Demand-the-presence-of-a-God
"Why that name?"
"Akatha Ebrama Joy was unavailable."
"..."
"More power than some gods, more duties than a bird has feathers, and no joy, ever..."
"I greet you, Demand-the-presance-of-a-god, I am a Guru of the Pure Way, I am Subtle Wood."
"I am Talonlord Adelon, I would speak to Demand-the-presence-of-a-God."
"I am her, you can call me Taimyo Demand, walk with me, I'm expected aboard ship soon."
"We should remain here, what we are to discuss is for no one else's ears..."
"Oh, then out with it."
"I want you to tell me about your contacts with foreigners in the last five years."
"I met with Cloth-of-Imperex, if that counts."
"For the purposes of this interview, denizens of Yu-Shan count as natives... I'm interested with people with... political ties."
"I met with the delegation of Prasad to Y'danna, I was their liaison... I also met..."
"That's all in your file?"
She nodded.
"I'm mostly interested in contacts not in your file, like your contact with Akatha Sunderpoint and Burano Barracuda."
She blushed. "What of it? They're fellow officers, well-placed ones, I should know, my mother keeps trying to match me with them, and they're more interesting than the dross I have hitting on me these days."
"They're also subject to this investigation..."
"What? They're loyal, they couldn't invent disloyal thoughts to have if their life depended on it."
"And Ophris Vanuatu?"
"What, uncle fuddy-duddy? The troops don't respect him, he's past his prime, doesn't help he's the only un-Exalted person moving into a new command this cycle, makes him look so much older than he is."
"Oh?"
"He's fifty five, I'm thirty-nine, Barracuda is forty-three and Sunderpoint is an even forty. Dragon-blooded family records are fastidiously recorded, mortal-born."
Comments