Chapter 381 (2/2)
Two of the seamstresses stood up and moved over to her, adding to the soft sheer cloth covering her fur.
”It is so nice that you have fur,” one said. ”It is difficult to create fashion for Terrans, Mantids, and Treana'ad, much less the Rigellians, as they lack the proper amount of fur.”
”I can imagine,” Nakteti said.
”Your people must have been alarmed to encounter hairless ones so fierce and dominant,” the one who had suggested a statue be made of the other Pubvian female's husband's genitals.
”My ship was being attacked by a Precursor Autonomous War Machine,” Nakteti said. ”We were grateful for the assistance.”
”Is it true you met the Daxin the Janissary?” one asked.
Nakteti nodded. ”Yes. He is the one who saved my ship and crew.”
All four of them gave a giggle and a shiver.
”How do you know of him?” Nakteti asked.
”Everyone knows of Daxin the Janissary,” the oldest Pubvian said. She stepped back and rubbed her fuzzy chin with her middle hand. ”Is it true the rest of the Immortal Janissary are dead? Lost on a forgotten battlefield?”
Nakteti nodded. ”Yes. Over the centuries the Terrans have been involved in many conflicts. Many have died.”
”The Terrans are a dominating people,” the obviously youngest one said. ”Woe be unto those who seek to dominate those who will not submit.”
Nakteti nodded as sleeves were pulled up her arms and the oldest began running an autostitcher around her arm with well trained and highly skilled fingers.
”Yes,” she said, glancing at the mirror.
Major Carnight stood, staring at a point above everyone's head.
Nakteti could see the light on the butt of his magac pistol blinking steadily, telling the whole world it was armed and the smartlink was engaged.
”Woe indeed.”
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Nakteti sat and brushed her fur slowly, wearing the delicate and well tailored modesty clothing that the seamstresses had designed to go on underneath her gown. She had listened closely to the gossip, knowing that there was no way that any Pubvians who would be allowed near her had not been vetted, coached, and given a script.
It had been enjoyable, listening to their gossip and banter, avoiding giving too precise of an answer to any of the idle seeming questions posed by the dress makers.
She had known it was all a test. The Pubvians were testing her abilities.
She wished her mother was present with her. Sangbre was canny and experienced, a political infighter with decades of experience at Matronhood and leading a star trading consortium.
But she knew that wishes were for children. She was the one who was present, which meant that it was all on her.
A Pubvian 'servant' came in, bowing.
”Matron Nakteti, there is a communications request for your bodyguard, the Terran Major Carnight,” the Pubvian said, their face hidden by a mask and their sex hidden by a voice modulator.
”For Major Carnight? Why announce it to me?” Nakteti asked, still brushing her fur.
”It's a full channel high bandwidth realtime hypercom transmission, Matron,” the Pubvian said.
Nakteti considered it, frowning slightly. She wondered who would send that kind of message to Major Carnight.
”Very well, put it through,” she said.
”Matron, it is full eVR. You would be included in the call,” the Pubvian warned.
”By all means, put it through,” Nakteti said, not bothering to stop brushing her fur.
Another test. It must be, Nakteti thought. She turned to Major Carnight and smiled at him. ”This must be an important communication.”
Nakteti sensed something strange in the Terran's stance, in his facial expression, but did not worry.
The room shivered slightly as the eVR system came on.
A Terran woman appeared at the far end of the room, sitting on what looked to Nakteti as a throne. She had on a skirt made of fine leather and decorated with precious metals and gems. Her hair was in a complex braid, wires of precious metals running through it, ornaments and gems glittering in the braided black hair. Her skin was a deep rich brown and dust from precious gems glittered on her skin.
Nakteti noticed she was also bare from the waist up, in direct opposite of the social norms for modesty that Nakteti had learned about. The Tnvaru could see that the Terran woman's mammary glands were swollen with milk, and two small infant Terrans were on her lap, one attached to a breast, its eyes closed and holding tight, the other laying on the Terran woman's lap.
