Starbound: A Starstruck Novel (27 page)

You okay with playing backup to that guy?

I guess, as long as you trust him. It’s a heck of a lot better than either of us expected this time yesterday,
he replied practically.
Shoot, I’d take a job as your janitor, if it meant staying close to you. This way I can still protect you. Officially
.
 

A not-quite-Earthly city scene flashed past outside, too quickly for me to notice much except that it seemed much cleaner than any Earth city and most of the buildings were of that same pinkish-gray stone, which I assumed must be the primary construction material here. The buildings thinned slightly, then grew denser again, and a minute later we slowed to a stop in another depot even bigger than the one we’d just left.

“Wait. Are we there already?” I asked, startled.

“Yep.” Sean smiled for the first time since leaving the ship. “Tullymayne is the main transport hub, so it’s only a mile or so from Arregaith. Here in the south, the towns and villages sort of flow into each other except for where the mines are.”

I knew from studying Nuathan geography that the south was mostly industrial and was more densely populated than the northern, more agricultural region. I hadn’t realized things were
this
close together, though.

“Doesn’t look much like Ireland,” I commented, remembering what the O’Garas had originally told me about Nuath last fall. “I haven’t seen so much as a blade of grass yet.”

“Wait’ll we get to Glenamuir. The north is totally different. You’ll love it.”

Before I could reply, Kernan ushered us off the train and toward a silver, bullet-shaped vehicle with a fancy logo on the side. Like the zippers, it hovered just off the ground. A few people were hurrying to various trains, probably trying to make up for lost time now that they were running again.

“No tracks?” I glanced back at all the trains, then ahead to our bus or van or whatever it was.

“Magnetic ones, but they’re buried,” Sean said. “They crisscross pretty much all of Nuath so the zippers and other transports can use them. I told you about that.”

“Oh, right, sorry. It’s all kind of—”

“Overwhelming?” He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything as we go.”

I sensed Rigel’s irritation from behind me and stifled a sigh, wishing the tension between him and Sean could have been left back on the ship. Cormac climbed into the driver’s seat of the floating transport while the other security guys transferred our bags, then bowed to me and left us. I got in, followed by the others.

 
“When will I be able to see Thiaraway?” I asked Kernan as Cormac maneuvered the hover-thingy out of the huge transportation depot. “Do I have to be formally Acclaimed first?”

“That’s the tradition, but I’ll be very surprised if that doesn’t happen within the next day or two. That power interruption this morning will make people even more eager to have a proper Sovereign in charge again.”

“That would be…excellent,” Mr. O’Gara said from behind me, his hesitation echoing my own doubts. It
would
be great if I could get Acclaimed before the news about that video broke big time, but it seemed awfully unlikely.
 

Though shorter, distance-wise, this trip took longer than the first, since we had to go slower to navigate the confusing maze of buildings. Along the way, people stared at our van, then gathered into small, excited clumps. That logo must have told them who was inside. Of course, I did my share of staring, too, especially at the clothing they wore, subtly different from anything I’d seen on Earth.

The women mostly seemed dressed in colorful tunics over flowing, wide-legged pants, while the men wore bodysuits in shades of gray, brown and blue under knee-length pants and tunics shorter than the women’s. A few wore ornate hats that glinted with metal or crystal embellishments.

Finally we stopped in front of a tall building that looked like a fancy hotel. A crowd immediately started to gather, some holding up omnis, probably taking pictures or videos. I was starting to worry I’d be mobbed when I got out when two large panels separated at the base of the hotel and Cormac drove us right into a tunnel. Glancing back, I saw the doors slide shut behind us, leaving the crowd outside.

“Cool,” I muttered. “Like the entrance to the Bat Cave.”

Beside me, Sean chuckled again. “There’s stuff way cooler than that. I can’t wait to show you.”

I expected an underground parking garage but the tunnel ended in lot only big enough for a couple of vans the size of ours. Sean handed me out and the others followed, while Kernan and Cormac unloaded our bags onto a waiting cart. Kernan then applied his palm to the hotel door and punched a code into the little holo-screen that popped up. The door opened to reveal a smallish, plushly-carpeted room that I belatedly realized was an elevator.
 

