Heirs at Court: The Marmoros Trilogy, #3

By Peter Kenson

The refugees from Ystradis arrive at Marmoros, much to the annoyance of officials from the powerful Department of Exo-Affairs, and Rachel and Jeren travel to the Imperial Court to ask the Emperor to intervene. 

The Belsi continue to press their claim to the mine on Ystradis, but when evidence emerges that a major trading company is secretly supplying Vostov with ore from the mine, a chain of events is initiated that threatens the security of the entire Empire. 

Follow the story of the two young heirs to its dramatic conclusion, as Rachel is forced to make use of her telepathic abilities in ways she never imagined possible, to defend the people of Marmoros and protect the life of the Emperor himself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter Kenson
• Release date: Feb 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386332237

Book preview

Chapter 1 - Petrograd

Several thousand light-years from Marmoros, the High Court of His Imperial Majesty Marcus V was adjusting to life following the annual migration to the Imperial Winter Palace at Petrograd.  Nobody was quite sure why the High Court migrated to Petrograd every year, except that it had always been so since the days of the Emperor’s great grandfather, Marcus Polonius, known irreverently throughout the empire as Marco Polo.

Nobody wanted to move to Petrograd.  The courtiers and servants of the High Court hated it.  They hated the disruption, which was considerable, and they hated Petrograd, which was cold and damp despite the best efforts of an army of environmental engineers.  The staff of those ministries required to attend the High Court at the Winter Palace hated it for much the same reasons.  They also hated it because of the courtiers who were insufferable throughout the entire migration.  The courtiers, on the other hand, hated the staff who they blamed for much of the disruption.  And all concerned hated the Emperor for dragging them all there for three months out of every year, although none dared say it to his face.

Most irrelevant of all, the Emperor hated it.  It always seemed to be snowing in Petrograd.  He was quite prepared to admire the intrinsic beauty of the snow both in the diverse forms of the individual snowflakes, and in the massive grandeur of drifts that seemed to alter the very contours of the land outside the palace walls.  What he could not stand was the cold.  Indeed the entire Marcus dynasty appeared to have been cursed with exceedingly thin blood, which made the choice of Petrograd as a winter vacation resort to be even more inexplicable.  And although regularly petitioned to alter the timing of the annual vacation, the High Council was invariably swayed by the unanswerable logic that the visit to the Imperial Winter Palace had to take place in winter.

The Emperor’s personal quarters were maintained at a temperature which ensured the instant demise of any errant snowflake that approached within twenty paces of the palace walls, but he still shivered whenever he looked out through a window.  The annual migration did, however, have the positive benefit of dramatically reducing the volume of court business that he was obliged to deal with.  Only the hardiest petitioners, or those with the most pressing business, would undertake the trek to visit him at Petrograd.

About the only section of the community surrounding the High Court who were in any way pleased by the annual migration were the traders and captains of the vast merchant fleet that was chartered each year to transport the Emperor and his entire entourage from Galgos to Petrograd and back again three months later.  It was good steady business.  Indeed some captains reckoned to make enough profit during that three month period to be able to put their feet up for the rest of the year.  Which, as the standard imperial year consisted of 48 months, was not bad going.

One of the more powerful of the Trading Baronies was the Held Trading Company, controlled with an iron fist by Baron Frederick, the great grandson of the original founder of the company and the fourth Baron Held.  By following a policy of strict neutrality during the Canine Insurrection, it had not only managed to avoid the worst of the Emperor's wrath but, when the insurrection was finally put down, it had gobbled up the juiciest parts of its competitors who had injudiciously traded with the rebels.

The Held Trading Company maintained offices, or at least agencies, on every civilised world in the Empire, staffed according to the importance of the business generated.  In the case of Petrograd, there would normally be only one resident official of the company to handle the year round trade in furs, musk and semi-precious gemstones from the one operating mine.  However, during the period of residence of the High Court, the offices of the Held Company would bulge with dozens of extra staff, drafted in to cope with the mass of additional flights required.

