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Empire of Nighy Ch 36
Alex followed the diplomat, wondering idly how she had known where he would be. He supposed it didn’t really matter, ultimately, but he’d keep it in the back of his mind.
They walked, a little too slowly for his taste, back to the human wing of the Palace. She guided them through the halls, Alex wishing he could pass her by and Lisril keeping a firm hold on his hand to stop him.
He frowned at her, and she smiled, drawing his fingers to her lips.
Finally, the girl stopped and opened a door for them. Alex wrapped his arm around Lisril’s waist, his other arm snaking around Eli, and pulled both of them close.
The diplomat watched him with poorly disguised disgust, and Eli, when she had finished nuzzling against his cheek, noticed the girl’s stare and offered her a patronizing smile. “Jealous?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lisril said, her hand slipping down his back to take a handful of his ass, “she would have to have a man’s affection to be jealous of it.”
Rosslln snorted, and Serra punched her friend’s shoulder. “Come now,” she said, “stop antagonizing the girl; she can’t help being scrawny.”
Alex coughed to cover a laugh as the diplomat’s face flushed red. “Enough teasing,” he said, ushering his family through the door.
The room was crowded before they entered; the whole military brass and diplomatic corps squeezed into the space, with his women, they were packed in like sardines.
“What’s this?” Ross asked.
“I told him,” the diplomat said, shoving to the front of the group, “but he wouldn’t listen.”
Ross pursed his lips, shrugged. “That’s alright, yall a’int needed anyway.”
The girl blinked. “Excuse me?”
“I didn’t stutter,” Ross said, “take your women and go, then maybe you can come back if we’ve got the space.”
She clenched her fists. “Respectfully-”
“Little lady,” Ross said, “you in enough trouble as it is. Now, the situation being what it is, I pulled some strings to keep the diplomatic corps intact. But that changes the minute I say it does, and you go back to earth for a tribunal. So, do the smart thing, and do as yall’s told.”
The woman’s jaw clenched, and her hands shook. “Fine,” she said, turning to push and shove her way back to the door. “Come on, girls.”
The diplomats filed out, glaring at Alex and at Ross as they went, seemingly split on who to blame.
His women squeezed in tight around him, glaring right back at the diplomats as they passed.
The door slammed behind them, and ross drew a cigar case from under his jacket. “You know Hagan,” he said as he lit up. “If you were half as good at making friends as trouble, you’d be the most popular man on Earth.”
Alex shrugged, wandering up to the table. “I prefer trouble anyway.”
Alden snorted, and Ross shook his head. “Cigar?”
“Yeah,” Alex said, sitting, “I’ll take one.”
Ross handed the smoke over the table, and Alden nodded to his women. “I see her Magnificence is joining us.”
Eli took the seat on his right, and he frowned, turning to look to Lisril. But she just smiled and took his left. Hierarchy established, he shrugged and turned back to the table.
“Where else should We be?” Eli asked, “but by Our man’s side.”
Alden chuckled. “Difficult to argue with that.”
Eli leaned against him and cast her gorgeous smile his way. She licked his cheek, turned back to Alden. “Good to see there’s one good woman on Earth.”
Ross blew a cloud of smoke up toward the ceiling. “She is quite reliable,” he said, staring past them at the door, “you know Hagan, that girl really hates you.”
Lisril stiffened. “Is that so?” she asked, “perhaps I should pay her a visit.”
“You ought to know better by now, cher,” Ross said, “human women don’t work that way; you’ll only cause him more problems.”
Lisril scowled but didn’t argue, and Alex took up the conversation. “What problems?”
“Letters,” he said, “back to Earth, apparently you been picking fights, womanizing, and just generally making yourself a diplomatic catastrophe. For my part, I believe her.”
Eli bristled. “Alex has done nothing of the sort!”
“That so?” Ross’ eyes flicked over his women, “maybe you ladies reproduce by budding?”
