I sat on the floor, leaning against the end of the bed. The golden cape and ribboned medal of the Thousand silently mocked me from the vanity. I pulled my knees up and rested my chin on them as I studied the gleaming folds of the cape.
Why had I been named to the Thousand? Who had nominated me? As far as I knew, only those in High Command could name someone to the Thousand. The only one I knew was Lowell and he wasn't anywhere near Linas-Drias.
It was early, much too early. I hadn't been able to sleep for long. Too many questions surfaced while I lay in the huge bed with my eyes closed. I finally gave up and got out of bed, only to sit on the floor in my pajamas and stare at the cape and medal.
The biggest question was why. As far as I knew, only Patrol officers were eligible for the Thousand and only when they did something really big that everyone knew about, something like saving the Emperor personally, or maybe an entire planet. Technically, Vallius didn't count. Despite what everyone insisted, I wasn't the one who did it. Three years was a long time as well, longer than the public's memory. It couldn't be Vallius.
It couldn't have been a lot of things. Most of what I'd done only Lowell knew about. He was so paranoid about protecting me that I doubted any of the other High Commanders had any idea what I did.
The only possibility I could think of was Trythia. I was technically an admiral in the Patrol for some of that. I hadn't done much, though, nothing that would merit being named to the Thousand.
That left one other choice. Someone wanted to paint a great big target on my head. What better way to mark me than to award me the highest honor the Patrol had without a clear reason why? It guaranteed that even those officers who didn't read the society pages would still know my name and face. Everyone in the Empire would know me within a few days. But why? Why target me and why this way?
Because someone guessed what I was really doing on Linas-Drias. I wasn't here to party and celebrate and get married. I was here to dig up treason and cause trouble. I still wasn't sure why Vance had announced our engagement to the Empire before asking me. For that matter, I still wasn't sure why he'd smuggled me out of the hospital on Besht and taken me joyriding with the Emperor's son. I couldn't quite believe he'd done it because he was desperately in love with me. Vance was too calculating for that. He had some reason of his own for his actions.
Maybe he wanted to be in love with me. Maybe he was doing it to spite Tayvis. I knew about their rivalry. But even that didn't quite fit. No, Vance had ulterior motives for his actions. I had no idea what they were.
My thoughts circled back. Why was I named to the Thousand? The only reason that fit was to keep me so publicly watched that I couldn't effectively spy on anyone.
That left the question of who would set me up. One of the High Command was behind it, but since I didn't know any of them, that left me completely in the dark. I needed to talk to Scholar.
The door to my room opened. Hester peered in. She didn't see me. She crept into the room, moving quietly across the thick carpet. I waited until she was almost to the vanity before I spoke.
"Looking for something?"
She was good, she didn't jump or even look startled. She turned to me with a bright smile. "You're up early this morning."
"So are you."
"I am most mornings," she answered with her perfect smile. "I don't spend half the night at parties every night. Congratulations, by the way."
"On being named to the Thousand? You knew about it, or you would never have let me wear the uniform."
She cocked her head to one side, watching me like Ghost did when she was hunting small rodents. "I was informed, yes."
"By who?"
"I believe the correct term is whom," she said, turning away from me. She picked up the cape and shook it out. She reached for the door to the closet.
"Who told you?"
"Are you accusing me of something, Dace? I was merely doing my job, looking out for your interests."
"Who's paying you? Last I checked, I wasn't."
"Speaker Shiropi felt it was his duty, considering his son is engaged to you. You're practically family." She disappeared into the closet. She came out a moment later, without the cape.
"Who told you about last night?" I asked again.
"My, aren't we cranky this morning," she said, as if I were a child. "Would you like breakfast now or later?"
"Why won't you tell me?"
"Why do you want to know?"
I thought that one over for a moment. How far did I trust Hester with the truth? Not as far as I'd trust Olin.
"Because I don't deserve the honor. I want to know who nominated me and why."
"So you can beat them up?"
"So I know why they think I deserve it, nothing more." I got up and stretched, pretending it wasn't that important.
"You aren't fooling me," Hester said. "What's bothering you about it? You don't want recognition for your services to the Empire?"
