Twenty-Three

The system of visiting the parks worked out nicely. Sarah started to prefer normal food and I had found a shop that was able to build an adapter to load my pad. Now and then I attend family gatherings. It was amazing how much family there was. But then again, a Ruling Family was keeping up a whole sector of the economy. You needed a lot of manpower for that. Consequently many family dinners felt more like business meetings.

My robes arrived and so did those of Rukh. Standing next to each other we looked pretty ridiculous. "Pat and Patterchen," I sighed. The orange made Rukh look like the most lethal Shaolin you could imagine.

"I stand out," he stated. "It is required but not encouraged. The tradition will hopefully blend the colour with the background for most Chiss." He stretched to see if the tunic and trousers granted enough movement. Then he growled satisfied.

"That's what I hope," I agreed. "And we get to practice within the anero." Ar'alani's visit was scheduled for the following week. I was taking particular interest in setting that up. She arrived with the Alani branch of the House which was not important in itself but famous for the number of high military leaders that belonged to it.

They had made it their trademark. At any given time you would find at least one Alani admiral in the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet.

Not Ar'Alani any longer, I reminded myself. She had retired from active duty a year ago. Now she was a consultant on military matters. She had her family name back, but for whatever reasons, the letter that had been cut from her core name when she had become admiral was gone for good.

"We will do the second form again," Rukh interrupted my thoughts. "And you will draw the knife between Faked Breach and High Slash." He demonstrated the movement he expected. It looked so easy when he did that.

It took me three attempts to even get the knife out of my broad belt. The remainder of the session was spent in learning how to adapt the form from bare hands to the use of a knife. In the end I was pretty certain I would be unable to kill anybody this way, with or without knife.

Where I had been watching the foreign affairs and military developments so far, I turned my glance inwards. The local gatherings, events and intra- as well as inter-family developments were suddenly more important. I had to meet people. And to do that in a least awkward fashion, I needed to talk to them. And for that I needed adequate subjects. For obvious reasons, the weather on Csilla was not one of them.

Politics were too delicate for small talk, what went on in your House was too private. Due to their phenomenal metabolism, nobody really bothered with sports, which was a relief. Though, I might have been persuaded to get interested in Chiss gymnastics, or some figure skating. They certainly had enough ice around here.

But no, such things would not happen. I should be glad they had at least invented their own piano. I would have to look up concerts with that kal'yenok'tar. Even if I made a spectacle of myself again.

"The main museums are mainly permanent exhibitions," Rukh said without looking up. "Once you are done with them, you only have the specials to worry about. They change two or three times a year."

"Oh, good." I peered over his shoulder. "I think I should look at 'The Reception of the Diaspora through time' before it ends." Csaplar had three main museums, one historical, one scientific and one for art. Add to that the fact that each House District had an art museum plus several scattered galleries, I would be very busy for the rest of my life if wanted to be thorough.

How had Thrawn survived growing up in a place that celebrated something which was pretty much porn to him this forcefully? And how did he ever manage to get things wrong and himself exiled when surrounded with the soul and inner workings of his own people? The only explanation I had was that overexposure had somehow blinded him.

"I guess I'll start with the Mitth and Nuruodo museum," I pointed at the map. "Ours is in section five, and theirs in three. It's a convenience the Houses have been so close for so long."

"Nuruodo will change in two weeks," Rukh showed me the information on his screen. "I'll get the summaries, commentaries and vitae of the artists."

"Thank you." I was not sure I'd get around to visiting. Thorra was pushing more of the organisational work and bookkeeping to me. I wondered what Aden was doing now, but somehow more work had been created for him. And since my days with Sarah were officially counted, I wanted to spend as much time with her as I could.

"I still can't believe I didn't miss anything right here." I stared at the list of receptions. "Are we sure the entertainment is delivered by the host?"

Rukh growled a snort that meant this didn't warrant a reply. He was right, of course. We had done some checking and I had done some asking. I had hated it. Everybody knew how things were, why did I even have to ask? I preferred to use the computers. At least those judged me where I couldn't see it.

