Life2.0 - a Broken Shackles Narrative

[Macavity116]

I've got to imagine that Naomi and Buri are going to re-write the narrative concept of the "silent conversation" now that they're telepathically linked. Other folks might get weirded out if they see them "singing from the same hymn sheet" too often... but it would be quite hilarious to see.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Out of universe, I haven't yet thought of a satisfactory way to have their thought conversations alongside a conversation involving others. I'm not entirely happy with the italics really.

In universe, well... Everyone knows Naomi jumps from connection to connection with a not necessarily obvious link between the jumps, so that Buri does it too now doesn't seem so surprising. It's definitely how Thando sees it.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"T-56 Hours"
17th Daas, 10 (2189)
Naomi Of Unity​

The Kyaese looks at me groggily. I've woken him. "Tryykad, about the plan... We can't do boarding."

"Naomi?"

"I know. We were thinking it over last night, and we realised Septima has inside information on how we'd attack. We have to change the strategy."

He rubs his eyes. "How could she?"

"Tryykad... Putting ten million Kyaese on the freighters would only stop me. You know we can't win that fight from where we are, Appia has to destroy those freighters to protect Brigantia, the Holocron would accept the stains like he did before. Septima knows she is playing against me though."

"How could she know?"

"Monica."

"But... How..."

"Cloaked science ship. I checked with Appia; one of MSI's observation science ships was stolen last year, and never found."

"But... Monica. Why would she turn that badly to side with Septima?"

"Money, power, restored Earth, safety from reprisal by us... Lots of things Septima could promise. The best explanation of Septima's actions is that she has inside knowledge on our plans and our weaknesses."

He hesitates. "What do you think she's planning?"

"I think she plans to trap us on her freighters as we struggle through sorting through the Kyaese, and let Appia destroy us when time runs out."

"What's your solution?"

"First idea is that they have to open the Gateway to let Septima's fleet through. So, we assault the Gateway. I need to run it by Appia, obviously."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"T-5 Hours"
20th Daas, 10 (2189)
Thando HaMaadimi​

It's an awkward feeling, standing in a room where everyone knows someone you killed.

A fair few of them killed in a meeting like this. That was a good bomb, that one.
Appia has gathered all her command staff; navy, army and civic harmony officers. Sis likewise, which means I can't avoid this any longer. And as Alex squeezes my hand under the table, my seven foot tall before horns niece begins her address.

"Well, this is the last meeting before we have to commit to a strategy to follow. We enter the wormhole in five hours, and we now need to decide on whether we meet at the wormhole to go to the Gateway together, or meet at Brigantia in ten days time. Logistics are easier by launching from Brigantia of course, but ten days is an awful lot of time for Septima's schemes."

Appia adds. "There's more. Ten days of manufacturing of equipment outfits two more divisions with Praetorian spec equipment, two more state of the art corvettes in service, more freighters requisitioned for marine transport duty, and more time to train our own ex-Indentured Asset volunteer defence forces."

She nods in Dad's direction. He carries on. "We simply can't get them up to the grade of soldiers who can manage the kind of boarding actions that saving the Kyaese requires, but, we can make them into a homeland defence militia."

Sis nods. "The latest reports from Skrand's Kyaese operatives is that a substantial fleet of freighters and escorts departed Cybrex Beta for the Gateway two weeks ago. Unfortunately, that coincided with a massive suppression campaign - Septima has improvised her leased freighters into missile platforms, and while they aren't very good, our Kyaese in the system are barely holding on as they are extremely outnumbered. At the previously observed acceleration rate her fleet is using, we can expect her to come through the Gateway within a week. Possibly in a few days."

Appia puts her fingers together. "We need to decide first of all if we are going to rescue the Kyaese."

