Davos and Aiden wandered through the crowds, absently sipping drinks supplied by well-dressed servants and server droids, taking in the sights of the Cultivation Palace and its celebrations for the empress. They spent time among the immense Oka trees and the Mirrored Lakes of Da’ashan before making their way to the Ice Towers of Ikalitek, where they saw a performance by the famed Ice Walkers.

  The two men, who considered themselves traveled and cultured, couldn’t believe the size and variety of the crowd. The entire system’s population seemed to be present, even though they knew it was only the Great Houses and other influential elites that received invitations. A cacophony of sounds filled the air, and a thousand smells threatened to overload their young minds as people from across Solvonus celebrated the unprecedented event.

  They saw the jungle people of Da’ashan with their void-like eyes and casual confidence, the byproduct of being the apex predator on their planet. There were the short, stout Smiths from Aria, the closest planet to the sun, where they worked in forgeries, fabrication planets and massive star docks, unrivaled by anything else in the system.

  As used to the limelight as he was, being Davos’s confidant and companion, Aiden found the celebrations dizzying. He preferred the quiet solitude of Lord Havana’s libraries to the raucous environments which his best friend preferred. Despite his official duties as bodyman being given to another, Aiden continued to protect the young lord. Davos’s father had spent incredible resources ensuring Aiden’s training in that regard and it was a duty he took seriously, allowing the Hakana heir to drag him across the system on adventures.

  Momentarily overwhelmed by the cacophony, Aiden felt drunk on his feet as he stumbled into a slight, tanned girl with the greenest eyes he had ever seen. Her brother, by the looks of him, and their compatriot, moved to her defense, but the young woman shooed at them even as she bowed, apologizing for getting in his way.

  “I’m sorry. The crowds are overwhelming. All this commotion is quite distracting. I had no idea it would be so—” she trailed off as a snowy owl from Ikalitek’s tundra flew by on wings as broad as a man was tall, sounding its mating cry to the crowd’s delight.

  “My names Aiden. I should be the one apologizing. I wasn’t paying attention to where my feet were leading me.”

  “My name’s Astra,” she said, pulling her eyes away from the receding owl. “And this is my brother Jovani, and our cousin Nadim.”

  At that, Davos turned around from where he had been grabbing another pair of drinks from a passing servant. He stared at the three people who had joined Aiden and himself while he refreshed their drinks.

  “What did you say your names were? I don’t think I caught them correctly.”

  Astra hesitated, a wince flashing across her face, which she turned into a beaming smile.

  Of all the people to have run into. Of course we had to run into Davos, bloody Hakana.

  She had used her Power of Illusion to weave disguises for herself and the two men accompanying her tonight. Her own disguise was quite detailed, changing every aspect of her appearance, but she wasn’t as practiced, or adept, at disguising others. The men’s disguises were surface level, unable to stand up to physical contact, while hers was more substantial, as Natural Cultivation entwined with the illusion. She had woven slight changes for the pair, enough to hide their true selves from casual inspection. She was unsure they’d fool someone who knew them intimately.

  Like Lord Nadim Hakana’s own son.

  Astra noticed Davos staring at the three of them, his question hanging heavy in the air.

  No turning back now, Astra. In for a credit as they say.

  “I’m Astra, this is my brother Jovani and our cousin Nadim.” Astra said, subtly using her Power of Empathy to diminish the young man’s suspicions.

  “That’s an interesting set of names the three of you have,” Davos said, looking closer at the three of them.

  There was something about the two men that seemed vaguely familiar. The brother, Jovani, looked almost like the captain he had met from time to time when accompanying his father to the imperial palace. The resemblance this man had to the captain of the Royal Crest was eerily similar, but Jovani’s Da’ashani eyes could never be mistaken for anything else. This Jovani’s eyes shone the bright green of a T’sanni, not the deep void of space that marked those from Da’ashan.

  Davos looked at the second man, the cousin, Nadim. He could swear he knew the man from somewhere but couldn’t place where.

  Davos went to shake the man’s hand, but Nadim had reached over to grab three goblets from a passing server droid. With his hands full, Nadim bowed in acknowledgment of Davos’ outstretched hand.

