Just A Hint
“Success is not built on success. It's built on failure. It's built on frustration. Sometimes its built on catastrophe.”
---Sumner Murray Rothstein
“Now, shall we get the initial seating arrangements settled?” the Elf 'suggested.' “Reia, Helm. Jista, assist Elenir at navigation if you please...” Jista was aquiver at being able to serve with the renowned Elenir. “Ravena at security; Isin, Pim, Song, Senta, I would very much like one of you at com at all times. Now to all of us: we'll need someone in the gardens---which if you haven't seen yet, are a treasure---and one of you please take the responsibility to insure that our galley is always properly stocked and ready for snacks, meals and feasts if required...” She looked over the bridge and the vacancy at a station she hadn't noticed until that moment. She glided over to it and brought up the stats on the monitor. With a grin she turned to the others, “Correction; Senta, Isin I shall need you to split your time, for the time being, between the other ship's chores and the science station exclusively---which as the Matriarch has foreseen appropriately---is equipped with state of the art long range sensors!” She clapped her hands and leapt to the Captain's chair. “Let's get this contract underway! The Matriarch was quite correct, we have a long way to go just to make good the initial clauses. Y'all can stow your gear after while.”
They took their stations and the bridge began to look as though they'd been running this ship all their lives. The Elf touched a panel on the arm of her chair. “Ship's log; I am Tera Inghean Elphinstone Emiclairsenne Tei I; Heir Apparent; and Captain of the Huntress. We are departing for our first rendezvous with the Seranim representative according to contract. That individual, a person by name of: 'Denalin,' shall be our sole link to the Seranim and to our own people for the duration of this contractual term...” She listed the initial crew assignments and finished with, “...We shall make good the trust and faith placed in us by the Matriarch, our people and the principals of our contract. Ready to raise ship.”
She cut the recording and stood, glanced to Song at the com station, “Song, have the Port-master clear the platform.” To the helm she said, “Reia, prepare to lift on my mark.” To Elenir, “Lay in the most direct course for the Balos system, our assigned rendezvous.” To Ravena and Isin—the latter had taken up the science station, “I want to know before they do if we have any Naud company, is that understood?”
“Loud and clear my Captain!” They both replied at the same time.
“Viewer on and forward.” The Elf commanded. The screen lit up with the late morning brightness over the capital and the palace barely visible at the periphery of their view.
“Platform clear, Captain,” Song declared.
“Engage!” the Elf announced and sat down. The ship shuddered for a split second, then they were all pressed into their seats as the Huntress leapt into the sky and gathered speed toward the edges of the now thinning upper atmosphere. The Elf counted to ten in her head and commanded, “Reia, Wrinkle on Master Elenir's course!”
“Aye, aye my Captain!” Reia responded and the stars in the viewer, took on their familiar appearance as the Huntress slipped through the intervening star field in her bubble of normal space riding the wave of the wrinkled space at two hundred times the speed of light.
Jista announced, “On course and at maximum velocity, Captain, estimated rendezvous in twenty-one days, twenty hours, and change.”
The Elf smiled, “Alright then, twenty-two days; who's on galley duty first? This calls for a little celebration!”
Pim had to know before she headed to the galley, “How are we four able to be in the presence of five Lascorii and not be out of our heads by now?! And don't say it's the air exchangers,” she leveled at the Captain, “That worked on our little scout, but here?”
Senta got their attention, and reached a hand up to her throat, each of the Lascorii did likewise. She pulled at what appeared to be an exaggerated fold of skin. “As you have still not noticed,” and she let the distended membrane 'pop' back against her skin. “We have elected to wear these. They do not block our atmospheres entirely, but they are a sufficient stop gap.”
The Elf added to the surprised expressions staring back at her and her sisters, “And... they shall also allow us to mingle more easily with any... uh... unfamiliar peoples we shall likely encounter. First impressions and all.”
Reia was as flabbergasted as the other three but the significance of the moment wasn't lost on her for as long. “Y'all did this for... us?”
“And the poor saps we run into, like the Captain said,” Ravena retorted.
“But, yes primarily for you four,” Isin assured her.
Jista, Pim and Song could only say, “That is the most wonderful, the nicest...” before their tears fell down their cheeks unchecked.
The Elf nodded acknowledgement of their gift then announced, “So... I suppose I'll take the first galley shift?”
Pim and Song shook off their tears of gratitude with a laugh. Song offered, “Oh no, our Captain!” Pim hopped to the door, “...Just so whelmed...” she pulled up a corner of what was supposed to be a shirt---actually not more than a sleeveless choli, traditional on Atria where she and her sister, Song, grew up. Song was already out the door, calling, “We'll have a little 'maiden voyage' feast ready in no time.”
