Chapter 41

Although the amount raised by the Auction wasn’t as high as the previous one it was still regarded as another success. This was mainly due to the worlds of Asha and Sanctify not holding the attention of the upper-level Nobles and Bureaucrats in the same way as Radiance had, that planet was totally unique within the Empire. Still, the funds raised would keep the various charitable ventures Amanda and I supported well provided for over a long period. The only unusual event was the taking part of a bidder from the Emirate via the Rezzon Company who won the bidding to obtain a beautiful, coloured version of the Sanctify Hemath Range, part of an Imperial protected zone and studded with unusual wildlife and flora, including the Retulan flowers that were held as sacred by the planetary people.

Other than that I was kept busy sketching several couples and families at their request, all were keen to have something unusual to treasure in their homes. I also handed over several signed sketches to my helpers, some of whom I knew sold them on, others, like Mirri, kept them. I also did a couple of sketches of Galh and Girol, their first as a young couple, which delighted them both.

“Do we know who was observing us and why?” I asked Liono as we finally closed and began making our way to various lifts, leaving the AIs to tidy up and put the unsold prints into storage.

“Gettik Information Brokers, apparently. They were tasked by a newsie outlet to observe you and the helpers to see if there were any hint of improper behaviour ... or so they believed,” she answered.

“Sounds legit, but I take it you have doubts?”

“Very much so, but that’s my job,” she replied with a slight smile. “Nor could I question any to find out who the actual client was, though I have flagged it to ImpSec.”

“Guess they’d have a look at anyone who takes an interest in me, if only to protect Amanda,” I nodded.

“Very much so,” she agreed. “Also the level of observation was unusual along with the subtlety.”

“How so?” I asked, a little puzzled.

“Gettik are quite professional in their way and I doubt they, at least, harbour you any ill will. However, they are normally used to observe business competitors, not individuals for newsie groups.”

“Ah, I see,” I nodded. “Might just be because of my status though?”

“Possibly, which is why ImpSec will take a look.”

We then joined Vicki and Plenna in a lift to go and get a meal at a secure restaurant, our holo-disguises changing immediately we were unobserved, including those of our bodyguards.

“I have to admit I really enjoy doing these Expos with you, Dayyev,” Vicki informed me as we were seated by the staff.

“They are fun, yes,” Plenna added.

“Will you miss it when you go off to Fleet training?” I asked.

“Probably, but that’s the nature of life at times,” Vicki nodded.

“No doubt you’ll find other fun things to do,” I chuckled.

“Yes, looking forward to finally getting command of my own ship ... assuming I’m good enough,” she agreed.

“No more bodyguard issues?” I asked cheekily.

“Nope, I actually like Grenla a lot and I’d come to realise I couldn’t win against Kilios on my best day ever,” she giggled.

“Smart girl,” came a low comment from Grenla.

“Took a while,” Plenna added with a grin.

“Don’t rub it in,” she replied with a smile, clearly not offended.

“Do we know who in the Emirate bought your picture in the auction?” Plenna asked me.

“No, just that the Rezzon Company were acting as agents and they do import various pictures I’ve completed back to the Emirate as they are popular amongst some of their elites ... according to Rezzon anyway.”

“Wonder if it was my father?” Vicki mused.

“Might be, but other than the agents, I know nothing else,” I shrugged, knowing that the Emir Grigo, Vicki’s titular father, whom she’d never met except occasionally via tri-dee, did have a few sketches of mine of the girls sent to him by Amantil.

“You might find out when you and Amanda visit,” Vicki nodded.

“And I might not,” I chuckled, making her smile.

“That’s true, unless you spot it hanging on a wall.”

Our food arrived then and we remained silent as we tucked into our evening meal, though the way that the Vreekoosian day ran, it was actually the middle of the morning in planetary terms. Not that you’d ever know that without actually going outside as most buildings did not have outside views. Afterwards Liono and I headed for my home to rest after one of my occasional busier days.

“What are you up to today, Dayyev?” Truna asked me at breakfast.

“I’m out sketching in the lower levels of Silcom. Aunt Vilgra wants me to check the mood, why?” I asked.

“Could I come with you?”

“Sure, it should be safe enough, especially with Liono along,” I nodded. “Got nothing else on?”

“School break and I’m up to date with my home studies. Unfortunately my friends aren’t yet so can’t get out until later,” she replied with a sunny smile.

“You know the rules, no wandering off out of Liono’s sight,” I warned.

“I know, bro.”

