Chapter 4: Patrol Ship Goslauth

"Jinto, have yourself a look below," Lafier said suddenly.

After a few seconds of microgravity and attitude control, a long stretch of time passed.

Jinto's talk of minchiu — which, much to his chagrin, did not seem to be of much interest to Lafier — was cut short, and he shifted atop his bunk-seat to gaze down at the floor.

Amidst the unblinking stars, a structure was floating. It had the contours of a squashed hexagon, with a number of circular mouths open wide. Because it was slightly tilted, he could tell it was something like a tower, and one that he was either viewing from its base or its apex.

"Is that the patrol ship Goslauth?" asked Jinto.

"Correct. It's somewhat bigger than this vessel, wouldn't you agree?" said Lafier sarcastically.

"Somewhat," said Jinto, though in truth it he couldn't really grasp its size. He was certain it had to be incredibly enormous, but his mind perceived it as being smaller than the vessel they were on.

That was when it started suddenly zooming up in size. They stopped decelerating, and the ship's interior reverted to microgravity. At the same time, their bunks reverted back to normal seats.

They'd finally crossed paths with the patrol ship again. Its relative speed was very low. The gargantuan tower slowly, slowly rose up towards them.

Jinto's line of sight darted from the floor to the walls, then up to the ceiling. The part of the tower he'd been looking down moments ago was now scraping the stars far above him, and Jinto was beset by the false feeling that he'd plunged that whole distance down.

A prolonged nose dive. Was this the vantage a suicidal feather that had jumped off a cliff would see in its final moments?

The tower just wouldn't end.

"Wow, it really is astounding." Jinto sighed with admiration. When he reflected on the fact that it had been built for battle, its aura became all the more imposing and overwhelming. The hull before their eyes keenly asserted that it was a weapon constructed to wreak havoc. The only functioning weapons of any kind Jinto had seen up until that point were the ribrasiac (REEBRAHSEEA, paralyzer guns) that Delktunian police officers had strapped to their hips. It would have been stupid beyond compare to draw any comparisons between the two. It was in a whole different league.

"You're a little slow on the uptake," teased Lafier.

"C'mon, I couldn't tell from so far away. We're in space. You people've got it made with your frocragh." Jinto saw the face Lafier was pulling, and chuckled. "Please, you don't need to give me that sympathetic look. I've never minded the fact that I lack frocragh, and I have every intention of living right and thriving from here on out as well."

"Of course." Lafier looked away, flustered. "Allow me to give you the special opportunity to appreciate it."

"Thank you."

At last, the imperial crest passed by. Its design was the same as her rank insignia, but its hemming and the gaftnochec eight-headed dragon were gold, with a black base. And of course, the two insignias' sizes were incomparable. The national crest on the patrol ship was likely big enough to host a game of minchiu.

Finally, the warship's bow came into view.

With a wriggling of the fingers on Lafier's left hand, their vessel slipped sideways. The tip of the giant warship swooped blurrily over Jinto's head like a pendulum, and appeared on the opposite side.

The patrol ship came dropping down. It was a scene one would expect to be accompanied by a roaring noise.

"The Goslauth is leading-edge among the Empire's warships," explained Lafier. "It's 12.82 üésdagh long."

"That's all?" It was surprisingly small.

"It's small compared to an alaicec (AHLEK, battle-line warship). The ship you were on was almost certainly bigger than this one. However, there is probably no other warship with as much combat strength anywhere in the human-peopled cosmos, let alone the Empire."

"I don't doubt it." He unreservedly believed it.

The vessel shifted angles and revolved around the patrol ship a number of times. "That should be enough, I think," said Lafier.

"Yeah, I'm good."

When Lafier moved the fingers on her left hand, a cutout video frame of a male starpilot floated up amidst the starry heavens.

"This is Vessel 1. Ship Command number-code is 01-00-0937684. Slomhoth (SLOHMFOHTH, mission) number-code is 0522-01. Requesting admission."

"Roger," replied the starpilot. "External controls are ready. And let's enjoy our little breaks in moderation, Ship Command. Unless you spotted something of note on the ship's exterior?"

