“Umbra is making a reference to feeling like your housepet,”Bellatriz explains.
Mareliux’s features remain impassive. "Just try to appear as though you don't want to strangle me every time I speak. That would be a significant improvement." He turns back to the viewscreen, where the honor escort is still showing off their formations. The silence that stretches between us is thick with the weight of this charade we're about to play.
It’s fine. I’ll just focus on Earth’s future fleet of spaceships, taking us from barely space-faring to a fully fledged member of galactic society. I’ll do the best job I can getting them.
“That’s it,” the prince says as the honor escort splits in half right in front of theGladiuxand sets up a new, glittering formation around the ship. “We’re ready to land on Khav.”
27
- Mareliux-
“That’s incredible,” Umbra gasps when we stand at the hatch of the ship that took us down from theGladiux. “It’s all white and shiny!”
I allow myself a tight smile. The sight of planet Khav, the center of the Empire, has impressed many with its architecture and elegance. The slender spires, the graceful arches everywhere, the mix of modern and ancient, the subdued colors, all kept harmonious through the ages — it impresses me too, every time I see it.
“It looks good in sunlight,” I agree.
I take her hand and walk down the walkway to the small group of people waiting. I recognize my mother, the Empress Juriniel, my brother Nerox, Quaestor Preniat, and a couple of officials, probably from the Alien Office because of Umbra. Behind them there’s a much larger group, mostly generals and security people. I spot Colonel Grast among them. All right, that must mean that the extraction team is ready if needed.
I feel myself shifting into political mode. And my instincts tell me I should keep them all waiting in a subtle display of power.
Halfway down, I stop and simply look out at our capital city. I haven’t been here for a long time, and I also want Umbra to get a better look. “What do you think?”
Broad, paved avenues stretch out like veins across the sprawling cityscape, reminiscent of ancient thoroughfares yet flawlessly maintained. Colossal structures of gleaming white stone and bronze rise majestically, adorned with intricate friezes depicting scenes of imperial glory and mythical figures. Ornate fountains, sculpted with strong realism, cast shimmering rainbows in the filtered light, their gentle splashing a counterpoint to the hum of sky transports gliding silently along designated sky-lanes.
“It’s very pretty,” Umbra says, touching my shoulder in a display of affection because now we have an audience. “Is it all like this?”
“Most of it,” I tell her. “We had centuries to build it up, and nobody’s come to tear it down. And if I get my way, nobody ever will.” I lower my voice. “Those waiting for us are my mother, the Empress Juriniel, and my brother, Prince Nerox.”
“And Preniat,” Umbra says. “I did expect that.”
“All the worst slikes are here,” I growl. “But just do what we talked about, and everything will be good. Laugh as if I said something funny.”
She does, a bright, trilling laugh as she lightly slaps my upper arm.
“Good,” I praise her. “This will work out well.”
We walk all the way down. I give the Empress a shallow bow. “Your Imperial Highness.”
“Dear son,” my mother says. “And dear daughter-in-law. Welcome to Khav, Ambassador Umbra. We have all been so excited to see the alien who has captured the heart of our beloved Mareliux!” She sounds and looks the same as always. Exactly the same, I notice. And it's been a good while since I saw her last. She must be using a fortune on cosmetic treatments.
“Thank you, Imperial Highness,” Umbra says brightly. “He’s the sweetest man I ever met. And so big and strong!”
The Empress’s smile is icy. “Oh, is that an AI translating? You haven’t shown us the courtesy of learning even rudimentary Khavgrese? How different your societal norms must be from ours! Yes, of course he must appear gigantic to you, Umbra. I’d heard you were small, but I wasn’t prepared for you being downrightminiscule. But don’t worry. I’m sure our doctors will find a way for you to survive childbirth if you get pregnant by him. Which is an important point of a royal wife. Isn’t that right, Preniat?”
“It is indeed, Highness,” the quaestor creaks. “Some would say that providing the prince with offspring is the entire point of him having a wife. But there’s also the question of whether or not these two can procreate at all. It seems doubtful, Your Highness. Surely the two species are too different. But of course we will hope for the best.”
“Yes,” Umbra says with a happy smile. “Hope for the best!”
I wonder if she may be overdoing it. The quaestor has already met her, and I think she made a different impression then. But it’s safer to err on the side of stupid than appearing too smart.
“Welcome, sister-in-law Umbra,” my brother says, flicking his cape behind him. “You must wonder who I am, since nobody hasfound it worth their time to introduce me to you. I assure you that most Khavgrens will be more polite than these people. I am Prince Nerox, your husband’s brother. I understand you come from an uncharted backwater at the very bottom of the galaxy? The gutter, so to speak? The sewers?”
“Thank you for this welcome,” I cut in before he can make more of a fool of himself. “It is just as warm and heartfelt as I knew it would be. Shall we go?”
Before my mother can react, I take Umbra’s hand and lead us all on to the long row of royal land transport that will take us to the Emperor’s part of the palace. A flying transport would be faster, but traveling through the streets will be a surprising factor for any assassin. We’re in enemy territory now, and we have to act like it.
“Keep it up,” I whisper to Umbra. “Doing well.”
