The Lexal Affair, DM Arnold [i wanna iguana read aloud .TXT] 📗

on Myataxya before I die.”

Janna entered carrying a handheld vidisplay. “I have the summary of Vadima's interrogation. The extent of Vellod's organization is truly staggering.”

“Vellod's sure to know Vadima's been captured,” Nyk replied.

“We've announced on our news broadcasts that Vadima was injured, is in a coma and we're awaiting his recovery before interrogating him. It's not too far from the truth -- I'm afraid our security chief was a bit heavy-handed with truth drug.”

“Do you mind if I look over that summary?” Nyk asked. Janna handed the vidisplay to him. “I think Kronta should see this. There's no doubt of involvement from other colonies in Vellod's plan.”

“I'll order a full transcript for you,” Janna replied. She placed her hand over a proximity pad. Daya appeared, then left to fetch the transcript. “It also appears from his interrogation that I am indeed a primary target -- along with my son. I can't allow Andra to go on that packet. I'm afraid it's too dangerous to permit her outside the safety of this palace.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Vellod has operatives stationed around the capital. These agents are armed with small, concealable Earth handguns. They'll be on the lookout for an ax'amfin traveling outside the palace. I'm afraid they'd mistake her for me. I'm confident she's safe within the confines of these walls.” Janna turned to Andra. “I'd advise you stay here until Mykko's guards can neutralize the threat.”

“What about a disguise?” Nyk handed the vidisplay to Andra.

“A disguise might work,” Janna replied. “I'll have Daya look into it.”

Nyk sat before a vidisplay in his guestroom. He entered Kronta's locator code and marked the call urgent. Kronta's image appeared. He rubbed his eyes. “It's nadir-one, Nykkyo. This had better be important.”

“Illya, Mykko Wygann's security force has captured and interrogated Rud Vadima. I have the transcript of his interrogation here. I'll transmit it to you.”

“Vadima?” Kronta asked.

“Yes -- it's proof positive the Altian and Deltan colonies are secretly providing support to the Vellod faction on Lexal -- with the intent of deposing the Wygann regime. Lexal is the victim in this, Illya -- not the aggressor.”

“This is unbelievable.”

“It's all in the transcript.

“Transmit it to me. Then, I want you and Andra on that packet -- and that's an order.”

“Are you ready to receive?”

“Go ahead and transmit.”

Nyk inserted the datacel into the vidisplay. The screen went blank. He poked the touchscreen but couldn't re-establish communications with Kronta.

He ran into the corridor carrying the datacel. “Daya! Daya!” He ran alongside her. “My vidisplay conked out as I was transmitting this transcript.”

“I know -- all our communications are down. We're working on it. This happens from time to time -- an overload in the relay station. It comes with being the furthest-flung colony. Come -- we should get you and Andra ready to leave. I've been working on her disguise. Follow me.”

Daya led him into the dining room. She pointed to clothing of the sort worn by Lexalese workers. “I think we can darken Andra's hair. You can pass as factory workers. We'll mix you in with one of the tours and you can leave via the visitors' entrance.”

“You're conducting public tours of the palace under these circumstances?”

“Of course. We don't wish to give the appearance of being cowed by these threats. Everyone entering the palace is screened, so there's little risk. Now, I'll be right back. I want to find something to use on Andra's hair.”

Daya returned and approached Janna. “Princess -- it's more serious than we thought. The comm relay station's been damaged.”

“Damaged?”

“Yes -- this report was relayed from one of the shuttles. The tachyon antenna on the relay station was sheared off by something -- perhaps an asteroid collision.”

“Maybe it was shot off,” Nyk replied.

“The thought has crossed our minds. The Communications Corps believes it will be several days before it can be repaired.”

“Then, it's even more urgent Andra and I get on that packet. We'll hand- deliver this transcript to the High Legislature.”

Nyk observed Andra and Janna standing before a window. They were conducting an animated conversation in a language he had never heard.

