Chapter 26

Ashlann was in her office, a place I’d never been invited to before. Also in the room were a tall, dark, oddly-dressed couple of women and by dark I mean jet black skin and by oddly-dressed, completely covered, other than their faces.

“Cure David, Monitor Vilgra, welcome. Please be seated,” Ashlann began.

“Supervisor Monitor,” we both politely intoned before seating ourselves facing the couple.

“This is Ambassador Efiloqu and her assistant Iriantala of the Melanoqui Autarchy,” she introduced the couple, indicating that the taller female (Efiloqu) was the Ambassador. “This is Cure David and his Monitor Vilgra,” she also indicated.

“Salutations,” I nodded politely, not having a clue about who or where they were from.

“Cordial greetings,” Vilgra added, probably getting the protocol right.

“They desire to purchase the service of a Cure,” Ashlann went on to inform us as the odd couple simply looked at us as if we were something trodden into the carpet.

“Why and who?” I asked, noting a glower from Iriantala.

“They refuse to say. They wish to discuss the matter directly with you and, naturally, your Monitor,” she replied, before rising and simply leaving.

The couple simply gazed at us, saying nothing and making Vilgra look very uncomfortable.

“Well, I’m waiting,” I shrugged. “If this was some sort of competition to see who blinked first, congratulations, you won.”

“It is as bad as I warned. Cures are untrained males. They lack respect for your gender and rank Ambassador,” Iriantala hissed.

“But he is surprisingly more polite than ambassadorial assistants of the Melanoqui Autarchy it seems,” Vilgra replied offhandedly. “You desire his services, you talk to him.”

“We will arrange it with you, Monitor, not that male,” the Ambassador replied coolly.

“No, you won’t.” I spoke up. “Monitor Vilgra does not speak for me. She is a facilitator for Medical Resource in order to allow me to do my job with the minimum of disruption to a patient. Let’s go, Vilgra,” I replied and simply stood and walked out, followed by a bemused Vilgra.

“Well, that went quicker than I expected,” Ashlann greeted us. “You walked, didn’t you?” she asked me.

“Yes. I realise different Empires have different rules and expected codes of conduct, but when in Vreekoos, you do as the Vreekoosians do,” I shrugged.

“Yes, but they insisted and did not want me there. I suspect they thought Vilgra was your ... owner as they insisted she attend when I pointed out I did not control you ... as if.”

“Well, you’d better set them right, because if I won’t help them, the gods alone knows what one of the other Cures will do by means of upsetting diplomatic relations,” I chuckled, making both Vilgra and Ashlann grin.

“Expect to be called back in,” Ashlann advised.

“Fine, I don’t expect an apology, just common courtesy. They can treat me as an honorary woman if they want,” I chuckled.

“Hmm, good idea,” she nodded and headed back into her office.

“So what is the Melanoqui Autarchy?” I asked Vilgra.

“AI, a synopsis for Dave, please,” she asked. “Keep it simple for the dumb male,” she added with a giggle.

“Of course, Monitor Vilgra,” the AI replied and I caught a humorous undertone to it as well.

“Ooh, someone’s asking for trouble,” I chuckled, making her grin grow wider.

“The Melanoqui Autarchy is a recent discovery by the Empire and consists of one hundred and twenty-four worlds,” the AI began. “Fifteen years ago (forty-two Earth years) diplomatic relations were established, though the Autarchy will only deal with females in a position of power. It is essentially a matriarchy and the males of the Autarchy are considered unintelligent and unworthy of power by the females. Few from the Empire have visited the Autarchy and actually met one of the males, though the impressions given were that the Autarchy males are actually quite intelligent though careful not to show it in front of their own females. All power is in the hands of the women of the Autarchy, including their fleets and their armed security battalions. Their AIs will only respond verbally to the women too. It is a pseudo democracy, in that only women who hold land ownership can vote in their elections to the Landspeak, their equivalent of a parliament, in effect it is a debating chamber only. The real power is held by their ruling Senate, who are appointed, not elected, by the Supreme Ruler. They are hostile to outside approaches and intrusions into the Autarchy. The Senate is headed by the Supreme Ruler of whom little is known, save only that her word is law. They are however not expansive and maintain good relations with the Empire so long as we mind our own business. Trade is in manufactured goods in exchange for purified metals and minerals which are the basis for current exchanges and they have enquired as to the leasing of a terraformer, though negotiations are stalled as they are insisting on an all-female crew and such a thing does not exist in the Empire.”

“Could we not cobble one together?” Vilgra asked.

“Not for a year yet, Monitor Vilgra. The necessary specialists are still in training as knowledge alone simply will not be enough to operate a terraformer correctly.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you,” Vilgra replied, getting an odd look from the other Monitors for the politeness she showed to an AI.

“You are most welcome, Vilgra.”

“One of those areas where experience counts I guess,” I added.

“Very much so, David,” the AI acknowledged.

At this point Ashlann returned from her office, frowning slightly.” They will not negotiate. However they are offering sixty thousand Royals for your time with one female. But, Vilgra must be in charge and you must not question or otherwise interact with the female except to cure her. They are insisting on observing to ensure you would keep to that stricture.”

“Supervisor Monitor?” Vilgra asked. “In charge of what? I’m constrained by certain rules in how I deal with David ... or any Cure come to that.”

“I know, but that’s the offer I was told to make. Apparently the ... patient will not cope well with a male treating her as an equal.”

“Oh boy, will she be surprised when I get going then,” I chuckled, making the group grin, particularly the ladies.

“So you accept?”

