Chapter 37 #2
In all the years of the Coalition’s existence, there had been many assassination attempts on the High Imperium.
That danger just came as part of the deal of being such a powerful and influential figure over so many planets.
Sometimes, it would be someone who wanted them removed so that they might get something done that the Imperium had voted against. Others, it was someone who simply held a grudge.
It could be fanatics or insanity. A few times, it was non-Coalition species who thought removing them would destabilize the Coalition’s power structure.
Trove had never heard of an attempt succeeding.
The High Imperium was completely unknown, but absolutely untouchable.
And the security that surrounded them was unbreakable.
Trove couldn’t see or smell or hear that security – but he knew it was there.
People probably, definitely technology, there were certainly weapons hidden somewhere, probably within all the lovely plant life.
And it was doubtlessly aimed at all of their heads.
The High Imperium chuckled, and the robotic sound put Trove on edge.
“So uneasy,” the Imperium chuckled.
“You’ll forgive us, your excellency,” Tanin started, his voice remarkably even but full of condemnation, “if we aren’t exactly comfortable in your presence.”
“Please, call me Hyde as you were doing.”
“Why? It’s not your name.”
“I think I’ll make it my name. I’ve grown attached to it. What do you think, Chee? It’s a good name, is it not?”
Chee shrugged. “Not sure I’m the one to be asking about good names. My parents called me Cheese.”
The Imperium laughed. “Well, that is hardly your choice, now is it? Oh, relax. All of you. I’m not going to kill you or send you to prison or something.”
“Then, why are we here?” Tanin asked, suspicion heavy in his tone.
Trove couldn’t help but tighten his hand around his pistol. The fact that no one had tried to take it from him, despite him coming before such an important figure, made him more uneasy. None of them had been searched for weapons. There wasn’t even a show of security.
Likely because they didn't see them as a threat.
“You’re here because you’re completing a job for me.” The Imperium said simply. Like it really was just that easy. “So? Where is my cup?”
Rok still had it. Their delivery person waited until Tanin nodded his head to step forward, the crystal shining between the fingers of one of his large hands. He was careful as he approached and set the cup in the center of the desk. He kept his face forward as he walked back to join the others.
The Imperium said nothing for a long moment as they, presumably, looked at the cup. There was no way to tell. Their head didn't move indicating that’s what was happening.
It made sense now why they wanted that cup. It was a vitullian artifact, and the High Imperium was the only known vitulli. It also explained why they were wealthy and powerful enough to offer an entire moon to buy it.
But not why they needed the Humble Delivery Service to fetch it. Surely a person of such power and wealth had a lot more options than a band of criminals to obtain their treasures.
“Thank you,” they finally said. “It’s always good to get pieces of our culture back. There is so little of it remaining anymore.”
“It’s pretty,” Chee said, smiling at it. “Is it really just an ordinary cup?”
“It was once. Now, to me, to us, it is priceless. You did good work.”
Trove thought he must be talking to Chee, but she looked up at them, as though she thought they were talking to the crew.
“The other half of your payment should already be in your accounts. Plus a little extra for a job well done. Thank you again.”
“No problem,” Tanin said. “If that’s all, we’ll be going now.”
Going? What about Chee? What…
Trove’s thought was cut off before he could even finish it by the Imperium.
“If I may? You are, of course, free to leave whenever you wish. However, this job was merely an… audition, of sorts. I have more work for you, if you’re interested. And I am willing to pay very well.”
“Are they deliveries? Or are we fetching things for you again?” Tanin’s voice was tight. “We are not mercenaries. We do not work under that license, as I’m sure you already know. The only reason we did this job is for that cord. And now that we have it, our deal is done.”
“So it is. And yes, the other jobs I have for you are not simple deliveries. They are, in fact, more like mercenary work. But you don’t have to worry about the proper licenses or permissions.
One of the benefits of being me, you see, is that I make the rules.
I can get you all of those things easily. ”
“No, thank you,” Tanin said.
“I can offer you a great deal.”
“We don’t want your credz.”
“I have a lot more than credz,” the Imperium chuckled, like even he knew how worthless such a thing truly was.
“Your excellency,” Tanin started, jaw tight. “Let’s not pretend here. I know that you are very well aware of who we are. Our real names. Our real pasts.”