"Lonh-Ïarlucec Dreur had me show him the difference between this vessel and the main ship," she replied, while giving Jinto a meaningful glance.

"What do you mean? Actually, never mind, just get on with your longhoth rirragr (LONZHOHTH REERAHG, information link)."

"Roger." Lafier motioned her fingers and told Jinto, "To tell the truth, I have no desire to rely on computing crystals, but it's a military regulation, so I can't disobey."

The Star Forces aren't stupid enough to give an apprentice the chance to damage the ship. But before Jinto could say as much, the patrol ship starpilot interrupted.

"Link confirmed."

"Link confirmed on this end as well. Requesting end of transmission."

"Ending transmission." The image of the starpilot vanished from the screen, to be replaced by a cavorting throng of numbers, glyphs and graphs.

"This leaves me with nothing else to do," said Lafier, a little frustrated.

Jinto made sure his gratitude was known: "Thank you."

"It's just my mission."

"So, what is your mission, exactly...?" asked Jinto. "What do you do when you don't need to man the vessel? Do you have a lot of free time to fill?"

"What are you saying?" Lafier pouted. "An apprentice's job is to learn through observation."

"I mean, I know that, but..."

"They make me do anything and everything the starpilots of the Gariac (GAHREEA, Flight Department) do. Provided it's suited to an apprentice, obviously. All in all, I am kept quite busy."

"Okay."

"You'll see how tough it can be if you become an apprentice."

"But I'll be in the Sazoïc (SAHZOEE, Quartermasters' Department), so..."

"I've heard that the Quartermasters' Department gets busy, too. They spend all day inspecting food and supplies, among other things."

"What a magnificent vocation," Jinto groaned.

The patrol ship's outer wall drew nearer and nearer before their eyes. A gaping wide hole had formed on its side.

Though the gravity was finely adjusted through attitude control, he felt out of sorts.

The hole had arrived right behind them — or so it might have registered to him had he been given time to think before the entire steerer's room shifted 90 degrees, after which the hole appeared to lie right below them. Their vessel, pulled by the patrol ship's artificial gravity, sank gently down.

At the last moment, the lower attitude-control jet nozzle spouted, softly landing the hull onto the gorïabh (GORYAHV, take-off deck). The ceiling lock gate of the horh (HORR, ship's hatch) closed, and the lights turned on.

"Commencing pressurization," announced the starpilot from earlier, who appeared on screen once again.

"Standing by while pressurization is in progress," Lafier replied.

The vessel proceeded to get sprayed from all directions by plumes of white mist. These plumes collided and formed a complex whirl. Finally, it evened out into an undifferentiated haze, and steadily cleared away.

"Pressurization complete. Remain there and continue to stand by momentarily," directed the starpilot.

"Roger that."

"Wait, how come we need to stand by?" Jinto scanned Lafier's expression to see if something was wrong. "Do they always have you wait a while?"

"No, today is different."

"Then why...?"

"They need to prepare for your Patmesaïhoth (PAHTMSAH'EEHOHTH, gangway welcome ceremony)," said Lafier as she removed her control glove and disconnected her circlet's access-cable.

"Patmesaïhoth?" That word rang a bell. If he recalled correctly, it referred to a ceremony held to welcome important people onto a ship. "Whose ceremony is it?"

"If you're really asking because you don't know, then you have the astuteness of a cyanobacterium," said Lafier.

"Haha, sorry." Of course it was his ceremony. There's no way he'd be that dense. It's just that he didn't think he was all that "important" a person. "Isn't that ceremony for people of the Cheüass (SHOOWAHSS, Kilo-commander) rank and up, though?"

"It's a ceremony for people of your tlaïgac (TLAEEGA, title), Lonh. You are a Lonh, after all."

"Now that you mention, I guess I am. But are they really willing to go through all that trouble just for little old me?"

"You are a 'grandee,' Jinto. You're not so low in the imperial hierarchy."

The Abh numbered about 25 million in total population. Most were gentry, with only about 200,000 nobles. Those that possessed populated planets as territory were called grandees. There were only 1,600 grandee families, and less than 20,000 individuals inclusive of family members.

