Chapter 42

After the briefing we were all treated to a formal dinner, though there was no sign of the Empress, whom I suspected was working in Vreekoos itself, not at the palace. Also there, were Vilgra and Herrick, along with Vilgra’s husband Baltus and her two children, Vanda and Herrok, good friends of Amanda and I from the academy.

“Decided on your career route yet?” I asked Vanda as it had been a while since I’d last seen her.

“Yes, Medical Resource, only following the bureaucracy route like mum,” she replied.

“Well, your mum did make quite a success of it,” I nodded.

“I doubt I’ll get lucky enough to get to work with someone like your dad though,” she smiled.

“You never know, he does get rejuve,” I replied. “Plus, you at least know you get along with him.”

“That’s true, but I can’t guarantee the circumstances will be right, and I’m definitely not asking mum for favours. I want to make it on my own.”

“Best way. Though no doubt she’ll look out for you,” I chuckled.

“Not a lot I can do about that, unless it’s blatant,” Vanda shrugged.

“Any thoughts for your career, Herrok?” I asked, drawing him into the conversation.

“I did want to be a Guardian, though my dad advised against it as it would be a waste of my neural learning,” he replied. “So I’m trying for ImpSec instead, through the technology abuse route, not the medical side of things. It’s early days yet though, so I might change my mind.”

“Both good choices,” I nodded. “Both with lots of paths to advancement too.”

“That’s what mum said,” Vanda replied with a smile. “Wish I had your talent and could travel though.”

“It can be fun, though at other times it’s hard work too,” I smiled.

The following morning the members of our party were all shuttled up to the Gloriana to make our journey to the Hegemony’s capital world of Tarsil. Whilst initially we were unescorted, we did know that we would be expected to come to a halt at the border between the Realms and announce our presence, as would all Fleet vessels of any Realm, unlike merchant ships. Amanda continued her studies on the various expected protocols between the two very different Realms, with the Hegemony being hung up ... so to speak, with formality and presentation compared to the Empire’s more relaxed style.

“Will they permit a walkaround?” I enquired from my own studies on social mores.

“Not sure yet,” Amanda replied. “They have no precedents for one and tend to fall back on previous examples, if any, when faced with unusual ... by their standards, requests.”

“You could simply do it anyway ... assuming they don’t insist on you shuttling straight down to the planet,” I mused.

“This is not a visit where mum wants protocol breached,” Amanda replied thoughtfully. “Still, yes, we will be stopping to acclimatise at Tarsil’s Diamantine Station and be guests at a reception held by the station executive, Tranquil Zephyr Simantra.”

“Another of those weird titles that do not clue you in to their importance,” I chuckled, making her smile.

“We’ll be tapping into the Gloriana’s AI so should get some sort of descriptor over the open com channel,” Amanda replied. “Just remember, most of them will outrank you and most will believe they outrank me, despite the Hegemony AIs telling them they don’t.”

“I suspect a lot of them will secretly believe they outrank the Hegemon,” I mused.

“Probably not. They will simply believe they are superior,” Amanda corrected me. “More to do with respecting the office, not the person.”

“Convoluted,” I sighed. “But, it is what it is.”

“Indeed so.”

At the border of the Hegemony the Gloriana waited patiently for the arrival of a Hegemony flotilla to escort us to Tarsil. To no one’s surprise, they were apparently running late.

“Someone’s playing silly games,” Verlig commented.

“Looks that way,” Amanda replied, mildly. “Captain Ferg?” she turned and spoke into the tri-dee cube interface.

“Serenissimé?” came the immediate reply.

“Can you detect any Hegemony ships?”

“No, Serenissimé.”

“AI, could you connect me to the office of Voice of Truth Aramissa, authorisation Amanda, Alpha 2.”

“Connecting.”

“Princess Amanda, a delight to hear from you!” a surprised looking Aramissa answered the call.

“Your people are playing silly games,” Amanda explained after greeting her.

Aramissa checked an out of sight display. “So they are,” she frowned. “Please, just head directly for Tarsil Station whilst I light a fire under those responsible.”

“Thank you. Sorry to mention this, but it’s petty and stupid.”

“Yes, this was just plain stupid and the official who is in charge of communications is about to suffer for it,” Aramissa stated grimly. “Apologies and see you soon.”

“No need to apologise. You or Nild weren’t behind it,” Amanda replied with a smile, breaking the connection. “Captain Ferg?”

“Transitioning now, Serenissimé.”

