Hotel "Le Dawn Standard" aka Casa Meritas
"Thank you for joining us here, we are Reznor and Atticus, attorneys at Meihomei. We have been engaged to manage the succession process of one Marhamat Dandelion, Meritant of Honour. Wait, must I say Meritant every time?"
"No, you can say the succession, it's quite clear enough now that no disrespect is intended."
"Thank you, for the record, you are?"
"I am Shibué Dandelion, to my knowledge I am the deceased 's only daughter and next of kin, unless you tell me otherwise."
"We have asked you to witness the opening of his will, we can not make a representation of your legal status before we do so Our colleagues at the palace, labouring for his employer declare, under oath, that they were asked to safeguard this will by your father before you were born, and only allowed your father to see or alter it. Will that be sufficient?"
"As the current chief flag officer of Meihomei 's security detachment, i have found their security procedures sufficient, you may open it."
"This is the first time I'm offered a security assessment of the deceased 's precautions."
"What my father didn't know of security precautions were discovered after his retirement, and even then..."
"Quite, and this is the first time foreign governments sent observers to a will opening. You are?"
"I am Statchel, I speak for Brunswick. He has been kitten-ra for Bellini, our national hero, we are required to be here."
"I am Prince of the third rank of the Nisei, Trireme Minoro, he is one with the dawn, and owed all honours I can give."
"I am Hyacinth Xue, Sixth of Moniq, I am here, I was requested, he is a Dawn standard-bearer , and should be honoured, in all nations, for all time. I only hope my presence is sufficient."
"i am Orange Prince Furuken Tsimori, with me is Cat Princess Laraken Tsunamon, I have come to bear witness to one who was one with the dawn and could look the sun in the face."
"I am Linnaeus Van Pelt, vice-undersecretary of state for information. I am here to make sure these procedures follow kagomine law and procedure and are not overly impeded." Linni, as he was known to his friends, hated to bring down the honorifics and the posturing, this was a solemn occasion, but his father-in-law's well earned honourifics were going to create a kerfluffle or three, if he didn't steer this will reading to a useful resolution.
"Apologies, worthy rainbow peacock, but as hérévallin to Shibué, you cannot be considered an impartial tribunal. Nor can your sister, which i recognize as the worthy undersecretary of state for policy and as also present." Lucy just nodded, she knew why she was here.
Shibué spoke into her comm: "The word is hammer, and it is given."
"Are you trying to intimidate us?"
"No, although, I can see why you would think this particular code word, or its result, be intimidating, but it is neither my doing, nor within my control. Meihomei herself left orders regarding the number, quality and quantity of foreign dignitaries, chiefs of states, officials of states, and others present at the funeral of one who was Kitten-Ra of Kagomei for so long."
"Is his being kitten-ra so important?"
"Perhaps not, but it is the least title he has, that reached the most countries. And interestingly, the one where his successor is present."
"Linnaeus Van Pelt, Kitten-Ra of Kagomei, bear witness."
"I raise a paw and swat a tail in honour." He had never tried to be so solemn saying something that sounded so frivolous before, he'd have been amused that the worthies thought he'd managed quite well.
"One of your precedessors as Kitten-Ra has passed."
"The kittens will remember him, they know not his name, but his kidness was limited by no words. Oft, I've seen him blanketed by them, more kittens than most would dare, more cats than is wise, yet he would not turn any away."
"Do you accept his will, will the cats accept this transfer?"
"He had transferred to me earlier, let it be on the record the Kitten-Ra has no impact on this will..."
"Why did you mention this?"
"I would like to know this also..."
"Because... I was asked to. Guests are expected."
"Guests?"
"Mikhala Vivienne Sonnelle Mikasha Solange Prithyanka Takahashi Dandelion Matsumoto Veneer. Nameihomei, Domei of Garay, Domei-actual of Innu , Feyd of Simular, Stark of Byzance, Stark of Wheelbro, Willow of Lilleath, Willow of Ingred, by the grace of the elements Aumhava of Garay, Mastarneir Benevento, Princess of the third rank of the Nisei, Lucair of Ferrare, Baroness of Czarny-Las, Baroness of Sottofumo-Tagliare, Baegjag Bu-In Naeh-inchon, by the grace of the Elements Second Duty and Eleventh of The Twenty-Five, I am here, I am present, I bear witness on this most worthy subject, on the highest of the Knights of Kagomei." Mikhala Vivienne Sonnelle Mikasha Solange Prithyanka Takahashi Dandelion Matsumoto Veneer. Nameihomei, Domei of Garay, Domei-actual of Innu , Feyd of Simular, Stark of Byzance, Stark of Wheelbro, Willow of Lilleath, Willow of Ingred, by the grace of the elements Aumhava of Garay, Mastarneir Benevento, Princess of the third rank of the Nisei, Lucair of Ferrare, Baroness of Czarny-Las, Baroness of Sottofumo-Tagliare, Baegjag Bu-In Naeh-inchon, by the grace of the Elements Second Duty and Eleventh of The Twenty-Five seldom got out of bed these days, the pregnancy made it inconvenient, but for this kind man who she owed her life to, she'd make the attempt ten times. Her adopted sister walked in, with a minimal security detail, and all hell broke loose.
"I, Amalthéa Analecta Alessirina Shalami Melissama Fukurina Kagomé, Meihomei of Kagomei, Arch-Domei of Innu, Domei of Ingred, Master of the Order of Kagomei, Master of the Order of Smertuit, Defender of the Rising Sun, Founder and First Signer of the Treaty of Lai Dang, Medal of the order of Hunarch Zwei, bear witness." The room broke into murmurs, an actual ruler? To a will? And she listed out her titles to some detail?
"Meritant of Honour, thrice, Star-Emerald Knight of Kagomei, Fount of Honour, his will is a legacy of duty and honour for all of Kagomei, let all this nation bear witness. Let no one claim to be of Kagomei and ignore his deeds or words, his will directs us today, his words inspire us, let us be of one mind, one soul." Mikhala added priestly words, she was after all, Aumhavar-interim for all of Kagomei, and a member of the Kautanissian Conclave, the priests and priestesses higher than her all ranked in The High Twenty-Five, the last time someone from that august body had held such significant political power in Great Kagome, was when it was founded, every now and then, adherents to seperation of church and state in Kagomei were having conniptions. Every now and then, she reminded she hadn't chosen her parents, nor her powers.
"Dawn-Standard, he is, first in the fray, saviour of those that should need no help! He walks unbowed, should he meet Elements upon his travels, and carry a sword, Elements will be cut." The tsou, as was their wont, chose a sharp phrase, a cutting remark, hoping they needed to add nothing to it.
"Bearer of the Dawn-Standard, first in honour, forever more. He claims first place among the chosen, his name written in letters of Jade and Gold. To you, Shibué, his daughter, we entrust his Standard, that you may walk his cortege through the realm of the dead without fear. Call his enemies to account, let them know they have no chance, none may fight the sun." That was Xiacinth Xue, Sixth of Moniq, the hunarch's own mother, and the representatives of Tsou and Nisei, both referring to their own, matching Dawn standards, just nodded.
"We are one, and yet, he is alone, unbowed, with deeds of justice, honour and valour. His name resonates higher, reaches further. He is one with the elements, and our lives are richer for even uttering his name, he will be missed." Mikhala had just remembered, that has Baegjag Bu-In Naeh-Inchon, she was the highest ranking Goguryean official present, even if they had sent a representative, and added a seperate phrase, to cover her conflicting responsibilities.
"Orange is the dawn. Serve your duty well, knowing its colour." The tsou added, straining protocol.
"He lives, he walks before us, we are humbled, we are lessened, for we miss his warm presence and good humour." Luci added, echoing the Kagomine State Department's opinion of the deceased.
"Kagomei cries a Doctor, a Lifeguard, a Kon and a flag officer, he was never wholly any one of those things, he was always bigger, beyond those things, but never lesser, never beneath them, and because of that, we are grander, we are a more honest empire of the living and the dead because of him." Amalthéa Kagomé seldom spoke at funerals, few individuals required it. This one did, this one had saved so many people in the line of succession, there was fiction written now, of what if he hadn't saved this one or that... It was becoming its own... genre.
"My father in law spoke truth and honour to me every day, he was mewed at because of beginnings, he was purred at for delivered meals and warm skratches. Cats are often thought to be selfish creatures, to some extent that is true, but even cats recognize those that never let them down. I leave for those that would listen, those that would think, that the youngest great-grandaughter of Rembrandt, whom he mourned, would not know him, but she did. Pretty, the least of Raven's daughters, knew 'old greywhiskers' and loved him, and played with him whenever she ould. Robyn, Rembrandt's grand-daughter, knows and loves him." Linni added, the seniormost Kitten-Ra was owed the last words, in traditional settings, and he intended to cash in this chit...
"MEW!" The cry was loud, unusually so, even for an adult cat. No one needed to check which cat, they always seemed to reply when spoken to, those kittens raised by a kitten-ra.
