"Ken, Ambassador Agima is calling."Ken, Ambassador Agima is calling." I raised my eyebrows, giving P'nyssa my mock-exasperation look. "Duty calls," I said. She nodded. "In here, Dave." The image resolved in front of me, the deliberate slight flicker in the image an idiosyncracy I had asked for to tell me that this was just an image. Sometimes our imaging technology almost seems too good. "Good evening, Agima. What can I do?" "Vatare' Shardik," he said in a voice that immediately made me feel wary. Something was wrong. "I have recieved a message from the Princess Anlestin. She is accompanying the warship Metyslenki, enroute to Pendor. I do not know why she is coming, and I am concerned. She has asked for a private meeting with 'Vatare Ilye Pendoro Shardik.' The wording of the message is most formal." "What do you think it might mean?" "I have no guesses. Princess Anlestin is, as you well know, someting of a--" he sought for the right word-- "A free spirit. Formality of this type does not become her easily." I smiled, remembering my last encounter with the lovely Anlestin. "I am aware of that, Agima. When will she be arriving?" "Within the week." After Agima's image had left, I turned to P'nyssa and said, "Okay, you two, ideas? Suggestions? Thoughts?" Dave answered first. "There is little data to go on. If we're going to discuss this from the point of view of in-house knowledge, let's discuss that you have a unique relationship with Anlestin. You are the first alien she ever slept with." "Her request's to meet with you," P'nyssa said. "Right, so this has to do with something personal. Something between her and me?" "Have you written her since the Treaty?" "Of course. At least three or four times. They were always friendly letters, and I always got friendly letters in return." "So that's not it," P'nyssa said. She threw up her mittens in frustration. "I don't know." "I'm equally in the dark, Ken." "Great. Me too. I guess we wait." "I guess so," Dave and P'nyssa said in tandem. |