Page 2 of Consorting with Dragons

My omak raised one eyebrow. “But that’s a good thing, right? I’m sure that’s what you meant to say.”

My father flushed a deep red as he closed his eyes and seemed to be counting to ten. He did that a lot with my omak.

“Of course, it is. But I was talking about him settling down and taking on his responsibilities,” he finally said, in a voice with less volume. “Because I have something I need him to do for me. A simple errand I need him to run.”

“Of course, Father,” I said, making another abortive attempt to escape, “and I’ll be glad to. But if you don’t mind, could we discuss this later? You could give me all the details then. I have a slight headache now, you see, and…”

“I do mind, so sit down and be quiet!”

“All this yelling is completely unnecessary, Stefan,” my omak said, giving the king a long look that made him deeply sigh. “We’re sitting right here.”

“You’re right. I apologize,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I’ll try to moderate my tone.”

“I’d appreciate it,” Omak said.

He turned back to me. “Now then, Rylan, I want you to go to Lycanus 3 for me.”

“Um…you want me to do what?”

“Go to Lycanus 3. Bauxite is manufactured there. Spacecraft are often made from that material.”

“Okay. I know that, but I still don’t understand why.”

“Why what? Why make the spacecraft from bauxite, or why am I sending you?”

I clutched my head and groaned. “Father, please…”

“There’s a shipment there that was intended for another buyer, if you must know, who came up short on funds, and the Lycans are selling it to me at a reduced price. I need you to pick it up for me. You can leave tomorrow to get there on time, and since it isn’t far, you should be back home late the next day.”

“You want me to leave tomorrow? But I have plans for tomorrow, and I don’t know anything about bauxite.”

“You don’t have to know anything about the damn bauxite. You just have to go pick it up for me and take my payment to the Lycan officials. And your plans can wait.”

“But why can’t you do it?”

“Because I have a meeting with the council about this alliance with the Coalition of Small Planets. It’s a newlyformed organization King Travon has created. We’ve been corresponding, and he feels as if there’s safety in numbers.”

“Safety?” My omak broke in. “What does he think is going to happen? You both have the Axis to defend you now. I find that insulting to my father and brother. Wait a minute—are you talking about those new members of the Axis who wanted to remain independent, but Mikos forced them to join the Axis anyway? They’re the ones who are all still loyal to the Alliance and hate Tygeria, aren’t they? Troublemakers. Some are still openly hostile. And King Travon of Thalios is helping them form some kind of coalition? What in the four hells is that about?”

“I think ‘hostile’ is too strong a word for what they feel, but those planets are still trying to reconcile themselves to being forced into pledging their allegiance to the Axis even after so many years, so yes, they are a bit resistant. They were all independent during the war, just like we were on Moravia, and Mikos told them their independence was not possible anymore, and like us, they had to pick a side. Just as we were told years ago. They know they have to do this, and they’re doing it, but from what I understand, they’re also forming this new group—think of it as a very small groupwithinthe Axis. Just for solidarity. For those planets like ours who never really wanted to be part of the Axis empire. And for the ones who dislike Prince Mikos.”

“Dislike him? This Travon person does know that Mikos is my brother, doesn’t he? And that King Davos is my father? You realize that too, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course, but they also know I never wanted our planet to be part of the Axis either and that it took me a while to come around to the idea. It’s a very loose alliance. Loose enough so as not to be an encumbrance on us, and absolutely no threat to the Axis Empire or your father. It’s more of a discussion group, really. Nothing that your father or your brother could possiblydisapprove of or consider to be any kind of threat against Tygeria.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” my omak said, raising both eyebrows. “Speaking of discussions, have you ‘discussed’ this with Father or Mikos?”

My uncle Mikos was the direct heir to the throne, though Davos was still young for a Tygerian and showed no signs of stepping down anytime soon. Tygerians lived very long lives, so my grandfather was considered to be still in his prime and Mikos still gaining experience, as was his own son, Prince Mikol. My omak, Vannos, and my brothers and I were somewhere in the long line of succession, but very far down, and we were content to be so. Still, that didn’t mean we weren’t a close family.

“If I were you, I’d contact Mikos about this meeting of yours right away and tell him what you know about it,” Vannos said.

My father ignored him and kept talking as if he hadn’t inserted his opinion. “The Coalition would simply give us close, valuable allies within the Axis empire that we might need one day.”

My omak put his cup down with a clatter. “Closer than your own family? And what exactly would you need these allies for? To overthrow my father in a rebellion?”

“Of course not,” he said, getting red in the face again. “And I haven’t joined them yet. It’s just a meeting to talk about it, and that’s all.”

“I think you need to speak with my father or Mikos about this, Stefan. Before you do something rash and ill-advised.”

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