Chapter 36

Emperor Augustus looked incredulous,

"It's what?"

TJ smiled and repeated the statement,

"Burr fibre is anti ballistic and anti beam. We took several layers of woven cloth and laid them up with crossed warp and tested it for body armour capability — its extremely effective. Four layers will stop any hand held individual weapon projectile or beam; the beam is truly fascinating — you can see the energy spreading over the fabric and dissipating."

A private invitation had been forthcoming from the Guelphs ( a family name adopted centuries ago) to attend a luncheon at the country seat of Herzog Reiperbahn. The 'muties' from the "Sundowner", including Percy Gantry had shuttled down to the estate and been shown into the residence and introduced to the Emperor and Empress who were in their Commodore Gus and Mrs Hanna Guelph personas. The Commodore flatly informed the group that only forenames were to be used and explained it,

"We are all descendents of artificial constructs and as such we really have no family antecedent to those constructs to give us family names. The ones we bear are the result of the necessity to bear a family name in the societies to which we were introduced. TJ, kindly give your history..."

The Windsors' story truly intrigued Gus and he took a great interest in what Morg was able to add from Sean O'Flaherty. The conception of the Windsor children did slightly embarrass those children but the interest was academic not pornographic and quickly moved to possible motive for Hector's action. Morg expressed his opinion that Hector must have had a premonition or perhaps more direct information as he had gone to some lengths by establishing Gabrielle Comitantes on Gorgipest. Gus requested that any further information obtained be passed along to him. Agreed.

Percy Gantry admitted that he had had no idea at all about his origins beyond the ancestor and family who had migrated to Mountserrat in one of the earliest fleets as a 'free' man as opposed to 'indentured'.

The discussion moved to the actions of the RMN in dismissing 'muties' from their ranks and the Amarantis did not hide their disapproval although they understood the reasons. Chien-lu explained their knowledge,

"It's a problem inherent in democracies with their checks and balances. The opposition - and there is always one even in benevolent empires — will always take every advantage they can to gain power; even at times to lay the groundwork for the nation to be destroyed and a far worse entity to emerge. Our normal ancestors fled the Russian Revolution four or five centuries prediaspora which is a classical example. The ruler who is restrained by constitutions, courts and such like is often forced by these constraints to make deals not to their liking to achieve the short term aim and hopefully recover lost ground later. Elizabeth needed the majority in her House of Lords to enable her to declare war and then to mobilise her forces to defend against the Harbourians. Brown Hollow literally held the nation to ransom because your military are financially controlled by your parliaments. Compromise is always necessary in politics but there are times when a decision must be made quickly and most democracies and so-called constitutional monarchies fail that test. Mountserrat came very close to destruction and we in Amaranti will be extremely reluctant to join with Mountserrat whilst Brown Hollow exists as a political force in Mountserrat. We favour Elizabeth but not her nation with that idiot Brown Hollow anywhere near the halls of power."

That stopped that turn of conversation.

"Tell me what you are doing with burrfibre" Rudiker enquired.

Julie told the gathering of the chain of events including the creation of Trudi's gown. To Morg's horror, Julie threw a holo of a gowned Trudi onto the table top which led to a rather stiff silence broken by Gus,

"I think the better description would be falling out of. Mark, I saw more revealing dresses — I was going to say coverings but as I recollect, they didn't — during a formal visit to Bhute. No, that lack of covering would not be acceptable in the Empire."

"That hostess gown you were wearing on "Sundowner", what was the material?" Chien-lu asked "purely as a matter of academic interest, Rudiker (with a sly grin at her) but you would be interesting in a nightgown made from it."

"Chien-lu! You are a dirty oldish man! Julie, to keep this lecherous man content, can I purchase some yards of it. I had thought of a nightgown and robe combination" (blush).

