With only a few hours remaining before the start of the Hundred Worlds Planetary Council, Adela had assembled several members of her staff in the reception area of her office at the Imperial lab facilities. Spirits were high as they talked among themselves in anticipation of the event. Although they had already been hard at work on Luna for several years, today’s Council session would mark the official beginning of the project.
“How do I look?” asked Kel Sites, her first assistant. She stifled a laugh as she saw him standing before her in his formal tunic, hands spread at his sides for her approval, and wondered just how uncomfortable and out of place he must be feeling in the formal outfit. Everyone on the lab staff, for that matter, looked like strangers in what they had jokingly referred to as “Imperial costume.”
“Better check a mirror,” she suggested, pointing to the front of the tunic. He groaned when he realized, to the delight of those nearest him, that he’d fastened the entire row of buttons one buttonhole off from the proper order. Several of the others in the group, no more accustomed to the buttons and hooks found on formal attire than Kel, hastily checked their own appearances.
“Hey, don’t worry, Kel,” one of them offered. “We’ll make them all wait until you figure it out.” The room burst into good-natured kidding at Kel’s expense. None of them knew what had transpired at her meeting earlier with the Emperor, of course, but Adela felt good at how the mood of everyone in the room had managed to cheer her up. In spite of herself, she joined in the laughter; and enjoyed it.
“Dr. Montgarde?”
Adela turned to find a stranger, hands clasped casually in front of him. While smartly dressed in a modest business suit, something in his manner made it obvious that he was someone’s servant.
“Yes? Can I help you?”
He nodded politely. “My name is Poser, attendant to House Valtane. Mistress Rihana Valtane wishes to call on you.”
The light bantering in the room faded instantly at the mention of the name.
“I’m afraid now would not be a convenient—”
“She wishes to call on you alone,” he went on, flashing his best plastic smile. “I have taken the liberty of arranging an audience for you in your private office.”
“In my… I see.”
The man waited patiently, the smile not wavering. He seemed determined not to budge; but then, knowing Javas’ former wife, the man probably feared for his life if he did.
“All right.” Adela turned and addressed her lab staff. “Kel, you and the others are dismissed for now. I’ll meet you all later at the auditorium.” Her visitor waited in silence as the others bid Adela good-bye and filed out of the room, whispering among themselves.
“Well?” she asked once the last of the group had left.
His smile widened, if that was possible, and he stood aside as she walked past him down the hall, then fell quickly into step behind her.
There was a reception desk and terminal station outside her office, and Adela’s secretary was on his feet as soon as he saw her approaching.
“I’m sorry, Doctor,” he blurted, “but she insisted on waiting in—”
Adela cut him off with an understanding smile and a shake of her head. “It’s all right, Stase,” she said. “Why don’t you take a break.”
He nodded eagerly, anxious to get away from what looked like a confrontation, then snapped off the terminal before making a hasty disappearance down the hall.
Poser rapped sharply on the door and another attendant opened it from inside. “Dr. Montgarde is here,” he said once the door had slid completely aside.
He motioned for Adela to follow him and took position next to the open door, announcing her formally as she entered. “Dr. Adela de Montgarde—Mistress Rihana of House Valtane.”
As angry as Adela was over her visitor’s insistence that she stop what she was doing to grant her an “audience,” she could not help but be awed by what she saw. Rihana was even more striking than Adela had remembered when she’d first met the woman at the Emperor’s table—and Prince Javas’ side—on Corinth years earlier. She wore a clinging gown of cobalt blue that shimmered and sparkled with even the tiniest movement. A torque of sapphire, seemingly carved from a single gemstone, and the matching blue stones at her wrists and ears formed a perfect contrast to the copper hair that was pulled to the side and fastened in such a manner as to sweep in a fiery mass across one shoulder.
Adela bowed, automatically respectful. “Princess Rihana—”
An icy stare cut Adela off before she could finish. “Dr. Montgarde, as I’m sure you are aware, the title of ‘Princess’ is, well, no longer accurate. ‘Mistress’ will do fine.”
Adela felt an angry heat rise within her, but forced it down and bowed her head slightly once more. “As you wish, Mistress. What can I do—”
“Thank you Poser, Dennie,” she snapped, interrupting Adela again. “That will be all for now.”
The two nodded curtly, then left, thumbing the door closed from outside. Adela heard a faint click and realized one of Rihana’s attendants had taken the liberty of putting the door into private mode.
“What brings you here, Mistress?” Adela asked, keeping her voice as friendly as possible. “I wasn’t even aware that you were on the Moon.”
Rihana looked thoughtful a moment, then said, “May I be seated?” She indicated a sofa at the far side of the room adjacent to Adela’s desk and, not waiting for an answer, approached it.
Adela followed, inwardly impressed at how the woman’s gown shimmered as she walked, and wondered for a moment just how much the outfit must have cost. She sat in a chair opposite her guest, folding her arms in front of her.
“As I asked before, what brings you here?”
Rihana picked up a small figurine from the desk, carved from a piece of Grisian rockwood, and examined it, turning it over in her delicate hands as she spoke. “I think we have something to offer one another,” she began without preamble. “My House would be interested in offering—for a price, of course—full cooperation toward achieving your, ah, goal.” She raised a knowing eyebrow and allowed the sound of a smile to lace her words. “House Valtane has considerable influence on a number of the frontier worlds; influence that may be needed to bring your project to fruition.” She set the figurine on top of a stack of reports on the desk and made no move to right it when it toppled over.
“And what of the frontier worlds?” Adela shot back, making little attempt now to hide the rising wave of contempt she felt for her uninvited guest. “Do you see a problem there, Mistress?”
Rihana’s eyes flashed, her composure slipping for a brief instant before she resumed. “Let’s be honest with one another, shall we? Without the full support of every planet of the Hundred Worlds, you can’t hope to achieve a successful end to this project. My House has influence that… might be put at your disposal.”
“I see.” Adela raised an eyebrow of her own. “You admit now that my ideas have merit?”
The erstwhile Princess nodded almost imperceptibly in the realization that she was dealing with a strong adversary here. “Let me say this: My people have researched your theories and have found them to be valid. Technically valid, that is.” She leaned back in the sofa and crossed long legs. Adela noted that the gown was slit up one side and showed the woman’s assets to good advantage. “Personally, however, I still feel the endeavor to be a foolish dream of a foolish man trying to make a last, memorable impression on his subjects. But, no matter; I see a great profit in this for my House. And what is so dreadfully wrong in that?”