"I am here mother, I have come." Amarat had been deployed, and took a flying car just to be here, arriving when things were almost done.
"Amarat, last-kitten-ra before Linni, your name is known to us." That was for the benefit of the one or two whom he wasn't known to, probably some hermit living under a crab's shell wouldn't know of Kagomei's heir, her nephew.
"Robyn knew me, before you all did, I am glad Linni is Kitten-ra, for I only got along with Robyn."
"Robyn calls you her favourite human, though."
"She does, she's an old hand, she doesn't like change. I am quite like that, and she is such a furball."
"PurrPurrPurr." That was the aformentioned Robyn, she was rubbing ankles and being playful. For now, Robyn, her granddaughters and great-granddaughters were all crowding Amarat, nine cats to one arndan.
"I think if they get me to lie to the court, they expect more treats..." Amarat added, trying to lighten the mood.
"A lie? don't be silly, you were a kitten-ra. Those with wit expect you to get unexpected kitten affection. And that includes you and Linni, we know you, we thank you for choosing four-footed friends to keep, and four-footed friends to give to two-footed friends that may grow into more."
"I am the final arbiter of law in Kagomei, for as long as the procedure to nominate and accept a new Valour-keeper of Kagomei takes, it is written in blood and deed, it is written in laws and Edicts, let none doubt this. I will bear witness to this will, and it will be executed as if the deceased's wishes were my wishes, and the foundation of the law of Kagomei, this man put Kagomei first, always, Kagomei will put him first, this once, if I have to change all our laws, one at a time, with an Edict." Amalthéa's venom with these words was unprecedented, but, considering who it was for, would probably be unchallenged.
"Granted this stirring expansion of our powers of executing this will, I Dryden Reznor, shall proceed. The deceased lists assets disbursable a list of accounts in financial institutions in Megamisama, totalling a sum of Kagomine Sums, and the ownership stake in a hotel, "Le Dawn Standard", located at 12 Palace Street, Dock Yard. Death benefits, life insurance, and all, are all standard, and have been accounted for. All shall be disbursed to the succession, as per the laws and customs of Kagomei, as his funeral was a national funeral, no cost is assigned to the succession, and the remaining funds will be available after a 90 day period, provided all particulars are met. Shibué Dandelion, principal heir, do you accept the succession?"
Shibué was shaken, she hadn't expected the question to require so much emotional thought, emotional investment. She stayed silent, long enough, Xiacinth Xué, Sixth of Moniq, cleared her throat. "Oh, sorry, I'm keeping everyone waiting aren't I? Yes, I accept."
"Then we are adjourned. Can you stay please, Shibué-Meritant?" Reznor had just shown off, no one else had seemed to know what to call someone with a merit in a non-military context, in Shibué's experience. Of course, he'd been hired to represent Flora, when she was trying to sue Amarat, both Meritants, so he had more reason to than anyone on record.
Linnaeus was staying too. Reznor cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, can you wait for me Linni?"
"Sure, I'm just trying to corral the cats." She thought he'd been kidding, but the nine cats were being a nuisance, demanding attention and pets...
"You wanted to talk?" She said, once he was out of earshot, him, Amarat and Nellun loaded with cat-carriers.
"I just need you to know DaDaDaVeeVeeVee Holdings made a bid for your hotel. Linnaeus is a shareholder."
"So, what are you saying? He's trying to short-change me?"
"Err, I don't know, someone at that company, which includes Amarat, Linnus and his sister got their attorney to ask for a meeting to discuss an acquisition. They listed a generous figure. But, as far as I know, Amarat does not have a controlling interest, and will not for some years, I suspect the Dell'Auro sisters agreed to send this bid."
"Which they can do, and Amarat can't block... yet."
"That's my understanding."
"And that includes Linni's ex-miptun, Ninu."
"That's what I've been told." Reznor, an experienced attorney, and before that a famed Casho player of international repute, visibly gulped. He thought he'd have high-powered girlfriends before... attorneys, star models, and the like, but... well chiefs of state were probably more of an upgrade than he'd accounted for...
"Do I have any other bids?"
"No, not yet."
"Is the bid conditional to my doing anything? Are there conditions, terms, must I reply by some time?"
"Err, thankfully no, you would have had fourty-two days to accept the succession, but you did in front of enough witnesses to satisfy an international treaty. And the succession, to which the bid was adressed, doesn't have to say anything for 126 days, after that, I may add, since you've accepted the succession publicly, I can't make it 168 days, but you have the full 126+3, since the work week doesn't start until after Vividay, which is two days hence."
"And Linni doesn't know?"
"He, or Amarat, or Lusitania, don't have to know, they may, however, know, I just cannot tell."
"Did you know DaDaDaVeeVeeVee made an offer to my dad for his hotel?" "I learned after the opening of the will, but yes." "What, so you didn't know going in?" "I suspected, we'd been asked to vote on an accelerated process acquisition, it's a standard thing in Sunshine Travel, where they offer to buy small hotels whose owners have passed, but the accelerated procedure requires the hotel not to be identified, since we can't verify who the owners are, we can't vet for conflicts of interest, so they're kept anonymous, we only see the balance sheets." "Would you have agreed, knowing?" "No, I'd have let you present a bid, to the board, if that's what you wanted, but not this abbreviated, no look thing. I've asked to scrap this rushed thing thrice, in company meetings, I just don't have the board majority to do it, and likely won't, not until Amarat's 35." "Why not?" "Because, until then, the Dell'Auro sisters, and their legal guardian, their father, owns the tie breaker. Everything me or Luci or Amarat tries to present that's the least controversial gets voted down, but not when it's Ninu or Annunzia or Natalya." "Convenient." "What?" "Look, I'm just trying not to be paranoid about this, but you were aware of the succession before everyone else!" "Because we're business partners, we operate cruises out of Megamisama that book hundreds of rooms for our passengers every trip. Our legal representatives got a courtesy call from Reznor the moment he dropped off with Meihomei!" "What, how much?" "We're a million Sums of your yearly budget, at least. And that's on a bad year." "And on a good year?" "Ten million is our record, if I read the records right." "And you know this how?" "I got invited to the funeral, I presented my respects, I saw the date for the opening of the will, all legal, all Reznor doing his job by the book, right?" "Yeah, and?" "That started internal procedures for Sunshine, we can't have our travelers impacted because our hotels is under a succession lockdown, so we have a full board meeting, to make sure that doesn't happen, the day after your dad's funeral. Everyone who wasn't in Eurani City was flown in." "In Eurani?" "That's where the company is headquartered, plus we own a little restaurant there, that's where our boards meet." "A little restaurant?" "Ok, ok Platinum Redoubt is hardly little, but you know what I meant." "Just how much do you own of it?" "Ten per cent, I'm the least shareholder." "When are you taking me?" Her voice was playful, almost flirtacious. "What?" "Come on, I've been there once, with dad, although, we stayed on the first floor, you're a shareholder, you must have access to the second floor, and I'm insanely curious now. I mean, I dressed up, daddy dressed up, to go there, and we were still looking underdressed, in full mess uniforms! Dad's official title is 'founding officer of Kagomei', of which there's only six, and the other five all salute him, before he can salute them back!" "Listen, I know this!" "Yes?" "I know just how important your dad is! I've been substitute-training people at state in protocol for six years now. The Eurani... just have different rules..." "I get that, that was outside the restaurant. I meant inside... With three of the six owners being Kagomine, and the Maitre d' greeting us as our Sun'ga, you really think he'd respect Kagomine Protocol?" "Please tell me he didn't besmirch any merits." "No, he was fine, I just couldn't budge him on seeing the second floor." "He was under especial order, there was an incident..." "What?" "Natalya made a huge tiff when she found out her father, who's got the Eurani Medal of Valour, wasn't allowed upstairs, despite his daughters being part-owners... So they asked any local decorations that would allow access be pre-declared." "Pre-declared? How?" "The board just has to agree to allowing anyone up to the second or third floor." "What, there's a third floor?" "Yeah, for owners, and clients who spend a million Sums or more a year in reservations." "How many do that?" "There's currently two level obsidian clients. But even access to the second floor can't be a surprise, we have to know at least a week in advance." "Doesn't that hamper you for restaurant awards?" "No, because the first floor gets five forks, there's just no theory under which the second floor can get six, or the third floor can get seven." "What, the service is that much better?" "Look, the two obsidian level clients pay a million, a year, and do not consider it a bad investment... How much do you spend in a restaurant in Alessia each year?" "Oooh. I don't know, but I'm starting to get your point. Probably some kind of state budget, or something?" "I'm legally unable to tell you, but, it's enough money, the Eurani just send us a monthly income tax bill, they'd rather not wait for payment arrangements, or dealing with the client, directly. They do settle with the client if one could successfully make a claim for a deduction, but, honestly, I've yet to hear of an attorney managing such a feat." "Just kill me now!" "Now, now." He'd joined her on the couch in front of the fireplace, Jor-Jie had gone to her submerged hideout under one of the ceremonial pools, while the nine cats were warming their bellies at various angles at their feet, all facing that same fireplace. "Surely it's not as bad as all that." He