8th April
22:36 GMT
"Aaaah…"
Jediah Rikane stops the moment he sees me, his protection detail immediately spreading out to make sure that they have a clear shot.
"Chief Minister. A pleasure to see you again."
"Yes. I.. expect-."
"To save us both some time: I'm annoyed about your government trying to keep me out of the loop and out of the way during the burning of Womb World, but it's not as if I'm actually going to miss the psions. I'm annoyed because I could have saved more of their test subjects than Princess Koriand'r managed and because you giving me the run around was insulting."
"I… Understand." He nods slowly. "And what do you consider to be reasonable recompense for the insult?"
"You have a perfectly legitimate foreign policy aim in straightening out Vega. And I don't have any objection to you helping a friendly government come to power. But that's it. You don't annex territory inside Vega and you ensure that I have access to the data I need to confirm that."
"That is.. what we were planning on doing anyway, so it doesn't present any difficulty. Duke Oswin is perfectly happy with the territory the Crown has awarded to him without intruding upon the Vega Moat."
"Good. The last thing this region needs is any further violent conflict." I open my mouth-. And close it again. "Oh, and in case it wasn't obvious: my concern is the probity of local powers and their ability to act in the greater good. This is the worst possible time for obfuscation or using 'clever' language to deceive me. I will find out, and I will be angry."
"There... The idea of Duke Oswin having a political marriage with a notable woman from Vega has been mooted, as has the idea of Prince Gavyn accepting a court position of some kind. Nothing is decided yet, and if gaining a claim on Vegan territory is one of your red lines then it probably won't happen."
"No talk of Prince Ryand'r marrying your Queen?"
"No."
"If you've been communicating with King Myand'r, then you should know how I feel about political marriages."
"He.. did.. mention it. I imagine that the.. cultural context is rather different. Had you done for a noble of the Crown Imperium what you did for Koriand'r and Lord Karras… It's just not done."
"I can't imagine letting something that no one wants to happen happen."
"No, I imagine that you can't. Tell me, are you married yourself?"
"No."
"Betrothed? Or.. however your civilisation arranges their affairs prior to marriage?"
I nod. "Yes. But.. while it's desirable for people to get on well with their partners' families, it's the couple who are going to have to live together, support one another and raise their children together. There are many women who might be 'better' matches in some sense. There are none whom I love as I do her. None whom I desire-"
My environmental shield flares, triggering desire-associations in all of those present, and giving me a fairly generic slideshow.
"-as I do her."
"I assume that your civilisation isn't governed by a hereditary aristocracy, then."
"You assume correctly."
"Thus, you don't consider lineage to have.. wider significance. Perfectly reasonable with an alternate social order, but for us it's… I'm afraid that you'd be cast as the villain in our social dramas."
"I think I'll live. The intelligence reports?"
"I will have them compiled for you."
"Thank you."
"Do you intend to stay in the region for long?"
"No, this is just a check up. There's a.. situation on my homeworld that I'm.. monitoring, in case I need to take action, but for now I want to stay out of the way of the people who are supposed to be managing it."
"What sort of situation? Is there anything we can do?"
"I appreciate the thought, but probably not. My world is isolated, but has.. weirdly advanced technology in some areas. We're being visited by an interstellar trading corporation which… Could be really useful, if we were actually organised enough to respond with any sort of unity. As it is, people are running around like headless chickens and buck-passing for all they're worth and I suspect that we're going to get the worst possible outcome."
He frowns. "I'm… Not sure that translated properly. 'Headless chickens'?"
"A simpleminded food animal. Usually they're killed by decapitation as the first stage in the preparation process, but if you cut too high then enough of their central nervous system survives that they can... Sort of keep going, though without eyes or ears or reasoning. The expression serves as a metaphor for failures of leadership."
He chuckles quietly. "My word. How… Completely appropriate. You wouldn't have a recording of such a beast, would you?"
Ring… Do I?
Yes.
When did I..? Why did I-?
"I'll upload a copy to the palace server. How long will it take your people to collate those intelligence reports?"
"I presume that you're mostly interested in the period since your last visit?"
"Mostly. Though I'm also curious about the decision making process which led up to the alliance I encountered during my last visit. I mean, it's nice to see the forces of civilisation coming out ahead, but I think I'd benefit greatly learning from a worked example."
"A day or so should do it."
I nod.
"Any problems I should attend to immediately? Amalak behaving himself?"
"As well as one can expect from a rogue such as him. There was some talk of granting him a title in exchange for bringing his holdings into the Imperium, but… Since he's expanding into Vega I imagine that you would disapprove. And there are clear advantages in maintaining a buffer state."
"I agree." Hm. "I think that's everything. I'll return tomorrow. Thank you for your time."
"You're welcome."
I raise my right hand to my forehead
step out and
back, appearing on Tamaran.
**Adam, you're an omnidisciplinary genius. Earth needs your advice.**
**Then I'll be happy to offer it.**
