WARNING FOR THIS ONE: Blood. Not excessive, but blood. Also character death.
The Opening past, Agatha rather expected a deluge of parties to begin, and wondered how Jupiter would handle the drain on her time. But while a flood of invitations did arrive, it seemed that the parties themselves were more spaced out. "I think it's because Entitled have this funny stretched time sense," Jupiter said, and Agatha was inclined to agree with her, especially since the season lasted three Orus-years.
Agatha had to admit that she couldn't imagine where Jupiter would be in three years-but then, the whole situation would have been unimaginable just a few months prior.
Would I have preferred to remain ignorant? On some level, she knew, the answer was yes. Life on Earth had its difficulties and idiocies, inequalities and frustrations, but not knowing that the larger universe was inimical and that one was basically a goose raised for slaughter did have a certain appeal. There was a lot more hope, for one thing.
But knowledge was often power, and as a teacher Agatha was in favor of it. And there were good things too-standing on the bridge of a ship and seeing another world for the first time was definitely among them.
In the meantime, however, she watched as Kalique and Jupiter sorted through invitations. The most fascinating thing to Agatha was that they were all physical, like the letters Jupiter received aboard the Windy City. Apparently e-invites were beneath Entitled dignity.
Or they love an opportunity to show off. Probably the latter.
Regardless, the table between the two was crowded with envelopes, rolls of paper, tablets, and fanciful constructions ranging from a delicately carved cube of what looked like wood to a metal wand that gave a recorded message when it was set on end and touched.
Some of them Agatha rather coveted, in fact, for their whimsy or beauty.
"Exclusivity is a virtue," Kalique was saying. "But there are some events you simply must attend. And you will have to host your own, as well."
"I know," Jupiter said, and Agatha could hear weariness under the words. "Maybe on Cherbodie. It's prettier than Gabal."
"You have many more alcazars to choose from-but familiarity is a help, yes," Kalique said smoothly.
"Cherbodie's very impressive," Agatha interjected. "It would be a good place to start. And the size would keep your guest list, ah, more exclusive."
Kalique gave Agatha the mild, baffled flick of gaze that she used whenever Agatha spoke up, but nodded. "Play the game correctly, and most of the First Estate will be begging at your doorstep for an invitation. Metaphorically speaking, of course." She smiled and reached for one of the snacks she never seemed to be without.
Jupiter nodded back, and Agatha made a note on her sheave. It was a habit she'd fallen into, taking running notes in such situations; she wasn't a secretary, but Jupiter did need all the help she could get.
Agatha took a moment to stretch and look around. The big room of the Queen's suite had excellent soundproofing, so the hush of a dozen people moving and murmuring was all but inaudible; Kalique never seemed to go anywhere without a dozen attendants and guards, but there was space enough for all of them aboard the Windy City.
What Jupiter hadn't said was that she didn't want to have a party aboard the ship, yet perhaps Kalique sensed that; she hadn't suggested it. Agatha could guess why; the Windy City was rapidly becoming Jupiter's most personal space, in a way neither Gabal nor Cherbodie had been, and inviting strangers in-particularly strangers who didn't have Jupiter's best interests at heart-probably felt like it would be a violation.
There must be party planners out here-I wonder if Entitled use them? Well, if not, presumably they could teach. Agatha made another note, about hiring people to instruct Jupiter's people, and reminded herself to mention it to the ever-efficient Phylo Percadium. Jupiter was still learning to delegate, but there was far too much going on already for her to keep track of personally.
Fortunately, she's putting together a good team. Sooner or later, Agatha supposed, she would get a dud, but for the moment everyone seemed to be working well enough.
Speaking of… Phylo himself came into the room, bowing respectfully to both the Entitled before bending again to murmur in Jupiter's ear. Jupiter listened, then shook her head, and Phylo straightened; his expression was bland, but Agatha thought he looked satisfied beneath it. When he looked around, she patted the seat next to her on the couch, and he came to sit next to her.
"How goes it?" Agatha asked quietly, and Phylo smiled a little, still satisfied.
"Decently well. Her Majesty will not be attending the regnant ceremony for the next baroness of the Qiy system."
Agatha gave him a quizzical look. "That's a good thing?"
Phylo's snort was almost soundless. "It has trap all over it, and it's clumsy besides. The Qiy baronetcy is barely Entitled at all; inviting her Majesty is somewhere between wishful thinking and an insult." He smirked. "It's a good thing for them that she's what she is; she could invoke Entitled Code on them for the insolence and take half their assets."
Agatha rolled her eyes, and held back the comment about the insanity of Entitled society. She didn't know Phylo that well yet, though he seemed fairly reasonable, and it was hard to tell who believed in the existing power structure and who just tolerated it.
"I've been meaning to ask," she said instead. "Just how much agency do, ah, people like Lieutenant Chatterjee have?"
Phylo blinked, one thick brow going up; the implant in his chin twinkled briefly. "Sorry, what?"
Agatha tried to reword her question without giving offense. "The, um, androids? Do they have free will, so to speak?"
"Oh, I see. Yes, of course." His lips quirked, an amused look, but his tone was instructive. "They are limited by their programming in certain ways, but they can do as they please pretty much like the rest of us."
