Alutia Rising, Anniversary Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 1) (21 page)

“What about the title? Should the Program
still consider her a princess, not a grand duchess?” Tiana chimed
in, repeating Sasha's question in a way to remind Lia'Sil of the
unanswered issue without sounding rude.

“Uncle Debova once told me Programs base
their decisions on actual authority, not perceived,” a dainty
voice, almost a whisper, appeared within the momentary silence.
Sasha, Tiana, and Lia’Sil turned towards its owner, Regalia, who,
seeing all eyes turn to her, held her tongue.

“Go on, Regalia,” Sash urged, curious about
what she spoke. Regalia, though obviously still reluctant, sat up
straight, gathering her courage, and with a deep breath,
continued.

“It happened when father died and our earldom
was taken over by an administrator since mother’s not elevated and
I am yet of age to inherit. He was a very mean man and tried to
evict my mother and I out of...from our home,” Regalia took a long
pause, trying to steady her breath. “W-We did not want to leave, so
we stayed, and when he tried to have us removed forcefully by the
local
constables
, they refused,” her pace
and confidence began to grow. “We did not know why at first, but
when my uncle returned and took control, he explained that even
though the administrator was perceived, and even accepted by other
nobles, as having control over the earldom; the Program knew
otherwise, that my uncle was the actual authority, even though he
had not yet officially made his claim. So the...the official
request for our removal was denied,” Regalia glanced to Sasha as
she finished, blushing a deep crimson, but able to hold her gaze
steady. Sasha again cursed her catillian; wishing the bonding
ritual would just come to an end. “Is that similar to your
situation, Lady Sasha?” finished Regalia, a look of honest
curiosity taking the place of uncertainty. Sasha couldn't help but
beam her delight at her bright young lady-in-waiting.

“I believe so, Regalia. There are very many
similarities. Thank you so very much for sharing your experience,”
Sasha responded honestly. Regalia smiled, then quickly looked away.
At first, Sasha thought it was because of her embarrassment, but
the single tear that streamed down her cheek told otherwise.

She rushed to Regalia's side, but Tiana moved
faster, embracing the young girl, allowing her to bury her face in
her bosom. Sasha considered joining, providing Regalia her warmth,
who had been through more than Sasha had realized in her 10 years
of life. But she stopped herself short, having almost forgotten
that she couldn't due to her bonding catillian.

“I'm sorry...Sasha...I...I promised mother I
wouldn't cry anymore, but when I thought of Daddy I just couldn’t
help it,” Regalia sobbed, tears that had built-up for who knows how
long streaming forth as she apologized.

“Oh, sweet Regalia. It is fine, you have
nothing to apologize for,” Sasha responded, the sorrowful sound of
Regalia’s tears making her own heart cry out. She started stroking
the young girl’s silky blond hair, in the same manner she had done
with Tiana so many times before, when she’d cry endlessly after
being scolded by Gil’Da or Lady Liana.

“It’s alright,” Tiana cooed, rocking the
young girl gently, waiting patiently for the crying to subside.
Gil'Da, who had assumed the role of guardian for the young noble,
as she had been for both Sasha and Tiana, stepped forward, moving
silently to
Sasha's
side, leaning close to
her ear.

“Your Grace, it is quite late and I promised
Lady Regalia's mother that I would have her in bed early until she
has become better acquainted with her new environment,” Gil’Da
whispered. Sasha nodded, two other servants appearing at Gil’Da’s
sides to carefully separate Regalia from Tiana, leading the young
girl from the sitting room.

“She seems to have had a difficult time, Your
Grace. I think it would be wise to keep a close eye on her until
she is fully acclimated,” Lia'Sil broke the silence.

“I agree, Sasha. Let me assist Gil’Da while
you deal with that,” Tiana pointed at the floating bronze sphere,
“and that,” her pointing finger swung, aiming at a spot on Sasha's
lower calf where the furry purple catillian was in the process of
creating yet another feeding node.

“I would appreciate that Tiana, thank you,”
she said honestly to her friend before turning her gaze back to
Lia'Sil, ignoring the playful grin that told Tiana had been hoping
to garner a different response.

