Chapter 12 – The Fix Is In #2
Vivith made an irritated sound. "It cannot be happenstance.
You will be recorded the entire time: in the training rooms, in the dining hall, in your quarters, the halls and balconies.
You must make your… relationship convincing for the broadcaster and an audience of millions, and then you might offer Araxis assistance within the arena.
You will work with him, and then you will yield and our Araxis, being magnanimous, will spare your life, though you would be easy enough to kill.
" Their lips thinned. "This should not be so difficult for you to follow, Sashen Solar. You excel at pretending."
I couldn't tell if that was a dig at my profession, my species, or what I was doing with Araxis.
"For fuck's sake," I muttered in English, looking pointedly away.
The last thing I needed was to lose my temper.
It wasn't easy to make me mad enough to lose control – I was well-versed in working with the public in all states of intoxication – but Vivith put a strain on even my deepest reserves of patience.
And maybe those wells were running a little dry anyway, given the current state of my life.
Araxis said something to Vivith in abayan, before reaching out to pour tea from our second pot.
He slid a cup first to me and then to Vivith before picking his own up.
"Let us discuss a timeline, then. Vivith is correct in that we will not be able to communicate freely once we arrive on Thenat-6.
But I am not worried, Sashen: I do not think it will be so difficult for us to seem that we are drawn together, hm?
" He leaned, nudging my shoulder with his own.
When I looked back, Vivith was watching us, their eyes gleaming as their attention flickered between me and Araxis. "He is virra," they said finally to Araxis, tone flat. "You should consider falling in love."
I choked on my tea, thumping a fist hard against my chest as I wheezed. "What?"
Next to me, Araxis's eyes were pinched with concern, his own drink set aside so that he might press a hand to my shoulder.
"I'm fine," I said, sputtering and coughing. "Just went down the wrong pipe."
"The wrong pipe?" Vivith's face flashed with disgust.
"I know, bad design." I coughed again. "Digestive and respiration systems in the same tube? Recipe for disaster."
"How your species ever managed to reach space remains a mystery." Vivith squinted at me, as if I'd personally decided on how to design humans and then put us into the galaxy where we clearly didn't belong.
Araxis threaded his fingers through my hair, leaning close to examine me. I wiped my eyes and smiled at him. "I'm fine," I insisted. "Vivith just surprised me."
"Could this happen any time?" He frowned, as if an entirely new realm of worry had opened up ahead of him.
"No," I said, firm. "Well, yes, if I'm eating or drinking.
Or sometimes I can choke on my own spit, but that's not usually so bad.
" Then, in a quieter voice, "You'd be amazed what doesn't make me choke, though.
" Araxis flushed the prettiest pink, gently running his nails across my scalp in the most delicious way as I leaned into his touch.
Next to us, Vivith fluted out the longest, flattest sound.
"An alliance based on presumed merit in combat would be unbelievable.
Being besotted would surely convince even the most skeptical viewers.
Let us make a plan, and then you can practice making eyes at one another.
At least it will be out of my line of sight. "
So we did: we sat with Vivith and a string of dates, and we mapped out exactly what we might do and when to convince the eager audiences that we were striking a genuine alliance.
That we were apparently falling in love.
I was sure that Araxis wouldn't want to play pretend for the whole galaxy, but he seemed unconcerned, eager to make suggestions and to implement a scheme with military precision.
Once that was finished, Vivith produced a short dossier with a list of other contestants, which they sent to my wristband with an efficient flick.
Clearly it was out-of-date since I wasn't anywhere to be found, and it was incredibly against the rules…
but we'd leave our devices here on the ship to avoid detection.
We decided that Araxis would drop me off on a nearby waystation, where I'd charm my way into a ride to Thenat-6: this close to the moon, and this close to the Tournament, I should be able to get someone to give me a lift just by saying I'd be working the event.
I had a contract with the media conglomerate.
Vivith even offered to prep a redacted copy to load onto a simple chip that could be scanned and shared.
We'd been sitting for so long that my stomach started to rumble. When I got up to go make myself some soup, Araxis stopped me, tugging me back down. "I will make you something," he said, firm, and then stepped away from the table, leaving Vivith and I by ourselves.
I didn't look at them, instead flashing up the profiles of the six contestants in the Tournament.
It was possible that there'd be others we didn't know about, but we'd figure that out as we went.
"This information must have been hard to come by," I said, maybe like a peace offering.
Like I was noticing something valuable Vivith brought to the table, considering most of what they brought anywhere seemed to be trouble and a shitty attitude.
"It was expensive," they said, flat. "But I expect you know that: you worked for an information broker. You are aware of what files cost. The more proprietary information is, the more she can charge."
"Yeah, but I don't think Alet Trident trades in stuff like this. She mostly just had us listen for gossip – which diplomat owed which corporate entity money, who was working on a marriage contract with which political dynasty. Who wanted a dancer to fuck them while someone else watched."
Vivith's nostrils narrowed in distaste.
It was maybe a little fun to push their buttons. I opened my mouth to add a few more details, when Vivith scowled. "Talvi, go back to the nest," they said, just as two little hands grasped at my arm. Talvi shoved their head under my bicep and nestled their cheek against my chest.
"Our Sashen wasn't in his room this morning," Talvi whined. They squirmed a little closer, squeezing into my lap and pulling on my arm so it tucked around their narrow shoulders.
"Talvi." Vivith's tone was sharp, a harsh subvocal lurking underneath.
Talvi whined with upset. "But he's leaving tomorrow, Vivith, and –"
Vivith leaned forward, and for a panicked moment, I thought they might strike Talvi.
I twisted, instinctively shifting the child away and putting my shoulder between them.
"Go on," I said, pushing them gently from my lap.
"We're busy right now, and your Vivith told you what to do.
You can see me later, and we'll finish looking at pictures of mammals on Earth, alright? "
Talvi stood, their toes flexing on the floor, their face a picture of misery. "Can we look at the ones underwater again?"
"Sure," I said, still carefully holding myself between the child and their parent. "We can look at any pictures you want."
With that, Talvi trailed away, dragging their feet reluctantly.
They stopped in the doorway, staring at me with sad eyes.
Next to me, Vivith said something quick in abayan, and Talvi ducked their head and vanished in a flash.
I looked at the dark space where they'd been, and my heart clenched tight. Our Sashen, Talvi had called me.
You're mine, Araxis had breathed against me. I have you.
I let out a long, shaky exhale and grappled with the weight of what was to come.
The tether I'd been imagining that tied us together, that thread of tension, it was more than just anticipation now; I was bound to Creche Thiel in a way that I didn't quite understand, and they were bound to me.
I would do whatever it took to see those children to the future they deserved, and maybe there would be space for me too.
"Let's go through these files again," I said determined, pulling up the profiles of the other contestants. "I don't want any surprises."