Agatha nodded, a little relieved. Lieutenant Chatterjee presented such an imperturbable exterior that it was hard to tell what she thought about anything, and Agatha's attempts at conversation with other androids aboard Windy City hadn't come to much; they were all too busy to chat. Given that androids seemed to be fairly common, and weren't all in service positions, there was clearly a lot of history to be learned regarding them, but Agatha put the topic low on her near-endless list. As fascinating as it doubtless was (and likely stomach-turning, given the history of Splices), it wasn't what she was there for.
The hum of voices changed, and Jupiter and Kalique rose; Agatha and Phylo did also, maintaining protocol as the two Entitled clasped hands in farewell. Jupiter sat right back down again as soon as the door slid shut behind Kalique, rubbing her eyes and sighing.
"Tired?" Agatha asked, joining her on the divan.
"Oh yeah." Jupiter slumped back, her careful posture gone. "I was up way too late last night."
"Studying?"
Jupiter's face creased in a slow, wicked grin; across the room, Caine's own expression was perfectly blank, but the very tips of his ears went pink. "You could say that."
Agatha rolled her eyes. "So what have you picked for your next social event, if not the Qiy ceremony?"
Jupiter tilted her head over the back of the divan. "Phylo? What's next on the list?"
"The Ardix Congery reception," Percadium replied without even consulting his sheave. "A large guest list, and her Grace noted that it's important to attend."
"Will there be food?" Jupiter asked, voice dry, and he snickered.
"I believe it's buffet-style refreshments, ma'am."
"I'm in." Jupiter smirked at the ceiling. "Want to come along, Aggie? I got one of those design-your-own-clothing dispensers - you can pick what you want to wear."
"Hmm." Agatha considered the idea. "Are you allowed to bring extra people?"
"Most Entitled will have multiple attendants," Percadium said, taking a chair opposite them and waving a hand at Agatha's raised brow. "Yes, I know you're not, but in terms of numbers, her Majesty will actually be on the low side."
"You could bring your own attendant," Jupiter suggested sleepily. "I bet Edsel would have a blast."
"Only at the buffet." Edsel was elsewhere on the ship; he absented himself whenever Kalique visited, and Agatha found herself relieved. Jeeves made sure he stayed out of trouble, and that way neither she nor Jupiter had to deal with him shedding on Kalique - or worse. He can be so loud when he's annoyed. "All right, why not."
"Great! Jeeves, have somebody put the clothes dispenser in Aggie's suite, okay? And tell Stinger she's going along."
Jupiter yawned again, and Agatha chuckled. "You need a nap, honey. I'll leave you be."
"Okay." As Agatha stood, Jupiter slumped slowly sideways into the space she'd left, eyes closing. Agatha traded amused looks with Phylo, and they left the suite together.
"Could you push the reception info to my sheave?" Agatha asked, silently marveling at the sheer alien tech of it all.
"Will do," Phylo said cheerfully, tossed her a casual salute, and took off down the hall at a brisk pace. Agatha laughed again and headed for her own rooms. Phylo's willingness to cope was a blessing, and she liked him for his easygoing personality. He's an asset. Fortunately Jupiter knows it.
The dispenser was waiting for her when Agatha reached her suite, and she spent a happy hour playing with it; she kept getting distracted designing clothes that were comfortable and flattering that she could take back home, but Agatha knew that Jupiter wouldn't mind. Mind? She'd install one of these in my house if I asked.
It was something of a sobering thought. Agatha had originally intended to take only one semester off, but she'd extended it to a full year, and even that was running short. If you want more time, you'll have to let the school know very soon.
Agatha sat down with a fresh skirt with cleverly hidden pockets cascading across her lap, and considered the issue. It's either go back, or quit. You can't take any more time.
She'd only intended to stay a little while, but...it was all so fascinating, if not always fun. And Jupiter did need her, the Earthling viewpoint so to speak.
"Be honest," Agatha said out loud, voice soft in her little living room. "You couldn't possibly have imagined all this when you started."
She'd had her reasons for taking time off originally. But Jupiter wasn't a catalyst solely for galactic society, it seemed. Given what she's doing, and trying to do...helping her could be the most important thing I ever do.
"Doctor Thompson, Commander Apini requests entrance," Jeeves said, and Agatha looked up.
"Thank you, open the door, please." The ship's presence was very handy, Agatha had to admit that. The door slid open, revealing Stinger cradling Edsel, who was on his back in Stinger's arms and staring up adoringly. "Oh, hi, guys."
She was past apologizing for Edsel's preferences, knowing that if Stinger didn't want the cat around he could shut Edsel out. Stinger stepped inside at her wave.
"I heard Lady Kalique leave, so I figured it was safe." He poured Edsel onto the couch next to Agatha, blinking at the pile of clothes. "Going somewhere?"
"No, just playing." Agatha folded the skirt. "Do you want to stay for a bit?"
"Sure." Stinger sat in the armchair opposite, and Edsel immediately abandoned the couch for his lap. "Aw, aren't you even going to say hello to your mistress?"
Agatha snickered. "Mistress? At best we're a symbiotic relationship."
Stinger shrugged and rubbed Edsel's ears. "The best ones usually are, I hear."
"True," Agatha sighed, but shook off melancholy when Stinger looked up. "Hmm."
