So this is the end of the first part of this book. I decided to dig out a much earlier draft than the ones I have up elsewhere. It is a "song fic" chapter, which I tried to handle legally by literally rewriting most of the song; based on the site's current policies, I just trimmed out a few bits that were still shakier than the rest. Also, this was my idea of Incredibly Obvious Foreshadowing…
As night fell, the Kings, their ladies and Ajax's Maidens were given a tour of Xaja's Aviary, suspended from the top of the dome. Ajax paused at the sight of a badly maimed bird with wires and tubing sticking out of its broken wing. "Yes, many of our birds are biomechanoids," Xaja said. "They are about 40% of our current stock. Their presence improves the health of the more gregarious species. We keep the biologicals on the main tour routes and for interactive experiences. There are fewer of them than there used to be. Our biological stocks had increased enough that we were considering phasing them out."
"So you're breeding new birds now?" Ajax asked.
"Oh, no, that would take far too many permits," Xaja said. "Understand, many of these species are endangered or extinct on their homeworlds. Fertile specimens are carefully registered and regulated, as are facilities that breed them. Some would be quite destructive if they were to establish themselves outside their natural ecosystems. A few are intelligent enough that they would be eligible for legal personhood in the Star Union's territory. Like this one, here."
He paused at a well-tethered purple avian two Standard Cubits tall. It had a long, bony tail, clawed wings, and a mouth that held both a hooked beak and a row of serrated teeth. Persephone, herself only two Spans taller than the bird, started to reach for it. Daffodil moved to stop her. The Maiden withdrew her hand of her own accord as soon as the bird turned its indifferent but utterly baleful gaze turned toward its master.
"Oh, she would let you touch her," Xaja said. "It draws those who do not know her ways closer. You would not like what happens after that." He stroked the bird's neck feathers with a small comb on the end of a long metal rod. "Oh no, I know you, you lovely, evil thing. I should have destroyed you long ago, but when I look into those plotting eyes, I always think of my Lady." The bird made a low cooing and fluffed its feathers as Persephone groomed it in turn. Then it bit the rod in half.
Xaja turned back to Ajax. "She was cloned on a moon far from here, using tissue samples taken on a world where higher life was destroyed by a celestial eruption," he said. "We get all our specimens from a network of reputable clonesmiths. There are certain disreputable ones, but even they would not dare to break the laws concerning clones capable of reproducing themselves. Not, at least, for a great deal more money than I could pay. The smiths offer to accelerate or entirely bypass the early stages of a species' lifecycle, but that can cause significant physical and mental side effects. Our specimens are delivered as viable eggs. At first, we used biomechanoids to raise them. Now, we place them in the nests of the biological birds in the habitat, and the adults tend to them as their own. That also improves the well-being of the birds."
From the aviary, they returned to the luxury observation craft that had brought them. It was shaped like an enormous lens, thick enough for a lounge area in the leading edge. A half dozen startlingly quiet ducted fans kept it aloft. They all dined at Xaja's table in the starboard side of the lounge, while a select few guests with actual talent sang on stage. At the moment, Cerasa was performing an especially risqué rendition of "Heartbeat", with frequent gestures toward her husband. "Oh, we're going to be on later," Daffy said. "I'm so happy…"
"We could work you in," Xaja said to Mel. He looked to Ajax. "She was in a Myrmidon metal band, once. They say she bought her ship out of impound performing in a park in Tau Gamma…"
After a time, Mel clasped Ajax's hand again. "Let's go for a walk."
The lounge intersected with an already broad fuselage. To the rear, it split into two levels. Below were staterooms and observation decks that gave panoramic views of the forest below. Above, there were luxury cabins and a recreation area for those who paid a premium for it, and at the very rear, an open observation deck. An attendant admitted them, and offered coats. The normally warm air was indeed cold. They looked out at the repairs under way. Several square miles of membranous fabric had been used to seal the damaged section of the dome. In places, patches of snow and frost could be seen.
"My Lady," Ajax said, "just tell me, why?"
"I tried to tell you, I did tell you," she said. "I still didn't understand, until I talked to Nopalina. If I had, I would have sent you away this morning." She started to turn her head, but looked back, revealing a tear trickling down one cheek.
"Look," she said. "I know your people have spent a long time trying to get you married off. They do that because they want a Queen, and they want a Queen because that means an heir to the throne. Isn't that right? Of course it is; it always is. Well, I can't be a Queen, because I can't give you that. Do I have to spell it out? I'm like Xaja's bird, honey. I'm pretty, but I'm not breeding stock."
Ajax put a finger to her lips. "I am so sorry," he said.