was holding her hand. "Easy for you to say, you've been raised in this world, easy money... My mother died when I was little, and my dad worked because he didn't like who he was when he wasn't working..." "Your share of the hotel should still allow you..." "Allow me to retire? Probably." "I was going to say to do more of what you want... Do you want to expand this house? Move to a different country? Spend months off when you're not lifeguarding Meihomei?" "I don't know..." "You could retire just from the proceeds of the hotel, you think?" "Yeah." "Then think about something..." "What?" "Half of what is mine, is yours, that includes DaDaDaVeeVeeVee, Sunshine, the Redoubt, everything. If you can retire from just the hotel, that means you have more than enough to retire, if you just want to do something else." "And you? Are you ready to give it up? You're not even a legal adult, not in all the juridictions you own property in, anyways." "I... want to join you, but I don't know if I could do it full-time. I just know your being Meihomei's lifeguard was a lot harder on you than my being a diplomat was on me..." "What do you mean, being a diplomat... You're an administrator, you've only been a diplomat for a few months, you've not even done it long enough to think you like it or not yet.." "Look, I like some parts of it... and some parts I'd just rather be kitten-ra full time, read books and meet people and not be bothered because someone likes their tcha spicy or not. The cats will back me on this, obviously." He said, mischieviously. "You have any idea how much good this is doing?" "What? You're not making sense..." "This is the first time I think I've ever seen you complain, even mildly, even if we've been together for how long now, half an arnd?" "Oh, yeah, something like that, the office is going to celebrate half an arnd of Lai Dang treaty next week, and you asked me out after it was signed, didn't I?" "I'm still surprised that I gave in, I wanted you to ask first, for a while." "You did." He just oozed satisfaction remembering, and Robyn just climbed his leg, plopping into his lap and saying 'Mew!', he added: "You're such a jealous little pusscat." "You should take that as an award. She was after me to talk to you all day." "She's not a good judge of character, she was matchmaking me with Ninu too..." "What? The fearsome Robyn is not infallible? No, I refuse to believe it." "You know, I think she's not so much fallible, as I needed to know things about myself I'd only learn dealing with Ninu's treacherous ways, that'd make me appreciate you the more." "What, so you needed your heart trampled?" "Hear me out. I needed to know what I'd do if I was told I'd be a father, even if it was fraudulent, even if it was with the wrong person." "And did you?" "It has to be the right person, it has to be from a place of trust. I'd never have gotten that with Ninu, she was all about the quick sex." "And with me?" "Do you feel wanted?" "Heck, I moved my otter in, the next day you were renovating this place, I don't think my yearly salary covered the renovations you did for an otter! What are you going to do, if I tell you, we need a baby room?" "Oh, it wasn't just an otter. Come with me, I forgot to show you something." He took her to the central pool, where Jor-Jie was presumably sleeping, hidden by hundreds of kilos of granite and sod and water. Pressing a discreet button on one of the granite pillars, Linni saw it open a secret compartment, the water pooling down at a lower level, the bemused, instantly awake otter blinking at her family members, as a set of stairs leading downwards became visible. "What? So this is what you had built, not just a bigger cavern for Jor-Jie?" "I wanted a safe room, for us, for the cats, for Jor-Jie, and for any children we might have. I'm hardly a glamourous target, but I am high enough I do get trained on kidnap procedures, security protocols, the rest..." "You sure are, I gave you two trainings, and I couldn't foist you off to anyone... That makes you higher than most." "Oh, probably because I'm Jade Bank Administrator for State, ergo, I'm the one who signs off for a lot of the encryption and classification you use?" "Wait, that's YOU?" "Just who do you think has to sign off when Jade Operators at state or the palace change jobs? Wouldn't a state vice-undersecretary for technology make sense?" "So, you're the escalation top for that row?" "I'm the escalation top, period. No one is higher than state, that's an established precedent. Doesn't help me sleep at night, but there you go." "What?" "Look, State is where spies get discussed, as well as treaties, threats from foreign powers, undeclared wars, etc, etc. I'm really glad we haven't gotten anything like that recently, quite the opposite, but the chance is always there. We're also first in line for treaty authorities." "Oh." That was the magic word, if a treaty authority needed to talk to someone, they'd talk to her milquetoast Grib? Shibue was a little shaky. She'd not heard they had given him military, or espionage training... "Look, they've not given me specialist training as an infiltrator, or a life guard, or a flag military officer, what they trained me is in risk assessement." "Oh, I bet that helps with treaties too." "Somewhat." He was a master of understatement, Shibue voted, someone with the treaty authorities on speed dial? Had to be the best possible escalation point for State outside of Nameihomei. "Wait, you're escalation point, not Nameihomei?" "Someone has to be able to tell people she's on vacation." "Why not an undersecretary of state?" Linni groaned, he'd asked that question for years, and never got an answer that was in his favour. "Because, they like taking vacations too." He'd gotten on the fast track to replace one of those feather merchants though, according to Meihomei, he'd see if that turned out to his advantage later. "And you don't?" "No, because I have a special procedure to do, just to be able to take vacations, I have to transfer that escalation." "Oh, like I do, when I'm not around to guard Meihomei." "What, I thought you were head of the detail." "Yes, and sometimes your detail crew chiefs fall sick, etc... If you're not officially unreachable, and haven't transferred the escalation, you can still get called in." "Oh, we have that in common then?" "Yeah, I guess." "You don't sound thrilled..." "I don't mind having it in common with you, just to be clear." "Then what?" "If we both need a special procedure to take vacations, I hope it won't make it impossible for us to be on vacation at the same time. Grib duties include suntan lotion, Mister Linni!" "Ohhhh. A sensible thing for me to check, when I'm next in the office." "And what are you doing now?" "Hmm, I'm closing up this safe room." He pointed to where the lights were coming online, showing enough room for perhaps 12 adults, and a storeroom of food for otters, humans and felines. "And going to bed." "And what am I supposed to do then?" "Well, if you're not totally wed to the idea of being locked up in this safe room, I'm sure some Miptun duties can be found for you to do..." Shibue licked her lips, uncertain. "What, what kind of Miptun duties are we talking about here?" "Hmm, naked duties, I think, you've been wearing clothes for as long as is recommended, for sure..." She giggled.
"What's this place?" "Can I get your bag?" "Err, no, you can't have my cat carriers, the cats wouldn't like it, but perhaps I could get a cart?" "Why, of course Zim." "Do they know you here?" "A little, I sometimes pick up guests of State here, or help them to their rooms." "Ah, the young lord! Welcome, Lord Van Pelt." "I told you not to call me that Waldron." "You did." His eyes twinkled. "This woman with you doesn't look like a wayward guest at all, full Kagomine... Bellisama! The labels had been cut off, the very late fashion cut couldn't be hidden... I greet you, although I do not know of your importance, yet, I'm sure it's quite high." Shibué shook her head, Linni had been right, dressing up would send the right signal. "You forgot who I am, Waldron? Daddy used to bring me at bring your children to work day." "Sooray's brightest! Why, it's been a while, is the palace treating you well?" "Well enough, but today, you're my problem." "Err." "Everyone knows daddy passed, right?" "Yes, my condoleances." "I want to have a chat with the staff, concerning the will... Waldron, you're the day manager, have the evening and night managers organize the proper meetings." "I forgot how well you knew us, you could tell I was the day manager, visually?" "Come on, the chain isn't that discreet!" "There's only a few links out from my watchpocket!" "And I'm a lifeguard, trained to spot little things like that, Waldron." "Aye, I'll set it up for tomorrow's shift change from day to evening, if you don't mind, and the shift change from night to day, the day after, so you only have two meetings, but you can meet people who can only make one of the day meetings, will that be acceptable?" "Make it so." Shibué then spent an hour watching the hotel's operations, silently, while being waited on by a man wrestling eight full cat carriers in a cart, mostly purring, or she'd have gotten him to stop. Atop the hotel, the most luxurious rooms, huge, with beautiful views of the palace itself, but also beyond, into the bay, the few guests impatient and rude. Middle-height, the rooms tended to be for longer stays, people filing in for festivals, work seminars and visits to family. The smaller rooms except for the lone one facing the palace direction on each floor. That one had been left empty, since the funeral. The lowest floors of the hotel were the bustling, shorter-term stays, military flag officers being reviewed, on trial, or between commands, commercial trial attorneys without accomodations in the city, salespeople with a big score in sight. Still, that one empty room, like an eyesore, a reminder. She went back down to the reception. "Waldron? Whose idea was it to leave the Dawn Standard rooms empty?" "We didn't, but... Well, we didn't really feel like anyone should be renting those for the next little while. We'd agreed to raise the price to stay there, until the will was read." "Well, the will's been read, the hotel's mine, you can put the prices back to normal, Waldron." "Ah, err." "Yes?" "..." "I'm not selling it off in the near term either, Waldron. I'll be taking a sabbatical from Meihomei's lifeguards and evaluating how I do as an executive." Linni's eyes flashed, this was the first he'd heard of it.
