been taking lessons on how to do it over the last few days, so try to be nice about it when she insists you go off to school. That, or sleep with half of her friends. She has a very different outlook on that kind of thing than I do. I'm working on it still. So, yes, you can date Karen. Be polite about it, and if she's putting you off, just accept it. If you push her too hard she will have sex with you, even if she doesn't want to. That wouldn't go well." He seemed nearly stern then.
Dareg nodded in return. It was the first threat, then. He either treated Karen Derring well, or else. That probably went not just with all the women that Torrance Baker knew, but all people, men or women, anywhere. It was a thing he was kind of famous for, protecting others.
"Understood. So, I guess we should start the Princess Karina thing? We should at least meet, and see if we can stand each other. I don't know if I can do it. Be married? A lot of people seemed to think it was a great idea however, and if it works... Well, I'm backing the King, you know? I get the whole Prince thing, but..." He got ready for a fight then, and Tor did stiffen a little bit, but when he spoke his words were different than expected.
"You don't have to do what he says. I mean, you do, but you don't have to defer to nobles, just because they're tall. That was part of my own pattern, back when you were conceived. Do you feel like you're about to die around all of the large people? Or like you have to do everything they hint at?" It was probing, and worried at the same time.
Right until he snorted about it.
"Me? No, I tend to boss them around just like everyone else. I'm kind of surprised no one has called me on it yet. I would have, since I've been verging on being a complete idiot a few times. So far everyone I've met has been pretty kind to me. Especially King Richard. Sara mentioned something about a command line power? Chemicals that I give off that make people think that I'm in charge? I've been working not to abuse that, now that I know about it. On the good side it isn't total. People can, and have, said no to me. So I don't make them slaves."
Tor looked at him for a bit, then nodded.
"Keep that up then. You're probably having a very solid effect on the King, since he has a pattern that makes him vulnerable to that kind of thing, so you shouldn't ask him for anything. That includes suggesting things around him, at least in person. You said that you're backing him? In what?"
He went still for a second, then waved Bill over, since the man was three feet away and would hear him regardless.
"This is Bill Humboldt. He's the plant facilities manager for the Noram Capital Space Port. Gardens. Working with Gerent? Anyway, Commander Derring, the King and myself are looking into some trouble with the High Servants. Some of them seem to be trying to take over, for political reasons. As far as we know that isn't about hurting anyone yet. That's what I was talking about. Are you in on helping with that, at least loosely? I know that as the Ancient of Vagus you might not be allowed to do anything like that, so I get it, if you can't."
There was a sudden, very sour look, and a glance away. It seemed to be filled with shame.
"I'm in too, then. They're my fault. I started the order, as a way to get some people out of the way and dumped it on Karen. It was a joke at the time, I swear. It was a mistake. I should have walked away and left them all to their own devices, but too late now. Hopefully this won't be too bloody. I'll get with Smythe on it, too. We, he and I, along with the Finance Councilor were all involved originally. I'll handle that part... Now. The important things first... You've been eating enough? Everyone has been nice to you? You've only had two strange run-ins with mechanical people from the void?"
Dareg crossed his eyes.
"I could probably use more food, and I really hope those clockwork folk will stop trying to rob people to test us. I kind of understand, but it's annoying. Other than that, they seem all right. That's all I can say so far. We have a meeting with them tomorrow night, at Sam Builder's palace. At dinner?"
Tor nodded, "I heard that. It will be interesting. Their fleet shouldn't get here for another eight years, so for them to have people here already, talking to us, means something. Anyway, you know to keep in touch, if you need me, or us here, to do anything, right? You too, Bill. We can get free workers from Harmony really easily. Just tell Dareg what you need and he can call me or Tiera to get things going for you."
Dare made a considering face and nodded at them both in turn.
"Sounds like a good idea. Talk with you later? Tomorrow most likely, before you get here, demanding that you all come out naked for the Austrans. They don't seem very happy to hear that you all aren't landing there first. Especially Timon."
Tor winced then, and seemed to understand everything, without it being explained.
"We'll have to make it up to them. Vagus will be easier that way. There might be some singing and dancing, but other than that, they won't expect too much from us. Get in touch if you need me. Bye." Then he just waited.
Dareg got that. He didn't want to be rude either.
"Bye." He tabbed off first, tapping the sigil once.
They were at the pod house, about then, and Bill looked around, then turned to walk toward the encampment on the far side of the port. Where he'd been the night before, sleeping on the ground with thousands of other people.