He let her eye him, still absently petting the cat. Agatha pursed her lips in thought, then bent forward to type on the dispenser's interface. "What language do you speak?"
"Er...which one?" Stinger looked puzzled.
"Pick one."
The word he spoke didn't sound spellable in English, so Agatha sat back again. "Jeeves? Can you talk to this thing?"
The ship's presence almost sounded amused. "Yes, Doctor."
"Then change the English in the queued job to Commander Apini's language."
There was no reply, but the interface shifted, and Agatha hit the print button. A moment later a new t-shirt with wing slits slid out of the machine, and she handed it to Stinger. "Here, have a present."
He held it up, read it, and started laughing, and Agatha sat back again, amused. If the translation had gone correctly, and she was pretty sure it had, the shirt said If you can read this, you're in range in Stinger's chosen tongue.
"Thank you, Aggie." He folded it neatly and tucked it next to him in the chair, avoiding the cat now taking up as much space as possible across his lap. "Are cats usually like this?"
"What, lap hogs? Many are." Agatha made a chirping noise, but all that got her was one blue eye opening and then closing again. "If you mean the yelling, the aggressive mischief-making, and the obnoxious possessiveness, those tend to be breed traits."
Stinger chuckled again. "And yet you did this voluntarily."
Agatha grinned. "I did."
They chatted for a while; Agatha had found that when she and Stinger had time like this, they tended to tell each other stories from their lives - mostly amusing ones - and as time went on they each gained more understanding of what the other was talking about.
She was also gaining more understanding of the forces that had shaped Stinger's life, and most of them were pretty ugly. Agatha knew that in turn he was seeing more and more of what she herself didn't talk about, but he never asked.
Sooner or later, Agatha supposed, she would tell him about it, but for the moment she was content to keep to lighter things; and so, it seemed, was he.
Space has friendships. Who knew?
She got them both drinks, and kept talking.
The reception for the Ardix Congery was huge.
Not quite on the level of the Opening, certainly. Jupiter was relieved about that. But the room, located on one of Orus' artificial rings, was at least the size of a football field. It was thick with Entitled in outfits almost as fantastic - she was seeing a lot of personal floating devices for people who couldn't possibly walk in what they were wearing.
Jupiter had gone for something a little simpler herself, though she did think it was pretty elegant. The long white tunic over loose trousers were basic enough, except that the fabric was something that managed to be thin, plushy, and subtly iridescent all at the same time. Her designers had added wide cuff bracelets, a flexible collar, a spined halo woven into her hair, and impossibly delicate spike heels all in gold, which should have clashed with the fabric but instead was a perfect match. At her first look at the outfit on the dressing holo, Jupiter had called Virtu to increase the team's salary.
But the real genius, to her mind, was how they had outfitted her retinue. The half-dozen Skyjackers acting as personal guard for the event were wearing their usual uniforms, but the Timesavers had created little golden accents for them that mimicked the filigree that Jupiter wore - some jewelry, some clothing decoration, all different but obviously part of a set. It was brilliant, and Jupiter was determined to do the same for all formal occasions in the future as well.
She led her group around the room, talking to Entitled she already knew, trading languid and formal introductions with others. Are you coming? she'd asked Kalique, but apparently only one Abrasax had been invited. It left Jupiter feeling a bit at a loss, but - you have to learn to do this sometime.
She'd begun labeling events in her head, if not yet in her schedule - work, where it had to do with business or the nuts and bolts of Entitlement; social, where she was there to see and be seen as the First Primary of the House of Abrasax; and pleasure, where she attended because it sounded like fun.
There weren't very many of the latter.
This reception was firmly in the "social" category; as far as Jupiter could tell, it was an excuse for the upper-ranking Entitled to show off at one another. Most of them had large retinues trailing behind them, ranging from noble attendants to servants to guards.
Jupiter had her Skybreakers and Dr. Thompson; Aggie had joked that she was going to go back to school for a PhD in intergalactic high society. The Timesavers had gotten to her too; the gown she'd created for the occasion, a warm red-brown, had yet more gold filigree worked subtly around the hem. It was a small group compared to most of the others - the higher the rank, it seemed to Jupiter, the more people an Entitled wanted around them - but this was her first statement, as it were.
The Antinari twins, Glasta, Urdur, Absaba, and Caine. Five Splices; Jupiter's lover, and another tercie. Not to fawn over her, but to support her. Representatives. To see what I'm doing, to tell me what it is they need.
Once I convince them to speak up, anyway. Work in progress.
And equals, even if no one but Aggie believed it yet.
And maybe her statement was too subtle for Entitled society to read, yet, but they would learn.
I still don't really know what I'm doing - but I'm done playing around.
If the oddness of her retinue was having any effect, Jupiter couldn't tell, since she tended to provoke abnormal interest no matter what she did. But this sort of thing has to be planned long-term. Really long-term. Not, perhaps, as long as Kalique insisted on assuming, but certainly with an outlay of years instead of months. It made Jupiter a little twitchy to think that way - I've only had a couple of decades at all so far! - but it couldn't be helped.
They had only been there two hours when Aggie set a hand on Jupiter's arm. "I'm going to bow out," she murmured in Jupiter's ear. "I'm getting a headache."
Jupiter nodded. "Mr. Wise, would you call an escort for Dr. Thompson, please?"
