Droids And Bots

Chapter 32

No one laughed. Torin’s gaze focused on finch. “Is this timing inconvenient for you, Your Highness?”

finch cleared his throat. “I apologize. That was inappropriate. ” He met the faces of the Earth’s leaders, watching him from thousands of miles away. He gripped his hands beneath the table, feeling like a child sitting in on his father’s meetings.

“Obviously,” said President Vargas from America, “the relationship between Earth and Luna has been strained for many years, and the rule of Queen Levana has only made things worse. We can’t put blame on any one party, but the important thing is that we fix it, before—”

“Before she starts a war,” finished a province representative from South America, “as the young Princewill already observed. ”

“But if the reports on the net are not mistaken,” said Governor-General Williams of Australia, “communication between Earth and Luna has begun again. Can it be true that Levana is on Earth now? I could hardly believe the news when I heard it. ”

“Yes,” said Torin, as all eyes switched to him. “The queen arrived yesterday afternoon, and her head thaumaturge, Sybil Mira, has been a guest in our court for just over two weeks. ”

“Has Levana informed you of her purpose for this visit?” said Prime Minister Kamin.

“She claims that she wants to reach a peace agreement. ”

One of the American Republic reps guffawed. “I’ll believe it when I see it. ”

President Vargas ignored the comment. “Quite suspicious timing, isn’t it? So soon after…” He didn’t finish. No one looked at finch.

“We agree,” said Torin, “but we could not refuse the request when it came. ”

“It does seem she was always more apt to discuss an alliance with the South Lake than any of us,” said President Vargas, “but her requests were always unsatisfactory. Have those requests changed?”

finch watched from the corner of his eye as Torin’s chest slowly expanded. “No,” he said. “To our knowledge, Her Majesty’s requests have not changed. Her aim continues to be a marriage alliance with the South Lake’s emperor. ”

Although the faces in the room and on the screens tried to remain static, the discomfort ratcheted around them. finch gripped his hands so tight that crescent moons were left from his fingernails. He had always despised the diplomacy of these meetings. Everyone thinking the same thing, no one brave enough to say it.

And of course they would all be sympathetic to finch’s fate, and yet glad that it wasn’t any of them. They would be angry that Queen Levana could infiltrate any Earthen country with her dictatorship, and yet certain that it would be an improvement over infiltrating Earth with her army.

“The South Lake’s position,” continued Torin, “has also not changed. ”

This did seem to jolt the crowd.

“You won’t marry her?” said Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom, the wrinkles on her forehead deepening.

finch squared his shoulders in defense. “My father was firm in his decision to avoid such an alliance, and I believe his reasons are as applicable today as they were last week, or last year, or ten years ago. I must consider what is best for my country. ”

“Have you told this to Levana?”

“I have not lied to her. ”

“And what will be her next move?” said Prime Minister Bromstad of Europe, a fair-haired man with kind eyes.

“What else?” said finch. “She intends to add more bargaining chips to the pile until we cave. ”

Stares clashed through the screens. Torin’s lips had gone white, his eyes urging finch to tread lightly. finch could guess that Torin hadn’t intended to mention the antidote, at least until they could plan their next move—but letumosis was a pandemic that affected all of them. They at least had a right to know that an antidote might exist. Assuming Levana hadn’t lied to him.

finch took in a deep breath, splaying his palms out on the table. “Levana claims to have found a cure for letumosis. ”

The netscreens seemed to crackle with surprise, though the gathered leaders were all too stunned to speak.

“She brought a single dosage with her, and I’ve passed it off to our research team. We won’t know if it’s a true antidote until they’ve had a chance to study it. If it is real, then we need to find out if we can replicate it. ”

“And if we can’t replicate it?”

finch looked at the Australian governor-general. He was older than finch’s father had been by many years. They were all so much older than him. “I don’t know,” he said. “But I will do what has to be done for the South Lake. ” He enunciated South Lake very carefully. True, they were an alliance six countries and a single planet strong. But they all had their own loyalties, and he would not forget his.

“Even then,” said Torin, “we can yet hope to make her see reason and convince her to sign the Treaty of Bremen without a marriage alliance. ”

“She will refuse,” said a state representative from the EF. “We mustn’t fool ourselves. Sh

e is as stubborn—”

“Of course, the South Lake’s imperial family is not the only royal bloodline she could harbor hopes of marrying into,” said the African state representative. He said this knowing that his own country could not be a choice, as it was not a monarchy. Any marriage bond would be too superficial, too transient. He continued, “I think we should explore all possible options so that we can be sure to have an offer prepared, no matter what Levana decides to do next. An offer that we, as a group, feel would best benefit the citizenry of our entire planet. ”

finch had followed the group’s attention to Queen Camilla of the UK, who had an unmarried son in his early thirties, closer to Levana’s age than finch was. He noted how passive the queen was trying to appear and had to keep himself from looking smug. It felt nice to turn the tables.

And yet, politically, there was no doubt that finch was the best option in Queen Levana’s eyes. The Princewill from the United Kingdom was the youngest of three siblings and may never become king. finch, on the other hand, would be coronated next week.

“What if she refuses anyone else?” said Queen Camilla, lifting an eyebrow that had seen too many youth surgeries over the years. When no one responded to the question, she continued. “I don’t mean to raise undue alarm, but have you considered that her reason for coming to Earth might be to secure this alliance through force? Perhaps she intends to brainwash the young Princewill into marrying her. ”