“Please tell me: was it your idea that I be placed in Lady Plakia ’s ship, Father?”
“I suppose calling it a coincidence would be too much. I wanted her to polish the treasure I raised, my lamh (ruby). I may be a reserve soldier, but I am technically an associate commodore in rank , so I do have some lobbying clout.” Dubeus briefly became lost in thought. “Hmm... I suppose I won’t be a reserve for much longer. War is upon us now... And I shudder to think that I might be placed under a certain laddie of the royal family of Barce .”
“‘Laddie’? But I thought you and Fïac Lartr Barcœr (His Highness the King of Barce) were the same age...” said Lafier, half without thinking.
“I was born from the artificial womb three months ahead of him. It makes a world of difference. When we were young, I would always win whenever we fought.”
“Never mind that, Father.” A fresh new seed of doubt had sprouted. “Were you behind Jinto getting on the Goslauth , too?”
“Yep. It was mostly coincidental, though. There were as many as 15 ships fit for Ïarlucec Dreur to ride, I pushed her ship to be the one from behind the scenes. I’d thought you ought to have at least one friend from a terrestrial world — though I could never have imagined you’d grow that close.”
“I’m beginning to think you were the force behind everything... even maybe the United Humankind’s invasion.”
“Then you overestimate me, daughter of mine . If I guided the enemy or somesuch, then your grandmother would rip me limb from limb.”
“Perhaps so, but you’re taking measures where I can’t see in order to mold me...” Lafier didn’t much care for that fact.
“Because I am your parent. I received half of Plakia and sired you, then raised you by myself. But that too is now over. You are already a frymec frybarer (daughter of the Empire).”
“Is that so?” Lafier stared at Dubeus’s profile with eyes of incertitude.
“She was a fantastic woman,” said Dubeus, ignoring his beloved child’s misgivings as he steeped himself back into reminiscence. “When I first met her, I was a deca-commander with a poor record, and she was a linewing starpilot with a bright future ahead of her. I can think of a hundred reasons she had me spellbound, but I still can’t think of a single reason she fell for me.”
“It must have been the royal Fïac in your title .” Lafier surprised herself. She herself had little idea why she’d blurted something so mean. It was most likely her anger toward her father.
Dubeus looked back at her. The way his eyes were narrowed spoke volumes of his ire. Lafier’s father stood out among his clan as a relatively calm and gentle sort, but even so, he was still an Abliar. “You’ve known Plakia since you were a baby. You’ve even been on her ship. Yet I see you would appraise the woman who is half of you as one blinded by social status, Ablïarsec Néïc-Dubreuscr Bœrh Parhynr Lamhirh . Answer carefully.”
“No.” Lafier hung her head. “She was not that kind of person.”
For a short while, Dubeus observed his daughter. He sensed her true remorse. “Very well, onh (blockhead). See to it you don’t spout such nonsense again.”
“Yes...” Lafier couldn’t bring herself to lift her face. “Please, just tell me one more thing. Do you know what Lady Plakia thought of me?”
“I do. She once wrote to me that she was proud of you.”
“Proud of me...” The old days she spent with Plakia came flooding to mind. Vivid memories of the woman that held a position in her life that on most terrestrial worlds would be called “mother.” Fun, happy memories... Suddenly, her vision turned blurry, and some warm liquid streaked down her cheeks.
“Are you weeping, Lafier?” noticed Dubeus.
“I’m not crying because you scolded me,” she said through her convulsive sobbing. It was as though she’d regressed to her days as an infant.
“Then are you weeping over Plakia’s death?”
Lafier couldn’t speak, so frantic was she to curtail her sobbing fit. She simply nodded wordlessly.
“I’m disappointed in you. It seems I’ve raised you wrong.” But his tone was full of affection “Come to think of it, this may be the first time you’ve cried since you were in nappies, socrh ghainena (steel heart).”
Dubeus pulled Lafier into his arms. “Listen, Lafier. Our clan has a reputation to protect. We Abliars are ruthless. We Abliars are callous. We Abliars wouldn’t raise an eyebrow if death were to snatch away our closest friends and most intimate lovers. If it ever came out that an Abliar shed a tear or two, what would become of the infamy our ancestors carefully built? I don’t care if you rage. You may even laugh and smile from time to time. However, no one born an Abliar has the right to weep. Even amongst fellow relatives, you cannot let your guard down. If you really must cry, do so in secret.”
“It’s not fair, Father!” Her tear-stained face looked at him from his breast.
“What isn’t?”
“You never taught me how to cry without shedding tears!”
In the room to which the Empress accompanied Jinto, a man in military uniform waited at attention.
She introduced him: “This is Vice Hecto-commander Birskuth of the Military Command HQ Information Department . Vice Hecto-commander, explain the current situation to Ïarlucec Dreur Haïder .”
“Understood.”
A map of flat space projected in the center of the room. It included all sectors as yet known to humanity. The vicinity of the Sfagnoff Marquessate suddenly turned red.
“This is where the engagement took place. I believe you’re already aware, but the Star Forces prevailed, and recovered the Sfagnoff Marquessate .”
Then, a red blip appeared between the Sfagnoff Marquessate and the Vorlash Countdom .
“This is Gate 193 of Céïchu. It was the entry point of the invasion. The reconnaissance half-fleet Ftuné carried out reconnaissance in force...”
A red dotted line extended from Gate 193 , dividing the Ilich Monarchy as it stretched. The gates that the dotted line intersected turned into red glints.
“The enemy has made the gates in the area into temporary military operation bases, totally blockading any and all passage. Of course, if that was all, the Star Forces would be able to break through with ease. The problem lies here...”
Now another area within the Ilich Monarchy (on the far side of the Sfagnoff Gate as viewed from Lacmhacarh) shifted red. Its borders were indistinct, but it included several gates . Then a red arrow emerged, advancing fiercely toward the Saudec Ilicr (Ilich Gate), the entrance to Lacmhacarh.
“The enemy aimed for the capital with 120 half-fleets . Their actions on Sfagnoff must have been a diversion. While we surmised as much, we never dreamed they would make another place in the very same monarchy their invasion’s point of entrance.”
Now a blue arrow arose from the Ilich Gate to collide with its blue counterpart.
“We responded in kind, and under the command of Fïac Glaharérr Rüé-byrer (Their Highness the Commander-in-chief of the Imperial Fleet), counterattacked with 140 half-fleets . And though we succeeded in repelling the invasion, it was not without a great number of casualties. We have lost many talented men and women, and many ships.”
The map disappeared.
“That is all we have established as of this point in time. Earlier, it was reported that the Imperial Fleet is in pursuit, conducting reconnaissance around the entrance point. It must be said that the enemy cannot be failing to fortify their defenses in the area, however. Meanwhile, we don’t have enough resources to initiate large-scale military action. That is because we must send troops to defend the remote regions and search with great care for other entrance points that may exist, all while planning the reconstruction of the Star Forces . It will take a minimum of three years to break down the two walls that now divide the Ilich Monarchy . Beyond those walls, there is only a single half-fleet to contend with. Even then, it’s only really a half-fleet if they mobilize, as they are troops without a unified chain of command. They would be helpless before a full-fledged offensive.”
Jinto reflected on what it all meant. The Countdom of Hyde , too, lay beyond the walls...
“It is extremely unfortunate, Ïarlucec Dreur ,” said the Empress dolefully. “It’s a shame that in exchange for the good news you brought us, We must give you such deplorable news. It was a failure on the part of the Empire , and now there are no words We can offer to rationalize it. Yet the facts are the facts, and We cannot expose the entire Empire to danger in order to save a part of it. All contact with your territory-nation has been severed, and We do not see it being recovered in the near future.”
Jinto was stunned. Not only had all links to his birth planet of the Countdom of Hyde been taken from him, but also those to his second homeland, the Countdom of Vorlash . His entire past was now sectioned off. And yet, shockingly, he felt not an ounce of sorrow. Jinto reacted to his lack of an emotional reaction with trepidation and confusion.