On The Imperium’s Secret Service (Imperium Cicernus) (9 page)

“Very suitable,” Fitz assured her.  “Now, I understand that you gave me the same cabin...?”

“That I did,” Lady Mary said.  “And I also arranged for you to have an invite to the Welcome Ball.  The Gossamer Twins are here and I believe that they are still in need of someone to escort them to the ball.”

“They don’t have a single brain cell between them,” he protested, looking quite put out.  “Look, Auntie, I honestly don’t want someone else choosing my dates.”

Lady Mary cackled.

“And vetting your shags?”  she asked, with a crudeness that shocked Mariko.  “But you should know better by now.  It is your duty to start producing the next generation of your family.  Even if you are the reincarnation of the Duke of Doncaster, you still need to produce children.  Close your eyes and think of your father.”

Her cronies laughed again. 

“I will certainly take your advice into consideration,” Fitz said, tightly.  “When do you intend to start the safaris properly?”

“In two days,” Lady Mary said.  “I had a message from Lord Luther on the last courier boat – he’s been delayed at Sumter and won’t be here for another day.  I’m leaving him an additional day to be sure.”

“He probably wanted to miss the party,” Fitz said, mildly.  “Quite understandable, isn't it?”

Lady Mary snorted. 

“You always were a funny one, Fitz,” she cackled.  “Now go and see to your rooms, and then prepare for the dance.  Even if you won’t escort the twins, there are plenty of other women out there who would be interested in getting to know you a little better.  You’re quite the man of mystery.”

She stood up and winked at Mariko.  “And you make sure that he goes to the ball,” she added.  It was unmistakably an order.  “I want everyone to enjoy their first night on the planet.”

“Yes, Milady,” Mariko said, quickly.

“Now
go
,” Lady Mary ordered.  “I’ll see you all tonight.”

***

“I'm sorry about Lady Mary,” Fitz said, when they settled into the cabin.  Outside the walls, the heat was stronger and seemed to pervade the entire room.  The air conditioning was fighting a losing battle to keep the room liveable.  “She’s always trying to influence us all from a distance.”

Mariko nodded in understanding.  “Who was the Duke of Doncaster?”

“Planetary governor from two hundred years ago,” Fitz said, as he started to unpack.  “He was famous for being a predatory homosexual – he had a string of lovers as long as my ship.  Not actually a bad administrator until he tried to seduce the Crown Prince, who didn't approve and made his attitude clear to the Grand Senate.  Doncaster was sent into exile and someone else took over his position.”

Mai looked up at him, her bright eyes wide and innocent.  “Do
you
like men?”

“I don’t really have time for romance,” Fitz said.  There was something...awkward in his tone, something that suggested that he didn't want to talk about it any further.  “And besides, five minutes spent in the company of the twins is enough to turn anyone into a raving madman.  The thought of having children with them...”

Mariko snickered.  “Would they allow you to marry them both?”

“Right now, they just want heirs,” Fitz said, rolling his eyes.  “Far too many of us are suffering the effects of too much inbreeding.  We need new blood.”

He shook his head.  “Wear your dresses tonight, but keep your guns where you can get to them easily,” he added.  “There
are
dangerous creatures out there – and some of them walk on two legs.  They even
look
human.”

“I feel strange in this outfit,” Mariko muttered.  The heat seemed to have grown even stronger as the sun went down, leaving Lady Mary’s complex the only source of light on the planet’s surface.  Sweat ma
de her entire body sheen under the light.  “Why do we have to dress up for this again?”

Fitz looked at her, just long enough to make her blush.  “Because we are expected to look our best,” he said, with some irritation.  It didn't seem to be directed at her, but at Lady Mary.  “You look good enough for me, for what it’s worth.”

Mariko flushed.  She’d picked a simple blue and white dress that clung to her body without revealing much of her bare flesh.  Mai had worn something similar, but altered it so that it revealed the top of her breasts to any watching eyes.  They’d both woven bands into their hair in order to call attention to their pale faces, although they’d only put on minimal makeup.

Fitz, as far as Mariko could tell, hadn't seemed interested in what they wore.  He wore another black suit and hat, with his cane tucked neatly into his belt.  If he carried a gun, as he had advised them to do, she couldn't see where he was hiding it.

“Thank you,” she said, sourly.  She had been to formal balls before, when her mother had been trying to introduce her to suitable young men, but none of them had had anyone much above her own social level.  Here, she might as well be an insect for all the attention she’d get from the others at the ball.  “What should we do inside?”

“Just chat to anyone interested in chatting to you, and dance,” Fitz told her.  “I would suggest that you don’t let any of them get too close to you.  They might not have your best interests in mind.”

The sound of music grew louder as they approached Lady Mary’s mansion.  Someone had opened up all the rear doors, allowing the music to drift out while the party itself spilled out into the lawn. 

Fitz took their arms and led them towards the stairs leading into the ballroom itself, pausing in front of a man wearing an over-decorated uniform and passing him a neat, handwritten card.  The man cleared his throat as he stepped to the top of the stairs and addressed the crowd below.

“The Honourable Lord Fitzgerald d'Anconia Narragansett Grytpype-Thynne, with Mariko and Mai Wakabayashi,” he said.  Mariko felt herself flush and fought hard to control it.  She had never had anyone announce her formally before, certainly not in front of a crowd far more aristocratic than she could ever hope to be.  “Give them great honour, as they deserve.”