“I’ll do it for the sixty, yes. But, I’ll only take ten thousand; ten thousand will go to Vilgra, ten thousand as a bonus to the staff at Medical Resource here to be divided equally and the other thirty to the medical centre charity that funds Healer Cassire and her teams.”

“That’s acceptable, thank you,” Ashlann replied, looking relieved as a potential diplomatic incident was avoided.

“I can’t accept that!” Vilgra also said at the same time.

“Yes, you can,” I replied with a broad grin. “You’re my boss for this one.”

“That’s right, Monitor Vilgra,” Ashlann agreed with a smile. “On this one you’re the boss. Hence, you get paid as well.”

“They do know how a Cure works, don’t they?” I asked.

“I have no idea, they never asked,” Ashlann replied with an evil grin. “But they insist they want one.”

“Well, this just got interesting,” I chuckled.

The following day I turned up as summoned, to Medical Resource, and after the usual greetings walked with Vilgra into the treatment chamber where a young woman in Melanoqui garb waited, floating on a grav-bed.

“This is Untiriol, daughter of the Supreme Ruler of the Melanoqui Autarchy. She has a slow-acting DNA degradation caused by the taspasian virus, contracted upon one of the worlds of the Autarchy,” the female Healer informed us.

“Cordial greetings. I am Monitor Vilgra and this is Cure David,” Vilgra introduced us to Untiriol as the Healer left the room.

“Why does your male not abase himself before me?” Untiriol asked with a haughty glance.

“Imperial males do not abase themselves before foreigners, or anyone else for that matter,” Vilgra replied, keeping her cool somewhat, though I could tell from certain visual cues she was getting angry.

“He thinks he is better than me?” she asked in incredulous tones.

“He is the one that can cure you, something Melanoqui science and medicine cannot do. So yes, that does, for this instance, make him better than you,” Vilgra replied in icy tones, setting Untiriol back somewhat.

“I ... see. Very well, tell him to cure me and let’s get this over with!”

“Well, there we might have a problem,” Vilgra replied a small smile coming to her lips.

“Problem? I see no problem. You order him, he does it!”

“You have no idea what he has to do, do you?”

“Er ... no. I assume it’s like the prophets of old where he lays hands on me and cures me ... though why the god of all would choose a male is beyond me.”

“Nothing so simple. To cure you, he has to ejaculate his semen into you.”

“No! You lie! You must be lying!”

“Why would I lie? It can be confirmed by others,” Vilgra replied as the door into the room opened and Efiloqu and Iriantala barged in, followed by Ashlann, who was keeping her distance and clearly had summoned the Guardians.

“You will not dishonour Untiriol!” Iriantala yelled in my face, though I ignored her and simply moved away, clearly ignoring the Melanoqui.

“Why did you not tell us how this ... cure works?” a livid Efiloqu asked Ashlann.

“You did not ask. You indicated that you had no desire to interact with Medical Resource. You simply ordered us to cure Untiriol and offered money in excess of that which was necessary to do it without explanation as you felt any procedure involving a male was below you,” Ashlann replied as two Guardians entered the room and stood next to her.

“You did not ask any details of them?” Untiriol hissed at the two women, her anger clearly diverted.

“No, Dynasta. We do not interact with these male lovers, nor waste our time with them. It was thought merely to be a psychic gift locked to the male genome,” Efiloqu replied.

“You should never assume,” I spoke for the first time. “Only fools run on assumptions.”

“Silence male, you have no voice here!” Iriantala yelled and went to strike me, only to find herself flying through the air as I used a judo style move to use her momentum and send her to crash hard into the wall, knocking the breath from her and leaving the other two staring at me in amazement and a touch of fear.

“Appearances can be deceptive. Another foolish assumption on your part, to think all males are helpless, I think,” I said into the silence. “By the way, laying a hand on a Cure without his express permission is considered treason in the Empire. You’d better hope your diplomatic immunity covers this as you are now in serious trouble with the Empress herself,” I added, before moving to leave the room.

I was brought to an immediate halt by almost walking into Amantil who was being flanked by a security detail ... all female at that, with weapons drawn.

“Serenissima,” I greeted her with a hurried full bow, swiftly followed by the other Imperial subjects in the room.

“Tell me, daughter of Supreme Ruler Millonra, what would happen to an Imperial diplomat who attacked one of the elect in Melanoqui society?” Amantil, ignoring us for the moment, asked Untiriol in freezing tones.

“They would be expelled immediately, Serenissima Amantil ... assuming they were not killed on the spot as a reprisal,” Untiriol replied nervously at all the weapons now pointing at her, Efiloqu and Iriantala.

“And what happened to the Embassy of the Realm of Disoun because a diplomatic aide went to assist a male being beaten in the street, Ambassador Efiloqu?”

“It was burned to the ground. In defiance of a command by the Senate, I might add, Serenissima.”

“A command that was ‘unfortunately’ late in coming, was it not? Arriving after the armed battalion had withdrawn from its task.”

“Serenissima, I can only apologise for the intemperate actions of my colleague...”

“Were any of the officers of this battalion prosecuted for their breach of diplomatic protocol?” Amantil carried on relentlessly, clearly making a point as to the thin ice the Melanoqui were on.

“No, but...”

“Ambassador Efiloqu, the presence of Melanoqui within the Empire is no longer desirable. You and all your staff are henceforth expelled and your diplomatic credentials revoked. If you cannot behave in a civilised manner within the Empire, we wish no interaction with the Autarchy. Trade will cease, all agreements are null and void. You have one day to sort out your expulsion and transit any Melanoqui found within the Empire. Any of your people found after this will be assumed to be spies and agent provocateurs. You have tried our patience once too often, now go!”