“Unless he leaves the Republic, he’ll get his wish,” Van replied.
“That’s sad, too, because he never will. You know that.”
“I know.”
There was another long silence.
“Oh…I almost forgot. Just a moment.” Sappho turned and left the room.
What could she have forgotten, Van wondered.
Sappho returned almost immediately with a packing box. She extended it to Van. “Dad Cicero insisted I bring it. It has all your decorations in it, and that beautiful box from the premier.”
Van swallowed. His dads had wanted him to have them. He just wished that they had come with Sappho and her family. Finally, he said, “Thank you.”
Another silence fell over them.
“Thank you for coming.”
“I had to…and I could.”
Sappho glanced toward the door. “The girls won’t be long. I know you must be busy…but…we really…”
“The rest of the day is yours,” Van said.
“You mean that?”
“I wouldn’t have said it, if I didn’t.”
Starting early in the morning, Van still had to meet with Daidae Mubarca at the Nabatan Trust, and with the Candace Bank, to clear up the linked IIS accounting, not to mention all the meetings set up by Miryam, as well as any other clients she felt needed the personal touch of the managing director of IIS.
But for the evening, he could stay…and would.
Chapter 83
Clearing up all the loose ends on Meroe had not taken a few days, but well over a week. Part of that had been beneficial, since the word that IIS was now headed by someone with a darker skin and heritage had resulted in meetings that had, in the end, gained IIS several new clients—if smaller ones. Still, with the state of IIS revenues, Van wasn’t about to overlook such possibilities. Miryam wouldn’t have let him, in any case.
Then, as a reward, Van had promised himself one last treat…or more than treat, and that was why he sat at a table in the Nubeya, just before noon, waiting for Emily.
“What would you like to drink while you’re waiting, ser?”
“Almaryn, thank you.”
Van glanced toward the entrance, but Emily had not yet appeared. He hoped that she hadn’t had to cancel because of some crisis at the embassy. He wished he’d been able to spend more time with her, but he couldn’t just drop everything, like an adolescent, and blurt out that he wanted to marry her. They’d been together…what…perhaps five times in four years…and he still had a responsibility to IIS…and Trystin.
While he waited, he perused the menu. After several minutes more, he looked back toward the front of the restaurant again, but while several people stood there, all but one in shimmering white robes, Emily was not among them.
Possibly three minutes passed before Emily stepped into the lobby area, looking around, but they felt like ten. Van raised his arm, and she nodded, smiling, hurrying toward his table.
Van watched as she appeared, wearing a deep turquoise green suit that brought out her eyes and hair. He couldn’t help smiling as he stood.
“You look happy,” she said, smiling as well.
“I’m always happy to see you.”
Emily seated herself without quite looking at Van.
The server appeared moments after Emily did, delivering the tall frosty glass of almaryn to Van, then looking to Emily.
“Almaryn, also.” She looked to Van. “Much as I’d prefer chellis, I do have to go back to work this afternoon. You’re leaving, also, aren’t you?”
“Immediately after lunch.”
“Another good meal before venturing forth?”
“Not exactly…another good meal with delightful company.”
“I don’t know how delightful I’ll be. I’ve put in the inquiries about your newsie friend, and about your brother, and I’ve been searching the incomings, but…so far there’s nothing direct.” Her face turned severe.
“When you get that expression,” Van said, “it’s generally not good news.”
Emily nodded, with a rueful smile. “That’s why I’d never be more than third secretary. My face reveals too much.”
“What’s happening on Sulyn?” Van questioned.
“It doesn’t look good…Van. I’m sorry.”
He waited.
“The local planetary parliament…” She shook her head. “I’d better start at the beginning. The system government demanded that Sulyn abide by all the emergency laws. The Sulynese parliament refused. Politely. They pointed out that the charter of incorporation reserved certain rights to the planetary authorities forever. Prime Minister Eamon insisted that such rights could and should be abrogated in a time of crisis, and that no planet was above the laws of the Republic.”
Van set down the almaryn, then waited as the server reappeared with Emily’s glass.
“We’d better order,” he said.
“Unfortunately. Do you know…”
“I already looked.”
“You order, then, and I’ll make a quick decision.”
Van looked to the server. “The lamb special, with the risotto and apples, and the alstora soup.”
“The same, except I’ll take the house salad instead of soup.”
The server nodded and slipped away.
“The prime minister insisted,” Van prompted.
“The Sulynese stood fast, and we received word this morning that RSF fleet elements are proceeding to Sulyn, along with another domestic peacekeeping unit.” Emily held her almaryn, but had not taken even a sip, her gray eyes on Van. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “What good are rights, if they can be abrogated at the will of whoever’s in power? It’s all an excuse. I understand what’s happening, but not why.” He paused. “Maybe I should say that I understand it intellectually, but not emotionally. Sulyn has always been the freer-spirited part of the Republic, where the arts flourished, and where discussion was always more open, and every time it got too open, the government tried to crack down. Most times, it backed off…but there’s always been a conflict and resentment…”
“Part of that is because the majority of the Sulynese community is black? Is that what you think?”
“It’s easier to target a group that’s visually different,” Van pointed out. “Even if the Sulynese cultural leaders weren’t black, Sulyn would be targeted because it has a tendency to speak out more, and it’s pretty