Sis frowns. "There's been another complication. Buri and I were thinking it through, and I realised that Septima's strategy is based on personal knowledge of me. I realised the link was Monica Aus Heinrichstadt, a former protégé of mine, and her failed Human revanchist rebellion. The rebellion had been suspiciously easy to stop, and at the time I assumed that Monica and her people had gone into hiding. We scoured Unity, and there was no sign of them afterwards, and events turned before we could explore counters. As a result of our hunch, I cross-referenced sensor data from our atmospheric thermal monitors, our wormhole monitors, the captured ships from Appia's fleet and found a discrepancy big enough to hide a cloaked science ship on the way in with Gnaea's fleet that was not present on the retreat, a thermal trace that doesn't correspond with known transits during the rebellion, and a transit through the wormhole. I believe that Septima has been joined by the leaders of the Human revanchists."

Appia rests her head in her hands. "Ok. That's not good..." Then looks up. "But it's only circumstantial evidence."

"If I'm right, the freighters are an ambush."

As Appia and Sis go silent, everyone begins to murmur theories, contingencies and possibilities. This is going to be a long day.

 

[HistoryDude]

Wait, Monica was a traitor? I did not see that coming.

Is Septima planning on betraying the human revanchist faction once she has what she wants? How much do Septima and Monica trust each other? Can that be exploited?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"T-0 Hours"
20th Daas, 10 (2189)
Elizabeth Herminton​

This far from the star there's very little to fall into the wormhole, so it just flickers when stray streaks zip into the distorted nothingness. It fills me with ominous dread every time...

Especially this time, now I'm a qualified Scarlet.

Skintone matching spacesuit beneath my dress, pistol on my inner thigh, where she kept it. Nothing else right now - us newly qualified Scarlets are all getting Praetorian spec equipment, and Appia has mine at the spec usually reserved for Praefecti Praetoriae. An automated supply rocket is waiting for us on the other side of the wormhole so that we get a few more days to get used to it.

Our mission?

The meeting eventually settled down. We have a plan put together.

We can't save the Kyaese on the freighters. We've thought through every possible angle, and even if we rescue them, we can't feed them. The most we can do is pallative care.

Which honestly hurts even more...

Tryykad has announced what the Kyaese desire for Septima's punishment, after her trial. It's not death. They want her to listen to the testimony of every Kyaese who survives the next month or so; she's on life extension treatments, so it's only continuing that for however many centuries it'll take. After that, she can either apologise and go as a reformed woman, or a machine will clamp her head and body, then twist and pull in opposite directions. Just like countless billions of Kyaese.

When I compare that to the images of the mess Naomi left of Gaius...

So, the plan is to go to Brigantia, have the celebration of the merger, then move out together.

Then...

Someone has to order the deaths of ten million Kyaese.

Then we assault the Gateway in a boarding action - which will be tough, Legio XXII is on permanent station there.

Then it is through the Gateway. The plan after that depends on what we encounter on the other side.

Honestly, I'm afraid. I imagine Appia nude when I close my eyes, sometimes. I let my mind linger on her. Truthfully, part of me wishes I was still Appia's Companionship Asset. Life was easy and safe, all I had to do was pleasure her. And Appia... She was kind to me. but freedom...

Freedom terrifies me. Freedom means a desperate fight against an enemy where the sole comfort is no mercenary is willing to join Septima at any price when it means the possibility of facing Sharpbeak. Who should catch up just in time to assist in liberating The Infinite Wheel.

I hope I get through this.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Wait, Monica was a traitor? I did not see that coming.

I was deliberately writing the revolt as suspiciously easy to stop as a hint it was a screen for something else. Too subtle?

Is Septima planning on betraying the human revanchist faction once she has what she wants? How much do Septima and Monica trust each other? Can that be exploited?

Obviously our protagonists have no idea about this, but Septima and Monica have a signed contract that states Septima's MSI will fund terraforming Mars and Venus - as they'll be easier than fixing Earth - and cloning vast numbers of Humans to restore the damage done by Gnaea in exchange for becoming a Bulwark vassal, on quite favourable terms; provided Monica's Humanity meets their vassal obligations, they will be given a higher degree of autonomy than most MSI vassals, and Monica has free reign in how she structures the future Human government.