Dareg shrugged.
"You can use the floor in here? It won't be much more comfortable than the ground, but the sound of snoring will be lighter, I bet. We can get you some blankets and pillows? I want to chat with Tam-unit anyway." He'd kind of been neglecting her, which was foolish, since she was going to be needed at the other ports.
He
and Bill moved over to the slightly glowing blue box, the familiar Tam face coming up on the window as soon as they got there.
"Hello, Tam-unit! Is everything going well? People have been keeping you full, and all that?"
"They have! Of course I've been arguing with people all day about not being able to make alcohol for them. Should we let them have that? I didn't know what you'd want. It is a party, but there are venders and the tavern for that. Should they get drunk for free?"
"Nope. Great call. Now, not to be mean, but could my friend here have some bedding and a pillow or two? We can collect up some things while you work? I'll do that. Bill, you should catch the things so they don't end up on the ground." They were already popping out of the front, through the side of the box, after all.
That meant jogging around and picking things up for a while, but just as things were about done coming out, he was able to replace the materials used with trash. A lot of it was food. Fruit peels, and partially eaten things that had fallen on the ground. That meant, after telling his friend Tam-unit goodnight, he had to go, make a door again, then wash up before changing into sleeping clothes. He took the bed, because it was his, and Bill didn't seem to mind the idea of curling up on the floor.
It occurred to him that if he could hide the door, because having walls was part of the pattern of the pod house, he should be able to make the floor like the bed. It would have to still be the floor, in case he had to leave, but by touching the wall, like he'd seen Sara do earlier, and focusing hard for a few minutes, he got the whole thing to go soft under his feet. Bill squeaked, but rolled over and started breathing heavily then, already out for the night.
Which he needed to be too, since he was in for a whole four hours of sleep, if he was lucky.
It came pretty easily, so that was nice. At about five, based on the fact that there was no real lightening of the sky yet, Bill shook him gently.
"Ser? It's time to get up. You have to go to Austra?"
That got him to blink, and he forced himself to sit. Then, instead of stumbling around for two hours he found the little focus stone disk that Alyssa had given him and tapped it. Alertness flooded his body and brain like a sweet wave of life. Getting that Bill had to be suffering the same thing, he pulled the thing off and handed it over.
The man smiled as it came back, a few seconds later.
"Oh! I'm dreading the day far less now. Prince Gerent said that he'd come and take me to find the first trees that we'd need. For the green belt? That's what he called it. That's not until dawn, so I have lots of time. I haven't slept that well for weeks. The floor went all soft?" He bounced a little, so Dare got up, stretched his hands up above his head, and pushed his too long hair back.
Then he closed his eyes and touched the wall, making the floor real again. Hard and like stone, instead of a mattress.
Bill yelped again, but smiled and bounced a few more times. Then the man nodded.
"You'll be needing your breakfast, ser. I'll go get that while you ready for the day?"
Dareg smiled at him, since it was kind of clear that he was trying to play servant. Which wasn't his job, but was smart. Making yourself useful was about the best plan possible, after all. It was the only thing between each of them and being tossed out, most likely. Really, it showed that his little farmer friend was bright enough to work that kind of thing out for himself.
"Thanks. I need to shower up, and get things ready. I'm going to need room for about two hundred. I also need to find David Derring, since he's going with me. Commander Derring, too."
After brushing his teeth, showering and dressing for the day in a light blue suit, with a black shirt under it, he found them easily enough, waiting with ten other people directly outside his little house. All of them sipping what smelled like coffee from ceramic mugs. The kind Tam-unit made.
Bill ran up to him, looking nervous, to hand him a mug of the same stuff, and a small sandwich. It had egg and bacon on it, and the bread was toasted. A strange morning meal, but savory and with foods that were things he liked, when he could get them.
"Thanks, Bill. We should be able to get going in a few minutes, I think. We need to get over to one of the empty landing areas, so I can set things up. That shouldn't take too long. This way everyone?" He didn't even say hello, since he didn't know who everyone was yet, and didn't want to risk exposing them openly if it was supposed to be secret.
David moved over to him, as did the large man from the day before. The one with the pain and the beating. Havar. Baron Havar. He got ready for another attack, but it didn't come, the men either not planning that, or waiting for his guard to be down.
If so, they did it very well. Havar slapped him on the back, reaching down to do it. His words were friendly enough.
