“And Siru, you can stay in here. I assume you want Aleks to room with you?” Rhionne said, guiding them to one of the empty guest suites. She could have passed this duty off on staff, but she knew that her mother would want her to keep a lid on this. Even loyal staff could leak something innocently, and given what they’d heard this morning…she knew that it would probably not be good if Lady Aljansen heard that her granddaughter was at the palace.

As for Aleks, he looked up at Siru from his perch in her hands; he was slightly relieved to hear her say, “Yes, that’s…that’s fine. Thank you, Your Imperial Highness.”

“Please, call me Rhionne. I’m pretty sure we’re third or fourth cousins, but even if we weren’t, you’re guests here. And Aleks, this room has lifts and stairs for humans on furniture, and the hoverplatform should be charged; there are enough mixed-size couples who are friends of our family that we made sure that they would be well-accommodated. Now, as the Emperor said…please don’t make any outgoing calls right now. You’re not under arrest or anything, we won’t physically stop you…but it’s probably for the best if you go quiet for the moment.”

“That makes sense,” Aleks said. “And honestly…I’m used to getting around Titan-sized furniture, it’s not a problem….”

Rhionne smiled at that. “It absolutely is, and it’s only because you’re human that you would say that it isn’t. Stubbornly independent, the whole lot of you! But then, you have to be,” she added.

She withdrew, and Siru flopped down onto the bed – though she was careful not to accidentally pin Aleks as she did so. “You must be exhausted,” he said.

Siru was quiet for a long while, and Aleks was beginning to think that either he’d said something wrong, or that she’d fallen asleep. But finally, she said, “I’m awful.”

“No you aren’t,” Aleks said.

“Yes,” Siru said, “I am. First, you told me what you found, and I dismissed it. Told you that you were silly. But it wasn’t silly. I saw the way the Emperor reacted. They think you’re telling the absolute truth, and that it’s awful. And I ignored you.”

Aleks walked up along her arm toward her ear. “Siru, the Empress said it; of course you didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe it! I was really glad you thought I was crazy, because that was a lot better than whatever this is. But that doesn’t make you awful.”

“It’s not that,” Siru said with a snort. “That was bad. What makes me awful…is that part of me wants to try to warn my family that they’ve been found out. That even with the risk you’re taking, and even knowing what it could cost…part of me wants to call my grandmother after the conclave ends so I can explain how she was found out…and yes, I know exactly who that would put at risk, and it’s you.”

She sniffed back tears “I wanted to come in here with you to tell you…you can’t trust me. Part of me thinks you’re a hero to Jotnarherath and an amazing wonderful person…and part of me thinks you’ve destroyed my family, and if I end up talking to my grandmother and she starts pushing me…I don’t want you near me if she convinces me that I must act to defend my house.”

Aleks should have reacted to that with horror, or fear, or anger. Probably all three. He understood what she was saying; she was afraid that Luviisa Alajansen was a murderer, and that she’d push Siru to murder…and that she was not sure she could resist.

But a human cannot love a Titan without accepting a very large element of risk. And so Aleks pulled himself up on her shoulder, and walking carefully across her scapula, crawled up onto her face, so that he could look her in the eye.

“Siru,” he said, “you aren’t going to kill me.”

“How can you know that?” she said, in barely a whisper.

“Because you haven’t done it yet. If you were willing to hurt me you wouldn’t be warning me about how you were worried. If you were willing to hurt me you would keep your options open. But you aren’t. You’re telling me your grandmother may want me dead. Well, I kinda figure if I’m right that she will. But if she tells you to hurt me, if that’s what it takes to defend your house…then your house isn’t worth defending, and you know that. If your grandmother is a murderer, if your stepmother is plotting against the Empress….”

“You don’t know what it’s like to grow up being told that your destiny is set, that you will someday be Lady Aljansen, and that all your energy is going to go toward being that person. Aleks, if I don’t end up Hersvru of Tromsø, what good am I to anyone?”

