The Shattered Empire (The Shadow Space Chronicles Book 2) by Kal Spriggs Page B

he walked down the steps to halt across from her.  As with the other initial meetings, the Faraday press were present.  Though she doubted that this latest meeting would make the news after the constant parade of distinguished people over the past few weeks.
    “Madame Foreign Minister,” the envoy said.  He was shorter than her, with black hair streaked with gray.  He was unmistakably Asian and, from what little that Kate had been able to find on him, of entirely Japanese ancestry, as well.  His voice was rough, but without the slight accent that most people from the Shogunate had.
    “Mister Noguchi, thank you for coming,” Kate said.  They did the mandatory handshake and smile in front of the cameras.  Kate turned and led him down the carpet to the waiting car.  One of her assistants scurried to open the door.  “How was your trip?”
    “Uneventful,” he said, a smile on his face for the cameras.  “I'm glad to have finally arrived here at Faraday.”  They ducked into the waiting limo and he took a seat.  He quirked an eyebrow at her as she flipped on the privacy screens.  Kate smiled more genuinely, “We value our privacy here, on Faraday.  And while I've got you alone, away from all the press for a moment, I thought I might ask some genuine questions.”
    “Well,” his eyes narrowed.  “That's refreshingly honest.”  His tone suggested that he wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
    Kate leaned back in her seat and stared at him.  His flawless suit couldn't hide the muscles on his body... or the faint scars on the side of his face.  “I had some questions for you, Mister Noguchi, more about why the Shogun appointed you as his envoy to the United Colonies.”
    He leaned back, “I'm one of his trusted envoys, Miss Bueller.  Why wouldn't he?”
    “Your past is a bit more checkered than some of his other diplomats,” Kate said.  She kept her voice level.  “Then there's the fact that your diplomatic credentials have been revoked in the Loire, Centauri, and Wodanaz systems.”  She paused.  “Or also that Mike Noguchi is a pseudonym, and that under a different name, Mike Smith, you once carried a Letter of Marque for Nova Roma.  As far as I can determine, you've actually met Baron Giovanni, while you acted as a raider against the Chxor.  Under that name you were arrested in the Upsalla system for murder, where you apparently served a year of hard labor before you escaped.”
    The envoy's fake smile died.  “Very well.  You've clearly done your homework.”  He cocked his head and his brown eyes glittered dangerously, “So why am I here?”
    “I'm trying to figure that one out,” Kate said.  “The Shogun is one of the shrewdest of the rulers in the Colonial Republic.  Honestly, there are days I wonder why he doesn't just declare his little nation independent.”  She smiled, “It's nice to finally be playing with the big boys, I was getting tired of the second cousins of Glorious Leader of Whogivesafuckistan.”
    Mike Noguchi gave a snort at that.
    “There's a number of reasons to pick you,” Kate said as she poured herself some champagne and offered him a glass.  “There's your military experience, your personal experience with the Baron, and then there's the fact that he obviously trusts you.  You're the Shogun's troubleshooter... his dairi , as you might say.”  He politely declined the glass and Kate sipped at her own.  “So, as I see it, there's three reasons you're here: you're here to evaluate our military strength as an ally or partner, you're here to set us up as a target and to establish some assets, and you're probably here to make us an offer of some kind.”
    “So calculating?” Mike Noguchi asked.
    “Yes,” Kate said. “Your military experience would be most useful for evaluating our strengths, your position will allow you to meet a number of political figures and identify the corrupt ones, and since you've met the Baron before, he might be more