Chapter 29

The following day, whilst Amanda and Haelee were visiting various joint Imperial and Autarchy enterprises, we men, accompanied by Liono, went to a randomly chosen district of the capital Alcimal. This appeared to be what we Imperials would consider an upper median level area, with evident signs of comfortable prosperity as well as an extensive shopping type mall which was where we set up shop ... so to speak.

Again, being males, we were initially ignored, though Torric wandered into the local medical centre. He identified himself as a Healer and was greeted warmly. He immediately went into an in depth discussion with the local equivalent of a Healer on advanced medical techniques.

Verlig and I merely sat nearby at an indoor fountain, he to observe, I to sketch, with Liono keeping an eye on us and the as yet small number of Melanoqi. We were assured by the incognito Larre that Torric was OK. Eventually I attracted attention and was drawing two young ladies, sisters, who had today off school.

“So, what are you aiming for in education?” I asked conversationally as my stick flickered over the pseudopaper.

“I’m being trained for some sort of business management,” Sudra, the eldest, informed me.

“I intend to become a Fleet Officer,” Jandiria, the youngest, replied.

“I wish you success, as I’m sure do your family,” I nodded.

“Father will; though mother thinks I’m wasting my time,” Jandiria remarked.

“Why’s that? Fleet’s a good career move.”

“She thinks I’ll be corrupted by the, as she puts it, ‘male loving culture’.”

“Ah, old school Melanoqi?”

“Er ... yes. That’s one way of putting it. Some of my tutors are the same, but I want to see the stars!” she almost exulted.

“Fleet’s a good way of doing it, if possibly the chance of a little danger. You can then move out to the spacial-merchant groups if you want.”

“I’d like to do that too,” she smiled.

“You will need a flexible mindset if you leave the Autarchy, or in the case of Fleet have to deal with the Empire, Gershonians and Hegemony.”

“I know. That’s why father is pleased for me.”

“Mother does not approve at all, though won’t stand in your way,” Sudra added.

“She thinks men are a bit useless other than for producing more girls,” Jandiria giggled. “Though she’s fond of father in her own way.”

“I’ve found that a lot in your society. It’s not nearly as monolithic as I first thought,” I nodded.

“We think the Empire’s all ‘the Empress commands and we obey ... ish’ but it’s probably not either,” Sudra observed.

“It’s not. Just generally so by our military types, and only on certain occasions involving the Royal family is that said,” I chuckled.

“Thought as much,” she giggled.

“Not that we would mostly disobey a direct Royal command, but the Empress is unlikely to give one directly to all. She doesn’t do micromanaging, just sort of points the Empire in the way she wants it to go and lets the Bureaucracy take over.”

“Oh yes. We were taught that in the Empire it’s the bureaucracy that gets things done and is overseen by the nobility,” Jandiria replied thoughtfully.

“In a sense, we also have our corporate technocracy doing business as well. There’s very little direct Imperial control over them so long as they don’t break various rules aimed at not exploiting the workforce,” I explained.

“Here the Dynasta guides things; the civil service gets it done and the Senators oversee it. We have private businesses too, though they follow the law as well.”

“What does your Landspeak do?”

“Controls city services mostly. They don’t have a great deal of power ... well, not since Dynasta Millonra reformed them after they allowed a Civilis Amazona (planetary militia) to burn down an Embassy and get away with it.”

“Yeah, I think that was a low point in interstellar relations for the Autarchy,” I nodded before handing over the sketch to their delight.

“Interesting society,” Verlig observed afterwards. “They weren’t bothered at us being male at all.”

“Well, we weren’t doing something not allowed to, so that might have been it,” I chuckled.

“Probably,” he smiled in return as I was asked to sketch another pair of schoolgirs.

We gradually attracted more and more attention as we tried to get a feel for Autarchial sentiment at this place and time, which was at their equivalent of a Vreekoosian median level. Generally, it was approval at the direction development was taking. Most, both male and female, agreeing slow and steady was the best course with regard to gender balance.

In short, it was complex. Though that was what I was expecting. Outwardly, the society appeared to act as one, but once you got past the surface it was both colourful and vibrant, if well controlled, which was more from custom than any controls over it.

Occasionally we were questioned by various patrols of the Civilis Amazona. Though with Liono vouching for us, along with examples of my work, they appeared quite satisfied. I was surprised when Sairisia turned up to check on us, indicating that she was far more than the protocol guide that she claimed to be as we were all using a hologram disguise different from our regular ones.

“The Civilis Amazona reported a male doing artwork and I knew it had to be you, Dayyev,” she explained, fooling no one.

“Surprised you aren’t with Amanda?” I queried.

“She’s unlikely to need a protocol guide while visiting joint Imperial Autarchy businesses,” Sairisia replied. “You, on the other hand, have us worried.”