This year the records showed that one of the draftees was Lord David Held, nephew of Baron Frederick and lord in his own right of the only moon around a small and utterly insignificant planet in the Xantherides system.  The planet itself was uninhabitable due to an atmosphere that was totally inimical to carbon based life forms, and the only life on the moon was a small trading post that existed solely to service the prospectors and miners in the vast asteroid belts of the system.

Indeed to call it a moon at all was stretching the definition of the word almost to its limits.  It was a jagged lump of rock no more than 30 kilometres long and 20 kilometres across at its widest point; an asteroid in fact, blasted forth with more than usual vehemence during the destruction of one of its nearest neighbours, and captured in a wildly elliptical orbit by the one surviving planet.  Still the income from the trading post on that desolate rock, and from his shares in the Held Company itself, allowed David to have a certain independence from the day to day administration of the company whilst allowing him to use the family business as a cover for other activities.

Today however, he was pacing impatiently in the antechamber of his uncle’s office awaiting the summons.  Eventually the door slid aside to allow him to enter and he blinked in surprise as he crossed the threshold.  Apparently the baron had transported his entire office with him for the winter; not just the furnishings but the actual office.  The room smelt old with an air of antique permanence; of deals made and contracts won and lost.  The office was large but dominated by an enormous desk of highly polished wood, fully ten paces in from the door.  There was no window in the room but the walls were covered with expensive drapes, alternating with portraits of various family members.  On either side of the room were display cabinets containing treasures from more than 70 different planetary systems.

David’s feet sank into the deep pile carpet, so thick that he glanced curiously behind him, half expecting to see tracks where he had walked.  He reached the desk and looked round hopefully for any sign of a visitor’s chair but there was none to be seen.  He gave a little sigh as he stood there waiting to be noticed.  This was going to be a difficult meeting.

The man on the far side of the desk looked up from the holographic screen he had been studying, his face florid with anger.

Are you deliberately trying to bankrupt your family? he asked.  It was not a shout, not quite, but the question echoed around the room, bouncing off the family portraits on the walls before assaulting him from all sides.  The entire Held dynasty looked on accusingly as the current head of the family pointed a finger at him.

You have spent 100 million credits of the family’s money on a rusting pile of junk that was sent to the scrapyard years ago.

It wasn’t scrapped, Uncle, and it’s not rusting.  It’s actually in quite good working order.

The reply was ignored as his uncle turned his attention back to the display.  I have compensation demands here from over 30 merchant captains, some of them from trading companies I have never even heard of.

David doubted the truth of that last statement but tried to put a conciliatory tone into his voice as he replied.  I have copies of all the valid contracts, Uncle.  I uploaded them from the ship’s log as soon as I made orbit here.

I know.  I can see that.  But why should we cover their trading losses, late delivery penalties?  What do we get out of this?

The Held Trading Company has single-handedly saved the remnants of the Ystrad race from extinction.  Even if we get no monetary recompense directly from these contracts, we will have gained an enormous amount of kudos in certain quarters and that, as you know, can open many doors.

Baron Frederick regarded him silently for a minute.  Hmph!  That’s as may be, but what about this other matter.  You advanced a loan of 100 million credits to buy an ex-imperial battlecruiser.  For what?  Let’s be generous and say it was an investment.  When are we going to see any return on our money?

The loan was secured against the output of the Biridium mine on Ystradis.

The ownership of which is currently in dispute.  And where is the contract setting out the terms of the loan?

It was a verbal contract, David admitted uncomfortably.

This time it was a shout.  Verbal!  You lent 100 million credits on a verbal contract?  Are you mad?

It was a personal loan to the ruler of the Ystrad.  It will be honoured.

How?  Production at the mine is shut down.  The planet has been rendered uninhabitable for the indefinite future.  How exactly is that loan going to be repaid?