"Your Majesty," Caine replied, properly formal, and touched his comm implant.
"It's not that I don't think you can take care of yourself," Jupiter added to Aggie. "It's that Orus is a giant maze and I don't think I could find my way out with a month and Google Maps."
Aggie smirked a little, though there was a pinch of pain between her brows. "I won't argue. All else aside, having large winged people as guides really adds something to the surreality of this adventure."
"Edsel will be happy to have you back early. Just do me a favor and see Dr. Crisp for something, okay?" She patted Aggie in turn. "One thing space has is great painkillers."
"Yes, your Majesty," Aggie murmured back, amused, which made Jupiter snicker. Aggie drifted off towards the exit; Jupiter kept an eye on her even though she knew the Stormbreakers were doing the same, and was satisfied when she spotted Rush waiting, also in formal gear.
Unfortunately, her distraction made it impossible for Jupiter to gracefully avoid the next partygoer who approached. She stifled a groan. "Crap, it's Furnor. He's going to corner me about the Rever system again."
Technically, Jupiter knew, she could snub him and just move away, but she wasn't prepared to be quite that rude.
"Would you like us to manufacture an emergency, your Majesty?" Forthwith murmured. Jupiter shook her head.
"Tempting, but no. He can't be any worse than Mr. Joyner."
"Mr. Joyner?" Forthwith looked baffled.
"My sophomore-year statistics teacher. He was interesting exactly once." Jupiter fixed her expression at "store manager trying to be polite to a complaining customer" and waited for the governor to arrive.
"Your Majesty." Furnor gave her a sweeping bow, clearly done mainly for show. "You look ravishing this evening."
"So do you," Jupiter lied politely in return. His frock coat attached to an actual frock looked way too frothy and over the top, at least to her, though Jupiter had to admit that she still didn't get Entitled fashion choices. Get, care about, same thing. At least in his case. "Enjoying the party?"
"Of course," Furnor said, sounding about as enthused as she felt. "Opportunities to mingle should never be wasted."
"Mmm. I'm just here for the snacks." As she'd expected, that sailed right over Furnor's head, but he simply nodded and straightened his cuffs.
"It's good to know that the Congery has achieved sufficient economic influence to join the ranks of Entitled," Furnor added smoothly, which Jupiter knew was a blatant lie; one of Kalique's many lessons had stressed that the granting of Entitlement was extremely rare. The ruling class loathed any dilution of its power. What you really mean is that they bribed their way in.
"I'm sure they'll handle it well," she replied. "With an economic base of that size…" Which she only knew about thanks to Virtu's pre-reception briefing, but that was fine. Kalique might be able to keep a thousand fiscal and social details in her head at any one time, but she'd had millennia to practice.
That's what I have support staff for. And I love every one of them for it.
Not for the first time, Jupiter thought about getting one of the subcutaneous implants everyone else seemed to have. It would allow her to access information without having anyone overhear, which would be very useful in situations like the party. But it would show on her neck, and that would be hard to explain to her family, because Aleksa and Mikka would notice.
She traded a few more meaningless comments with Furnor, waiting for him to bring up the issue of moving the Revor system, but somewhat to her surprise he refrained, merely taking his leave with a slight bow. "As always, it has been a delight to speak with your Majesty," he said, and drifted off when Jupiter nodded back.
Beside her, Caine gave the faintest hint of a growl. "Something's off about him."
"Indigestion?" Jupiter murmured back, though she wasn't trying to dismiss his feeling. "Should we be worried?"
"That's what we're here for, Majesty," Absaba said from her other side, and motioned the Stormbreakers to close in a little more tightly around her.
It didn't exactly help with Jupiter's nerves, but she didn't argue. She spent another couple of hours moving slowly around the room and conversing with various Entitled; Jupiter fielded six invitations to visit and two elaborate and subtle proposals of marriage, giving them all the same cool smile and having Glasta take notes for her. Maybe next time I should bring Phylo. Though he was already so busy…
"Your Majesty!" The breathy voice was eager, and Jupiter looked up to see a semi-familiar face. Fortunately, memory kicked in, and she could return the slender woman's smile.
"Lady Donlet, it's nice to see you again." It wasn't quite a fib. Jupiter wasn't ready to make a friend out of the woman, but at least the Entitled wasn't the least bit hostile.
"And you. I almost didn't come today but I am enjoying myself - " Jupiter let Lady Donlet burble on and admired her outfit. This time she was dressed in something that seemed to be made mostly of strategically placed mist, and Jupiter couldn't figure out how it was generated - or how it stayed in place. Not something I'd do myself, but it is impressive.
"You must come and visit me, your Majesty." Lady Donlet looked as if she would like to lay a hand on Jupiter's arm, but didn't quite dare. "I've just finished redoing my largest alcazar and I would be honored if you were its first guest."
"Send me a note," Jupiter told her, unable to help smiling a little. "My secretary has my schedule."
"That was almost a promise," Caine murmured when the marquise had taken her leave. "Are you planning on visiting her?"
"I might." Jupiter wasn't sure why the idea appealed, but she could always plead business and cut things short if she had to. "I do need to start making more social connections."
She stifled a yawn. "But not tonight. Let's call it quits, guys, I'm tired."
