Chapter 31

“And you wish to talk to me over this ... why?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“Because you have the ear of Tillan and he clearly is more than he seems,” Conna replied.

“You really believe that?” I asked, giving nothing away, I hoped.

“Our menfolk may be blind to the obvious, but, trust me, we women aren’t. That man is no trader/technocrat,” Mella stated. “He says little, but listens intently when politics are raised.”

“Politics affect sales. It’s a long way to ship goods if the political situation is going to explode in your face,” I temporised.

“Indeed,” Conna nodded. “I note you didn’t deny he is some sort of agent though.”

“No,” I smiled. “I didn’t, did I?”

During this I had, via an AI, placed a call to Tillan and was pretty sure he was observing.

“I don’t suppose you could assist us to ... change the outlook of the Kingdom?” Mella asked carefully.

“Assuming we would be interested, is there an organisation of a less militaristic nature, yet ... powerful enough to take over?” I asked, again carefully treating it as a hypothetical question.

“We have a list of names of various ... charitable ventures who would be able to assist in any such change of outlook,” Conna replied, handing over several pages of what I presumed was pseudo-paper, or some such material.

“You do realise there will be winners and losers in any such change of outlook?” I asked.

“We do, but there will doubtless be a greater cost if things go on the way they are.”

“Yes, I believe there will,” I nodded.

“I realise you have little reason to trust us or the Kingdom, but, please, help us before Rentap causes a civil war that would cost the lives of billions,” Mella begged, speaking openly now as Tillan reached us.

“If we are to speak openly,” Tillan said after a polite nod to the ladies. “What is it specifically you wish the Empire to do?”

“Act as guarantor of the new regime,” Conna replied.

“Is that all?” he asked with a frown.

“We can remove Rentap and his hirelings, but what we can’t do is make the military feel threatened enough to immediately obey a successor state.”

“Ah, you want a gesture of strength at your border whilst you clean house?”

“Yes.”

“And this new successor state would be run by... ?”

“A triumvirate of myself, Bondholder Oilo of the spaceborn and Parliamentarian Hallad of the masses,” Conna stated. “All are on the list I gave Kiria.”

“I’ve read the list,” Tillan replied, making the ladies start slightly. “You’d be amazed at what our AIs can really do.”

“Will you help?” Mella eventually replied.

“Well, the AIs tell me you aren’t lying, so yes, I’ll help. I’ll just need to see your plan and meet some of your key people.”

“Arrangements can be made, but you’ll have to visit the Kingdom,” Conna replied.

“That will be fine. I’ll bring Kiria with me and meet some of your business types as well,” Tillan nodded. “I’m sure they’d love to visit a luxury private yacht in orbit over one of your worlds?”

“Yes, I believe that would be satisfactory,” Conna smiled. “We’re putting a lot of trust in you over this.”

“The Empire doesn’t normally interfere in the actions of other Realms; however, the Kingdom could make themselves a real nuisance to an ally of ours,” Tillan explained.

“Yes, we already have information from a source that Rentap intends to use the returnees as planetary raiders at some stage,” Conna nodded.

“Yes, we felt that would be the case, hence the fleets of our allies,” Tillan replied.

“I’m told your vessels are so much better than ours?” Mella enquired.

“They are, even than our allies.”

“That is good to know. Envoy Kubbe has informed Rentap that they are inferior and Rentap intends, with a provocation, to see just how inferior.”

“Good way to get a lot of people killed,” Tillan frowned.

“It will be presented as a misreading of orders and an apology given ... if they lose.”

“They will lose,” I replied. “I was at the last battle against your people. None of your ships are a match for our allies.”

“It is as we suspected,” Conna sighed.

“We can do our best to capture the ships. It would be nice to know just who amongst the crews could be trusted,” Tillan replied thoughtfully.

“Once we have the information, we will let you know,” Conna nodded.

“I’ll let you know when I intend to travel to the Kingdom, preferably before they cause an incident though.”

“I’ll have things arranged.”

“Thank you, Conna, Mella,” Tillan replied politely. “We will do our best to aid you.”

“Thank you, but you already have,” Mella replied with a fond look at Deena.

“Interesting,” Tillan mused out loud once we were alone.

“Yes, what were the chances?” I asked.

“Very low, however, she wasn’t lying; neither of them were.”

“And Mella’s daughter’s illness was quite genuine as well. You can’t induce it artificially,” I said, adding “Seems we caught a break.”

“It’s possible this Conna encouraged her husband to apply for the role in the hope of finding someone to talk to,” he agreed.

“Yes, but we can’t just go on their say so.”

“No, but we can arrange a visit on ‘my’ luxury yacht,” he chuckled.

“How come we have a luxury ship out here?” I asked.

“I asked for one to be transported.”

“You have that much pull? Seriously?” I asked.