"It was your idea!" "I'm just shook that you just went 'flip, I'm going to try it', you certainly didn't look convinced. Also, can you keep Jor-Jie? I thought she was your work's property." "She is, but that's why it's a sabbatical, if I quit, I'd lose Jor-Jie." "You thought of quitting?" "Yeah, at least briefly." "Dit-Dit-chirrup." "No, I don't want to lose you, green eyes." The otter had wrapped as much of its short arms as it could around her neck.
"Employees of The Dawn Standard, some of you know me, all of you were hired by my father, I am , I am the new owner of the Standard. I wanted to meet with you because I've heard of a potential tender to buy the hotel, and I realize there'd be some rumours about that. I am not selling the hotel, at least, not for another year, I'll be taking the position of executive director, left vacant by my father. To do so I've taken a one year sabbatical from my commission as a LGOF-07 Gold officer in Imperial Kagomei's Lifeguards and Stalwart Defenders. Do you have questions for me?" There was a silence, then a woman in a maid's outfit near the near right corner of the room raised her hand. "What about the tender?" "Sunshine Travel, who, as I understand, is a major partner of ours, tendered to buy us at a discount. I'll be telling them I'm not interested in selling just yet, and at no time at a discount, when the legal papers clear and the legal timelines advance." "Why were the Dawn Standard reservation-locked?" "I don't know that, I was told they were just luxe-rated? Waldron, Kamichi?" "I thought Nepthus did it, he told us he'd raised the prices to keep them unrented." "Well, that's not suspicious at all, get me front desk." "Front desk, Dijan speaking." "Dijan, this is Shibué Dandelion, new executive director of the Standard, I'm calling from Seabreeze." Meaning the Seabreeze meeting room. "With me are Waldron, Kamichi and the rest of your colleagues, we're having a meeting, and found out someone managed to get the dawn standard rooms all unrented and unserviced for an extended period. Do sequester the available footage for the rooms, lock them up, and call the local Lifeguards for an investigation. "Rooms are remote-locked now." "Pick up a few friends, and go lock them up in person, dear." "Err, please excuse me, there's lifeguards here." "Leave the sound on, in case they have questions for me." "What is the meaning of this, what are you doing?" The officers were clearly agitated. "I guess we'll adjourn this meeting. Waldron, Kamichi, thank everyone for their time for me, and please arrange another meeting, hopefully, no later than 50 hours from now. Dijan, I'm coming." She had recognized the voice of the officer swearing, never a good sign.
At the front desk, Pandemonium was ensuing. Shibué had no idea how he managed, but Linni was keeping up with her. Clearly, he wasn't as sedentary as she thought. "Senya, what the shiny brass bottom are you doing here?" "Zim, err, wait, you're on Sabbatical!" "Yeah, I'm not Zim to you right now, how did you get here so fast?" "What?" "Look, I found something suspicious while I was meeting with my people, and told Dijan here to call it in." "That broke a sting! We had people watching the sixth floor dawn standard room!" "Do we have footage?" "Not any more, it's all mine now!" "I meant so we could hand it to you, Senya, I may not be active, but I do want to collaborate." "Two weeks, everything before that gets recycled, standard policy." Linni tittered. "Linni?" "I've helped catch a room disaster-causer, they had four weeks old footage for us..." "Oh, could you take a look?" She handed him the portable jade screen that served as console. "Oh, same system we use at state." Tap-tap. "Five weeks." Tap-tap. "And locked. Who's your power of tribunal, Senya?" "Don't have one, yet." "On my authority, I authorize this purchase. Deliver these storage mediums to the hotel." He had made a call to a storage-medium vendor's delivery service in the interim. "What?" "While these are under legal-lock, they can't be deleted or expired, and they'll need new ones while those get analyzed. Oh, and Senya, send someone to pick up the footage please?" "I'll pick them up myself..." "Err, you'll need a squad, or at least a large aircar, there's 244 mediums of a kilo each." "Frick me sideways!" "Lots of cameras, lots of corridors, plus the entrance." "When did you get power of tribunal, Linni?" "When I made vice-undersecretary of technology, but it was restricted to state." "And now?" "As undersecretary for classification, it's not restricted anymore." "Frick me, you went from CI-06 Assistant Auxiliary Vice-Undersecretary to CI-09 Undersecretary in two years?" "Fifteen months." "Who do you defer to?" "Anyone with expertise, Nameihomei, Meihomei, obviously." "I meant for technology cases." "Err, I don't think I'm allowed to, for those." "What?" "I'm the Jade Technology court, in a sense." "Frick me sideways for honour everlasting the elements above my witness!" The swear being so long was a statement. Linni let her finish then kissed her. There's wife creative swears that should be rewarded, he thought. "Feel better now?" "No, my husband's a kind of technical voodoo court and he didn't tell me..." "Err, sorry, I thought you knew..." "How would I know?" "You've been around whenever I had to give an official opinion... And you were talking to Meihomei just after she signed my promotion, I figured she had talked to you about it..." "She mentioned it without going into details, I'm not vetting everyone, I don't have that kind of power over her." "Well, I'm senior advisor to the Netamei on encryption, now that I'm undersecretary for classification." "You were his advisor when you were vice-undersecretary for encryption. I checked." "Aw, drat, and here I thought I'd impress you." "Honey, you don't impress me anymore by what you do for a job... You gotta work harder at it." She wriggled her brows at him. "But being seniormost tribunal for technology is impressive, I'll grant you that, and one of Meihomei's inner council, for that matter." "When did I become senior conselor?" "When you got adopted by her sister, de facto, when you became Under-for-class, de jure." "How come I get 'under-for-class' while others have much nicer sounding names, huh?" "Under-for-pol? Sec-State? That last one's ok, vice-under-for-crypto? They sneer behind your back if you got something truly peacock, under-for-class is a working-class title. You get more respect than you think." "Glad you're here to tell me [I'm respected, I'd have no clue otherwise." "Then I suggest you keep your eyes open. You'll see how the troops, especially the armed services, react, when you introduce yourself, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." "Why? My job isn't to be respected, although that'd be nice." "You're respected because those of them with half a brain realize that as under-for-class, you're responsible for secrets not being declassified, leaked or otherwise compromised, the ones that aren't woolheads realize that means you save their bacons with every mistake you don't make..." "Gulp, I was hoping for respect for using the right fork." "They're soldiers, they react best to life and death situations..." "Some forks ARE life and death situations, heck, I've been in life and death situations just by who I was inviting and in what order..." "I know, and I'm not trying to gainsay you, when I say that, but I warn you you face an uphill battle, trying to convince a servicemember to appreciate that fully." "You're right about the difficulty of the task. It doesn't help that I only have Civil Ribbon of Mei Kagomine Service, not like Amarat or anything." "He's also serving in the armed forces, as a non-com, the popularity contests he won't win just don't exist right now..." "Is being a non-com that significant? You're a commissioned officer, and so was your dad..." "My dad started a non-com and got promoted officer, that's not the same thing." "Hmm, explain it to me like I'm eight?" "For good or for ill, to a member of the armed services, a non-com is some specialist with a useful skill, first, someone who has to take orders to apply those skills, second, and a person third... People who are tribunals, like you and your sister, start being able to give out orders and military sentences, but were never subject to military discipline." "So, to them, I'm a lightweight, am I a lightweight to you too?" His silver-grey eyes looked so sad right now, she wanted to hug him, despite how insulting what he said was! How dare he! "That's incredibly insensitive, I put my name and signature to a Merit in your name, that got denied, then I tried to get you Medal of Sacrifice for Meihomei's Own." "For which I wasn't eligible, either one, as an acting