But you are already dead!

"But you are already dead!"   "I am a Nek-Mo-Ti of the Temple of Chalant , the temple of Solemn Resolve, a leading temple! I died long before I came to your forsaken planet. When night comes, it asks to borrow our shade and quiet, offering peace in return. I am already dead, but I don't care. You think such a trifle would stop me?"   ...   "So that's what got you so shaken, Amarat. No wonder, who was that strange alien?"   "He is of a different order than the others, they say they are Antoo , he says he is Ti, it is important somehow, he certainly seems to think it’s a dignity he has attained, something he must be worthy of.."   "You are right, my hero."   "Meihomei, please stop that."   "No, I won't. You are my hero, it is simple fact."   "I am not your only hero, you shouldn't single me out."   "Your girlfriend minds?"   "My girlfriend, as you tease me so often, is no less a hero than I."   "I take note, Amarat."   "Whoa…"   "What?"   "You've never called me by my first name before."   "No, I haven't, if anything, that's harder to obtain than a Merit of Honour, if you didn't grow up with me as your mother did."   "Why?"   "Because, it means you're one of my peers, and as Meihomei, I certainly don't have many of those."   "I'm not worthy."   "You are worthy, I declare it so, do I need to make it an Edict?"   "Auntie."   "You're being stubborn, I told you to call me Amalthea."   "Auntie…"   "Stop, you're a Kon, you understand the chain of command better than this, that was an Order."   "Am.. Amalthea."   "Amarat Veneer the second, Feyd Veneer, Na-Domei of Garay as the son of the Domei of Garay and the Na-Na-Domei of Didina, Méritant of Honor."   "That.. that's part of my name now?"   "It's the best post nominal letters you can ever have."   "You have better."   "No, I have a better title, a form of address, but my post-nominals are not as good as yours."   "Is Knight of the Mirror not equivalent?"   "Not while I'm in Kagomei, it is In Moniq, certainly."   "So when we visit Mom next, in Rannick, who does she salute first?"   "If she doesn't salute you first she is in contempt of Meihomei, as per title 128. "   "Whoah, heady."   "Amarat, you are on a very short list."   "Who else?"   "I wouldn't test your priority against your mom, or dad or the Kautanissian…"   "That's it? What about the Honor?"   "Valias herself would ask your leave to even speak to me in your presence, you overachiever, and she might bow, not salute.   "Bow, to me?"   "There are exactly four living recipients of a Merit of Honor, three are by blows if the Dandelion clan, the other is in front of me."   "What, you know Flora's parentage? Besides, I'm an adopted Dandelion, thanks to Grand Mother Prithyanka."   "Maëlle's made sure I know who I gave a Merit to. Not that being Andei Dandelion and Jima Rolli's daughter is a mark against her, they are exemplary by all accounts."   "Who isn't related?"   "You're a Scion of Beltran, silly. Marhamat is a Dandelion too. Tadros's second cousin twice removed. And yes, my mother adopted your mother but it doesn't seem to count for the Dandelions."   "You're trying not to show favor?"   "I'm trying to show you don't have to be related to either the Dandelions or the Meihos to get that Merit, silly."   "Meiho?"   "Ami Meiho is your fourth cousin, twice removed, Second Fetish and Aumhavar of Mountain Home."   "Oh, priestess ?"   "Priestess so high, vertigo's involved."   "First?"   "First, and Kautanissian says her name sparingly, they apparently are feuding over a girlfriend."   "Not, not Dad?"   "No, he's smart enough to say: 'if you're fighting over me, you're doing it wrong.' Whatever happened, Rei's a hot patootie."   "I know that name, she was medic to Pilder Pathfinders when pilders Pathfinders were led by the Kautanissian."   "Yeah, she's second Pariah, and quite the looker, by my lights."   “Oh, she’s pretty?”   “Classically beautiful, dark curtain of hair so lustrous it’s like obsidian, green eyes that miss nothing, strong, straight nose. Maybe two years younger than myself.”   “Does mom have competition now?”   “Amarat! Even if I would discuss such with you, didn’t I just say that woman already has two lovers? Bit busy, and Meihomei doesn’t like not being the centre of attention.”   “Still getting along with both Mom and Dad?”   “Of course, silly. If anything, we’re getting along like never before.” She was blushing.   “Oh, that’s promising, is that why Mom asked to borrow Veneer House?”   “Err, how did you guess?”   “Amalthea, I’m a young man, with a girlfriend, when someone asks for the whole mansion, no questions asked, it takes very little imagination to come up with a reason.”   “Err…” Meihomei tried to get angry at him, she couldn’t… She wished she had borrowed someone ELSE’s mansion for her secret meetings with his mom and dad, really, especially since they were covered under the illusion of a threesome. Only, who could she have asked? Both his parents’s demesnes were heavily watched and restricted, in heavily populated areas, she reminded herself.   “You thought of asking the circle for a part of Mountain Home, instead?”   “What?”   “Amalthea, you are Meihomei, they wouldn’t say no.”   “I’m trying to keep the number of people who know to a minimum.”   “Oh, so the place having its own lifeguards is a negative, not a plus, to you?”   “Uh, yes.”   “Even if those lifeguards are a lot more used to discretion for.. this kind of thing?”   “Amarat!”   “What, you didn’t say no, when I speculated as to the nature of your visit in my HOUSE, my very own estate and you’re going to say it’s not my business?”   Amalthea had seldom underestimated people, and thankfully, she tended to underestimate her friends more often than her enemies, she had seldom felt so reassured by this as just right now. Her cousin’s son, inflamed, in dress uniform, was a little intimidating, he was short, but the training regimen all FlyForce officers followed was evident in the shape of his body, she doubted there was more than five pounds of him that could be called fat. That she had been raising him up, for morale and propaganda reasons, and that he was using it against her stung, but he was doing so in private.   “Amalthea, I asked you a question?”   “I’m trying not to discuss my.. Tryst, my threesome, with your mother and father, with you…”   “Ugh, do spare me the details, but that’s precisely why I am upset, Amalthea, while this is not the kind of things I’m keen on discussing, I’m a bit frustrated that you managed to get my mom to twist my arm, and let you three waltz around the place.”   “I’m… sorry…”   Amarat just froze. Maelle… had apologized to him, now Meihomei! What was going on? Those women he was used to seeing in positions of authority were not infallible, it seemed. It was heady, they apologized to him… wait, Flora had sincerely apologized to him too, for the first time, dang, it was unsettling.   “Amalthea, as thrilled as I am that you can, since I know you’d rather not do anything you need to apologize for, and I also know the number of people you respect enough to apologize to is vanishingly small, but still, there must be some property of the crown you can retreat to, instead of my sole holding.”   “Most of my bolt-holes are known to… Wait, the regency council isn’t so hostile anymore.”   “No, it isn’t. And by all accounts, you get along with Lavali, and Aumhivina Kautanissian de Byzance is not your enemy.”   “No, she is a friend.” It had been a long time since she’d been able to say that, but she had made a friend who wasn’t a lover, or family. She’d have not let herself admit this to someone who wasn’t family, either, but Amarat WAS family. In a very simple way that was bound to become much more complex, He wasn’t Shen’s second cousin, but his half-brother, for instance.   “How does it work, for a child to hold his parent’s seat on the council?”   “Basically, the parent asks the council to recognize his heir as his representative.”   “So you could be represented by Shen?”   “I am a special case, but yes, I can ask Shen to represent me as Domei of Megamisama, and cast those votes independently of me, as Meihomei.”   “Oh, you can’t ask him to represent you as Meihomei?”   “He’s not my heir as Meihomei, he cannot. Imrahvar Venatori ’s father, Shrakant Venatori, saw to that.”   “Oh, so you inherited, but he can’t?”   “What’s inherited is being the candidate to Meihomei, but the regency council can accept or refuse. They accepted me, so I became Meihomei. There’s another reason though, Meihomei is exempt from being represented because I must defend my own actions to the regency council, they exist as a counterweight to my power as the ruler. I cannot delegate answering to the council without delegating the power of ruling.”   “Oh, so sending him to the council would be abdicating?”   “There’s legal forms to be followed, but that’s the only way he could represent me.”   “What if you were absent, or sick?”   “If he assumes the throne temporarily, he assumes the regency council seat, also temporarily, like all the others…”   “Shouldn’t I stand in for mom then?”   “Hmm, she has planned her absences between sessions of the council to minimize the need for that. You would be summoned if she had to stay away longer…”   “And for Dad?”   “What? Oh… You are not your father’s eldest child, dear.”   “Could… I meet them?”   “Yes, at your father’s wedding if not before.”   “He’s getting married again?”   “He’s completing his circle.’   “So, how many wives does it make?”   “Sixteen acknowledged.”   “Acknowledged means he might have a secret wife or two on top?”   “Err, just not discounting the possibility.”   “Amalthea, you shouldn’t take me for a child, I am of age, I know of one other child of my father is his, even if he’s never claimed him. But I know the rules just as well as anyone. He won’t even be a candidate unless both parents are known, and secretly or not, were married at any time from two years before his birth, to up to two years after. He’s three years old, so whatever marriage happened, it had to have happened already.”   “Your father is my secret husband, you spymaster trainee. And yes, Shen is your half-brother, with my secret husband.”   “Is that why you borrowed my place? A tryst with two of his wives, one my mother, the other, my cousin?”   “Err, no… Just making sure we weren’t caught. My orange orchard in Kimagure should do for any further… activities.”   “Thank you Amalthea, I serve the crown in armed service, I’d like my house to remain my own.”   “You are within your rights, and I will keep that in mind. Planning trysts of your own?” She asked impishly.   “What? Err no, well I wouldn’t mind, but… maybe I better propose first.”   “You’re not fooling anyone Amarat, I know you proposed. I don’t know how she answered.”   “Don’t punish your spies just yet, I don’t know either, since she hasn’t answered…”   “Oh, she’s still thinking about it? How are you holding up?”   “I have to hold up, I am… I am ready.”   “Ready for what?”   “Ready for her to be the most important thing in my life.”   “Listen to you, you romantic, you should tell her that, not me.”   “Err, would you mind if I went and saw her about that, like, right now?”   “Amarat, you’re my hero, go be brave!” She chuckled.   ...Veneer House, that evening   “I’m home, Nellun, have any of you seen her?”   Mumble mumble from another room.   Amarat knew the drills, the conflicting drills from his many roles, his titles, so he had asked Tadros Dandelion for training, trying to organize the threats by likelihood, and done a full risk assessment of his life. The invaders trying to kidnap nobles was not new, his being considered a high Ranking noble, or a flag officer, was. That had changed several risk assessments. He was much more well known, the Merit, hanging from his bedroom, reminded him every day that he was no longer discreet. He reached for his lightning wand, standard sidearm for a priest, and stealthily peered out of every door and window in the small antechamber to his house. That’s how he had defended himself from the Nek-Mo-Ti who had taken umbrage at his fame. He had seen the threat coming, and faced it head on.   “Amarat!”   “Flora? You ok?” They kissed.   “Yeah, me and Nellun were preparing tcha, and didn’t hear you come in. What’s with the wand?”   “I got a visitor yesterday, said he wasn’t from around here.”   “Oh. By the elements know me as they know me, know me for who I am.” Casting one of the simplest priestly spells, she 'showed the brands on her soul', her body was shone through with golden and silver light, like translucent liquid mercury charged with lightning.   “I am merely your servant, Near-highest.”   “And so you know what few others do.”   “Where to begin? Oh, perhaps by saying Meihomei’s son is your half-brother.”   “What?”   “Nellun, that one isn’t exactly for mixed company…”   “Apologies Milord, I thought you would have told your future wife!”   “I was waiting until she accepted, to tell her this particular one. And, for the record, she has to accept to be my future wife, which she hasn’t done. She hasn’t refused either, if you’re wondering, Nellun, but she has yet to make her wishes known, in this matter.”   “So I take it if I don’t agree to marry you, I know too much to live?”   “Shen’s parentage is not widely known, but it is a secret marriage, known to a few, and not to be told to everyone, that’s all.”   “I’m so glad I don’t have to die. Would put a damper on things…” She said with her usual brand of sarcasm.   “I was talking to Meihomei…”   “Oh, an important topic I bet?”   “Well we talked about many things, like family.”   “Family?”   “Mom is her second closest living relative, and I’m number three.”   “After your aforementioned half-brother, makes sense.”   “Yeah, speaking of which, lil sprout is going to be a terror when he grows up.”   “Oh?”   “That voice, he’s got lungs that go on forever, natural Kon.”   She giggled.   “Then we segued on my visitor…”   “He’s still safely in prison?”   “No, he escaped. Sliced through reality on the wall of his cell, and walked out.”   “Oh.”   “Then we talked about Mom borrowing this house, and not telling me why.”   “You talked about it with Meihomei because?”   “Because Meihomei and Dad visited Mom.”   “Err, visited?”   “As you would normally visit a priestess when you’re her lover and bringing your husband along.”   “I didn’t need to think about that!”   “Me either, Meihomei promised not to do it again.”   “What? You… stood up to Meihomei, and said ‘don’t borrow my bachelor pad!’?”   “Kinda.”   “Oh, no wonder she says you’re her hero, you’re even making her learn boundaries.” She purred.   “Hey, but that wasn’t what was interesting.”   “No, what was?’   Nellun’s regular shift was ending in twenty minutes, but he was sure whatever was going to happen next, he didn’t need to see.   “While I was talking to Meihomei, I realized something important.”   “Hmm, like what?”   “I realized that no matter what else happened in my life, I had discovered the most important part of it.”   “Oh, and what’s that?”   “You.”   “Hey, no putting pressure on us getting married, not fair?”   “Not actually related.”   “What? How do you figure?”   “I figured you were the most important thing in my life, and wanted you in it, I asked you to marry me. My part was done. If you feel the same, you can marry me back. Or not. That’s your part.”   “So you’re just making sure I don’t forget you’ve done your part?”   “No, I just wanted to remind you I was talking to Meihomei about Shen, and family things, and the regency council, and I still got reminded of how important YOU were.”   “Hmm, you just happened to mention me in conversation?”   “Meihomei was subtly trying to ask me if you had answered my proposal.”   “Oh, which I haven’t.”   “And I so answered Meihomei.”   “Thank you, there’s something related we do have to talk about though.”   “Na-Willow Avalline d'Ankeryn ne, and Na-Siff Syrtis de Brocéliande.”   “What’s there to talk about? They’re betrothed already.”   “We could decide we want them back, we could start a complicated polyamorous relationship, we could break up and become their lovers, we could just have a huge fight that highlights that we don’t trust each other, and ended up breaking up…”   “I trust you, Amarat. Except I never asked you if you had honoured her…”   “I did, I told you, as part of a circle ritual, I needed a woman I was personally familiar with, so it couldn’t be someone from the squadron.”   “And I don’t count?”   “I’d have done the spell with you, if you had been available, we just had time constraints that made you unavailable. The circle told me they’d attest to it.”   “This is our life, not a tribunal, Amarat.”   “My life depends on you trusting me, my life depends on when someone on the circle saying I must do this, to save lives, or obey Meihomei and the Vision and Honor and Loyalty, my life depends on them not saying it was a lie.”   “Oh, you’re not worried about my checking with them, you’re worried I won’t bother, or that I will, and find out you were tricked.”   “I’m worried that you’ll think I did something for one reason, and decide it was another. The details may change. But I want you to trust me, when I say you’re the most important person in my life.”   “And that polyamorous thing? Trying to check if I can be distracted?”   “I’ve read that some Dominates dominate both men and women, choosing to control both sides of a couple. I don’t think it’d be too out of place for you… If you chose.”   “What? You think?”   “I’m sorry, my imagination is running away with me…”   “No, well not completely… I haven’t thought about it, and I got too much on my mind for this, now…”   “Like?”   “Like, being overwhelmed by a Namei who asked me to marry him, ugh, I need my hormones to calm down before I let myself get emotionally involved with anyone on top of him...”   “But?”   “But, i find it flattering, and intriguing, that someone as attuned to power as you, who has practically grown up giving people orders, want mine, and are looking after my interests, asking just what kind of orders I’d like to give, and if I’d give them to just you, or if I’d show off how obedient you can be.”   “Is it getting hot in here?”   “I thought you were a Gallant, Amarat?”   “I am, I saved your life, Flora, I’m ready for my reward.”   “And what is your reward?”   “You become my wife, you get the right to become that, or decide that, forever.”   “So I’m your reward?”   “When you want to be.”   “And I choose your reward?”   “When you’d rather just watch.”   “And what do you get out of this?”   “I am your Gallant t, you’re quite a catch, and I’m investing myself, and of myself, into our relationship, as is proper.”   “So it’s not like Unity ?”   “No, there’s similarities, but it’s not the same. As I understand it, Unity is all about forgetting everyone else, and losing yourself in just one person.”   “And you can’t see yourself doing that for me?”   “I could, but I don’t think Unity is your only interest, and I don’t want to limit myself, in case you want more, or different.”   “You know Unity isn’t my main interest, although it is one of my strongest elements.”   “Yes, and I know you’re a Dominar , I want to learn enough of your creed, enough to be interesting…”   ...Fade to black   “You going to be ok, Amarat?”   “Oww… I will be ok, but it will take me a long time to heal. You are stronger than I gave you credit for.”   “Here, let me get the lotion, it’ll help you recover faster.”   “Recover?”   “Yes, you’ve been a good sport about learning one of my creeds, now I want to learn one of yours.”   “Does… that mean?”   “What?”   “Does it mean you’re considering accepting my proposal?”   “Of marriage? Well, I trust you, and I appreciate you working with me on finding out about you, and your creeds, to help me make my decision. Don’t celebrate yet, but, I am doing this because you’re helping make me more comfortable with the idea.”   “And we’re doing this instead of Duty or one of the others?”   “Because you’re an initiate of Duty and Unity yourself, I shouldn’t need to explain things to you.”   “We still should plan on exploring higher nuances of duty together…”   “Yes, but we have more to learn now about Power, Gallantry, Physicality and Feralness l.”   “There’s nothing to learn about Feral, you just do what comes naturally, if you need to think you’re doing it wrong.”   “Isn’t that a bit empty?”   “Yes, we’re in agreement on that, but it’s also extremely intense and exciting, no distractions, just my flesh on your flesh…”   “Hmm, stop, I’m already blushing…And Gallantry?”   “There’s more calculation, there’s this concept that I’m a desirable match because of my sacrifices, of my standing in the community.”   “Which you have, and to spare.”   “Yes, well, I’m not trying to brag, I’m trying to explain the values.”   “Oh, so standing, and contribution, humility, I presume?”   “Yes, what value I have isn’t just in my head, I’m validated by you, my lover, my mate, my wife, by the beautiful children we would raise or adopt and teach..”   “Like I’m anything like that?”   “As someone with physical as your second element? You’re kidding, I’m winning the Gallantry lotto, people will hate me, make me better myself and work hard, just so they don’t say I don’t deserve you. I am marrying up, but I won’t let them say I’m lucky you’re even talking to me.”   “The gallantry lotto?”   “Each of the masculine elements has affinities to the others, Gallant is to Duty, Unity, Physical and Fetish. Feral is to Power, Forbidden, Lucre and Serendipity.”   “Gallant likes earth more?”   “There’s inherent interest in stability, you’re right, just like Feral has a thing for fire, and a bit of what have you done for me lately?’”   “Aren’t both elements fairly strong in you?”   “Yes, and resolving conflicts between the two is important, but I am strong in duty and unity too, which are gallant-first elements as well, my conflicts are easily resolved.”   “And those elements are my strongest, so I guess that’d help?”   “That’s not covered by creed, but sharing elements does make living together less conflicting, usually, regardless of which elements.”   “Hmm, did I ever formally get invited to live here?”   “No, not until you got proposed to, to become the lady of the manor, the Mistress of everything in this house.”   “I thought you were the liege lord?”   “I am the Feyd Veneer, my wife, if she is high enough priestess, would be Aumhava, and woe to anyone who disobeys her..”   “I’m nowhere near Aumhava.”   “You’re so young, give yourself time.”   “Who’s Aumhava in the meantime?”   “My mom, when she visits, when not, I hold Aumhava in trust from Aumhava Nyakki Veyron , Aumhava Simular-Veneer.”   “Has she ever invited you over?”   “No, why?”   “I just hear she has the most ridiculous parties.”   “I hear she does, Mom and Meihomei do visit them.”   “But not you?”   “I’d be fairly low on that totem pole, as just a Feyd, and when I still was a Bameimeito, I didn’t know myself enough, I wouldn’t have dared.”   “But you knew yourself enough today?”   “I’ve got a way to go… But I don’t feel like I got in over my head like I would feel at a party, with everyone seeing. I also feel safer going, if I'm going with you.”   “I may take you along, if I ever get invited.”   “You are Mistress, I will do as you bid.’   “What, even show you off, naked, to a crowd of people?”   “Yes…” He was blushing.   “What if I punish you in public?”   “I hope I never give you reason to, Mistress.”   “But you know it’s in my power to do?”   “I know, if anything, I’m afraid that it’s a lot more welcoming, because you’d be the one doing it…”   “Oh, you’d do it, but only for me?”   “Yes”   “Such a good boy.” She tousled his hair.   “We’ve explored power, gallantry and feral, what’s next?”   “Hmm, Physical, I think you’ll like that part…”   “What? Why would I like it especially, since you’re so beautiful?”   “Hmm, look who’s talking…”   “Oh, you mean…”   “I plan to appreciate a particularly fine specimen of a man, certainly. And I’d really hate if he thought I wasn’t doing justice to how vigorous he’s been and how handsome he is…”   “So it’s not, sorry for interrupting, but we are learning about each other’s elements, not just about being physically perfect?”   “No, someone of physical appreciates beauty in physical form, from sculpture and dance and song, not the lyrics, mind, but the voice.   “So who likes poetry?”   “Fetish likes poetry.and lyrics, the division is pretty easy, if you need to think about it, it probably isn’t physical.”   “A bit like Feral?”   “You’re asking me? You just told me about this.”   “I mean, do you see the resemblance, in what I’ve shown you?”   “Oh, yeah, somewhat. Physical is very first degree, kinda like feral.”   “And fetish is more like gallant, second degree and subtlety?”   “I saw a second degree, I don’t see Gallant as particularly subtle though.”   “What?”   “Quid pro quo? How is that subtle.”   “There’s more to it than that, although, it’s a good first approximation.”   “What do you mean?”   “I mean, many Gallants never get involved beyond returning a favour for a favour, but it’s not limited to that.”   “Name me one thing you’re sure I’d think was a different element, but is actually Gallant.”   “Uniformed service. We can’t claim exclusivity, but the exceptions, the gallants not in uniform, are usually higher-level priests and judges, which themselves have a dress code or wear uniforms, they’re just not military service..”   “But..?”   “But Fetish? Fetish likes uniforms, true, but it doesn’t define them, they change uniforms any time they want, for instance.”   “How do you know that?”   “I don’t know that… I’m told that, by Gallant’s creed, it’s apparently a common enough question it comes up in basic. If you have first hand knowledge, please share.”   “I don’t, and I trust anything public like basic would be vetted by the elements anyways.”   “So it’s probably true?”   “It’s probably true, in broad strokes at minimum, there might be an exception or special case though.”   “Like Fetish and Gallant sharing people who like sports fans, for instance.”   “Sports fans?”   “Uniforms, working for someone else, for a purpose, putting on a show. Directly on a line between the two.”   “I see you’ve given this some thought. Any other obvious “shaded areas?”   “There’s overlap with Duty, as I don’t need to tell you. Doing things for others, sacrificing yourself for others.”   “Yeah, that one’s in Duty’s basic, the difference is that Gallant does it expecting the reward, it counts as Duty only if they’d do it anyways, even if they knew they wouldn’t get the reward.”   “Have you noticed your power levels, lately?”   “No, well maybe a bit higher, I just figured I was finally growing…”   “Yeah, except you’ve been growing steadily every day since we blew up Revenge. Most adolescent growth is in fits and spurts, with drops along the way. Yours is almost exponential.”   “What? Any theories?”   “Revenge was like a high ceremony for Duty, Gallant, Unity and Power.”   “I get two, but not four.”   “Unity, because I was happy, I hadn’t lived with you, but I was going to die with you, and for you. I had made my peace. Power? You were focusing your team, leading us towards an important goal, snapping orders. And, quite possibly, since we both thought it would be fatal, boosting all that to a degree.”   “And yours?”   “I’m not losing ground, not gaining either.”   “But… you said I had exponential growth?”   “I apparently have about the same.”   “Feral didn’t object?”   “Protect the mate, protect the offspring, that’s Feral’s first rule.”   “So, I’m your mate?”   “I’ve proposed, I’m your mate unless and until you say different. By Gallant’s rules, by Feral’s, you’re my mate ever since...”   “Oh, so only the physical matters?”   “Feral isn’t for abstracts. What about physical?”   “Well, we were physically going to have to put ourselves between Revenge and NDF, just to aim the spell, putting your body before an attacker is a very physical thing to do, it’s one of the reasons many who are in physical are very tall and strong. Like the Aumhivina.”   “And the Hunarch?”   “The Hunarch?”   “Sorry, you’ve never met Hunarch Xiang Xi of Moniq.”   “I presume you mean the new one, I only remember hearing about her predecessor, her father, if I remember correctly.”   “Yes, that’s her, first circle’s highest physical, on par with the Aumhivina by some accounts, two fingers shorter than I am, built like a dancer or swimmer, which she is, an endurance swimmer to be specific.”   “I thought the Aumhivina was First Duty?”   “She’s stronger in physical and fetish than Duty, but stronger in Duty than anyone else. The Hunarch explained that once. She’d be first Physical, by a hair.”   “Oh, you’ve actually met?”   “My mom has been the head ambassador of Kagomei since I was old enough to follow her abroad.”   “Oh, she wouldn’t leave you with a Nanny?”   “I don’t think that’s it. I think once I was no longer quite so in need of permanent attention, she wanted something to do.”   “Oh your mom’s a Duty?”   “No, at least, she said her first was Advantage , remember?”   “I thought she was joking.”   “It’s personal enough, I doubt she’d have joked, I’m surprised she didn’t just say ‘none of your business’ though.”   “Maybe it’s ok that I know personal stuff, because… I’m personally involved with you?”   “I get the ‘you’re almost family’ angle, I just didn’t think she saw you like that yet.”   “Maybe she felt it was a test, if I blab about it, I’ll show my hand?”   “It’s a bit juicy though, Advantage, for a noble, isn’t the best element.”   “It’s the natural one though, isn’t it?”   “It’s something a noble is supposed to rise above, kinda, I get it. But your first element, especially, is hard to rise above. Ferals being a case in point, most of them are just thugs and brutes.”   “And the ones that aren’t are the dangerous ones…”   “What?”   “I can imagine the smarter type of Feral is crafty enough not to be spotted, and preying on vulnerable people, who have no recourse, likely mundanes.”   “How would they get power?”   “A harem of mundanes would work as well or better than a single woman who knows her worth and is willing to fight for it.”   “I’ve heard stories..”   “About?”   “A Feral-Fetish romance, an unequal pairing, but unequal the other way.”   “Oh, she’s first-tier?”   “And he’s second, he’s her cousin’s best friend, but a troubled soul, she caught him, enspelled him so he can’t use the more obvious tricks, then released him, and kept him as a boy toy for a time.”   “For a time?”   “The rumours say he’s graduated to living with her.”   “What? So he’s earned her trust?”   “Apparently, and apparently, they shared a girl of her circle, at one point, who left them, for another girl.”   “I’ve heard that story.”   “What? When?”   “Last family Meiho-Dandelion all hands fete. From the girl’s perspective.”   “Oh? Would I know her?”   “By title, you’d know all the women, and I think he’s replacement third centre for the first circle himself.”   “And they are?”   “The Fetish is Aumhavar of Mountain Home, Second Fetish, pride of the Meihos. The girl they shared is part of the family Matsumoto, a Forbidden, who left them to be with the Kautanissian, they visited NDF together at least once.”   “And the man?”   “Pilder OF-01, serving under Kautanissian in her squad.”   “So, he’s been on NDF too.”   “He carried Kautanissian’s Goshawk Flag on board. Whatever they are, they weren’t fighting then.”   “Yeah, it’s incredibly easy for someone carrying your flag to get the mast officer to put it upside down, cursing you to misfortune.”   “It would be, if flags didn’t come with a red line indicating ‘down’.”   “I’m sure it’s still happened. Flag officers are kinda superstitious though, so they just hand their flags only to someone they trust.”   “Don’t they prefer handing it to another OF?”   “No, if anything, it’s usually a Kon presenting a flag. When an OF does it, there’s usually a story.”   “Like the flag officer being an ex-Kon herself?”   “Oh?”   “Goshawk de Byzance went up through the non-com ranks, reached Whoopi of the Simular second life guards, 2nddiv med, 2nddiv chap. She got involved as a pathfinder almost by accident, the circle was casting spells on each other, experimenting.”   “Oh, and then?”   “And then, you have a pathfinder unit for Pilders, composed of ex-Kon, one Kon, one ex-OF and a private.”   “Ok.”   “But the ex-OF was a OF-02, he can’t claim tactical command on a Whoopi.”   “Ok, I’m following.”   “Then what?”   “Once pathfinder status was complete, someone checked the regs, and discovered circle members are OF-06 to OF-08, depending on circle, element and responsibilities. First Duty Kautanissian was recognized as OF-08 retroactively, with back pay…”   “They even added back pay?”   “She gave it to charity, but I suspect they were trying to prevent her for suing them in a military tribunal, for forcefully underranking her.”   “What?”   “Think about it, OF-08…”   “Oh, Goshawk?”   “Taimine/Goshawk/Starling. Whichever applies to which branch she’s applying her superlative command talents to.”   “She’s high enough, she’d considered an advocate herself, if a tribunal is needed.”   “What?”   “I’m not saying she’d have done it, but a Starling could do a summary field judgement on a Whoopi under her command. That she’d be underranked that many levels looks especially bad.”   “That command must have been a yarn ball.”   “Rembrandt didn’t get involved. As an ex-Whoopi, and current first circle priestess, and the one who got the circle to cast the spells on them that let them fly, the others knew better than to argue.”   “So, the chain of command was her, then?”   “Then the other Kon, who happens to be your new boss, Mariwolfe Tannenbaum. Then the OF-02 then the private.”   “And which one carried her flag again?”   “The private. He chose command track for his half-stripes, and made OF-01 in months.”   “Funny, I’d have expected rumors to have exfiltrated out now, from … wait, Mountain Home?”   “Yeah, he can’t exactly be discreet there, whatever he’s doing, has to be above board. But to go back to your question, Kautanissian could have just about anyone carrying her flag, but I think this one is a very simple: ‘she hadn’t hired any non-coms for her new command yet, and her old one stayed with the pathfinder unit in Megamisama’”   “Oh, but now she’s here?.”   “We are based at Megamisama, silly, and she’s dock boss for the fleet, to boot.”   “Oh, she?”   “Remember she couldn’t get her medals, because she was minding the ships?”   “Oh, yeah. Funny, I’ve just met her maybe twice, but she’s the one who took our findings, and put them together, so we’re on the same medal, like we served as a unit or task force.”   “Research task force Ansible, I checked.”   “We were part of it?”   “Yeah, you can just check your records.”   “I’ve never tried, I’m not sure I know how.”   “You got a Jade Bank here?”   “It’s the squad desk, of course we do. Here…”   Tappity-tap.   “Enter your login, you shouldn’t see my notes on your file.”   “Hmph, we better not open your file, then, cuz you can’t see my notes on your file either.”   “What? You don’t think I’m the best thing since sliced bread?”   “Even if that was the case, one of us would still get in trouble, too good an evaluation might make you complacent. And that’s with us being in separate commands, if you had tried to access my notes on your file a month ago, we’d have a security detail here in moments.”   “Ok, ok, sheesh, I was kidding.”   “Anyways, here, I’m logged in.”   “Looking at your own file is always so spare, the details are always hidden from you.”   “What, I got a pending half-stripe?”   “Four, if they close the investigation on Revenge.”   “Four?”   “You had four seperate crew members say they didn’t feel safe their chaplain making comments about my legs, my behind or my breasts, telepathically.”   He covered his face with his hand.   “Research Task Force Ansible, what’s this pending notation…”   “Staffing Task Force Anastasia, you’re to join Ornate Dagger Bandolier Mariwolfe Tannenbaum, Nessun Maelle Comma, Eagle Ria Baker and Shrike Flora Rolli evaluate and confirm or infirm this list of 201 crew, including select a Wingling from the shortlist.”   “Damn, you can vote now, right?”   “Yeah, my birtharndate was in Dodeciem.”   “And we’re Unciem second, I missed it, I suck as a girlfriend. I didn’t get you anything.”   “You kidding? I had the best present ever…”   “What? I know I didn’t get you anything…”   “But, the day of my birthday, someone became my girlfriend… I’m not going to hold it against you that you didn’t do anything in advance… It’s not like you could know…”   “What? So our anniversary will be on your birtharndate?”   “Yeah, is that a problem?”   “Hmm, well, I suspect you’ll get a bigger present than I will, but I still expect you to honor our anniversary.”   “I hope I won’t suck too badly, and I hope if I do, that you’ll forgive me.”   “What, we haven’t even had one birthday yet!”   “But I’ve been trained from a young age to be a highly egoistic, self-centred jerk. I’d be pleasantly surprised if I didn’t disappoint you along the way.”   “What, so you’re going, ‘it’ll happen, deal with it’?”   “No, I’m going ‘it’ll happen, I suck, please don’t leave me.’”   “What happens if I expect you to work at it?”   “That went without saying.”   “Since when do you work at things and fail? You’re not like that at work…”   “Uh?”   “Look at those evals… All greens and blues. Not a single yellow area of concern, and not just from me, either. You got an Eagle saying you’re doing a fine job.”   “An Eagle?”   She clicked the touch screen.   Summary evaluation, confidential, personnel jacket, for attribution. Decorated Dagger Veneer is resourceful and competent, a credit to Fly Force, his main skill seems to be reassuring his troops, who show initiative and resolve in front of incredible odds, when his Squadron Officer says Jump, D-D Veneer says ‘how high?’, but he’s already jumping with the crew, he’s just managing expectations, making sure everyone is on the same page. Considering how incredibly young and connected he his, his upside in Fly Force is considerable, I expect to salute him as Telbun if he stays a non-com, or to welcome him in the Eagle’s Aerie as an equal, if he chooses command track. Unless of course he leaves the service, putting his considerable talents to use, for instance as a priest to use by joining a Circle. Nessun Comma was the one who inducted him into Fly Force, and she remains his toughest evaluator a year in, but then, her idea of a standard is Elite to everyone else. She remains the beacon we aim to follow, but we choose to tamper her standards because we don’t have the numbers the Navy has. In this case however, we didn’t lower the Bar for him, we just assumed that while he wasn’t quite as good as Officer Rolli, he’d be plenty good Our assumptions were shown conservative, and fourteen different evaluators later, D-D Veneer’s B+ is trending to an A to Officer Rolli’s A+. A few evaluators say they work even better together, which is unlikely to continue to happen, as they’re now assigned to separate divisions, and regulations prevent a Kon from picking a prior commanding officer to be his OF supervisor.   “Oh, so you can’t pick me for that job?”   “Besides the fact that you’re not short listed, no? Besides that we’d run a title 64, maybe a 65 now? Oh Elements No!”   “You are picking my commanding officer though.”   “You’re DCAW SDF?”   She pointed to the pip on her panels. This here says exactly that…   “I’m only picking the leftovers, which means the other DivChaps couldn’t agree, and I’m tie breaker.”   “I’m invited to the task force?”   “Yeah, you’re pathfinder OF to the Cormorants, so picking up a second squad of the birds is something that falls naturally to you, among others. Plus you’re so new, you weren’t invited to the Task Forces for the other divisions, so it makes more sense to invite you than the other OFs of your rank.”   “Who’s chairing?”   “Nessun Maelle Comma.”   “Who’s the secretary?”   “Obviously, the lowest OF in the Task Force.”   “Which is likely to be me.”   “I wouldn’t bet on that, I’m filling out SDF, and some of the escorts,, bound to be someone below a Shrike.”   ..The next day   “Belay task forces Anastasia, Enterprise, Beach and Fuego. We have a priority tasking, all pathfinder, colors and flag officers are required for a diplomatic mission, any currently constituted squads with current or past Rannick Treaty Flight permission for Rannick Air Space are to remain aboard, any missing such authority will be reviewed by Eagle Baker, and possibly be left at base. Escorts Shannter, PIiquard and Troia, Illusive, Sheppard, Teasoni and Zeehorah, and their escorts will form up on Northern Diagonal Flare for immediate, that is expedited, deployment to Rannick, where we will be joined by Meihomei’s Own in full ceremonial drill. All attention must be paid, all courtesies must be extended, we will be visited by ambassadors from both Rannick and Moniq, for a short while, before they relocate to Kagomei.”   ..Later   [In Dawn Moniqan]   1st Moniq Lifeguards, Hunarch’s Keshik, attending!   [In Modern Moniqan but from someone with a thick Kagomine accent]   We see, and salute! Welcome treaty friends, what brings you to the decks of the ship named for the brightest northern stars in the sky?   [Switching to Kagomine]   “We come bearing gifts, and missives, and with a guest.”   “Guests of our treaty friends are our guests.”   “We hope so, a treaty signatory should certainly not be your enemy, Kagomine.”   “Signatory? The Hunarch herself, may she ride like the wind and collect the skulls of her enemies?”   A chuckle: “I see you’ve practiced, yes, that is a respectful form of address for our ruler. And yes, she comes herself, The Hunarch, flattener of enemies.”   “Who rules this ship? I would have words!”   “One moment, highest, she is below.”   “She?”   “We should take you below, with honor and your permission, highest, as her and her advisors are minding the ship.”   “Proceed.”   The pipes skirled, the lifeguard detachments mixed with the ship’s color squad of military police, and they climbed below, colored uniforms alternating with white ones, with the livery of royalty on display, almost at the end.   “Who are these?” Seeing that the officers from the ship were saluting Flora and Amarat, then Maelle.   “I am Nessun Maelle Comma, I rule this ship by Edict of Meihomei.”   “I know this mark, this Merit of Honour, these are heroes.”   “They are, you rightfully point them out, they’ve saved this very ship, and many civilians with their quick thinking.”   “And they are not above you?”   “Not… yet… I don’t plan on making it easy for them, either. But given how ridiculously young they are, I may just be lucky, and hand them the ship as I retire.”   “Lucky you say?”   “They are eight and tenth in command, on this ship, at present.”   “Ninth and Eleventh, fetch my Flag-carrier!”   “But, Highest?”   “Here I am Hunarch, but I am also a priestess, accorded respect as Excelsior , which carries rank OF-08, I know your rules.”   “I wasn’t aware of that, Highest, do you prefer to be addressed by your military rank then?”   “If I stay that long here, I will be addressed as one of you, I am no alien, I married Earlmage Dan Ma, I am Kagomine by marriage.”   “These others will want to be known to you then, this is Eagle Ria Baker , OF-09 . By following our rules, you agree to obey her orders.”   Hunarch Xiang Xhi saluted, then asked: “You have more than one OF-09, aboard one ship?”   “NDF is our largest vessel yet, two OF-09s, and three OF-08s rule her roost.”   “And you address her as she?”   “We deem her feminine, highest.”   “How do you determine that?”   “If the crew does not disagree, a ship is randomly assigned a gender. This ship is Female, and the crew feel safe in her arms.” The crew saluted the ship herself, silently, in eerie precision.   “But a Northern Diagonal Flare, is that female?”   “We’ve not considered naming matching the gender, and a constellation in a gender-neutral noun in Kagomine.”   “As in it has no gender?”   “Gender is meaningless to something unliving, by our rules.”   “But you have female and male ships?”   “And neutral alive ships, but that gender is different, since we give them names and genders to make them more living.”   “Interesting, Moniq doesn’t have female/male gender at all, dating back to Dawn Moniqan .”   “Thank you, should I continue the introductions?”   “Please, will any of these worthies come with us to Kagomei?”   “Once we are at anchor, we have been ordered to join you, Meihome, Mayor Denton and the Honor on Grand Kagome.”   “I am gratified that you show me the manner of friends.”   “We’ve never seen you offer us anything but, we would be rude not to return. And the more so, since you claim our heritage.”   “I claim it aboard this vessel, not aboard Kagomei, which is named after an enemy of my people. It would send the wrong message, there I will be Hunarch of Moniq.”   “We are honored. This is Maryeehev Dubloon, chief of staff, 1st division, and this is Mariwolfe Tannenbaum, chief of staff, sixth fleet.”   “They are equals?”   “Mariwolfe is senior, but her rank is a land rank, currently, we have not had time to transfer her rank back to a Navy rank, from where she was working on the docks, making this ship and others, seaworthy.”   “So she is senior, but temporarily junior, until she can reclaim her senior rank, which is a technicality?”   “That is correct, and this is Flora Rolli, Shrike, second in command of 3rd division, Meritant of Honor, she is to extend you every courtesy, and show you what manner of the ship’s mores and rules as there is time.”   “You assign a hero to me?”   “I assign the newest flag officer on my bridge to my guests, as is our rule, so that I do not have to reassign everyone, and juggle all the positions. I am gratified that it is someone you seem to respect, but I am following the rules.”   “I am still very honored, you must tell me how you received this mark.”   “I will do what I can, as time permits.   “This is Amarat Veneer Junior, 5th DivChap, 5thDivMed, Meritant of Honor, he is to drill these military personnel in their duties, as they revert to him as of today.”   “Another MoH? And Veneer, I know that name…”   “My Mother, the Gracefully High of Garay sends her regards.”   “I doubt that, since I expect to see her on Kagome, young Namei. I can’t believe I’m running into you again, it’s been some time since my father was interrogating you gently before his wedding ceremony…”   “I am honored that you remember me, highest.”   “You can’t call me that, not here, young hero. What would you call an OF-08?”   “Zim!”   “That will do.”   “Zim, it is my privilege to escort you.”   “Nessun Comma, have you heard from Kagome, are they ready for us?”   “I have, and they are, it seems you are only passing through.”   “They will have to wait… I was promised two stories…”   “Err, they won that medal together, Highest, it is the same story.”   “Who are these?”   “These were our two young hero’s squadron, when they saved this ship, each of these individuals shares some of the prestige of their emm-oh-aitche.”   “Oh, so many?”   “Zims, Amarat should tell the story, he has a nice storytelling voice.” That was Flora.   “Err, gulp!”   “Please, is it permitted for me to sit on this bridge?”   “Yes, you are allowed this corner seat.” She pointed to the foldable stanchion, identical to Nessun Comma's, just to the side. “We shall sit and be regaled with a brief retelling of that story, most of us were here and remember, but our guests and the newest among the crew, have not.”   “It all began on a routine patrol, aboard the Righteous Indignation, providing traffic control all around the ship, off the coast of Veneer. Officer Raunie detected an incoming Consolation-class vessel, later identified from wreckage, as the Revenge.”   Xiang Xhi’s eyes went wide as saucers… “Did you say… wreckage?”   “Err, yes, but I am getting ahead of our story. Revenge appeared, floating down towards the city, raining small interceptors over Veneer, Righteous Indignation vectored in reinforcements, which are still classified. Freedom Soarer which was just coming into position, vectored even more reinforcements. Those reinforcements broke through Revenge’s armor, and dealt telling damage to her engines, which caused her to list, and then start a dive towards this very ship, with the hospital of Eloquent Discourse in the way.”   “Oh no!” Xiang was enthralled by the story.   “Those aboard Righteous Indignation and Freedom Soarer decided that they must stop the ship, while those commanding the air summoned the missiles agreed upon by treaty, the rest of the crew began to cast a spell, to deflect the ship to the car park before the hospital, hoping less lives would be lost.”   “Did it work?”   “It wasn’t needed, the missiles hit, obliterating Revenge, who fell into small pieces on the street, and a little into the car park. Only twelve people were injured, and only one fatally.”   “Wait, you have a weapon that can destroy a consolation? Surely that will be shared with the treaty?”   “I’m not told, Zim, but I myself thought this news would be of interest to the Rannick Treaty Organisation.”   “Ah, yes, but we are only refreshing the treaty here, I wasn’t made aware of major advances like this…”   “It only happened recently, Zim.”   “Yes, Amarat’s decorations and rank insignia still have the wax on them we ship them in.”   Amarat blushed, his life had been such a whirlwind lately, he hadn’t noticed, but made a note to polish them, he didn’t want to land a title 128 in contempt of his own medal.   “Please, Xongghu ?” She gestured to the head of her entourage, a hulking brute of a lifeguard. “Make a note of these individuals, if we do receive weapons which can do what is said, we will be properly thankful. In the meantime, we must go to Meihomei.” All the Kagomine present saluted with such precision, Xiang imagined she felt a light wind buffet.   ..Later   “You had said you knew her, but not that she remembered you…”   “I’m surprised she remembered, I was a little shrimp then.”   “Oh, it was some time ago?”   “I was around half the arnds I am now.”   “And she remembered you, you must have made an impression.”   “Her dad asked some pretty sharp questions.”   “You do realize there’s another reason she remembers me?”   “Oh, what’s that?”   “She’s my step mother, well let me rephrase that, she married my dad.”   “Oh, Elements, just who did that man not marry?”   “Well, I don’t know, but out of the three woman in the story about the Feral in over his head?”   “I remember the story… What’s the significance?”   “He’s married all the women, in that story, except for Mariwolfe.” He purposely didn't mention Mariwolfe wasn't technically a woman at the time.   “What?”   “Rei Matsumoto, Second Pariah, Ami Meiho, Second Fetish, Sothlee de Byzance, First Dutiful, Aumhivina Kautanissian, Prime Minister of Kagome.”   “Dayum, and he’s…”   “Domei of Didina, Earlmage of Veneer, Protector of Mountain Home, bearer of the Token of Infinite Rewards, bearer of the Brooch of Uncountable Variations, bearer of the Attar of Nightly Secrets, bearer of the Rod of Personal Authority, bearer of the Flame of Unquenchable Desire, bearer of the Diadem of Unconquered Virtues.”   “What are those titles?”   “Those are his priestly post-nominals, each one is a relic that’s been given in person by an Element itself.”   “Six?”   “Including both Male Elements, he’s the only person who’s even survived meeting either, and Flora honey? That’s a deep deep secret, he’s told me as his son, but he’s not even told all of his wives yet.”   “Why did he tell you?”   “Because when he came for our emm-oh-aitche, he was wearing two. Turns out he was wearing all of them, but only two are even visible unaided.”   “Which two?”   “Uncountable variations and Infinite Rewards.”   ...Later, on Northern Diagonal Flare   “Welcome, Mayor Denton, Aumhavar Due Tora, I am Nessun Comma, and these are the flag bridge of Northern Diagonal Flare.”   “My, this is not a small ship!”   “Quite impressive, tell me, have you considered.”   “Hold it dear, we’re not here to improve their boat, and we have our own boats you can work on when we’re done, Denton dear.”   “Hrmmph. It was just a question.”   “We’d appreciate your suggestions, Mayor Denton, considering we’re working on sister ships…”   “More than one?”   “We have three in commission, Mariwolfe here is flying back to see the third laid out in dry dock soon.”   “And the second?”   “Was laid up only a few months after this one, it should be ready soon.”   “My, and these Fast Movers?”   “The schematics are shared within the treaty, you know them as Shiverhawk.   ..Elsewhere   “Curses, how can their planes last this long in the air? We barely have enough heat envelope and fuel efficiency for even fights!”   “We’re flying through the atmosphere, but ours were not designed to do so, they’re voidfighters.”   “Can we take the fight to them, somehow?”   “We could, but while their fast movers and hovercraft are not voidfighters, their flying armor suits ARE void capable, and took out Revenge in high orbit.”   “Why are we still here, with respect, Admiral? I’d have thought we’d have been recalled the moment Venerable Djimmu got destroyed with it.”   “Commander, the Nek-Mo-Ti refuse to believe he’s dead, so we wait, if we could receive homeworld communications here, we’d probably honor a recall,.but we have to receive one first.”   “Yeah, any progress on those repairs?”   “No, we’ve not been able to find the proper materials in this planet’s orbit or the closest ones to it,”   “Blast, we can’t hide in high orbit indefinitely.”   “And when we drop back down for supplies, we get pummeled, for people who didn’t have space until recently, they’re frighteningly good at defending their turf.”   “What’s so special with those places Venerable Djimmu had us attacking?”   “Fuel reserves, which explains why, once we gave them the engine designs, they’re just handing our asses to us.”   “Oh, for Antoo’s sake! They’re atop a stockpile?”   “We haven’t found these combinations of elements anywhere else. There are some, but the highest concentrations are in those two islands. How is Guberdot t working out?”   “He’s a pain, but like most Massimi, he knows his trade.”