“Oh, come on,” Aleks said. “I’m not gonna be Lord Aleks Odusi of Avalon; am I no good to anyone?”

“Aleks, you’re…I mean, the head of the Imperators’ Corps basically offered you a job today. You’re going to be amazing. I’m just an heiress who might not have anything to inherit.”

“Siru,” Aleks said with a sigh, “let’s say that’s true. You dated me even knowing my family was dirt poor and my parents couldn’t spell, and also that I’m the size of your fingers. Do you honestly think that I’m dating you for your title? For your money? Siru…for Goddess’ sake, you realize that you are in fact smart, and tough, and funny, and beautiful? That if you lost everything, you’d gain it back in a few years? And that if you didn’t…if all we had was me on a lawyer’s salary and you working a regular job…that we’d have more than enough to be happy?”

Siru began to tear up, and she carefully plucked Aleks from her face and set him on the bed, so she could properly sob. “How can you still say that, knowing…knowing….”

“Because,” Aleks said, “I know something, and so do you, and that’s that you were doing what I tried to do to you. You were trying to push me away, trying to make me hate you, so I could be safe from whatever risk is coming. But I’m not gonna hate you, Siru. Not ever. You aren’t lying, I know that – you are upset about what’s happening to your family, and part of you does want to try to find a way to keep them safe, even if they’re criminals, because you’re a good person and you love them. And they don’t deserve it. You’re better than they were.”

“I’m like them. I shouldn’t…if this is true, how can I still love them? I’m like they are, and even if I wouldn’t hurt you…you shouldn’t trust me.”

“You aren’t like they are,” Aleks said, stroking her cheek. “Your grandmother may have thrown away your future in the vain hope of advancing Aud. Your grandmother and stepmother and yes, your dad may have hurt other people in the pursuit of a title. And other people will think that you are to blame for it too – and they may think that you are to blame for them being caught. But as much as you could hate them for it, you don’t, and that’s why I love you. Because you are better than them. You’re better than most people.

“But Princess Daz is right, they made their choices. They didn’t worry about what it would do to you. Don’t forget that. And don’t forget that whatever they think…I know that you could have laughed this off. Could have steered Ulysses away. Could have asked me to say nothing. You didn’t. You’re here with me, in the Imperial Palace. You already decided.”

Siru finished rubbing her eyes, and looked over at the tiny man beside her. “I would never hurt you,” she said, quietly. “But if this is all true…I know if my grandmother hurt Tursas Sjedi, she would hurt you. And if she hurt you…I don’t know what I’d do.”

Aleks smiled. “We’re probably both at risk here,” he said. “But we’re in it together. I’m okay with that.”

Siru leaned over and kissed him, and said, quietly, “You gave me one last chance. And you weren’t subtle about it. You would have protected them, for me. I love you so much. And I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” Aleks said. “Whatever happens, Siru…we’re in it together.”

* * *

Tiernan, Rajenlif, Vanser, and Mpola sat around a small table in a small room near the landing pad; a shuttle from the Musu had begun descent, and soon enough, Rajenlif would be departing. Tiernan would continue to work with Vanser here while Rajenlif was en route.

She had agreed to a sit-down interview with Gudda Nieadlgisl, scheduled for later that day. She had enquired about whether Nieadlgisl would hold the report, but he had made a promise to Luviisa, and Rajenlif understood that pushing too hard might convince him that there was an even bigger story here. Honestly, this was all going to come unwound; they may as well rip the bandage off.

“So Audara would have a claim to be Dronung based on her being the eldest living grandchild of Hirera IX…but only because Rhionne had withdrawn?”

“Yes,” Rajenlif said. “It’s…the rules and precedents get very deep and contradictory. But my Chief of Staff found a resolution that we think will be used a pretext for them to make the claim; after Tursas Sjedi died, the Jotnardiggi passed a simple resolution stating that the House of Throden continued to rule Jotnarherath. I’m sure they thought it was a simple statement of fact, and I’m sure if we went back to the Jotnardiggi tomorrow, they’d rescind it. But if Aljansen is going to approach this the way I think they she…she’ll get the Council of Ten on record. And once that happens, it becomes a political question.”