state department officer, acting under orders." "That's not why you didn't get it, you didn't get it because they chose to give me the medal of sacrifice instead, since I took three inches of steel for you... That was never my intent!" "You still deserved a medal for that, and I never did thank you properly for that, either, I'm just such a jerk." '"Honestly, just don't. you mention that incident again and I'm going to rant and rave for an hour or two." She said, holding his lips together. "I appreciate you thanking me though, some principals don't even think that's required, even when you need stitches." "You didn't just need stitches, you needed stitches, and partial wrist reconstruction..." "How do you even know that? You read my file?" "I'm under-for-class, they can't keep me out... and there's no way I was leaving that file alone, you got sent there in my place, and the only thing more likely than me having the same injuries you did, was me being injured worse, since I'm hardly your combat equal." "Look, I signed up for this, it's not something you can protect me from..." "Let me finish, I read your file precisely to know if there's something I could have done to help you not get hurt... You sign up to protect me, fine, the least ingrate thing I can do is not make it harder on you..." "I'm not winning this argument am I?" "No, not likely. You put your life on the line for me, I'm going to make sure you did so only if it was justified...." "And was it?" "I believe it was, you did give me full marks for protective posture." "What about going in there knowing there was an enemy about?" "I'm a diplomat? When I'm surrounded by friends, I'm usually in even more danger." "I've never heard anyone say it quite like that, but it does match something Nameihomei mentioned to me, that you don't need diplomats among enemies to take risks, that's what the flag of truce is for, but in peacetime, you usually get deniable assets..." "How many?" "What?" "How many times has someone tried to kill you?" "I can't tell you that, it's classified so high, they won't even tell me..." "That's a load of spit, you're under-for-class, you're cleared for everything, you're cleared for things Meihomei herself isn't cleared for, simply by virtue of being the one making, or reviewing, that determination. There may be things you're not cleared for, maybe, but not many..." "I'm not cleared for my security detail." "No, you're tier obsidian, and you were as vice-under-for-crypto, no one not on your detail is cleared for it." "What'a tier obsidian?" "Someone who knows too much. Can't be captured. We try not to make it easy by not letting people plant agents on your detail too easily. Listen, the short version is that you're under the same protection regimen as the people whose escalation point you share, that's the general rule, right?" "Yeah?" "You share Meihomei and Nameihomei's escalation tier, so you get our very best. Anyone who takes a bullet for you is considered to have done the same as taking one for Meihomei, I doubt anyone would do it differently, because there's a medal, but we're keenly aware you're not a shlub, ok? You know enough, if Nameihomei or Meihomei are incapacitated, we ask you..." "Ugh, you do know how to give a guy an anxiety attack or three..." "Silly, I know better, that act works on other people, but I bowled you over and took a knife for you, you were never afraid, how many?" "What?" "You're stalling... I know people tried to kill you before, and it has to be more than one, and I just want the ones you remember, not the ones that were stopped before you got involved. You're way too cool under pressure that it was the only time..." "Err, three." "I thought so, your body language was never afraid... Like you were still a child the first time in happened." "I'm supposed to keep secrets from everyone, but I got a long way to go before I can keep secrets from you it seems..." She dimpled. "I'm just such a good judge of character." "And you are cleared for almost everything..." "That does help, a little..." "Enough that you knew I'd been targeted three times for assassination, and what you really wanted to know was if I'd tell you the truth." "Oh, my, someone's reaching..." "When I attempt to grasp the stars and stretch upon the horizon, only then am I reaching, and only for the time it takes to capture the sun." "I've always loved that particular poem, but I shouldn't be surprised you know Etruscan masters, you're Brescian Aristocracy, I should ask you if you've seen the originals." "As it happens, they're in my castle of Ferrare, under heavy guard, for the rest of this month." "What, you have Etruscan original manuscripts at your... castle?" "Castle Ferrare was where this particular piece was WRITTEN. I get shared custody, as it were." "Wait, so you don't have a castle, you have a 19 hundred arnds old castle?" "I may just get to preside over the 1950 jubilee... If not me, then if I have any kids, and maybe they'll even get twenty centuries, although, more likely, grandkids." "You want kids?" "What? Is that so strange?" "Well... It's none of my business, but your file is kinda thin on female company. And being a castle-owning aristocrat, that doesn't fit the usual pattern, you could say..." "What, I should have a woman, because I own a castle?" "Well, not exactly, owning a castle, I'd imagine you're beating them off with not just one stick, but multiple sticks." "Oh." He was blushing. "Not that I've noticed, but I am a kinda private person... I don't just tell people about the castle..." "Oh, you don't eh?" "Yeah, you have to do something noticeable, like save my life by getting inches of steel embedded in your flesh or something else really noteworthy." Does he really think this counts as flirting? Hold it Boo, he's got a point about it being something that'll make you trust a person, it doesn't have to be flirting... Why did I think that's what he was doing then? Oh, it's those eyes, he is making eye contact, he is paying attention, and he is caring that I like is very, very dry joke. Focus Boo, he did look nice up close like this when you were sprawled over him with that knife in your hand, but that doesn't mean getting involved with him is a good idea...
"I'm sorry, but there's no mention of this reservation in our system..." "But!" She waved the paper in her hand, bearing an actual wax seal of The Tsou Kingdom. "What is it, Vambrace?" "The Zim mentions a reservation by number, for a Dawn Standard room, but I can't find it in our system, I can find it in the global index though..." "Just book her in, my authority." "Thank you, Zim?" "Waldron, day manager here. And you are?" "Laraken Tsunamon, Cat Princess of the Tsou Kingdom, accredited temporarily as ambassador to Kagomei." "We don't normally have ambassadors..." "No, I imagine you don't, but while there is a truce, there's not yet thought given, at least in Tsou, to build an embassy here..." "Ah." Yeah, simmering cold war against them for a hundred arnds? They'd be in no hurry to build an embassy. A well dressed Kagomine man was approaching, his red hair streaming behind his head as he ran. "Waldron, has anyone found a communicator?" "Zim-Meritant-Namei Amarat, welcome, let me go fetch it, one was indeed brought to me." As he receded, Laraken decided to say hi, he was high enough in the hierarchy, he might make her mission easier. "Greetings from the paws and whiskers of the Tsou, hidden behind boughs of orange trees." "A pawlick and curled ear to you, Princess of Orange." He replied, smoothly. "Am I so recognizable? I doubt we've ever met." "No, but my cousin has mentioned your presence here in the city..." "Your cousin?" "The Kitten-Sultan of Kagomei, Linnaeus Van Pelt." "Oh, yes, I've met my counterpart earlier, a rare pleasure. He should have warned me how handsome you are." "I warned him against that, lest I not live up to the hype, he'd have so much spice on his face then." "I'm sure he couldn't do that." She insisted. "My wife agrees with me." "Oh, you should warn me about her too, I think, then." "She is more beautiful than the dawn." "Oh, my. And you say that to a Tsou?" "I've spoken to your... colleague, Furuken Tsimori, while in Tsou, I do have some idea what I just said..." "Oh, granted that, I'd probably fall in love with her at first sight and never want to leave... Please keep her away from me." Waldron returned. "One Veri Special Industries communicator, in black and purple, matching your vehicle, I believe?" "Yes, that's the one, thank you Waldron."
"This case keeps getting more 'interesting' by the minute." "What?" "The room we were watching just got booked to someone with diplomatic immunity." "Regular reservation?" "No, she'd reserved three floors above, but there was a glitch."
"Did you know DaDaDaVeeVeeVee made an offer to my dad for his hotel?" "I learned after the opening of the will, but yes." "What, so you didn't know going in?" "I suspected, we'd been asked to vote on an accelerated process acquisition, it's a standard thing in Sunshine Travel, where they offer to buy small hotels whose owners have passed, but the accelerated procedure requires the hotel not to be identified, since we can't verify who the owners are, we can't vet for conflicts of interest, so they're kept anonymous, we only see the balance sheets." "Would you have agreed, knowing?" "No, I'd have let you present a bid, to the board, if that's what you wanted, but not this abbreviated, no look thing. I've asked to scrap this rushed thing thrice, in company meetings, I just don't have the board majority to do it, and likely won't, not until Amarat's 35." "Why not?" "Because, until then, the Dell'Auro sisters, and their legal guardian, their father, owns the tie breaker. Everything me or Luci or Amarat tries to present that's the least controversial gets voted down, but not when it's Ninu or Annunzia or Natalya." "Convenient." "What?" "Look, I'm just trying not to be paranoid about this, but you were aware of the succession before everyone else!" "Because we're business partners, we operate cruises out of Megamisama that book hundreds of rooms for our passengers every trip. Our legal representatives got a courtesy call from Reznor the moment he dropped off with Meihomei!" "What, how much?" "We're a million Sums of your yearly budget, at least. And that's on a bad year." "And on a good year?" "Ten million is our record, if I read the records right." "And you know this how?" "I got invited to the funeral, I presented my respects, I saw the date for the opening of the will, all legal, all Reznor doing his job by the book, right?" "Yeah, and?" "That started internal procedures for Sunshine, we can't have our travelers impacted because our hotels is under a succession lockdown, so we have a full board meeting, to make sure that doesn't happen, the day after your dad's funeral. Everyone who wasn't in Eurani City was flown in." "In Eurani?" "That's where the company is headquartered, plus we own a little restaurant there, that's where our boards meet." "A little restaurant?" "Ok, ok Platinum Redoubt is hardly little, but you know what I meant." "Just how much do you own of it?" "Ten per cent, I'm the least shareholder." "When are you taking me?" Her voice was playful, almost flirtacious. "What?" "Come on, I've been there once, with dad, although, we stayed on the first floor, you're a shareholder, you must have access to the second floor, and I'm insanely curious now. I mean, I dressed up, daddy dressed up, to go there, and we were still looking underdressed, in full mess uniforms! Dad's official title is 'founding officer of Kagomei', of which there's only six, and the other five all salute him, before he can salute them back!" "Listen, I know this!" "Yes?" "I know just how important your dad is! I've been substitute-training people at state in protocol for six years now. The Eurani... just have different rules..." "I get that, that was outside the restaurant. I meant inside... With three of the six owners being Kagomine, and the Maitre d' greeting us as our Sun'ga, you really think he'd respect Kagomine Protocol?" "Please tell me he didn't besmirch any merits." "No, he was fine, I just couldn't budge him on seeing the second floor." "He was under especial order, there was an incident..." "What?" "Natalya made a huge tiff when she found out her father, who's got the Eurani Medal of Valour, wasn't allowed upstairs, despite his daughters being part-owners... So they asked any local decorations that would allow access be pre-declared." "Pre-declared? How?" "The board just has to agree to allowing anyone up to the second or third floor." "What, there's a third floor?" "Yeah, for owners, and clients who spend a million Sums or more a year in reservations." "How many do that?" "There's currently two level obsidian clients. But even access to the second floor can't be a surprise, we have to know at least a week in advance." "Doesn't that hamper you for restaurant awards?" "No, because the first floor gets five forks, there's just no theory under which the second floor can get six, or the third floor can get seven." "What, the service is that much better?" "Look, the two obsidian level clients pay a million, a year, and do not consider it a bad investment... How much do you spend in a restaurant in Alessia each year?" "Oooh. I don't know, but I'm starting to get your point. Probably some kind of state budget, or something?" "I'm legally unable to tell you, but, it's enough money, the Eurani just send us a monthly income tax bill, they'd rather not wait for payment arrangements, or dealing with the client, directly. They do settle with the client if one could successfully make a claim for a deduction, but, honestly, I've yet to hear of an attorney managing such a feat." "Just kill me now!" "Now, now." He'd joined her on the couch in front of the fireplace, Jor-Jie had gone to her submerged hideout under one of the ceremonial pools, while the nine cats were warming their bellies at various angles at their feet, all facing that same fireplace. "Surely it's not as bad as all that." He was holding her hand. "Easy for you to say, you've been raised in this world, easy money... My mother died when I was little, and my dad worked because he didn't like who he was when he wasn't working..." "Your share of the hotel should still allow you..." "Allow me to retire? Probably." "I was going to say to do more of what you want... Do you want to expand this house? Move to a different country? Spend months off when you're not lifeguarding Meihomei?" "I don't know..." "You could retire just from the proceeds of the hotel, you think?" "Yeah." "Then think about something..." "What?" "Half of what is mine, is yours, that includes DaDaDaVeeVeeVee, Sunshine, the Redoubt, everything. If you can retire from just the hotel, that means you have more than enough to retire, if you just want to do something else." "And you? Are you ready to give it up? You're not even a legal adult, not in all the juridictions you own property in, anyways." "I... want to join you, but I don't know if I could do it full-time. I just know your being Meihomei's lifeguard was a lot harder on you than my being a diplomat was on me..." "What do you mean, being a diplomat... You're an administrator, you've only been a diplomat for a few months, you've not even done it long enough to think you like it or not yet.." "Look, I like some parts of it... and some parts I'd just rather be kitten-ra full time, read books and meet people and not be bothered because someone likes their tcha spicy or not. The cats will back me on this, obviously." He said, mischieviously. "You have any idea how much good this is doing?" "What? You're not making sense..." "This is the first time I think I've ever seen you complain, even mildly, even if we've been together for how long now, half an arnd?" "Oh, yeah, something like that, the office is going to celebrate half an arnd of Lai Dang treaty next week, and you asked me out after it was signed, didn't I?" "I'm still surprised that I gave in, I wanted you to ask first, for a while." "You did." He just oozed satisfaction remembering, and Robyn just climbed his leg, plopping into his lap and saying 'Mew!', he added: "You're such a jealous little pusscat." "You should take that as an award. She was after me to talk to you all day." "She's not a good judge of character, she was matchmaking me with Ninu too..." "What? The fearsome Robyn is not infallible? No, I refuse to believe it." "You know, I think she's not so much fallible, as I needed to know things about myself I'd only learn dealing with Ninu's treacherous ways, that'd make me appreciate you the more." "What, so you needed your heart trampled?" "Hear me out. I needed to know what I'd do if I was told I'd be a father, even if it was fraudulent, even if it was with the wrong person." "And did you?" "It has to be the right person, it has to be from a place of trust. I'd never have gotten that with Ninu, she was all about the quick sex." "And with me?" "Do you feel wanted?" "Heck, I moved my otter in, the next day you were renovating this place, I don't think my yearly salary covered the renovations you did for an otter! What are you going to do, if I tell you, we need a baby room?" "Oh, it wasn't just an otter. Come with me, I forgot to show you something." He took her to the central pool, where Jor-Jie was presumably sleeping, hidden by hundreds of kilos of granite and sod and water. Pressing a discreet button on one of the granite pillars, Linni saw it open a secret compartment, the water pooling down at a lower level, the bemused, instantly awake otter blinking at her family members, as a set of stairs leading downwards became visible. "What? So this is what you had built, not just a bigger cavern for Jor-Jie?" "I wanted a safe room, for us, for the cats, for Jor-Jie, and for any children we might have. I'm hardly a glamourous target, but I am high enough I do get trained on kidnap procedures, security protocols, the rest..." "You sure are, I gave you two trainings, and I couldn't foist you off to anyone... That makes you higher than most." "Oh, probably because I'm Jade Bank Administrator for State, ergo, I'm the one who signs off for a lot of the encryption and classification you use?" "Wait, that's YOU?" "Just who do you think has to sign off when Jade Operators at state or the palace change jobs? Wouldn't a state vice-undersecretary for technology make sense?" "So, you're the escalation top for that row?" "I'm the escalation top, period. No one is higher than state, that's an established precedent. Doesn't help me sleep at night, but there you go." "What?" "Look, State is where spies get discussed, as well as treaties, threats from foreign powers, undeclared wars, etc, etc. I'm really glad we haven't gotten anything like that recently, quite the opposite, but the chance is always there. We're also first in line for treaty authorities." "Oh." That was the magic word, if a treaty authority needed to talk to someone, they'd talk to her milquetoast Grib? Shibue was a little shaky. She'd not heard they had given him military, or espionage training... "Look, they've not given me specialist training as an infiltrator, or a life guard, or a flag military officer, what they trained me is in risk assessement." "Oh, I bet that helps with treaties too." "Somewhat." He was a master of understatement, Shibue voted, someone with the treaty authorities on speed dial? Had to be the best possible escalation point for State outside of Nameihomei. "Wait, you're escalation point, not Nameihomei?" "Someone has to be able to tell people she's on vacation." "Why not an undersecretary of state?" Linni groaned, he'd asked that question for years, and never got an answer that was in his favour. "Because, they like taking vacations too." He'd gotten on the fast track to replace one of those feather merchants though, according to Meihomei, he'd see if that turned out to his advantage later. "And you don't?" "No, because I have a special procedure to do, just to be able to take vacations, I have to transfer that escalation." "Oh, like I do, when I'm not around to guard Meihomei." "What, I thought you were head of the detail." "Yes, and sometimes your detail crew chiefs fall sick, etc... If you're not officially unreachable, and haven't transferred the escalation, you can still get called in." "Oh, we have that in common then?" "Yeah, I guess." "You don't sound thrilled..." "I don't mind having it in common with you, just to be clear." "Then what?" "If we both need a special procedure to take vacations, I hope it won't make it impossible for us to be on vacation at the same time. Grib duties include suntan lotion, Mister Linni!" "Ohhhh. A sensible thing for me to check, when I'm next in the office." "And what are you doing now?" "Hmm, I'm closing up this safe room." He pointed to where the lights were coming online, showing enough room for perhaps 12 adults, and a storeroom of food for otters, humans and felines. "And going to bed." "And what am I supposed to do then?" "Well, if you're not totally wed to the idea of being locked up in this safe room, I'm sure some Miptun duties can be found for you to do..." Shibue licked her lips, uncertain. "What, what kind of Miptun duties are we talking about here?" "Hmm, naked duties, I think, you've been wearing clothes for as long as is recommended, for sure..." She giggled.
