Forced Fortuity
The sound of rapidly retreating foot steps echoed through the room. The sound of a door being pulled open could be heard next. Due to the mechanics of the door, it could not be slammed behind the person making the exit.
Beka watched the dramatic exit before turning back to look at the Nietzschean male sitting across the desk from her. He was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest and a faint smirk on his lips as he watched the retreating figure disappear through the doorway.
"Why do you do that?" Beka raised her eyebrows as she leaned forward to toss the flexi she had been consulting onto the desk.
"Do what?" Tamerlane's gaze moved from the door which Ashan was hurriedly closing to Beka.
"It infuriates me when you try to play innocent," Beka leaned back in her chair and looked at Tamerlane critically. "You know exactly what I am talking about. Why do you goad him like you do?"
"Goad him?' Tamerlane shook his head as he leaned forward with his forearms on his desk. He studied Beka for a long moment before gesturing toward her. "I was merely attempting to educate him on the current agreements which have been in place for the last six years. Agreements that I believe you, yourself, negotiated on the behalf of the Commonwealth, the Free Trade Alliance and your freebooters."
"You can educate him on the agreements in place without being condescending," Beka shook her head as she looked over at the empty chair beside her. In his hurry to depart, he had left his briefcase by the leg of the chair. Leaving important documents unattended was not a wise thing to do. Especially when they are left in the office of the Nietzschean Emperor. Beka was certain Tamerlane Anasazi would not hesitate to confiscate and read every file on the datapad or in the case.
"Condescending," Tamerlane scoffed as he pushed his chair back from his desk and got to his feet. He immediately spied the case on the floor and the datapad in the chair. Beka grabbed both and pulled them closer to her. "I merely indicated how incompetent he appeared by not knowing the details of the current agreements. One cannot argue their position if they have no idea of the foundation upon which their arguments reside."
Tamerlane walked over and looked out the large window behind his desk. He stretched slowly before clasping his hands behind his back.
"If that boy ever speaks to me the way he did today, I am putting him on the first ship back to Tarazed," Tamerlane looked over his shoulder at Beka. "Do I make myself clear?"
"This is exactly what I am talking about … the insulting contempt. That boy … as you call him … is a twenty five year old man," Beka's jaw clenched slightly as she looked at Tamerlane's back. Beka thought it ridiculous that Tamerlane repeated called him a boy when Tamerlane was barely two years older than him.
"Twenty-five year old men do not throw tantrums during meetings with world leaders, let alone the Emperor of an Empire, then run away like a sulking child when they do not get their way or their feelings get hurt," Tamerlane turned and shook his head slowly. "The next time he and I meet, I expect him to come prepared. I expect him to have proper documentation to support his requests. I expect him to speak to me intelligently. I expect him to answer my questions when asked and not continually tell me he will look into it and get back to me. Especially when I know, for a fact, that he should know the answers because I already know the answers."
"I will talk to him," Beka sighed as she rubbed her hand over the back of her neck. She had been mentoring him ever since he had arrived on Arktos nearly nine months ago. She really had no idea what else she could do. Tamerlane's haughty arrogance and hard edged tactics were not something she could mentor another person how to deal with. It had taken her years before she finally figured out how to handle Tamerlane. Even then, Tamerlane had made certain to let Beka know she only 'handled' him because he allowed it.
"I would advise you do more than just talk to him, Beka," Tamerlane walked over and leaned back on his desk before her. He believed he was being more than fair. Anyone else in the universe would have been sent packing after the first meeting. "If our next meeting ends as this one did, Nathaniel Hunt may as well run home crying to his daddy because he will never set foot in this office again as a recognized envoy of any business or the Commonwealth."
"I said I would talk to him," Beka shook her head slowly. "I will make sure he is more prepared."
"Do you believe he honestly thought a veiled threat would work?" Tamerlane expression changed from hard and annoyed to amused as he looked down at Beka. "I could care less if one Commonwealth cargo runner finds the fees for transiting Mahjan to be too high when compared to the fees FTA cargo associated entities are charged. It was … idiotic and dangerous … to ever insinuate … that he had the backing of the entire Commonwealth for negotiating a reduced fee package for one carrier. I dare say, even his daddy couldn't save him, if I cancelled the contracts for the entire Commonwealth in response."
"You would never do that," Beka couldn't help but roll her eyes to the ceiling. For all of Tamerlane's bravado, there were rare times when Beka knew she could call his bluff. This was one of those times.
"It is not a question of if I would. It is the simple fact that I could if I wanted," Tamerlane informed her firmly. "Nathaniel Hunt has absolutely NO authority to speak for the entirety of the Commonwealth. He was here to speak on behalf of one shipping company with Commonwealth registry."
"I have to admit, I did cringe when the words came out of his mouth," Beka sighed deeply as she looked up at Tamerlane. She had been floored when Nate had demanded Tamerlane accept the waiver for the company he was representing. When Tamerlane said 'no', Nate had insinuated that if the Empire did not yield, other contracts might need to be revisited. "He is young. He gets flustered. You … coming full bore … can be a little overwhelming. Maybe you can reign it in a little next time?"