The mine can still be worked by fully robotic equipment.  Admittedly it will be more expensive but the price of Biridium is sky-high at the moment.  The profit will still be there, and if you could get the contract to do the mining...

The baron paused for a moment to consider that possibility.  He switched his attention to the screen on the desk and tapped in an enquiry.  When he looked up, he had a thoughtful expression on his face.

That contract has already been placed.  The Mauger family have it.  A ship carrying the mining equipment is already on its way to Ystradis.

When was that contract placed? David asked.  And with whom?

His uncle tapped at the screen again.  According to this, the contract was placed four days after the attack on Ystradis, and was endorsed by Baron Mauger and the new leader of the Belsi.

Then it’s an invalid contract.  Ystradis belongs to the Ystrad.

Ystradis was being occupied by the Belsi.  They are claiming ownership of the mine.

But the Belsi were not occupying Ystradis at the date of the contract.  It’s invalid.

Possibly, but even if the Ystrad make a counter-claim through the courts, they won’t see a penny out of that mine for years.

All right then, consider this.  How much robotic mining equipment is available on the market at the moment?

Next to none.  That stuff’s so expensive it’s all tied up on long term contracts.

But Baron Mauger had enough of it available to be able to sign an immediate contract with the Belsi.

Well obviously the Belsi tipped him off in advance.  So that he had time to make the equipment available.

No! David said excitedly.  Don’t you see, Uncle?  The Belsi didn’t know about the effects of the virus.  They didn’t know that it would affect their own people as well as the Ystrad.  They thought that they would end up in sole occupation of the planet and continue mining the Biridium as normal.

Then who did tip Mauger off?

Where did the virus come from?

The blood drained from Baron Frederick’s face as the realisation hit.  Vostov, he whispered.  Mauger has contacts with Vostov.

That’s something that needs a great deal of proof before an accusation can be made.  But it’s too curious a coincidence to be ignored.

Well you’re the spy, the secret agent.  Get me some proof.

I will need some help from you, Uncle.  If you could make some discreet enquiries through your own commercial contacts, I will raise the issue with Khan and see what he says.  But think of this.  If the Mauger Barony is involved with Vostov, and it can be proven, the Emperor will be furious.  They will not only lose this mining contract, they will be stripped of all their other contracts too.  A trading company that is positioned to take over some of the more lucrative business could do very well out of this.

Baron Frederick sat silently for several minutes, lost in thought, as a broad smile spread slowly across his face.  Finally he stood up, eyes glittering, to walk around the desk and place an avuncular arm around David’s shoulders.  My boy!  I always knew we would make a trader of you.

***

The local offices of Khan’s security network on Petrograd were situated in a grey nondescript building in the centre of the commercial district.  The weathered sign on the door announced that these were the offices of the Muritake Gemstone Corporation, dealers in precious and semiprecious gems.  That effectively explained the extensive video and electronic surveillance that covered the whole exterior of the building, while the armoured shutters on the doors and windows reinforced the view that this was not a building to be trifled with.

The front door of the building swung open to his touch and David found himself in a narrow lobby leading to a reception desk.  There was a door in both of the side walls, behind each of which, he was sure, there would be a number of heavily armed guards.  He walked up to the desk and smiled at the receptionist.  She was an attractive, smartly dressed brunette but her answering smile did not reach her eyes.

Good afternoon, sir.  How may I help?

My name is Held.  I have an appointment to discuss a purchase of some small stones.

She studied the screen on her desk for a few seconds before looking up.  Ah yes, Lord David Held.  Our principal dealer is expecting you.  She pressed a button and a small panel in the front of the desk slid open.  If you would be so kind.

David inserted his hand into the opening and waited while the bio scanner verified his identity. Eventually she looked up with a genuine smile this time.  Thank you, Lord Held.  You may go through now.

