Today is gonna' be one of those days where I should have just stayed in bed. It would be our fourth trip out among the populous. We had two French couples and a Moldavian couple to see today, we'd start with the Moldavians first. They were only three doors down from our home.
It occurred to me that I haven't followed my own advice, thus making me somewhat of a hypocrite. With all the craziness, Trials, and princely duties I've found myself not spending time with my immediate neighbors. This is something that was lacking on earth as well. We just didn't have time- and when we did- it was usually under the duress of exhaustion. When I got home from work in my old life, I was too tired to socialize. My neighbors frankly sucked, and I had few friends. I'm going to get with some folks and form a committee to study this more in depth, I want to learn more about social interaction and make sure it's vibrant here. This seems like a job for Anna.
"Usle!, are you ready?"
"Don't forget this." My personal shield, she had to keep reminding me to wear it. Thanks, Mom.
"Moldavia, huh? Sounds like an intriguing country."
"Yea, it's where 'Vigo, the sorrow of Moldavia!' is from. Wait, that was Ghostbusters, shit! I know very little about Moldavia, other that it was Europe's poorest country."
"Was?"
"I think the whole planet is on an equal footing at this point." We were just getting ready to head out the door, when Olaf made his appearance.
"There's been a problem at the Tataur's, I haven't been able to establish communications with Damir, their assistant. I do not know what's wrong."
"Then go find out Olaf, enter the home if you have to, Elsa? Stay here so we have a communications link."
"As you wish, your Highness." I really wanted to investigate this myself, but we have been backhandedly warned of danger, I'll let Olaf check it out first. It only took three minutes before we heard back from him.
"Your Highness, I suggest you come quickly."
"What happened, Olaf?"
"This is something you must see for yourself." Anna and I looked at each other with giant eyes, then bolted out the door. The good news was they were close…, that was the only good news...
Anna and I burst thru the door only to be hit by the smell. She immediately started crying. Anna had never experienced death before, and this was shocking.
"OH…, NO! I just..., I just can't!" She ran back out the door with even more fervor than her entry. I started to open all the windows.
"Olaf, send a squad of the Clankers here immediately and set up a perimeter. This is now officially a crime scene. I want as much forensic evidence gathered as possible, and where the fuck is the assistant?!"
My anger started to boil. This was my fault. These people lived a few hundred meters from me, and now they're dead. It had all the look of a murder/suicide. Her throat was slashed and he was hanging by a rope, a chair was lying over very close to him. Judging by the amount of decay, they had been dead for several days. I had Olaf schedule our meeting a week ago. That may have been a mistake.
"Michael, over here." In a corner lay the assistant. The spot he was in appeared charred and smoke had poured out of any orifice it could find its way out of on his orb.
"How did this happen, Olaf?! With all the spying going on around here I would have thought at least you would know about this. I want to be informed immediately of anything of this nature right away! Do I make myself clear!" I was practically shouting at this point, Olaf didn't even know how to respond, that damn pause again.
"I'm sorry, your Highness, but I don't make it a habit of following every assistant in the Habitat."
"Well guess what you'll be doing from now on!" I was clearly angry at Olaf for this. Those orbs had to be in constant communication with each other. He's not telling me everything, God-Dammit!
"Oh, SHIT!, Anna!" I went out the door to find her just squatting on the ground, her head in her hands sobbing. It had been a while since I've seen her like this, and with her pheromonic influence, her emotions kinda' carried over to me. I was tearing up as well, but it was part rage and part sorrow. We can't afford to lose anyone.
The pillar of strength had been nicked from a chink in her armor. I'm glad that she still has some vulnerability, it shows she cares.
I picked her up and turned her into me to give her a hug. She was soaking me with her tears.
"Why?! Why would they do that?! This is a paradise! What went so wrong that they had to die?!"
"I don't know Anna, but I'm damn sure gonna' find out."
"Olaf!"
"Yes, your Highness."
"Have Elsa come here and escort the Princess home. Anna, I'll be home as soon as possible, I want to stay here until our troops arrive and see to my instructions." I wanted to get her away from here before I asked this next question.
"Olaf, what should be done with the bodies?"
"They should be recycled, your Highness. I would help to increase our current level of lifestock."
"Lifestock?"
"It's not something you're familiar with and I'm not at liberty to discuss it."
"You are walkin' on thin ice right now, you do understand, right?"
"Of course. Please understand..., I have other loyalties."
"I know, Olaf. I'm sorry; I'm a bit emotional right now."
"Believe it or not, Michael, I understand."
"Cancel our meetings for the next two days, I'm not really in the mood for royal business right now, and inform Rafiq that I want to see Dr. Zahir immediately. Do not disturb the bodies in any way before he has a chance to examine them."
"Do you think that's wise? Considering the amount of ti….."
"Very, very thin ice…, Olaf!" My chest was heaving in anger, Olaf did know when to quit most times.
"As you wish, your Highness." Just then I could see the platoon coming up the trail, along with the typical complement of gawkers that they would attract. Word of this would spread quickly within the kingdom, I never in my wildest dreams figured I'd be dealing with shit like this.
I got home to a very jittery princess, a coffee cup in her hand. I took it, having to practically pry the mug from her hands.
"Do you really think drinking this stuff right now is a good idea?"
"It's decafe. They don't allow us to t-take any drugs, remember?" Well, thank goodness, I gave her the cup back. "OK, then. Are you gonna' be alright?"
"I don't know Michael; this isn't what I signed up for."
"Me neither. I thought I might head some committee at some point. Now I get to play detective in a murder mystery."
"Are we going to be able to handle this?"
"Not alone, I'm going to see if anyone in the kingdom has any experience in this stuff. We are also going to have to rely on Olaf and Elsa for this too. Damir is just as- if not more so- responsible for this tragedy."
"I'm sorry Michael, but I'm really having trouble wrapping my head around this. Look what you've been though, you survived. I'd have to say you've been thru more traumas in the last few weeks than most people experience in a decade."
"Yes, but he may have been at the edge of sanity when he was brought here. I was. I had a room filled with sparkly Frozen crap back home, where I'd bury myself for hours at a time."
"But you didn't murder anybody! Well..., not successfully…, anyhow." She dropped her head at the thought of her own near demise at my hand.
"True, but I did snap. Anything could have happened after that. Not everyone is going to be affected the same way by this place. This could easily happen again. Why don't go we see our immediate neighbors tomorrow, and just take them cookies."
"Awww, that's a sweet gesture, why not?! Plus it would be really nice not having to grill them with personal questions."
Knock, knock.
"Hello, Machbuto, we just stopped by to share some cookies, may we come in?"
"Of course, your Highness..."