"We're your crew for this trip. So I guess we'll see to sitting people on the other side and helping with bags? The Royal Guards will protect Princess Veronica, and I have to imagine that Count Peterson will protect himself if anything happens. Not that it will. Ever since the old leader was removed from that land, the Austrans have been peaceful sorts. Still, it never hurts to have a plan. You're the pilot, and Captain, so we do what you say. I was just cleverly saying all that first so you'd be influenced by it. Fine work, don't you think?" The large man, who wasn't that great looking, smiled.
He had a real point, too.
"Yeah. That really does work. We'll do it that way. Does everyone have a space worthy shield? I don't have any more with me... Not that we're going into space, but close enough breathing will be hard if people want to go outside to play." Only one person, a woman that seemed to be in her fifties looked scared, and raised her hand. That got Captain Derring to walk over to her, pulling at things on her own neck.
"Here you go Ambassador Callings. A gift, from Harmony. Not the Queen, her people."
Then they all stopped, since there was bowing to be had, and the woman asked if it was allowed for her to take such a rich and valuable thing. David had to hide a smile, since his sister was the one stuck getting her to take it.
It was going on a bit however, and Princess Veronica seemed about to intercede, becoming bored with the scene already.
That allowed Dareg to laugh, and wave.
"We can walk and do that part? The space I want to use is right up ahead. We won't need anything near one of those mountains back there. They should be leaving later today, but I need to get in touch with them and check on the timing for that. We do not want them all trying to go at one time. Or when we are." He jogged ahead then, so he could activate his ship, which was living around his neck full time.
It was near priceless after all.
It was all white, or at least a light gray, and looked like a rectangular box. A small one however. He allowed it to grow, but not as much as it felt like it wanted too. He was filling the spot he was in, when he finished, making the whole thing the size of one of the palace restrooms that he'd set up, more or less. Large, and easily enough for twice the number they'd been told to expect. Then he formed seating for them, with tables for every four chairs. Soft ones that David suggested, for comfort. They all seemed to be made of cushioned leather, and the tables of solid mahogany.
The tall man, who was dressed in rather plain black that day, like a soldier might have done, if in a different style, looked around.
"We have a restroom, but we should get some water. We can do that over the ocean, when we go into Austra. That way we can serve breakfast while we wait for everyone to show up. You did schedule most of the day for that, didn't you?" There was a slightly worried sense to the words, like he might not have.
He smiled though.
"King Richard suggested I do that. He seemed to think that me assuming people would be there on time was pretty funny, come to think of it. Good idea with the food and water." He'd had his sandwich, and was finishing his coffee, like most of the people were, but he still felt a bit hungry.
Still, they were setting off not ten minutes later, which everyon
e agreed was making very good time. It wasn't even five-thirty in the morning yet. He rose up to two thousand feet, moved to the west about ten miles, which took no more than a minute, even going slowly, and then went straight up hard. Then, being very careful, he plotted the jump, imagining a curved line around the world, and engaging before anyone noticed. Thankfully that worked. He hadn't known it would for certain.
David Derring went wide eyed at it, but instead of remarking on it pointed at the landmass beneath them.
"There, off the southern area? About ten miles out or a little more. Then come in at no more than a hundred miles per hour, and slow a lot near the water port there? That way they won't shoot at us, or fear invasion as much."
He nodded, and had them in place, and filling the hold below them with sea water, about ten minutes later. The trip hadn't taken long that way, really, which wasn't lost on the passengers. In fact Princess Veronica came to the front where he was sitting and looked out at the docks with him.
They were a bit rundown looking, with once smooth stone that was cracked, broken, and beaten now. Metal rods, rusting in the salt water like iron and steel did, jutted from the stone, showing that it was in no way natural. A thing like focus stone, only different. It was a yellowish gray color, though there was a nicer section not too far away. That looked newer, and like someone was trying to keep things up, if a bit too slowly.
If there were people waiting for them to get there, then they were hidden from view pretty well. That was possible, since there were large warehouse buildings in the way. For a moment he wondered if it was just the wrong place. Before he could say that however, the Princess, who was leaning over his shoulder in a way that was a bit too close for people that were supposed to be related, her breasts rubbing against his back over the seat, nodded.
"This is where we always come in. So, I think I heard something about a meal? It's almost evening here, so what this means I don't know. Can you get in touch with whoever is in charge of things on this end? We can at least let them know that we stand ready to transport them."
