syllable. “Never embarrass little people. They will kill you.”
“Precisely.”
I rose to my feet more gracefully than I had in years. Tai chi and yoga had done wonders for my muscular control. I began to pace.
“She’ll have to lay low for a while. She won’t like that.”
“No, sir,” Parsons agreed.
“Well, what has it got to do with us?” I asked.
“She is accompanying us to the Autocracy.”
I halted and permitted myself to goggle. I had improved greatly on the expression since I had taken up meditation, allowing the joints to relax, and so on. A half-raised eyebrow from Parsons indicated to me that the expression was effective.
“What?” I demanded, throwing myself down beside the table. This concept called for more tea. “What about our mission? She’ll get in the way!”
“Of suspicion, perhaps,” Parsons said, verbally laying a finger alongside his nose. I nodded several times as the notion soaked into my brain.
“Ah! She will provide cover for us.”
“In a manner of speaking, my lord.”
“But the mission!” I pressed him. “What of our mission?”
“I am not at liberty to disclose the confidential details at this point,” Parsons said. “Your assignment is similar to ones that you have undertaken in the past. You are an envoy of his Imperial Majesty, Shojan XII. As such, you are to visit his most august sister, the Autocrat, in her residence on Nacer, the capital world of the Autocracy, and present his compliments.”
“As well as several gifts, I fancy. I shall have to check with the Chancellor and see what cargo we are taking on board.”
“Indeed, sir. Along our way, we have a few matters to investigate more closely, also on behalf of the throne.”
I nodded. “I had heard that some of our ships have been caught with contraband. Bad practice, I say.”
“At the very least, my lord. But both our nations believe firmly in the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven. There does seem to be a case for believing the protests in that direction from some, if not all, of the affected ship owners.”
“I look forward to finding that out,” I said. “I have been intrigued by the case. Why did those pilots believe they could slip goods past the scrutiny of the Uctu customs officials? I can scarcely sneak an extra bottle of wine by ours.”
“It is one of the matters on which we will make enquiries, sir.”
“And the others?”
“My lord?” Parsons inquired, rising to his feet in one smooth motion. I stood up as well. I was not going to allow him to escape that easily.
“You have still given me no information regarding the rest of my responsibilities! I suppose nothing I can say can shake you on this point?”
“Nothing at all.”
“Then how am I to prepare?”
Parsons allowed a small smile to play about his lips, no doubt under strict adult supervision.
“If I may suggest, my lord, prepare in your inimitable fashion. You will need to be in excellent physical condition to withstand the rigors of the change in gravity. Your system already has been equipped with modifiers to prevent damage to you from the atmosphere, water and food. Continue to fortify yourself with information on the culture and the people you are shortly to meet. I have forwarded to you a detailed biography of the Autocrat. If you study it closely, I believe you will find insights that will give you an advantage in strengthening the friendship between two great houses.”
I was delighted by his confidence in me.
“I could ask nothing better, Parsons. Then I will cast the bones to see what portends for us. I’ll let you know what precautions we need to take.”
Parsons nodded. I escorted him to the door.
My mind was of such clarity following my meditation that I felt it was the perfect time to look into the future. I had various devices that I had purchased or had made to use with the assorted methods of divination that I was studying.
My favorite device was the crystal ball that
“Precisely.”
I rose to my feet more gracefully than I had in years. Tai chi and yoga had done wonders for my muscular control. I began to pace.
“She’ll have to lay low for a while. She won’t like that.”
“No, sir,” Parsons agreed.
“Well, what has it got to do with us?” I asked.
“She is accompanying us to the Autocracy.”
I halted and permitted myself to goggle. I had improved greatly on the expression since I had taken up meditation, allowing the joints to relax, and so on. A half-raised eyebrow from Parsons indicated to me that the expression was effective.
“What?” I demanded, throwing myself down beside the table. This concept called for more tea. “What about our mission? She’ll get in the way!”
“Of suspicion, perhaps,” Parsons said, verbally laying a finger alongside his nose. I nodded several times as the notion soaked into my brain.
“Ah! She will provide cover for us.”
“In a manner of speaking, my lord.”
“But the mission!” I pressed him. “What of our mission?”
“I am not at liberty to disclose the confidential details at this point,” Parsons said. “Your assignment is similar to ones that you have undertaken in the past. You are an envoy of his Imperial Majesty, Shojan XII. As such, you are to visit his most august sister, the Autocrat, in her residence on Nacer, the capital world of the Autocracy, and present his compliments.”
“As well as several gifts, I fancy. I shall have to check with the Chancellor and see what cargo we are taking on board.”
“Indeed, sir. Along our way, we have a few matters to investigate more closely, also on behalf of the throne.”
I nodded. “I had heard that some of our ships have been caught with contraband. Bad practice, I say.”
“At the very least, my lord. But both our nations believe firmly in the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven. There does seem to be a case for believing the protests in that direction from some, if not all, of the affected ship owners.”
“I look forward to finding that out,” I said. “I have been intrigued by the case. Why did those pilots believe they could slip goods past the scrutiny of the Uctu customs officials? I can scarcely sneak an extra bottle of wine by ours.”
“It is one of the matters on which we will make enquiries, sir.”
“And the others?”
“My lord?” Parsons inquired, rising to his feet in one smooth motion. I stood up as well. I was not going to allow him to escape that easily.
“You have still given me no information regarding the rest of my responsibilities! I suppose nothing I can say can shake you on this point?”
“Nothing at all.”
“Then how am I to prepare?”
Parsons allowed a small smile to play about his lips, no doubt under strict adult supervision.
“If I may suggest, my lord, prepare in your inimitable fashion. You will need to be in excellent physical condition to withstand the rigors of the change in gravity. Your system already has been equipped with modifiers to prevent damage to you from the atmosphere, water and food. Continue to fortify yourself with information on the culture and the people you are shortly to meet. I have forwarded to you a detailed biography of the Autocrat. If you study it closely, I believe you will find insights that will give you an advantage in strengthening the friendship between two great houses.”
I was delighted by his confidence in me.
“I could ask nothing better, Parsons. Then I will cast the bones to see what portends for us. I’ll let you know what precautions we need to take.”
Parsons nodded. I escorted him to the door.
My mind was of such clarity following my meditation that I felt it was the perfect time to look into the future. I had various devices that I had purchased or had made to use with the assorted methods of divination that I was studying.
My favorite device was the crystal ball that
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