Right now, Monica is busy negotiating with former PDRTC colonies to put together an "aid" program that basically amounts to making Monica an empress in exchange for shipments of supplies, with Septima offering bonuses for a fast agreement that she can use to cut off Naomi from attempting the same.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Tunkuni Amothetet enthi-Teknomet, Part 1"
20th Daas, 10 (2189)
Rivkah Of Unity​

"Proximity alert activated. Proximity alert activated. Proximit-"

"Shut up."

I glower at the screen as we leave the wormhole.

Goryhell.

There's someone floating towards us. A woman. I think. They look at me. Pain floods my head then a voice through the void. Bring me Lukhuin's pride. Bring me Vorosh.

I stagger out the room. Grab a comms piece. "Vorosh, I need you here, some crazy lady is in my head demanding your presence."

Blinding light and heat sear through the ship as a portal opens and she steps through. "You may address me as Tunkuni Amothet etenthi-Teknomet, mortal." Crushing gravity pulls me to the deck, and I fight it all the way. "Bow before me."

I roar, blind as blood drains from my eyes, and tear myself up from the deck. "Go to hell."

The weight releases. I pracrtically hit the roof. The woman laughs. "The rumours of your family's resilience are true then."

I scowl at her. "Either tell me who you are, or get off my ship."

Visions fill my head of possibilities. I am here to deal with someone who possesses more threat than you realise, child.

Vorosh catches up with us. I can tell from the light and heat behind me. I fling myself left as hard as I can. The woman raises her hand, but Vorosh sends torrents of blazing white at her, intercepted by a telekinetic field.

I tap my comms again. "Mum, we've been boarded and now this... woman, is having a mage duel with Vorosh."

Speaking of Vorosh, she's switched tactics. The bulkhead beneath the woman explodes in a searing blaze of yellow-white, and it catches her off guard, dropping her field; she's engulfed by the torrents she was holding back. Vorosh chucks so much energy at her my fur is catching on fire. I sprint to the door. Eventually Vorosh stops.

The woman...

Stands smiling. "Impressive for one so young."

Dad joins me at the door. So does Daas.

Vorosh looks at her. "Who or what are you?"

Vorosh... Squashes flat. "You may address me as Tunkuni Amothetet enthi-Teknomet, mortal. Bow before me."

Dad reaches out to pick Vorosh up, but as soon as he gets to her he is fighting against falling as well. The woman looks at Dad, and Dad glowers back, and growls as he crunches forward, the deck bending beneath him. The woman's eyes go wide, and she focuses all her efforts on him. Vorosh's shell collapses, and then she flows back to Daas as Dad step by step pushes through. She starts walking backwards. Dad's bones are creaking, but he still doesn't bow.

She changes tactics, and flicks the force to the roof instead, pinning Dad up.

A black wolf leaps past my head, darts around the walls. She lets go of Dad to try to catch Mum, ripping panels out behind her as Mum goes faster than anything this woman has tried to face before.

Then she can't; Dad's sabres slam shut through her left leg. Mum pounces and her jaws grasp a hand.

I walk over. "First rule of dealing with us - we never bow. Now who are you really?"

Grepp hands Daas a glue-gun. "She is someone else who wants stability in the region." The woman looks at him. "No, of course I haven't told them, I figured you'd have done what I told you to do and speak to Vorosh nicely." Pause. "They're ex-slaves, what did you expect?" Pause. "You aren't in the Zahit enthi-Teknomet any more."

She looks at me. "It appears I may have miscalculated what it would take to impress you."

Breathe. One. Two. Three. "I am really starting to lose my patience Ms..." I work through the syllables. "Tunkuni Amothetet. Why are you here?"

She looks at Vorosh. "To recruit one of the most exceptional Psionics of her species."

Vorosh looks at her coldly. "Forget it. I'm here to break Septima's fleet then go back home to break an empire."

The woman looks at Mum and Dad. "Would you let go of me?"

Mum and Dad look at each other. Dad frowns. Mum raises an eyebrow. Dad rolls his eyes. Mum tries to smile as best she can with her teeth through the woman's hand. They stare at each other.

The woman looks at me. "Please?"

