Ah, screw it, this is taking way too long. Have a short chapter while I argue with Splices about emotional upset and plan a murder.
Her Majesty was calling it a "breakfast meeting", but Stinger didn't think anyone was going to have much of an appetite. Nevertheless, there was food on the table in the little private conference room, and Stinger looked around at the others as they found chairs - Jupiter, Caine, Tsing, and the chief of the Tower's medical team. None of them looked very happy.
Stinger touched his comm implant, and the door slid open. Sevet's headpieces were moving so fast they were squeaking; as she stepped into the room, they stopped dead.
Sevet made her way slowly to stand in front of Jupiter, who had turned her chair away from the table to face her Head of Household. Sevet's face was even blanker than usual, and her hands were clasped neatly at her waist.
"Your Majesty," she said quietly, "my existence is forfeit."
Jupiter's face twisted, and then she smacked one hand down on the table, making nearly everybody jump. One of Sevet's headpieces popped out an inch.
"What is it with you people?" her Majesty demanded. "What kind of a - " She stopped and drew in a breath. "Never mind. Okay, look, Sevet, did you know what Brem - Elgin - was when you hired them?"
Sevet shook her head. "No, your Majesty."
"Then it's not your fault. Holy crap, will you all stop thinking you're responsible for everything that goes wrong around here!"
The room didn't allow for a true echo, but one seemed to vibrate through for a second all the same. Everyone was staring at Jupiter, Stinger realized; she huffed, and sat back in her chair. "Now, how did you hire Elgin?"
Sevet didn't reply for a moment; her headpieces began to twirl slowly as she gazed at Jupiter. "Their name and credentials were highly recommended on several hiring lists," she said at last. "And one of the late Queen's team of dressers had recently died. They seemed a fitting replacement."
That sparked an alarm in Stinger's mind. "How did they die?"
Sevet looked his way. "She drowned in the ocean. Mr. Cal thought she might have killed herself, but I believe it was an accident - she was not young, and had a habit of drinking too much."
"Hmf." Stinger made a mental note to review the records on the woman's death, and gestured at Sevet to continue.
The android turned back to Jupiter, who was listening with her head cocked. "Sa Brem settled in quickly and appeared competent in their duties," she said, almost as if she were reciting. "They offered no cause for complaint, and you seemed satisfied with their work."
Jupiter sniffed, almost amused. "Like I'd know the difference," she muttered. "But yeah. Anybody else have questions?"
No one spoke up. "Okay," her Majesty said, and leaned forward to pat Sevet on the arm, which made both of her earpieces extend. "You can go, and stop blaming yourself. You were set up just as much as Sa Brem was."
For the first time since she'd entered, Stinger saw Sevet's hands move, fingers tightening on one another. "I do not understand, your Majesty. You do not wish to punish me?"
Jupiter rolled her eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong. Sevet, will you please just go back out there and manage my household for me? 'Cause trust me, that is not a job I want to handle myself."
Sevet gazed at her for three long seconds, and then bowed, a full deep bow from the waist. "Thank you, your Majesty," she said, and went.
The Queen watched her go, then blew out a breath, turning back to the rest of them. "Okay. The next question is, did Sa Brem have anybody we need to inform about their death?"
Stinger blinked, because it certainly wasn't his next question, or really a question at all. He glanced around at the others seated at the table. Dr. Grevnari looked baffled, and Captain Tsing was taken aback; the briefest of smiles flicked past on Caine's face before his expression went impassive.
Stinger cleared his throat. "Ah. We don't know for sure, your Majesty, but it isn't likely. Most Splices don't have family at all."
Jupiter grimaced. "I'm starting to get that, but they may have had friends. Never mind for now." She sighed a little. "Dr. Grevnari, what did you find out?"
Stinger sat back as the physician went over what her team had found out. It was about what Stinger had expected; no evidence of a physical device, so most likely Brem's system had been programmed to self-destruct if they were forced to give up their putative employer. It didn't make him feel any better to know that the same thing would have happened in interrogation; he had no pity for the little quisling, but whatever other information Brem had held was now gone.
Dead end...literally.