By comparison, there were about 1 billion imperial citizens, and approximately 900 billion territorial citizens under Abh rule on terrestrial worlds. With those numbers in mind, one could definitely appreciate how uncommon grandees truly were.

It was true — the Household of the Count of Hyde belonged to a rare breed indeed –its not-so-favorable origin story notwithstanding.

"I've never been good with ceremonies and functions and stuff..."

"It won't be that big a deal. Not enough to be called a 'function,' anyway," Lafier assured him. "The ship's captain will do a self-introduction, and then introduce you to the ship's highest-ranked starpilots. That's all."

"That may be a 'that's all' to you, but not so much to me..."

A door opened to their back left. An onuhociac (ONOOHOHKEEA, automaton) laid down a red carpet, and six starpilots ambled down it.

The starpilot at the head of the entourage, a lady with dark bluish-grey shoulder-length hair and bob-cut bangs, wore an almfac clabrar (AHLFA CLAHBRAR, one-winged circlet). The wing extended out to pin her hair so as not to interfere with the equipping of her saputec (SAHPOOT, pressurization helmet), and it also served to display her sarérragh (SAHRRERAHZH, designation as captain). In addition, she also bore the ornamental belt-sash that was proof she was serving in that role, and wielded the greuc (GRYOO, staff of command).

"Preparations for the Patmesaïhoth Ceremony are complete," sounded the voice transmission. "Bring Lonh-Ïarlucec Dreur Haïder aboard."

"Roger," said Lafier, and she looked at Jinto encouragingly.

"Okay, I get it." Jinto released his seatbelt and stood up. "You're coming with me, right?"

Lafier shook her head in amazement. "To do what?"

"Oh," Jinto said disappointedly. "Well, I, uh, hope I see you again later."

"The living quarters aren't so spacious. We will likely be meeting again." That wasn't exactly the response Jinto had been hoping to hear, but he had no choice but to be satisfied with it.

"All right, see you. And thank you for taking me here."

"I enjoyed myself."

"Good. I'm glad."

Amidst the six starpilots attending the Patmesaïhoth, the four lined up from Jinto's right each had on the scarlet insignia of a steerer. At the leftmost position of those four stood the captain, and to her left there was the green insignia of the scœmh (SKEF, Engineers' Department). At the very left, there was the white insignia of the Quartermasters' Department.

What am I supposed to do during times like these? Jinto regretted not asking Lafier beforehand. Unfortunately, there were no lectures on how a grandee should handle a Patmesaïhoth at the Abh Linguistic and Cultural Academy on Delktu.

For the time being, he straightened up his back and attempted a dignified posture.

An NCC (non-commissioned Lander crewmember), standing alone, blew a méc (MEH, whistle). The six starpilots saluted in unison.

Suppressing his right hand's reflexive impulse to return the salute, he instead kept with the general etiquette of the Abh (however awkwardly) and aligned his heels, straightened his back, and lowered his head.

"We are honored by your presence, Lonh," said the captain. The color of her irises brimmed like melted gold, in contrast with her black pupils. "I am Captain of the patrol ship Goslauth, Bomoüass (BOHMOHWAHS, Hecto-commander) Lexshue (LEKSHOO)."

Huh, I guess Abhs introduce themselves by name when meeting new people, too. How... normal.

Jinto lowered his head again. "My name is Linn ssynec-Rocr Ïarlucec Dreur Haïder Ghintec. I thank you, and I hope I can be of service on the way to the Capital, Captain." Jinto was pleased he'd proved able to say something passable. He was especially happy he hadn't butchered his own name.

"Please leave it to us. Might I also introduce my subordinates, if you wouldn't mind?" The Hecto-commander presented her five subordinates to him.

Lexshue resembled Lafier, but only in some way he couldn't quite put his finger on. He'd thought that due to their uniform level of beauty, their features would by that same token lack individuality, but that was not the case. The other starpilots were beautiful in their own ways, with distinctive facial features.

First was the bynecairh (BYOONKEHRR, supervisor) and Loüass Scœmr (LOHWAHSS SKEM, Engineering Deca-commander), whose name was Gymryac (GYOOMRYOOA). These were the titles of the crew member in charge of maintaining and inspecting the warship's equipment, starting with its opsaic (OHPSEH, main engine system). In contrast with her ebony skin, her eyes and hair were a bright azure.

