New Contract (Perimeter Defense Book #3) (14 page)

I heard a distinct gasp of surprise in the hall.

"Yes, you heard right. It was Princess Marta who wanted the divorce first. I know how some journalists like to dig around in others' dirty laundry. Well then, I'll give them the chance to rifle through ours. Here are some recordings of old conversations I had with Princess Marta in which she stubbornly demanded divorce. In the end, I agreed. After that, we only discussed legal issues. Marta wanted a great deal of compensation, and I didn't have all she was demanding for a long time. When I got the money, and all the conditions were agreed upon, the unexpected happened. Marta had a change of heart and no longer wanted to sign the papers. Our relationship had started improving. The Fastel Fleet even helped me out in battle with the Orange House. Everything was leading to the possibility that our divorce may have proven unnecessary, which was why Marta's suicide caught me totally off guard."

"Then why did your wife commit suicide?"

I breathed a heavy sigh.

"The Princess found out that my Truth Seeker was expecting a child. Marta and Miya always had a fairly strained relationship, which was why, when my wife's main rival became pregnant, she took it very hard. They were both very dear to me though. I don't even know what they discussed behind my back. I can only suppose that they were negotiating the priority their respective daughter would receive in the succession order. And before you ask your next question, I'll answer it – Miya did not kill Marta, and did not use her abilities. Despite her horrible reputation, Miya is extremely careful not to do anything that may harm my reputation or hers. But if there remains anyone who still has doubts, I could set up a private conversation with Miya for anyone who wants it."

I ran my careful gaze over the whole suddenly silent hall. Apparently, none of them were feeling suicidal, today.

"No one was expecting Marta to do what she did, but Lika took it hardest of all, as she was not aware of all the other problems at all. I understand my daughter's reaction perfectly, and can say I would have done the same in her place. That is why I will not try to convince Likanna of anything now. I really did do wrong to her. To be honest, if I only could have foreseen how the whole divorce was going to go, I would have immediately refused to start the process. No one in the Universe was more dear to me than Likanna, and I would never do anything to hurt her."

Global standing increase. Current value -50

Global standing increase. Current value -49

I was looking at the two semitransparent popup messages when suddenly...

Standing change. Likanna royl Fastel's opinion of you has improved.

Presumed personal opinion of you: -98 (irreconcilable hate)

Lika was watching my speech! And she even put her opinion of me up by a point. I looked right into the camera and said:

"Thank you, Lika. No matter where you are, or what you think of me, I want you to know that I love you as much as ever!"

After that small victory, I had no more problems answering the journalists' remaining questions, even the trickiest ones. I finished the press conference with these words:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, unfortunately we don't have any more time to chat. I hope you understand. A Crown Prince's schedule is very busy. I have to go to the island of Chameleons to bid farewell to a truly heroic member of the Ravaash race. My company will be the captains and senior officers of the Unatari fleet, many of whom owe their lives to the captain of
Surprise-1
."

I had already taken a seat in my plane when an unexpected call came in. The officers of the transport route control service were informing us that someone has asked for Crown Prince Georg royl Inoky several times from the Hnelle station. Supposedly, the warp beacon employees had a query that they could not handle without my help.

"My Prince, this is Lieutenant Yarith Kahv, leader of the assault group sent to clear the Hnelle station. I ask that you forgive me for my importunity, but the cloaked frigate
Ghost-5
from the Tialla star system is stubbornly repeating a request to be let through our system to Unatari. We remember your order not to turn on the warp beacon until your specific order, but the frigate from Tialla insists that their case is special, and has asked that your Highness be given this special password: 'Star Mutt.'"

My heart began pounding quicker and quicker in anxiety. My former companions had been found! I wanted to jump for joy and shout out loud, which is what I did. Not embarrassed by the many people surprised with the stormy outburst of joy from the normally composed Crown Prince, I calmed down a bit, got myself together and said:

"Yes, lieutenant, this really is that very special case. I'll call the observers from the Himora system right away. If our cloakers confirm that there are no Alien ships ready to jump to Hnelle, turn on the beacon for half a second to let
Ghost-5
through..."

I went silent as my attention was suddenly grabbed by a very strange gesticulation from the Admiral who was sitting in the armchair beside me. Mike ton Akad was placing several fingers on his shoulder, clearly trying to communicate something. I spent several seconds watching his pantomime before I realized what exactly the admiral wanted to tell me:

"And I congratulate you on the promotion, Lieutenant Commander Yarith Kahv! The matter of your promotion has already been settled with the Unatari Fleet's admiral."

* * *

"Tuki-tuka-de-sa, here are her children!" Popori de Cacha led me to a long ditch full of water separated into a great many sections with a single mesh covering, and pointed his flexible finger downward toward the surface, shining back in the light of the midday sun.

I took a closer look. It was a really shallow ditch. It wasn't even a foot deep. In the warm sun-heated water, which was drawn into the system of canals and lakes by a pump directly from the Unatari Ocean, there was a herd of lively foot-long black newts swimming around.

"Eleven children. Not so long ago, it was thirteen, but they ate the two weakest ones."

"Do they not have enough food?" I asked, surprised and disturbed.

"That's not it at all, my Prince. It’s just the law of nature. The strongest, most dexterous, and capable survive. The weak must be eliminated and not allowed to multiply, otherwise the species as a whole will begin to decline. Usually, by the second metamorphosis stage, when they start climbing out onto dry land, only around half are still alive."