“I am,” they agreed easily.
“Then, you understand why I’m so skeptical about why you want us. As you said, you have a lot more than credz. You command armies.”
“I do.”
“So, command them to chase whatever it is you’re after.”
“Ah, but my armies are bound by the law. I need someone who… isn’t. I don’t need Tanin and the crew of the Humility. I need the Bloody Shadow and his gang who once ruled Rik-Vane.”
The silence that followed that statement was strained. Trove looked from his captain to Chee, but she was looking down at the desk. She still stood beside Hyde.
Why did she not stand beside him?
“Those people are dead,” Tanin said simply, ice laced into his tone. “They will not live again for any amount of credz you can throw at us.”
“I am aware. You are not moved by money. It’s a very admirable trait. And a much rarer one than you might think.”
“I’m glad you know. Then, we’re leaving. Chee.”
She winced. Like Tanin had struck at her.
But she didn't move.
“Chee,” Trove said, his voice gentler. “Come, my mate. He has the cup. Your job for him is done. We can go now.”
She still didn’t move. She didn’t even look at him.
“Technically,” Hyde said, making Trove glare at him. “Getting the cup was your job. And you have done it marvelously. Chee just brought that job to you for me as a favor.”
And why had she done that?
He didn’t want to know.
He did.
But he really didn’t.
“A favor?” He asked, despite himself.
“Well, it seemed convenient since it was in the process of doing her job.”
“Which was?”
“To mate you, of course,” Hyde said, like it was the most obvious thing in the universe.
Trove opened his mouth, but he didn’t have a response waiting on the tip of his tongue. He didn’t know what to say to that, because it didn’t make any sense.
But Chee wasn’t looking at him.
“You didn’t know she was my mate,” he finally managed to say.
“I did.”
“You can’t have.”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Because that’s not something that can be known! I have to see her before I know. No one can know before me!”
“Well, that’s just not true,” the imposing figure chuckled like Trove was telling a fine joke. “True Match is a business that’s entire purpose is scanning people to find who matches on a subspace level, thereby finding mates across vast distances without them ever needing to meet.”
“I did not scan myself through True Match,” Trove growled.
“You did not,” the Imperium agreed.
There was silence between them, and Trove’s fingers curled. As though he was going to strike this creature. Though he had no claws to do so, the instinct to bare them was ingrained in him.
“Hyde,” Chee said gently.
“Let me have my fun,” they laughed. But when the silence just continued, they gave in.
“Oh, very well. There were two different jobs here, and two different things being proven.
The first was the retrieval of this artifact of my people, and thereby proof of the skills of your crew.
Not just in being trustworthy enough to bring such a valuable item to me, even after you had been paid for it, but also in being able to get it from Rinnicks in the first place.
She is an inherently greedy female, and I knew offering her the moon would not be enough.
She would want to ask for more. She always does.
And that painting she got from you was one she had been wanting for a long time but had no means to obtain.
I just gave her access to your skills and let myself bear witness to what you would do.
“And true to my expectations, you did fantastically. Not only did you obtain my cup and bring it to me after being paid, not before, while knowing exactly how valuable it is, but you told not a single person what you were doing or why. Also, in obtaining that painting for Rinnicks, despite how easy it would have been, you did not kill anyone. Though I know Trove was tempted by that baemoth male, you held firm to your convictions, even knowing it would make things more difficult.”
Trove, stunned, reared back. “How did you…”
“How did I know?” The Imperium chuckled, like Trove was a child who had just said something adorably innocent. “You think there is anywhere in my cosmos that I cannot go or see?”
Trove felt a wave of ice rush over him. Because there was no way this person could know. Alred had disabled all the cameras at that point. Nothing was recorded. Nothing was seen. No one had spoken of that moment after it happened.
So how…?
“Regardless, your crew has done an amazing job. I am quite impressed. It is an audition that you passed with rainbows – as the humans say.”
“Flying colors,” Chee corrected, smiling softly.
“What?”
“The phrase is ‘passed with flying colors’. Not rainbows.”
“Is that not what a rainbow is? Flying colors?”
“No. I mean, yes, in a way, I guess, but that’s not…” Chee floundered as she tried to think of a way to explain the idiom but came up short.