Next was the üigtec (WEEG, clerk). If the supervisor was in charge of minding the machines, he was in charge of minding all the people on board. His name was Dich (DEESH), and he was Loüass Sazoïr (Quartermaster Deca-commander). His reddish eyes gleamed with a quiet serenity.

The Ruse (ROOSEH, Vice-Captain) cum almrilbigac (AHLMREELBEEGA, senior navigator) was Deca-commander Rairia. He was a man with a light blue moustache, and a chiseled visage. His smile lent him a friendly and approachable image.

The almtlaciac (AHLM'TLAHKEEA, senior gunner) was Sarrych (SAHRYOOSH), who was also a raicléc (REKLEH, vanguard starpilot). His surname indicated he was a member of a family with a distinguished history even among the Abh, and his eyes were as sharp as a razor.

Lastly, there was the almdrociac (AHLMDROHKEEA, senior communications officer). Her name was Ynséryac (YOONSERYOOA, and she too was a vanguard starpilot. Her hair could only be described as the type of blue one imagines when thinking of it as a primary color, and as for her demeanor, she exuded a calm composure.

They were all Abh, and they looked like they were in their mid-20s. There was no way to tell their actual ages.

"We will depart at once," said Lexshue once the time for introductions concluded. "Once again, we would be honored if you could accompany us to the gahorh (GAH'HORR, ship's bridge), if you would be amenable?"

"Of course, my pleasure," answered Jinto. He glimpsed at the vessel behind him. Lafier still hadn't exited it.

"Your luggage will be brought to your room by NCCs," said Lexshue, apparently misconstruing why Jinto had looked back.

"Ah, right... thank you."

"Now please, it's this way." Lexshue pointed the way.

If this had been Delktu, Lexshue would have been appraised as a peerless beauty. While her golden eyes were peculiar, they did nothing to harm her charms. In fact, they only accentuated them.

It wasn't that Jinto wasn't used to girls — he'd learned how to conduct himself around people of the female persuasion on Delktu. Now, beautiful older ladies... Those were harder to deal with. The fact that the beautiful lady in question was also the commander of a warship only made her even more arresting.

His place walking beside the Captain had been wordlessly prepared for him, and he kept pace shoulder-to-shoulder with her, but he felt really uncomfortable. That was only exacerbated by the five high-ranked starpilots following in their wake like a gaggle of squires. The "daimon" standard gravity level of the Abh was around half the intensity of what Jinto was used to — and yet, his gait was prone to becoming sluggish.

The bridge was semicircular. Taking into account how the upper portion of the walls was slightly curved, he thought the interior could well be spherical in shape. The floor was two-tiered, while the outer part was one tier lower.

"Lonh-Ïarlucec Dreur Haïder and Captain!" reported the sach laitfaicr (SAHSH LETFEK, escort NCC) assigned to the bridge. Jinto followed the captain onto the tall-centered semicircle.

Nine starpilots stood at attention and gave Jinto a welcoming salute.

"Please, over here." Hecto-commander Lexshue invited him to take a seat that had been, by all appearances, provided for him on a temporary basis.

"Thank you very much." Jinto nodded and seated himself.

When the captain took a seat, the other starpilots followed suit. The four high-ranked starpilots also entered the bridge and settled into their posts. Twelve of the officers headed toward the cloüc (KLOH'OO, console) so as to encircle their captain. The other two, Supervisor Gymryac and Clerk Dich, turned their backs to the captain and took seats at the front.

"Show video of the outside." In accordance with Lexshue's command, the walls morphed into the star-speckled reaches of space.

Since the starpilots, including the captain, had the access-cables of their circlets connected, that gesture must have been done out of consideration for Jinto and his lack of frocragh spatiosensory perception.

"Prepare for departure." The Hecto-commander's voice cracked through the air like a whip.

Jinto couldn't muster the desire to scrutinize the way they worked with affected detachment; he huddled up in his chair. He felt like some mischievous little scamp who'd barged into the wrong place.

"All engines in order," reported Engineering Deca-commander Gymryac.