Eli growled at that, and Serra cut in. “It seems strange to send these reports to a military commander.”
“Hm?” Ross said, “oh, it’s the damndest thing, her letters, they get to the airstrip, but then they end up redirected to my desk. No idea how it’s happening; maybe we’ve been giving those marines too many crayons.”
Alex snorted and shook his head. “Alright,” he said, “let’s hear what you have.”
“Ok,” Ross said, “you’re dead set on,” he waved his hand toward Alex’s women, “this.”
He took Lisril’s hand. “That’s a rude way to talk to about a man’s family.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Of course it is,” Alex said, wrapping an arm around Lisril and the other around Eli, pulling them against him possessively, “why would I give this up?”
Ross took a pull on his cigar. “You love these women?”
“Obviously,” Alex said.
Ross glanced at Alden, who shrugged. He shrugged back and turned to Alex, “there ‘gon be complications.”
“So?”
Ross scratched his ear, sighed. “Alright, not my place to tell you how to live. But come and talk to me later, privately.”
Alex glanced at Lisril. “And her.”
“No, alone.”
“I made a promise,” Alex said.
Ross shook his head, sighing. “Why you gotta be so difficult? Fine, bring her along, but just her.”
Alex nodded. “Anything else?”
Ross glanced at his people and hummed to himself. “Not that I-”
The door banged open, and the diplomat stalked back in. “There,” she said, “I’ve got my people settled; we can begin.”
“Begin?” Ross asked, “cher, we’re done.”
The girl gaped. “You can’t be serious; he’s only just gotten here; you didn’t even have anyone representing the state department!”
Ross looked around the table. “You know, you’re right. Alright, let’s hear why government bureaucracy can stop a man from getting married.”
The girl gaped, shaking her head. “You make it sound like that’s all there is to it.”
“And allowing you to correct us,” Alden said.
The girl drew herself up. “To begin with,” she said, “polygamy is illegal.”
Eli laughed at that, filling the room, the rough, dry rasp of her mirth provoking a surprising jump from the diplomat.
“What’s so funny?” the girl demanded.
“Oh,” Eli shook her head, wiping a tear from her eye, “it’s just, of course, you barbarians would outlaw the proper ordering given to us by the Lady.”
The girl blinked. “My translator must be malfunctioning.”
“We should hope not,” Eli said, “perhaps if We employ language appropriate to your sophistication. If it is the position of your government to deny men the matrimonial rights given them by Heaven, then we shall take any man fleeing this perversion as refugees.”
The diplomat gawked a moment before rounding on Ross. “See, it’s already causing political friction.”
“Quit being ridiculous,” Alden said, “the only problems I’m seeing are yours. Questions of marriage aren’t the federal government’s concern.”
“Regardless,” the girl said, “you must see the problems this will cause.”
“Do you have any other concerns you’d like to air?” Ross asked.
“You’re really just going to let this go?” the diplomat demanded.
“Ma’am,” Alden said, fixing the girl with her perpetually severe gaze, “I know this is strange, and if we’d had this conversation two days ago, I would have felt the same. But you need to take a step back and get some perspective. Humanity doesn’t have the luxury of turning our noses up at our only ally over unusual marital practices.”
The diplomat clenched her jaw. “That’s the military’s position?”
“It is,” Ross said, “now, missy, you can take this to Washington, but you must know they’ll say the same.”
“We’ll have to see,” she said.
“I suppose we will,” Ross said.
“We will.” The diplomat stomped her foot and turned for the door.
“Just a moment,” Alden said.
The girl stopped, paused a moment, and turned around. “Yes?”
Alden regarded the woman a moment. “Perhaps it’s not my business, so feel free not to answer, but when was the last time you saw your family?”
“I beg your pardon?” the girl asked.
“You were assigned two years ago,” Alden said, “and so far as I can gather, you’ve taken no leave since.”
“I fail to see what that has to do with anything,” the girl said, “that’s my decision to make.”
