Star Trek: The Empty Chair (53 page)

Then he sheathed it again. “Madam,” Spock said, “it is better that these two should be together. Let one be for the past, if you will, and the other for the future. The one may rest, and the other may be used.”

A hiss and whisper of wonder went up among the people all around, then a patter of applause that grew slowly to a thunder, and then a roar of approval and cheering. Spock held the sword out.

Very slowly, Ael took it. She hesitated, as if calculating something; then she bowed her head to Spock, and sat down.

In the continuing roar, the rest of the attending
Enterprise
crew walked up to the throne—for so it was now—to greet her. Jim came up first, and reached out to take her hand.

“Not here,” Ael said under her breath, giving him a look. “Are you still unclear what that means among my people?”

Jim grinned, dropped his hand, and sketched her half a bow. “Congratulations,” he said, “Empress.”

She bridled, though she tried to conceal it somewhat. “This is all your fault,” Ael said under her breath.

“Guilty as charged,” Jim said.

“I am going to see to it that you are duly punished by Starfleet,” she said. “With something more onerous than admiralty, if such exists. If I must suffer, by my Element but I shall see to it that you do too.”

Jim’s grin got broader. “And our relations were getting off to such a good start. We’re fighting already.”

“You two cut it out,” McCoy said from behind Jim, “or I’ll separate you.”

They both turned an amused look on the doctor. He gave them an innocent look. “You hesitated a little there,” Jim said, glancing at Spock, who had stepped back.

“I was making a new rule,” Ael said. “How much an Empress bows to diplomatic representatives.”

Jim nodded in approval. “You’ve got a lot of that ahead of you today. Is this about right?” And he tried the bow again.

Ael tilted her head to one side. “A little insolent. But I am in a forgiving mood.”

“Then we’ll head out for the moment,” Jim said, “and let you get on with it.” He smiled at her, and turned away.

“Twenty hundred,” he heard McCoy say to her behind his back. “Be there or be square.”

The Empress of the Rihannsu nodded to him, smiled demurely, and beckoned forward the next group of those who waited to greet her.

The
Enterprise
crew all walked out together. “Spock,” Jim said quietly, “do you think your father’s going to approve?”

“He approved some months ago,” Spock said, “when I first suggested the possibility.”

Jim gave Spock an astonished look. “Some
months
ago?” He shook his head. “How could you possibly have known?”

They made their way out into the plaza. “Some threads of history,” Spock said, “can seem surprisingly predictable when one examines them from a sufficient distance to perceive gross detail in the pattern. Perhaps I should simply say that our people are closely enough related that we have some patterns in common, and I saw a very Vulcan thing happening here: the best person for a job finding themselves thrust into it.”

Jim nodded as they got into the shuttlecraft. “And your father concurred.”

“Some time ago, as I said. In any case, that gesture will say more to the reconstituted Empire, and to the people of these worlds, about the intentions of the Federation toward them, than any number of treaties could.”

Sulu buttoned up the shuttlecraft as everyone got settled.
“And now,” Jim said, “we watch this whole part of space remake its alliances and shape itself into something new.”

“We can only hope,” Spock said, “that the new shape becomes superior to the old.”

“Or remains that way,” McCoy said.

“Ever the cynic, Bones,” Jim said as the shuttlecraft lifted off.

“Time passes, gentlemen,” McCoy said, “and everything changes in time. But for the moment, we’re off to a good start. Let’s enjoy it while we can.”

Jim nodded and leaned back, and the shuttlecraft leapt through the atmosphere toward the airlessness of space, with Eisn shining golden on her hull.

That night there was a celebration aboard
Enterprise,
as usual. Jim was at the heart of it, but he was hardly the guest of honor. That privilege was being reserved for another. At any rate, there were many other guests to see to—visitors from
Tyrava
and
Kaveth
and the rest of the Free Rihannsu fleet, curious Senators, various other prominent Rihannsu.

The guest of honor was late, but that hardly bothered Jim, considering that tardiness is royalty’s prerogative across the known universe. When she finally showed up, the crew welcomed her with cheers, and then got on with their usual business of eating and drinking and engaging with their guests.

