Free her instruments 03 - laisrathera by m c a hogarth

her tumult reached her face.
    “I have spoken at length with Ambassador Fetchpoint,” Ogaban continued, “about our need to honor the treaty we’ve signed with you, and what that entails, and how what we’re currently offering is not sufficient to the promises we’ve made you. That we made those promises before we became embroiled in a war on our coreward border shouldn’t put constraints on our delivery, even if realistically it does. This is particularly odious because I strongly suspect that what’s happening on your world, Your Majesty, is only another arm of the same war. Given that, then, I have a ship en route that should arrive here tomorrow.
    “This is one of Fleet Intelligence’s quick-insert vessels. It’s manned by a single FIA hold, a group of operatives who’ve trained together and remained together since. I want them to go in and get the intelligence we need so the scout can come in swinging.”
    “And they could not handle the pirate vessel themselves?” Liolesa asked.
    “Not unless it’s a lot smaller than we’re guessing from your description,” Ogaban said. “I won’t rule it out, but I won’t raise your hopes either. If there’s opportunity, they’ll take it, but their primary goal will be to prepare the ground for the heavier vessel coming after them.”
    “And if they find something that requires more than a scout’s weaponry?”
    “Let’s pray they don’t, Your Majesty,” Ogaban said with a crooked smile. “But if they do, then there really is more going on in your sector than we thought, and we’ll deal with it accordingly.”
    “This vessel,” Hirianthial said. “Can it carry passengers?”
    The human looked up at him, aura swirled with a sudden queasy yellow consternation. “It’s a military vessel, my Lord. It’s not equipped for guests.”
    “It would not be carrying a guest,” Hirianthial said.
    Ogaban paused. “You mean to assign someone to accompany them?”
    “It would be meet,” Liolesa said. “To have an observer with you. And wise as well; someone who knows the land, the language, the political situation intimately.”
    “Ah… yes, yes it would,” the Admiral said. “And of course, your observer is welcome.”
    “Two,” Liolesa said. “Two observers.”
    “Two. But I can’t in good conscience allow more. It’s not a large ship and passengers are an intrusion.”
    “Two will suffice,” Liolesa said. “Thank you.”
     
    At the conclusion of the conference, Hirianthial and Liolesa walked together to their suite. He was intimately aware of the strength and solidity of her aura… that at some point, her anger had become the impetus for forward motion, now that there was some action she could undertake. So it was, with his cousin: Plan early. Execute presently. Emotion later.
    Once they reached the sitting room, he said, “What will you do?”
    “Wait for this scout,” Liolesa said. “And then go home with her. So I will be two weeks behind you, and I expect you to have prepared the ground, cousin.”
    “A fine title you granted me, all unknowing.”
    “You think it so?” She smiled, just a faint curve at the edge of her mouth. “It has not been used since Jerisa’s reign, and the last man to answer to it died carrying the war to Corel.”
    He suppressed the urge to sigh, and his words came out drenched in shadows. “We put too much weight on things that have passed. It is little wonder we are strangling to death in our own history.”
    “No. But Goddess and Lord willing, we shall be done with that soon.” She looked up at him. “You will prepare now?”
    “If the vessel is arriving tomorrow? Absolutely.” He folded his arms, regarding her. “And now I wait.”
    She turned one of the coffee cups on the service. Not innocence, he thought—she was feeling it, feeling the reality of where they were, and the entity they would be courting a closer relation with once this was over, did they live through it. “Mmm?”
    “For you