Spindrift
Chapter 17: Rendezvous on Samarkand

The remainder of the Jump was less eventful. Justin continued to mend. Jen was up and about before she really oughtto have been, bringing the child to sickbay to show her off to her mother’smentor. “Her name is Princess MaraElizabeth of Compass Rose.” TheElizabeth was to honor Justin’s late mother. Compass Rose followed the Rii custom of addingplace-of-birth to a royal female’s name. The Marines fought boredom with military discipline and videogames. Ari and I tried to enjoy as muchdomestic bliss as we reasonably could, for we knew it would be a long timebefore we’d enjoy peace together again.

“I delivered a baby! I must admit, I’m rather impressed with myself.” It was the last night of the jump. We were in the captain’s cabin. Ari sat with her tail curled around the footof the bed, brushing her hair. I was simplyenjoying watching her and listening to her talk. “I think it’s quite an accomplishment, next toactually having one of my own, that is.”

“Do you think you’d like that, having one of your own, afterwhat you’ve just seen?”

She stopped brushing and looked thoughtful. “Yes, I do believe I would, someday.” She resumed working on her hair. “I’ll insist on being in water the whole time,though. I’ve seen enough to know thatgravity is a pregnant woman’s worst enemy. I must be free of gravity first! I don’t want to even imagine dragging my pregnant body around on land. It would look…well…disgusting.” She made a face.

“I don’t think you could look disgusting if you tried.” I smiled, but the conversation was startingto make me feel sad. Could I stand beingseparated from her for so long? But howcould I ask her to be so uncomfortable and so immobile for so great a time? I wanted to change the subject. “How did Jen react to having a girl?”

“She took it in stride. It had no effect on her at all.”

“So strange!”

“Not so strange! She’s a mother now.” She tossedthe brush onto the dresser. “You maycall me unreasonable or even vindictive, if you wish,” said Ari, “but I intendto see to it that someday the men of Rii bow the knee to Mara Elizabeth andrecognize her as their new Keeper.” Shepulled herself over to me and laid her head on my chest.

“I would call you neither of those things, just overlyoptimistic.”

She raised her head and looked me directly in the eye. “You will replace me a very stubborn mermaid.”

“That’s why I won’t dare stand in your way.”

She smiled. “A wiseman, you will make a good husband for me.”

“Oh? You think I’mtame enough?”

“No, just too smart to try to ride out a gale with all sailsset.” Ari lowered her head again andsighed, “What are we going to do, you and I?”

“Our duty, of course. I will report back to the Agamemnon,assuming she survived and is present. You will give your report to and receive your new orders from thePrefect or Magister Navium or whatever other representative of the Emperor isin charge there. Afterwards…”

“What about afterwards? Where will we live? You don’thave gills and I don’t have legs. Wewere just speaking of children. Whatwill they be?”

I had to laugh. “I’llsettle for healthy! We’ll figuresomething out. You’re worrying toomuch. It’s not like you.”

“You’re right I suppose. I’m spoiling the last night of our pre-honeymoon.” She was silent for a while then raised herhead, eyes sparkling. “Would you likefor me to sing to you again?”

“You know I would!”

“Hmm…Let me think. What would be good? I know! This fits my mood tonight. It’s by a Spanish saint and nearly fourthousand years old.” She cleared herthroat, began to hum a tune, and then sang.

In the dark of night

Inflamed with loveand desire, I arose

And went as no oneknows,

When all my house laylong in deep repose

All in the darksecure

Down hidden steps,disguised in other’s clothes

In dark where no oneknows

When all my house laylong in deep repose

And in that happynight

In secret places inno one’s sight

I went without my sight

With no guiding light

Except my heart thatlit me from inside

It guided me andshone

More surely than thenoonday sun

And led me to the one

Whom only I could see

Deep in a place whereonly we could be

O night that is myguide!

O night more kindly thanthe dawn!