Jim watched with interest as she paused, not far from the door, and went down on one knee. It took him a moment to see what was transpiring—the crowd near the frontmost buffet table was in the way—but some of his crew were standing further from the table than they would normally have needed to. When the press of people parted, Jim saw Ael deep in conversation with what some people might have taken for some kind of igneous outcropping, but was actually Lieutenant Naraht.

He smiled to himself as he saw her lay a hand on that
bright stony hide, saw the Horta shuffle and wriggle under the touch with a touch of uncertainty, a wriggle that was in a way charmingly like a puppy’s. He didn’t quite understand what special thing there seemed to be between Ael and Naraht, but it struck him at the moment as just another manifestation of what
Enterprise
seemed to bring out in people—the ability of the wildly diverse to come together and make of its multiple selves far more than could have been reasonably expected.
But maybe that’s the secret,
he thought.
We
expect
more…

After a little, Ael stood and moved on through the crowd. Jim bowed to her as she approached.

Once again she eyed him and then laughed. “Still a little too insolent,” Ael said.

“I’ve got some ale over here,” Jim said, “and we can work on it.”

He led her over to where McCoy and Spock were sitting. McCoy held out a cup to Ael. She sat down beside him, had a long drink of it, and then leaned back in the chair, glancing around at the three of them. “We have caught them,” Ael said.

“Who?” Jim said. “The Three?”

“They were betrayed,” Ael said. “Is it not apt? But those whom they had paid for a clandestine escape actually delivered them into our hands this afternoon.” She let out a long breath. “At any rate, we may now lift jamming and transporter interdiction in the system. There is much to do, and we need everything running again.”

“I’ll tell Scotty,” Jim said. “Or maybe you’ve already passed the word to
Tyrava.”

She waved a hand. “Someone will coordinate it,” she said. “I am told that wise empresses do not micromanage their staff.”

Jim chuckled.

“So what will you do with them?” McCoy said.

“First,” Ael said, “ask them a great many questions. Who
knows, perhaps I may even find out where my poor exiled niece has gone.”

“‘First,’” Jim said. “And after that?”

Ael sighed. “I much fear that I must have them converted to the Empire’s permanent custody.”

“Sounds like a long time in stir,” McCoy muttered.

“Eternity,” Ael said, “or thereabouts.”

McCoy stiffened, looking at her.

“Come, Doctor,” Ael said. “You see the situation as clearly as I do. Mercy is wasted on such. Letting them live would be seen as proof positive of my weakness. I can afford no such misconceptions among my enemies right now. They are in disorder, but given a whisper of reason, they would begin to draw together again. I intend to give them no such cause. If I must seem ruthless now, it will be in service of many decades, perhaps even centuries of peace later, for millions, perhaps billions of my people. I will not risk so fair a chance for the life of men who have had their chance, and squandered it.”

“It must be nice,” McCoy murmured, “to be so certain.”

Ael simply looked at him; then glanced away. “It would be, I am sure. But here we run aground on the rocks of cultural differences, Doctor. Those men would have murdered your homeworld. I think we would probably be well rid of them. Yet as of this morning I also have in hand a communiqué from the President of the Federation, requesting that they be extradited.” She sighed. “So that may yet sway me. Either way, they are safely disposed for the moment.”

She held out the ale cup for a refill. “After all,” she said to Jim, “you were chaffing me with it the other day. Am I afraid to lose the peace? Of course I am. Only a madwoman would not be. So I will walk warily for a while. Besides, for the time being, we are much dependent on others for our security, and I would dislike to alienate those who have so far been such good friends.”

Jim leaned back, nodding. “We’ll be guarding your borders for some time,” Jim said. “Until Grand Fleet is rebuilt, and your new HQ is established.”

“It will be a joint headquarters,” Ael said, “split between the Two Worlds, and no longer sited in space. Space-based facilities we will have as before, but I will no longer allow administration to be based above the world and looking down. It needs its feet, as your people would say, firmly on the ground, in order to keep in touch with those it serves. There, Starfleet’s model will serve us well.” She looked at Jim thoughtfully. “Though some careful thought will have to be given to find ways to keep the new Grand Fleet from distrusting and ostracizing its more, shall we say, proactive commanders?”

They both smiled. “As for the borders,” Ael said, “yes, I accept that assistance with thanks. But not for too long. Otherwise my people will start to become restive.”