It was a bit of a walk back to the shuttle docks. Jupiter was aware that she could have one of the Stormbreakers summon a transport for her if she wanted - basically small luxurious rooms on hoverbeams - but that seemed a bit much. And for all that her heels looked dangerous, they were unnaturally comfortable.
Of course, if she so much as breathed a word of discomfort, Caine would offer to carry her. Tempting. Very tempting.
They were halfway down one of the long corridors, no one else in sight, when the lights went out.
Jupiter inhaled, startled, and a big hand immediately covered her mouth - not pressing hard, just a silent caution. Jupiter nodded, all the drills the gang had put her through coming to the fore, and Caine's hand dropped away.
To her, it was pitch-black; she didn't know if any of the Splices could see at all, and she reached cautiously back until her fingers brushed Caine's trousers, just for reassurance. There were a few faint rustles around her, the sliding hiss of a wing, and Jupiter knew her guards were communicating somehow - probably through their comm implants.
Then the corridor exploded with light, burning her eyes, and the space erupted with gunfire, shouts, and motion. A heavy arm banded around her waist, lifting her off her feet, and Jupiter clung to it, blinking through pained tears as Caine leapt forward.
The drills had her flipping around in his grip to cling to him like she had in that terrifying fight over Chicago, only in front instead of on his back, and as he ran forward Caine's chin pressed against her head. Jupiter obeyed the pressure, tucking her face against his collarbone, making herself a smaller target and holding on as tightly as she could as he bounded and jinked. All around were shouts and screams and the blinding pulses of gunfire, but even when she turned her head enough to catch a glimpse, Jupiter couldn't see much besides the corridor wall passing at high speed.
It was utterly terrifying. Jupiter's throat hurt, but she couldn't tell if it was from shrieking, or trying not to shriek. She locked her legs around Caine's waist, and was grateful for it when he somersaulted through the air. His landing still almost knocked her loose, but his arm was still tight around her waist; his gun barked deafeningly, and Jupiter prayed desperately that he was all right. All her skin was bracing for some searing impact, but there was a lot more of him.
The sounds altered abruptly, echoes booming through air that was suddenly cold, and Jupiter realized they'd reached the docking bay. Alarms shrilled and more voices shouted - familiar voices - Stinger bellowing commands in oddly artificial tones - and then they were rattling through an airlock and into the Windy City's shuttle.
The 'lock clanked shut. "Go, go!" someone yelled - Forthwith, Jupiter thought - and then Caine lurched as the shuttle blasted away from the dock too fast for the artificial gravity to compensate. Voices babbled around them, and Caine staggered upright.
"Jupiter. Are you all right?" His voice was unsteady, and it took Jupiter a moment to remember how to uncurl her fingers and loosen her legs. Caine supported her as she put her feet on the deck, knees weak; something sticky was dripping down the side of her face, but nothing hurt.
"I...I think so?" Her voice squeaked on the last word, and Jupiter looked up at him. "Caine!"
Blood was streaming down from gashes in his left cheek and the side of his neck. Caine didn't seem to notice, his own gaze darting over her and one hand cupping her shoulder protectively. His other hand still held his mauler up and ready.
Jupiter reached for the hem of her tunic, but the fabric resisted tearing. "Caine, you're bleeding. Hold on - "
He made a low noise that was almost a growl. "It's fine, your Majesty, are you sure you're all right?"
Jupiter swore, grabbed his knife from its thigh sheath, and sliced off a hank of her tunic. It didn't seem very absorbent, but she reached up to press it to the side of his face. "I'm okay, you're not!"
His nose worked as he looked down at her, but whatever it told him seemed to reassure him. "How close are we?" he said more loudly, clearly not addressing her, and not even flinching as Jupiter put more pressure on his wounds.
"Just a few ticks," Glasta called back. Jupiter leaned around Caine to see what was going on, and found she couldn't. They were surrounded by a circle of Stormbreakers, all facing outwards, wings cocked up until they almost brushed the shuttle's ceiling. Belatedly Jupiter remembered that it was the safety protocol, part of keeping her safe, even though they were on board her own vehicle.
"Caine, you need bandages or something," Jupiter said, trying not to panic as more blood slid out from under her makeshift pad. At least it's not spurting - "Is anyone else hurt?"
Caine blinked. "Triage when we get on board the ship," he told her brusquely. "First we get you to safety."
"Like hell," Jupiter snapped back, and raised her voice to cut through the semi-military jargon the Stormbreakers were tossing back and forth outside their protective circle. "Is anybody hurt?"
A breath's worth of silence fell before Glasta answered. "We're fine, your Majesty," he said, the words hissed slightly past his fangs. "No major injuries."
"That's not the same thing," Jupiter muttered, then spoke more clearly. "Okay, good. But I want the medical team waiting for us when we get there."
"They will be," Caine replied, and finally released her shoulder to peel her hand from his face. "Your Majesty, don't worry about it. This is nothing."
The bleeding had slowed somewhat, but that didn't stop Jupiter from glaring at him. "It's not nothing, it - "
She pressed her lips closed, rather than let her voice climb to a shout. The blood didn't really show on his black livery, but she could see where the fabric was glistening, from his throat to halfway down his chest.
