There was no time for that method. The method she intended to use was tried and tested by jockeys and boxers the universe over. She would sweat off water. Of course the weight loss would be only temporary and the next day she would retain fluid and bloat, but tomorrow was another day. She was remodelling her body for just one night.
She got through the reports, summaries and memos at top speed. Having issued a stream of commandss and checked the progress of her previous orders, she picked up the donation records, memorised them and headed for the main door. She changed direction last minute heading for the Precognitive Section. The door opened before she reached it. “Good,” she thought “they’re on their toes.”
A Mercury woman in civilian dress greeted her. The Mercury looked concerned. Precognitives throughout the Zeninan networks had been filing reports full of doom and terror. Kerina’s life was in danger. Fire and explosions filled the reports. The Empire attacked by Kurgians, people dead, injured; famine, disease and oppression. All were reported by the terrified precognitives. Marina examined the reports, seeking consistency or details that could be specifically dealt with. But no firm predictions correlated. She asked to be kept closely informed of any specific threats, thanking the Mercury for her personal concern.
“Yes, I’ll take every precaution possible. I’m determined to stay alive, but I don’t believe the Empire will fall with my death. There are other Golds to take my place.”
Then Marina decided to do something she wouldn’t normally do. She contacted her mother and asked a favour of her.
“Could you please send Dalzina and Kapalina off planet for a month or two? Some Royal Mission,” she suggested. “But not as a disgrace, but very urgent.”
“Why do you seek their removal?” asked Kerina.
“Plavina gave me a Kurgian mind-wiping machine. It was used on the Rubies who had amnesia after I killed Xenzia. One of the Rubies recognised it under hypnosis; she told me Dalzina had put the blaster in Xenzia’s hands. Dalzina had her mind-wiped. There are some dire pregognitive reports reporting our deaths. I think it might be better if the pair of them were away for a while.”
Kerina already knew she would die soon, but she did not want to influence Marina’s actions further. The risk to Marina was great and Zenina’s danger if Marina died herself greatest. Zenina came before Kerina’s personal survival.
Chapter Thirty-Five - The Ice Caves
Father Debenden was totally unprepared for the size of the party that set off to the ice caves. The idea of being involved in a group of that many children, with so great an age range appalled him. Father O’Flaherty was unconcerned by the additions to the party, in fact the young priest decided he was enjoying himself. How to use the transporters was explained to Father Debenden as they departed to the Ice Caves. At the entrance, he, Jessina and Floren were fitted out in thermal suits, but the Zeninans including Father O’Flaherty did not bother. Then they descended in a lift through a long deep shaft swiftly to the bottom.
The lift opened to a fairy tale scene, a gigantic cavern lit in pastel coloured lights reflected in the crystal facets of the rock face. The floor of the centre of the cave was a sheet of smooth ice, an ice lake, which sparkled where the lights shone upon a scratch or imperfection in the surface. On the ice, children of all ages and a few adults spun and danced. One side of the cavern had been floored in tiny sugar pink and white stones set in complicated geometric patterns, tables and chairs had been placed there. The priests and Ruby nurses moved towards the tables, settling at one close to the edge of the rink.
Kazimira and Sebie led the children off to find skates. They helped Floren and Jessina choose, fitting them. The skates looked like old fashioned bathing shoes you might wear on a pebbled beach. So walking on to the ice was simple, as they had no blades underneath. When they reached the ice, the other children spun off in good spirits. Kazimira showed Floren and Jessina how to switch on the force jets underneath the shoes and adjusted them to the greatest width so they were easy to balance on. Sebie helped Jessina onto the ice, Kazimira guided Floren.
The Ruby nurses prepared themselves for a wait. Alanga brought out a strip of silver lace, with balls of silver thread and bobbins which clicked gently in her lap producing a few more inches of lace, whilst her eyes remained resolutely on her charges. Father Debenden did not believe how well behaved the children were. There had been no raucous yelling or running around, no fighting or arguing.