Strict rules, especially if you consider how extremely low-numbered a race the Ravaash is.

"Popori de Cacha, don't you ever feel sad when you think that one of your own children was eaten by his own brothers and sisters?"

My bodyguard went silent. An opaque film went down over his eyes. "Thinking mode" again. It can't have been that my question had so seriously affected the Chameleon that it had forced him to enter a state of intense thought, right? The head of my guard finally opened his eyes.

"My Prince, you have touched upon a very delicate topic for me. All sixteen of my children are still alive, even though they have passed the first stage of metamorphosis. My compatriots have already started shooting me sideways glances. Some even call my children inadequate to their faces. Hatchlings must kill the weak. That is the law of nature. But, for some reason, they just won’t..."

"Come now. Chin up, old friend. Maybe it's just that they're all good enough to reach adulthood. Have you checked what happens if you put a weak hatching from another brood in there?"

"What are you saying, Crown Prince?! Who would ever agree to sacrifice their own child for such an experiment?! My children are one-third larger than normal and twice as active. They'd rip these other babies in half. Even the nanny that feeds the hatchlings in the canals was seriously bitten by my children when she carelessly left her arm into the water for too long."

Well then... I spent some time in silence watching the totally inoffensive looking newts as they frolicked in the water, then asked:

"And when will they become intelligent and begin their Chameleon education?"

"My Prince, they are already intelligent and studying actively. All the babies in this bunch already understand Ravaash language perfectly, and some even know human. The captain of
Surprise-1
taught them herself. Watch. Belly up!" My bodyguard said the last sentence in a louder voice than usual.

Eight of the newts immediately turned over in the water, revealing their light yellow bellies. The other three repeated the same trick with a short delay.

"These three didn't understand the command in human language. They were just watching their brothers," the head of my guard explained.

The yellow-bellied newts, flailing their arms and legs awkwardly, really did look hilarious. My cousin would certainly have liked it. But Katerina ton Mesfelle, and the other humans were not allowed by the vigilant Chameleons to get near their nursery, only I had that privilege as "elder female." I turned to a group of people standing far away and suggested to Popori de Cacha that we start slowly making our way back.

As we walked, I decided to discuss the main issue I'd come to the Chameleon island for:

"Popori de Cacha, I did not see you among the guards that left the room before my talk with the Emperor. Were you present for that conversation?"

"Yes, my Prince. I was, in fact, in the room at that time." The huge lizard stopped and turned both of his mobile eyes toward me.

"I suspect that the information on the Emperor's secret offer has already been sent to your elders then?"

Colorful splotches ran over the Chameleon's gray skin. It must have meant repentance or shame. After that, the head of my bodyguard bent down on one knee and, bowing his head, extended his blade toward me.

"I entrust my life to your Highness's judgment. Yes, I really have divulged that fact to the leaders of my kind."

I very carefully ran the tip of my thumb over the extremely sharp, curved blade. No matter how softly I did it, though, the skin on my finger split and started bleeding. The micron-width cutting edge must have been made of ceramic or composite to keep metal detectors from finding it along with its invisible owner.

"You may stand, Popori de Cacha." I returned the blade to its owner. "While speaking with August, I knew perfectly well that you were in the room. I trust you as I would myself, which is why I didn't demand that you leave. I also didn't ask you to keep the secret, because I needed you to send the message to your kind. And now, I need to know what exactly your elders have decided. It's been six hours after all. You must have come to some kind of decision."

Standing change. Chameleon race opinion of you has improved.

Chameleon race opinion of you: +36 (respect)

Popori de Cacha gave a deep bow and pointed his flexible appendage at the many artificial canals filled with her species’ young:

"There are around three hundred young females of my race here on Unatari, and over two thousand hatchlings being raised. Every year, our numbers will grow. This place is the future of my race and its greatest treasure. The Ravaash will join the side of Unatari in any conflict with no reservations. But here we get the question of guarding my home world, Sss, which also needs to be taken into account..."

"That is precisely why I began this conversation. After all, if Unatari declares that it is leaving the Orange House, Duke Avalle's wrath may be directed at allies of the new government and, above all else, the Chameleons. The Orange House has been licking their lips at the strategically important tantalum ore deposits on your home world, and the beginning of a conflict would simply be an excellent reason for Duke Avalle to capture the rich prize. As such, before beginning any activity, I'll have to provide safety to your people in the Sss star system..."

Standing change. Chameleon race opinion of you has improved.

Chameleon race opinion of you: +39 (respect)

I interrupted my own speech to familiarize myself with the popup message. Popori de Cacha clearly was now speaking for his whole race, and fully supported my idea that it was necessary to guarantee the safety of the Sss star system. It wasn't surprising. Practically all the Chameleons lived in one system, which an Orange House fleet could destroy in a matter of hours.

"So then, Popori de Cacha, I'm describing the situation as it stands. The Li Colony and Sss system warp beacons are currently under the control of Orange House soldiers. The beacon divisions are quite small, ten or fifteen men, but the problem is that my starships cannot pass through Forepost-12 unnoticed. As such, I lay out your mission as clearly as possible: can your kind land two assault groups of Chameleons at one time and take the Li Colony and Sss stations under control? There is no need for combat ships here whatsoever. In fact, the least suspicion of all would be aroused by ore freighters docking simply to charge energy. Invisible Chameleon soldiers can get into the warp beacon and... if possible, capture it without any human casualties."