One Hundred and Thirty Three

The only reason I did not wake up with a horrible hangover was that the Chiss served no alcohol on their receptions. Though, thinking about it, the hangover might just not have had enough time to develop.

If you had stacked the calling cards, they would have been taller than me. There was also a priority message from the Redoubt Committee. They had scheduled an emergency meeting for today to which I totally had to come or suffer the consequences. I was pretty sure I knew what was on the agenda.

So I got Sarah ready for school, tired and unhappy, but that's what you got for staying up late. She might as well learn that now. Then I made some very strong tea and called Storm. The bastard reclined in his private study and was not the least surprised. "So, how do you feel?"

I made a show of studying my hand which moved okay-ish even if it was unpleasant to do so. Then I held up the sleeve of my tunic and feigned surprise at its colours. "Pretty good, I guess."

"What's next?"

"A not quite as surprising trip as people think it is. And then-" I opened my arms. "I don't know. Everything."

"You are quite a force of nature, Mellanna." He shook his head. "Even if you don't look it."

"My secret." I smiled. "Working hard on keeping it."

"Are there, by chance, more you where you come from?" He managed to mix human and Chiss body langaue in a way that bordered on expressing personal interest. Bastard.

"I really don't know," I had to admit. "I was never a people person before-" I hesitated. Before I met Thrawn. Before I was inducted into the Empire. Before I had been thrown into this Chiss-pool of little else than social interactions.

"A pity." Storm leant back. "Any chance of poaching you?"

I laughed. It was the safest answer.

"That's what I thought." He smiled. He smiled letting me know that he saw right through my little deflection.

"There's always Sarah," I tried again. "You said you'd adopt her. Sounds like a pretty watertight way to headhunt her."

"A consolation prize as yet," he replied. "But I will take what I can get. And who knows, in a few years she might just surpass you in every way."

"I hope she does." It was out before my brain caught up. But he let it slip and we talked some more about how to best foster her interest in medicine. We parted on a light note that avoided any implications.

I stared at the calling cards scattered over my desk. It would take forever to get back to all of them. I would likely be recording polite answers soon to dole out on the push of a button. Something to do on my trip to Oto Brask Station. I sighed. It wasn't quite what I ahd wanted. But I had gotten myself into it on my own, part of the game. Somebody had to do it. So I did.

It kept me nicely busy until I had to leave for the emergency meeting, too. My two guards in white escorted me and I really hoped that Arond would get off his sorry arse soon and do something more substantial about my situation. By the time I had bodyguards, everybody would have forgotten why I needed them.

After the initial chatter and apologies about the suddenness of the reschedule Chaf'ari'neolt dropped the bomb.

"We have come to a standstill," Farin declared. "All our discussion will get us nowhere without an actual survey of the situation on site."

Murmurs of agreement rose. Everybody was eager to be the first there. Ans we were entitled. Kind of. I wondered what each house hoped to find on the Outbound Fight. The way they acted, it was the answer to the question behind the meaning of life.

I kept out of the discussion that weighed the pros and cons of going now versus going later. The outcome was certain but still the debate had to be held. That was life for you.

"How soon could we man an expedition?" I asked when things were winding down in favour of going now.

As expected, it sparked more discussion and it was agreed that three days was the soonest possible date, better make it five. Could everybody make it? Of course they could. It was the chance of a lifetime. Also, five days of preparation clearly showed that this was not a spontaneous idea.

After all each family would want a prestigious representative on board just in case some douchedick tried first contact anyway. We were there already, why waste time?

"Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano has requested to accompany the expedition," Chaf'era'netoi added after some discussion.

All eyes turned to me. It was well known that the Aristocra and I didn't get along. Like not. At. All. I hesitated. "Is there a feasible way we can deny him?" I finally asked.

Lor'kina fluttered all over the room. It was a feast for the yes, especially trained ones. Not that I showed.

"I'm afraid there is not," Ogast said in the end.

I nodded and immediately corrected my self into the appropriate lor'kina. "Then we don't. I am certain there are many things of interest to occupy the Aristocra on our trip."

This was going too well. Bless their hearts. I would have to grudging ly allow Formbi to join us and in return I would send him off to as many useless tangents as I could. If I could and was not sent off myself in return. We'd both hate it. I loved it.

The next meeting was decided to take place on the ship en route to the Redoubt. Everybody was very excited including me. Provided we didn't touch down and talk to the survivors. I was far from ready. I would always be far from ready.

Still I was miffed to be stopped from barrelling home and preparing for departure by a clerk of the House palace. But they were polite about it and called me Mitth'lan'arash so I had to be lenient.

I ended up with Arond's secretary. Well, well, well.

"We hear you are heading out to Oto Brask Station soon," the aide said. "This coincides with our plans for your security."

Did it now. I was all ears. My security situation was somewhat subpar.

"After long negotiations we have arranged for your future safety in compliance with your wished. The complement will meet you at Oto Brask Station." he gave me a datacard. "This will give you access to the meeting point which is in a restricted area. On behalf of the Meritocra, I declare the white guard obsolete the moment you leave Csilla. We thank you for your patience."

Patience, my ass. If I could have done anything without causing an éclat I would have. But your hands were perfectly tied when you ere up against the Meritocra. So t was a good thing that I wasn't anymore. Or not up against this one at least. I just hoped Oto Brask Station was as much of a breakthrough as I hoped it to be.

And this is the reason I didn't update here.

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How The Mighty III

"And you are sure about this?" Nnari was close to pacing. The news was bad indeed.

"I am afraid so," Odann replied. "It is only a tactical respite."

Sabosen'nar'ikali let her shoulders droop for a moment. "I really thought getting House Chaf involved would help."

You did, child and it did, Odann sighed inside her head. Just not the way you had intended. If and how much of that was her doing, the Sabosen didn't need to know. "If the House can't be reigned in, maybe hobbling Thrawn will help."

"He cannot be controlled," Nnari replied. "His own House, his brother even, got involved. You know what it cost Threll. And still he won't back down."

"Remove him then, as far as possible?"

Nnari seemed shocked by the idea. "Have you not listened? He cannot be controlled. If he is beyond the reach of his betters, there is no telling what he might do."

"Indeed," Odann agreed. "there will be nobody around to tell."

The young woman mulled over that for a while. Finally she raised her hands a little. "That still leaves the Houses Chaf and Prard. They need to be distracted."

Odann took time to look as if she was considering her options in depth. Naturally, she had no intention of keeping either House completely away from the reckless Admiral. Another thing Nnari did not need to know.

"What if there was renewed interest in some of House Prard's trade areas by House Chaf?" It was a long and traditional feud. So far it had done little but enmesh both Houses in an intricate net of rivalries and co-operations.

"And I have seen some suspicious gadgets in the hands of House Chaf since the incident, too," Nnari added. "The conflict would keep them occupied for a bit."

Odann almost felt sorry for her. Nnari really believed that something as short-term as a few items would distract the Houses from the long-term game of changing the complete ethics of warfare. The latter would prove much more profitable to any of the winning Houses regardless of the side they were on.

It was the long game, that held all the trumps and Odann would never let herself forget that. Small triumphs were just drugs and she was a skilled dealer.