I nodded, trusting her as her natural stunning good looks had a tendency to attract all sorts of interest from males and the occasional female. Fortunately she and her sister were used to it and could deal politely with most hits on them and extremely impolitely if the attention got aggressive, due to their defence training by the Imperial bodyguards.

Internally, Silcom block looked newer than the other four lower-level blocks supporting the Imperial Tower complex and the parklands situated above them. This was mostly due to it having been completely rebuilt after the last gasp invasion by the alien forces in the past war, something that had made my sister famous throughout the Empire in her ending of it. It was also, unusually so for Vreekoos, going through the results of a baby boom where Amantil had allowed two extra children per couple in order to make up the losses from said invasion. This had led to a very happy populace and Aunt Vilgra had sent me down there to the local market to ensure that happiness was continuing.

I soon set up my pad, being recognised by a few of the market people, though the rest were too busy as usual to give me much note. I soon had attracted a small group keen to see what I was up to, though some of them were young (and not so young) men who were there simply ogling Truna, who wasn’t too bothered as they weren’t being rude. As ever I simply asked those I was sketching about their lives, letting the conversation flow freely without asking specific questions and raising their suspicions as to why I was there.

After a hundred rotations I was joined by Amanda and Trusha and she greeted me joyfully with a kiss and then hugged Truna as they both headed off with Trusha into the depths of the market.

“We’re being observed again,” Liono informed me.

“Gangs?”

“And others, though they’re being observed by the gangs too,” she added.

“It’s no crime to simply observe,” I shrugged as I wasn’t looking for trouble.

“True, but this is two days in a row that your actions are being observed and I would like to know how they tracked you down,” she replied.

“Hmm, yes. The Expo was obvious, but down here?”

“I suspect they’ll be tracking down my activity, assuming it’s the same group.”

“Probably true.”

Amanda and Truna had made their way back to us carrying some cold drinks, watched over by a slightly pleased looking Trusha.

“Did she get to hit someone?” I asked mildly as I knew Trusha well enough to know why she looked pleased.

“Just nerve pinches on a couple of gang members,” Amanda replied.

“Not the deadly type, I hope?” I asked, as if they were, the Guardians would get involved and the atmosphere would change.

“Just the keep your hands to yourself type.”

“Good. I’m here to get a feel for the general mood and I don’t want any unexpected situations,” I nodded.

“They promised to behave,” Trusha added.

“I expect we’ll get a visit from the gang enforcer then,” I sighed.

“Possibly, though as they’re alive...” Amanda noted as she handed me a drink.

“We’ll see, though the presence of the gang won’t really alter the mood,” I nodded.

“Only if they attack us.”

“True and we’re close enough to an AI sensor for them to be cautious,” I agreed.

Several rotations later we were surrounded in a sense by several of the ‘Metalhedz’, a minor gang in Silcom and were facing Galvek, their enforcer, a man who looked fairly calm, but was seriously tensed up.

“Alright, why disrespect my people?” he questioned us abruptly.

“They should learn to keep their hands to themselves,” Trusha replied. “I don’t like sex pests.”

“Is that what happened?” he turned, looking at two young bravos still occasionally flexing their arms.

“We wuz just tryin to be friendly,” one of them replied in surly tones.

“You can be friendly without trying to grab my behind,” Truna expostulated with a shrug.

“Listen slag, you don’t disrespect the gang,” he snarled back.

“Respect is earned and grabbing a girl’s behind when you don’t know her doesn’t get you respect at all, as you found out,” Truna shrugged indifferently.

“OK, I’ve heard enough. Kenli, Durit, apologise to them now!” Galvek stated.

“But...” the one addressed as Kenli began.

“You challenging me?”

“No,” Kenli recoiled in obvious fear. “We apologise, we apologise.”

“And that is that. We’ll leave you alone now, but don’t hesitate to deal firmly with the next idiot who pesters you,” Galvek stated before heading off with the gang.

“Somewhat civilised,” Amanda murmured as I returned to work.

“I suspect he’s one of those types who treats women with respect,” Trusha replied.

“Possibly, though be cautious, it might just be the AI monitor,” I added.

“Don’t think so, the body language was all wrong and he looked more pissed off in the sense of being dragged into this.”

“Hmm, potential bureaucrat or minor Nobility type,” Amanda said thoughtfully.

“Assuming he survives the gang,” Liono pointed out.

“Yes. It is a bit of a rough school, but it does occasionally produce a few gems,” Amanda nodded.

The rest of the session went peacefully enough and confirmed that Silcom was a very happy place to live with all the extra young people in it. There were no further gang incidents, though ImpSec confirmed via Amanda that the observers were yet again from Gettik.