“Well, yes. Though it’s not like I had them build me one specially,” he grinned.

“I’m seriously in the wrong job,” I laughed.

“It’s not all luxury yachts and parties,” he replied.

“I know, but it makes life interesting.”

“That’s true,” he nodded. “Just have to arrange to get Fleet to supply me with a crew.”

“Playboy style?”

“Pretty much so yes,” he nodded. “All female if possible ... at least on the entertaining side.”

“Men!” I sighed, then grinned.

“Not my fault the Kingdom is a chauvinistic Realm. It would be the opposite for investigating something of interest in the Autarchy.”

“Guess so. Will you need me on this voyage?”

“Yes, they know I have a ‘consort’, so you’ll be expected. Also, I’m pretty sure Conna and Mella will see you as a guarantor of some type.”

“No problem. I’m on detached duty until this is done anyway, though I will be helping my friends out with their duties when I’m not needed by you.”

“That’s fine. You came highly recommended by Herrick and Vilgra anyway, that plus your history ... what little I saw of it, makes you ideal Troubleshooter material.”

“My first love will always be healing, but if I can help elsewhere, I will,” I replied with a smile, whilst wondering if he was single; the AIs still wouldn’t give me any of his details.

“A Troubleshooter who is a Healer would make sense for a few jobs,” he replied thoughtfully. “But that’s for the future and you may not want to go to some of the places we’d likely send you.”

“Really?”

“Well ... possibly not,” he grinned. “Your background is rather unique.”

“Yep, oldest member of the Royal brat-pack,” I giggled.

“Yes, all uniquely talented from what information I was allowed to see.”

“We are, even the Princesses.”

“I doubt I’d ever be allowed to recruit them,” he laughed out loud.

“Probably not, no. That said, I’m pretty sure they’d be good at whatever role they were needed for,” I replied.

“Yes, though not for a few years.”

“You got me early,” I chuckled.

“You’re in GF, so that was easy.”

“Yep, you outrank me,” I laughed, wondering at how he made me feel and was he interested in me as well.

It took several planetary days before Conna provided us with the information on the organisation that was in place to take over the Kingdom. After that Tillan made arrangements via Conna’s husband, Mazzim, to visit and orbit a Kingdom planet and speak to various ‘worthies’ about trade. He even extended an invite to Mazzim, along with Conna, to travel with him so there would be no hint of backroom deals. Mazzim could report this to King Rentap. How Tillan expected to keep the revolution talks private I had no idea at this stage, but he seemed unbothered by the arrangements, so I simply took it in my stride, even if it was bugging me.

The yacht, Teruna, which was slightly bigger than a frigate, was a work of art and beautifully, as well as tastefully, decorated. There were rooms enough for all concerned as well as a central conference room. Mazzim was trying to act blasé about the décor, but was fooling no one. He was clearly awestruck by the sheer wealth, as well as the technology, being demonstrated by Tillan.

“And you own this?” he asked during the tour Tillan had arranged.

“No, my company does, but as I own the company...” Tillan replied with a grin.

“Ah, taxation?”

“Indeed, I pay a lot less tax if it’s used for company business.”

“I take it you use it a lot for company business then?”

“Yes, though in this case I’m representing several conglomerates in the Empire and they are allaying some of the costs as well.”

“Not competition, surely?”

“Oh, no! Most definitely not competition,” Tillan chuckled.

“So, when, if ever, would your competition get out here?” Mazzim asked with a frown.

“Hard to say. I have an ace in the hole with Kiria’s connection to the High Bureaucrat and I used that shamelessly,” Tillan grinned. “The others will have to go through official channels.”

“Ah, I see.”

“As you can see, there is plenty of room for you and your lovely wife, as well as your security detail. I’m pretty sure it will be an enjoyable, as well as a productive, voyage,” Tillan stated as the tour came to an end.

“Yes, I’m quite looking forward to it,” Mazzim nodded graciously.

“How are you going to keep Mazzim away from any talks you have, particularly as he’ll have a four-man team of spies ... sorry, security types?” I asked Tillan as my curiosity finally got the better of me.

“The AIs will use a very special technique developed by ImpSec,” he replied with a slight laugh. “They’ll simply believe they had a brilliant voyage, attended any talks to ensure nothing controversial was said, all without leaving their rooms.”

“Must be a hell of a technique, generally imprinted memories are pretty obvious due to their lack of emotion,” I replied thoughtfully.

“It cost nearly a billion Royals to develop and is highly classified, but it does work, of that I’m sure,” he answered with a grin.

“Let’s just hope the rest of the Ilmainians outside the ship behave. The technology here would be well worth stealing.”

“Indications from talks I’ve had with their Embassy staff are that at the moment they won’t provoke an incident with the Empire. Though I did ask Navarch Huila to hold ‘exercises’ at the closest point of the border to where we’ll be orbiting.”