"No." It came out short and sharp.
Hester clucked her tongue as she rearranged the things on the vanity. "Most people would."
"I'm not most people."
"As I've noticed. I don't know who nominated you or approved you. I received a note with the invitation instructing me to have you wear your full dress uniform. That's all."
I didn't know whether she told the truth or not. I wasn't going to get anything else out of her. I'd have to pump Olin later. And get in touch with Scholar and see what he could find.
"Where am I supposed to go today?" I asked, trying to keep the petulant whine out of my voice. I wasn't successful.
"Wherever you'd like," Hester said, ignoring my tone of voice. "You've had such a full schedule, I thought you might enjoy a day to yourself." She smiled her perfect smile, the one that barely touched her eyes. "Do you want me to tell Vance to leave if he comes calling?"
Careful, I told myself. Don't overplay your hand.
"No," I said with my own blank smile, "I'd love to spend a day sightseeing with him. I want to just be a tourist today."
"I'm sure he can arrange that. I'll bring your breakfast." She glided out of the room.
My smile faded. I hated not being able to trust people. I hated playing this game. I didn't see myself any closer to the end. I went into the closet and shuffled through the clothing I'd accumulated until I found something I felt like wearing.
I took a long bath, playing in the water until I was wrinkled and water logged. I dressed in the plain tunic and leggings I'd found. Hester had bought me several pairs of boots, once she realized how much I liked wearing them.
I sat in front of the mirror and tried to decide what to do with my hair. I ate breakfast while it dripped mostly dry. Life was simpler when combing it was the most I ever did. I settled for brushing it smooth and catching it in a clip at the back of my neck. I stared in the mirror debating about makeup, wondering if I dared go without any at all.
I saw a reddish blotch high on one cheek. I leaned closer. There were more of them. I rubbed one. It only got bigger. I studied my face in growing horror. There were red spots everywhere I looked.
"Something wrong?" Hester asked as she came into my room.
"There are spots on my face. Big, red spots everywhere. I did everything Madame Yosefie said and now look at my face." I was overreacting, but I couldn't stop myself. "I put the creams on, and the lotions, and the soaps, and the cleansers, and everything else, and now just look at my face."
Hester studied my face in the mirror. "This is serious," she said after a very long minute. I stared at her eyes in the mirror. She was trying not to laugh. She tapped a tube I'd never bothered to open.
"That will cure them?" I asked hopefully.
"No, but it will hide them. If you go lighter on the moisturizer, you won't have this problem." She shuffled through the piles of cosmetics. She pulled several out, setting them in front of me. "Once every other day with this one, twice a day with this, and only use this if your skin gets dry."
"I am never going to understand all this. It's more complicated than a hyperdrive."
Hester laughed. "It's not that hard. Do you want me to call Madame Yosefie? She likes you enough she'll drop everything to come. Without charging extra."
"Only if you think she can help."
Hester patted my shoulder and collected my breakfast tray. She left without any further comments.
I stared at my face in the mirror. I didn't know that woman, not anymore. I pulled the clip out of my hair and dropped it on the table. I scratched my hands through my hair. It just looked messy when I finished. I thought about shaving it, like I had all through the Academy, and then decided I'd just look stupid if I did.
"It was easier when I didn't know better," I told the woman in the mirror.
She didn't seem to agree, so I played with the makeup until I got discouraged and washed it all back off. I looked like I had no idea what I was doing, which was the truth. I gave up and decided the gossips needed more fuel. I was going to stop wearing it completely. That should shock them all.
I was being silly. I went down to the library.
Olin glanced at me then went back to carefully sliding books onto the shelves.
"What may I do for you this morning, Miss Dace?" he asked, formal and polite. That should have clued me in to the fact that he wasn't alone. I wasn't paying attention. I was still too wrapped up in my own petty problems.
"You want to play cards?" I asked.
He pointedly cleared his throat. "That would not be seemly, Miss Dace."
I raised my eyebrow, even if it did make me look silly. Everyone else did it. Olin looked toward the far corner of the library. I finally got the hint and looked.