Her Majesty was looking progressively sicker as Dr. Grevnari continued; Caine wasn't quite edging his chair closer to Jupiter, but he looked like he wanted to. "Is this kind of thing, um, usual?" she asked eventually, voice a trifle higher than normal.
Grevnari, a short and almost square pure human whose posture shouted ex-military, shook her head. "Not at all, your Majesty; it's expensive, and illegal in most places. It also has a failure rate that makes it a risky proposition to begin with."
Which meant, Stinger thought glumly, that whoever had used it on Brem had been confident; enough to risk whatever exposure Brem might have brought if it failed.
The Queen swallowed hard, visibly refocusing. "Okay then. What's our next move?"
Caine glanced at Stinger, who raised his brows. Stop asking me for permission, boy. You've got rank now, learn to use it.
Caine blinked as if Stinger had spoken aloud. "We can try to trace whoever was supposed to have bought Brem's contract," he said. "Manager Traduce didn't have a name on file, but there has to have been some kind of communication."
Tsing nodded. "Brem must have met with someone at some point. Their record indicated that they were employed at the station for five years - they can't have been planted there just to sabotage the skimmer."
"Brem couldn't just have headed out on the tug when their contract ended?" Jupiter asked.
Caine shook his head. "They would have needed an excuse to go. From what Manager Traduce said, she would have kept them if they hadn't been hired away."
"Not necessarily," Stinger countered. "They could have lied to Traduce, said they had a private contract."
Caine's mouth twisted. Her Majesty glanced at him and then at Stinger, brows drawing together in confusion. "Am I missing something here? I thought Splices weren't allowed to go off on their own."
"They're not," Caine said, but Stinger grimaced, tilting one hand back and forth.
"Depending on where you are, it's a grey area, Majesty." He ignored Caine's huff. "The law says that Splices must be under contract, aye, but there's a thousand ways to slip through the gaps. For instance, if your contract's held by an individual and they die without leaving you to an heir - "
Jupiter's color was fading, and some part of Stinger's mind took note, for future reference. It was wise to know what fury looked like on one's ruler.
"Or a Splice can break their contract," Caine said, sounding contemptuous. "Go rogue."
Her Majesty opened her mouth, gave Caine a peculiar look, and then closed it again before taking a breath and speaking. "Those are the only ways a Splice can, um, get loose?"
"Not at all," Stinger said. "Their contract holder can drop them, or if they're up for sale as assets but nobody buys them and the holder doesn't want them, the law in general won't bother about them." He lifted a shoulder. "It's a hard life, though."
"The bounty hunters who were after you were mostly Splices, your Majesty," Caine added. "There isn't much legitimate work available to rogues."
The Queen held up a hand. "Excuse me a sec," she said distantly, pushed away from the table, and left the room. Caine made an abortive movement in her direction, but when she didn't look back he stayed put.
Dr. Grevnari looked back and forth between Stinger and Tsing. "Did - is she angry?" Her face was apprehensive.
"Not at us," Stinger said. Looks like her Majesty's taken another bitter bite. Well, there'll be plenty more.
The cynic in Stinger thought it was better that she know the truth as soon as possible; the core of him, deep down where he kept his resentment, was heartened by her revulsion. She'll learn better eventually, he told himself firmly.
But oh, wasn't it good to see someone in power understand a little?
Tsing's mouth tilted, a rueful look. "It's difficult to tell just what her Majesty already knows about the Gyre and what she still has to learn."
Stinger sighed in agreement, and silence settled in as they waited for Jupiter to return. Stinger took the time to contemplate Dr. Grevnari. He'd met her already, of course, both to vet her for security purposes and to make sure she was ready to treat his people should it be necessary, but the contact had been brief.
The physician was probably an inch shorter than her Majesty but half again as broad, and all of it muscle; her skin was a blotchy pink and she wore her blonde hair cut close to her head, very much a ready-for-anything style. In his previous encounter Stinger had gotten the impression that she didn't think much of Splices in general, but respected his position as Chief of her Majesty's security and as a Legionnaire - a familiar attitude.
As long as she did her job, he had no grounds to complain, and he wasn't inclined to make an issue of it.