She waved a hand at a section of wall to her right and the holograph vanished, revealing an inner lobby and a set of lift doors.  There were no controls inside the lift; it simply started to descend as soon as the doors closed.  When the doors opened again, David was not sure at which level, he walked into a small room devoid of all furnishings.  The walls were uniformly white and unmarked, except for a solid looking door in the far wall.  The lift doors closed behind him and the inner door slid open to admit him into Khan’s private office.

Khan was a lean, ascetic looking man, dressed in the sort of smart business suit appropriate to a dealer in precious gemstones.  He got to his feet and greeted David warmly.

A bad business, David.  Very bad.  How is the young queen holding up?

Better than I expected, David admitted.  She has Jeren with her, of course, and his support is invaluable.  But mostly she is channelling her sorrow into fury against those responsible.  The targets change quite rapidly, alternating between the Belsi and Vostov, and currently, the Dept. of Exo-Affairs.

Khan chuckled.  Minister Walstrom is having a right strop at the moment.  He’s furious with you, and therefore with me.  Apparently he’s also had a go at the Navy for not taking action against that merchant fleet you hired.  He got short change out of Admiral Wei on that one, but his nose is still well out of joint.  I’m not even going to ask how you smuggled that young king into Petrograd, but I take it the Minister’s proposals are why you’ve brought them here.

Yes, Rachel wants to appeal directly to the Emperor and try to pre-empt any action by the department.

"Good idea.  I wish her luck.  Now I got your message about Baron Mauger and we’ll talk more about that in a minute.  But first, I want to know what the situation is on this planet that’s causing all the fuss.  The whole Ystrad story has caught the public imagination and everybody is talking about it.  De facto, the planet itself seems to have acquired the name of Marmoros, despite not being officially a part of the Empire.  So tell me about the place.  If Minister Walstrom doesn’t get his way, how well are the Ystrad going to settle in there?"

Chapter 2 – Marmoros (5 days earlier)

David was standing with the royal party on the walls of Marmoros, watching the arrival of the Ystrad refugees.

There it is, Jeren announced, pointing to the tiny dot in the sky.

Is this the last of the shuttles then? Falaise asked.

It is for today.  One of the freighters had some technical problem with its jump drive and won’t arrive until tomorrow.  There’s another 330 people on board that ship, but they will be the last.

Beside him, Rachel sniffed as she tried to hold back the tears.  So few, she whispered.  So many died in that senseless, murderous attack.

Jeren tightened his comforting arm around her and drew her close.  From their viewpoint on the city walls they could see the activity in the meadow below.  In the centre of the meadow was a circle of flattened grass, currently unoccupied, but that was the only empty space to be seen anywhere.  The rest of the meadow was a riot of colour and movement, with tents of various shapes and sizes seemingly covering every available blade of grass.  Many of the brightly decorated wagons from the Lyenar trading caravans had also been pressed into service as emergency accommodation for the refugees.

The field was bustling with activity.  Little knots of Ystrad formed and reformed as they moved through the camp seeking news of friends and relatives from whom they had been separated in the chaos of the evacuation.  Hundreds of the city folk were there as well, offering food, blankets or just comfort to the new arrivals.  There had been no time to empty the village storehouses or gather personal belongings, and many of the refugees had nothing but the clothes they stood up in.

We must be thankful that so many of your people survived, my dear, Falaise said, giving Rachel’s hand a squeeze.  If David hadn’t organised that convoy of merchant ships, many more would have died in that dreadful attack.  You have to be positive because your people need you now more than ever.  The Ystrad have survived even if their planet has been destroyed.

From a tiny dot in the sky, the shuttlecraft grew rapidly in size as it arrowed straight towards the flattened circle of grass in the centre of the meadow.  At what seemed like the last moment, it slowed its precipitous descent and landed gently in the exact centre of the circle.  The airlock cycled open and another small group of refugees started down the ramp, looking around with mixed emotions at the place that was to be their new home.

