Chapter 13

Teelae is an independent reporter who, due to her ability to attract special guests who normally under any circumstances would not give an interview to anyone, syndicates her show throughout the Empire. In a sense she was her own ‘personality’ due to the popularity of both her, the show and the guests she attracted. There had been many attempts by the various media Corporates to freeze her out, but all had foundered on one factor, guaranteed viewing figures for the advertising groups who were prepared to pay massive sums to get their product noted. The various advertising companies had, when Teelae had been threatened with closure unless she ‘complied’ with a Corporate demand that she work exclusively for them, had threatened back by removing their advertising revenue from that Corporate. Hence now there was an understanding, the media Corporates left Teelae alone and remained solvent.

This had paid off for the advertising companies when Teelae managed the only interview ever that Amantil had given to a reporter and the viewing figures throughout the Empire had been massive. Other favourites were my dad, Cure David, Amanda and Vicki as well as various notables in the Empire, including various Admirals, High Justiciar Bonsarr, various High Bureaucrats and Nobles, along with foreign dignitaries from the Allied Realms.

The main reason for this was Teelae’s relaxed interviewing style coupled with the fact that she always allowed the interviewee to get their side of a story out, which was often quite different to the one the main media was portraying. That’s not to say she didn’t ask awkward questions at times and had finally procured a confession from Amantil that yes, she had a lover and he was also the one the Princesses called ‘dad’. This had finally reined in the ongoing speculation as to Amantil’s sex life and predilections ... for a while. Some of the newsies were scandal merchants at core after all. There was even a trend in the various media networks to have a guest show of ‘talking heads’ discussing the who and what was said about a Teelae show guest, further enhancing Teelae’s status.

“Come in, you two,” Teelae greeted us merrily as we emerged, along with Trusha and Liono, from a lift after the two bodyguards gave a cursory scan of the very secure studio.

Teelae was very much aware that Imperial bodyguards had no desire to have their images made available to the worlds and hence with a little bit of discussion with them had arranged her studio to keep them out of view while still being close enough to act and react to a threat to their client. Not that any threat had ever emerged, but you didn’t keep being the best by getting complacent, as everybody involved with a Kilios contract was well aware.

The Kilios Corporation had moved from total, if lethal, obscurity as a guild of assassins based in the Theocracy of Shunik to becoming the premier bodyguard provider of the Allied Realms along with various other Realms. They were known for their abilities and professionalism, as well as never acting against their client’s interests. In short, you couldn’t hire a Kilios assassin, something they still occasionally did outside the Allied Realms, to act against a Kilios guarded contract. To them, the contract was everything. They lived and died by it, if necessary. Hence, when they parted ways from Shunik, due to a demand that they got involved in a civil war within the Theocracy, they moved to Marblos within the Empire where they were permitted to settle their own continent and run their business in exchange for training the Empire’s close protection teams. They were then left completely unmolested by the Empire and neither, apart from Empress Amantil herself, could anyone visit without direct permission from the head of the Corporation. Not that Amantil ever would; it’s just it was her Empire and she could go wherever she wanted if she wanted and even Kilios recognised that.

Teelae then fussed about with her floating tri-dee cams as Amanda and I relaxed on the interview chairs with some hot tuch as she tried to get the view just perfect for the conditions. Finally though, she took her own seat and indicated she was ready.

“Salutations to all,” she began. “The special guests with me tonight are the Princess Royal Amanda ... and her boyfriend, the artist Dayyev.”

“Thank you. It’s good to be here,” Amanda replied with a wide smile.

“Er ... likewise,” I added, a little nervous for once.

“Relax, Dayyev,” Teelae grinned. “I don’t bite. Ask Amanda.”

“Sorry. Never been interviewed before.”

“I suspect you’ll have to get used to it, accompanying the Princess as you do now,” Teelae chuckled, glancing at her com channel to see her viewing figures beginning to skyrocket as they normally did when royalty was on.

“I guess I will,” I chuckled, relaxing a little.

“Now, Amanda, you’ve just done three Royal visits. What were your impressions?”

“Three beautiful worlds and the people there were so welcoming,” Amanda replied.

“It’s reported that you’re a big hit with the Raffagee?”

“Yes, the Empire has found a treasure with them. It was an honour to bless the Colours of their Regiments.”

“The sketches you made of it looked amazing, Dayyev.”

“Thank you. It was a fascinating experience and a joy to draw,” I replied with a smile as Teelae brought up some of the images of the drawings I’d made, both public and private.

“So, how do you do it, make a sketch look more real than real life?” Teelae asked with a broad smile.

“I often get asked that or something similar,” I chuckled. “And the honest answer is, I just don’t know.”

“Could you do a sketch here and let us observe?”

