Chapter 28

The flight down to the planet did not take too long on the VIP shuttle provided by the Autarchy state. We were also escorted by a protocol guide called Sairisia who had flown up in it. She was also there to ensure we did not run into issues through an inadvertent breach of societal norms.

‘It’s extremely unlikely you will, but the various governmental chapters within the Senate do not want the Autarchy to be presented in a bad light,” she advised.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Sairisia,” Amanda replied politely, though it was fairly obvious we now had a governmental ‘minder’ attached.

“Hopefully you won’t notice I’m there,” Sairisia added brightly.

“We’ll do our best to not offend anyone.”

“As I said, it’s unlikely, but we do have a few ... types who refuse to accept that Imperials have their own ways of treating people and will be offended if you choose to do so in front of them.”

“What makes you think they’ll want to come and see us?” I asked as I sketched her.

“We have reports of protests being arranged.”

“Because we’re here and not Melanoqi?”

“Yes.”

“Guess it’s up to them,” I shrugged, knowing she wouldn’t be around for our more clandestine outings.

“The Antianeirai will also be keeping an eye on those groups too.”

“Seems a lot of trouble to go to over what you allude to as a minor matter,” Verlig commented.

“We do have reactionaries. It wasn’t that long ago they burned down an embassy and killed the staff because one of them tried to prevent the beating of a male,” Sairisia explained. “They were eventually arrested and apologies made, but there’s still a hard core out there, if slowly but surely diminishing.”

“Well, I’m sure we’ll do our best to not cause you any issues,” Amanda replied, drawing the conversation to a close.

To our surprise there was a large crowd at the Starport waiting to greet Amanda. A lot being Imperials, though the vast majority were Melanoqi of both sexes. Cheers rang out as she stepped out of the shuttle and waved to them as we all moved towards them for Amanda to meet and greet them, much to their delight.

“Do her bodyguards not get worried when she does this?” Sairisia asked.

“No, they are well versed in dealing with threats, as is Amanda,” I replied as Amanda knelt to accept a pseudopaper flower from a young Melanoqi girl.

“Well, it makes me nervous,” she admitted.

“Just part of Amanda’s job as she sees it,” I shrugged, still unable to get a good read on Sairisia.

The Melanoqi chant ‘Malista! Malista Amanda!’ started again and was soon rolling over the crowd as Amanda gave a wide smile and then a deferential bow to the crowd as we made our way to a waiting ground vehicle.

“That chant is why those in authority are nervous,” Sairisia explained. “It’s setting off a lot of unjustified bigotry amongst our reactionaries.”

“Bit more awkward for them as it appears to be spontaneous,” Liono replied, making Sairisia start slightly.

“Yes, spontaneously chanting that Amanda is worthy to lead has not gone down well in certain quarters.”

“Be thankful they aren’t chanting it to a man,” I chuckled.

“That would really cause issues,” Sairisia admitted as we boarded.

“Why ground transport?” Torric asked.

“We don’t permit flyers over our cities on Sirene.”

“Any particular reason?”

“Unlike Imperial cities, we tend to build out, not up. There was an attempt by a dissident group to crash an industrial transport into the Landspeak to protest their disenfranchisement from that body due to fiscal mismanagement.”

“So you banned air travel?”

“Yes, the Landspeak controls city development. They insisted.”

“I can think of more convenient solutions such as an AI traffic control,” Amanda added thoughtfully.

“As could many others, but the Landspeak controls a city, not the Senate or the Dynasta.”

“Yes, we have similar rules with Municipal Services within our cities and jurisdiction,” Amanda nodded. “Though the way most Imperial cities are, banning flyers and air cars would be difficult and deeply unpopular.”

“Our cities are designed for ground transport. Using air transport was never a big thing with us,” Sairisia explained.

“I assume you can arrange it, if necessary?” I asked.

“Yes, permits can be issued. We aren’t fixated on it.”

As this conversation was ongoing, I was also making several preliminary sketches of the outside which was radically different from an Imperial city with few tall buildings and a lot of open spaces. There also were crowds at a lot of junctions who waved and had banners of welcome.

“Seems that the Melanoqi like you, my love,” I informed Amanda.

“Yes, not sure why though,” she nodded.

“The Empire is a respected Ally and is run by a woman. That appeals to the Melanoqi psyche of certain groups,” Sairisia explained.

“And if I were male?” Amanda asked.

“Same respect, but less overall popularity. It’s gradually changing, but it’s not going away any time soon.”

“I doubt your mum will be retiring any time soon,” I chuckled. “Even then, you’ll be Empress.”

“Neither do I, nor have I any great desire to take over,” Amanda giggled. “Just make her job easier at times.”

“You have no ambition?” Sairisia asked curiously.