O night that canunite

The lover and belovedone

Lover into belovedone transformed

And on my floweringbreasts

Which I had kept forhim and him alone

He slept as Icaressed

And loved him for myown,

Breathing air fromtall cedars blown

I tarried to forget

As on my lover’sbreast, I lay

All spent I let

My fears all fallaway

Forgotten in thelilies of the day

We made the rest of the evening a good memory for thekeeping.

We came out of warp into the largest concentration of warshipsI had ever seen. We counted twocarriers, five heavy cruisers, four lights and, providing the back bone, threedreadnoughts. A perimeter of perhaps adozen destroyers was set up as a guard against surprise. There were also five light ships of a type I didn’trecognize.

I began decelerating and signaled the picket ships, fullyaware that the Compass Rose was comingin fast and wearing the enemy’s livery. A destroyer from the picket nosed in our direction as though to give usa curious sniff.

“Compass Rose,” camea ship to ship communication, “You do not appear on our registry.”

“We are a prize,” I responded, “captured on Rii from theFree Worlds fleet.” There was a longpause. We were aggressively scanned, butthe destroyer’s weapons did not lock-on nor did her guns swing to bear on us. In any case, we were too small to be much ofa threat to anything larger than a light cruiser, even if we rammed.

“Compass Rose, pleaseproceed to landing berth C, Samarkand Prime. Do not deviate. You say you comefrom Rii? Is the Lady Ambassador Ariadnepresent?”

“She is,” said Ari.

“An escort will meet you on landing, Milady, to take you tosee the Prefect.”

“Thank you.”

We were nearly an hour from landing and spent that time satisfying ourcuriosity. As a matter of courtesy, weused only passive sensors, but I could identify many of the vesselspresent. Thankfully, one of the heavieswas indeed the Agamemnon. All the rest of the units parked aroundNew Samarkand, except for that strange squadron of small vessels, were alsopart of the Rimward Fleet. This wasn’t surprising;it would take months to bring in every unit they were planning to concentratehere. Fleet maneuvers on the Imperium’sscale could only be a slow, ponderous dance.

“When did they send out the order to concentrate?” I askedAri.

She shrugged. “Certainly before I left Darwin, but evidently not long before, perhapstwo weeks altogether. I rather hopedthere would be more here.”

“More Rimward ships should arrive at any time, along with closerelements of the Home Fleet.”

“Because of the World Heart, we no longer have the luxury towait.”

More calls came in as we approached, including one fromCaptain Winslow of the Agamemnon. We congratulated each other on ourrespective escapes from the Rii system. Even with the loss of Kelly, he was relieved to hear from us.

After we landed, I carried Ari down the ramp. We had found on board a large collection ofvery fine women’s clothing in various sizes. Evidently, King Edgar liked to travel well prepared, at least when notaccompanied by his consort. Ari choseone of the more tasteful gowns in a peach color that matched her upper body complexionand didn’t clash with her tail. It was alittle harder replaceing something for me. The Rose’s former captain wasnot far from my size, but I thought it unwise to show myself in the uniform ofan enemy power. I settled for a dinnerjacket in a color that at least resembled Imperial Navy blue.

The escort that waited was professional and, despite theshort notice, prepared enough to have a hover chair ready. I placed Ari carefully in the chair andsaluted the senior officer present, a woman wearing the green uniform of aMarine Major.

“Thank you Lieutenant. I’ll see you to your skimmer now, your ladyship.” She gave Ari a bow and started to turn.

“Thank you Madame, but Mister Morgan shall accompany me.”

“Uh, he’s to be debriefed aboard the Agamemnon.” The Major lookeduncertain.

“Matthew can wait. I’m sure the Prefect will be interested in what the lieutenant has toreport as well.”

It was evident that Ari was held in high enough regard tokeep a mere major from thwarting her wishes. I soon found myself bundled into the back of the limo with her.

That’s a lot of effortjust to keep me with you for a little while longer.

You have no idea ofthe lengths I’ll go through to keep you. She smirked. Really though, I do believe the Prefect willwant to hear from you directly; especially after I tell him about the WorldHeart.

I would feel a lotbetter if I met him while wearing the proper uniform. My old one was, of course, a totalloss. We ended up tossing its remnantsdown a disposal chute.