“Can’t say I’ve noticed any hostility,” I shrugged. “Plus, I’m sketching people, not military installations or units ... except those in dress uniforms at receptions.”

“No hostility?”

“None at all,” Liono confirmed. “I think they think he’s under my control. Plus, he gives anyone who does ask a sketch of themselves.”

“We tend to appear both friendly and harmless,” I chuckled as Torric made an appearance with a couple of women.

“Dayyev, could you sketch Doctors Trarria and Devlis, please?” he asked.

“No problem. Won’t take long, ladies,” I replied.

“You wandered off on your own?” Sairisia asked him in astonishment.

“Wasn’t too far away and the medical office is a friendly place catering to all,” Torric replied, looking totally unabashed.

“It was wonderful, talking to an Imperial Healer,” Trarria added. “We have a good few recommendations for certain cure packages as well as exchange programs.”

“I learned a few things myself to pass on to the Bureau of Health with regards to some native treatments here,” Torric added.

“So it was mutually beneficial,” Devlis added with a smile.

“No issues with your patients?” Sairisia asked, looking a little lost as well as put out.

“No. We just introduced Torric for what he was, as a visiting Imperial Healer, and they accepted him. Some even preferred to be diagnosed by him at times.”

“Novelty, I think,” Torric added.

“Probably. We don’t train male doctors, more’s the pity.”

“That’s something you should perhaps aim for. There’s nothing wrong with our brains,” Torric chuckled, making both the doctor’s smile.

“Yes, I’ve noticed that over the years,” Trarria nodded. “We ignore half our population as a recruiting ground for medical staff.”

“Yes, though that’s for the next Dynasta to address, not us.”

“True. Just hope she isn’t one of these ‘we’ve gone too far types’, or worse,” Trarria sighed then gasped in delight as I handed over the sketches.

“Will you be here long, Dayyev?” she asked.

“A while yet, why?” I replied.

“I’d like to send the staff over to get theirs done, if you don’t mind?”

“Not at all. My pleasure.”

“Thank you. They’ll head over a few at a time,” she replied as they both went back to their place of work.

“I ... I just don’t understand this,” Sairisia admitted. “I was assigned to ensure you didn’t run into problems, but you appear to get on better with male and female Melanoqi than most of my department.”

“People tend to be people,” I chuckled. “We aren’t being threatening and we aren’t being a nuisance. Hence they accept us for what we are and respond accordingly.”

“I think I see, though it goes against what my expectations were.”

“Imperial subjects tend to be well-behaved anyway, even if we aren’t monitored here. It’s sort of ingrained,” Verlig explained.

“Oh yes, that was mentioned in my briefing,” Sairisia nodded.

“So you don’t have to really worry about us,” he chuckled.

“We were more worried about an adverse reaction from our people.”

“Most seem polite, once they do approach,” I shrugged.

“So I’m seeing.”

“Oh, Amanda wants to know if you’d like to attend this evening’s reception at the Hegemonian Embassy?”

“I ... OK, as long as no one objects.”

“You’ll be with us. No one will object.”

“Right.”

The reception at the Hegemonian Embassy was in honour of the arrival of Voice of Truth Aramissa. Her title meant that she was allowed to speak the truth to Hegemon Nild without fear of consequences. Though these days Nild used an Imperial AI to tell if he was being lied to or not, as well as offer critical staff members neural learning. Aramissa these days was in charge of the anti-corruption branch of Nild’s government as her rank made it impossible to refuse to co-operate with her. I’d met her a couple of times before and found her to be a charming, friendly lady, with a mind for details like a steel trap.

This time when our party joined the line for the reception, it was noticeable that Aramissa was being accompanied by what appeared to be a significant other.

“Think she’s found a partner?” I asked our group, which included Sairisia.

“Nothing in the briefing notes, though we aren’t visiting the Hegemony,” Amanda replied, arm linked through mine as she occasionally snuggled in to me.

“Soon find out,” Verlig added as we approached the couple.

“Voice of Truth Aramissa,” Amanda cordially greeted her.

“Your Royal Highness Amanda,” Aramissa replied in a friendly voice.

Amanda then introduced us all and in return was introduced to Turil of the Threaded Radiant Starway, a noble of some type and Aramissa’s fiancé. We then made our way into the main reception area and began to mingle with the various guests, many of whom we’d met at the Imperial reception.

Later I was approached by Aramissa and Turil to have a sketch of them made, to which I readily agreed.

“Can we keep it informal between us?” I asked her. “I’m just not sure what the correct terms of addressing you are when on Hegemonian territory.”

“Of course, Dayyev,” she chuckled. “You’re an Imperial and don’t know better,” she added with a sly wink as Turil chuckled as well.