"Interior environment in order," said Quartermaster Deca-commander Dich.

"Preparations complete for steering." Vanguard Starpilot Sarrych equipped the control glove.

"Permission received from the Flight Control of the Vorlash Countdom to cross the saudec (SOHD, gate)."

"The permitted time is 15:27:12 by ship's time," reported Vanguard Starpilot Ynséryac.

"Ready for departure." Executive Officer Reiria reported the final announcement.

"Very good." The captain nodded. "Accelerate at daimon-force 6, toward the Saudec Bhoracec (SOHD VORLAHK, Vorlash Gate)."

Vanguard Sarrych heard her orders. "Veering toward 17-62-55."

"Authorized," Lexshue replied.

Thanks to the artificial gravity on board, he couldn't feel any tremors induced by attitude control. However, the broad swaying of the stars was ample proof that the giant warship had moved its muzzle. Jinto craned his neck from the back of his chair, and was met with the sight of Delktu as a tiny speck.

"Attitude control complete."

"Daïsairé (DAEESEHREH, setting sail)!"

The patrol ship vibrated lightly at her word. Water flooded into the flisésïac (FLEESESEEA, matter-antimatter-annihilation engine). A stream of antiprotons shot into the water; where the matter and antimatter collided, they voraciously devoured one another, unbinding energy in their wake. All the matter that failed to collide with antimatter absorbed the energy, leapt into empty space, and kicked the enormous ship into motion from the recoil. That was what caused the vibrations.

"Is all this travel wearisome?" Lexshue asked him, concern in her voice.

"Absolutely not," responded Jinto, quite truthfully. "It's my first time experiencing this, so I find it fascinating."

"Do you have any questions for us?"

"Yes." After some thought, Jinto had come up with a question he deemed safe to ask. "From the introductions earlier, I thought that Vanguard Sarrych was the senior gunner, but now I understand he's also in charge of steering. Do all gunners also steer?"

"Correct. Steering while in dadh (DAHDTH, normal space) is a gunner's job. That's because for patrol ships, steering and battle maneuvers are closely intertwined."

"I see. I, uh, have another question, if it's all right..."

"What is it?"

"I was under the impression that clerks do clerical office work. I've noticed they have duties on the bridge as well, though."

"Well observed. They are responsible for checking on whether the gravity control is regular, or whether the interior pressurization is holding. However, they are usually only on the bridge during takeoff and landing, or during battle. Otherwise they're typically in the secretarial rooms, performing their operational tasks."

"What do those 'operational tasks' they carry out in the secretarial rooms entail?"

"Ahh, you must be all the more interested in that department given that's where your future will be, Lonh. I'm certain you would learn more asking Dich directly, but..." While he was (somewhat awkwardly) maintaining a conversation with Lexshue, he discovered that the starpilot was, in fact, a kind-hearted woman.

There was, however, a barrier. The captain never broke away from her pointedly courteous comportment, and Jinto, for his part, lacked the courage to dispense with it and slip into more vulgar speech.

Hecto-commander Lexshue was earnest by nature, and she tried to answer Jinto's queries as much as she could. Though he felt like he was being treated like a child from time to time, that didn't bother him. Jinto knew he still had so much to learn about Abh culture.

At last, Deca-commander Reiria's report came in. "Three minutes until gate transit."

"I apologize for interrupting our conversation," said the captain. "Activate the flasath (FLAHSAHTH, space-time bubble)," she ordered.

"Flasatiac (FLAHSAHTEEA, space-time bubble engine) in order," said Engineering Deca-commander Gymryac.

"Flasath activation confirmed." The footage in front of them showed a multitude of Vorlash gates. This was the second configuration of yuanons.

The Abh called the first form of yuanons — like the ones packed in the propulsion engine of the Leif Erikson—"saudec lœza" (SOHD LEHZA, closed gate). The second shape yuanons could take, the phosphorescent, spherical pockets of space a mere sedagh in diameter each, was called "saudec graca" (SOHD GRAHKA, open gate), or simply saudec.

"One minute until gate transit."

"Start counting down by the second at E-minus thirty," ordered the Captain.

"Roger."

By the time the countdown commenced, the stars ahead became shrouded in the gentle light of the gates.

