Chapter 47

The debrief was in two parts. The main one covered the visit itself. We were all questioned as to impressions given as well as identifying key members of each group, both those for and those against the trade agreement. Not that Amantil or the Empire necessarily intended doing anything about them, it was more a case of knowing who your opposition was and anticipating issues where they had influence.

“So, mostly it’s the groups with ties to the various merchant guilds?” Amantil asked.

“Yes. Being forced to compete on a level footing with certain Imperial goods has them very nervous over their profits and influence,” Verlig replied.

“Nor have they been preparing for the treaty, unlike many of their competitors,” Haelee added.

“Seems foolish of them,” Herrick frowned. “What reports I see show most Imperial import/export corporates have shifted production to areas where we can compete.”

“I honestly think that a good few of them thought that day would never happen and that even though it has, they will find a way out of it by ignoring the treaty,” Amanda replied.

“I suspect Aramissa at least has other ideas,” Amantil chuckled.

“Yes. There was an underlying layer of unease at the amount of power she has accumulated,” Amanda nodded. “Though as she’s the Hegemon’s sister, there’s little else they can do.”

“Yes, it would be most foolish to openly act against her,” Amantil agreed. “However, that’s not normally their style.”

“No, mum, it isn’t. They are, however, slowly being pushed into a corner by her anti-corruption mandate.”

“Because they cannot see a need to reform?” Herrick chuckled.

“Yes, dad,” Amanda smiled.

“We’ll monitor it. Though it looks like Nild will act on complaints,” Amantil concluded.

“I believe he will, yes, mum.”

“The more important matter to come out of this was, however, the attempt on Dayyev’s life,” Amantil began the second part of the debrief.

“Yes,” Vilgra nodded. “Are you certain this was not from a Hegemonic source?”

“Certain,” Amanda replied. “Some of them loathed the fact that we were there, but not to the extent of killing us; not with the Hegemon’s favour on our side.”

“Yes, it would be a remarkably stupid thing for the Hegemonic Court to try,” Herrick agreed. “However, the assassin did throw up some remarkable testimony.”

“Mmm. A missing link in the supply chain for the medical seal mimickers,” Vilgra agreed. “Until now we’d presumed the Hegemony could not produce goods to Imperial specs.”

“Nor did the Anti-Corruption Monitoria discover any Imperial imports to do it with,” Verlig added.

“Certainly explains the modifications necessary to implant them within the human body,” Herrick mused. “Yes, I’m sure Imperial tech could do it, but it is rather specialised and we had found no evidence of anyone doing it within the Empire.”

“We are now investigating the Criom Group on Kansdoorf who were ostensibly dealing with the shipments, though the shipping has ceased as we closed down the majority of the groups assembling the produced parts,” Vilgra added.

“What do we know of that group?”

“They generally deal with insurance on merchant shipping lines, which makes this side line of theirs even more suspicious as it’s not a normal part of their business. Otherwise clean and not been involved in any other illegal activity,” Kirim replied. “The local Peacekeeper Chapter was rather surprised by our request to have a look.”

“I assume they can be trusted?” Vilgra asked.

“Yes. It was a private request by me to my friend, Senior Investigator Tulis, a known patriot who rose to power after the previous Senior Peacekeepers were dealt with after the civil war,” Kirim replied. “It did not go through official channels.”

“Good. It may not lead us anywhere, but I don’t want whoever is behind this warned either,” Vilgra nodded.

“Do we know who is in charge of Criom?” Herrick asked.

“The AIs are still trying to sort through the corporate register as those ostensibly running it aren’t those who own it and who remain typically anonymous,” Vilgra replied. “Much like Imperial Mining Conglomerates under Duvrach, where the profits were used to try and bring you down, amongst other things, Serenissima.”

“And nearly did,” Amantil replied with a wry smile. “I’ll assume we won’t find out soon so will be looking at other avenues?”

“We’re trying to follow the money in a sense, as financial records have to be disclosed for tax purposes.”

“I’m assuming they didn’t own the shipping line? I asked.

“No, but they were the ones financing the operation,” Vilgra replied. “It was fairly typical of its type, an inter-Realm business. Though having guards was unusual, as the parts were not of great value to the Empire.”

“Probably to keep sticky-fingered Hegemony types from inspecting them and increasing the export levy,” Herrick chuckled.

“That would draw more attention than simply bribing officials to look the other way, surely?”

“True,” Vilgra nodded slowly. “I wonder what else was going on?”

“Using assassins to guard a cargo is extremely expensive and a waste of our talents,” Truvia, who was guarding the Empress, interjected.

“AI, please check records for any unusual deaths on Kansdoorf of custom agents or officials surrounding the arrival of these shipments,” Amantil requested.

“No unusual activity of that type recorded,” the AIs replied. “However, authorised shipments of precious metals were known to be shuttled up to the freighter and used for payments on other parts of its route outside the Empire.”

“Destinations?”

“Mostly the Arconian Protectorate, though that run ceased when import/export embargoes were implemented after the Rogoth incident.”

“Coincidence, surely?” Amanda asked into the silence.

“Probably...” Herrick replied. “What else was the freighter known to transport?”

“That is not known as the route took it to other Realms before it returned to the Hegemony,” the AI concluded.

“No manifests available, I take it?” Vilgra asked.

“We know they were faked now,” the AI replied. “The parts listed as imported were designated as weather shield adaptations.”

“Continue to investigate carefully,” Amantil ordered. “Something is very off about this and I don’t want whoever is behind it to be tipped off.”

