Reclamation

At the moment, the room was furnished with clusters of small tables and padded chairs. It was a casual atmosphere where people could meet, drink, circulate, and chat. Director ki Sholmat sat at the table in the sunniest corner, sipping something gold out of a long-stemmed glass. Next to him, a Vitae Ambassador sat like a statue carved of ruby and marble.

Iyal clenched her teeth and forced her mouth to smile.

"Zur-Iyal ki Maliad." Zur-Kohlbyr bowed his head but did not stand. "Sit and know yourself welcome, Cousin." Iyal's stomach turned over at the hypocrisy but she drew back a chair and sat, ankles properly crossed and hands neatly folded on the table. If she was going to be treated as a dignitary, she would put on the show, even if her coverall was dirt-spattered and she smelled strongly of cattle.

"This is Ambassador Basq from the Vitae ship Grand Errand."

"Ambassador." Iyal briefly touched her fingertips to her forehead to salute him. At least she assumed the person under the draping of cloth was a him. The only feature he had to distinguish him from any of the other Vitae she'd seen was a blister over his right eye.

Zur-Kohlbyr took another sip out of his glass. "The Ambassador came to me asking about the location of the Subcontractor Aria Stone. I informed him we would have to consult you, since you were funding her contract out of your own accounts."

And you didn't bother to tell him that the lab's refunding me for it.

"Zur-Iyal," said Ambassador Basq in the smooth, even voice that the Vitae seemed to be born with. "If you'll permit, I would like to clarify the origin of the individual you call Subcontractor Aria Stone."

Iyal raised her eyebrows to indicate gentle inquiry and managed not to let her hands twitch, even though her nails were ready to dig into her own skin.

"You have heard our announcement of the Vitae claim of the world MG49 sub 1?"

Iyal inclined her head. "The city council held several public briefings on it. Being under Vitae management, we are most interested in the shifts in status of your people." Her high-formal grammar was rusty. She didn't go home much and she never went to First Family celebrations. She hoped the translator disks were compensating.

"Then you know that the Kethran Diet and Executors have already agreed to honor our claim to the planet."

Iyal nodded again. She'd paid very close attention to both the video clip and the vote that had followed its screening, and had sworn profusely at the result.

The Vitae's little blip didn't tell us anything! How could we make that kind of decision without taking a look at the place?

Who's we, Iyal? Killian had asked quietly. Your opinion's not on the register.

In case you've forgotten, I gave up my vote when I married you. She'd said it sourly and regretted it immediately. But it was Kethran law. You couldn't marry up, you could only marry down. She could have kept her vote only by making a partnership bond with a member of another First Family, or a selected Parent World family who wanted to emigrate. Killian's name didn't appear in any of the proper files.

Your vote, yes, but I hadn't noticed you'd lost your voice. The cool exchange was the closest they'd ever come to an actual fight.

"I now make confession, Zur-Iyal," said Basq. "And I trust to the discretion of yourself and your Cousin Director. While we were deciding whether to press our claim, MG49 sub 1 was raided by contraband runners. Aria Stone was one of the things taken from us.

"It is not an independent human being, Zur-Iyal. It is a genetically engineered artifact and the Kethran Diet has acknowledged that it is Vitae property." He paused as if to let his statement sink in. "Of course, you could have no way of knowing this. I'm sure you picked up its contract in good faith and had no idea you were hiring contraband."

Of course not. Iyal shook her head. That would be illegal by Kethran law. Vitae-enforced Kethran law.

Zur-Kohlbyr set his glass on the table with a click. "I informed the Ambassador that since the subcontract was legal and since no accusations of contraband running had yet been filed, you were the one who would have to release Aria Stone to Vitae custody." He gave her a look that tried to rivet her to the back wall. "Formalities need to be observed, particularly in times of flux."

"Particularly in times of flux." Iyal shoved tones of agreement into her voice. Inside she wondered, what are you trying to tell me, Zur-Kohlbyr?