Mel did look away then. "It never really bothered me, before," she said. "I knew before it really meant anything. The Myrmidons had me checked out right after they found me. I suppose that helped. Later on, it made it easier when they told me what happened. I already knew I wasn't going to have my own family, so why worry if they weren't mine?"
"I have heard stories," Ajax said. "I would still like to hear it from you."
"Like I said, it was earlier than I can remember," she said. "Still, I heard it from Chief Aeacus. There was a settlement on a moon called Caledon, about 400 hundred miners working a platinum lode. Officially, there were no families or children, that takes a different kind of permit, but then, a lot of things weren't supposed to happen. Nobody knows which faction decided to hit them. Nobody would have cared. The raid started with a hard kinetic strike. The seismic shock would have been enough to crack the main dome and blow the airlocks on most of the secondary hab modules. That probably killed two-thirds of the colony outright. The follow-through was surface troops only, with flame units. They cleared all the modules that were intact, but they left one that was only leaking out. Maybe they were in a hurry; they never touched the platinum, either. After it was done, there was a gamma bomb detonation, to wipe the logs and hard drives. At least they cared if anyone knew who they were, who knows why. That was probably what did it for me. 18 hours later, the Myrmidons arrived. They found me in that last module, 18 months old. There was no way to know who the parents were, or what they did to have me at all. They couldn't even check the records to see if anyone gave me a name. So, they named me Meliboia."
"Did you ever try to find who did it?" Ajax asked. "At least who they were?"
"No; that's why I don't talk about it," Mel said. She straightened and turned to face him. "Everyone thinks I am what I am because of that. They think I've been out for vengeance, justice, whatever. Every time I think about it, I just ask, why? Like I told you, I'm a blank slate, a clean slate. My past, present and future is me, so I make sure people remember my name. Of course, I care about helping good people and cleaning up the bad ones. I would do anything to see one more little girl grow up knowing what her Daddy looked like. But I never spent a moment worrying about a few junkers who probably got what was coming to them decades ago. The only thing I could hate them for… is having to tell this to you."
"Let us go back," Ajax said. "I must think on this."
When they reentered, Hector and Daffy were onstage. Mel led the way to the bar on the portside. By then, Daffy was beaming as Hector strummed and sang:
"Some day I'll see the Promised Land
It could be just around the bend
Then again it could be back where I began
But today could be the day!"
Daisy followed:
"Some days the bell don't ring at all
And some days I wish it would stop
And some days I wait for just one call
But today could be the day!"
Hector took up the song again:
"Sometimes I think of the things I used to want
And I just wonder why
And sometimes I wish for just one more try
And today could be the day!"
Then Hector hoisted Daffy as they finished with a flourish:
"Today could be the day! Today could be the day!"
"All right, all right," Mel said. "I'll admit, those two could make a morgue romantic." She looked back to Ajax. "I guess I dropped the drama bomb on you, hard."
"You were right, I needed to know," the King said. "I would have done the same."
"So what do you really think?" Mel said. "Are we done?"
"Of course, it is too soon to say if you should be my Queen," he said. "But I will not withdraw my suit because of this."
"What about your people?" Mel said. "They sure aren't going to like it."
Ajax considered. "They can…" He paused, then smiled. "They can freeze in Cocytus!"
Mel looked at him more thoughtfully than she had before. "Now that," she said, "is quality Myrmidon swearing!" That was when she kissed him.
A little later, Ajax played accompaniment on an electric hurdy gurdy while Mel strummed a phorminx sang the decidedly un-somber Dirge of Amphion. Persephone danced along, beating frenetically on a terrifying autorhoptron that digitized its sounds as thunder, crashing rocks and the roar of animals. Ajax and Mel joined in the chorus, "Let the Fool rise, when Amphion falls!"
As they finished, Nopalina walked up to the bar. "Well," she said, "I'd say we saved the day."
Daffy swiveled around on a stool. "I don't know what you did," she said. "But I stopped him from flaming out."
"I don't know," Hector said beside her, "he could have pulled through."
"She might've felt sorry for him," Nopalina allowed. "Excuse me…" She unlimbered a mouthpiece. "Kiv, I told you, it's an overnight tour. I'll be back tomorrow."
As the Maiden walked away, Daffy put her arms around Hector. "Oh, it's so beautiful to see a couple get together," she said. She made a sudden sniffing sound. It was repeated as she nuzzled his neck and chest.
"Mm," she said. "I think, maybe, the Bloom is just a little early this year."
"Ah," her husband said. "It's just one night. It doesn't have to be different."
"We'll see," Daffy said. She pressed her lips to his neck. "Mm. It is only the onset. If I bind you and guard you, we may not be tempted."
"Do what you have to do," Hector said.
She hoisted him up. "Sorry." He gave no protest, and there were few enough who looked as she carried him out.