"Mum. Dad."

Eventually, they let go.

The woman's leg and hand start healing as soon as the teeth leave her. She a vision of a portal in front of the fleet appears in my mind, and Brigantia fills the view. Then shuts back to an invisible dot against space. "I will open a shortcut to Brigantia in exchange for taking Vorosh as an acolyte."

Vorosh looks at her Baat Vootan. "Not going without my husband. And he isn't going because we need him here."

I look at Vorosh. Hmm. Then back at the woman. "You open a portal to Brigantia for us, and then open another portal to the Gateway when the preparations we need are underway, and we have a deal."

Vorosh looks at me. Then Daas. Then Mum. Then me. "Rivkah, are you sure?"

"We're all on the board... A fighting chance to save the Kyaese in exchange for my chief engineer and my best mage. That's the best shot I'm going to get."

The woman looks at me. I feel her probe my mind, sift my memories. Her face softens. She waves her hand, and the portal appears to Brigantia.

I take out my comms device one more time. "Hi Appia, its Rivkah. We found a shortcut, see you soon."

 

[HistoryDude]

What faction is Tunkuni Amothetet from? The Shroudwalker Enclave? Is that a thing here?

I like the Kyaese's proposed punishment for Septima.

Does Naomi have a plan for what to do about Monica if/when Septima is defeated?

 

[CBR JGWRR]

What faction is Tunkuni Amothetet from? The Shroudwalker Enclave? Is that a thing here?

Her own - she was introduced back on page 2.

I like the Kyaese's proposed punishment for Septima.

Me too, it fits.

Does Naomi have a plan for what to do about Monica if/when Septima is defeated?

Naomi hopes she can make Monica see the error of her ways.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"Relics And Rings"
2942, 10, 2 Pridie Nonas Octobribus (20th Daas, 10)
Rivkah Of Unity​

It is so strange. I've seen lots of planets in displays and sensor scans, but this is different.

Brigantia is in many ways the opposite of Unity. Unity looks natural, with very little urbanisation - even Hortensus' Folly is only just visible from low orbit. But Brigantia...

From 600km up, the formerly planet-wide city covers everything except the seas, and the city comes in a variety of hues where nature reclaims regions the Olinbari do not use. Then as I look at the coastline I realise that the seas aren't seas, but areas that were flooded. Some look like craters.

It's a contrast... Birth, death and rebirth of civilisation.

Mum joins me in looking through the window. "Hortensus had me look at Brigantia like this, as we departed on the slave ship."

I... Don't want to think about that. "The city used to cover the whole planet... What happened to it?"

She sighs. "No one knows for sure. Ancient Olinbari history and myth are quite tricky to separate, there's lots of theories. I remember one time Mum asked Dad and Caeso that question, it was interesting."

"Best guess?"

"My best guess... Is one I'd like to run more research for. I've been analysing what I can from orbit while we sorted out which ships docked where, and my initial findings are interesting."

"Tell me."

"Well, the facts are the Olinbari were once Romans, taken from Earth, modified in their appearance by their captors whom they overthrew, and then modified again for radiation hardening. It's the how I want to research more, because I don't think those craters are natural. Or derived from asteroid impact."

Which leaves... War. "You think they nuked the planet?"

"It's been a theory of mine for years, but at the moment my only proof is the difference in encoding style between the appearance modifications and the radiation hardening modifications between Humans and Olinbari. I want to run analysis on several variables that could isolate whether nuclear weapons were used on Brigantia, but we are a bit busy right now."

Yes. Galas to attend. I take her hand. "We'd better get going."

She follows me, and we walk to the trains.

The Orbital Ring is... Weird.

So many architectural styles are present - anything where the Olinbari wanted to be impressive, like the boarding area, is grand and ostentatious with the richness of decoration, but the moment you are outside those areas, for example, travelling through the network, it becomes a minimalist and functionalist style in keeping with a place that's been bodged together over centuries. Practically every bulkhead shows marks of adjustments and reinforcements as the station grew, and as we pass into a former Indentured Asset area I see just how cramped up everything is. There's lots of new construction too, in and out.