"...five, four, three, two, one, traversing."

Passing through the gate did not cause any turbulence on impact, but the video of the outside changed completely. Gone was the phosphorescent light. So too did the stars and heavens vanish. A vast ashen sky was all the eye could see.

The secret of faster-than-light travel lay in so-called fadh (FAHDTH, flat space), which was governed by different physical laws than dadh or "normal" space. As the name might suggest, it was a cosmic fabric made up of two-dimensional space and one-dimensional time. The interstellar spaceships of the Abh wrapped themselves in space-time bubbles to cross this abnormal space. Time-space bubbles were shreds of normal space; just as compacted sixth-dimensional continuous bodies exist within fourth-dimensional space-time, they were permitted to exist within "flat space."

The patrol ship Goslauth was now in a space apart from space. If an observer within this space were to look at the patrol ship, all they would be able to "see" would be a meager little floating atom.

In that moment, Jinto knew that no matter what kind of calamity the "normal space" of dadh was hit with, he would have no way of knowing — and that made him shudder.

"Confirm position," the Captain commanded, and Jinto turned around. "Are you aware that we do not know our current position?"

"What do you mean?"

"When shifting from dadh to fadh," began Hecto-commander Lexshue, explaining the basics of sotfairh fadhotr (SOHTFEHRR FAHDTHOHT, theory of flat space navigation), "and vice versa, we can only know our position probabilistically. You have heard the term 'probabilistic' before, I trust?"

"It's the fancy word for 'hit-or-miss,'" he said with evident pride.

"That's not too far off," the captain nodded. "The interior of the gate corresponds to flat space, and the exterior to normal space. But we aren't sure of our exact location. Gates often draw imperfect helical curves upon flat space, but we're not privy onto which part of those curves we will appear."

"Confirmation of position complete," reported the senior navigator.

"Right bank, 117-92 from the terminal edge."

Two-dimensional video showed up on the floor. The interior of the gate, shaped like a distorted helix, contained a point of shining blue light. That was the present position of the patrol ship Goslauth.

"Assume complete noctamh (NOHKTAHF, mobile-state) at 280 degrees." After the captain issued her orders, she asked Jinto, "Do you know of mobile-state and scobrtamh (SKORTAHF, stationary-state)?"

"Yes. That much I do know," said Jinto. He may have been headed to the Quartermasters' Department, but one needed to know at least that much to earn academy admittance. Although when it came to the nitty-gritty mathematics of these things, he could but throw up his arms in surrender.

If there were an observer in flat space, they would see the space-time bubble as a particle — an elementary particle that gradually shed its mass. This elementary particle could take two states. They were noctamh and scobrtamh.

An easy way to grasp the concept would be to imagine a sphere rotating on the floor. If the axis of rotation is made vertical to the floor, then that sphere will remain at that spot. With a horizontal axis of rotation, the sphere rolls across the floor. The vertical-axis example is to scobrtamh or the stationary-state, as the horizontal-axis example is to noctamh or the mobile-state. (There is no equivalent state for a diagonal axis of rotation.)

When in the mobile-state, the direction of the rotational axis can be freely determined. Moreover, the two states can be switched between instantaneously, thereby allowing one to adjust the velocity as well.

What one mustn't forget is that whether staying in one place or rolling, it is always itself rotating. In other words, it expends a fixed amount of energy over time.

"Navigating from here onwards is the navigator's job," Lexshue murmured, pointing to Reiria. "Our destination is Saudec Sfagnaumr (SOHD SFAHGNOHM, Sfagnoff Gate).

Chart a course."

A blue, dotted line crossing near the distorted helix appeared near-instantly. Reiria looked up at the captain and said, "Course calculations complete."

"Acknowledged." Hecto-commander Lexshue nodded, and said "I leave the rest to you, Reiria. Place us on course."

"Roger, Captain. Leave it to me."

The blip of light indicating their current position tried to crawl out from the helix's interior to the newly accessible area. A green blip of light appeared on the borderline of the helix and began to move. Another green blip passed the blue one by, headed toward the helix. It was a ship headed toward the Countdom of Vorlash. In that time, the blue blip reached the dotted line and started tracing it.