“Not in that way. Rejuve means mum will be around as Empress pretty much forever and she enjoys her job mostly, plus is also pretty good at it due to her length of experience.”

“We don’t have rejuve, nor do I think there are plans to introduce it.”

“I’m told it’s not easy to make, though we do have large stockpiles which came in handy during the alien war when we needed experienced Ground Force personnel.”

“They also retired to re-populate the savaged worlds too,” I added. “Large populations of fertile loyal colonists.”

“Yes, be a little while yet, but most of those worlds are re-populating nicely,” Amanda agreed.

“The refugees from the Florveni sector helped there too.”

“Yes, though the wars over various worlds abandoned there keep the Technocracy and the Kingdom on their toes.”

“True, though they mostly keep out of their Realms as their Fleets are now vastly superior to the rest of the Realms there,” I agreed.

“They make for good trading partners,” Sairisia nodded. “They still purchase a lot of our last generation equipment ... well the Florveni do, the Kingdom seems to prefer the Emirate.”

“Yes, they have similar outlooks and practices,” Amanda replied as the vehicle pulled into a large compound that housed the Imperial Embassy.

“I must leave you here, Serenissimé,” Sairisia informed us. “I will return for your official engagements with my people.”

“Fare well, Sairisia,” Amanda replied before she alighted and moved to a waiting vehicle.

“Spy or something else?” Verlig asked as our vehicle then moved towards a central building.

“Observer,” Trusha replied. “She was very interested in Her Serenissimé’s views on both the Autarchy and the Empire.”

“Her dealings with us so far indicate she is somewhat atypical of most Melanoqi females that we’ve met too,” I added.

“Yes, far more like their Fleet Officers than their civilians,” Amanda commented. “I wonder if she’s observing us on behalf of the new Dynasta?”

“Certainly a possibility,” Haelee replied. “She won’t be interfering with our clandestine activities anyway.”

“No, just our formal ones within Melanoqi society. Though even there, she won’t be interfering.”

The vehicle had now moved into an underground parking facility and the doors opened to where the Ambassador, Oskimandrex Undorm, waited alongside Meritocrat Clett who was the bureaucrat in charge of the Embassy’s activities.

“Welcome to the Imperial Embassy, Serenissimé,” the Ambassador greeted Amanda.

“A pleasure to be here, Oskimandrex Undorm,” Amanda politely replied, keeping it formal until Undorm introduced the others waiting.

“There will be a formal reception this evening where the Ambassadors from the other Realms as well as the Melanoqi Senator in charge of foreign relations will be attending,” Clett informed us.

“Any issues I should be aware of?” Amanda asked.

“The Hiren and Chenek Ambassadors will no doubt try to inveigle you into some sort of statement or promise of support for their ongoing dispute, other than that, no.”

“Still playing silly games with each other,” Amanda sighed.

“Yes, Serenissimé. I doubt it will change any time soon.”

What else is on the itinerary?”

“Various receptions at other Embassies, the main one being the Hegemonian Embassy and Voice of Truth Aramissa who will be arriving in two days’ time.”

“Yes, that will be important,” Amanda agreed. “Who are the Gershonians sending?”

“Crown Prince Jerra and his fiancé Yrannia, though their arrival date is scheduled for the day before the investiture.”

“No reception for them?”

“They are staying at the hotel Penthesilia, not the Gershonian Embassy, so no, Serenissimé,” Clett informed her.

“A pity, it would be good to catch up with them and see how they are doing,” Amanda nodded. “No doubt they also have an itinerary though.”

“No doubt, Serenissimé. I can try and find out if they have free time though?”

“Could you, please?” Amanda requested with a smile.

The reception was fun and Meritocrat Clett was spot on with his warning about the activities of the Hiren and Chenek Ambassadors trying to inveigle Amanda into a statement that could be construed as support for either Realm in their ongoing dispute over a civil war that had split the Chenek away from the Hiren Compact. Despite having similar styles of government and customs, both Realms clearly still loathed each other yet both were on reasonable terms with the Empire. Amanda fended them off expertly with a similar if bland statement to both which promised to keep friendly relations going but contained no promises of military or moral support. Both Ambassadors were highly experienced and did not push the situation any more than was diplomatically correct for the situation and, in the words of Haelee, were ‘just trying it on’ to see if the Princess Royal would make an error of judgement due to her youth.

I spent most of my time mingling and looking for oddities in the attendees, sketching and occasionally dancing with Amanda. As I was recognised as Amanda’s significant other people were polite, though as a political nonentity it kept me safe from any attempts to say something that could be taken as support for some cause or other between the Realms as I simply held ‘opinions’ in their eyes but had no official platform to direct policy, unlike Amanda.