A number of male aristocrats raised their glasses in their direction, but apart from that there was nothing.  Fitz didn't seem to be particularly offended, however; he led them down the stairs and onto the dance floor.  Instantly, he was surrounded by a handful of well-wishers, some more sincere than others.  He chatted briefly with them as he allowed a younger aristocrat to take Mai for a dance.  The music kept playing, changing frequently, but never stopping.  Some of the dancers had clearly not been fashionably late.  Mariko felt her breathing grow faster as she lost sight of Mai, even though she trusted that Mai would be reasonably safe in this environment.  Fitz’s reputation would protect her from serious harm.

“Come on out and dance,” Fitz said, finally separating himself from the well-wishers.  A number of more senior aristocrats had already started forming small groups by the tables, taking to one another in low voices.  “There isn't much else to do here.”

Fitz was a good dancer, Mai discovered with some surprise.  He didn't tread on her toes, nor did he try to peek down her dress while she moved.  She didn't know all of the steps, but the dances were simple and she picked them up very quickly.  A couple of young women attempted to cut in and take Fitz from her, but he seemed to prefer to dance with Mariko.  If the young women talked like they giggled, Mariko recognised, he might have had a point.

Eventually, Fitz grew tired and led her over to a small table, where they sat down.  A handful of aristocrats, whose names and faces were unknown to her, came over to chat briefly with Fitz, but none of their conversations seemed to make any sense.  Some of them seemed to want Fitz to support them in political deals; others just seemed inclined to have a friendly chat.  But the way they talked suggested that there were hidden knives in the dark just waiting for them.

“Fitz, dear boy,” a voice said.  Mariko looked up to see a handsome young man with very old eyes.  “I haven’t seen you in years!”

“This is Lord Kay,” Fitz said.  He hadn't introduced any of the others, suggesting that Lord Kay was more important than he seemed.  “He used to be my mentor when I was a child.”

He looked up at Lord Kay and smiled.  “I came here for the hunting,” he said, openly.  “What did you come here for?”

“Oh, this and that,” Kay said.  He sounded friendly, but his smile never touched his eyes.  “I never saw the point of shooting dumb animals.  It’s much more fun to shoot at people who can shoot back.”

“It’s testing yourself against the animals,” Fitz said, without apparent irritation.  “Can a human, with senses that are so limited compared to a dog’s senses, shoot a wild animal before the animal gets him?  Can brains and equipment make up for an animal’s natural advantages in teeth and claws?  And can you trick an animal into a position for the perfect shot?”

“Seems like an excuse to play at being a great hunter.” Lord Kay snorted.  He waved a hand towards the far wall, which was decorated with a number of animal heads.  Some were alarmingly humanoid.  “The man who designed this planet was mad, and should have been shot as soon as he was captured.”  He nodded at Mariko and left the table. 

“He never approved of hunting animals,” Fitz muttered to Mariko.  “But he does like hunting girls.  There are always hundreds of desperate aristocratic girls at these gatherings and he wants to see how many he can lure into his bed.”

Mariko blinked in surprise.  “And the girls let him have them?”

“You would be amazed how accommodating some people become when given a hint that he might take them as his wife,” Fitz said, rather cynically.  “We wouldn't have half so many bastards if people like him didn’t set out to seduce people who want to be seduced.”

He looked up as Mai came over, red in the face. 

“He tried to put his hand down my dress,” she protested, angrily.  “What sort of manners do they teach people here?”

“They teach them that they can take whatever they want,” Fitz said, as an angry-looking young man stumbled out of the crowd.  He had a nasty looking bruise on his cheek where Mai had slapped him.  “Ah, Sir Hugh.  What can I do for you?”

Hugh was spitting with rage, much to the amusement of the rest of the crowd. 

“You can hand that bitch over to me for a proper whipping,” he snapped.  “Doesn't she know better than to refuse...?”

“She was under strict orders to go no further than dancing,” Fitz said, in a pleasant tone that fooled no one.  “I suggest that you walk away before something...unfortunate happens.”

Sir Hugh glared at him for a long moment, and then stalked off. 

“It’s going to be unpleasant for his people tonight,” Fitz remarked, reluctantly.  He held out a hand to Mai.  “Would you like to dance?”

Mariko watched them on the dance floor until another young aristocrat invited her to dance, allowing her to move from partner to partner.  The aristocrats didn't seem interested in anything apart from dancing, which was something of a relief.  But then, they'd know that she wasn't a noblewoman and couldn't really make any deals with them.  By the time she returned to their table, she found herself almost enjoying the party. 

Then a hand tapped her on her shoulder.

“Miss Wakabayashi,” a steward said, “my mistresses would like the pleasure of your company at their table.”

He nodded towards a table on the other side of the room.  Two girls, barely older than Mai, sat there.  They were almost identical, with dark faces, long dark hair and wearing the same white dresses that looked almost like wedding gowns.  Their faces seemed pleasant enough, but there was a look in their eyes that Mariko wasn't sure she liked.  Fitz seemed to have some sense of responsibility, even if it wasn't one that she really understood.  These two looked as if they enjoyed playing games purely for the hell of it. 

But she didn't seem to have any choice.  “I would be delighted,” she said, rising to her feet.  The twins smiled at her as she walked over to them.  “You wanted to speak with me?”