"What's this place?" "Can I get your bag?" "Err, no, you can't have my cat carriers, the cats wouldn't like it, but perhaps I could get a cart?" "Why, of course Zim." "Do they know you here?" "A little, I sometimes pick up guests of State here, or help them to their rooms." "Ah, the young lord! Welcome, Lord Van Pelt." "I told you not to call me that Waldron." "You did." His eyes twinkled. "This woman with you doesn't look like a wayward guest at all, full Kagomine... Bellisama! The labels had been cut off, the very late fashion cut couldn't be hidden... I greet you, although I do not know of your importance, yet, I'm sure it's quite high." Shibué shook her head, Linni had been right, dressing up would send the right signal. "You forgot who I am, Waldron? Daddy used to bring me at bring your children to work day." "Sooray's brightest! Why, it's been a while, is the palace treating you well?" "Well enough, but today, you're my problem." "Err." "Everyone knows daddy passed, right?" "Yes, my condoleances." "I want to have a chat with the staff, concerning the will... Waldron, you're the day manager, have the evening and night managers organize the proper meetings." "I forgot how well you knew us, you could tell I was the day manager, visually?" "Come on, the chain isn't that discreet!" "There's only a few links out from my watchpocket!" "And I'm a lifeguard, trained to spot little things like that, Waldron." "Aye, I'll set it up for tomorrow's shift change from day to evening, if you don't mind, and the shift change from night to day, the day after, so you only have two meetings, but you can meet people who can only make one of the day meetings, will that be acceptable?" "Make it so." Shibué then spent an hour watching the hotel's operations, silently, while being waited on by a man wrestling eight full cat carriers in a cart, mostly purring, or she'd have gotten him to stop. Atop the hotel, the most luxurious rooms, huge, with beautiful views of the palace itself, but also beyond, into the bay, the few guests impatient and rude. Middle-height, the rooms tended to be for longer stays, people filing in for festivals, work seminars and visits to family. The smaller rooms except for the lone one facing the palace direction on each floor. That one had been left empty, since the funeral. The lowest floors of the hotel were the bustling, shorter-term stays, military flag officers being reviewed, on trial, or between commands, commercial trial attorneys without accomodations in the city, salespeople with a big score in sight. Still, that one empty room, like an eyesore, a reminder. She went back down to the reception. "Waldron? Whose idea was it to leave the Dawn Standard rooms empty?" "We didn't, but... Well, we didn't really feel like anyone should be renting those for the next little while. We'd agreed to raise the price to stay there, until the will was read." "Well, the will's been read, the hotel's mine, you can put the prices back to normal, Waldron." "Ah, err." "Yes?" "..." "I'm not selling it off in the near term either, Waldron. I'll be taking a sabbatical from Meihomei's lifeguards and evaluating how I do as an executive." Linni's eyes flashed, this was the first he'd heard of it.
"It was your idea!" "I'm just shook that you just went 'flip, I'm going to try it', you certainly didn't look convinced. Also, can you keep Jor-Jie? I thought she was your work's property." "She is, but that's why it's a sabbatical, if I quit, I'd lose Jor-Jie." "You thought of quitting?" "Yeah, at least briefly." "Dit-Dit-chirrup." "No, I don't want to lose you, green eyes." The otter had wrapped as much of its short arms as it could around her neck.
"Employees of The Dawn Standard, some of you know me, all of you were hired by my father, I am , I am the new owner of the Standard. I wanted to meet with you because I've heard of a potential tender to buy the hotel, and I realize there'd be some rumours about that. I am not selling the hotel, at least, not for another year, I'll be taking the position of executive director, left vacant by my father. To do so I've taken a one year sabbatical from my commission as a LGOF-07 Gold officer in Imperial Kagomei's Lifeguards and Stalwart Defenders. Do you have questions for me?" There was a silence, then a woman in a maid's outfit near the near right corner of the room raised her hand. "What about the tender?" "Sunshine Travel, who, as I understand, is a major partner of ours, tendered to buy us at a discount. I'll be telling them I'm not interested in selling just yet, and at no time at a discount, when the legal papers clear and the legal timelines advance." "Why were the Dawn Standard reservation-locked?" "I don't know that, I was told they were just luxe-rated? Waldron, Kamichi?" "I thought Nepthus did it, he told us he'd raised the prices to keep them unrented." "Well, that's not suspicious at all, get me front desk." "Front desk, Dijan speaking." "Dijan, this is Shibué Dandelion, new executive director of the Standard, I'm calling from Seabreeze." Meaning the Seabreeze meeting room. "With me are Waldron, Kamichi and the rest of your colleagues, we're having a meeting, and found out someone managed to get the dawn standard rooms all unrented and unserviced for an extended period. Do sequester the available footage for the rooms, lock them up, and call the local Lifeguards for an investigation. "Rooms are remote-locked now." "Pick up a few friends, and go lock them up in person, dear." "Err, please excuse me, there's lifeguards here." "Leave the sound on, in case they have questions for me." "What is the meaning of this, what are you doing?" The officers were clearly agitated. "I guess we'll adjourn this meeting. Waldron, Kamichi, thank everyone for their time for me, and please arrange another meeting, hopefully, no later than 50 hours from now. Dijan, I'm coming." She had recognized the voice of the officer swearing, never a good sign.
At the front desk, Pandemonium was ensuing. Shibué had no idea how he managed, but Linni was keeping up with her. Clearly, he wasn't as sedentary as she thought. "Senya, what the shiny brass bottom are you doing here?" "Zim, err, wait, you're on Sabbatical!" "Yeah, I'm not Zim to you right now, how did you get here so fast?" "What?" "Look, I found something suspicious while I was meeting with my people, and told Dijan here to call it in." "That broke a sting! We had people watching the sixth floor dawn standard room!" "Do we have footage?" "Not any more, it's all mine now!" "I meant so we could hand it to you, Senya, I may not be active, but I do want to collaborate." "Two weeks, everything before that gets recycled, standard policy." Linni tittered. "Linni?" "I've helped catch a room disaster-causer, they had four weeks old footage for us..." "Oh, could you take a look?" She handed him the portable jade screen that served as console. "Oh, same system we use at state." Tap-tap. "Five weeks." Tap-tap. "And locked. Who's your power of tribunal, Senya?" "Don't have one, yet." "On my authority, I authorize this purchase. Deliver these storage mediums to the hotel." He had made a call to a storage-medium vendor's delivery service in the interim. "What?" "While these are under legal-lock, they can't be deleted or expired, and they'll need new ones while those get analyzed. Oh, and Senya, send someone to pick up the footage please?" "I'll pick them up myself..." "Err, you'll need a squad, or at least a large aircar, there's 244 mediums of a kilo each." "Frick me sideways!" "Lots of cameras, lots of corridors, plus the entrance." "When did you get power of tribunal, Linni?" "When I made vice-undersecretary of technology, but it was restricted to state." "And now?" "As undersecretary for classification, it's not restricted anymore." "Frick me, you went from CI-06 Assistant Auxiliary Vice-Undersecretary to CI-09 Undersecretary in two years?" "Fifteen months." "Who do you defer to?" "Anyone with expertise, Nameihomei, Meihomei, obviously." "I meant for technology cases." "Err, I don't think I'm allowed to, for those." "What?" "I'm the Jade Technology court, in a sense." "Frick me sideways for honour everlasting the elements above my witness!" The swear being so long was a statement. Linni let her finish then kissed her. There's wife creative swears that should be rewarded, he thought. "Feel better now?" "No, my husband's a kind of technical voodoo court and he didn't tell me..." "Err, sorry, I thought you knew..." "How would I know?" "You've been around whenever I had to give an official opinion... And you were talking to Meihomei just after she signed my promotion, I figured she had talked to you about it..." "She mentioned it without going into details, I'm not vetting everyone, I don't have that kind of power over her." "Well, I'm senior advisor to the Netamei on encryption, now that I'm undersecretary for classification." "You were his advisor when you were vice-undersecretary for encryption. I checked." "Aw, drat, and here I thought I'd impress you." "Honey, you don't impress me anymore by what you do for a job... You gotta work harder at it." She wriggled her brows at him. "But being seniormost tribunal for technology is impressive, I'll grant you that, and one of Meihomei's inner council, for that matter." "When did I become senior conselor?" "When you got adopted by her sister, de facto, when you became Under-for-class, de jure." "How come I get 'under-for-class' while others have much nicer sounding names, huh?" "Under-for-pol? Sec-State? That last one's ok, vice-under-for-crypto? They sneer behind your back if you got something truly peacock, under-for-class is a working-class title. You get more respect than you think." "Glad you're here to tell me [I'm respected, I'd have no clue otherwise." "Then I suggest you keep your eyes open. You'll see how the troops, especially the armed services, react, when you introduce yourself, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." "Why? My job isn't to be respected, although that'd be nice." "You're respected because those of them with half a brain realize that as under-for-class, you're responsible for secrets not being declassified, leaked or otherwise compromised, the ones that aren't woolheads realize that means you save their bacons with every mistake you don't make..." "Gulp, I was hoping for respect for using the right fork." "They're soldiers, they react best to life and death situations..." "Some forks ARE life and death situations, heck, I've been in life and death situations just by who I was inviting and in what order..." "I know, and I'm not trying to gainsay you, when I say that, but I warn you you face an uphill battle, trying to convince a servicemember