When the children had spoken at all it had been to address a remark to him, Jessina or Floren. For this he had to thank Father O’Flaherty who had spelt out to the elders of the young Zeninan group exactly what he expected of them, generously taking Marina’s name in vain. He had promised should their behaviour disgrace him, she would dish out the punishment.
Kazimira as the oldest, was not afraid her behaviour would give offence, but Sebie who had been stung by his aunt’s riding crop after some heinous transgression of his own had annoyed her, took the threat seriously. As most of the others came at his instigation and Marina was footing the bill, he took it on himself to ensure the others’ good behaviour. Harminda and Antang soon tired of skating, so Orina took them to the grown-ups before returning to the rink herself.
Father O’Flaherty had been served with hot drinks and a plate of candied fruits, sweetmeats and another of assorted cooked flour products which were a cross between biscuits and pastries. There were both sweet and savoury versions of them. The four grown-ups had been consuming these leisurely. The twins pounced on the remnants, devouring them. Carbonated drinks for the twins were delivered. They sat on the floor by the table, drinking their drinks, playing quietly. Floren was next to give up. He was stiff from falling over and found he did not have the stamina of the Zeninan children. He was tired but exhilarated. Gradually the children tired, joining the group beside the rink.
More plates of confectionary and drinks appeared which greedily vanished into the mouths of the tired children. Father Debenden assumed the visit was now over. The cavern was very impressive, but he was disappointed by the visit, although he was enjoying being in a cooler environment. What he had seen so far of Zenina had inspired him. He had expected more of the visit than a huge underground ice rink, however pretty the surroundings and delicious the confectionary.
In the following hours he was astounded, excited and his stomach was churned. After he left the caves he regretted his first cynical dismissal of the skating cavern, but did not regret the rest of the visit. He would not have wanted to miss it. Father Debenden had failed to notice the powered bob-sleighs which travelled along a channel on the other side of the rink. The edge of the rink was embanked up to prevent unwary skaters falling off the rink into the path of a sleigh. A small dark tunnel gave egress into the cavern at the opposite corner, through which shot sleighs of returning children who spilled out to make their way to the lifts or the seating area. Now their party headed in the direction of the sleighs.
Chapter Thirty-Six - Crown Prince
Kerina had put the final touches to her plans for her funeral. She had organised it down to the last detail. The recordings of her wishes had been given to her lawyer who stored them with her will. She saw old friends individually for the last time. Stenlina had visited that morning; they had discussed what would happen after Kerina’s death. Marina was right about Dalzina and Kapalina, Kerina felt that instinctively. So she would do all she could to help Marina hang on to the Empire.
Queen Kerina descended into the cellars of the palace, where an underground swimming pool had been built. A stream fed the pool with fresh water, the stream heading down from the palace into the river and thence to the sea. Neman had to travel thousands of miles from his undersea Palace to reach the pool. Up the river against the current to meet with her here, but he had heeded her call and came.
Crown-Prince Neman was waiting for Kerina. He ruled the true Zeninans, the sea-people, the aboriginal people of Zenina. They did not call the planet Zenina; that was a quirk of t
he mongrel race living upon the land. The sea people had no need of speech, nor any provision for it. Kerina was queen of Zenina and empress of the Zeninan Empire, but only joint ruler of the planet of Zenina. She ruled in agreement, with the support of Neman. Previous queens argued the title of ‘Crown Prince’ was incorrect and the reigning sea prince should be named king. The mermen insisted under the sea, nature was king and they were all his vassals.
The sea-people were the main reason Zenina was so efficiently run; the treaty between land-dwellers and sea-people was a masterpiece of concord. The sea-people tolerated the ‘Zeninans’ on the land above, assisting their existence, only with complete compliance with the treaty. The treaty insisted on total pollution control. No sewage, slurry, chemical waste, fertiliser effluent, domestic garbage, fuel overspill or other pollutants were allowed into the waters of Zenina. Everything was treated, reprocessed and then treated again. Fines and punishments for polluting were stringently pursued and dealt with seriously.