Rachel concentrated her thoughts on the small area surrounding the ramp and linked her mind with Jeren’s to send a joint message of welcome to the new arrivals.  Then the crowd of volunteers surged forward to surround them and lead them off to find food and somewhere to rest.

Beside them on the wall, Chancellor Grekan coughed apologetically.  It’s time for the council, your Majesties.  There is much to discuss.

Reluctantly they dragged themselves away from the scene in the meadow and climbed down from the wall to where Jaks was holding their horses.  They had to push through the streams of people heading in and out of the city gates but the citizens of Marmoros did not seem at all put out by the arrival of the flood of refugees.  Many of them smiled and waved happily at the royal party, calling out greetings to them as they rode back to the palace.  The smiles and greetings lifted Rachel’s spirits a little, and both she and Jeren waved back to the people they passed.

The rest of the councillors were already assembled in the council chamber when they arrived.  Falaise and Jeren had spoken privately to Chancellor Grekan in advance of the meeting and agreed to expand the council to include Rachel and her two surviving Ystradian councillors, Lords Mahagama and Dhamina.  The first order of business, therefore, was to make the round of introductions and seat everybody appropriately at the table.

There was a slight air of nervousness in the chamber as each side tried to assess the other, and establish or defend their relative positions in the hierarchy.  Falaise, as leader of the council, took her place at the head of the table.  Lord Meriden was present in his role of Warden of High Falls, as was Lord Wynter, who was in charge of the planning and redevelopment of the city itself.  David was also there, not strictly a permanent member of the council, but invited to attend by common assent.

Falaise opened the meeting.  The most pressing matter that we have to deal with, my lords, is the provision of accommodation and food.  Chancellor Grekan, what is the current situation?

"The arrival of the Ystrad refugees is going to more than double the population here, Grekan replied.  Our food stocks are already low after the winter.  It is going to cause some hardship."

Much as I hate to add to your concerns, Chancellor, Rachel said with an apologetic smile.  I was informed this morning that we have one more mouth to feed.  I understand he arrived on the journey from Ystradis.

But that’s wonderful! Falaise exclaimed.  "Please tell the parents that the council sends its congratulations.  The whole council," she added, catching the expression on Grekan’s face.

Indeed, your Majesty, Grekan inclined his head, from the whole council.  Is there anything the uh... new arrival requires?

No thank you, Chancellor, Rachel replied.  Both mother and baby are doing well, and one of the families from the city has taken them into their house until they can find a place of their own.

Good, then perhaps we can address the problem of accommodation in general.  Lord Wynter, how is the redevelopment going within the city?

It’s slow progress, I’m afraid.  The slaves have all been moved to their new quarters and some of the slums have been demolished.  But the rebuilding has barely started.  I’ve stopped them taking down any more of the slums for the moment.  It’s very poor quality housing but it’s better than nothing until we can get some new houses up.

What do you need most? Mahagama asked.  Materials or workers?

Workers.  We have some stone from the houses we’ve taken down and the quarries are working flat out.  What we need are skilled stone masons and carpenters.

I haven’t even begun to compile a skills register yet from among the survivors, Mahagama said sadly.  But I will put the word out and see what we can find.  What we do have, however, are hundreds of willing workers.  Especially if the motivation is to build some housing that they can then move into.

That is an offer I will gladly accept, Wynter said.

Yes well, before you snaffle all the builders, Meriden interrupted, let me put in a bid for some.  High Falls has been neglected for years.  Many of the permanent residents moved out, or were forced out by the previous regime, and nobody came down from Marmoros during the summer months.  As a result, there are many houses in the town that are empty but in need of some attention.  We can accommodate quite a number of refugees providing they’re willing to make some repairs.

Some of those houses will be used this year, Jeren pointed out.  "I’ve spoken to a number of the leading families who’ve said they intend to base representatives in High Falls for the summer, to trade with the passing caravans.  That should mean, of course, that their houses here in Marmoros will be under-occupied in the meanwhile.  Even if the whole family doesn’t move down, they should be able to accommodate some house guests.