Iniuri Shiropi sat in a massive chair in the corner, a book spread open on his lap. He stared down at it, frowning. I backed towards the door. He shut the book and looked up at me.
"How are you this morning?" he asked politely.
"Fine. And you?"
"In a bit of a bind, actually." He set the book on a table.
I squashed the impulse to squirm and waited..
"I understand you are a certified pilot?"
I glanced at Olin before I answered. What was the Speaker after? Olin turned his back to me, dusting a shelf that had absolutely no dust on it.
"It's in my files," I said. "Yes, I am."
"For what class of ships?"
"Sorry if I'm rude, but why are you asking?"
"Because I need to get to Perlion and I want someone I trust at the controls of my ship. Vance tells me you are a very good pilot."
"And?" I asked when he didn't say anything else.
He smiled. "Will you?"
"Fly you to Perlion? Is Vance going?"
"As Second Speaker, yes. But you will be chaperoned at all times." His smile held a hint of amusement. "My yacht is a bigger than Max's."
I wanted to grab the chance. I'd learned a few things over the last few years, though. I hid all trace of excitement. "How much bigger?"
"Then you accept? It's still well within your ratings."
"You did read my files," I said.
He stood. "No barrel rolls," he said in my ear.
He was gone before I could think of a decent reply.
"Barrel rolls?" Olin asked as the door swung silently shut.
"And a few other maneuvers."
He shook his head and turned back to his dusting. "Sometimes I wonder if he really knows what he's asking." He glanced over his shoulder. "You'd better pack. He's leaving in about an hour."
I smiled and thanked Olin for the warning instead of saying what I really felt. I was definitely learning. I went back to my room and tried to figure out what to pack. Hester came to my rescue as I sat in a hopelessly huge pile of clothing. She did her usual efficient thing and I was packed and ready to leave within the hour. I still had five times the luggage I wanted to take.
Iniuri met me at the flitter. Olin and Hester were staying behind and Vance was meeting us at the spaceport with the rest of the crew. Iniuri politely opened the door for me. I got in and settled into the seat. He started the flitter then sat back in his own seat. The flitter rose into the early morning sky, turning south toward the distant glitter of ships.
"I have other reasons for asking you to come," Iniuri said when we were well on our way. He handed me a small package.
I didn't know whether to be curious or nervous or both. I opened it and stared at the contents. He'd given me a small blaster and two extra charges, each good for maybe a dozen shots. The blaster fit too easily into my hand. It felt like an old friend. I didn't realize how naked I'd felt without a weapon. It was with great reluctance I put the blaster back into the package.
"I can't," I said, holding it out to Iniuri.
He made no move to take it.
"I don't know who you want me to assassinate, but I can't do it."
"You misunderstand my intentions. I want you at my side for my protection. In case someone tries to assassinate me."
"Oh," I said in a small voice. I put the package back in my lap. It was small enough to hide even under the evening dress I had packed. No one would suspect me of having it.
"You won't be searched," he said. "I've seen to that."
"Don't you have other people for this?"
He didn't answer.
I only hesitated for a moment before tucking the blaster into my pocket.
We parked right next to the boarding ramp of his ship. I stared up at it. I couldn't help the grin on my face.
The yacht was an Archer, a real beauty. It was handmade, custom tooled and fitted, and one of the sweetest ships to ever fly. They were beyond expensive. Iniuri Shiropi had asked me to pilot his. I was tempted to kiss him, but I didn't think he'd appreciate the gesture. I followed him up the boarding ramp in a daze.
The inside was luxurious. It was detailed with real wood and carpeted in a deep burgundy plush that hushed everything. The walls were muted gold. Every touch spoke of rich elegance. There was a reception area at the airlock. A hallway led into the ship, curving as it rose.
"You'll have the forward cabin," Iniuri told me. "It is a bit small, but it is also near the control room."
I didn't care if it was a closet. Just to be on an Archer ship was beyond my wildest dreams. It was a greater honor than being named to the Thousand. I barely noted which cabin was mine on my way to the cockpit.