"We've converged on the course, Captain," said Reiria.

"Very good. All hands relieved of preparation duties. Shift to primary response stance," said the Hecto-commander as she stowed away her access-cable.

The starpilots on the bridge stood up. Only three remained seated. The starpilots saluted her before exiting the room, and Hecto-commander Lexshue stood up to salute them back.

Jinto, unsure of how he should behave in the meantime, just fidgeted in his seat.

"Lonh." The captain had once again taken a seat. "Despite this being your first experience of such space travel, I believe you will find it quite dull from this point on. The starpilots on duty will remain gloomy and silent, absorbed in the task of scanning the equipment for possible malfunctions. Please allow me to show you to your room."

But Jinto had made up his mind. "No, Captain, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to continue our conversation."

"It would be my pleasure, Lonh. I myself find times like these tedious. But what is it you would like to discuss?"

"Do you know of the origins of the Countdom of Hyde?"

"I do. Its conquest was the topic of much talk, after all." From how she spoke, one might assume the words "conquest" or "invasion" had no negative connotations associated with them. Maybe they just didn't sound distasteful to her when it was Abhs at the helm of those conquests.

"Then I'm sure you're already aware, but I really don't know how to act like a noble."

"Is that true?" she said, apparently surprised.

"That's right. I'm lost, honestly. I never learned that kind of stuff."

"You mean you didn't associate with the family of the Count of Vorlash?"

"I didn't, no." The Count of Vorlash had shown no interest whatsoever in the heir to the Count of Hyde residing in his territory. Nor had Jinto ever harbored any desire to pay the garich (GAHREESH, orbital estate) a visit. "They never extended an invitation."

"So you're trying to say that you don't know how best to interact with us?"

"Yes, that's right," nodded Jinto. "To strike up a conversation this heavy with a nice lady I just met... tell me if it's too much trouble..."

"It's no trouble," said Lexshue gleefully. "It's not often at all that gentry gets to dictate the behavior of a grandee!"

"So is my, uh, attitude all wrong? Is a grandee supposed to you know, act big or something?"

"You could certainly get away with it," said the Hecto-commander. "At the cost of being disliked. Is that all?"

"I'm glad. That means I'm not acting that strange."

"No." Lexshue crossed her arms. "Though to tell you the truth, you do come across a tad eccentric. Eccentricity is not always necessarily deserving of criticism, of course."

"Haha..." Jinto could feel all his self-confidence suddenly dissipate. "Umm, what exactly is a grandee who's not 'eccentric' like?"

"They do have something of an air of dignity about them."

"I knew it," said Jinto, deflated.

"How you are, though, is much preferable to nobles who go overboard with the overweening pride, Lonh."

"Thank you very much." But not even the Captain's consoling words could heal Jinto's heart.

"You do realize that your standing in society is higher than mine, yes?"

"Actually, that's something I'm a little fuzzy on, too. You've been very polite to me this whole time, Captain, but I really don't feel worthy of that courtesy."

"Is that so?" The captain seemed perplexed. It was the puzzlement of someone who didn't quite know how to interact with a person this extremely clueless.

"I mean, I understand the hierarchy of the different noble ranks. What's never made much sense to me, no matter how much I looked into it, is how those noble ranks relate with their social status. In fact, the more I researched, the harder it became to understand. It's often the case all across the Empire that nobles work under gentry, for one."

"Yes, that's very much a matter of course."

"Which would mean that I don't have any social status. Am I wrong?"

"As far as the relationships between people who belong to different organizations go, it's the darmsath bhoflir (DARMSAHTH VOHFLEER, imperial hierarchy) that means everything," Lexshue explained. "I am a captain, and thanks to that, I have been conferred the peerage of raloch (RAHLOHSH, knight first-class). It's a fairly high social standing for gentry, but it's nowhere near yours, ïarlucec Dreur."

"Doesn't that get confusing?"

"What would be confusing?"

"If someone's social standing is higher than their superior officer's, doesn't it get difficult to give them orders?"