The Gloriana approached one of the four space stations orbiting Tarsil, not including the two military bases orbiting the poles. This was the primary station and was known as the Diamantine Station and housed the executive in charge of Tranquil Stellar passage aka Tranquil Zephyr Simantra, a typical Hegemonian title that obscured the actual rank and duties of the man.

As a result of Amanda’s extended conversation with Aramissa we learned that three administrators as well as the junior Oramiral of the escort flotilla had suddenly found themselves unemployed and, in the case of the Oramiral, was facing a court martial of some type. This had produced, not surprisingly, an instant response from the station to Gloriana’s request to dock.

“Wonder why they thought they could get away with that?” Torric mused as we slowly approached, noting the packed observation decks.

“I’ll ask Aramissa or Nild later in private and not over a comm channel,” Amanda replied. “Those things can be monitored, or rather the Hegemonial ones can be.”

“Arrogance or simply trying it on,” Verlig concluded.

“More than likely,” Amanda shrugged. “Though I’m not going to get annoyed over it.”

“Ah, we’re docked. Time to go,” I pointed out.

After the farewells to the Gloriana’s senior officers, we were whisked along an automated walkway to the station itself and emerged to a tumultuous welcome from the crowds now packing the various levels surrounding it. We waved back. There was also an honour guard of one of the Armoured Fist of the Hegemon regiments, their equivalent to Ground Force.

“Welcome Princess Amanda of the Far-Flung Stars of the Imperium,” we were greeted. “I am Tranquil Zephyr Simantra, the station’s executive.”

“A pleasure to be here, Tranquil Zephyr Simantra,” Amanda replied.

“May I escort you to your quarters?”

“If you would, though may I request a small favour?”

“Of course, you may.”

“Thank you. I wish to greet those who welcomed me in person.”

“Of ... course, Serenissimé,” came the reply after a small pause, which showed his confusion.

We all immediately followed Amanda down to where the crowds had gathered, listening to the applause increasing as she did so. It got even louder when Amanda knelt to greet a young child and accept a flower from her as well as a hug.

“Hello,” Amanda smiled at the young girl. “I’m Amanda. What’s your name?”

“Ertimill,” the girl replied shyly.

“Thank you for the lovely flower. Did you make it yourself?”

“Yes. Pappa showed me how.”

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“He said you loved flowers, so I should give you one,” she replied, the delight on her face obvious.

“I do and again thank you,” Amanda replied, giving her another hug before standing.

I was busy sketching a lot of this as Amanda wove her magic on the crowd, taking note of the stiff visages of a few of the ‘dignitaries’ who were clearly unprepared as well as offended to a degree with Amanda’s familiarity with the people.

As the crowds weren’t as large as she normally greeted on an Imperial world, the walkaround was less stressful from the bodyguards’ point of view. The crowds, however, were just as enthusiastic in actually getting to meet a visiting Princess; something way beyond what they normally got to do with their higher officials that word had got around, hence the greater than expected numbers. Still, all good things come to an end and we reached our designated quarters where we could acclimatise in a sense to the planetary rotation before setting off to the surface.

“No reception?” Torric asked.

“Apparently not,” Haelee replied. “Amanda’s the first foreign dignity ever to visit Tarsil and those in charge are a little bit confused as to how to react.”

“No protocols, hence, no clue,” I chuckled.

“I’ll be talking to Tranquil Zephyr Simantra and various leaders of the orbital communities later, but that’s as far as any official business goes,” Amanda added.

“I think you have them off balance,” Verlig replied. “It might actually be interesting as I suspect they’ll be realising that insulting you subtly just won’t work.”

“And a gross insult will get Nild involved, yes,” Amanda smiled. “Difficult to score points off someone who simply ignores your barbs.”

“We’ll have a nose around,” I replied. “Take it you’ll have Verlig and Haelee with you as well as Trusha?”

“Yes, the usual,” Amanda nodded. “Have fun.”

Diamantine Station was very different from the standard Imperial orbital station. Everything seemed to have a ‘zone’ of some type and there were often actual guards to keep you out if they felt you shouldn’t be there. Still, Torric and I, as well as Liono simply went to the central core and main shopping area, before he, guided by the internal AI, made his way to a medical centre of some type and I to sketch the area as it would normally appear.

My Imperial coverall soon attracted attention from some of the shoppers and, as ever, I soon had a small group looking at some of the works I’d already produced.

“Are you an Imperial?” I was eventually asked.

“Yes, I came to cover the Princess’ visit,” I replied.