Eventually, we arrive at our destination, and as soon as we get off the train, I see my grandfather; Mum runs to meet him, and they hug for the first time in more than thirty years. I decide to let them catch up for a bit.

 

[Macavity116]

Vorosh looks at her. "Who or what are you?"

Vorosh... Squashes flat. "You may address me as Tunkuni Amothetet enthi-Teknomet, mortal. Bow before me."

There are establishing character moments, and then there's this. Anyone who witnessed that moment will soon be telling tall tales about the Space Witch who compressed her foes right out of the Third Dimension.

 

[HistoryDude]

What happened to the aliens that took the Olinbari's ancestors from Earth? Are they all dead now? If so, do the Olinbari know that? This early experience in this history might explain a bit about them... a "let us ensure that we are never this helpless again" thing...

 

[CBR JGWRR]

What happened to the aliens that took the Olinbari's ancestors from Earth? Are they all dead now? If so, do the Olinbari know that? This early experience in this history might explain a bit about them... a "let us ensure that we are never this helpless again" thing...

They are definitely dead. Naomi is implying that the Olinbari nuked Brigantia (and implicitly the rest of the worlds in their captor's domain) into Tomb Worlds and then modified themselves to deal with the consequences of that.

I haven't decided which idea of the six I've got bouncing around I will write next after we finish with Septima - the final battle with her is kind of the end of the Life2.0-MSI conflict, and I'm debating whether to end the story then - but if I do the Olinbari prequel narrative idea, the culmination is that moment when the Olinbari nuke Brigantia while they are on the planet.

There are establishing character moments, and then there's this. Anyone who witnessed that moment will soon be telling tall tales about the Space Witch who compressed her foes right out of the Third Dimension.

That's the intended effect of that introduction.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

Nuclear SSTO Rocket-Jets​

Going back to previous discussions on the lifting of cargo and people from surface to orbit, the possibility of a nuclear vehicle able to perform the task was considered in passing. This will look at the feasibility of such a craft.

The ideal usage case takes the form of a rocket-plane that can take off from a conventional runway using the nuclear reactor to heat air to drive turbines in the same way a conventional aircraft combusts fuel to heat air to drive turbines. To ascend to space, the aircraft is pitched up until it reaches the height where there is insufficient airflow to run the turbines, and the nuclear reactor switches from venting the heat produced into the airstream into supplying power for an electrical-operated rocket that lifts the aircraft into space. It then releases the cargo in orbit where it is collected by a spacecraft, and deorbits. Upon re-entering the turbine operational regime the turbine mode reactivates, and the craft returns to base like a conventional aircraft.

Is this possible?

Let's start with the aircraft bit.

Nuclear powered-aircraft are not new; both the US and the Russians developed them in the Cold War, with the Russians actually flying theirs. (mainly because they went with the easier route that irradiated the crew and spewed radioactive exhaust) These craft were expected to stay airborne for months, ready to drop nuclear bombs on the enemy any time, any where. For some bonus reading material, look up the Tupolev Tu-95LAL, Convair NB-36H and Project Pluto. (nuclear-powered ramjet for delivering thermonuclear bombs; we did some right interesting engineering in the Cold War)

Obvious safety issues, and the development of ICBMs that do the mission brief better, put an end to the military requirements for such a vehicle.

The commercial requirements however, are slightly different.

Commercial airline expenditure is dominated by the fuel bill, which is why they only fill them to get to the destination and back at most, and why they get picky if someone tries to bring more bagage than planned; each extra kilogram added means more fuel to carry that kilogram, and while the proportions are nowhere near as punishing as they are in spacecraft, it still adds up. A nuclear powered plane would have a substantially higher OEW from the reactor and shielding for that reactor, however, when you are potentially freeing up between twenty to a hundred tons of fuel a day, that's a welcome trade off, especially as whatever mass isn't used by reactor and shielding can be put into more cargo; the upfront cost of the aircraft increases massively, but it's paid for in reduced operational cost and higher profits.