“Do you agree with Regalia's words? It does
seem logical, based on what I've read of Program behavior,” Sasha
commented, thinking how brave the young girl had to be to interrupt
the adult conversation and deliver her bit of information.
She
may be a great asset in the years to come,
Sasha realized,
concealing a devious grin.

“It explains it very well, Your Grace. The
Program knows that you are currently the ultimate authority in the
Alutia Duchy, even though it may not be official, and probably
didn't think twice about using the title.” Sasha nodded, turning
back to the sphere.

“That allays much of my doubt, thank you
Lia’Sil. Program, I am Grand Duchess Sasha Alutia.” The sphere
beeped an immediate response.

“Identity confirmed,” the Program started
after the beeps silenced, “Please note: part of information
contained within this request is protected by mandate New Universal
Empirical Human Alliance Emperor Proclamation VVV777-01. Due to
reasons deemed necessary, this Program will allow this record to be
viewed with the expectation that further dissemination will not
occur. Grand Duchess Sasha Alutia, do you take responsibility for
allowing Alutia Guard Lieutenant Lia'Sil and Lady Tiana to view
this request? Please note: you will be held accountable in the eyes
of the emperor if the stated parties share facts about this event.”
Sasha stared daggers at the two ladies in the room alongside her,
who stiffly nodded their agreement, and she suddenly felt the
craziness of this entire state of affairs.

She was naked, bonding with a catillian,
about to view the restricted record of an unknown event to decide
if awarding the Star of Terra, the second highest honor in the
universe, was justified, as well as find out if Duke Zehman or
Vice-Commander Daiyu was lying to her, with the ramifications
beyond dire. If someone had told her she would be thrust into such
a situation prior leaving Tidelia, she would have thought them mad,
that she could never be placed into such a ridiculous set of
circumstances. And, she would have been wrong.

Finding little reason to dwell on the matter,
she quickly composed herself, ignoring the questioning looks aimed
in her direction from her impatient companions.

“I, Grand Duchess Sasha Alutia, take full
responsibility for allowing Alutia Guard Lieutenant Lia'Sil and
Lady Tiana to view this restricted record.” A beep acknowledged her
declaration and the PDU projected a three-dimensional image of the
interior of an oversized square room in the air before them.

She was immediately reminded of the
children’s design doll house projection she had once played with as
a child, and the miniaturized representations of empty white rooms
that she could manipulate by changing the color patterns, adding
furniture and decorations, or even an imaginary family. Though
there were many similarities to the miniaturized doll house, she
realized, once the image fully cleared, that this definitely was
not.

Within the center of the projected room sat a
restrained man on a circular dais, wearing a blue and white
jumpsuit of a make that was standard for general crewmen of the NHA
fleets. Surrounding him, seated behind tables arranged in a diamond
formation, were three others in similarly colored attire that
looked like standard NHA fleet officer uniforms, while a fourth
wore a gaudy green noble doublet, obviously an NHA noble.

The layout reminded her of
an old style Admiralty Hearing, the thought calling forth
another:
This must be the enlistment trial
Duke Zehman spoke of!
She swung her gaze
back to the Program’s sphere, which began to undulate
wildly.

“This is a formal request submitted by Terra
Space Battalion Commander, Knight Captain Quinn, and accepted by
the Program responsible for Earthling Recruitment and Enlistment
Trials, and seconded by the Program responsible for general
oversight of the Terra Space Battalion, for the rewarding of the
Star of Terra, and all rights included therein, to TSB Lieutenant
Trent, formally known as Trent Marcello. Does Grand Duchess Sasha
Alutia acknowledge the receipt of this request?” Sasha listened
with her eyes closed, letting the monotone words flow into her
mind.

Did any of the messages she receive
mention this Trent, s
he tried to recollect, almost positive one
of the assorted nobles mentioned him by name, but she just couldn’t
remember exactly what was said.

“I, Grand Duchess Sasha Alutia, acknowledge
receipt of the request to award the Star of Terra. I now await the
evidence that TSB Lieutenant Trent...” she panicked when she forgot
the rest of his name, use to only having to remember a single name
when discussing non-nobles. Tiana jumped up and whispered into her
ear, “...Marcello is indeed worthy of being awarded the Star of
Terra.” She smiled her thanks to Tiana, who hopped back to her
seat, a smug grin passing across her lips that Sasha knew meant she
would be hearing about this “favor” again later.