“Not a legal question?” Mpola asked. “I would think that you would have the Council of 79 behind you in any lawsuit.”

“If this was a question of Imperial Law, she would,” Tiernan said. “But it is Jotnar Law that is at issue here, and she is correct; ultimately, these disputes have been settled in the past by the Jotnardiggi making a final decision. Formally, it’s a recommendation, but it’s always followed. And if their decisions conflict, their last decision before succession is considered dispositive.”

“And so you’re worried about a protracted battle to elect a pro-Aljansen Jotnardiggi,” Vanser said. “Of course, if she’s under arrest….”

“In some ways, that may help her cause. She’s going to pull out the blue, white, and red flag and claim that Audara represents Jotnarherath, and paint anything you do as Imperial interference. Don’t misunderstand, I think this is a fight I will win, and if it looks like I am in danger…I can always abdicate in favor of Vallero while the Jotnardiggi still supports me. But even if I win…this could cause a great deal of strife in Jotnarherath, and maybe enough to prevent us from merging the thrones. Just winning isn’t enough; a Dronung must respect the will of her subjects. And if enough of them object to a merged throne…I may have to make other arrangements. And that would be a disaster.”

Vanser nodded. “Yeah, a destabilized Jotnarherath is not going to be great for the Empire, much less Jotnarherath. Now, I know you’re about to depart, but to make sure I’ve ruled any other potential suspects out, Audara is the only viable completing claimant; there isn’t another shirttail relation that can claim it, correct?”

The look that Rajenlif and Tiernan shot each other would have been missed by most people, but Vanser had decades of experience as an Imperator, and he was watching for it. He leaned forward, and said, “So there is another potential claimant. Who is it?”

Rajenlif turned back to Vanser; she hadn’t meant to give this away. But she knew that he would keep pressing – his first duty was to the Empire, and while the Emperor could tell him not to pursue it…Vanser would understand better if he knew the truth. “This doesn’t leave this room,” she said.

“I will have to investigate it,” Vanser said, “if only to rule them out.” He began to jot down a few notes, trying to keep them cryptic enough that they wouldn’t accidentally leak anything when reviewed. “So this other heir…is it Kullervo’s child? Yours? Someone else’s?”

“Kulervo’s,” Rajenlif said.

“Were they raised by their mother, like Audara?” Vanser said, jotting some more notes.

“No,” Tiernan said. “They were given to the Hoplites.”

“Not many Jotunn go to the Hoplites,” Mpola said. “Though I suppose they didn’t tell this child they were Jotnar.”

“No, they did,” Rajenlif said. “We would not deny a Jotnar child their heritage, even to cover our tracks. They did not know they were royalty, but they always knew they were Jotunn.”

Vanser was focused on getting this information down in a way that he would remember but others would not understand, or he might have realized it right then. It would take but one more question for him to.

“So what caste were they assigned to? Ley? Ro?”

Tiernan smiled. “They were assigned to the Tam caste.”

Vanser’s stylus abruptly skidded across the pad, and dropped from his fingers. He stared deep into the screen, staring at nothing, until his head slowly rose, to stare at the Empress.

“The frak you say,” he said.

“What…what is it?” Mpola said, looking over at Vanser; not much shocked the Praetor-Imperator, and Vidol was frankly shocked at his shock. But Vanser simply gaped, and tried a couple times before he got his voice working.

“It…she…but…Rixie?”

Rajenlif gave a very tight smile to Vanser. “I know beyond a doubt that she is not seeking the throne.”

Vanser blinked, looked down at his pad, then dropped it on the table. “Does she know? Did she know?”