“Yes, Serenissima.”

I travelled home with mum and Liono to be greeted joyfully by the kids and, eventually, my dad when he got back from Medical Resource. All were naturally fascinated by the fact that someone had tried to kill me. Though we kept quiet about the other stuff we’d found, simply telling the kids that it was to do with getting at Amanda. Fortunately they weren’t interested in why someone would do that, so didn’t ask awkward questions and concentrated on how different the Hegemony was.

The other topic of conversation was Kiria’s wedding which was due in half a binary cycle. All preparations were in hand, though Kiria and Tillan weren’t on Vreekoos as yet as they intended to travel with Tillan’s family from Talgard. My dad, as ever, had arranged for them to stay in a top hotel in the Imperial Tower, though by arrangement with Tillan had made it look as if Tillan had paid for it as Talgard social mores frowned upon accepting charity from strangers. Not that Tillan couldn’t afford it these days, but did appreciate the offer from my dad as part of the family’s wedding gift.

I had also been contacted by the people who arranged my Expos to see when I could display the works I’d done in the Hegemony. Apparently there was a great deal of interest in them from various parties and hence the unusual contact. Unfortunately it appeared it would have to wait until after the wedding as the normal people I used were unavailable due to various aspects to do with it and so I refused, despite a very generous offer from the Expo company to supplement my staff with their own.

“I failed to arrange an Expo for the artist Dayyev in which he would have been exposed to another assassination attempt,” Noll informed the group.

“What on Vreekoos for?” Vrice asked puzzled. “Such an act on Vreekoos could have exposed us to scrutiny.”

“Indeed so,” Trask agreed. “Is this some form of a pride thing?”

“The agency on Tarsil requested I make the attempt,” Noll shrugged. “Apparently it’s a pride thing for them to avenge a killed comrade.”

“And you risked our group to indulge them?”

“It was that or lose their guard contract on the various dark shipments we make of parts and drugs,” Noll shrugged.

“Is the contract that valuable to us?” Vollt asked, looking puzzled.

“In so far as it has prevented any interference with our cargos in any Realm we transit through, yes. They also ensure the precious metal payments to Arconia are deposited securely. Hence the small favour requested.”

“I see,” Trask nodded. “Will your failure reflect back upon us?”

“No, they realise Dayyev is a private individual and not subject to any commercial pressure we could hope to bring to bear.”

“They didn’t ask for you personally, did they?” Vrice asked.

“No, through intermediaries, why?”

“I think we need to look at our procedures. This ... organisation may be a risk to us as they apparently approached a cut-out who could contact us.”

“I see,” Noll nodded. “Not something that occurred to me at the time.”

“It might be for the best that this assassin died. This organisation knows far more than they should!” Vrice warned.

It was finally Kiria’s spinster farewell party and all the guests she’d invited to the wedding were at last together on Vreekoos itself. My dad had hired three floors of the Regal Hotel in Imperial Tower to cater for both the party, the wedding and the reception/party afterwards. This included rooms for several off-planet invitees as he pulled out all the stops for Kiria to ensure she had a wonderful wedding. Some of it wasn’t under his control, naturally, though ImpSec and Kilios had checked the venue over and made it as secure as the Palace on Lassos as the Empress and the two Princesses would be attending. Not that all the invitees were aware of the measures, nor indeed were some of them aware of who would officiate at the wedding, yet.

The credit naturally dropped when a lift opened and several Retainers exited followed by the Imperial bodyguards. Amantil herself then stepped from the lift flanked by Amanda and Vicki to take the full Imperial bow of all those present.

“Thank you, everyone,” Amantil announced. “But now, relax. Tonight I’m just Amantil or Manny and we’re waiting for the real stars to arrive.”

The main doors then opened to allow Kiria and Tillan to enter, the couple getting a round of applause from all as joy filled the air. My sister often says jokingly that she scrubs up well, though in truth she’s rather modest of her looks. Tonight, she simply looked dazzling in a form fitting silken gown and with professionally applied make-up. Naturally enough I was extremely busy sketching all who caught my eye during the time I had as I’d been warned by Amanda I was there for fun and not work, as she saw it.

So, whilst Kiria and Tillan were greeting their guests, I was sketching as many scenes as I could and relying on my memory to get others down later. Naturally enough I stopped when Kiria finally reached me and she gave me a hug and I received a handshake from Tillan.

“You look beautiful tonight, sis,” I told her sincerely.

“Thank you, bro. You say the nicest things,” she replied with a dazzling smile.

“You are a lucky man,” I informed Tillan.

“I know. The gods have smiled on me,” he nodded with a broad smile.

After that I joined Amanda as the frivolities began. It was a fun affair with lots to eat and drink as well as a live band playing a massive range of music to dance to. Kiria’s friends came from all walks of life and so it was a pretty eclectic mix, with people coming from all levels of society as well as career paths. Biggest surprise was Aunt Minno turning up, having travelled back in stasis from the Florveni zone, using her accumulated leave to do so. The big moment for me though was a dance called the Triallan where three couples danced, swapping partners in a complicated manoeuvre around each other. What Amanda hadn’t really noticed was the partners we were with were my mum and dad along with Amantil and Herrick. Not that them dancing was notable, but the ancient role of the Triallan was a means to propose to your intended with the two sets of parents there as witnesses. Hence, as the dance progressed, more and more couples slipped away from the floor, many hiding smiles until the last note ceased and I was left with Amanda flanked by the four parents.