Reia asked, “If we aren't expecting to have to navigate around any globules or black holes or such...”
Elenir and Jista chuckled, “Nothing on the charts, at least.”
“Then, if it please the Captain...” she continued; the Elf saw this coming from the get-go. She made a general announcement.
“On these longer stretches of transit, set your monitors and routines to stations-keeping---but keep a remote with you at all times. If something does rear its ugly little head, I want it double-teamed post haste. Clear?”
“As a bell!” Reia grinned, and punched in locking codes for the helm. She bounced up and headed for the door. “I'll just pop on down and give those two tall drinks of water a helping hand...” Her voice trailed off as she turned back suddenly. “I mean: Permission to leave the bridge Captain?”
Isin and Senta were delighted that Reia was really catching on to their sister's elevated status and finally offering the proper respect. That wasn't lost on Elenir or Ravena either. Ravena picked up two remotes for her panels, handed one to the Captain and stretched. “It should be a quiet passage. We are essentially in relatively secure shipping lanes for the first three quarters of the journey;” she inclined her head to the Elf, “Again, thank you so much for requesting Elenir and me for this assignment.”
The Elf had to do a quick mental recovery. Her mother had evidently solicited in her name, not a request from the matriarch, but from the Captain of the Huntress. She inclined her head in return, “I never thought you or Elenir would actually take me up on the suggestion—let alone my mother letting go of y'all, but I couldn't be more delighted that it has turned out as it has.”
Elenir and Jista set the nav station to alert them in the event of a necessary course correction and dangled the remotes around their necks. “I think I'll go and offer my services to the cooking staff. I'd love to see what provisions you've stocked... and maybe the girls will let me dabble...” She bowed to the Captain, “Permission to leave the bridge, your Highness?”
“Granted,” the Elf shrugged. “Okay! Everybody off the bridge! We're all going to the galley. And on the way, y'all should decide upon your own quarters and get settled in; my quarters are naturally just off the bridge here...” With that she went through the only other door leading from the bridge, and inspected her own cabin. She was a wide-eyed girl when she stepped in; “This isn't just a 'cabin' this is a mansion!”
She took a few more steps inside the room that would serve as ready room/conference room; one entire wall from floor to ceiling was a view port. She stood transfixed at the sight of the star field morphing by outside the 'glass.' “Oh, mother... You've outdone yourself this time!” She tore herself away from the view and explored the rest of the apartments. She had her own galley, her own bedroom as large as her boudoir at the palace. And then there was the bathing rooms! The first was a walk-through shower, leading into the spa with a bathing pool large enough to accommodate the whole crew; then there were two satellite bathing/shower/changing rooms off the spa. “Am I supposed to entertain in here?” She had to wonder; “I know Lascorii cherish bathing time...” It occurred to her then that her mother hadn't, and none of her mentors had ever detailed the specific social responsibilities of the Matriarch-to-be. “Well, this is just too much for little ole me alone. New precedents coming up!”
She went into her boudoir and opened what she took for the closet. Shock. “I could hide a small moon in here!” She ran her fingers over the robes, costumes, uniforms, disguises, tried to count how many pairs of shoes there were, stood at the dressing table and drawer, after drawer, after drawer slid open in front of her. She stared as if in a trance. “I don't even know what some these jewels are!” The brilliance of the display in front of her jiggled a memory. During her early training under the Matriarch, she'd been specifically told by her mother, “...jewels and such are pretty and they are fun to wear when you play dress-up, but their chief function is to both distinguish you from among all other women and to always have liquid assets as constant resources. Enrish and other currencies may rise and fall, but the precious metals and gems shall endure---but mostly they are pretty! Pretty is important...”
The Elf picked up one necklace she recognized at once---an exact replica of the one her mother wore at all times: the Tear of Emiclairsenne. She held it up to the light and gazed into the depths of the rosy crystalline heart of the stone. “I wonder if I can see the flaw in it's heart the same as mother's... She gasped. “Oh my!” She realized of a sudden: This was not a replica! She raised the necklace over her head and held the stone close to her breast. She was truly treasured---Her mother made sure she knew it.
She left her quarters and joined her company in the galley's dining hall where each of them, it seemed, had pitched in to add something to the smorgasbord. “Heaven!” she chirped as she lifted the first morsel to her mouth. Glasses of wine were poured and Senta raised a toast.
“To the Huntress, grandest starship of Lascor! To this company, most fortunate of officers ever to serve a Captain! To the Elf! Princess, Heir and honored leader, our heartfelt fealty we offer to you!” With that, all eight of her company performed a formal court curtsey, deep and elaborate. The Elf thought, 'Isin and Senta had to have taught my little crew rather well---and quickly! This takes practice.'