"Docking now," Glasta said sharply, and Caine holstered his gun and picked Jupiter up, so swiftly she barely managed to keep from stabbing him with his own knife. The shuttle stopped with a bone-shaking thud, not at all the usual near-imperceptible connection, and with smooth precision the circle of Stormbreakers became a close ring of guards around Caine, moving nearly as one through the airlock and onto the Windy City.
Jupiter heard the airlock close behind them, and then the wall of wings in front of Caine parted, allowing Dr. Crisp's medical team to approach. The android was as calm as usual, but her four hands gestured briskly. "Mr. Wise, is her Majesty injured?"
Jupiter put a hand on Caine's arm and slid out of his grasp, which he allowed with obvious reluctance. "I'm fine. Caine needs attention, now."
She hadn't intended to use her Queen voice, but again, silence followed it before Dr. Crisp directed two of her people to tend to Caine. She, however, took Jupiter's arm with delicate care. "Nonetheless, we need to examine you, your Majesty."
"Fine, we'll all go together." Jupiter could feel herself starting to shake. "But check everybody else too."
"That's protocol," Dr. Crisp said. "This way, please."
The team had brought the medical transports, hovering couches with scary-looking medical equipment attached, and Jupiter and Caine were loaded onto the first one - sitting up, fortunately. It hummed off towards the sickbay as soon as they were settled, with Dr. Crisp and two others escorting it, and Jupiter craned her neck to look back, worried. Laur and Glasta were settling onto the next one, but they were moving under their own power when she lost sight of them around a corner, and she sat back, a little reassured.
The sickbay was a whirl of medical personnel. Jupiter found herself helped off the transport and herded towards one of the examining rooms, but she twisted away from Dr. Crisp's light grip on her arm. "I need to stay with Caine - "
There were two people scanning him with some kind of instruments, and he shook his head. "Please, your Majesty, let them look at you. I'll be fine."
"Last time you said that I had to patch you up in a stolen car," Jupiter retorted, and the merest flicker of a smile crossed his face before he frowned.
"It really is nothing, I promise, I - " He stopped speaking, pressing his fingers to his comm implant for a moment, then focusing on her again. "Everyone needs to know you're all right, your Majesty. It won't take long."
Jupiter swore one of Zeno's favorites. "Okay, but if you bleed out while I'm not looking I will never forgive you."
"Yes, your Majesty," Caine said, sounding entirely serious, and Jupiter let Dr. Crisp escort her into the exam room. The sooner I get them to clear me, the sooner I can get back to him.
Sheneto followed her in as close-guard, and Dr. Crisp waved the door shut behind them. Jupiter swiped at an itch on her cheek, then stared in shock as her hand came back smeared with crimson.
The doctor's earpieces whirred as she held up one hand, bringing it slowly down a foot away from Jupiter's body, and it finally dawned on Jupiter that she had scanners built in. "Yes, your Majesty, you are uninjured," Dr. Crisp said. "Your body is displaying signs of severe stress, however."
"No shit," Jupiter snapped, then bit her lip. "Sorry."
Dr. Crisp regarded her benignly. "Would you like to clean up before you go back out? I'm afraid your current appearance will contribute to Mr. Wise's own stress."
"Yeah, that sounds good." The blood had to be Caine's, and her heart quailed to think how much he must have lost, though he hadn't looked faint. "If we can make it fast."
"Of course." Dr. Crisp tapped one of the wall panels, and a coverall slid out of its slot. "Do you wish aid, your Majesty?"
"No, go out there and see how he's doing. How they're all doing," Jupiter said, adding a belated "Please."
Dr. Crisp bowed and withdrew. Jupiter looked at Sheneto. "Wait outside, please," she said, because there was no one left in the room to guard Jupiter against, and there were limits to what she was willing to do in front of anyone besides Caine.
Sheneto bowed as well and closed the door behind her, and Jupiter hit the lock and stripped off her bracelets and collar so she could pull off the blood-stained tunic. It snagged on the halo still woven into her hair, and Jupiter yanked at the headgear in a sudden fit of impatience, not caring how it pulled at her scalp. She got it off at last, tunic rucked up along her arms, and froze.
Oh...fuck.
Half the halo's spines were coated in slick dark red. Jupiter's head swam with dizzy horror, because now she knew just how Caine had gotten those gashes. The memory was sickeningly vivid, his chin pushing her head against him to protect her, and she hadn't even realized…
Jupiter threw the halo on the floor as if it had tried to bite her, shedding the tunic after it. Stumbling to the sink, she turned the water on full and stuck her head under the tap, scrubbing at her scalp and face with shaking hands until the water ran clear. Her mind was a jumbled mess of shock and nausea and fear for Caine and the Stormbreakers, and it was all she could do to hold herself together.
The dryer vent next to the sink got her from dripping to damp, and Jupiter shook out the coverall, then changed her mind and left it on the sink. The camisole she'd worn beneath the tunic was thick enough to serve.
When the door slid open again the main room was crowded with Stormbreakers, tense voices overlapping with loud questions. Sheneto was right outside the door, of course, and Jupiter counted heads quickly. Laur, Glasta, Rush, Honch - where's Caine - but then she spotted him across the room, sitting on an exam table and holding still as some kind of spray was applied to his throat and cheek.
Jupiter went straight to him. "Is he going to be all right?" she demanded of the tech spraying him, and grabbed the hand Caine held out to her.