“She did not know; she does know now,” Rajenlif said. “She found out in the past few months. She has been very clear that she does not want this to be shared; she prefers to keep this quiet. And understandably so. She is happy, she has a good family, and fine friends. I know she has no interest in the throne; quite the opposite, in fact. And so I ask you to please not share this information with anyone.”

The whine of the shuttle’s gravitics signaled that it was on final approach. “Empress…I agree, Rixie Carey wouldn’t hurt anyone to become Dronung; frankly, she’s never done well with protocol, I know gorram well she wouldn’t want that forced on her, she certainly isn’t gonna go to any trouble to make it happen. But…I will need to speak with her, to cross it off the list. I promise that I will share my findings with you and with Krator-Imperator Vidol only, and Mpola, I’m ordering you directly not to discuss this with anyone but me.”

“Yes, sir,” Mpola said.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me…I must be off,” Rajenlif said. “I appreciate your work, Praetor-Imperator, Krator-Imperator. When you interview Rixie, please apologize on my behalf; we have already caused her too much difficulty.”

“She’s active-duty, she has to put up with me bothering her. Besides, she still owes me one, if you don’t count the one I owe her. But Empress…aside from everything else…I do ask permission to occasionally annoy her about this.”

“I would think she would expect it,” Rajenlif said, with a grin.

“Yeah,” Vanser said. “That’s probably true.”

* * *

“So this Mr. Odusi…Alex?”

“Alex, yeah, but it’s spelled weird – I didn’t get a chance to find out how, but in talking with him, he said his parents didn’t have much education, so probably with a kapezhe or kape sigma instead of a zhe, would be my guess,” Pelleas said, yawning.

Pryvani nodded. “He seems trustworthy?”

“Yeah. If he’s making it up, frankly you should try to hire him because if he is, he’s a great liar. But the story hangs together, and honestly…it is weird that so many people have been having strokes and aneurysms.”

“You said that Praetor-Imperator Nix was in the meeting, did he give a percentage chance that it was related?”

“He and Krator-Imperator Vidol said somewhere in the 80-90 percent range, but that was calculator app figuring; they said they’d have to look at it in more detail.”

Pryvani nodded. “If their rough guess is 80 percent…you know what I say about coincidences.”

“’Coincidences rarely are,’ yes, you’ve mentioned it a few times,” Pelleas said.

“Correct. Out of curiosity…how did….”

“…Siru react?” Pelleas said, with a half-smile. “Mom, I know you’re going to grab Rixie and maybe dad or Taron and discuss this further once the call’s done, you can just ask questions, I was trying to pay attention to everything I could.”

Pryvani smiled at her son. “Pelle, I am glad to see you have been paying attention. So Siru….”

“She was rattled. But she did appear surprised, and mad at herself for not immediately believing Aleks. Not that anyone blames her; I’ve always known Syon was evil, but I don’t know how I’d feel if I’d thought she was basically okay, and then she did the stuff she did.”

“I knew Syon was evil and it was still a shock when she murdered your grandfather,” Pryvani said. “From what I have heard about Siru, she’s a lot like her mother, and Venla is tremendous.”

“Yeah, Ulee is friends with her, she seems fine. She understands that her last name doesn’t make her cool. I kind of wish I remembered it as well as she does.”

“Oh?”

Pelleas shrugged. “It’s been a long night, but I got in an argument with Naleu, threw my trust fund in his face, like I did anything to earn it. Don’t know why, just…knew it would hurt him, and I was angry enough to want to hurt him.”

Pryvani sighed. “Pelle….”

“Trust me, I know,” he said. “I keep working on the exercises that Dr. Smit recommended. I don’t know why…I hate how I get when I get that way. It’s like….”

“Pelle, you are my son, and the grandson of Syon Fand. I had to learn to keep my emotions in check from an early age, but if you think there are not times that I am absolutely furious, and ready to murder….”

She trailed off. She didn’t feel the need to tell her son how far she had gone in defense of her family. She would, someday. But not today.