The exact cost to change depends on how effectively you can mass-produce sufficiently powerful reactors; Life2.0 with it's very liberal attitude to putting nuclear reactors in anything big enough to fit them safely, and covering them with a layer of liquid lithium-6 in a boron carbide shell if they arent, would have a much easier time than us.

Expanding on this theoretical base, we now want the rocket element.

Obviously, due to environmental factors we can't just light up a nuclear thermal rocket - plus, if that was an option, Orion is an option, and Orion could do this so easily that you could deliver hundreds of 40ft containers in a single launch, instead of hoping for 1 40ft container.

So, we're looking at nuclear-electric rockets.

Straight away, there's no other way to put this - we have at least 400 tons of dry mass before bolting on the rocket and it's fuel tank. This is not good, as well, a quick mock-up on CoaDE shows:

1.9kt of methane to put through a 10GW resistojet. With some staggeringly big radiators as well. Those ones are actually bigger than required, as I haven't made radiators to suit 9x the 1.14 GW reactor, but equally, those ones are vitreous carbon, which isn't going to like being pulled through an atmosphere; they'd have to be swapped for amorphous carbon.

This is...

Way too marginal to be confident on the basis of it working in CoaDE.

But equally the fundamental idea of a nuclear-powered ramjet works up to 467MW for the Tory-II-C, and in principle if we can get a sub-orbital trajectory from running 67GW of heat through the nuclear ramjet, then we might be able to get away with less methane.

Of course, dumping 1.9kt of unburnt methane right into the upper atmosphere is a very bad idea from an environmental perspective. Especially on Earth... There are planets of course where dumping really potent greenhouse gases into the upper atmosphere is a great idea, but Earth has kind of already got enough of that.

The concept is possibly workable, especially in non-21st century Earth contexts, but I'd definitely rate it less sound than the nuclear bomb piston engine I did some numbers on earlier in the thread.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Midnight Gala, Part 1"
21st Daas, 10 (2189)
Rivkah Of Unity​

"Lady Rivkah, would you care to join me for the opening dance?"

I turn. A young Olinbar man in a pristine black and gold dress uniform with a parazonium on his left hip stands at attention.

"Forgive me; who are you?"

"I am Scipio Flavonius, Appia's nephew."

I look at Mum. She nods. I turn back to Scipio. "I've never danced at something so formal. Talk me through it."

He offers me his left hand. A little nervously I take it. He is kind of cute. His right carefully holds my hip, running a hand down my blue dress to find it, and I very carefully rest my hand on his hip. Don't want to tear his uniform after all. He leads me. "It'll be a one, two, three, turn piece, like this."

At first I look at my feet, as I don't want to put a claw through his feet. But then back at him. "Where should I look? At you, or where we are going, or elsewhere?"

"Traditionally we children of heads of state look at opposite directions, and only at each other if betrothed."

"And I suppose the woman looks behind?"

"Traditionally."

We have a quick practice. He's very gentle and forgiving of my inexperience. I wince when I accidentally find his boots are toe cap reinforced, which is a relief in hindsight. But he leads me round, guides me through a few twists and twirls... I kind of like it.

He is cute. And handsome for an Olinbar. No mask either.

His hands are hard and calloused from practice with a blade, but he's tender with them. Fingernails are trim, and not from nibbling on them when he thinks no one is looking like uncle Thando's.

I wonder if he thinks that of me.

Our practice is over too quickly. I find myself looking into his eyes differently. Am I falling in love?

"Lady Rivkah?"

"Sorry, I got distracted."

He suppresses a joyful smile. "When we open the dance, we'll enter on opposite sides of the room to meet in the middle, and then I'll lead from there."

I smile. He tries not to flinch. "Got it."

He heads back to his aunt. My heart is racing, and it definitely wasn't the exercise...

Ruki prods me teasingly. "You're in love."

"I need Mum."

I look for her. Doesn't take long to find the wolf in a red dress - she's talking to Appia. Dad stands beside her.

Scipio turns to Dad. I consciously slow my breathing as Scipio talks to him.