  “Sorry,” Nadim said, reaching over to give Astra and Jovani each a drink.

  Davos let his hand fall and returned the bow.

  “Quite understandable. We could all use a little refreshment.” With that, he raised his glass in a little salute to this impromptu gathering in the middle of the corridor, the throng of cheerful revelers milling about them.

  “I’ve got to ask,” Davos said, addressing Nadim. “Do I know you from somewhere? I am Davos, of House Hakana from Senovar.”

  “Actually, my lord,” Nadim said, much to Astra and Jovani’s silent amusement.

  “No, no, none of that. Not tonight. We’re here to celebrate the empress and have a good time. Let’s forget titles.”

  Nadim nodded thanks and started again.

  “Davos. I’m from your house, but from Syluchia. My father’s a lieutenant in your father’s garrison. My mother is cousin to Astra and Jovani’s mother.”

  “A fellow Hakana. You have the look, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. We must be distant cousins ourselves then. We should compare family trees to see which branches entwine.”

  “Perhaps some other time,” Nadim glanced over to Astra, “My cousin has been dying to see the Ice Walkers from Ikalitek, and we’re on our way there.”

  “Perfect, we’re heading that way ourselves. We can join you. Five’s better than three when you’re trying to have some fun, anyway!”

  Davos turned, beginning to lead the way, naturally assuming the group would follow him. They always did. As he strolled towards the terrace that Aiden and he had just left, the three newcomers shared a glance. Aiden, standing slightly behind the trio, saw the look, his instincts telling him something was off.

  What was that look? Who are these three?

  Astra gave a slight shrug, as if in response to an unspoken question from one of the men, and turned to catch up to Davos, regaining her excitement with each step. Both men followed her while Aiden trailed behind the group, watching, contemplating.

  They seemed innocent enough, and he sensed nothing nefarious. That look, though. It spoke of a wariness that seemed out of place. Aiden resolved to pay close attention to the trio as they headed towards the lifts. These would take them down to where a viewing platform extended out and around the frozen waterfall.

  Aiden questioned Davos’ decision to join the group. Just moments ago, they had viewed an exceptionally fine performance by the Ice Walkers, so why join this group and head right back there when there was so much more to see?

  Aiden felt his guard go up, the night’s revelry fading as he trailed the group. Davos must have sensed something as well, and wanted to solve this mystery. The two young men had been on enough adventures together that they knew how the other thought and trusted each other’s instincts.

  __________

  The Lord High Marshal’s mind worked hard, trying to find someway to extricate his companions from his son’s company. Of all the luck this side of the void, how had they run into Davos and Aiden the moment they left the landing pad?

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  The odds of that happening must be slim, yet here they were. Something had triggered his son’s finely honed senses. Nadim, being aware of the scope of Davos’ training with his elite troops, as well as Aiden’s, could see the slight tightness at the corners of his son’s eyes, the minuscule bunching of the shoulders. His son suspected something all right, he just couldn’t figure it out.

  Nadim knew how important it was for Astra to have a few hours of freedom, even if he didn’t like how she spent those hours sometimes. Over the long years, Nadim had fostered a close working relationship with the empress. When Nadim had become high marshal, the two of them had, out of necessity, spent more and more time together, having intense strategy sessions; the ruling and defense of a star system being no small feat. Through those long sessions, their relationship had blossomed, though not romantically, despite the swirling rumors of the court.

  Over their long years of professional relationship, they had developed a lifelong friendship. Astra had been there to celebrate with Nadim when he received word of Davos’ birth, strong and healthy; she’d also been by his side when his wife, Adeera, died from the Corvonus Plague that burned though the system just a year later.

  There were those that questioned the relationship, assuming he was her secret consort, but Nadim never found the time nor the inclination to remarry, and neither gave credence to such rumors. His heart would always be with Adeera. As for Astra, well, the empress could have outlived several husbands by now but chose, rather, to remain unencumbered.

  Theirs, instead, was a relationship of trust and mutual respect. It was also the closest either could come to having a genuine friendship; as the stations of each of their offices demanded much of their time, and each had to guard themselves against the constant political maneuvering embedded in the fabric of their society.