At the moment, Grevnari was fiddling nervously with the sheave she'd brought in, obviously still worried that she'd offended Jupiter somehow. Tsing glanced at Stinger. "I take it you'll be glad to have your daughter close by again, Commander?"
The reminder that Kiza would be joining them soon made Stinger smile. "She can hardly wait to get back out into the 'verse. Has five years of vid history to catch up on, she tells me."
Tsing grinned a little. "You won't see much of her then."
Stinger shrugged. Getting them off a tertiary planet and out of that dead-end Marshal position was worth Kiza's distraction for a while. I suppose I owe the boy for coming to me in the first place. Not that Caine had really known what Jupiter would turn out to be, but -
The door slid open and her Majesty stepped through it, expression smoothed back to calmness. "Sorry about that. Where were we?"
It was jolting, sometimes, to trip over those little differences. Entitled simply didn't apologize to inferiors; it would never occur to them to do so. In Jupiter the habit was manners, but the feeling was sincere, and there were times when Stinger thought he'd never get used to hearing it.
"Tracing Brem," Tsing said. "With your permission, your Majesty, I can have some of my people handle that."
"Yes, please." Jupiter looked relieved. She rested her hands flat on the table. "But in the meantime, we still have to be prepared for the next attempt. If there is one."
"There will be," Stinger said. "Nobody would set up something so elaborate and then just give up."
"Great." Jupiter rolled her eyes. "Well, here's hoping we can find something to go on, because I don't like this."
Her tone made Stinger want to flinch a little, and he could see Caine swallow. Tsing dipped her head. "We'll do our best, your Majesty."
Jupiter nodded. "Thank you." She sat down, and the atmosphere lightened a little. "Are there any more issues? And why isn't anybody eating?"
Stinger smothered a laugh, and reached for the nearest platter.
The day seemed oddly stretched to Jupiter, who put it down to a combination of Gabal's slower rotation compared to Earth's and the events of the day before. But Caine was on hand no matter where she went, and there was also at least two other guards despite the fact that the threat had been removed, and she almost gave voice to her irritation before it dawned on her that they were worried.
About her safety.
This is weird.
It was the first time she'd really felt it. The Stormbreakers had been in place for weeks, but while they'd guarded her scrupulously it had all seemed a bit like a formality - maybe because Earth wasn't considered very dangerous, maybe just because the whole thing was so new.
But now Jupiter could all but feel their concern - not just Caine's and Stinger's, which she'd grown to expect, but all of them.
It's not just a job to them any more. And she didn't know why that had changed, especially since Caine had been the one threatened, but it gave her a shy sense of pleasure as well - the knowledge that they cared about her personally.
It did mean she had to work around them, but they were all good at staying out of her path at least, and Jupiter resigned herself to one more thing to adjust to and kept going. She was nearly through her review of the business offices, and the more time she spent on Gabal, the less she liked it, ocean notwithstanding.
It's even creepier knowing Balem killed Seraphi here. Probably in the same room she and Caine were sleeping in, but Jupiter couldn't be sure and it seemed like too much hassle to move, at least if she wasn't planning on staying. And she just had too much on her mind to think about it for long.
And, rather to her relief, Kalique agreed to come down for dinner with no apparent hesitation.
Jupiter waited for her at the landing pad, this time with a little less formality - and no parade route, thankfully. Two transports waited to take them all back to the Tower; one had been enough to get Jupiter, Stinger, Caine, two more Stormbreakers, and two attendants down, but they'd need more space for the return trip. The squad of robot guards and the rest of the Skyjackers forming an honor guard on the pad had arrived on their own and could leave the same way.
But the slow drop of people from the shuttle looming overhead seemed to be taking longer than before, and Jupiter squinted at the figures in the beam and those already assembled on the landing pad.
"What's with all the extra guards?" she muttered to Stinger. "That's, like, twice as many as usual."
Stinger was already frowning. "I'm wondering the same, Majesty," he said, and touched his comm implant. Jupiter watched the next pair land, turning back in time to see Stinger's eyes flash yellow in anger.
His mouth opened, then closed, and she watched with mixed fascination and apprehension as he visibly rephrased what he was going to say. "Her Grace," he said finally, "is concerned for her safety."
