Rhythm of the Imperium Read Free Page A

now.”
    “Must you go?” I asked. I glanced back at my cousins, all of whom had abandoned any further interest in my performance. I offered her a hopeful look. “Do you require my presence for any of these duties?”
    “No, sir.” Did I detect a hint of relief in that flat statement? Her countenance, which was nearly as capable of a stony expressionlessness as my aide-de-camp Parsons, gave me no clue. I tried to read her posture, based upon my new studies, and found little nourishment to my hunger for knowledge.
    I sighed.
    “Very well, then. We will meet again for the evening meal.”
    “No, sir,” Plet said again, this time with open finality. “We’ll take mess in the crew’s wardroom from here on out with the other adjunct personnel. The First Space Lord’s orders.”
    For that I had no answer, since the official in question was my own cherished maternal unit. Challenging Mother’s authority had landed me in trouble all of my life. She ruled our family as she did the Imperium’s space navy, with wisdom, discipline and remarkable affection. There was no need for me to court further opprobrium. Added to that was the fact that no matter how much I wheedled, Plet was unlikely to give in to my importunings. She was remarkably tone deaf to them.
    “Oh, very well,” I said, disappointed. “You won’t take it amiss if I visit with you during off-shifts?”
    “No, sir,” Plet replied, albeit not with any enthusiasm. “Crew, dismiss.”
    “Aye, sir!” the others chorused. They saluted her, and me, and left the entertainment center. Plet hesitated, Her full lips pressed together, and she gave me what I could only classify as a speculative look. She seemed about to impart some further information to me, but thought better of it, and departed. I wished I could read the meaning of her gestures, but had to remain unsatisfied.
    “Oh, Thomas,” Erita said petulantly, as I sat down and raised my wine glass to my family members. “I thought you would have grown tired of playing soldier by now.”
    “Not yet,” I said, with a cheerful wave of my hand. “There’s still a bit more fun to be gleaned from it. After all, I do have my own ship. That’s a novelty that will take a while to wear off.”
    “But it’s so dowdy,” Jil said. “The Rodrigo is still furnished as a purely military vessel, and that is so tedious. We all had to do the mandatory two years in academy. I wanted to put mine as far into my forgotten memories as possible. You seem to revel in all the trappings!”
    “It is occasionally useful,” I said, choosing my words carefully so as not to arouse suspicions that I indeed remained an integral part of the crew of the Rodrigo and its occasional official missions, “to interact with the plebeian majority. One should retain the means of communicating with them, even if one doesn’t associate with them at other times.”
    Jil made a face.
    “Oh, I suppose so! To be honest, Thomas, I had my fill of rules and regulations on our way to and from the Autocracy. I almost felt as though I was under orders again!”
    “Jil, you never followed a single order, within or without the academy,” I pointed out. “Suggestions, pleas, begging, even wailing at your heels was scarcely sufficient to persuade you to undertake anything but at your own whim.”
    “Yes,” Jil said, pleased at the recollection. “That is true.”
    An ache arising in my muscles reminded me then that I had been exercising more than my vocal chords, and my keen nose informed me that I might be giving inadvertent offense to my nearest and dearest. Not only that, but I had promised Parsons I would communicate with him in the hours before dinner.
    I rose.
    “Do excuse me for a time, won’t you?” I asked. “I think I will freshen up.”
    I removed myself from the day room.

CHAPTER 2

    My quarters, as did those of each of my cousins, consisted of a suite of several small rooms around the circular third deck of the Jaunter .