Dad turns to Mum.

Mum smiles, says a few words and nuzzles Dad.

Dad looks back at Scipio, and he nods.

Appia beckons me over.

Ruki has to shove me, and I catch myself from stumbling. Breathe. I steadily walk to them. I'm looking at Scipio. Heart pounding again.

Dad hugs me. "Scipio has asked us for permission to ask to date you."

I look at Scipio. "I... I..." I run a hand over my chest. I think there's something wrong.

Mum is smiling still. Scipio looks at her, and Mum laughs sweetly.

Scipio offers his left hand to me. I entwine my claws with his fingers, and offer him my left hand. He slips his fingers between my claws.

I look at Mum. She pushes me gently. "Go, get to know your boyfriend."

I look around. Everyone else has stopped to look at us.

I can't help but think of Aunt Alex and Uncle Thando. Or my grandfather. He's stood over there smiling too.

I feel so nervous with everyone looking at me. I look at Dad. "Please make them stop, I feel so self-conscious..."

Dad glares around the room. They get the message.

I relax, and look at Scipio. "I think I am head over heels in love with you."

Scipio pupils are noticeaby wider from looking into my eyes. "I have the utmost affection for you too." Scipio's eyes flick to my parents. Mine follow, and we see Mum and Dad nuzzle.

I look at Scipio. He leans in, and nuzzles my cheek. I take a deep breath. "We look at each other when we dance."

 

[Macavity116]

That was very fast! The Disney song "Love is an Open Door" is playing on repeat in my head right now.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Midnight Gala, Part 2"
21st Daas, 10 (2189)
Naomi Of Unity​

My Buri rests his chin on my head as we dance around the room. We should do this more often.

Once Septima is dealt with, we will. I'm tired of being on a war footing.

He twirls me around. Did you ever think Rivkah would be interested in an Olinbari guy?

I gaze at them, watch them dancing to the slow pace of the orchestra's playing. She makes him look small. It wasn't exactly expected. I was thinking she'd be with a Xenaya.

He is nothing like his aunt, that's for sure.

Appia's father, Augustus, was a properly hard man who prided himself on his restraint and duty. Her brother was like him. Appia... Went the other direction.

The total hedonist direction.

Yep. Scipio though is like his father, Julius.

Buri enters my mind and probes my memories. Guy you saw sleeping with a stone pillow?

Yep. That's Augustus Flavonius.

He digs up another memory, one of Appia and Julius arguing. Julius disapproved of Appia and you.

He did think I was a bad influence on her.

Naughty Naomi.

I nuzzle him. I'm your naughty Naomi now. Everything before was just surviving.

He looks across the gala, contemplating how we ended up here.

Rivkah is coming towards us, her boyfriend going back to Appia. "Scipio is... Not who I was expecting."

"You like him."

Her face flushes. "He is a really gentle man. It's hard to think him and Appia are related."

Buri looks at our daughter. "We were just thinking about that too."

Rivkah looks at me. "Mum... What happens now?"

"Well, you're still under age, so... A little more waiting for you."

"You let uncle Thando marry aunt Alex on the same day they met."

"Thando is an adult though. You aren't even ten years old yet."

Scipio and Appia join us. "Is there something wrong?"

Buri and I look at each other. He nuzzles me as he enters my mind. Who is supposed to discuss this in Olinbari society?

In the formal marriages, the father, the informal ones it varies. Technically Rivkah can just walk off with him and they'll have an informal cohabitation arrangement.

So, if she wants to go, we can't stop her?

We can. But it obviously sours things with Rivkah. Keep in mind formalised marriages in Olinbari society are about politics and power, and not marrying for eternal love as they are on Unity. Divorce is very common, especially in the upper echelons of Olinbari.

Are Appia and that Julius attempting to use Scipio to manipulate Rivkah?

Certainly a possibility.

Buri turns to Scipio. "What does marriage mean to you?"

He smiles nervously. "I know the unspoken rule is if anything happens to her, you guys will hunt me down and eat me."

