Partnerships of Necessity and Convenience

[NDak 0]

Her ha’lai-eo broth was cold. She hated cold broth.

 

Savu N’Dak considered for a brief moment, dumping the broth in the waiter’s lap when he returned, until she remembered that she was waiting on someone and that she’d rather not make a scene. Frowning, she put the bowl to her lips. Why anyone would drink the broth cold, she had never known and would like to find the culinary luminary who had decided it was en vogue and cut his tongue out. Such small pleasures would have to wait, though, as she was joined by a slender man, perhaps not much younger than herself.

 

What is this? She nearly said it aloud, but instead simply smiled. Despite being in an open air restaurant in a busy corner of the south market district of the capitol city, she didn’t want to draw any attention to herself or her guest.

 

“Jolan tru,” the young man said. “I am sure you’re wondering why I am joining au?”

 

“I had wondered,” she said, setting down her broth. “As I did na think the Deihu such a handsome young man.”

 

Smiling, wondering if she’d meant that as compliment or insult, the young man seated himself and opened the menu. “The Deihu did na wish to risk being seen on homeworld with a known member of the Tal’Shiar.”

 

Rolling her eyes back into her skull, she removed the napkin from her lap and laid it on the table. “Such spycraft,” she said. “But as he wishes. Perhaps had he not been so reckless we wouldn’t have to worry at all, na?”

 

Oblivious, the young man ordered and took a drink of water, loosely cognate that it could be poisoned. It tasted normal, so he took another. “The Deihu wishes to know what you’re planning to do next.”

 

“Oh, he does?” Like a cat toying with a mouse, Savu sized up the young man again. He was clearly some lackey sent by the elder deihu of the Othan to meet with her. Had she known that he was going to send such a whelp, she would have just dropped in on his villa and surprised him herself, perhaps she still would.

 

“What does the Deihu think we should do next, or did he bother to brief you?”

 

Straightening, now rather sure of her condescension, the young man tried for a serious pose. “Ssiebh N’Dak,” he said, using her title, “While I may look naive, I assure au I am na. I am Chilaer tr’Tronius, son of the Deihu...”

 

Lifting her brows, amused at the power play and surprised that she had not recognized the spawn of the vile creature known as Deihu Galator tr’Tronius, she remembered that Chilaer was the youngest of his children. They sent Issaha to meet with me? That thought caused the amusement to cease.

 

“I am aware of who au are,” she lied well, unwilling to cede any ground to the veruul. “But as I was planning on meeting with au di’ranov and na io of his sons...”

 

“I told au,” Chilaer said emphatically, “He did na wish to risk being seen..”

 

Waving her hand to quiet the boy, she nodded. “Ie, ie... I know, au father is cautious... but that does na make me any less annoyed. I was na prepared to meet with … well I was prepared to meet with au father and to give him authen, but I will make do.”

 

“H’nah, shut up and drink au broth. It does us little good if he does na wish association if you cause a scene. It is na like anyone would think I would be seeing au socially.”

 

Chilaer narrowed his eyes. His father had warned him of the female N’Dak’s sharp tongue. It was, from what he could tell, a genetic trait. He had met both the brothers, elder and younger, several times before and found them to be as arrogant as he now found their sister. Part of him wished to remind her of where he felt their proud house stood in the scheme of things, but he remembered that his father had explicitly reminded him that the alliance between their house and the Tal’Shiar was more important than scoring pride points. As if he would see her socially.

 

“Of course,” he said between his teeth. “Di’ranov asks that au brief me as au would brief him. “

 

“Very well.”

 

Savu took a drink of tea from the mug setting next to her broth and exhaled. “Due to the complications from the little incident involving au fleet...”

 

“And the failure of au men to...”

 

“They were na my men,” she said, instantly regretting that she had shown her annoyance. “But ie, the failure to achieve our objectives has caused my superiors some concern.”

 

“Ie,” he said, “my father and his authenen are concerned as well. They are beginning to question if the investment they have made has been...”

 

Narrowing her eyes, Savu glowered. Chilaer felt them, and though they lacked any warmth, felt her dark eyes burn through to his core.

 

“If au father wishes to end our partnership that is his choice, but I would remind him that such fickleness is not easily forgotten or forgiven by the Tal’Shiar and that should he make such a decision that there would be ramifications that he should consider.”

Chilaer wondered, quietly, who needed who more. He knew that his father greatly desired what the Tal’Shiar offered, but he also knew, from what his father and his brother’s had said that the Tal’Shiar needed the support of their house and others to finance their more nefarious operations.

 

“And you would do well to remind him that there are many others who would take advantage of our offer.”

 

That answered that.

 

Trying to bring the conversation back around, Chilaer cleared his throat. “So, what do you plan to do.”

 

“Tell your father that the package he desires is too difficult to acquire. Rhae homeworld it is too heavily protected, especially h’nah. However, the alternate package remains attainable.”

 

“Ie,” he said, mostly aware of the details. “They are on homeworld again, na?”

 

“Ie,” Savu said. “And as I understand it, she is rhae the capitol, preparing for a bonding.”

 

“A bonding?”

 

“Ie, a bonding.”

 

“And au think we … au can take advantage of that?”

 

Nodding, Savu took another drink of tea. “Ie, au should be able to. The Tal’Shiar has decided that we wish to keep a comfortable distance from this operation, since it will be taking place on homeworld.”

 

“But...”

 

Shaking a finger at the boy, she grinned deviously over her tea. “If that arrangement is unsatisfactory, I suppose we can look towards another hous...”

 

“Na,” Chilaer said begrudgingly, disliking the Tal’Shiar and this Savu N’Dak more and more by the moment. “But what if au brother intervenes again. He is becoming most troublesome.”

 

Frowning, she nodded. “Do na worry yourself with him. I will make sure that he does na intervene again.”

 

“My father wanted to know what au plan to do about him.”

 

“It is na of au or his concern what I do with him,” she said. Qui’i au need to know is that if he should intervene, he will be neutralized.”

 

Chilaer was not entirely sure he could trust her to do what needed to be done with the meddlesome N’Dak and made a note to relay that to his father. “Very well. Send the details of what needs to be done and I will make sure that it is arranged.”

 

“Mehnka...” she said standing. Beginning to walk away, she paused and leaned down to whisper in his ears. “And tell au di’ranov, that next time, when I ask for him specifically, to come himself -- na send his little boy.”

 

Pleased with herself, Savu sauntered off into the crowd of the market. Chilaer glowered after her.

 

That woman, he thought, her arrogance will be her downfall.

[KhreRiovtRex 0]

Oooo, great log!

 

And really, really glad the main objective, is so heavily guarded from these two!