Chapter 48

“Welcome back,” Teelae greeted her viewers, hiding her exultation at her next announcement. Not that she hadn’t forewarned her sponsors of a specific Royal announcement in advance which had tripled her normal revenue stream before syndication. “Now, Dayyev, Amanda, I believe you have something to tell the Empire?”

“Just this,” Amanda replied with a broad smile, holding up her hand which she had previously kept hidden and on which the tri-dee cams now focussed in exquisite detail, showing her single solitaire engagement ring.

“Oh, that’s beautiful! When did Dayyev propose?” Teelae asked.

“At the party before the wedding. Would you like to see the recording of how he did it?”

“I’m sure our audience would,” Teelae replied, glancing at her viewing figures which were shooting up and continued to spike.

The feed showed the dance leading up to the proposal and then the proposal itself. Teelae watched it with us in silence, allowing the viewers to enjoy it without spurious comments.

“That was so incredibly traditional,” Teelae commented at the end. “I never knew you were such a big fan of tradition, Dayyev?”

“There’s a time and place for everything,” I replied with a broad smile. “My love for Amanda and respect for her house needed that special touch.”

“You looked surprised, Amanda. Had he kept the secret that well?”

“My mum, dad and Dayyev’s parents were the only ones who knew. I never even guessed when we all danced the Triallan, in spite of it being the traditional dance of bonding,” Amanda admitted. “And when he did ask, he made me feel so, so special.”

“I take it that the AIs requested the other dancers to vacate the floor?” Teelae asked me.

“Yes. I think most had guessed, even though the AIs weren’t specific,” I replied.

“You even used the words Amantus used when proposing to Arlia, the Regent of the Trema Confederation,” Teela nodded, showing she’d done her homework.

“Yes, it became an Imperial tradition, though could not be used for Her Serenissima’s wedding due to the unusual circumstances involved in her marrying the Emir Grigo and not amalgamating either Realm into each other,” I explained.

“Yes, that would have been extremely difficult at best,” Teelae agreed, and, turning to Amanda, cheekily asked, “So, wedding date?”

“Next year, probably,” Amanda replied smoothly, her smile showing she wasn’t offended.

“Yes, I suspect it will take some organising as you may have a few dignitaries from other Realms to accommodate,” Teelae nodded.

“Indeed. It’s why the venue will be Lassos, as it’s probably the most suitable place for such an event,” Amanda agreed.

“Heads of State?”

“Don’t know, unlikely though,” Amanda replied thoughtfully. “Probably someone quite high up however as we are on good terms with most of the Realms we’d invite,” she finished with a chuckle.

“Possible Emirate involvement?”

“Tricky that one, though I will be visiting soon by invitation of my father,” Amanda considered. “We’ll probably know more then.”

“So, it’s been confirmed?” Teelae asked.

“Yes, when we were attending the trade treaty signing in the Hegemony.” Amanda confirmed.

“You presented the Hegemony with a special colour portrait, didn’t you, Dayyev?” Teelae asked, switching her attention to me.

“Yes, ‘Allies under the Stars’,” I confirmed as the AIs showed the image to the viewers. “The Empire, Realm and Autarchy also received similar portraits.”

“Truly impressive,” Teelae noted, seeing a further spike of interest from her audience. “Have you not given thought to making one of the Empress for our Courts and planetary Councils?”

“Yes, though it’s not just the Empress,” I smiled. “I’m busy with it now, but can show you the basic sketch, if you’d like?”

“Oh, yes, please!” Teelae requested enthusiastically as the AIs produced the basic sketch for the portrait I was in the middle of completing. “That ... that is going to look spectacular when it’s done,” Teelae stammered out.

“I hope so,” I nodded. “Final approval will be from Her Serenissima though.”

“I really don’t think that will be an issue, my love,” Amanda giggled.

“Er ... no, probably not. She does seem to like my work,” I chuckled in return.

“Do you ever get bored with sketching the same type of subject, Dayyev?” Teelae asked.

“Not yet,” I chuckled. “I go to different places and see different people doing different things. It’s a big Empire and that’s not counting the cultures beyond.”

“So, a lot more drawings yet?” Teelae smiled.

“Yes,” I nodded.

“When is your next Expo?”

“Haven’t planned one yet, but probably soon, now that all the important things I had to do are sorted,” I explained.

“Might be after our visit to Gamappe,” Amanda nodded. “If plans are made, we can’t easily change them at this level.”

“Yes, I’d expect that to be so,” Teelae nodded. “Do you get any input?”

“Well, they normally ask me if I’d like to go, but after that they simply grab the grav-ball and fly,” Amanda explained with a smile.

“Been anywhere you didn’t particularly care for?”

“Well, there was Rogoth and I didn’t much care for Parros when I got there, but we resolved that quickly.”

“Ah yes, Rogoth,” Teelae nodded. “Any progress?”

“Still looking into it, but whoever was behind it used cut outs and remained isolated from it. We will catch them though; we haven’t forgotten and we haven’t forgiven.”