"This needs about thirty seconds to work, your Majesty," the tech said deferentially. "Then he should be fully healed."
"It's not Regenex," Caine said in a low voice, eyes anxious. "I didn't let them. It's the next best thing."
...What?
It took her a moment to process that, and Jupiter couldn't even begin to sort out the surge of emotion the statement brought, mixed in with the guilt of how he'd been hurt in the first place. "We'll discuss that later," she said, gripping his hand as tight as she could. Some part of her reveled in the slide of his fingers between hers, the warm roughness of his palm against hers; alive, they said. But there were other more pressing matters. "How's everyone else?"
Dr. Crisp stepped up to answer. "Minor injuries only, your Majesty, with some damage to Mr. Glasta's wings, though that is more of a mechanical repair." She slid Caine an android-cool glance. "None of the other Stormbreakers refused Regenex. They should all be fit for duty shortly."
"I think we're all gonna need a day off after that," Jupiter muttered, then raised her voice again. "Where's everybody else? Urdur? Absaba, Forthwith? Where's Stinger?"
Rush stepped forward, patting Glasta's shoulder as he passed. "Commander Apini's back at the docking bay with the others, cleaning up the remains of the attack, your Majesty. Comm chatter indicates they'll be back shortly."
It shouldn't have been possible for him to look paler than he normally was, but somehow he managed it. Jupiter frowned as Rush thumbed his own comm implant, lips moving over his subvocalized words before he spoke out loud again. "Commander Apini's coming in now."
"I'll go find him then," Jupiter said. She knew Stinger would probably be coming straight to the sickbay anyway, but she wanted to see him as soon as possible and make sure he was okay. "Has anyone told Kiza what's going on?"
"She's been informed," Sheneto said from behind Jupiter, somehow managing to sound calm. "She's probably already at the airlock."
"You up for this?" Jupiter asked Caine, trying to relax her grip without much success. "You can stay here - "
Caine gave her a dry look and slid off the table, wing unfolding to shield her from behind. "Let's go, your Majesty."
They made good time back to the airlock, Sheneto and Rush on either side. Caine kept his wing up the entire walk, and Jupiter had to admit it made her feel safer somehow, even though the extra security was pointless. Whoever was shooting at us is still on the ring, she told her nerves. They didn't listen.
As they rounded the last corner and the airlock came into view, Jupiter could see Kiza and Aggie waiting outside it, along with an assortment of former Aegis personnel and more medical staff. Before Jupiter could call out, the 'lock cycled open and a crowd of Stormbreakers spilled out.
Three of them were wearing the same sort of spacesuit that Caine had brought Jupiter in Balem's refinery, except that their wings were exposed. Jupiter had about two seconds to wonder why the suits, and then her heart seized.
Two of the winged figures were carrying a third between them, and it was clear from the absolute limpness of their burden that he was dead.
A ringing filled Jupiter's ears. The white-blond hair, the slack angel's face told her it was Absaba; his wings trailed on the floor, and his torso was a mass of blood and scorching.
No.
On some level, she was aware that Caine was gripping her upper arms from behind, keeping her on her feet. But all she could see was the two Stormbreakers carrying Absaba carefully forward and laying him with infinite gentleness on the medical transport. He was an awkward bundle, limbs flopping, and one of the figures bent to gather up his wings and fold them so they wouldn't drag. The other tapped his own wrist with the opposite glove, and his helmet folded back and away. It was Stinger, face strained and impassive.
His gaze went first to Jupiter, then flicked up to Caine, checking in, before he looked to Jupiter again. "He died as he lived," Stinger said, the words heavy with ritual; "in loyal service."
Behind her, Caine's breath went out in a long sigh. For a long few seconds, no one moved; then Kiza burst into tears and flung herself into her father's arms.
Jupiter pulled out of Caine's grip and walked forward, feeling as if she were moving through glue. Next to the transport, Soren deactivated her own spacesuit entirely, staring down at Absaba with numb eyes.
His own eyes were closed, Jupiter saw; his gorgeous face bore no expression, not pain or fear or anything at all. She was seized with memory: Absaba melting out of whatever room she entered, too overwhelmed at first to linger in her presence; blushing when he had to catch Jupiter during safety drills; the first time she made him laugh with a stupid joke. The fact that he loved pastries from some little planet in the Sag Arm. The number games he'd play with Rush.
All that was gone, now. For Jupiter.
She reached out mechanically and smoothed a strand of hair out of his face. I'm sorry, she wanted to say. You shouldn't have died for me. Not for any of this.
But she couldn't force the words out of her throat. It wasn't until she tasted salt that Jupiter realized she was weeping.
"Your Majesty." Caine's hands were on her arms again, urging her gently backwards. "The medics need space."
His voice was low and hoarse, and Jupiter nodded blindly and turned, burying her face in his chest, ignoring the sticky feel of drying blood on his shirt.
His arms went around her, followed by his wings, and Jupiter hooked her fingers into his belt and tried not to sob. You can't, she told herself. You still have to be the Queen.
Because someone had attacked them to try to get to her, and Absaba was dead because of it, and that had to be dealt with.
So Jupiter gulped back the tears, swiped at her cheeks, and stepped back, Caine's veil of feathers parting smoothly as she turned.