That can bearranged. Ari leaned forward andwhispered something in the Marine major’s ear. She nodded and picked up a communicator.

“You’ll have to dress on the run, dear,” said Ari. “I’m sure his Lordship won’t want to be keptwaiting.”

Samarkand Prime was a small city, laid comfortably in avalley on the slopes of the largest mountain range on the second largestcontinent of its world. It took only afew minutes to arrive at the hotel where the Prefect had set up hisheadquarters. Samprime was known for itsskiing and the hotel looked the part, resembling one of the grand lodges thatare usually found in Terra’s Alps or the Rockies.

Upon entering, I was immediately steered into an anteroomjust off the lobby. There I found auniform laid out for me. How they knewmy size so exactly and how it got there so quickly is a mystery to me. I was still tucking my shirt in when Ari andthe major came in and pulled me after them.

The two of us were then ushered into a meeting room that hadbeen converted into a large office. Anantique desk dominated one side, on the other was a well-stuffed couch and afew matching chairs. There was also animpressive fire-place containing a crackling pile of burning wood. It was just cool enough outside to make thefire inviting. The Prefect did not keepus waiting, entering almost immediately after us.

Sir Arthur Edward Lagos, Duke of Attika, Prefect of theRimward Worlds and the Emperor’s maternal uncle was a short, heavy-set man,about sixty years of age, with a wild wreath of gray hair and whiskers thatgave him a leonine appearance. He waswearing an admiral’s uniform as a sign that his role as military commander nowsuperseded that of civilian administrator of this segment of the Empire. He acknowledged my salute with a hand shake,as though not quite settled into the military side of his office. He then stooped to kiss Ari’s hand.

“So! I hear you’vecaptured yourself a prize, young man! And I’m not talking about the packet!” He grinned and winked. Ari beamedand I turned red. Word had travelledquickly.

He offered us brandy and cigars. I accepted both, Ari only the former. It had been weeks since I’d had a cigar andknew I may never have the chance at another as good as this one. I kept an eye on Ari, however, hoping shewouldn’t mind the smoke.

Soon we were sitting in front of the fire. The Prefect and I were on chairs, Ari stretchedout on the couch. At the Prefect’sprompting, she began her report. Hefollowed with relaxed interest until she came to the part about the WorldHeart. His smoke became neglected andsoon went out. When Ari finished, hedrained his snifter of brandy and rang for more.

“Can you confirm that this facility is powered byantimatter?” He looked from Ari to meand back.

She shook her head and looked down. “I’m afraid not, your grace.”

“It was too large and complex for either of us to confirmit,” I said. “I inferred it from itssize and antiquity.”

“And the fact that a whole new order of chimaera werecreated to watch over it,” added Ari.

“I’m inclined to believe you,” the Duke said, “though I mayhave difficulty convincing my governing council.” Then he grinned mischievously. “Fortunately, now that a state of war hasbeen declared, I can choose, if I must, to bypass those calcined fossils.

“To tell the truth, I don’t dare disbelieve you. There’s too much at stake. An antimatter reactor! Dear God! On Rii of all places!” He raised his glass toward Ari. “You’re familiar I’m sure with the story ofHelen of Troy; the face that launched a thousand ships? Well here’s to Ariadne of Syrenka, whose wordalone will send forth at least thirty starships!”

He questioned us closely for at least an hour longer thenhad us dine privately with him. Afterthat he had a room made up for us and bade us good night. “I’ll be seeing you before the council in themorning, I dare say. I can override, butI can’t ignore them completely, so be prepared to be persuasive. Sleep well!”

Another servant led us to our lodging, which was more of asuite, with a bathroom, bedroom and dining room. We soaked in a hot tub while Ari consideredhunting-up a pool for a nice vigorous swim; something she’d been without for aweek. Eventually, she decided that theswim would feel all the better after a nice long nap. We turned in sometime after midnight.

