Heather had surveyed it all from orbit with Urumchi’s scanners, so she was prepared for the atavistic feel of things that Omarov had started to put into place as they took a tour. At the same time, the palace grounds that had been cleared at the peak of the hill would have an unmatched view of the valley on two sides when it was done, and there was a starport going in across the valley and the river down there.
Trade would flow. Just not yet. Ewin needed to get their heads out of their asses. Dalou needed to re-calibrate nearly half a millennium of inwardness. Aditi would probably sniff first, but they would be cautious, expecting some sort of trickery on Morninghawk’s part.
The Dalou Hegemony Mystique.
Except that there was no mystique here. You got Lord Morninghawk, the man who had ordered his own crew to ram an enemy vessel in battle, in order to protect Heather and Urumchi from somebody else trying to do the same thing.
As Iveta had said, the rest of the Cluster would have nightmares about that man coming for them.
Or now, Morninghawk was standing at that awkward corner where Dalou-claimed stars came to a breakwater, a salient on a map thrust in between Ewin and Aditi. Again, interrupting the flow and forcing you to deal with him first.
The group of tourists had come to a rest on the spot where Heather knew that Omarov would build a wide patio for parties. It had exactly the right elevation and view.
Lord Morninghawk walked next to Phil, with Harinder and Samnang Sobol, Lady Morninghawk, close. Iveta was in charge upstairs, so Heather had brought Nam and Kohahu down, in addition to a few others. All the captains and command centurions had come.
All of them. Even Omarov had gawked at that. Captain Sugawara off Forktail. Captain Yukimura off Storm Petrel, with the Crown Prince in his naval uniform.
Yet another thing that might have gone a different direction at Ellariel, but for Lord Morninghawk taking charge and making sure that all of Dalou understood what Phil’s arrival meant.
Makara Omarov really didn’t understand how many people owed him. Or the depth of those debts.
Phil had been right when he said the man had single-handedly saved the Balhee Cluster from itself.
Now, they had to do it again. Pity that he was too busy here to join them on this joust.
Heather drifted close as the group turned back from the quick tour of flat earth where stone walls would rise soon. The walk to the current Morninghawk House wasn’t far. Kohahu fell in beside her. Nam was a step behind. Interestingly, Crown Prince Shingo was tagging along as the larger group stretched out into several pieces, like a snake munching mice.
Samnang Sobol caught Heather’s eye with a nod that promised a conversation later, but nothing that needed doing now, obviously.
At least Omarov had kept things light and easy. Heather could see a cocktail party being laid out in front of them, with some of the more prominent locals invited to attend, once the Lord had had his chance to talk to the conquering heroes.
Heather was glad they had come, but worried about what would happen next.