Jupiter cocked her head, puzzled. "She doesn't know Sa Brem is dead?"
"It's not that." Stinger hesitated, then lowered his voice still more. "Lady Kalique fears that Mr. Wise may...lose control again."
There was no way Caine, standing so close behind Jupiter, could miss the words. Through her shock of outrage, Jupiter heard nothing, but when she glanced back he had gone rigid, eyes distant. "It's a legitimate concern," he said, voice flat and empty.
"Bullshit," Jupiter snapped, and that brought his gaze back to hers, his eyes widening. "You wouldn't - "
Caine shook his head agitatedly. "I might," he said. "I don't remember, it might happen again - "
"Caine - " Jupiter started, but he straightened his shoulders, hands going behind his back.
"Your Majesty, I must request to be relieved of close-guard duty while Lady Kalique is here." His eyes flicked to Stinger. "Commander?"
Stinger licked his lips, still frowning, and Jupiter glanced back over her shoulder. The guards had given way to attendants, and she knew Kalique would be next in the beam.
"I'm not - " Stinger began, but Jupiter sliced one hand through the air to cut him off.
"Kalique can bring an army if she likes," she said, feeling herself slipping into that weird commanding mode that was a combination of natural and nervous-making. "But you are not relieved of duty, Mr. Wise. I want you with me."
Caine twitched, almost a flinch. Jupiter put a hand on his bicep, since his forearms were still behind his back, and met his gaze; the stifled misery there made her hurt. But there was no time to deal with it, not then.
"I trust you," she said firmly, and let him go. "We'll talk about this later, but for now, we stick to the protocol."
Before either one could argue - if they dared - Jupiter strode forward to meet Kalique descending, trusting that they would follow.
And they did.
Kalique stepped daintily out of the beam and advanced to take Jupiter's hand in hers, beaming as if their last parting hadn't happened, and Jupiter returned the smile. "I'm glad to see you well," Kalique said as they strolled towards the transport vehicle. "I must say, you're leaping into rule with strength, to already have so clever an assassin."
Jupiter hesitated. I guess the gossip mill isn't completely accurate. "I'm not sure I'm ruling anything yet," she said finally. Trying to explain the attempt to frame Caine seemed way too complicated at the moment, and anyway Caine wasn't something she wanted to discuss with Kalique, not right in front of him. He was there three paces away as protocol dictated, face blank, and he ignored the four extra guards who watched him as if they didn't exist.
I'll fix this, I promise, Jupiter thought in his direction, ignoring in her turn the whisper of doubt that she could.
Kalique laughed, and slipped her arm through Jupiter's. "Of course you are," she said. "Rule is more than just commanding. Simply showing your face to the Gyre is an act of declaration; every move you make in public, and often in private, furthers or undermines your power."
Jupiter wasn't at all sure how she felt about that. "How am I doing so far, then?" If the gossip had to flow, she might as well make use of it.
"You have a natural gift for it," Kalique said, and her expression was an odd mix of indulgent pride and a hint of - Jupiter didn't want to label it awe, but it was the closest word she could think of. "It's not surprising, after all."
Jupiter suppressed a shiver, feeling briefly as if Seraphi were there too. "Let's not go there right now," she said.
Kalique chuckled as they stepped into the vehicle, a larger, pinker version of the jellybean. Half the guards, including Stinger, peeled off to make for the second waiting transport, but all the seats were still taken between Jupiter, Kalique, and the attendants. The remaining guards stayed on their feet, and Jupiter was finding it a bit of a strain to ignore the ones still focused on Caine. Think of it as practice.
"You'll be pleased to know that I've made no end of plans for your debut," Kalique began as the transport lifted away towards the Tower.
Jupiter leaned back in her seat, part of her still uneasy without a seatbelt. "Yeah? What do you have in mind?" She still wasn't sure what was involved, but - I have to do it. I might as well see if I can enjoy it.
"The official start of the season is a formal gathering on Orus - not that anyone actually waits for it, the parties have already begun," Kalique said. "But the Opening is extremely exclusive. Naturally, we will be there."
Jupiter grinned, suddenly recalling bits from the Regency romances Katharine devoured like popcorn. "Invitation-only?"