It was at the nose of the ship, a spacious semicircular room fitted with beautifully crafted controls and comfortable seats. I sat in the pilots chair, right at the front, and ran my hands reverently along the controls.
"Can you fly it?" Iniuri asked. He sounded as if he'd already asked me several times.
"Of course I can fly it." I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. Me, flying an Archer ship.
"Lucius is the com officer," Iniuri said, pointing at a slender man seated to my left. "I would like to leave as soon as possible," he told Lucius.
Lucius nodded. "Your son is on his way. He should arrive within the hour." Lucius had an earpiece discreetly tucked in one ear. "Everything else is ready."
"Good." Iniuri left, with a last amused smile for me.
Lucius studied me out of the corner of his eyes as he busied himself with the com. I watched him back, between running my hands over the controls. Lucius had sleek, black hair and a matching mustache across his upper lip. He finished his call and turned to face me fully. He gave me an appraising look. He turned away, muttering something about rich, pampered, spoiled brats pretending to be pilots.
"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that comment," I said. The other three heads in the room, the rest of the crew that I hadn't been introduced to, turned our direction.
"I said that rich women with no skills shouldn't be allowed to fly," Lucius said clearly.
"I agree completely."
That caught him off guard. He stared openly at me, a hint of reappraisal in his eyes.
"Do we have a liftoff window?" I asked, turning my attention back to my controls.
"One hour." He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He waited to see what I'd do.
"Do you have a procedure for preflight?"
"On your left," the navigator, a stocky blond man, informed me.
"And your name is?"
"Alan," he said and grinned. "And that is Klyn," he nodded at a woman seated at the scanning controls.
I smiled at her. She remained aloof, measuring me with her gaze.
"And that's the engineer, Surrey," Alan said, nodding at the last member of the crew.
Surrey was busy, both hands working over his controls. He barely nodded. He was tall, skeletally thin, and almost totally bald.
"Nice to meet you," I said, nodding to them all. "I'm Dace." They nodded back, except for Lucius.
I found the preflight checklist and read through it.
"Are all passengers accounted for?" I asked Lucius. I would have been happy to leave Vance behind, but that was personal feelings getting in the way. I liked Vance, more than I wanted to. I respected him, which made him doubly dangerous, but I didn't trust him.
Lucius gave me an insolent stare before turning back to his controls.
"I asked you a question, Lucius," I said.
"And I'll repeat myself," he said. "Rich women who have no experience should not be allowed to fly."
There were several ways I could handle this. I could ignore him, but he would most likely keep getting worse. I chose to force the issue. The pilot made the judgment calls during a flight. If I couldn't count on Lucius to give me the information I needed, things could get ugly in a hurry. I moved before he finished smiling cockily at me. I had him on his belly, one arm twisted up behind his back, his face smashed into the burgundy carpet, before he knew what hit him.
"You want me to tell the Speaker he needs a new com officer or are you going to behave?" I asked him calmly as I dug my knee into his back. The rest of the crew stared.
Lucius gave a strangled grunt and tried to squirm away. I pinned him harder.
"And for your information," I said as I leaned close over him, "I'm a fully trained, certified pilot. I graduated at the top of my class in the Academy. I've logged more than a thousand flights. You have a problem with my qualifications?"
"No," came the muffled answer.
"Good." I let him up, offering him my hand to pull him to his feet. He stared at it, his face twisted with humiliation. He reached to take my hand. I saw his legs tense, he was planning to throw me.
I shook my head. "Don't even think it, Lucius."
The sullen look on Lucius's face morphed into a wide grin. "Welcome aboard, Admiral." He took my hand, letting me help him back to his feet. He pointed at Alan. "You owe me fifty credits."
"You let her throw you," Alan grumbled.
"Should I be flattered or offended?" I asked.
"You should be getting ready to lift," Klyn said. "Silly male games." Her look told me she thought I was stupid to be drawn into the middle.
"Go back to your scans,"Alan told her.
Klyn made a rude gesture at him and turned her back deliberately on us. They had obviously worked together for a long time and knew each other well. I missed that camaraderie.
"Well? What do you think?" Lucius asked me, still grinning.
"I've missed flying," I said. And grinned back.