“Anyhow,” she said, “you have that same wellspring of anger in you, but for better or for worse, I did not want my children to pretend they did not hurt when they hurt. I just hope, when you got yourself together, you had a chance to apologize – and more, that you meant it.”

Pelleas laughed. “Actually, Luke was there for it, and he dropped me with a right hook. Kinda forget how strong he is – he grew up working on the farm in summer, so I guess he should be. Anyhow, that knocked the soki out of my system, at least long enough to realize that I shouldn’t have smoked soki earlier, and I told Naleu that I had been a jerk.”

“Luke hit you?” Pryvani said. “You must have truly been obnoxious.”

Pelle did a brief five-count to stifle the retort that brought up; his mother was right, after all, he had been.

“Anyhow, you know what I’m going to say.”

“Soki isn’t good for you. Yeah, I know, and…well, it’s a long, dumb story. Got shot down by a guy…was depressed about it.”

“I’ve used it,” Pryvani said, “when I was young. It does help with emotional stress. And given that…I understand.”

“He turned out to be a bigot, I think I’m okay with it,” Pelleas said.

Pryvani sighed, and smiled tenderly. “You’re not that good a liar, Pelle; that’s a good thing, by the way. I’m sorry. His loss.”

“That’s what everyone says, and I’d like to believe it,” Pelleas said. “Anyhow, I know that you talking to me about boys is taking time away from you saving the galaxy, so….”

“I have told you all, since you were little – nothing is more important to me than you are.”

“We know, but some things are equally important,” Pelle said, “and I’ve been up about 72 hours, so I really should sleep anyhow, but…thanks, mom. And I’ll remember next time that soki doesn’t fix my problems.”

Pryvani nodded, and smiled. “You will. Rest easy, and when you awake, thank Tiernan for his hospitality, and for agreeing to let you call me.”

“The Empress said it would save time,” Pelleas said.

“Indeed. I love you, Pelle,” Pryvani said; he returned the sentiment, and she switched off the pad.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

She should have caught this. When Leu Idia died, it should have set off alarm bells. She was too young. And when Ljied died, it damn sure should have woken her up.

She was better than this, gorram it, she should have seen….

She stopped, and took a deep breath.

No, it wasn’t that she should have seen it, it was that she had stopped looking. At least, stopped looking as deeply as she would have been looking a decade ago. She knew that there was part of her that had settled down; they had won, after all! They’d beaten the Federation, humans were people, Earth was an ally, Avalon was a province…they had smashed their opposition to bits. She had devoted the first few years of her adult life to holding on to the Tarsuss Corporation, and the next two-and-a-half decades fighting for her husband and her friends, and she had put her heart and soul into the fight, not caring if they were shredded to bits. And when the battle was over…though she knew the war would never be won forever, she had let herself hope that it had been won for the rest of her life. That she could simply enjoy the victory, spend time with her friends and family, and eventually pass on the mantle of her family to Odin, and let him carry the Tarsuss banner.

But their opponents had not stopped; of course they hadn’t stopped. They were regrouping, and trying to find a way to rebuild. It might take them a generation or two – they had to know that. But they were playing a long game. Knock out a few friendly people here and there, not enough to get on anyone’s scopes…the knock-on effects could be immense. One person in the right place at the right time can change history. It was true of Luke Palmer, and Niall Freeman, and Aertimus Bass, and….

She took a breath, and called the next person on that mental list. “Rixie? I need you to come to my office. It’s urgent.”

* * *

Rajenlif nodded to the junior officer who set her single bag down. The guest suite on the Tuaut class vessel was not particularly posh, but she didn’t mind that. She was grateful to be aboard. The young man saluted, and his captain nodded as well.

“We should be in the system within seven hours, Your Imperial Majesty. And we’ll drop the shuttle the moment we’re in range. I’ll warn you, it might be a bit bumpy if they go in hot….”

“I’m sure it will be,” Rajenlif said. “But I’m Jotnar.”