The medics were tending to Urdur and Forthwith, but neither of them seemed to be seriously hurt. Everyone else was silent and still, grieving or angry or both; Aggie had her hand over her mouth, and Diomika's face could have been made of stone. Soren and Sheneto and Banti were staring at Jupiter as if she had sprouted wings of her own, but she had no time for that.
"Commander Apini," she said hoarsely, and Stinger straightened, though he still held Kiza in the circle of his arm. "Is any...anyone else hurt?"
Stinger swallowed, wings going back. "No, your Majesty."
Jupiter took a breath. "Good." Her voice cracked, and she swallowed again. "Report to me when you've...had a chance to - to clean up."
Rest, she almost said, but she knew Stinger wouldn't, at least no more than Kiza would force him to. Jupiter looked to Diomika. "Captain Tsing. Please fill the guard roster so that the Stormbreakers can get some rest."
"At once, your Majesty," Diomika said, sounding the slightest bit relieved. Stinger's face tightened, but for once he had the wit to not argue.
Jupiter jerked her chin in a nod, and reached behind her; Caine's hand immediately enveloped hers.
And they waited for the medtechs to finish with Forthwith and Urdur, and when the transport started on its slow way to the sickbay, Jupiter walked behind it, hand in hand with Caine, the others following. No one spoke; there was only the soft shush of boots on carpet and the faint hum of the transport itself.
The news must have spread through the ship at lightning speed, because more and more people joined the crowd as the transport glided through the halls. The sickbay door was open when it neared; Rush and Laur, Honch and Glasta stood at attention on either side, wings mantled precisely behind their heads.
There wasn't nearly enough space in the sickbay for all of them, so Jupiter halted as the transport passed through the doorway, and perforce everyone else stopped too. She could see medical personnel standing by inside, and Dr. Crisp with all four hands clasped formally; then the door slid shut.
It was such a final sound.
The observation lounge was not a well-trafficked space - Caine could tell that with one inhale. The few scents lingering in it were stale.
It didn't surprise him; it was in the Windy City's crew quarters, and it held only a few chairs and a rather battered beverage machine. Anyone wishing to look at the stars had more comfortable places to go.
Maybe that's why she chose it.
The loss of Absaba was a deep and bitter ache in Caine's chest. The Stormbreakers had taken a while to accept him, but under her Majesty's regard they had all become the tightly knit family-team that a Skyjacker unit should be.
Absaba's death was not unexpected. They were all prepared to lay down their lives as part of their duty; that was what being a Skyjacker meant.
It still hurt.
Jupiter was curled up in one of the chairs, staring out the long window at the myriad stars the Windy City was traveling among. Standard safety protocols had them portaling away from Orus as soon as the ship was at a safe distance, lest a second attack on her Majesty take place, so there was nothing out there but stars.
Caine waited at attention by the door. Her Majesty had tried to leave him behind in their suite, to rest, but Caine had drawn on the new assurance she had instilled in him, and - trembling inside - refused.
She'd almost smiled.
Stinger's briefing had been short and not very informative, given while Jupiter had still been dabbing absently at the remnants of Caine's blood on her face. Caine didn't blame Stinger; they just didn't have much information yet. Yes, we managed to catch two of the attackers, but both were too injured to survive. No, we have no data on who was behind it at this time. Yes, Captain Tsing is assigning personnel to investigate. Yes, everyone really is all right, your Majesty.
...Yes, Majesty, we'll see to it that the wing repairs have an unlimited budget…
That memory eased a little of the ache.
Jupiter had all but pushed Caine into the suite's bathing room afterwards, stripping him down with scowling care and carefully washing every inch of him. Since it was what he'd planned to do to her, they'd had to negotiate a little, but in the end they were each reassured that the other was uninjured.
And then she'd dressed in soft pants and Caine's under-uniform shirt, dug up a pair of extremely battered slippers, and headed for the neglected observation lounge, hair wet on her shoulders and her jaw set.
She smelled of anguish and guilt with an undertone of anger, and once again Caine yearned to comfort her. But there was no comfort for this loss.
Do you know what you've done? he thought, watching her as she watched the stars. What you are? They'll remember it, an Entitled weeping over the body of her guard. Absaba was not a Splice, but it didn't matter; to Entitled, guards - even Royal Guards assigned by the Legion - were interchangeable, less people than equipment. Jupiter was unprecedented.
Whoever did this, we'll find them. It was a promise. This wasn't a feint meant to frame Caine; this was a direct attack on Jupiter, and as such it meant that the Aegis would be taking notice as well.
But in the meantime his Queen sat staring at the stars, withdrawn and hurting, and Caine could only wait.
It was over an hour before she stirred. She looked so small, so lost, that Caine found himself stepping forward without her summons. "Jupiter." He almost couldn't hear himself. "What...what do you need?"
Her eyes were reddened, and she hardly seemed to see him at all. "I…"
She hesitated. "I just want to go home."
Caine's heart chilled at the thought of her vanishing into her family's house, of being separated from her, particularly now, but - Of course she does. She's hurting, she wants her family. She'll be fine, Stinger will set us up outside and -
She bit her lip, and held out her hand. "Come with me?"
Caine wrapped her fingers in his, and the cold melted away.