"I highly doubt it," Tamerlane shook his head. There was no way he was 'reigning it in' for Beka, Nathaniel Hunt or anyone else. Especially if it was demanded on him in an insulting, aggressive manner.
"So," Beka picked up the flexi she had tossed on the desk. "Are you willing to lower the fees for Telix Shipping?"
"Not now," Tamerlane shook his head as he pushed himself up from his desk and walked around to the other side. He picked up the flexi Nathaniel Hunt had handed him when their meeting first began.
"Now you are being a petty jerk who it trying to screw the little guys," Beka gave Tamerlane a knowing look. Tamerlane's eyes narrowed on Beka instantly. Earlier when she had heard similar words fall from Nathaniel Hunt's lips, she was waiting for Tamerlane to retaliate in some manner. She was pleasantly surprised when Tamerlane refrained from throwing the younger male out of his office and remained calm yet subtly verbally insulting and belittling.
"The Telix cargo ships that are transiting Mahjan are based out of Port Royal are they not?" Tamerlane asked as he looked over the information again.
"They are," Beka nodded as she looked through the flexi to make certain her memory was correct.
"Although Telix Shipping is a Commonwealth registered company, that terminal and those ships based at Port Royal transit from a FTA governed station," Tamerlane dropped the flexi on the desk as he looked over at Beka and raised his eyebrows.
"If they fill out their documentation to reflect that distinction," Beka nodded slowly as she made notes of the flexi. "They will be charged at the FTA negotiated rates which are slightly lower than the Commonwealth fees for the first five hundred transits per annum."
"If Nathaniel Hunt knew what he was doing, researched his clients and prepared himself for these meeting," Tamerlane smirked slightly. "You and I would not have to do his job for him."
"Why are you being so helpful?" Beka looked at Tamerlane suspiciously as she tucked the flexi into Nathaniel's briefcase and closed it.
"Telix Shipping docks thousands of ships a year at Ramsgate," Tamerlane shrugged slightly. "Docking fees are being raised at Ramsgate. The Empire will make far more money in docking fees at Ramsgate than it will lose on transit fees in Mahjan. For some reason, companies rarely debate docking fees. They are all too focused on thinking they are being screwed on transit fees to even notice."
"By helping Nathaniel help Telix Shipping, you look like a reasonable ruler instead of a malevolent dictator," Beka shook her head as she studied Tamerlane for a long moment.
"Precisely," Tamerlane nodded as he tossed the flexi into his done pile.
"I need to get going," Beka got up from the chair and picked up Nathaniel's briefcase along with her datapad. "I know your father has spoken to you about Kindred's graduation ceremony at the end of the week."
"My father hand delivered the invitation as you requested," Tamerlane got up from his chair and walked around to lean back against it again. "I have considered it and I have sent my regrets to Kindred. Although I am pleased that he has completed his dual degree work, finally, I do not believe it is in the best interest of Kindred or the University for me to attend. There are hundreds of students graduating. My being there would cause difficulties with security and access for those wishing to attend the ceremony."
"I am pleased that you at least considered it," Beka replied as she regarded Tamerlane for a long moment. "I have never … thanked you … for allowing Kindred to live here while he has been attending Kodiak University. I know … your past … with him … has been tumultuous. However, I think the best thing that ever happened to my son … was you … placing him on house arrest … on Arktos … and forcing him … in a way … to slow down … take a look at his life … and make the changes that he needed to make."
"If I had known then that three years later he would be cohabitating with my sister, I would have let the Dragans execute him on Sahure," Tamerlane replied airily.
"Your sister has definitely been a positive force in his life," Beka couldn't help but smile when Tamerlane scowled ever so slightly. "I need to go. Your father and I are hosting your two eldest sons for the night."
"Alexander and Suleiman are staying with you this evening?" Tamerlane's brow furrowed slightly.
"Your father wants to spend more quality time with his grandsons," Beka nodded with a smile then a grimace. "I told him … I can only take a couple at a time. More than that and … it's just too much."
"That is why he had the renovations done on your suite," Tamerlane nodded slowly. A few months ago, Tyr had Beka's suite renovated to make the office and part of the large common area into two smaller bedroom and a bath.
"Why else?" Beka smirked slightly as she looked at Tamerlane.
"I thought maybe you and he had decided to make sterile, inferior hybrid babies," Tamerlane replied with a shrug.
"No more babies coming from here," Beka gestured to her abdomen. "I raised mine. I am beginning to warm to the position of … grandmother. I can enjoy them, then send them home."
"Enjoy Alexander and Suleiman this evening," Tamerlane pushed himself up from his desk when the comm unit alerted him of his next appointment. "According to their mothers, they are quite a handful lately."
"Great," Beka shook her head as she headed for the door. "Maybe we should have started with one of the easier ones."