“Receipt acknowledgement logged. The case
shall now be presented. Since this is a unique incident, records
that are not directly involved in the event in question will also
be included,” the Program explained as the image rotated closer, to
hover just before the man seated in the center chair.

Her heart screamed to escape as her chest
tightened and her skin flushed, like she had just been thrown into
a river of steaming hot water. She tried to steady herself. Her
mind fogging over, like an outside source had invaded through her
BC node, dragging her forcefully into the searing waters depth. But
as the projection inched closer, seeming to sense her fluster, she
found her resistance fleeting, replaced by a yearning to explore
the murky depths

What is this...this feeling?
She
wondered, having never before recalled its likeness. Unconsciously,
she began caressing her smoldering skin, the cooling touch melding
with the rushing water, blocking all sound but her quickening
heartbeat, while making it harder and harder to breathe.

It’s like I have fallen in-,
the
catillian’s squawk pulled her free from the depths of emotion that
had overwhelmed her, scurrying from her leg to her bosom, bouncing
excitedly as it too studied the man’s image.

“Sasha? Are you alright?” Tiana asked, a
knowing smile spreading across her lips.

“Yes, just a little woozy. Thank you for your
concern, Tiana,” she responded, knowing immediately that Tiana had
taken her reaction out of context.

I was just surprised, that’s all
, she
told herself, looking again to the man who wasn’t anything special.
He looked like a commoner, with an expression she could only call
melancholic. His dirty brown hair was cut short and, strangely
enough, slightly receding. He had a pronounced jaw and well shaped
lips, which caused her to unconsciously lick her own. His nose was
on the swollen side, but fit his face perfectly, unique, but
commoner all the same.

See? Nothing,
she reaffirmed when the
sensation she felt when she first beheld him didn’t return. But
just before the image started to pull away, he looked up, eyes
wide, directly into hers. They were a hazel green, slightly
bloodshot and puffy, dragging her into the depths of his soul to
show her something that frightened her, something that she had
locked deep within herself, after the time of her greatest sorrow.
Though this time, the sensation’s strength was muted, originating
fully from her heart, and not from her BC node, as it had
previously seemed.

Before she could fully recover, the image of
the man was replaced by another, who towered above the first, with
a thick grey beard, and eyes that told of an age extended well
beyond natural through genetic manipulation. It then moved on to an
exotic woman with a birdlike appearance, who was probably shorter
then Tiana, with eyes that told of hidden strength her dainty body
did not. Next it moved to the man wearing the gaudy green doublet
that, along with his noble perfect looks, made it apparent that he
was obviously a noble. Finally, the image hovered before a very
attractive young man, though not noble perfect, with a lieutenant
insignia on his collar. The smug smile he wore on his lips reminded
Sasha of the arrogant noble boys of her youth. She shivered off the
layer of frost that formed on her skin at the memory.

The image then returned to the all
encompassing viewpoint, but now with five omnidirectional,
two-dimensional displays being projected around its edge. Each
displayed a differing view, providing close-ups of the five
participants, allowing her to witness their reactions
simultaneously. Sasha found her gaze attracted to the man in the
center, even though she tried to resist its urge.

The record began to play and the large man
introduced himself as Knight Captain Quinn, then to her
astonishment, Enlistment Candidate Trent Marcello was introduced as
the man restrained in the center. As the gasp that escaped her lips
faded, she realized her mind had unconsciously assumed that the
attractive lieutenant was the one being nominated for the Star of
Terra. She glanced at Lia'Sil, who shrugged, then to Tiana, who
still had a lecherous smirk on her lips, neither having any
additional insight.

As the introductions continued, she found
that the woman with the exotic appearance was none other than
Vice-Commander Daiyu, while the noble was Sir Simwa, the man who
was assaulted and honor had been tarnished. They finished with TSB
Lieutenant Daniel, the attractive young man, who was in charge of
Trent’s recruitment.