It was still dark when we were awakened by a brisk knock. “Now who can that be?” said a bleary-soundingAri. What I said, especially concerningthe ancestry and likely hobbies of the knocker, doesn’t bear repeating. I pulled on a robe and carefully reigned inmy temper as I approached the door. Iwas a lieutenant in a hotel full of admirals and captains after all.

“Who’s there?”

“Ferrell!”

I caught myself before saying ‘Who?’ and remembered hearingsomewhere that the Duke’s chief-of-staff was one Captain Ferrell. I opened the door. The man on the other side was slightlyshorter than me with close-cropped, graying hair and a rather care-wornface. A pair of black-rimmed glasses wereperched just above his receding hairline. He bustled in, carrying an armload of papers, a leather brief-case and atablet, depositing his burden on the dining table. As he turned to face me, he shifted theglasses to his nose and looked over them.

“Morgan?”

“Yes.” I nodded.

“Her Ladyship?”

So his vocabulary doesinclude more than surnames. “She’s…”

“Here.” Ari glidedinto the room on her chair.

He grunted and nodded; as oblivious of her nudity as shewas. “You’ve managed to spur his Graceinto a very rash act.”

“We have?” she said.

“He’s ordered the fleet mobilized for a combat jump withinseventy-two hours!”

“I would have suggested forty-eight.” She returned.

“He’s also ordered me to draw up a plan of attack. Less than half the fleet is assembled and wedon’t even know how large the pirate force is! This just won’t do at all!” Hehuffed. “Elementary naval strategy callsfor…”

“…maximum advantage. I know, Captain, even Syrenkan schoolgirlscan access and read Murimoto’s Command ofSea and Space!”

I half expected her to glide up and tail-slap him. I raised my hands in a peaceful gesture. “What do you want of us, Sir?”

“I want you to help me to convince him to hold off and wait,at least ‘til the main body of the Home Fleet arrives.” He sighed and sat down. “I know that you believe, and now he believesthat you may have found an antimatter power source. This is just not enough to justify the risk. We’re squandering our numerical advantage!”

I sat down at the table next to him. “You know as well as I, as well as Ari, orHis grace, or anyone; that the major elements of the Home Fleet are probably inorbit around Luna, the Earth’s Moon, at this very moment. It will take about four weeks for the courierfrom Darwin to arrive there. Even if HisMajesty confirms the order immediately, which he almost certainly will, it willtake six weeks for those warships to arrive here at New Samarkand. That’s ten weeks, seventy standard days!”

“That’s seventy days that Edgar’s men can stumble upon theWorld Heart, kill the Sisters of Arachne and then loot it of all itsarcheotech. We can’t allow that tohappen!” pleaded Ari.

“That also gives Edgar time to persuade other pirate leadersto join him and increase his force. Something he’ll have little trouble doing if he can offer a share of theWorld Heart.” I added.

Ferrell leaned back and covered his face with bothhands. “Everyone is crazy exceptme! I’ll do as I’m ordered to the bestof my ability, but I’ll be doing less than my duty if I don’t try to persuadeHis Grace that he is making a mistake.”

“You must do what you feel is right,” agreed Ari. “As must we.”

“We’re of one mind on that point at least,” I said as Ihelped the captain gather his papers. Iclosed the door behind him and Ari turned to me.

“I’m too agitated to go back to bed. I’m going to replace a pool. I need to swim. Want to come with me?”

“Nope,” I yawned. “I’ll keep the bed warm for you. Hurry back.” I kissed the top ofher head as she passed. “Oh! You’re not going out there like that areyou?”

“What?” She looked atme quizzically, and then down at herself. “Oh.” She went back into the bedroomlong enough to grab something to cover her breasts. “I’ll be back in a bit.” She left.

I smiled, shook my head and then collapsed into bed and adeep sleep.

The sun was rising when she finally returned and snuggled upto me.

The door buzzed. Thistime Ari answered it. She returned a fewmoments later followed by a servant carrying two parcels.

“Complements of His Grace; I’ll be waiting outside.” The woman smiled cheerfully, bowed and left.