to appreciate that fully." "You're right about the difficulty of the task. It doesn't help that I only have Civil Ribbon of Mei Kagomine Service, not like Amarat or anything." "He's also serving in the armed forces, as a non-com, the popularity contests he won't win just don't exist right now..." "Is being a non-com that significant? You're a commissioned officer, and so was your dad..." "My dad started a non-com and got promoted officer, that's not the same thing." "Hmm, explain it to me like I'm eight?" "For good or for ill, to a member of the armed services, a non-com is some specialist with a useful skill, first, someone who has to take orders to apply those skills, second, and a person third... People who are tribunals, like you and your sister, start being able to give out orders and military sentences, but were never subject to military discipline." "So, to them, I'm a lightweight, am I a lightweight to you too?" His silver-grey eyes looked so sad right now, she wanted to hug him, despite how insulting what he said was! How dare he! "That's incredibly insensitive, I put my name and signature to a Merit in your name, that got denied, then I tried to get you Medal of Sacrifice for Meihomei's Own." "For which I wasn't eligible, either one, as an acting state department officer, acting under orders." "That's not why you didn't get it, you didn't get it because they chose to give me the medal of sacrifice instead, since I took three inches of steel for you... That was never my intent!" "You still deserved a medal for that, and I never did thank you properly for that, either, I'm just such a jerk." '"Honestly, just don't. you mention that incident again and I'm going to rant and rave for an hour or two." She said, holding his lips together. "I appreciate you thanking me though, some principals don't even think that's required, even when you need stitches." "You didn't just need stitches, you needed stitches, and partial wrist reconstruction..." "How do you even know that? You read my file?" "I'm under-for-class, they can't keep me out... and there's no way I was leaving that file alone, you got sent there in my place, and the only thing more likely than me having the same injuries you did, was me being injured worse, since I'm hardly your combat equal." "Look, I signed up for this, it's not something you can protect me from..." "Let me finish, I read your file precisely to know if there's something I could have done to help you not get hurt... You sign up to protect me, fine, the least ingrate thing I can do is not make it harder on you..." "I'm not winning this argument am I?" "No, not likely. You put your life on the line for me, I'm going to make sure you did so only if it was justified...." "And was it?" "I believe it was, you did give me full marks for protective posture." "What about going in there knowing there was an enemy about?" "I'm a diplomat? When I'm surrounded by friends, I'm usually in even more danger." "I've never heard anyone say it quite like that, but it does match something Nameihomei mentioned to me, that you don't need diplomats among enemies to take risks, that's what the flag of truce is for, but in peacetime, you usually get deniable assets..." "How many?" "What?" "How many times has someone tried to kill you?" "I can't tell you that, it's classified so high, they won't even tell me..." "That's a load of spit, you're under-for-class, you're cleared for everything, you're cleared for things Meihomei herself isn't cleared for, simply by virtue of being the one making, or reviewing, that determination. There may be things you're not cleared for, maybe, but not many..." "I'm not cleared for my security detail." "No, you're tier obsidian, and you were as vice-under-for-crypto, no one not on your detail is cleared for it." "What'a tier obsidian?" "Someone who knows too much. Can't be captured. We try not to make it easy by not letting people plant agents on your detail too easily. Listen, the short version is that you're under the same protection regimen as the people whose escalation point you share, that's the general rule, right?" "Yeah?" "You share Meihomei and Nameihomei's escalation tier, so you get our very best. Anyone who takes a bullet for you is considered to have done the same as taking one for Meihomei, I doubt anyone would do it differently, because there's a medal, but we're keenly aware you're not a shlub, ok? You know enough, if Nameihomei or Meihomei are incapacitated, we ask you..." "Ugh, you do know how to give a guy an anxiety attack or three..." "Silly, I know better, that act works on other people, but I bowled you over and took a knife for you, you were never afraid, how many?" "What?" "You're stalling... I know people tried to kill you before, and it has to be more than one, and I just want the ones you remember, not the ones that were stopped before you got involved. You're way too cool under pressure that it was the only time..." "Err, three." "I thought so, your body language was never afraid... Like you were still a child the first time in happened." "I'm supposed to keep secrets from everyone, but I got a long way to go before I can keep secrets from you it seems..." She dimpled. "I'm just such a good judge of character." "And you are cleared for almost everything..." "That does help, a little..." "Enough that you knew I'd been targeted three times for assassination, and what you really wanted to know was if I'd tell you the truth." "Oh, my, someone's reaching..." "When I attempt to grasp the stars and stretch upon the horizon, only then am I reaching, and only for the time it takes to capture the sun." "I've always loved that particular poem, but I shouldn't be surprised you know Etruscan masters, you're Brescian Aristocracy, I should ask you if you've seen the originals." "As it happens, they're in my castle of Ferrare, under heavy guard, for the rest of this month." "What, you have Etruscan original manuscripts at your... castle?" "Castle Ferrare was where this particular piece was WRITTEN. I get shared custody, as it were." "Wait, so you don't have a castle, you have a 19 hundred arnds old castle?" "I may just get to preside over the 1950 jubilee... If not me, then if I have any kids, and maybe they'll even get twenty centuries, although, more likely, grandkids." "You want kids?" "What? Is that so strange?" "Well... It's none of my business, but your file is kinda thin on female company. And being a castle-owning aristocrat, that doesn't fit the usual pattern, you could say..." "What, I should have a woman, because I own a castle?" "Well, not exactly, owning a castle, I'd imagine you're beating them off with not just one stick, but multiple sticks." "Oh." He was blushing. "Not that I've noticed, but I am a kinda private person... I don't just tell people about the castle..." "Oh, you don't eh?" "Yeah, you have to do something noticeable, like save my life by getting inches of steel embedded in your flesh or something else really noteworthy." Does he really think this counts as flirting? Hold it Boo, he's got a point about it being something that'll make you trust a person, it doesn't have to be flirting... Why did I think that's what he was doing then? Oh, it's those eyes, he is making eye contact, he is paying attention, and he is caring that I like is very, very dry joke. Focus Boo, he did look nice up close like this when you were sprawled over him with that knife in your hand, but that doesn't mean getting involved with him is a good idea...
"I'm sorry, but there's no mention of this reservation in our system..." "But!" She waved the paper in her hand, bearing an actual wax seal of The Tsou Kingdom. "What is it, Vambrace?" "The Zim mentions a reservation by number, for a Dawn Standard room, but I can't find it in our system, I can find it in the global index though..." "Just book her in, my authority." "Thank you, Zim?" "Waldron, day manager here. And you are?" "Laraken Tsunamon, Cat Princess of the Tsou Kingdom, accredited temporarily as ambassador to Kagomei." "We don't normally have ambassadors..." "No, I imagine you don't, but while there is a truce, there's not yet thought given, at least in Tsou, to build an embassy here..." "Ah." Yeah, simmering cold war against them for a hundred arnds? They'd be in no hurry to build an embassy. A well dressed Kagomine man was approaching, his red hair streaming behind his head as he ran. "Waldron, has anyone found a communicator?" "Zim-Meritant-Namei Amarat, welcome, let me go fetch it, one was indeed brought to me." As he receded, Laraken decided to say hi, he was high enough in the hierarchy, he might make her mission easier. "Greetings from the paws and whiskers of the Tsou, hidden behind boughs of orange trees." "A pawlick and curled ear to you, Princess of Orange." He replied, smoothly. "Am I so recognizable? I doubt we've ever met." "No, but my cousin has mentioned your presence here in the city..." "Your cousin?" "The Kitten-Sultan of Kagomei, Linnaeus Van Pelt." "Oh, yes, I've met my counterpart earlier, a rare pleasure. He should have warned me how handsome you are." "I warned him against that, lest I not live up to the hype, he'd have so much spice on his face then." "I'm sure he couldn't do that." She insisted. "My wife agrees with me." "Oh, you should warn me about her too, I think, then." "She is more beautiful than the dawn." "Oh, my. And you say that to a Tsou?" "I've spoken to your... colleague, Furuken Tsimori, while in Tsou, I do have some idea what I just said..." "Oh, granted that, I'd probably fall in love with her at first sight and never want to leave... Please keep her away from me." Waldron returned. "One Veri Special Industries communicator, in black and purple, matching your vehicle, I believe?" "Yes, that's the one, thank you Waldron."
"This case keeps getting more 'interesting' by the minute." "What?" "The room we were watching just got booked to someone with diplomatic immunity." "Regular reservation?" "No, she'd reserved three floors above, but there was a glitch."
Purpose / Function
Started as a beginning of the century business catering to visitors to the bustling capital, the hotel catered to visitors to the departments of government in the city at first. State, the Defense apparatus especially, often had need of temporary lodings, and the technology sector, which in Megamisama tended to be nearby anyways, just doubled the demand.
Alterations
Originally built as a five-floor hotel, extensive renovations in 740AK more than doubled the number of floors, and added two wings to what was a single-wing building previously.
Founding Date
700AK
Type
Hospitality, Hotel
Parent Location
Additional Rulers/Owners
Ruling/Owning Rank
Comments