The system government arranged for a table and chairs for them.
“Let me introduce my companion,” said Jint, pointing at her. “This is a royal princess of the Empire by the name of Ablïarsec Néïc Dubreuscr Bœrh Parhynr Fïac Lamhirr.”
“I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” said Lafier in Martinese. She said it fluidly, but that was the extent of the Martinese she knew.
Till and Lina were visibly surprised. Till recovered from his surprise faster. He clumsily bowed his head and said: “We welcome you to our sector, Your Highness.”
“I give you my gratitude,” she nodded.
“You really did move up in the world, huh, Jint,” said Till, impressed.
Jint nodded in reply, and left it at that.
“Please kiss Her Highness’s hand!” called out a sudden voice.
“What the?” exclaimed Jint.
“It’s the press,” Till grinned, abashed. “There’s no way they wouldn’t want to cover such a historic moment.”
“Isn’t this kind of a breach of our agreement, Till?” Jint protested. “It’s supposed to be us only: the President of the Hyde Star System, the Count of Hyde, and his companion.”
“I know. They’re not here at the base. All the equipment is remote-controlled.”
“I mean, be that as it may...”
“Please, Mr. President, you’ve gotta,” said a reporter, their tone of voice decidedly on the fresh side.
“Never mind. Just understand that Abh ladies don’t go around giving people their hands to kiss,” said Jint. The Royal Princess would hardly be elated to press part of her body against the lips of people she’d just met.
“Okay.” Till crossed his arms toward the ceiling.
“May we ask you to cooperate?” pressed the voice.
“How rude,” said Lafier. She wasn’t using the simplified version on her wristgear, but rather a specialized translation device mounted to her ear. She couldn’t speak Martinese, but she could understand it perfectly.
“Her Highness stated that you’re being rude!” shouted Till.
“Wow,” said Jint. “I guess the Abliar reputation for unholy wrath made it all the way out here.”
“You idiot. That has nothing to do with this.”
“Now then, let’s get the work over with. There’s no need for pomp and circumstance between us two,” said Till, taking out a sheet of paperwork. Unlike the Abh, the Martinese couldn’t give up their love of paper.
“This really is for the best, in the end,” said Jint, after rereading.
“I don’t think so at all,” said Lina.
“You’re not a government official, so you’re not allowed to speak on this affair,” said Till, without looking at her.
“Till’s only ever this strict when it’s convenient for him.”
“You think this is convenient for me?”
The paper was a consensus document. The Hyde government was to cede its sovereignty and become a territory-nation of the Empire, but on the proviso that the one who currently held the title of Count of Hyde and all who held it in the past were never to enter within a one light-second radius of Martinh’s center. Nor was the Count allowed to stay in the entire Hyde Countdom for a period of ten or more days, or communicate with the landworld.
Naturally, the House of Hyde would have to dispatch a magistrate to do the Liege’s work in their place, but the selection of that magistrate was also stipulated to be the landworld administration’s right. In other words, by signing this document, Jint was nixing any chance of ever returning home. But in exchange, the Hyde Star System would be as close to independent as possible.
“Is our conversation being recorded?” asked Jint under his breath.
“No. Words spoken between leaders are top secret, for the government’s eyes only.”
“Then I’ll be bold and say I’d have liked to walk the Exotic Jungle one more time.” The second he said it, his eyes grew teary. He felt a drop run down his cheek, but he didn’t wipe it away.
“This is your last chance. Don’t sign; you can defect to our side, or seek asylum.”
Jint glanced at Lafier. “No, I can’t mess up my home planet’s future out of personal sentiment. I don’t think my replacement as count would be as generous as me.”
“Liar,” said Lina, laughing through her tears.
“I’m not lying. And that’s not the only reason, either.” Jint pulled a chair and sat down.
He waited until Till was seated to sign. The man who was President signed as well, and they exchanged documents.
“Now, this agreement won’t take effect until it’s approved by Parliament. This place may be within a light-second from Martin’s center, but I won’t cry foul until the agreement becomes law.”
Till put out his right hand. Jint took it, and mused that this was probably the first time he’d ever shaken hands with his de facto father.
“Now it’s private time for us!” Till shouted. “So please, enough recording!”
After a bit of a back-and-forth, Till’s will held sway.
Lina started arranging the dishes on the purely functional table. “I made you your favorites. Eat up, Your Highness.”
“Ah, yeah,” said Jint, too shy to string together a proper reply.
“Thank you for the meal,” said Lafier, though she didn’t partake right away. Her eyes wandered all over the table.
“You eat with your hands,” said Jint, who realized she was searching for chopsticks. To show her how it was done, Jint took a bite out of his portion of “quinzbehr” — a sandwich with beef and white cabbage.
The signature Martinese sweet-and-spicy style of seasoning was so nostalgic Jint couldn’t get enough. Lafier looked on with astonishment, and nibbled at her own quinzbehr.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you, but what’s with that luggage thing?”
“Oh. I just thought I’d bring it along, seeing as this is family time,” said Jint, putting down his food to open the carrier.
“What’re those?” said Till, taken aback.
“Cats,” said Jint, holding Dyaho and Sercruca’s children in arm. One was a pure-white raigh, and the other a black-and-white cnasraigh. “Care to raise them for me?”
“So that’s a cat. I’ve seen them in videos before,” said Lina, reaching out a timid hand. Jint handed her one. “I’m sure the ones I saw in the