"Well, I wouldn't hear Thiffa reciting, Thurga writes poetry, and Thorra music that leaves Thikoa. I don't think you can do much entertaining with landscape gardening."

"Give me a hedge trimmer and I'll surprise you," Rukh replied.

I couldn't help but laugh. My imagination was definitely having too much fun with that idea. But there were definitely not enough actors and playwrights in this family. Or musicians. My thoughts wandered to the white monster of an instrument occupying a lot of space in my shared parlour. I understood why Thkela kept the harp on display where it was. It was not easy having a shared parlour when there was nobody around to do the sharing.

"Will people expect me to show painting and such when I invite them," I suddenly asked. "I mean, it's my art. I am to entertain. How entertaining will that be? 'Yes, this is an ugly painting, excellent. Here have another.' That won't work." I sighed.

"You can offer open entertainment," Rukh reminded me. "It is often done by people who follow the more silent arts."

"That means I need to find friends that sing, play instruments or recite. Or maybe dance." I was ready to hit my face against the desk. "As if finding any friends at all here wasn't difficult enough."

"You haven't hunted down that Kres," the Noghri said. "He could even use the kal'yenok'tar in the parlour. Problem solved."

The idea to have some stranger, even if he played like a god, run his fingers all over the instrument of Thrawn made me uneasy. "Nah," I objected. "Won't get as far as the shared parlour for a while. I think you have to actually know and like somebody to invite them there."

"We could turn the private parlour into a gym for the time being," he suggested. "This doesn't sound as if you will be needing it any time soon."

"It's a beacon of hope." I scrolled down through the events in Central the coming week. "I won't let you take hope from me. Especially if it ends up being turned into a gym. Just because I like exercising now, doesn't mean I have to admit to it."

"As you wish." It was strange to hear my catch phrase from his lips. I prayed it sounded more obedient from me.

"That's it!" I suddenly exclaimed, almost punching my index finger through the display. "Did you know there was a theatre version of Journey?"

"I do not know what journey you are talking about, and no, I did not know." He turned slowly to face me.

"It's a book I read. Or tried to read," I admitted. "I left off about two thirds in because it became fucking impossible to read. That guy had sentences run over pages. He would have managed NaNoWriMo in one sentence."

Rukh looked at me with even more questions.

"Oh, sorry. Just an event where you attempt to write fifty thousand words in thirty days. I meant to say that his sentences were fucking long." I felt myself blush. It had been a long time since inexplicable earthisms had stolen into my language. "It got to difficult for me and I gave up."

"You wish to cheat on the novel by seeing the staged version," Rukh concluded correctly.

I grinned and nodded. "I'll find out how to get tickets." I stopped short suddenly aware that he would not be able to come with me. I got ready to say something but didn't find any words. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. "I don't think I should go alone," I finally said.

"I don't think that will be a problem," Rukh said. "Considering the expected amount of time any spouse in Csaplar is likely to be on their own, visiting anything on your own should be fine. You cannot expect to find a person to accompany you at any given time."

He was being kind. I was certain that everybody in this damned town had so many friends and acquaintances that they never had to go anywhere on their own. It was actually a scary idea. Maybe I should make use of this rare state as long as it lasted.

"Okay, I will go," I resolved. "As long as I can protect myself better than Sarah can protect herself, I will go alone. I just," I hesitated, "I was just not thinking again." It was too difficult, even now, for me to admit that I had simply been thinking of him as my friend. Seems I still was the same cowardly wimp I had always been.

To improve my mood, I sat down to write a long letter to my absentee Admiralship. I even got further then 'Dear Thrawn' this time. I even managed to finish and seal it this time. I felt accomplished. Communication might not be all beyond me after all. I carried the letter into my study. There I sat down and stared at it for a long time. In the end, I didn't think putting the ashes into the drawer would make any sense, so I threw them away.

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