Carbon just looked at Alex for a moment, confusion etched on her face. That gave him a moment of hope that she hadn't been hiding something like that from him. Understandable when she thought he was just a chauffeur, sure, but things had changed quite a bit in the last few months. Or perhaps her escort was just being an asshole. Tsla’o had to have people like that, too. Right?
The confusion gave way to understanding as her eyes fell onto his translator. While he had kept the Whisper a secret, he had told her about the Immersion Translator before he got it. He wanted to make sure it wouldn’t bother her, and she had told him it wouldn’t. She probably hadn’t foreseen this particular circumstance.
Much to his disappointment, she slid right down into guilt. When she spoke, her voice was quiet, almost meek. "Yes?"
Alex was surprised at just how much that hurt. His eyes narrowed as he shook his head. "It’s nothing. I thought I had forgotten my ID, but I've got it." He reached back and patted his wallet. This didn’t feel like a conversation to have in a hallway in front of his parent’s house.
"Good. We should hurry, the shuttle is waiting." She gave her escort a sidelong glance, neatly avoiding making eye contact with Alex.
He fought back the urge to say something snide. It sure wouldn’t have helped the situation as it was, and it probably wouldn’t even make him feel better. “Don’t want to keep them waiting.”
They walked in silence the rest of the way to the elevator, where they were whisked up to the landing bays that dotted Deck 8, most of its area given over to handling air and space traffic. The Tsla’o ship was easy to spot, low slung and neatly poised, with an almost organic flair to the design that wasn’t common in Human ships. Gentle angles swept up into gracefully curved winglets. Thick stripes of reddish-purple paint ran over the dark gray hull from nose to tail, arching back along the sides. The pair of Tsla’o guards standing at the forward hatch didn't hurt, either.
Alex ducked as he entered the craft, suddenly aware of just how short everyone was compared to him. The interior was purely a military transport, spartan with tie downs everywhere for cargo, and just enough space for him to stand up straight as he followed Carbon across the wide cargo area. She flipped a seat down and buckled herself in. Alex followed suit, wedging himself into the jumpseat next to her and finding that he was just a bit too large for the safety harness.
The others had secured the hatch, heavy latches clacking into place and the three soldiers took up residence in the seats next to it as the craft pressurized. The engines warmed with a gentle hum moments later as the pilot lifted off. Alex waited, biding his time until blue skies had faded from the tiny window in the hatch. He kept his voice low. “So... you were going to tell me about that. Right, Princess?”
Carbon didn’t respond immediately, crossing her arms over her chest. When she did speak, it was similarly quiet and she had switched back to English. “That translation is not accurate.”
“Uh-huh.” He chewed down another petty remark that felt satisfying to think but would have been wildly unproductive if he actually said it. “That’s not what I asked, but okay. I’m still listening.”
“It is more like...” She considered it for a few moments, chewing on her lip. “It is more like your Marquise, I think.”
He wasn’t sure he’d ever heard that term before. Maybe once, in a movie, but to his recollection it had never been explained. “That’s not better. I’m not even sure what the hell that is.”
He caught her rolling her eyes. “It is the child of a Duke, but I cannot be considered a Princess because I am not a child of the Empress or in the selected ascension line for the throne.”
“Well, now that that’s cleared up... You were going to tell me, right? Just because I don’t know what a Marquise is doesn’t stop it from feeling like a big deal.”
“Of course.” She sighed softly. “I just needed the right time.”
“I can understand you not wanting to tell me when I was just a pilot, but we’ve come a long way since then. It’s not like-”
Carbon cleared her throat softly, giving him a pointed look and then glancing over at the soldiers sitting across the way. “Later.”
Alex looked over just in time to see the one that had escorted her to his parent’s place fold his ear back down tight against his head. He had a lot of questions right now, but the back of a military transport near a handful of total strangers was still probably not the best place to air them. “Alright.”
It was a mercifully short trip. They must have had access to the diplomatic lanes, no way ground to space would be possible in minutes otherwise with the traffic around Earth. They were expected and promptly landed in a bay with multiple matching shuttles, but no personnel to be seen - odd for a ship that ought to be a constant hive of activity. Alex and Carbon disembarked and were met by a short, dark gray male dressed similarly to Carbon: black pants with a gray and black brocade jacket, his with a high collar. Alex was starting to understand why separating their laundry had been a big deal to Carbon now.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
“Pilot Sorenson, this is Tashen, the Empress’ secretary.” She didn’t seem particularly pleased to see him. Perhaps she just didn’t want to be back here on the carrier.
“Good to meet you.” Alex stuck a hand out, trying to maintain some level of decorum. Tashen wore a personal AI, Alex assumed he would be translating as well.
Tashen looked at Alex’s hand, then up at him and finally over to Carbon as if he was trying to figure out what was appropriate before turning back to Alex and giving a very shallow bow. “It is fine to meet you as well, Pilot Sorenson. Please, we must not keep the Empress waiting.” His lips moved well out of sync, the translated voice stopping half a second after he was done speaking. That was going to take some time to get used to again.