“It is,” Alden said, nodding, “but this is a difficult, high-stress assignment, and you’re working in less than ideal conditions. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to take a break; Earth is only a few hours away, your women can contact you if need be.”
“Well,” the woman said slowly, “perhaps.”
Ross nodded. “Ma’am, I understand your tenure is up for renewal after your assignment here.”
She frowned. “What of it?”
He shared a look with Alden. “You should use your leave time.”
“What?” she asked, “why?”
“You’re too high in the organization; the board won’t renew you.”
She blinked. “But my record-”
“That’s beside the point, ma’am,” Alden said, “the system is designed to move people out of public service. You might get an exception, but it’s rare; why did you think you were able to advance so quickly?”
“Well,” the woman said, “I hadn’t considered it, but- I’ll think about it.”
“Do so,” Alden said, “that’s all I had for you; thank you for your time, ma’am.”
“Of course,” she said, pensive. “I- good night.”
She spun on her heel and marched robotically out into the hall.
Alex watched her go, shrugged; not really his business. “If there’s nothing else for me….”
“Hold on,” Ross said, “there is something else. I didn’t intend for you to bring the Empress along, but this works out. Your ladies ought to know what they’re getting into, don’t you think?”
He glanced at Eli, then at his other women. “All of that’s classified.”
“Well,” Ross scratched his head, “we’ve been talking, and I won’t tell if you won’t.”
Alex chewed on his lip. “Alright, but I should tell it.”
“Go on then,” Ross said, “I’ll tell you when to stop.”
Alex nodded and turned glanced around at his women, eyes coming to rest on Eli. “You remember last time, I mentioned the federation has a policy of encouraging her rivals to fight amongst themselves, to keep themselves weak. That was my job; I would travel around the world, destabilize a region, and instigate armed conflict. Assassination, training rebels, burning crops, false flag attacks, instigating riots, sometimes on a team, usually alone.”
Eli frowned at him, looking him up and down, and shook her head. “I find it hard to believe….”
“Believe it,” Ross said, “he was good enough at it that we kept him in that role for forty years.”
“We,” Alden said, “being the organization. No one here was in these positions at that time; even if we had, we wouldn’t be making those kinds of day-to-day decisions.”
Lisril took his hand, squeezing it tightly. “What’s the point of all this?”
“The point is,” Alden said, “we don’t want the Empress being surprised by her husband's former vocation and spoiling our diplomatic relations.”
“Well,” Eli said slowly, “consider me informed. I’ll bear my man’s past exploits in mind.”
Ross nodded, puffed on his cigar. “Alright then,” he said, “I’ve got nothing else.”
“Wait,” Serra said, “you said your entire command structure was replaced between Alex’s service and now?”
Ross shrugged. “Generals are bureaucrats, too. My tenure comes up for review in three years; they won’t renew me either.”
“What will happen?”
“I’ll go back to the field, perhaps work my way back up. Or I’ll retire, I’ve been at this a while, and I’m considering a change of profession. Maybe woodworking, that sounds interesting.”
“Just like that?” Eli asked.
Ross shrugged. “Why not? I’ve got the time.”
Eli frowned. “I suppose you do. How old are you, sir?”
Ross gave Eli an aggrieved look. “Cher, you ought to know better.”
“Oh,” Eli said, “forgive me, I-”
Ross laughed. “Only joking, cher. I’m a little younger than your man, sixty-eight.”
She turned to Alden. “If you don’t mind Our asking….”
Alden shrugged. “Two-hundred seventy-five.”
Eli blinked. “By Dyrantoro reckoning?”
“Obviously,” Alden said, “I don’t think in Nyxian time.”
“I see,” Eli said slowly, “thank you, forgive me for prying.”
Alden nodded. “I think that’s everything,” said, glancing at Ross, who nodded, “we’ll let you get back to your night.”
“Don’t forget to come see me,” Ross said, “tonight, I mean it.”
Alex waved him away. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll stop by.”