Kalique waved her fingers, smiling back. "Nothing so obvious. No, everyone knows who should be there, and so we are. And as Mother's Recurrence you will be among the first of the first. But you must move boldly to keep your place; everyone will be taking your measure."
"Sounds kinda stressful." Jupiter nibbled on her bottom lip, trying to picture it.
"Politics, my dear." Kalique's smile sharpened. "You'll get used to it - the House of Abrasax always plays to win."
They ate in one of the larger rooms of the private suite; Sevet had pronounced the meal "charmingly simple", but to Jupiter it seemed wildly overelaborate, with more dishes than she could count and servitors everywhere, plus the all the guards. And it was deeply weird having to ignore them all, particularly Caine.
But this is the game I have to play, at least for now. And besides, handing Kalique a sandwich and a bottle of beer probably wouldn't fly all that well, much as the thought tickled Jupiter. Anyway, part of being a good hostess is making your guests feel comfortable.
"I want to apologize for leaving like that yesterday," Jupiter said somewhere around the fourth or fifth course. "I didn't mean to insult you, or - or your mother, or anything."
"I am not insulted," Kalique said, her usual smile in place, and as far as Jupiter could tell she was sincere. "Indeed, I'm grateful. Commander Apini's alarm removed the threat from my clipper."
She turned a more distant version of the smile on Stinger, who was standing at attention at one side of the room, and he bowed his head, formal and shielded.
Jupiter relaxed a little. Most of the time she didn't know what to think about Kalique, but she needed an ally, and it really had been rude to leave the memorial so abruptly. "I don't think Sa Brem would have hurt you, but yeah."
"One never knows with such aberrations. I congratulate you on your security team, my dear." Kalique raised the glass she held in a delicate toast. "Such vigilance and loyalty usually takes decades to achieve."
Jupiter bit her tongue, and raised her own glass back. For all she knew, Kalique was correct; it wasn't like Jupiter hadn't fallen into this whole thing backwards and upside down. Learning on the fly, she thought, and had to smother a snicker.
"May I ask if you're planning on settling here on Gabal?" Kalique asked, waving away a servitor offering a plate of something that looked like golf balls covered in glitter.
Jupiter shook her head at the servitor in turn; she was a little curious, but she had no idea how to eat one of those things. "No," she replied. "No offense to your mother, but this place really is intimidating."
Kalique laughed. "It's just as well. There are many lovelier planets now in your possession, though if you wish to come stay with me for a decade or two I would be delighted."
Jupiter narrowly missed choking on a forkful of vegetable. "That's, um, that's really nice of you, but I'm gonna have to go back home before then."
"Perhaps later then." Kalique didn't seem put off.
Jupiter shrugged. "I was thinking of checking out her main alcazar next, on, what was it? Cher-something."
"Cherbodie," Kalique supplied. "An excellent choice. Mother was extremely fond of it." She paused to nibble on a slice of bread - at least, Jupiter thought it was bread. She was starting to wish for labels next to all the dishes.
"Yeah, that one." Jupiter had to smile, and it didn't feel strained for once. "I never thought I'd get to see another planet at all - now there's so many out there it's almost impossible to choose which one to see."
Kalique shook her head. "You'll have plenty of time. Learn to savor such things; there's no need to rush."
Maybe not to Kalique, but Jupiter still felt like she was trying to paddle up a waterfall - there was so much to learn, and undoubtedly lots more that she didn't know about yet. Kalique went on. "Speaking of travel, however, I'm afraid I must leave tonight; a small matter has come up that requires my attention over in the Lesser Arm."
From what Jupiter had been able to pick up, that was clear on the other side of the galaxy. "I hope it's nothing bad."
Kalique pursed her lips. "A squabble among board members, that's all. One must remind them from time to time that power rests with the director."
"My money's on you," Jupiter told her.
Kalique chuckled, and then her eyes widened. "Oh - I have been meaning to ask," she said, and leaned across the table to lay a hand on Jupiter's arm. Jupiter braced herself for something bizarre, inappropriate, incomprehensible - but Kalique just gave her an appealing look. "Is it possible to obtain more of that 'toblerone' foodstuff?"