"Come," was the response from inside."Come," was the response from inside. I opened the door and eased myself in. The door closed behind me. "Out here," she said. "Princess," I said. Anlestin turned her head towards me and smiled. "You came." "Yes," I said. "I never turn down an offer from a Princess." "Promise?" she asked. I chuckled. Who was in control here? "That depends." "Do you wonder why I asked you here?" "You'll tell me in your own time," I said. "Come with me," she said, holding out her hand. I took it. It felt cool and dry. She led me to a window and pressed a button, and the window opened. The cold wind swept into the room, and we looked down on Fahn. "It is a magnificent view. And a coup for our scientists." I waited. "You castle floats on gravitics, I am told. The Skypalace floats in the atmosphere because it is lighter than air. The blimp shell above our heads is completely rigid, and holds no air." A rigid shell strong enough to hold a vacuum can be made buoyant, if the material is light enough. I blinked, impressed, and said so. She smiled, prettily. "Thank you. We are pleased with the results. I understand your technology can do the same." "It can. But did you invite me here to discuss science?" "Partly," said the alien princess. "I wanted to meet you, away from the court, away from Arraon... and my mother," she said, her voice dropping with a slight sarcasm. I laughed. "Tell me," she said. "I have been reading some of your published journals, and I wanted to ask you a question." "What question?" I asked. "Do you find me pretty?" I missed less than a heartbeat before I answered. "Yes." "Why?" "Does it make a difference?" "It does to me," she said, crossing the room and sitting on the bed that I hadn't seen when I first entered. |