  To have stumbled, literally, into Davos and Aiden, during one of the empress’ quiet escapes from the trappings of her office was pure bad luck, but what to do about it?

  Astra didn’t seem to have a care at all as she caught up to Davos, skipping beside the young man, flirting and smiling like so many had done before her. She was giggling at something Davos had said, playing the part of the young woman she was impersonating. Davos had a weak spot for both beautiful women and being the center of attention.

  Nadim chuckled to himself, forcing himself to relax. It was a pleasant change seeing his son in his element, one that allowed his father to see his son in a different light, to see the young man he was becoming.

  He glanced to his right, and caught Jovani’s eye again, but all the man could do was give a slight shrug, and they both continued to trail after Astra and his son.

  ___________

  Aiden, trailing behind the two young men while their erstwhile young companion had caught up to Davos, didn’t miss the second look between the two men or the shrug that Jovani had given in response. It always surprised Aiden, although he didn’t know why it still did after all these years, that once Davos entered the picture, people forgot about him. Not that he minded, as he preferred it that way. He was more comfortable being an outside observer rather than an active participant.

  Swirling crowds, including wandering acrobats from Senovar and fire-breathers from Airia, and a myriad of other entertainments, filled the wide corridor, keeping the celebration lively as revelers visited each spectacle. Through the mass of people, Aiden saw the girl, Astra, pull Davos to the side where a food stand was selling delicacies. The three trailing men made their way through the crowds and found Astra and Davos angling to grab a table placed around a food stand, where the party goers could take a break and enjoy some refreshments while watching the crowds go by.

  As they reached the table, a young boy came over, garbed in the billowing robes of his home-world, the desert planet of T’sannu. Seeing Astra and Jovani, disguised as his planet’s citizens, his smile widened.

  The T'sanni were a loose collection of nomadic tribes, sparsely populating the sixth planet out from the sun. Its elliptical orbit caused fluctuating weather, ranging from intensely hot, when closest to the sun, to bitterly cold at its orbital apogee. The planet was all but inhabitable to most, but the T’sanni people had adapted, fostering a fierce pride imbued into their very being. They lived an outward-facing, technology free life, wandering the dunes of their home-world in ten vast caravans, each composed of a single clan.

  These clans, the T’sanni equivalent of a Great House, maintained loose alliances, meeting only for trade or to take part in arranged marriages between clans, maintaining their strong and vital stock. There was no Great House of T’sanni, or Great Clan. However, each clan took turns being Prime. The responsibility of the Prime clan lasted twenty-five years, and its job was settling ties and disputes amongst the other nine, as well as sending representatives out to the empire to be their world’s ambassadors.

  The young boy, no older than ten by the looks of him, came by with their order. He set down a tray of steaming delicacies and a pitcher filled with a vibrant red liquid with condensation dripping down its side. As he finished placing the order on the table, he exclaimed something to Astra and Jovani in his native tongue.

  Jovani was at a loss, having never visited the T’sanni home-world. Astra, however, smoothly responded to the boy in his own language and gave him a few coins from a purse that dangled on her hip before sending him on his way.

  Astra turned back to the group with a glint in her eyes.

  “He was wondering how two of his fellow T’sanni were enjoying the celebration and if we had seen the towering waterfall yet. His father took him there before coming to set up their stand and he couldn’t believe there was that much water in all the universe.”

  The group shared a laugh at this, all of them wondering at the amazed innocence of a young boy, on perhaps the biggest adventure he would ever have. The organizers had spared no expense and had brought in food vendors and entertainment from across the star system so that everyone could experience the vast diversity found within the galaxy.

  “So, how were the three of you invited to the empress’s celebration?” Davos asked, taking advantage of the opening.

  He spoke with a smile and the relaxed air he often affected when in public, but Aiden knew his lifelong friend better than that. He could hear the tightness in his voice that showed Davos was more than curious about these three.

  Astra again took the lead, seeing the young man’s distrust, allowing a little more Empathy to focus on Davos, trying to ease his concerns.