In return the sea-people provided a quota of fish and seafood, which they caught, delivering it to waiting ships. They harvested the excess seaweed for use as fertiliser on the land. The Zeninans protected them from other invaders. If the sea-people wished to travel off planet, they could do so only with Zeninan aid. The land-dwellers traded for pearls and corals giving whatever technical assistance or processed materials Neman required in return.
Most visitors to Zenina were unaware of the sea-people’s existence. Some Zeninans did not even believe their existence. It was official policy not to mention the sea people. They wished to be left alone; their right to privacy was respected. The effects of falling out with them were too appalling to contemplate. Many affluent Zeninans felt they deferred to sea-people too much. The treaty was in their favour, the quotas were too low, and a strong leader could wipe out the sea-people or make them slaves to the Zeninans.
These people were foolish, but it had been so long since there had been real war on Zenina itself, they had forgotten how awful it could be. The delicate ecology of the planet would be destroyed and the sea-people would fight back. They were more powerful than most Zeninans thought.
Neman was capable of breathing air for short periods but it tired him, his movements out of water were slow and awkward. The muscles of his legs were rarely used for walking upright and were poorly designed for that usage, but he could swim for miles without tiring. He sat in a shallower pool trailing his feet in the deeper water of the swimming pool. Kerina undressed, slipping into the warm water beside him. Neman embraced her, his thoughts reached out to hers. The power of Neman’s mind intimidated Kerina, she had never fully accepted the fact, that she was the weaker partner. It was difficult for her to know that a man - even a sea-man was superior to her.
“Why did you call me, Kerina? It’s not yet time for our annual meeting. Are there problems above the waters?”
“This will be our last meeting, Neman, I wanted to say goodbye. My death is close. I am worried what will happen to Zenina when I die.”
“Your death is not far off, that is true. Do you fear it?”
“No I am ready, it is time.”
“You have heirs, they will keep the treaty?”
“Plavina and Marina will keep the treaty, but I’ve seen Marina die with me. Plavina is not strong enough to hold the throne alone.”
“Marina will not die. I have seen her crowned. You worry needlessly. She will be a great queen.”
“I have seen her death; I have seen our blood mingle together as one. I am not alone in seeing it, we’re swamped by predictions.”
“There’s danger to Marina, she may be injured, but she’ll live through. It is her destiny to be queen. When her time to reign comes, the sea-people will help her. This I pledge. Few see past their own death. Look into my mind, see the future and be joyful. Your daughter will be the greatest queen, Zenina has had for millennia.”
Neman embraced Kerina who seemed tiny in his arms. “We’ve seen a lot of time pass together, Kerina. I’ll miss you,” Neman said in her mind.
“Be gentle with Marina. She’s more sensitive than she pretends.”
Their last meeting was bittersweet; at length Neman thought his adieus and swam away. Kerina watched the ripples fade as he submerged, brushing a single tear from her eye.
***
Marina drove to the Palace; then walked to the banqueting hall, pacing out the floor. She had dressed in a green plastic suit which covered her from neck to wrists and ankles. The floor was made of black marble and shone like a mirror, beautiful to walk on but punishing to do classical dance on.
Marina limbered up with basic tumbling, cartwheels, back flips, and forward rolls the length of the floor. She rose on the toes of her feet, spinning in open spirals around the room. Then she settled into some loosening exercises. She worked thoroughly exercising every part of her body. Straight into splits, push up from the floor into handstand, toes backwards over into crab. Stood, stretching her arms forward between her legs into an elbow stand. For a couple of hours Marina tortured her body, forcing it into attitudes most healthy people would find unnatural, painful and impossible. She worked out in her mind the steps she would make that night.