The Elf inclined her head slightly to acknowledge the gesture and announced, “I am honored. Now. Let's establish a few of our own protocols, shall we?” She began as she gathered more scrumptious things onto her plate. “I would prefer we dispense with formal courtesy as practiced at the palace. I am Captain; that in and of itself carries respect enough for one person. Aboard the Huntress, we can defend ourselves against virtually anything or any one. But when we are 'entertaining' or away from the ship, I must be adamant that no gesture or word betray my identity as Princess-Heir of Lascor. That is absolute.” She looked to her sisters. “To insure that, either Isin or Senta shall always command away from this vessel. Is that clear? Unless we are among those who already know me as Captain, I shall only ever be as I have always been, the Elf: a scout or an adjutant, but I will not lead. I must have y'all's oath on this. The Matriarch has been far grander than generous and we shall not repay her by losing her Heir. Now that she can at last rest easier in the knowledge that our people shall have another in a very long line of smooth transitions of leadership---however long it may be before I must shoulder that mantle. May she live a joyous long time!”
Isin and Senta heaved a sigh. Senta spoke for them, “Captain, we are humbled, and we will try to make good your hopes in us. But you know we are more used to a much lower profile...” Isin added with a chuckle, “Like behind the scenes, low. Two sisters among twelve; it hasn't been too difficult to get lost in the crowd, so to speak.”
Elenir had to laugh as she tried to look much shorter, “This is as low a profile as I can manage...” and she glanced at Pim and Song. “Y'all too I suspect?”
The sisters grinned at being lumped with someone they so respected. They put their arms around Elenir's shoulders and attempted a shorter profile also. Ravena, Jista and Reia stood up on their tip toes. Ravena announced, “There! We have your lower profile now too!” And all six of them were for the moment the same height.
The company had a good laugh. The Elf continued, “Now as to our Seranim contact, Denalin---and the contract doesn't mention whether our Denalin is male or female...”
Reia chimed, “Denalin is usually a male name among the Seranim. At least it always was. My folks' business---starship systems of course; like every other enterprise on Jontun---was underwritten by the Guild, so we got to get to know the regional reps pretty good.”
“Alright then, our Mr. Denalin will perforce be the only exception to the protocols I've stipulated. He has to be; it's in the Contract.” The Elf shrugged her shoulders and pushed on. “Speaking of ship's systems, I would very much appreciate it if you three,” she indicated Reia, Song and Pim, “would be kind enough to get up to speed on all the Huntress's systems---especially the newer bits---and give the rest of us a crash course on maintenance and such. Each of our company should be able to make general repairs and be as comfortable with a spanner in the engine room as you are.”
Senta asked, “I have been a little curious about that. How is it that Reia, Pim and Song know so much about how ships are cobbled together?” Isin nodded to that inquiry. That they knew the names of the various peoples of the Alliance was one thing, that they only encountered them through the Selective Service really didn't offer much in the way of insight..
Pim took that one easily.
“My sister and I are originally from Atria. Our people are, well as compared to a bunch of others I could name, superlative engineers. We don't build as many starships as the Sargassians---excuse me, the people of Jontun---but the ships we do build are lightyears more advanced than those in the rest of the Sargassian fleet. They have to be since they're mostly used as research vessels and science platforms. Does that help?”
Reia added only, “Like I said before, I am one of those: people of Jontun. And like pretty much every other kid I knew, I was flying almost as soon as I could crawl. My family didn't actually have a 'house' in the traditional sense. We had a shipyard and labs. I can find my way around a ship blindfolded and pretty much tell you where it was made, how fast it is and whether you need a team to steer her or just a thought.”
Jista was grinning at that. She explained to Isin and Senta, Elenir and Ravena, “And she's not exaggerating! In fact that's one of the reasons I got into the Selective Service in the first place. I am Kuralii, sailing class. As far back as we can remember or as old as our stories, we have been the best navigators of any people we've ever encountered.” She looked to Elenir, the Lascor Chief of Navigation, directly. “No offense, ma'am.”
Elenir nodded, “None taken, please continue. The Kuralii, I only know the name by hearsay I'm afraid to say.”
Reia joined in, “I was assistant pilot on the Guild's freight run from Atria to Malekiaii. We had a glitch in our primaries and had to drop wrinkle. That put us in the Rennus system...”
“...My home system,” Jista picked up again. “My folks were once space-faring and we still retain the knowledge of 'how' to build a ship; we just don't have the inclination or resources to 'actually' build a ship. But we could assist the freighter Reia came to the Islands aboard. And we did. Reia and I swapped stories and palled around, and well one thing led to another...”