Carbon set her hand on his wrist and gently pushed his arm back down to his side. She seemed oddly resigned. “Just bow. It will be more comfortable for everyone we meet.”
“Yes, she is correct. Please. We will go now.” He gestured for them to follow, turning and striding towards the nearest exit. Carbon followed with a quiet sigh, Alex staying close behind. The corridors were dark gray bulkheads with dusky red support ribs, each intersection neatly marked in Tsla. Right now it was eerily empty as well, something he presumed was because of his presence.
Tashen led them to a lift and leaned into the control panel, eye open wide as he gazed into a retina scanner. He seemed impatient more than anything as he ushered them in and pressed the top button. Alex was reasonably sure he’d be lost as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, and he was sure he wouldn’t be using the lift without an escort. Not that he had any way to leave suddenly.
The lift pulled up and deposited them in a very fancy room. Plush purple carpet, richly woven tapestries that ran to the top of the walls - easily twice his height with arched ceilings making the room even taller - and finely carved wooden furniture made it feel much less like a carrier than before. This was more what Alex expected for royalty. Carbon practically threw herself into one of the chairs, spine rigid and visibly more tense than before they had gotten onto the elevator.
“This way. She is expecting you.” Tashen directed him towards the tall, intricately carved wooden doors at the other end of the antechamber with a gentle nudge of his hand.
“Wait, you’re just going to send me in alone?” Why did that revelation make him feel nervous? Why was that the first thing that set his nerves on edge?
Carbon nodded. “Eleya often prefers to meet with people alone. Just bow, deeply. You will be fine.”
“Are you sure?” He very clearly remembered how Carbon felt about her. The fear so sharp her memories made him afraid along with her. Ah, yes. That’s why.
She gave him a thin smile, resigned to sending him in by himself. “You are not family, you will be fine.”
“It is as she says.” Tashen urged him towards the ornate doors.
“Alright.” His heart still pounded in his chest, despite their reassurances. The metal of the door handle was cold under his fingers as he twisted it, the door gliding open silently and closing behind him with a soft thump. The walls of the octagonal room looked to be made of cut stone, or at least a convincing facade. More tapestries and curtains hung here, not quite as large as the ones hanging in the antechamber. It was sparsely furnished, a few intricately carved chairs with thick upholstery sitting around a small table, what was clearly a liquor cabinet, and a bed. Everything swathed in crimson and trimmed in gold. The air was heavy with incense, all traces of the ship erased.
It took him a moment to notice that Eleya, the Empress of the Tsal’o Empire was actually there, seated neatly on the edge of the bed. The next second after that was spent coming to terms with the fact that this looked like a bedroom. Her bedroom. The weirdness of that realization momentarily overrides his nerves.
“Hi.” Alex started to wave and then caught himself, bowing as Carbon had indicated.
She seemed to be quite amused by that, standing with grace and slowly closing the distance between them. There was a definite family resemblance, the same blue-black fur and azure eyes with a trio of gold piercings glittering along the top edge of her ears, each linked with a fine chain. They dressed similarly as well, though the Empress’ vibrant blue jacket was much more ornate and appeared to be ready to slide off her shoulders. “Your presence is greatly appreciated, Pilot Alex Sorenson.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” She didn’t seem that bad. Though Carbon and Tashen both saying that he’d be fine because he wasn’t family was still creeping around in the back of his head.
A coy smile played over her lips, eyes studying him intently. Her fur was starting to turn silver around her mouth and on the top of her head around her antenna. A U shaped line of silver fur sat on the front of her right shoulder as well. Eleya stopped in front of him and he could see a matching U on the back of her shoulder... apparently a bite mark. “My niece speaks well of you. She is quite impressed with your intelligence and tenacity, among other things.”
“I’m glad to hear that. She’s been exceptional at everything I’ve seen her set her mind to.” Alex hesitated, not sure what he should expect. She still didn’t seem to be as bad as Carbon had led him to believe, though. “If you do not mind me asking, Empress, why did you want to see me?”
“Some security issues have come to light in the past few weeks, some of which may involve you and your well being. Before any moves are made on these, there are some questions I need answered.” A gentle hint of annoyance crept into her voice as she spoke. Not at him, at least, it felt directed at these ‘security issues.’
“Of course. Ask away.” Alex was quite sure that she, of all people, would have high enough clearance for anything that might come up. Maybe. She was the leader of a foreign government. Not like Carbon hadn’t been along the whole time anyway, so she would definitely have told her own government everything already.
“Thank you.” She looked over at the wall and tipped her head at Alex.
As he looked at the heavy curtain he caught a flicker of motion and ozone filled his nose. He had just about enough time to put the two together - telltale signs of someone using cloaked armor - before a stun baton slammed into his neck, seizing the muscles in his upper body and sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious.