Sure, it was small compared to the Imperial Palace , whose population once numbered over a million, but the Royal Palace of Crybh was an artificial planet in its own right. It was voluminous enough to house 50,000 people, and currently there were 10,000 who dwelt there in order to manage the Saudec Crybr (Crybh Gate) and the Royal Palace .
Lafier sat herself next to him. “Were you thinking about your territory-nations ?”
“Nah...” He was surprised himself: “I didn’t even look back at my home planets.”
“Not even a little?” Lafier looked shocked.
“Not really. For some reason, hearing that I’ve lost contact with my home, I just don’t feel sad at all. I’m actually relieved. Like a heavy burden’s been lifted... I’m an awful person, aren’t I?”
“I don’t know,” she said, confused. “Are you not worried about your father?”
“I thought I was worried about him, tried to convince myself I was, but I’ve come to realize that in my heart, I’m not... I mean, he’s bound to be fine. He was born and raised in Martinh, and he’s got experience and personal connections. If we survived Clasbule, he’s sure to...”
But he realized at that moment that that was a lie. Martinh’s ecosystem had arisen independently of Earth’s and was hostile to humans. Respect for the indigenous environment was drilled into Martinians from an early age. That meant that the only way his father could survive was by hiding in one of the planet’s hybrid structure buildings, but any serious manhunt would turn him up given how limited the space was. And worst of all, the greater part of the Martinian populace despised him.
In all likelihood, the Count of Hyde was no longer of this world.
Jinto changed the subject: “What’s with the cat?”
“He’s named ‘Dïahoc ’ (DIAHO). He’s the son of Zaneria, the daughter of Horia. Here you are, Diaho.” Lafier let go of the kitten on the chaise. “He was born while I was out doing navigation drills.”
Jinto recalled what “Horia” referred to: it was the name of the cat that Lafier had believed, when she was a wee lass, to be her mother.
“So that’d make you this cat’s aunt.”
“You onh !” That epithet again.
Jinto held his hand out, and Diaho seized upon it, rubbing his head against it. Lafier looked vexed, and, for whatever reason, saw fit to apologize for Diaho. “Despite being a cat, he hasn’t a stoic bone in his body. Zaneria was much the same.”
“It’s adorable, if you ask me.” Jinto tickled his throat.
“Tomorrow, you’ll be headed to the quartermasters’ academy , if I recall.”
“Yeah. Somebody’s coming to pick me up after breakfast. Since there’s a war on now, a lot of kids got their date of entrance moved up, and it looks like I’ll just be another in the crowd. Thanks to that, I don’t have to worry about how I’ll be starting late in the year. That said, I’ll be living the life academic for three whole years. Please don’t feel down over it.” He transferred Diaho to his lap and faced Lafier. “How about you?”
“It’s still undecided which ship I’ll be on.” Lafier shook her head.
“Gotcha. Well, enjoy your moment of peace, I’d say. You’ll be spending your every day on the battlefield for a good clip.”
“Yeah.” Lafier nodded. “Three years... In three years, you’ll be a faictodaïc sazoïr (quartermaster linewing starpilot).”
“If everything goes smoothly, yeah.”
“By three years’ time, I will most likely have become a deca-commander , with the right to receive a small vessel, either an escort ship or an assault ship . Personally, I’d prefer an assault ship.”
“Right, right.” Jinto caressed Diaho’s scruff, wondering what she was trying to say.
“Each assault ship requires a quartermaster linewing starpilot to serve as a clerk . And... as per Star Forces tradition, a ship’s captain has some say in its personnel affairs. It’s far from set in stone, but if the captain and the officer agree on it, then it should come to pass,” she said, staring at him interrogatively.
Of course, Jinto understood what she expected from him. “O future Deca-commander Abliar,” said Jinto, putting on airs, “if at that time there should be a man named Faictodaïc Sazoïr Lin, you have but to call him by your side, and he will serve as your loyal clerk.”
“Okay.” Lafier’s face shone bright. “If you put it that way, I suppose I have no other choice. I do have my misgivings, mind you. It’s virtually set in stone that I will be a deca-commander in three years’ time; that means it’s up to you to be diligent and work your way up to being a quartermaster linewing pilot .”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry. I’ll expend every effort, Lafier.”
“All right, then, Jinto, we’ll see each other again at the supper table.” Lafier stood up forcefully. “I’m rather busy at the moment.”
“Hey! What about Diaho?” Jinto embraced the kitten in his arms.
“You’ve clearly taken a liking for him, so you ought to take him as your conversation partner. It’s not as though you haven’t the time.”
“Can’t say I’m as busy, no,” he said resignedly, putting him back on his lap. “You’re kind of a boring conversationalist, though.” Diaho responded by sniffing his fingers.
As he let the kitten entertain itself on his lap, Jinto ruminated. You’re as terrible a liar as ever, Lafier. But I’m happy I can spend more time by your side. I’ll age with time, and my lifespan is half yours at best. But I want to spend as much of my short life with you as possible. Whether you ascend to the Jade Throne or crumble to smithereens in a pocket of flat space , know that I’ll be there with you. I’ll see your destiny play out to the end, even if it displeases you. That is my will, the future I chose of my own volition. The value of one’s life is bought and determined by offering the freedom they were born with for sale. Ku Durin would probably wince and tell me it’s too early to sell, but something tells me an opportunity this sweet won’t come twice. After all, the buyer isn’t the Empire . It’s you, Lafier. You’ll never taste the thrill, understand the joy of selling your freedom. Members of the imperial family aren’t born with any.
Memories of the planet Martine’s Exotic Jungle floated to mind. It was the great new motherland of all Martinians. But now, he could only think of it as a foreign landscape, compared to the sea of gereulach (stars).
“Hey, Diaho. Tell me: who am I? What am I?”
The kitty meowed.