“...Our chief navigator fell in love with the planet,” Reia explained, “I sorta volunteered Jista for the job and the First Mate pitched it to the Captain as the best thing that could ever happen---the Kuralii being the best and all.”
“So when the Lascor approached me,” Jista shrugged, “I insisted Reia be invited also, or no go!”
Ravena's eyebrows rose in her head. “And that went over alright with the Service Director?! She really doesn't appreciate ultimatums.”
Song and Pim spoke up, “Actually we four were the only ones in the entering class that season, and we sorta all stuck together if you see what I mean. Besides I'm pretty sure it was an assistant director that okayed our enlistment.”
Isin laughed out loud, and punched Reia, “So when you said: 'top of my class out of selective service,' you meant marginally ahead of your friends!”
Reia's face was the picture of chagrin, “Actually we four were kinda...”
“...We each are top of our class!” Pim giggled. “Reia in Commercial interests and Trade---and flying of course---Jista in Navigation and network relationships, Song and me in Engineering, systems analysis, and every other technical aptitude the service offers as a discipline.”
Song added, “Naturally we all got highest marks in Contract Negotiation and the martial training...”
Ravena smiled, “I remember you now! I was the physical disciplines head of department for several seasons---y'all were more than adequate pupils.” All four of them grinned. Gaining a 'more than adequate' from Master Ravena, was high praise indeed.
Isin and Senta had sat rapt at the stories of all the far-away places. Isin sighed, “Senta and I are already so loving this adventure. Not just to be the only two of our sisters to get to personally serve the Heir, but to actually leave Court indefinitely! Paradise!”
Senta nodded excitedly. Suddenly the two most highly trained royal bodyguards looked nothing like their former taciturn selves. “Just heading to the edges of the frontier is thrilling beyond anything we'd imagined we'd ever be assigned.”
Song asked hesitantly, “What is it like to live at Court?”
Isin sat up more erect, “Serving as the Matriarch's personal security is the role of every royal niece as far back as our histories stretch. It is a noble calling and the highest honor. So... to answer your question: a lot of traditions, protocols, rituals and...”
Senta continued, “...and more than our fair share of sleepless nights. But that all is balanced by having some of the best food on Lascor, and not just from the royal lands either. The Matriarch makes semi-annual tours of the whole of Lascor. We've sampled every regional and local cuisine there is made on our world.”
“But that's the up side of those tours.” Isin qualified, “The rest of the time we're scouting logistics, making travel and security plans and failsafes, contingencies, alternates to alternatives, and on and on. Keeping the Matriarch as safe where ever she wishes to go, as she is in her own bath, is a science and an art.”
Ravena clapped, “Here, here! And the Royal Twelve perform their duties superlatively! I am constantly commended on the Matriarch's security any time I've had interactions with my peers from other worlds. And I tell them the same thing I'm telling you: It's the Royal Nieces not my staff who insure the comfort and absolute safety of the Matriarch. Let me tell you, I am justifiably proud of your service; it is an unparalleled model of excellence.”
The three of them made slight bows to each other from mutual admiration. Senta concluded, “So that's about all Isin and I know about Court life: the behind the scenes parts.”
The Elf sat quietly munching on little bits of tasties as the company shared stories, patted each other on the back and generally began to bond as sisters. 'This is well;' she concluded to herself. 'Time enough later to get ship's drills and procedures into them as second nature. But that has to happen; the Huntress deserves no less.'
Aloud she asked, “May I suppose that every one has settled on their living arrangements? And I'm curious if y'all have satisfactory bathing facilities?”
The tide of oohs and aahs that washed back on the Elf after that question was enough to rock her on her heels. “Good! I didn't want to be the only one with a spa in my rooms...”
The others were suddenly quiet. Isin ventured softly, “...Rooms? Plural?”
The Elf grinned, “Yeah! Come on gang!” and she led the company up to the Captain's quarters and gave them the grand tour like she'd lived there for years.
When they all stood around the bathing pool, it took only the Elf dipping her toe into the warm waters to get the others instantly shedding clothes and climbing in. Reia, Pim, Jista and Song held their breaths and suddenly looked anxious. Senta laughed, “Just try and practice your training: don't look into our eyes, pick the tips of our ears or foreheads and you shouldn't be quite so whelmed.”
Elenir sighed, “Getting out of that body suit as often as possible is at the top of my list from here on out...”
They lolled and splashed, giggled and chatted until the Elf was certain she'd already turned into a prune. “I'm going to the bridge and review the ship's schematics and specs. I need to know the Huntress as well or better than the people who built her. Y'all can pursue whatever you wish for a while. I would like to begin duty shifts at...” she glanced up