Buri glances at me. Checks my thoughts. "But equally, I know that Naomi knows Olinbari society has no legal equivalent to a marriage on Unity. To us, it is to forever bind the two together in an oath sealed by the mixing of blood."

I tap the ring on my claw. "These are actual bone, since we were reconstructed."

Scipio eyes the shiny titanium, then looks along the matching scars on our hands. He looks back at Appia.

She comes over. "Perhaps we should discuss this in private?"

The music has stopped. So has the dancing. Appia realises too, and shoots a glance at the musicians. They start playing immediately. Buri enters my mind again. What is the dynamic here?

We have to make sure that it's either a Unity marriage, or Rivkah knows exactly what she is getting into if they go with an Olinbari marriage.

Veto an Olinbari ceremony it is then. Can we do that?

It gets complicated; this is a matter of dynastic politics now.

He frowns. Primary goal a Unity marriage, failing that an elopement?

"Pretty much."

Appia looks at me. "Are you two telepathic now?"

"Yes. With each other." Rivkah is speaking with Caeso and Agrippina. Agrippina bursts with laughter, but that... could just be Agrippina. Everyone is talking. I look at Appia. "It is... A bit late to discuss it privately."

She looks around, then bites her lip. "I think..." She sighs. "It is too late to keep it private."

 

[CBR JGWRR]

That was very fast! The Disney song "Love is an Open Door" is playing on repeat in my head right now.

Yes. But it isn't that simple.

 

[CBR JGWRR]

"The Midnight Gala, Part 3"
21st Daas, 10 (2189)
Rivkah Of Unity​

Scipio holds my hands gently as we sit outside on the steps to the hall where our families and their attendants negotiate our betrothal, the distant sound of the continuing celebration faded to only just audible.

I feel tired. Not that surprising really, the dark of night has a hint of blue as the sun begins to rise.

I look at him. "We could elope."

He points to the buildings. "Snipers. There, there and there." He points them out. I can just see them after it's pointed out.

"Tranquiliser darts?"

He nods. "Appia realised that there's a lot of risk of escalation - part of why she wanted this was a high profile event to flush out trouble makers. So, there's Civic Harmony Officers with non-lethals and plain-clothes. We are both under surveillance."

"Why? We aren't doing anything wrong."

"True. But there's a lot of people out there who might want to hold us for ransom."

"My parents would eat them alive."

"I don't doubt they could. But there's a lot at stake. A lot more than just us."

I look behind us. "Is that why our marriage is being debated without us?"

He nods. "First marriages in Olinbari high society are always politically arranged. At least we like each other."

"Scipio..."

"Yes?"

"I don't want to marry for politics. If we do this, we do this for love."

He squeezes my hand. "Agreed." He gets down on a knee. My heart is in my mouth. "I have the understanding that this is how it works on Earth?"

I'm seeing stars. "Yes. Traditionally you offer a ring though..."

"On your world, you offer swords yes?"

"Or any bladed weapon. We cut our hands to mix our blood. Old family tradition."

He draws his parazonium. "This is all I have on me."

I smile. "It'll do."

He holds out the hilt of the blade to me. Our hands meet. "Like this?"

"Are we ready?"

"Is anyone?"

"My parents were. They pioneered interspecies marriage in a way."

"Is that why you are willing to do this?"

"Since I found out Mum had an Olinbar father... I've kind of realised that our peoples need a new future together. And when I look in your eyes... I see that future."

His mouth opens, he gathers himself. Takes a deep breath. "I love you, Rivkah Of Unity."

"I love you, Scipio Flavonius."

We lean in. He can't reach my lips. He bursts out laughing. "How are we supposed to kiss?"

I smile, then stick my tongue out. His eyes go wide. "what the..." He looks at my tongue. "Why do your people have tongues that long?"

"We kill with our sabres, but they get in the way of eating a bit. So, we have rough tongues to scrape bones clean."

He smiles. And opens his mouth. Wiggles his tongue. I realise what he wants.

Our faces get as close as we can.

Our eyes close.

We both breathe in.

The door explodes open behind us.