"It is an artificially produced fibre which has some biological features such as growing into itself making stitching unnecessary but you have to have a figure as the stuff just wont hold a pattern — it just elongates to fit what it is wearing, closely" Julie explained "and it becomes translucent with body warmth which would cause problems wearing a concoction in public here. Come up to "Sundowner" tomorrow and we can fit you with a gown and robe. Suit?"

"Suits. Thank you. And what about that young lady with the imposing bow in that little black thing? She was quite impressive."

"That was 'Nita James," Charley informed Rudiker "the material was Harbourian black spider silk — you can get the fabric in a cream as well but every female needs a little black thing to wear and that spider silk is a superb material for it. She certainly can create interest wherever she goes." She looked askance at Morg, threw the holo vids of 'Nita and Clare at the Army Navy 'bash' and went on "I got these from 'Nita and you can see what I mean."

"Mercy" Hanna exclaimed "there would be a tar and feathering if she wore that at a formal here, but (managing to give both Gus and Chien-lu, the evil eye) I have heard rumours of such, ah, garments being worn at ... places of entertainment. Goodness, what is she doing there?"

'There' was the sequence in which 'Nita was demonstrating the antigrav pads to the throng of interested females gathered about her.

"I think its time for the ladies to powder noses and leave the menfolk to talk business" Julie rescued the situation and Charley shut down the vid; the ladies departed with Hanna and Rudiker leading.

After the departure of the ladies, TJ broke the news about the burrfibre.

" ... we have formed a company which includes the owner of the only entity here working with the fabric. He was scratching a living making scarves and pocketchiefs but that will change. I developed a 'puter programme which runs a pod gin and a weaving machine from measurements from a holo measuring unit. I've submitted for galactic patent and I'm sure the Crown Agents here would be interested in a share..."

"And you would like to have someone keep an eye on your investment?" Gus interposed.

" ... the idea did enter our consideration" TJ admitted.

"Chien-lu? Good. Now TJ, I want to know why you are making contacts with the 'muties' in the galaxy. My people had reported your interest in every system you have entered; they have taken note because our instructions to them have for centuries have included an interest in the fate of the "supersoldiers". Being mutants ourselves we are very aware of the potential for disaster of developments in that field. Sema, fortunately, hasn't demonstrated an interest in producing such and if it did, the reactions of its neighbours and probably even its customers would be extremely adverse; Sema can only exist for as long as its output does not threaten any one and it can keep its customers happy and supportive. So?..."

TJ explained his contacting fellow mutants throughout the galaxy and admitted his idea was naive and unstructured; he was presently attempting to form a galactic intelligence service with information freely accessible to all in the net; he was attempting to have participants place the welfare of mutants as their second priority behind their loyalty to their home.

"That didn't play on Mountserrat!" Chien-lu observed disgustedly.

Gus turned his attention to Percy Gantry

"Percy, the USN, its modernising and reforming. What's behind it?"

Percy explained the reasons driving the Security Council members and the policies of the triumvirate — which were a matter of public record anyway.

Gus replied to Percy

"You are going to have to deal with Chencon and the Midams. The Chencons are feeling population pressure and their agents are very active in Paracelcus — their problem is that the central Chencon government wants to retain control of any colony it settles and that won't run even in as limited a space as this corner of the galaxy. The Midams have delusions of their pre Columbus glory and want to do to other planets what Cortes and his thugs did to them, getting rich in the process. The Iberians want to do that but they are now very small players in the galaxy; you probably agree with me that "Sundowner" was theirs? Thought you would. Was she a treasure ship. Deity, you have excellent control of your features — you didn't move a muscle. I'd wager she was but I wouldn't bet on who got the treasure. If you ever find out, I'd like to know as I hate unfinished bits even if I'm not affected. Ahh, ladies, finished? ... TJ, just to tidy up. Any mutant is welcome here but strictly as a simple subject. Suit?"