  “Oh, my father is second to our leader of Clan T’sulluwen, which is the current Prime. Our leader is quite elderly, and he elected to send his brother, my father, in his stead. My father brought us along, I think, to educate the two of us more fully on the star system and its politics, so that we would be better leaders when the time came. For many years, we’ve had tutors from all over the system, teaching us everything there is to know about Solvonus and its workings. During the journey from T’sannu, father insisted we continue our lessons; since we landed a week ago, we’ve maintained our studies and have had little time to enjoy the estate set aside for our use. I’m surprised father let us out to enjoy tonight’s celebration.”

  Astra’s elaborate tale impressed Nadim and Jovani, causing them to forget for a moment that Empress Astra stood before them. They glanced at Davos, but he still didn’t seem convinced.

  “You speak system basic quite well. Is that also part of your studies?”

  “Absolutely,” Astra replied, “since a young age, in fact. We’re taught basic, along with our clan tongue, from the time we could both talk. Our clan became Prime a few years ago, meaning for the next twenty-two years we’re the contact point for all outside trade. Therefore, my cousin Nadim here has become invaluable in his help. He’s a gifted linguist, helping translate during negotiations and meetings for our father. His mother is my father’s sisters’ husband’s brother’s daughter.”

  She laughed, seeing Davos’ look of confusion as he tried to work out the familial ties.

  “Don’t worry, it’s confusing, I know. We T’sanni store great pride in our familial connections. As children, we memorize our bloodlines going back generations. We’re a sparse people, keeping to ourselves, and our family bonds are one thing that helps keep the peace on our world.”

  “But clearly, Nadim is not T’sanni.”

  Astra laughed again.

  “Of course not. Nadim’s mother was part of a trade convoy for our clan, the main reason any of us leave T’sannu. She met Nadim’s father, a soldier in your father’s house, while visiting Syluchia. Much to the dismay of our clan, she stayed on her husband’s home-world. But she made sure Nadim visited T’sannu often as a child, sending him to us to learn our ways, as he said.”

  Astra was very convincing, and Davos finally relaxed, conceding that the combination of their names had been a coincidence only and most likely what had triggered his suspicions; besides what did he imagine, that these three were his father, the captain, and the empress in disguise? It was a ridiculous assumption on his part, and even if they had been, where was the harm?

  He reached over to the pitcher and lifting it, bring it to his nose and sniffed at it.

  “It’s Sun Blossom berry juice from the Valley of Plenty,” Astra said, smiling. “It’s one of the few places on T’sannu where there is enough protection from the environment for plants and trees to thrive. Try it. It is quite refreshing.”

  Astra poured the crimson juice in glasses and Davos handed out the drinks.

  “What do you think, Aiden?” Davos asked, handing a glass of the exotic drink to his friend. “Should we tag along with these three for a night of fun, maybe show them a sight or two?”

  With the glass raised to his lips, Aiden stared at his friend over the rim. Davos had dropped his guard and was back to enjoying himself. Aiden still didn’t know what to make of the looks he had seen Jovani and Nadim share, but if Davos’ instincts were at peace, then who was he to complain?

  “Absolutely.”

  “Oh, that would be fantastic,” Astra said, excited at the prospect of these two young men adding to their group. She knew it would cause her two companions untold stress, but that was part of the fun, for her at least.

  “I have to admit that the crowds are more than I was prepared for, and I would hate to go bumping into everyone all night long.”

  At that, she glared at Aiden, who had literally crashed into her, causing their fateful meeting. Everyone laughed at that, with Aiden blushing in embarrassment.

  Nadim had hoped to end this engagement and extricate themselves from their company, but before he could say anything, Astra anticipated him and caught his eye, beseeching him to let this go on a bit longer. Instead, the High Marshal of the Imperial Navy raised his glass.

  “To the Empress. May she live forever.”

  The group joined Nadim in his toast and began sampling the T’sanni delicacies before them, with Astra elaborating on the spices used to prepare the mouth-watering treats; a copious amount of mandatory off-world reports on planet economics and cultural diversity helping immensely. The crowd continued to pulse by their table and the night took on an air of celebration for the five companions.