“The Klingons will soon enough be along to test your border,” Jim said. “When that happens, call. We’ll find a way, I think, to be in the neighborhood. After all—” And he didn’t care if he looked and sounded a little bitter. “—we got what we paid for.”

“The price,” Ael said quietly. “Yes. It is on my mind as well. Not only others’ lives, but the price we have paid in our own experience, our own pain. Still, would you have it any other way? Would you willingly serve a less trying master than you do?”

Jim thought about that. “Maybe not.”

“And so it has been for me,” Ael said. “Even though I am in worse position now than ever I was, for now I serve the Elements Themselves. Oh, do not give me that look,” she said. “This is not…what do you call it? A religious matter. But when you rule so many people, the sense of the Elements’ continued attention becomes rather surprising. No matter. I will cope.”

“Speaking of which,” McCoy said, “I meant to congratulate you. What a whopper you told those people yesterday.”

She looked at him innocently. “Why, whatever do you mean?”

“About Sol and Eisn being in permanent equivalence.”

Ael smiled very slowly. “There are, I think,” she said, “good lies and bad lies. Would you agree?”

McCoy raised an eyebrow.

“That, I think,” said the Empress of the Rihannsu, “will be a good one. Let them think no threat between our peoples of that kind is possible. You, of course,” she said to Jim, “will help Scotty and K’s’t’lk finish their work in taking the Sunseed technology permanently off the gaming table.” She cast an amused eye at the poker table off behind them. “So the trouble that brought us together at the beginning will be solved at last.”

Jim nodded.

“Meanwhile,” Ael said, “Mr. Spock, I cannot thank you enough for the great gift you have given me in your sword. Or rather, that you have given my people. It was a gesture that is already being deeply discussed.”

Spock bowed his head to her.

“And I bet I know in what context,” McCoy said. “Reunification.”

Ael’s eyes went distant and thoughtful. “There’s a dream worth dreaming,” she said, very softly, as if afraid someone might overhear her and take offense. “But I much doubt it can come in my time. Right now my people are bruised and battered enough. Such an idea must wait a time when the Rihannsu truly feel themselves strong again—strong enough that such a move could not possibly be seen as weakness. No, that’s a matter for a century hence.
You
may see it.” The look she threw at Spock was challenging. “But you will not have the handicaps under which I must labor, these decades coming.”

Spock said nothing, only looked thoughtful himself. Ael shook her head. “‘Someday’ must take care of itself,” she said. “Just at this moment, the thorny ‘now’ will be more than enough trouble to keep me very busy.”

They all glanced up as several people approached. It was Arrhae and Ffairrl, and Aidoann with them. “Here then,” Ael said, “comes the Empress’s Lamp, as the office will be called. The Senator will serve as an adviser, and an aide in, shall we say, alien matters.”

Terise Haleakala-LoBrutto smiled. “Captain,” “Arrhae” said, “we didn’t have a lot of time for this earlier. Perhaps I may make known to you ‘Ffairrl’—by his right name, Ron Ruis. He was my steward on
Gorget,
and a lot more, it turns out.”

“When I left,” Ruis said, “my rank was lieutenant commander. Elements only know what it is now.” And Jim’s eyes went wide, for the man’s accent suddenly was pure Bronx.

“But Terise wasn’t the only Earth-originated agent on ch’Rihan,” Ruis said. “Some of us have been there a long, long time. Some of us have made strange friends along the way, or were placed with them to begin with.” He glanced across the room at Gurrhim. “And more than one of us have wound up working both sides of the street. It seems,” he said, looking at Terise with amusement, “to be an occupational hazard.”

“I’ll be staying on, Captain,” Terise said, “and under cover. I think I can do my best work here, in the Senate, helping it find its feet. The local government has apparently already vouched for me with Starfleet.” She looked slyly at Ael, and grinned.

“Indeed,” Ael said, looking up with an expression in which amusement was well mixed with annoyance, “I have no intention of letting this young woman go anywhere. She was instrumental in dooming me to my present position. I shall make sure she stays within arm’s reach to suffer as I
suffer. And so may her associate,” Ael said, glancing over at Ffairrl, “to whom I wish all luck in assisting in her political career, which is likely to become lively, as the rest of the Senate try to come at me through her.” She waved a hand. “Off with you now, my children. They are eating your share of the dainties over there.”