Capt. Doceu Icarta was a big, burly Titan, one who had clearly been through his share of scrapes. A scar traced his nose, cheek, and left eye, which, along with its twin, was artificial. “I get that. My husband’s Jotnar. Well, half-Jotnar, anyhow. Your people are tough as they come.”

“Thank you,” Rajenlif said. “And I had wondered if you might be Jotnar.”

“Right, the eyes,” he said with a grin. “Not Jotnar exactly, but plenty of Jotunn in the family tree. Grew up on Perudprivan, by Pegaronja, so…well, not many of us who can’t claim a few smugglers in our great-great-great grandparents’ day.”

“Pegaronja is as Jotnar as it is Imperial. Do you still live there?” Rajenlif asked.

“Nah, we moved to Aasveig, on Sininentavas; my husband got a job as a chemist for Vilum Industrial Cleaning there. Raised our daughter there too, though she was adopted from one of the smaller colonies of Pegaronja Prime, got her when she was fourteen months. So neither of us are really….”

Rajenlif shook her head, and interrupted. “Captain Icarta, my grandchildren by my daughter are only one-quarter Jotunn, and half-human. But I defy anyone to try to tell me that they are not ‘really’ Jotnar. You and your husband live in Jotnarherath, you raised your daughter there. Whether you have any ‘pure Savarnan flesh’ or not, you are Jotnar in spirit, and that is the only thing that truly matters.”

“That…that is very kind of you,” Icarta said. “My daughter has been going back and forth on joining Clade Niearn; they’d take her, of course, but she’s…well, she’s 18, and worried about being ‘appropriative,’ whatever that means.”

“Her father is half-Jotunn, and she was raised on Sininentavas. Tell her that her Dronung wants her to join Clade Niearn, and will be very disappointed if she does not,” Rajenlif said.

“I will. Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Not at all. Thank you for making Jotnarherath better. Now, you have a ship to run, and I am already inconveniencing you.”

Icarta chuckled. “Crewmate Engine-Fixer has our engines tuned like a symphony; he’s a sixth-generation engineer – his great-great-great-grandma was Chief Engineer of the Gyfjon back under Aerti Bass. Anyhow, he’s the best gorram engineer in the fleet, and he says we can break the New Trantor’s speed record. So we’re at Warp 10.1 right now, and we’re gonna push up to Warp 10.3, assuming everything goes well. Now, if Grand Navarchos Pasteni yells at me….”

“My husband outranks her,” Rajenlif said, smiling. “I think he’ll defend you.”

* * *

Rixie quietly thumbed through her pad, checking off a few names as she went.

“Jesen Emitsa would fit the profile. Was he one of the ones mentioned?” she asked.

“You would have to speak with Vanser, darling. Pelleas remembered the six names I gave you, and said there were a dozen total, but….”

“No, he did good. And this Odusi kid did great to put this together,” Rixie said. “Five’ll get you ten that Vanser already offered him a slot with the Imperators’ Corps. And if he didn’t, I will when we cross paths. For a civilian to recognize all this and all-but-confirm it, with just a hunch and publicly-available information…it’s very impressive.”

Pryvani had not pushed Rixie to this point, but she knew exactly why Rixie was speaking about Odusi, and not the most immediate issue. And she couldn’t blame her. But she knew that things were moving quickly, and so she asked, “What do you think the endgame for the ruling house of Jotnarherath is?”

Rixie paused, and let out a long sigh. She stared at her pad for a good long time, before she said, “Pryvani, do you believe in fate?”

“Yes and no,” Pryvani said, leaning back in her chair. “I do not necessarily believe that fate is something that actively controls our destinies. But I do believe there are times when people end up where they have to be when they have to be there, and I cannot always explain why without reaching for serendipity.”

“Boss, most of the time those people are there because you put them there.”