"Lord Meriden, I want an estimate of the number of people you can house inside the city walls of High Falls.  Until we have enough permanent housing, I’m afraid some of the Ystrad may have to spend the summer in tents or wagons, but they will stay in the valley here, under our protection.  I don’t want any temporary accommodation outside your city walls while Deribe is still at large.

Lord Mahagama, once you have your list of Ystrad with building experience, we will assign some of them to High Falls but the majority will work under Lord Wynter’s direction, here in Marmoros.  By the end of autumn, I want everybody out of tents and into proper houses.  That is your target, my lords.

Good, then if that is agreed... Falaise looked around the table, waiting for nods or murmurs of acceptance.  The next thing is the provision of food for everybody.  Chancellor, you say our food stocks are low?

I’m afraid so, your Majesty.  As you know, when we recaptured Marmoros last autumn, the store rooms were empty and much of the farm land had been badly neglected.  When we found the supplies that the widow Deribe had hidden, it enabled us to survive the winter but those supplies are nearly exhausted.  We did manage to plant some winter crops and these are being harvested now, but it’s not enough.  We will begin to run out of some of the staple foods inside two weeks.

Then we will have to start buying supplies of food, Jeren stated.  I don’t know how long we can continue to do that because the treasury is not exactly overflowing either.  Marmoros has traditionally produced a surplus of food, the sale of which has helped to fill the coffers.  We need more land under cultivation.

Perhaps you would allow us to help you with that, Mahagama said.  The Ystrad are essentially an agrarian people and we are fortunate that it is still the planting season here.  If you allocate us some land, I guarantee that, come harvest time, we will not only have enough food to see everybody through the winter, but there will be a surplus to sell.

Nobody can guarantee that good a harvest, Grekan objected.  Crops fail, cattle die.  It’s rare here in the valley, but it does happen.

"Ystradian crops do not fail, my lord, except by intent.  Our farmers have an... ability in that regard.  I stand by my guarantee.  Indeed I will go further.  On Ystradis we were, let’s say, in competition with the Belsian farmers.  They suffered all sorts of unfortunate mishaps: crop failures, plagues of insects, whole herds of animals sickening.  The Belsi suspected that we were responsible, but they could never prove it.

Here we are not in competition with your farmers.  If you will allow us to help you, some of our people who are most proficient in this ability will work with your farmers to fatten their herds and improve their crop yields.

You can truly do this, my lord? Falaise asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

We can, Mahagama confirmed and Dhamina nodded in agreement.

Rachel, is this something you can do as well?

It is another aspect of my people’s telepathic ability.  Some of them are more proficient at using it in this way, probably because they practise it every day.  I have not tried to exercise my own ability at farming, but Lord Mahagama speaks the truth.  We can do this if you will let us.

We would be fools not to, Falaise said.  Chancellor, you are overseeing the allocation of farmland, I believe.  Is there any problem with setting sufficient land aside for the Ystrad to farm?

"It’s not a problem as such, but much of the unclaimed land is at the far end of the valley.  It would be a long way for workers to travel from the city but it is available.  Nearer the city, the majority of the land has already been claimed, however, there are still a considerable number of ongoing disputes. 

Many of the families are unhappy with the king’s decree that they should surrender all claims to land that they are not currently farming.  Some of them were simply trying to take advantage of the situation and expand their holdings while the opportunity existed.  Those opportunists have been scaled back and the families reminded of their obligations to the throne.  But some of the disputed fields lie within the boundaries that the families have traditionally held.  They simply don’t have enough men to work all of the fields yet.

But we now have an influx of farmers, Jeren said.  Lord Mahagama, would your people be willing to help some of the families who are shorthanded?

Our people would welcome the opportunity to help in whatever way they can.