At last she was happy her body was now flexible enough to commence to dance. Marina with the sound of drums and pan-pipes in her mind began to dance to a fervent beat. The soles of her feet pattered against the marble floor in the delicate stamp and slide of Zeninan Classical Dance. Her fingers shaped traditional patterns of complex designs. Her back bent backwards, swaying as her feet kept time to the rhythm in her head. Her body moving in the attitudes of happiness and sorrow, love and laughter whilst her feet accelerated, she spun on the tips of her toes, her hands tracing a series of concentric circles in the air.
From the balcony a figure looked down entranced. “So that is the Princess Marina! Yes, she’s a woman I can understand men having strong feelings about. King Ga’Mishrin was in a foul temper for months after she returned to Zenina. Nothing pleased him. I hear she held him off for so long, the treaty was much more generous to Zenina than ever Ga’Mishrin intended. King Ga’Mishrin isn’t used to waiting for what he wants, but I have greater patience,” he thought. Prince Ga’Mikkal felt glutted by the stream of beauties he had met in Zenina.
“Where is the excitement of discovery, when everything is already on display and free for the taking?”
He was surprised to look forwards to seeing Princess Marina in the flesh tonight when she would dance in his and her mother’s honour.
“I don’t think she’ll throw herself at me; a little reluctance will make her seduction sweeter.”
He had not considered bedding her before this moment, but then he had not seen her. The grace of her dance in spite of the ugliness of her garments was making his pulse rise.
***
Marina’s concentration had been totally on her movements, but she picked up the man’s thoughts. The attraction he felt, was a stimulus to her. So she danced to her audience of one. She could not see the Kurgian who watched her, who had made no attempt to block his thoughts.
“One of the Embassy party I assume. It is always flattering to be desired.”
She moved more sensually, accentuating the lilt to the tempo. Prince Ga’Mikkal gasped as his body started to respond. He dampened down the reaction; he liked to control his body and emotions. She caught his thought as he suppressed his desire, laughing to herself, increasing the tempo further.
“So, she finds my desire amusing. We’ll see about that,” but he did not leave. He watched entranced whilst Marina twirled and leapt, stamped and twisted. Then suddenly, she stopped, racing from the room. Ran, she fled as if King Ga’Mishrin himself was chasing her. Prince Ga’Mikkal was left flat, his elation dying with her flight.
“Oh well! I’d better finish what I came to do.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven - Halabala’s
Bromarsh enjoyed his lunch at Halabala’s very much. The food served under
Halabala’s personal supervision, without exception had been utterly delicious. All the party ate a little too much, but Halabala would not accept money for any of them. The clientele had thinned a little, but the restaurant was noisy and busy. Charles and Halabala excused themselves.
“All work and no play,” Charles smilingly commented. The other four laughed in return.
Lahoda made her apologies shortly after leaving with Jelen. She was on duty for the Banquet; there was much to do at the Palace. Chilka and Bromarsh sat toying with aniseed flavoured liqueurs. They were having a good time, so were dragging out their drinks, as people do when they do not want it to end. Some young women called Chilka over and she rose reluctantly to join them. She tried to withdraw, but they wanted to share their happiness with their friend.
“Hello,” a husky voice said to Bromarsh.
“Hello,” replied the Major, staring up at the beautiful amber eyes of the goddess who stood over him.
“We haven’t met. I’m Zadina,” whispered the gravelly voice, “Your friend has deserted you.”
“She’ll be back in a minute,” he said mesmerised like a rabbit staring back at a weasel.
“Come with me,” she said pulling him to his feet.
“Oh, you don’t need that,” she murmured, taking the chain from his neck, dropping it on the table. His legs moved in the direction he was led, but he bumped into the table. The tablecloth tangled his legs, table complete with cloth, glasses, plates and wine crashed to the floor. His eyes dropped from her amber eyes, as the noise of the crash dinned his ears. Amongst the debris of their lunch, the Mermaid and Lioness shone out. Marina’s badge! Dimly he stared at it, remembering the badge he wearing. His hand reached up to his throat where it should be, it was gone. Glancing sideways at the amber eyed woman, he understood.
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