Chapter 14 #2
“We don’t really have a military presence on Tanalia. We’re a peaceful planet focused on personal development, scientific discovery, and artistic expression. There’s no need. We’re in the planetary and galactic alliances for protection,” Evelyn said.
“Seems a bit shortsighted,” Lillian said. “You should always watch your own six.”
Corvinia nodded at this. “And this is the part of the conversation I’ve been dreading.” She rose from the easy chair and went to the freezer to pull out a bottle of vodka. Then she grabbed an empty mug and poured herself a drink.
“This part?” Nannette asked, sotto voce. Tariel nudged her with his elbow. She shrugged.
“What have I always told you about actors?” Corvinia asked Evelyn, her stare clearly deliberate.
“That their job is one of the most influential in the galaxy. Truly talented actors can embody anyone, anything. They can make you feel things you’d never guessed yourself capable of.
That they would make the perfect . . .” Evelyn swallowed.
Her face fell as her brain caught up with her words and she realized what was coming to her.
“The perfect spies.” The last words were whispered.
A dozen memories bombarded Evelyn’s mind. Chance meetings, subtly traded envelopes. Watching Corrie introduce actors and off planet dignitaries at parties. Having herself introduced to same. The chill in her blood returned.
Corvinia said nothing. What was there to say when you watched someone realize that your entire relationship had been founded on lies.
Not a damn thing.
“That explains why this whole gig has been so goddamn convoluted,” Elenor muttered from the loveseat. “Actors. Have you always wanted to direct, Vinnie?”
“My real job has always been in intelligence. I believed that it was a better defense to appear as soft as we’d always been considered to be.
It turns out that it worked a little too well.
” Corvinia brought the mug to her mouth, took a swallow, then winced.
“This would be easier with a glass of single malt scotch,” she mumbled before continuing.
“By the time it became apparent that Emil had the government in a death grip, I decided that it was no longer advisable to stay in my day job. The GPC was no help, not with how he’d set the stage with that joke of a treaty.
I resigned in a showy and dramatic fashion.
I wrote some codes into various systems, activated certain protocols, and headed off on my ship.
“I spent some of my own time in stasis. I was able to acquire one of the excess pods Emil had manufactured for you. He’d snapped up some very brilliant minds and made some adjustments to the technology — you’ve noticed it takes far less time to return to an awakened state than emerging from a normal stasis pod would.
Various codes woke me when certain talents popped up in Tanalian population records.
I sent recruitment orders to the folks on the ground and went back under.
In special cases, when essential talents popped up, I made contact myself.
Eventually I made my way to this part of the galaxy and established my Vinnie persona. ”
“Good covers take time,” Veronique said.
“Exactly,” Corvinia agreed. “I needed Vinnie to be bulletproof. Finding contractors who can do their jobs to exacting standards requires an ‘audition’ or two.” She made finger quotes.
“That’s why you’ve been hiring us for years,” Aiden said, voice as hard as steel. The amount of disdain he was pumping out was a surprise to Evelyn; he always spoke so sweetly to her. “I take it we passed muster.”
“Most reliable and honest thievery crew I’ve ever dealt with.”
“We take pride in finding elegant solutions to complex problems.”
“And your track record proves it. I knew that you were the crew to hire.”
“But why me?” Evelyn asked. “Why not bust out Papa?”
“For one, your location was more decentralized. Your family is largely being stored in their rooms in the palace, except for your sister’s spouse — early leverage to get Constantina to toe the line.
For another, I felt responsible for the position you were in.
I should have left you to your dissertation.
I’d never imagined you would feel the need to take care of Emil yourself. ”
Evelyn laughed at that. “I learned my sense of public service from watching you. You always put Tanalia first.”
“That’s very flattering, darling,” Corvina said with a wry smile. “I shall remember to be a less impactful influence in future.”
Evelyn snorted. “Good luck.”
“The biggest reason for your rescue, I’m afraid, is that you’re the best option we have to get the planet back.”
Evelyn’s mouth was suddenly dry as the desert outside.
“I hate where this is going.” Bits and pieces of Tanalian history, class lectures long forgotten were popping into her head.
Civil war, bloody and pointless. The drafting of The Compromise, a constitution left unamended for far too long.
Essays her sister Constantina had written advocating for updating its ridiculously idealistic framework based on a Tanalia that existed hundred of years in the past. All the possibilities Evelyn had been considering on the journey from the medivessel were eclipsed by the absurdity of the one Corvinia was presenting.
No.
“There’s a loophole in the constitution that Emil is aware of,” Corvinia was explaining to the room at large as Evelyn’s mind raced.
“I’m convinced that it’s why he slowly put your entire family into pods.
I mean, the Amplifier battery benefits I’m sure he’s reaping are a nice touch, but .
. . You are a direct crown descendent. You can force the emergency abdication clause of the Compromise.
You make a claim, and no one can stop you from taking control back from Bauder. ”
Evelyn looked at Corvinia blankly, like she was suddenly speaking an untranslated language.
Out of her goddamn mind.
“So you had me rescued to throw me into a shit show of a coup?”
“I had you rescued to present the option of saving your planet and your family from a megalomaniacal fuckhead who’s completely perverted the way of life you love,” she snapped.
She took a moment to calm herself before continuing.
“However, I am also prepared to help you disappear. If you want, I will get you papers that will pass the highest level of scrutiny. You can go wherever you want. You can do whatever you want,” Corvinia said.
Liar. Evelyn knew her better than that. She’d had Evelyn rescued and delivered directly into a corner and they both knew it.
“So I can be a coward or a martyr? Great options, Corrie. You had a hundred years to work on your sales pitch, and I see you didn’t waste a minute of them.
” Evelyn unfolded her legs and gave Veronique a gentle tap on the shoulder, getting up from the sofa when Veronique shifted.
She walked to the sliding glass door and stepped outside, feeling Aiden’s eyes on her the entire way to the patio.
As she closed the sliding door, she heard Veselko address the room.
“Well,” he said as he clapped his hands together. “That went well.”
She snorted into the cold desert air.
Fucking peachy.