Pryvani laughed. “Sometimes, but not nearly so often as my reputation indicates. The most important people of the last thirty years…they ended up where they did because a young Imperator wasn’t sure what to do with them when she recovered them from the Insectoids. And they found their way to the people and places they needed to find. Perhaps you and Luke would have fallen in love, or Alex would have helped keep Rhionne and Daz together, or Nick would have convinced Naskia that he was not a pet, but I don’t think so. And I can’t explain that; perhaps there was something guiding us all to each other. Or perhaps it was luck, and if so – well, then I am luckier than I deserve, and you are as lucky as you deserve to be.”

“I don’t really believe in fate,” Rixie said. “I do believe that there are connections – that I chose Alex because somehow, I knew he was right for me, and I was right for him. But I kind of always figured fate was what you made of it. But this…this is making me wonder.

“I took a class on Jotnar history back with the Hoplites, because I thought it would be interesting, and…it wasn’t. I mean, parts of it was, like Throdr wandering in, blowing up the government, and going back home – that was pretty amazing.”

“If more leaders were like Throdr, we’d have a better government. A lot more turnover, I suppose,” Pryvani said.

“Yeah, exactly. But a lot of it was about the times when the Jotnardiggi and the Dronung or Jofur clashed over who the next successor is. I used to remember more of it, but what I remember is that it was extremely, extremely complicated, and that essentially, once a decision was made, it was final except for it not actually being final, but if the Jotnardiggi or the aristocracy changed their minds, it threw everything into chaos. There were times when the Jotnardiggi was being lobbied while the Jofur was on his deathbed. It got nasty. Aud Aljansen was the record-keeper for the House of Throden before it merged. I guarantee you she has every precedent underlined, every historical accident cited. Rajenlif still has the upper hand, and significantly so – I’m sure the Jotnardiggi would back her right now. But I don’t think…I don’t think that it’s just about getting the throne,” Rixie said.

“What makes you say that?” Pryvani said.

“Well…look, let’s assume that this Odusi kid is right, that these are murders, and murders of people who support human rights. We know who’s behind it if that’s the case.”

Pryvani nodded. “My mother’s group. The ‘Noble Resistance.’”

“Exactly,” Rixie said. “This gives them something to push for that’s palatable to a lot of Jotunn – a Dronung who is for Jotnarherath only. But I’m willing to bet most of the people they put up for the Jotnardiggi will be pro-Aud and quietly anti-human. They’ll try to get a majority on the Jotnardiggi in favor of revoking human rights.”

“That didn’t work in the Federation,” Pryvani said, though she was not so much objecting as confirming that Rixie agreed with her analysis.

Rixie did. “The Federation was 70 million people. Jotnarherath is 1.9 billion people. There’s a reason the Empire never conquered them, even with clear military supremacy. That’s almost four percent of the population of the Empire, spread out over dozens of systems at the edge of Imperial territory. And I’m not sure that Pegaronja and Tegeta would be totally with the Empire if it came to a fight, and that’s another 1.4 billion folks right there. No, if they actually managed to get Jotnarherath to secede, or even just decide to flout Imperial law…there wouldn’t be much the Empire could do. Not without a lot of bloodshed.”

“I see it the same way,” Pryvani said. “How quickly do you think they’ll move?”

“I would guess,” Rixie said, “sooner than later. There’s a conclave of the Ten Noble Houses today, if they’re ready they’ll move today. If they don’t, Rajenlif will be able to counter effectively. But if they do….”

Rixie sighed, and said, “Gaming this out, if this falls the way I think it will…I think there’s one way that this ends without giving the Noble Resistance a chance to sow dissention and hate. It’s not pretty, though, and if Rajenlif recognizes it….”

Pryvani’s pad bleeped, an alert she’d programmed in immediately after talking to Pelleas. “Well,” she said. “You are right; they’re moving quickly.”

She pushed a button, and brought up SAV-11, the Jotnar news channel. And as soon as she saw the graphics on the screen, Rixie said, “Well, frak.”