“Be my pleasure,” I replied as my drawing materials were grav lifted in by the AI.

“I’m told you’re quick?”

“Depends on what I’m drawing, but I’ll sketch you and Amanda together as you chat,” I replied and rapidly began making the base outline as the two women continued the interview.

Teelae then went over the visit to Coriola and finally asked about the cover-lace and where she got it from.

“I’m surprised no one in the newsies figured out what it was,” Amanda shrugged.

“None of the AI enquiries produced any results,” Teelae admitted.

“How odd,” Amanda chuckled. “It’s not like it’s a secret or anything.”

“Well, now you know,” I interrupted, adding, “Sketch is done.”

“Goodness, that was quick!” Teelae exclaimed. “Wow! That is an incredible talent you have, Dayyev,” she finished as it was displayed to all via tri-dee.

“The stuff I sell is a little more polished as well as signed and numbered,” I explained. “But for general sketching I can produce a lot of pictures.”

“I’m informed you also do coloured works?”

“He does, though few get to see them,” Amanda replied as I put my tools away.

“Can we see one, please?” Teelae asked politely.

“AI, can you display the image of a picture I did in Radiance, please?” I requested.

There was a pause as the picture was displayed in the studio.

“By the gods! That’s incredible,” Teelae breathed out in admiration.

“Thank you. It belongs to the Empress along with a few others, so you won’t see that many,” I replied.

“So, we got a view of a work that is on display in the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes, I had special permission to show you that one and that one only.”

“The Empress has more?” Teelae asked, looking puzzled.

“Yes,” Amanda answered, explaining, “However the plan is for Dayyev and I to visit every populated world in the Imperium over the next two years and for him to make a portrait of each planet and then display them for the public here. So, we don’t want to spoil their fun.”

“Ah, I see.”

“There will also be a few never before seen scenes of the Royal Family as the Princesses grew up, as well,” I added.

“It sounds as if it will be well worth waiting for,” Teelae nodded. “Though your next visit is outside the Empire?”

“Yes, to Vimeaon on Gershon,” Amanda confirmed.

“I assume you’ll be drawing the scenes, Dayyev?”

“Yes. I might be Amanda’s boyfriend, but I’m determined to be useful as well.”

“Travelling on the Gloriana?”

“Yes. It’s specifically designed to carry the Empire’s Royalty and other dignitaries around, swiftly and securely.”

“Many thought initially it was simply to carry you alone around and had complained about the cost,” Teelae noted.

“No, currently it’s carrying High Bureaucrat Kloss and his staff to Stellar Area Four to take over the administration there as High Bureaucrat Drevon is returning here when it returns to be promoted to the Bureau of Communications,” Amanda replied. “It’s also been used by High Justiciar Bonsarr, as well.”

“So, it will be in use when you aren’t using it?”

“That’s right, it’s far more secure than a liner and far more comfortable than a Superdreadnought.”

“I can show you some interior sketches I made,” I offered.

“Oh, please do,” Teelae requested enthusiastically.

I got the AI to produce the drawings I’d done, many showing Amanda, along with our other team members, though not the bodyguards.

“Very comfortable,” Teelae observed.

“Yes, it is. Nor are the walls plated with decorative precious metals and jewels as one newsie commentator claimed,” I chuckled. “It’s simply there to get whoever is travelling to their destination safely and in comfort.”

“It’s apparently as well armed as a Battlecruiser?”

“Yes. There are places we’ll go to if there’s a potential threat from outside factors. Hence yes, it’s well armed, though hopefully not expected to fight,” Amanda replied.

“Stellar Area Eight springs to mind,” Teelae chuckled.

“Yes, when we go there, we’ll probably have an escort of some sort too.”

“Understandable. Though the number of incidents has gone down an awful lot in the years I’ve been doing this show,” Teelae nodded.

“It has. The Empire will be moving to the next stage with it soon. Where, rather than holding our own, we’ll begin to aggressively root out those planets and Realms raiding or attempting to raid ours.”

“Good news indeed.”

“Yes. Then the border zone will be redrawn and the Stellar Areas redefined to make more sense from an administrative point of view,” Amanda confirmed.

“Mmm, the High Court began discussions on that matter a few binary cycles ago once the new Fleet base around Coriola was ready,” Teelae nodded.

“It needs to be done; and the stability it brings will bring Stellar Area Eight fully into the Imperial fold,” Amanda nodded.

“Of the visits, what were the high points for both of you? Teelae asked, having revealed information on future events that Amantil wanted released, as per their friendly agreement.

“Just meeting the people. They were so enthusiastic about seeing Amanda,” I replied, getting a nod from Amanda.

“Just wish we could have started this earlier,” Amanda added.

“Yes, Her Serenissima never ventured afar unless it was to resolve a conflict,” Teelae agreed.