Good!  Chancellor, please inform the families that they may keep the disputed land, providing that it lies within their traditional boundaries, but that the tax on any fields left fallow will be quadrupled.  Of course, if they hire additional farmers to work those fields, then this extra tax can be avoided.  Any disputes still unresolved after that will be heard by myself in full court.

Chancellor Grekan broke into a rare smile.  An excellent scheme, Sire.  I’m sure the families will applaud your judgement and will respond accordingly.

Jeren smiled in return.  I certainly hope so, but we still have a short term problem.  To massively expand the amount of land under cultivation, we are going to need more seed for planting, and we are still going to have to buy food to tide us over until the harvest.

We are harvesting root vegetables now, Grekan said, but we are almost out of grain.  The plains around Aryx always produce a surplus of grain and I know their storerooms are full at the moment.  However, even if we sent a trading caravan there tomorrow, it would be several weeks before it returned.  The people could tighten their belts for a few weeks, but we would lose the best of the planting season.

I may be able to help you there, David said cautiously.  I have to go away quite soon but...

Go away?  Where?  Falaise and Jeren interrupted almost in unison.

Yes well, I’ll come to that in a few minutes; when we’ve dealt with all the other business.  But the point I was making, was that I can delay my departure for a few days; long enough to make a trip to Aryx and bring back a shuttle full of grain.  You’ll have to send a trading caravan anyway, because I will only have time to make one trip and it will have to be done very discreetly.

What do you mean, discreetly? Jeren asked.

After the last few days, the citizens of Marmoros have become accustomed to seeing shuttles dropping out of the sky.  They may have been a little startled to begin with, but they have you and Rachel here to reassure them.  The people of Aryx have never seen a shuttle fly and I don’t intend them to see one now.  I’m in enough trouble as it is.

Trouble?  Why are you in trouble?

David gave a rueful little smile.  Patience, patience.  Let’s just stick with the plan for the moment.  If I fly a couple of merchants out to Aryx tonight, I can drop them out of sight of the city and be back here before daybreak.  Tomorrow they can go into Aryx, hire some wagons and buy a load of grain.  Tomorrow night, I fly out again and bring them back with the grain.

That’s marvellous! Falaise exclaimed.  That means we can use some of our remaining stocks as seed corn and start planting straight away.

There is the little matter of preparing the land before we can actually start planting, Grekan pointed out.  But I share your majesty’s enthusiasm.  It is a good plan and I’m sure we’re all very grateful to Lord David for his help.

Good!  Then if we’ve resolved the problem of the seed corn, Jeren went on, let’s get back to discussing the land.  Unless there are any objections, I propose to give all the unclaimed land at the far end of the valley to the Ystrad.  Lord Mahagama, I would like you to be responsible for administering that area, recording the allocation of individual holdings and accounting for all rents and taxes.  Will you accept that appointment?

I would be honoured to.

"In that case, I have a proposal that I would like the council to consider.  In the past, the far end of the valley has been used more for pasture than cultivation, mainly because it is an hour’s ride from the city and considerably more on foot.  If we are now going to farm that area more intensively, I would propose to create a small but permanent settlement, just inside the gates.

I would also propose enlarging the barracks there and moving the bulk of the army out of the city.  That would strengthen the defence of the valley gates, eliminate the need for patrols to ride the length of the valley on their way in and out, and release accommodation in the city that can be redeveloped into housing.

You would not remove the whole of the army? Grekan asked.

No, the redcloaks will remain to protect the palace and one company of men, on rotation, to man the city walls and maintain civil order.  But the rest will be more usefully based at the gates.

It will stretch our building resources even further, Wynter said.  And there is nothing down there at the moment for them to move into.

We can move some of the tents and wagons down there for the summer, Jeren replied.  And we’re not actually increasing the quantity of housing that we need; just changing where we’re planning to build it.

