Rela plus space station equals bad news [Earthsiders]

[freosan]

fullaquirkes is cruel and killed Schuu and broke my universe. ;.; So I needed to put down some canon. Here it is. This one, too, threatens to develop plot. Sometime between the end of the war and meeting Nadia.

Estoy asustada. I should not be but I am, I am the strong young new face of Earth, ambassador to las colonias, peace-maker, leader, and I am terrified out of my mind.

I wish ‘Tatsu were here, or SingKueh, or Boss. Especially Boss. I have Schuu, and that is and should be enough to keep me standing tall, but it is not enough to make me unafraid. I have no one to hide behind, literally or figuratively. I am the highest authority I can appeal to.

I only wanted to protect what was mine. I did not ask to be a leader. But I am. I am going now to the top of the world, to the places that man built and used to destroy, the places that I helped change – no, revolutionize, and so is it any wonder I am scared?

I do not look it, though I am sure Schuu and Ross and Maddox can recognize it. Hali maybe not, but then I have just told her she is to lead for me while I am Skyside. She has her own fear.

Sivier is a good pilot, and takeoff is not rocky, but he is not as good as ‘Tatsu and also, I cannot stop wishing for solid ground beneath my feet. I may be crushing Schuu’s hand. He is not complaining, but he would not even if I cracked bone, until I was past the need for him. Lo amo but my puppy, he is often another big, scary responsibility.

We dock also simply, and without shaking. I have Sivier, Kir, and Schuu with me, all people I can count on to protect me and good with blades. That is important, because I am not and you cannot carry a gun on a colony, where vaccuum is only a few metres away at all times. I should not think of that.

Kir gets out, then Schuu, then me, with Sivier behind us locking up his ship. There is a welcoming committee, three women older than me and two men in suits who look nearly as intimidating as my bodyguards do.

I put on my best eager, determined smile, and greet them. “Hello. Call me Rela – you are President Wilcox?” I ask the woman at the head of the group. I know she must be, though I have not seen a picture in a while. She has more lines about her eyes.

“Yes, Ms President,” she says. I shake my head.

“Just Rela, please, Madame President.” We shake hands. She has no calluses, long nails. I cannot remember the last time I shook hands with someone with long nails.

“This is Schuu,” I say, “And Kir, and Sivier.” They nod, no handshaking. President Wilcox introduces the two women on either side of her as Laolei Nather, Secretary of the Left, and Desca Flint, Head of the Earthside Relations Committee. Her bodyguards do not get an introduction. They stare at us instead. They are not good at it.

“We’ll show you around a bit first,” the President says. “Since this is your first time on the colonies, you’ll want to know what’s what, I expect.”

“That would be wonderful,” I say, though I do not think so. I am only here as long as it takes to work out a trade agreement with this government, and I will not stay a moment longer. I do not care what is what. I only care what will get me a steady supply of aereospace engineering materials, clear airspace and refiner nanobot access.

Madame President takes us through the diplomatic-approved spaces, the biospheres, the big buildings that span across the diameter of the colonies. Through the low-grav catwalks and the viewing windows where you can watch the ‘Earthrise’.

I call everything fascinating and excellent and a wonderful example of the kinds of things humankind can do when we are of one mind. I think she does not realize how sarcastic I am being.

We happen to run into a large amount of members of the governing body, whatever they are calling it now. Senate? Yes, Senate. One President as head-of-state, an elected eight-person oligarchy as head-of-executive-branch, and one hundred thirty-two minority representatives. Dauntless is from the old United States, if I am remembering my history correctly.

I perform my diplomat smile, my diplomat speeches, my diplomat perfect handshake. I am good at this, and maybe I should worry about that. Later.

‘Later’, defined as ‘too late to do anything useful but too early to sleep’, Secretary Nather shows us to a small suite of rooms, Madame President having given us to her two hours ago when she realized she had more productive things to do with her time.

The Secretary shows us around, and Kir and Sivier position themselves at a chair by the window and the wall by the door, then wait. Schuu shows the Secretary out.

The doors shut behind us, and I count to twenty before I collapse on the bed and shout, “I cannot do this!” into the mattress. Schuu sits down beside me.