“Excellency?” Kernan bowed to indicate I was to precede him while Cormac took up the position behind me that should have been Rigel’s.
 

The elevator only went up what felt like one floor, though at this point I wasn’t willing to assume much of anything. The doors opened into a huge, gorgeous room with several sofas and scattered plush chairs, as well as numerous glass tables of various sizes, to include one at the far end that was big enough to seat two dozen people. Hotel lobby, I guessed, though I didn’t see anything like a reception desk.

Kernan’s next words proved I was making assumptions again. “This is the main living level. Your quarters are on the top floor, Excellency. There are twelve others on the two floors below, each with private bath. Kitchen is through there, recombinator fully stocked. Unless you’d prefer a human cook?”

“Sir?” Cormac frowned.

“Yes, I know you consider that a security risk, but it should be the Princess’s choice.” Kernan turned to me questioningly.

“Um, the recombinator is fine.”
 

Molly was gazing around, her eyes wide. “Wow, and I thought your quarters on the ship were posh,” she murmured. I felt the same way, but thought it might sound un-regal to say so.
 

“Before I go, Excellency, I need to give you this.” Kernan held out a metallic red omni. “If you’ll place your thumb here?” I did so and he gave the omni a complicated series of taps, after which a green light flashed from the end.

“There. It is now coded to your touch. No one else can access it, to include me. You will want to create a code—it can be spoken or keyed in—that you’ll only share with a few trusted people, such as Mr. O’Gara. Anyone not using the code will be diverted to Mr. O’Gara’s omni or to
techtract
, ah, voicemail, which I recommend you also have forwarded to Mr. O’Gara or an aide, for sorting. For non-private calls you can bypass the security settings, which I don’t recommend, or use any vidscreen.”

I nodded, staring at the device in my hand. My very own omni! This was
way
cooler than any cell phone. “Thank you,” I said composedly, though I felt more like squealing.
 

Kernan proceeded to show me the omni’s basic controls, then said, “As you now have both Cormac and your former Bodyguard here for security, may I have your permission to return to Thiaraway? There are still a few details to sift through in our investigation of the anti-Royalists.”

“Oh! Of course. I’m sorry to have kept you from your job for so long already.”

He smiled. “
Your
safety is my primary job, Excellency, and the main focus of my Ministry. But as this other matter may impact that, it is also important. I look forward to your speedy Acclamation and hope to see you in Thiaraway within a day or two.” He nodded to the others, bowed to me, fist over heart, and departed, leaving Cormac the only stranger in our midst.

The moment he was gone, Mr. O pulled out his omni. “Let’s see what the
grechain
, er, networks are saying, shall we?” He touched the omni to a faint blue circle on the oval glass coffee table and a rectangular screen several feet across materialized on the opposite wall.
 

I’d heard Nuathan communications had been disrupted and spotty since Faxon’s overthrow. Would that maybe delay the scandal from the ship hitting the news? I braced myself as the screen lighted.
 

“—to us from the streets of Thiaraway itself,” came a woman’s voice, the screen showing a milling crowd of people. “Gaynor?”

“Yes, Moya, the mood here is extremely upbeat.” A handsome man, obviously the reporter, now smiled from the screen. “To a person, the people of Thiaraway seem more than ready to welcome our new Sovereign home. Ma’am, what is your opinion about the return of our long-lost Princess? Are you ready to vote for Acclamation?”

The camera shifted to a dark-haired woman who was nearly bouncing with excitement. “I think we all are, Gaynor! Princess Emileia couldn’t have come at a better time, with people spooked by that outage and all. Her return is just what everyone needs. What we’ve all prayed for ever since learning she’s still alive!”

“Thank you. Sir?”
 

A middle-aged man appeared, smiling broadly. “You bet! My family is planning a celebration tonight, and we’re counting the minutes until the call for Acclamation goes out, keeping our fingers on the ‘aye’ button.”
 