”Devie, there you are,” the woman said, lifting her hand from where she had been patting the sleeping infant's back and giving it a leisurely wave. ”I was starting to wonder if you would ever answer my call.”
Major Carnight moved up next to Nakteti, letting her grab one of his hands. Nakteti was careful to not grab the one that she knew he used to fire the pistol.
”What do you want, sister mine?” Major Carnight asked.
”Why, to simply see how my brother fares in this malevolent universe,” the woman said. ”My liege lord, King Nganto, urged me to contact you with everything that has occurred.”
Nakteti had been around Major Carnight long enough to recognize the slight tightening around his eyes.
”You're doing this in front your court, aren't you?” he asked.
The Terran woman laughed, sliding one finger between her breast and the cheek of the infant, breaking the suction. She transferred the baby, who made slight sleepy noises of discomfort and annoyance, to the other breast as she laughed.
”Of course I am, Devie. I am, after all, nobility. My people are keenly interested in seeing me contact my long-lost brother,” she said, still smiling.
Nakteti could see it. They had the same eyes.
”What do you want?” Major Carnight snapped.
”To extend a formal invitation from His Royal Majesty, King Nganto, to the Tnvaru Matron Nakteti. He offers her his protection and succor during these times, when a malevolent universe seeks again to wrest away everything beautiful,” she smiled.
”That will remain up to her,” Major Carnight said, his voice cold. ”She seeks the Confederate Senate.”
”Bah,” the woman waved her hand again, making the nursing infant open its eyes and look around for a moment, holding tight to the breast, the nipple staying in the infant's mouth as it pulled back slightly to look around. The woman gave a wry smile. ”Ah, Devie, still dancing with the cooling corpse on the ballroom floor as if you can bring it back to life.”
She suddenly leaned forward slightly, her face going from bored laziness to such an intent predatory stare Nakteti almost stepped back.
She was aware the two Pubvians who had been watching immediately pressed their faces to the floor in submission.
”The Confederacy is dead. The Mar-gite killed the Confederacy as surely as a spear thrust through the heart killed the Arch-Magus right on this very dais,” she said. ”Admit it, Devon, it's dead. It's a shambling corpse, a zombie shuffling along completely unaware it has died.”
She leaned back. ”Come to me. I will protect you when Space Force's strength fails against humanity's foes.”
”The Confederacy isn't dead, sis,” Carnight snapped. ”You've been singing that tune for over a hundred years, and the Confederacy is still here.”
”A corpse lies on the floor until someone buries it,” the woman said. She gave a laugh. ”Did you approach the Senate yet?”
”Yes,” Carnight said.
”And found it was naught but specters and memories,” the woman said. She leaned back, tapping her fingers on the arm of her throne. She turned her attention to Nakteti. ”Tell me, Matron, don't you feel it? The chill of the grave that the Confederacy has one foot firmly planted within?”
Nakteti shook her head. ”No. Everywhere I turn I see life,” she waved her left gripping hand. ”Here, upon Pubvia, there is life, not blasted rock and death,” Nakteti leaned forward. ”Can you return life to the dead on such a scale.”
The Terran woman laughed and looked at Major Carnight. ”Oh, I like her,” she looked back at Nakteti. ”I cannot wait to meet you in person so that I can present you at His Royal Majesty's Court of Wonders,” she said. She pointed toward Major Carnight. ”Bring my wayward brother with you, and I shall reward not just you, but your people. You need allies, you'll need trading partners, and I offer that to you.”
She leaned forward again and Nakteti realized both of the infants were staring at her.
”Bring him to me, and I shall reward you beyond you or your people's wildest dreams,” she said. ”The Confederacy is dying, as all empires do. Do not let his blood and life be spent in the defense and dreams of a dying beast,” She looked to the side. ”This conversation is over, Oracle. Let your magic cease.”
The hypercom transmission suddenly ended, with the words ”CONFEDERATE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM” appearing in mid-air for a handful of seconds before vanishing.
Nakteti turned and looked at Major Carnight.
”She seems nice,” Nakteti said.
Major Carnight just nodded stiffly.