In the final week of the planned Defence Exposition, an Imperial visit was made. Emperor Augustus and his entourage moved into the exhibition decks while their ladies descended upon the Club and House. Being in the mid morning neither was busy — in fact neither was officially open and the local hires were only just arriving and being startled out of their wits to find Royals seated at a number of tables being entertained by the Windsor Women who made no concession in their dress to the clients — Morg suspected his sissies had left off even more than usual just to shock. They were to be disappointed — all of the clients had served in the Imperial Navy and visited foreign ports (it was a universal requirement and the Emperor was not about to allow anyone claim privilege as He needed every good officer He could get) where their horizons (and sometimes other things as well) were broadened. Trudi almost staggered in as she had been partying overnight (how the girl remained virgin was a mystery to Rudiker but truth be known, none of the swarming males were attractive enough — or to put it crudely, turned her on). She was clutching the creation she had borrowed, looked wide eyed at the spectators and dived for the dressing rooms. Seven minutes later, without a hair out of place and perfectly groomed, she returned wearing the burrfibre pant suit — in a quiet conversation with Charley, Trudi had explained her objection to 'that thing' was because it allowed easy access to her person. Trudi took over the duties of hostess from Julie and as the arriving models were herded into the dressing rooms, changed and out wearing the House's creations, Trudi gave the commentary. During a break for refreshments for the Royals (and a relaxation break for the models) Trudi showed them the measuring cubicles and grabbed an unsuspecting waitress walking past and bullied the terrified girl into stripping and standing in the frame in front of the bevy of commanding presences up to the Empress. Julie entered and demonstrated how a holo was then formed and fabrics and designs were presented for the client's choice. Julie went as far as actually running up a design which the still naked demonstrator had eyed longingly and with a glare at Trudi for her dragooning of a lowly employee insisted the waitress accept the creation for her 'voluntary' services; Trudi had the grace to look crestfallen and to personally thank the girl and send her back to her duties — clothed of course. The Empress had been eying Trudi's pant suit and enquired of the fabric. She was very interested indeed.

Julie and Trudie led the party across to the other side where the burrfibre gin and weaver was situated. TJ was there, fiddling with the 'puter (he called it 'fine tuning') and he had to explain the workings. This time it was Trudi who got stripped and onto the spot for measurement. Morg had ambled up wondering what the crowd was. He grinned evilly as he saw a naked Trudi standing with a hand carelessly across her pubic mound trying to appear unconcerned. Morg ordered her to drop the hands and slowly turn around as the laser beams bounced off her skin; after she had completed several turns he ordered her out and then sat himself at the control desk telling TJ to find something else to do. TJ ambled off grinning hugely. Then Morg threw a full size holo of Trudi and began creating using burrfibre. A naked Trudi was a statue to Morg, his mind was on the holo and the Royals were fascinated as he threw holographic patterns about the figurine. Morg had given Trudi's objections some thought and had a solution. He created a ball gown. It was basically a full length skirt fitting snugly about the hips and buttocks - and it would have to be worked over the swell of the hips as it narrowed slightly below those curvaceous buttocks — with shoulder straps wide enough to be pulled in to cover the sides and a front exposed otherwise to navel level; the back remained bare to the top of the buttock crease. As it started, access to Trudie would have presented no obstacle at all, except that Morg had designed in edge loops for the cleavage and sides; the weaver was programmed and the cylinder woven as they watched. Dell and Ally teamed up against the naked Trudi and dropped the creation over her shoulders and worked it appropriately over the hips; Trudi grabbed the edges and pulled them to cover herself now that she was garbed (?) again but she had only two hands for four bare areas. The weaver produced two elongated ribbon scarves which Morg twisted together and passed up through the front loops closing the cleavage from waist to nipple level, parted the ribbons about Trudi's neck, crossed them over her back and passed a single ribbon down each of the side vents' loops closing them from nipple level to waist. Trudi was persuaded to model the gown for the ladies but flatly refused to leave the security of the measuring cubicle.