“I'm not going.” Nyk heard Andra's voice and turned to her. She was standing alongside Janna and holding her hand. “This is undoubtedly the beginning of Vellod's offensive.”

“Or -- an attempt to flush me into the open,” Janna added.

“We must get that transcript to the High Legislature,” Nyk replied.

“Vellod knows only Mykko or I have the credentials to petition the High Legislature. And, he knows my husband is needed here.”

“Janna and I have a plan, Nyk,” Andra said. “You will escort her to Floran in my place. Once there, she will deliver the transcript to Kronta and plead before the High Legislature.”

“What will you do?”

“I'll take her place as a decoy -- attend state functions -- sit beside Mykko for his broadcasts. Vellod won't know Janna's off colony.”

“But -- your safety...”

“I feel safe enough inside the walls of the palace. Once the HL sees Vadima's transcript and hears Janna's plea -- they can't help but send reinforcements. As soon as Vellod's threat is neutralized, I'll return to Floran.”

“Andra -- this isn't our fight.”

“It is mine. Janna and I are Vebinad Academy sisters. When we graduated, we both gave up our family names and joined the Vebinad line. Sisters come to each other's aid. Unu Deva Feti, remember? Nyk, this must be why Destiny sent me here.”

Nyk changed into the worker's clothing Daya had procured. He walked from his chamber to Janna's drawing room. Andra was wearing Janna's long gown and belt. Janna had donned a female worker's costume. He looked at the two women. “No wonder they called you the Twins. What was that language you were speaking?”

“Vebinese,” Andra replied. “All the finishing schools have their own private language.”

Daya entered with a polymer pot of a brown material. “This is some of Mykkoin's finger-paint, Princess. Let me comb some through your hair.” She daubed the material onto Janna's head, combed it through and clipped her shoulder-blade length hair into a ponytail. Daya then rubbed some into Janna's eyebrows.

Next, she turned to Andra. Your hair isn't as long as Princess's. I can't style it into the twist she wears...” Daya looked at Andra from several angles. She placed the tiara on her head. “It'll pass if no one sees her from the rear.”

“What do you think?” Andra asked.

“Amazing,” Nyk replied. He looked Andra over from head to foot. “I hope you know what you're getting into.”

“Unu deva feti,” Andra replied.

“One more thing,” Daya said. She obtained some makeup foundation and began applying it to Andra's right arm to conceal her black, diamond-shaped marriage crest. She picked up a violet marker and began copying Janna's crest onto Andra's deltoid. “That should be convincing from a distance...” She applied the same material to Janna's shoulder, obliterating the Lexal crest. Jana slipped into a shawl and pulled it over her upper arm.

Mykko entered the room. “Unbelievable,” he said. “I knew you two bore a strong resemblance. Now I know just how strong. I'm to make my morning address. Janna sits by my side. I like the notion of her being spirited away while her decoy is beside me on a colony-wide broadcast. I've asked my speech-writer to be extra verbose today.” He crooked his arm. “Come along with me to our media center.”

Andra embraced Janna. The two women exchanged words and kisses. Then, she slid her arm through Mykko's and headed from the room.

Mykkoin's caregiver led the little boy into the drawing room. He, too, had been dressed in a rude Lexalese costume. The teenaged girl knelt before him. “You be a good boy, Mykkoin. We'll see you in a few days.”

Daya switched on a vidisplay. Nyk watched as Mykko and Andra took seats. Mykko leaned and engaged her in small talk. The camera zoomed into a tight shot of Mykko and he began his speech.

“This is such an odd feeling,” Janna said.

“Come,” said Daya, “we'll slip you into the palace tour.”

Janna scooped up Mykkoin and put a cap on his head. He pulled it off. “Now, now,” she said softly. “Mykkoin must wear the cap.” She replaced it on his head. Nyk followed as Daya led them to a lift and down a corridor. She cracked open a door. Janna stepped through and Nyk followed.