“Ooo, I like surprises!” Ari tore into the package with her name on it. It was a very long, white, lacey gown withyellow ribbons. “I love it! What do you think Dri?” She draped it in front of her.

“Absolutely gorgeous, Love!”

“Isn’t it and so girly! A bit long though. In fact…Thething actually hides my tail and covers my pelvic fins…hmm.” She frowned. “I do believe that this may be the Prefect’s subtle way of telling mehe’s not sure what the council will think of a chimaera.” She tossed me the other parcel. “Let’s see what he sent you.”

I broke the string and ripped the brown paper. It was a formal dress-blue uniform, completewith cap and black boots. “Uh oh, thiscan’t be right. This is a juniorcommander’s insignia.”

“I think that’s what they call a promotion.” Ari grinned. “Congratulations Commander Morgan.”

“But that’s two steps above my current rank!”

“Somebody must have been impressed.”

“That somebody may have just made me the most hated man inHis Majesty’s navy.”

“Don’t you think you deserve it?”

“Yes, by Damn, I think I do! It’s a matter of who else does.”

“I guess you’ll just have to live up to expectations.”

I tried it on, half believing that it wouldn’t fit, beingfor a different man, but it did. In afew minutes, we were dressed and ready to join the servant who guided us to themeeting room.

Sunlight streamed into the windows, opened to let in thecool, flower-scented Samarkand spring. Infront of the windows was a long, wooden table set with nine chairs. In the middle of the room, facing the otherswas a single, straight-backed chair.

“Please be seated,” said the servant. “The Prefect and the Council will be enteringshortly.”

I don’t think theyintend to feed us breakfast first. ThoughtAri.

Too bad, I was hopingfor poached eggs and kippers.

I love eggs, butprefer my herring fresh...

…And wiggling. Am I not right?

She rolled her eyes, but didn’t disagree.

I’m starting to wonderif we may be the ones about to be kippered here. Uh-oh, they’re coming. I stood up; Ari shifted and straightenedher gown.

The Prefect and Council were announced by a liveried herald,entered in single file then sat, His Grace taking the middle seat. He gave us a solemn look then winked. That helped.

I understood what he meant by using the word ‘fossils’ whenreferring to the other members. Therewere five men and three women, none under the age of sixty, most wellover. The Prefect introduced us andinvited us to tell our story, which we did. There were a couple of surprised gasps when we told of the Sisters ofArachne and the World Heart, but I got the impression that most of the membershad already been briefed on the major points. Then came the questions.

I was rather happy that we were on a war footing and had thePrefect on our side; otherwise things may not have gone well for us. A couple of councilors sounded inclined tothink we were operating some kind of scam; one seemed almost to suggest that wewere working for the pirates. Anothervery elderly gentleman was under the impression that he was there to order foodand drink. The rest were content tofollow, with little enthusiasm, where they were led. After about an hour, the ordeal wasover. There was no mention of CaptainFerrell’s anxieties.

We were ushered out to an anteroom while the councilcontinued their deliberations. The sameservant, named Rina, asked us if we would like some refreshment. We agreed. She brought a tray of sandwiches and tea and set them down on a smalltable.

At about the time we finished, the Prefect walked in,looking tired but pleased.

“You may not believe it, but you two made quite a positiveimpression.” He bowed and kissed Ari’shand. “Even you my dear, despite your‘handicap’.”

“Handicap?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I thought it wise not to tell them you were Syrenkan.”

“Oh.” She lookedperplexed.

“I’m afraid there’s still a good deal of distrust ofchimaera out here. This isn’t Terra.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, your Grace? I just spent much of the early morningswimming around a public pool. Someonemay have seen me.”

“I didn’t tell them you weren’t.” He grinned mischievously. “I just let them form their own impressions. Besides, most of them will be on their wayback to their home provinces by now.”

He turned to me. “Well, commander, I need to add an intelligence officer to mystaff. That would be you. Report here to Captain Ferrell at 1300 hours. Meanwhile, have the two of you made plans forlunch yet? I’d like to hear more aboutthis Pirate ‘king’ Edgar.”