“I’m sure the Empire wishes you all success in that,” Teelae nodded.

The interview took up all of the Teelae show but finally it was over, with Teelae having reached her highest viewing figures ever for a live show. We were informed later of the almost frenzied talking-head shows that took to pieces Teelae’s interviews as they tried to explain to their audiences just what the engagement meant and the way it had happened. Fortunately our security via the AIs protected us from various requests for comments as well as another attempt to get me to do an Expo.

“Wonder what’s behind that?” I pondered. “ It’s most unlike the centre management to press on issues like that.”

“I’ve sent a request to Vilgra to look into it,” Liono informed us. “It’s an area you’re exposed in and whilst it might just be your popularity, it needs looking into after the attempt on your life on Tarsil.”

“Thank you,” I acknowledged.

“All part of the job.”

For our next appointment the lift deposited us in the suite being used by Tillan’s sisters, Miri and Loyota, though Loyota was out with Tillan’s parents, Vrees and Kaoli. We were greeted joyfully by Miri and sat on an extruded couch as she prepared for the interview, mostly fussing with the floating tri-dee cams.

The interview itself was very different in style from Teelae’s. The emphasis was on a flowing narrative in the form of a long conversation between friends. It was both friendly and relaxing, mostly covering our early years before we became attached before going into current affairs. Even there, all that was touched upon were our impressions and why mostly Amanda did as she did.

“So you’ve actually been training most of your life to represent your mother at large in the Empire itself?” Miri asked.

“Yes, if action is required I have the knowledge of the constitution and how to apply it without fear or favour and without hesitation,” Amanda replied.

“So it’s almost like an automatic thing?”

“Not quite. I have to decide to apply it, but then if I do, I have to follow it through and, if necessary, face the consequences of doing so,” Amanda explained.

“Is that why you had to explain your actions afterwards?”

“In a sense, though that has to do with judging them to see if I stayed within the law, not necessarily what I did.”

“I see, so there could be serious consequences if you acted illegally?”

“I might be removed from the succession, or even enslaved if it were bad enough, yes.”

“As my dad often says, with great power comes great responsibility,” I added. “I was at the judgement events, keeping a record. They did not go easy on Amanda.”

“Even her own mother?” Miri quizzed.

“Especially Her Serenissima. Amanda’s actions can be seen as an extension of hers,” I confirmed. “As it is, Amanda acted within the law and was praised for doing so, but not until after judgement.”

“I don’t think many of us would care to have that sort of observation on our actions,” Miri acknowledged.

“Most of the time I’m not aware of it. It’s only when I go ‘full Imperial’, as my friends call it, that I’ll be judged on my actions.”

“Still don’t think I’d care to have my judgements called into question,” Miri chuckled.

“Not that fond of it myself. But it needs doing, as it can affect the Empire as a whole if what I did turned out to be illegal or unwarranted.”

“That’s the last of the ‘must do’ events,” I commented as we sat at Mama’s enjoying a tuch.

“Yes,” Amanda smiled happily.

“They let you know where we’re going next?”

“Tarron, Balesia and Kansdoorf.”

“They want us to look into the Criom Group?”

“No, just run cover for the Troubleshooters,” she replied.

“Ah, they’ll be thought to be your security advisors?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Then the Emirate?”

“Yes.”

“I can normally tell what you’re feeling, but I’m not sure how you feel about going there,” I confessed.

“Not sure myself. I know so little about my biological father other than what little I’ve been exposed to on tri-dee.”

“I doubt that there will be any surprises,” I chuckled.

“Probably not. But it does feel weird meeting the man who sired me as opposed to the man I call dad.”

“That I can understand,” I nodded.

The briefings for our visits were called the following working period, and it was good to see the team looking enthusiastic about the visits as we weren’t expecting any issues at all on any of the planets. Their role on Cillort’s secession long being over with and the AIs as well as independent observers reporting loyalty to the Empire on all worlds.

“So, we’re just a diversion on Kansdoorf?” I queried.

“Yes, we’re hoping to draw out some sort of response from this group behind the medical seal mimickers,” Vilgra confirmed.

“So I’m a target?”

“Possibly, but we suspect they’ll just be opting for observation, at least in the Empire.”

“Rather than have us mount a full open investigation?” Amanda asked.

“Yes, the feeling is they’ll be circumspect, rather than do something overt,” Vilgra replied.

“Not so sure,” I replied. “There was this weird attempt to get me to do an Expo here on Vreekoos. Not sure why and most definitely not the centre’s style.”

“Yes, Liono reported it,” Vilgra acknowledged. “Seemed some customer or customers had offered to pay a huge bonus to see your works and possibly bid on them.”

“Do we know who?”

“No, it was done anonymously, or rather by an agent.”

“Gettik by any chance?” I queried; eyebrow raised.

“Yes, it’s why we’re still looking, though they are extremely compartmentalised and opaque to outside observation. They do use an AI but it isn’t connected to other AIs except for those within the group.”

“Odd setup,” Verlig commented.