“This is the hall of pictures,” a tour guide recited. “This room is used for important state meetings and dinners. The images on the wall are permanent photos of important events in the history of the Lexal colony.” The guide glanced toward Nyk and proffered a quick smile. “For the benefit of any offworld visitors, the image over the head of the table is that of our current chancellor, Mykko Wygann and his wife Princess Janna.”

The guide gestured toward the long conference table in the center of the room, made of wood with a purple finish. “The table is made from locally grown lumber, and stained with inkroot -- a native plant providing the violet color -- and it's delicious as well.

“Now if you'll step through the door to the right...”

Nyk took Janna's arm and escorted her toward the door. The guide turned and faced them. “I'm sorry, you two and the child will have to wait here.” She passed her hand over a proximity pad. Three security guards surrounded Nyk and Janna. “These three weren't in the group when we started,” she said.

One guard nodded. “We'll take care of them. Please step this way.”

“You're making a mistake,” Nyk protested.

“We'll see who's made the mistake.” The guards escorted them into a security office. The vidisplay in the office showed Mykko delivering his address.

A guard captain was watching the display. “Our beloved leader -- he can certainly drone on, can't he? Today, his blathering is worse than ever.” The captain looked up. “What have we here?”

“Potential security breach. They slipped into one of the tours.”

The captain yawned and stretched. He grabbed a scanpad and presented it to Nyk. “IDs please.”

Nyk pressed his wrist against the pad. The captain looked over his profile. “ExoAgent... Earth based... What are you doing here?”

“I'm here in an official capacity -- ExoAgency business,” Nyk replied. “I'm an envoy from the High Legislature. You'd do well not to interfere.”

“You'd do better to hold your tongue. We're none too fond of the HL here.” The captain presented the scanpad to Janna. “And, now the little lady...” She pressed her wrist to it. He looked at the display and at her face. The color drained from his. “Your high...”

Janna gestured. The captain nodded and looked up at the other guards. “These two are okay. Let them return to the others.”

“This way,” the guard said, led them down a corridor and opened a door. He caught the tour guide's attention and gave her a hand signal.

The guide motioned them into the tour group. “This is our last area, the Morning Room. Normally this room is used by Princess Janna to receive official callers. This is her favorite room and you can see her touch in the decor.”

Nyk and Janna looked around the room. The tour guide motioned the group out and into a reception vestibule. She approached Nyk. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“What is your name?” Janna asked.

“Kovina, m'am. I'm sorry. I couldn't remember if you were in the group or not. Everyone's on edge lately.”

“It's all right, Kovina,” Janna said. “You're only doing your job, and you're doing it well.”

The guide gestured the group to the exit. Nyk slipped his arm around Janna and they walked out the visitor's entrance. A line of tourists stood awaiting admission to the palace. Each in turn stood with arms outstretched as a guard used a handheld scanner to screen them. Nyk took Janna's arm and led her to the parking lot. He popped open the cowl to the groundcar and flipped open the rear seat to form a child restraint. Janna slipped Mykkoin into the seat and then sat beside Nyk. “Do you think your disguise is convincing?” he asked.

She put her hand over her mouth. “I especially enjoyed seeing the look on that guard captain's face.”

“We have two seats on the morning packet,” Nyk said.

“Two seats?” she asked.

“Yes, for you and Mykkoin.”

“What about you? Aren't you coming?”

“We've only two seats reserved. This packet is filled with passengers returning to the homeworld from Myataxya. Veska tells me it's always full.”

“I wouldn't know -- I've never flown on it ... I've always used Mykko's courier.”

“I'm staying here. If Andra feels safe in the palace, so should I. Besides, with Vadima's interrogation, the HL can't possibly deny your requests for aid. How long should it take to neutralize Vellod's threat?”

The groundcar pulled into the shuttleport parking lot. “Now for some play-acting,” Nyk said. “I know you Vebinad grads excel at it.” Nyk popped the cowl and escorted Janna into the terminal. He walked up to the podium.

“IDs please,” the agent said. First Nyk, then Janna pressed her wrist to the