“And that’s been the story since I arrived here, Moya. What are your panelists saying?”

I was relieved when Mr. O’Gara switched to a different channel. All those strangers acting like I was some kind of savior weirded me out.

It’s only going to get worse,
Rigel remarked silently.

This channel seemed to be a series text screens showing recent poll results—polls about everything from changes in the zipper schedule to willingness to restrict water usage. I remembered reading that the networks had become increasingly poll-driven before Faxon co-opted them all. Apparently they’d already reverted to that prior fixation on polls.
 

Mr. O flipped through the various poll screens until he found the one he was looking for: “Vote to Acclaim Princess Emileia as Sovereign?” Latest results stood at a whopping 91.3% in favor.

“That’s it! We need to move quickly.” Mr. O’Gara whipped out his omni. “I’ll instruct the acting Elections Minister to arrange for an immediate vote. We may pull this off after all.”

Tullymayne
(TULL-ee-mayn) (pop. 1,993):
town in southeastern Nuath containing main transportation hub and supporting industries

While his dad spoke rapidly into his omni, Sean jumped up. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m starving. Let’s try out the recombinator in this place.”

The rest of us followed him into the kitchen, which was super futuristic, with gizmos I hadn’t even seen in Bailerealta. But still less bizarre than me being the top news story.

Sean started scrolling through the holo-menu of the recombinator. “Wow, I thought the selection on the ship was good, but this is amazing!”
 

Molly touched her brother’s arm. “Excuse me. M, um, Princess, what would you like for lunch?” she asked pointedly, making Sean blush. “You can pretty much name it.”

I tried not to grin since Sean was already embarrassed. “How about a cheeseburger and a side salad? Ooh, do they have Diet Coke?” They did. I usually drank tea, but right now I craved good old American cuisine.
 

Molly punched in my order and about ten seconds later my lunch slid out through the slot. I’d been told how it worked, but it still seemed more like magic than science. But then, so did microwave ovens.

I dutifully waited for Cormac to taste all my food before digging in, by which time the others had joined me.
Hey, silver lining,
I thought to Rigel.
I can eat broccoli again without you having to taste it first.

Sucky tradeoff, but I’ll take it.
He felt more cheerful than he had in a long time. Those amazing poll numbers had boosted all our spirits.

“Cormac, you can sit.” I figured I might as well be consistent. “Please,” I added when he hesitated.

Though clearly uncomfortable, he complied, taking the chair to my right, while Molly moved down one. Sean, as always, sat on my left, with enough on his plate to feed a small village. Rigel sat across from me, his plate just as full. Where did boys
put
so much food?

A smiling Mr. O’Gara joined us a moment later to say that arrangements were being made for me to declare for Acclamation within the next two hours. “Once the announcement goes out, the vote can be held within twenty-four hours. You’re as good as Acclaimed, Excellency!”
 

While they ate, he and Cormac talked about recent political developments, like the appointment of acting ministers and an interim legislature cobbled together from respected members of the Science
fines
and the few unimpaired Royals remaining on Mars when Faxon was ousted. I tried to listen, but my attention kept drifting to things like how close together my bedroom and Rigel’s would be and the boggling idea that I might be heading to the Royal Palace—and the Grentl device—as soon as tomorrow.

“I’ll turn the news back on, if you don’t mind, Excellency?” Mr. O said as we finished.

I tried not to cringe visibly. “Sure, but…I’d rather you not call me that in private. Any of you.”

He smiled back and nodded understandingly. Cormac raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything as Mr. O’Gara brought up the vidscreen again.

Sean plunked himself down on the big couch and looked up at me hopefully, but I elected to remain standing. Rigel silently assured me he was fine with me sitting there, but I could tell he really wasn’t.

We caught the tag end of a press conference with the acting Minister of Energy assuring everyone that this morning’s power outage had been an isolated glitch and that no one need worry about a repeat of it. Remembering what Kernan had said, I doubted both statements. After that, they launched into yet another report on my arrival, this one focusing on what I’d been wearing, of all things.