Then I think it a proposal worth following up, Grekan said cautiously.  What’s your view, Wynter?

It would mean dividing the workforce again, and there will be some logistical problems in getting enough stone down there from the quarries.  However, he shrugged, it sounds like a good plan and releasing the space in the barracks here will certainly help.

Then, if there are no objections, the council will endorse the king’s proposal, Falaise said.  Now, is there any other business?  Or shall we let Lord David tell us about his troubles?

David looked hopefully around the table but nobody spoke, and every face was turned in his direction.

All right, he sighed.  I suppose I can’t avoid this any longer.  There are a couple of things that this council needs to know about.  Firstly, I have to go and report to a Committee of Enquiry that has been set up to investigate the Ystradis Incident, as it is being called.  Cmdr. Boronin and I have to explain our failure to protect the planet.

But that was not your fault! Rachel exclaimed.  You did everything you could to prevent the attack.

Did I? he said, shaking his head.  I don’t know.  I just feel there must have been something more I could have done.

Lord David! Rachel said sharply.  David looked at her in surprise as she walked round the table and took hold of his hands to pull him to his feet.  I know all that you did.  I was there and I owe you my life for rescuing me. You did everything you could to save my people and they would not be here now if it was not for you.

A tear leaked from her eye as she flung her arms around him in a fierce hug.  Thank you, David... for everything.

He hesitated for a second before putting his arms around her and returning the hug.  You’re very welcome, my dear.  He walked her back to her seat.  But we really will have to be more discreet in the future or the king will become jealous.

Oh, I think I might forgive that little indiscretion, Jeren smiled, covering Rachel’s hand with his own.  But only once, he added sternly.

David smiled at the two of them as he continued.  "The Committee of Enquiry is more my problem than yours.  However, the more serious and, unfortunately, the more urgent problem is that I did not actually have any authority to bring the Ystrad here to this planet.  Falaise, you made an offer that was not only generous but which, on the surface at least, appeared to solve a number of problems: the Ystrad would have somewhere to live, Rachel and Jeren would be together and both of them would be with their own people.

Everybody wins!  Except there is a very powerful department within the Imperial government that doesn’t see it as quite such an ideal solution.  The Dept. of Exo-Affairs has placed an interdiction on this planet; absolutely no contact with any spacefaring race until the level of technology here has advanced to a suitable level.  The monitoring station in orbit above us was put there to enforce that ruling.

And what exactly do they regard as a suitable level of technology? Falaise enquired coldly.

That hasn’t been specified in detail but they are unhappy about the size of the technology gap between swords and spacecraft.

And yet we were once a spacefaring race ourselves, Jeren said.  That is how our ancestors came here.  You told us that.  Surely they would be willing to help us regain that knowledge.

Ah... no.  Sadly not.  Their view is that it is a mistake to give people access to advanced technology before they are ready for it; before they understand the power of the technology and the implications of its use.  Their argument is that there needs to be social growth alongside the advances in technology, and that this is best achieved by allowing society to develop naturally.  This view has unfortunately been reinforced by a number of disastrous incidents, the most recent of which was the Belsi making use of biotechnology that they didn’t understand.

But the Belsi were already a spacefaring race, Rachel said, as are we.  They cannot deny us access to this technology.

No they cannot.  But what they are saying is that you should not be here.  They want to move all the Ystrad off this planet and resettle them somewhere else.

There was a chorus of NO! from the far end of the table.  They cannot do this, Rachel said furiously.  My people have suffered enough.  We are not moving anywhere else, and they cannot make us.

I’m afraid that, if the department’s ruling is accepted by the Emperor, they will have the power to enforce it.

Can we not appeal to the Emperor?  Ask him not to accept the ruling.

"The politics of Imperial government is very complex, and the Dept. of Exo-Affairs is a very powerful department.  In collaboration with the Chancellor’s office, they can control what does or does not reach the Emperor’s ears.  They will simply block, or