I was awake at 0420 thinking about the leading elements of Part 2 of this story. Writing is a mental illness. Tomorrow’s, Friday’s, segment will close out part 1. It’s a chat between these three kids and Pai’s older brothers. As you can see here, I once again am laying the groundwork for some kind of compromise when it comes to Alix’s sexuality; more specifically, her breedability.

Otherwise, it’s a quiet, lazy day here in RealLife. Even with cannibal barbarians eating pets two hours from my front door. I may sit on the deck and nap and read. Graf and Pai will tell me what they want when they do.

Enjoy my content? Buy me a beer!

Even if this is a buffet, I have never seen this much food in my life.  Graf looked about at the great hall they were in, possibly as long as his family land was wide.  That prince was there to welcome us, and someone at the door pounded a stick on the floor and said who we were – and boy did heads turn when they heard Pai’s surname – but there are dozens of people here, the men in suits and the women in dresses below their knees…at least these Russians are as conservative as us old Upper Midwesterners! 

“You have a happy look on your face, race traitor,” Alix said.  She held a china dish with what looked like herring, some cheese cubes, and cauliflower. 

“Race what?” he said, increasingly aware that his worn denim jeans, boots, and patched flannel shirt made him stand out like a bull’s-eye.

“You are a wonderful man,” she said, leaning into him.  “Why I want you as a colonist.  If you stay with her, you will never sire children.  In the imperium, that would have you in very, very bad trouble.”

“And why is that?” He used a fork to get some small sausages and his voice to change the conversation.

“The imperium is its children, grandchildren, progeny.  They are our future.  After the Change, the imperium exists for them,” Alix explained, picking up a piece of bread and smearing something black and slimy on it.

“What is that?” he asked, still deflecting.

“Caviar.” She took a bite and made a face.  “Yuck.  These people love it.  I’ll toss it when no one is looking.”

“And,” she went on, “I think, since our introduction here, that everyone is looking at you.”

“Pai said I’m some kind of circus animal,” he muttered before eating a sausage.  These are really good.

“You are.” He looked at her.  “She is.  She is trying to make the point that you two outliers… wait.  You don’t know what that means?  That you two weirdoes belong together.  Dammit, Graf!”

Reaching for more sausages, he stopped to look at Alix.

“I’m real!” she said very softly.  “A real girl!  I can bear you a dozen children, starting tonight!  I know you want to marry her, but… but…”

“Can you help me?” he asked.

“Do what?” she asked a little too eagerly.

“I have to meet her brothers after this.  Unlike with her mother, after we find another of those heart-thingies, I want you there with us.  In case I die.”

They stared at one another, hearing Pai stomping her way over toward them.

“I will,” Alix said.  “I need water after that awful caviar.”

A look over to Pai.  “As a representative of the imperium, I have to mingle with whoever speaks English.  See y’all later.”

“She’ll see us later?” Pai asked, carrying an empty saucer, just for show.

“Yes.  I asked her to help us when I meet your brothers.  What were their names?”

“Ivan and Vlad.  Ivan is fun!  He can kill like Mom, but with a smile.  Vlad’s a bit more serious.  I think he might realize he will succeed Mom.” She looked at his plate.  “Put that down and get some water.  There are people you must meet.  Must, Intended.”

Even sticking just with water, Graf leaned on his Intended a bit as they made their way up stairs and down hallways with more art and statuary worth more than his entire county, several times over.

“What am I doing here?” he muttered, tired.  I don’t recall any of the names and titles of those Pai introduced me to.  It was obvious they thought little of me but were borderline afraid of her.  Because of her mother?  Sure, Reina was a little threatening, but Dad sure has done worse to me.  Don’t get it:  all this politics.  Pai fell on me; we fell in love.  Why all this?

“Because,” she said, reading him, and opening the door to their left, “this is how the game is played at this level.  You never knew, nor wanted, any of this.  I was the idiot who fell off her ship.  This is meant to be, Graf.  And I do love you.”

“I love you…oh, hi, Alix,” he said to the girl sitting on the end of their bed.

“Am I interrupting something?” she said, standing, with an edge to her voice.

“No,” Pai replied.  “Graf is tired and in no condition to talk with my brothers.  You have had more alcohol than usual, so both of you should take a nap for about two hours.  Then we’ll go over.”

“Fine.  They showed me where my room is…”

“No,” Pai cut her off, leading her Intended to the bed and setting him down.  So tired…  “You lie next to him.  Clothes on, of course.  You may touch him, if you want.”

Pai stared at her rival.  Someone she could tear to pieces.  “I want to thank you for your help.”

It was almost a minute before Alix walked to the other side of the bed and lay down on her back.  After a look to Pai, she slid over to touch her body to Graf’s, who was already lightly snoring.

“Thank you, rival.”

“I won’t wake you two in the proper sense,” Pai smiled, “but you will be very aware, shortly.”