The Hecto-commander laughed a light little laugh. "This is when it's between people who belong to different organizations, remember? Within the military itself, this is all that matters." She pointed to the insignia on her upper right arm — exactly like Lafier had. It might well have been a gesture shared by all starpilots of the Star Forces. "If you are assigned to a starpilot quartermaster post under us, Lonh, rest assured that we will work you to the ground. You are kindly advised not to expect this kind of cordial treatment when that happens."

"Yes, so I've heard..." But Jinto still wasn't fully convinced. "What if you can't stop thinking about my standing outside of the military, though?"

"Hmmm..." Lexshue spoke even as she considered the question. "In the past, that may have been a problem. However, our class system and military have become more and more refined over time. These days, that sort of thing just doesn't come up. People who can't make a clear distinction between their time in the Star Forces and their time in civilian society will be considered disqualified to participate in polite society no matter their rank."

"Sounds complex," sighed Jinto.

"Does it? I've been living in this society since I was born, so to me it just seems in the nature of things."

"Maybe it's something like seniority by age...?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ahh." Jinto launched into an explanation.

While not so much on Martinh, on Delktu, the ideal of honoring one's elders was very much emphasized. The older an elder got, the more they were respected. That being said, even on Delktu it wasn't too uncommon for some to have a younger boss. Within a given organization, it wasn't age that was respected, but rather rank. But when two people were extracted from within that organization, that relationship could flip right around. It appeared that amongst the Abh, who didn't have readily apparent age differences, perhaps the concept of "seniority by age" was a confounding one.

"Maybe it is similar," said Lexshue in tentative agreement. "We aren't very conscious of people's ages at all."

"Wait, hold on..." Jinto's opinions suddenly came spilling out. "Elder people usually have a wealth of life experience, so it makes sense to honor their wisdom. But how does being born to a higher-ranked household make someone an inherently worthier person?"

He was very aware that he was essentially criticizing a matter at the core of the whole Empire, but he felt totally at ease. He was himself a noble, after all. There was no need to hold back when it was his own standing he was doubting the worth of. Even so, he was expecting the captain would be shaken by his question.

Yet Lexshue's expression didn't change at all. It seemed an utterly impossible undertaking to stab at the heart of an Abh.

"Hmm, yes..." The captain pondered. "A noble is the progeny of an outstanding figure. An inheritor of the family traditions that that outstanding figure built up. As such, we tend to expect they will also excel in some way or another. I think that's why there's value in paying them our respect."

"Really?" Jinto was skeptical. "But just because someone is raised by a person of high-caliber doesn't mean they'll excel—"

"Not always, no," Lexshue granted the point without issue. "You are quite right — just because someone achieves a great accomplishment doesn't mean they'll be an equally excellent educator. There are a number of examples of heroes' children being useless disappointments. However, speaking in generalities, the descendant of a person of high caliber will usually have some quality worthy of respect."

"Huh." Jinto nodded, but noncommittally. At the back of his mind, he was thinking about his own circumstances. Even if he granted, for the sake of argument, that his father was a "man of high caliber," Jinto had not really been raised by him.

"Besides," continued Lexshue, "One's 'elders' are not necessarily worthy of respect, either."

"That is true." Jinto imagined someone who'd grown old without ever learning a thing.

"We have a solid basis for our social order, and it more than encompasses something as rudimentary as respect for elders. That is what I think, anyway. Was that helpful to you?"

"Yes. By all means." It was certainly informative, that much was beyond dispute. He still had his misgivings, though, and didn't swallow all of what he'd been told.

"Now then, let me guide you to your room. Calling the apprentice who escorted Lonh from the spaceport," she said, holding her wrist computer to her face.

"Ah, her..." She was of course speaking of Lafier. "She's a noble, too, right?"

Lexshue opened her eyes wide in surprise. "No."

"Really? That's odd. I mean, her bearing was really different from yours, Captain."

"You mean to tell me you don't know who she is!?" Her right eyebrow, as dark bluish-grey as the rest of her hair, rose accusingly.

"No. I, uhh..." He had a bad feeling about where this was going — bad enough to feel like the back of his brain was burning to a crisp. "Was it wrong of me to not know?"

"No — I think it's probably understandable, given your eccentric upbringing." The captain grinned, and turned on the audio receiver of her wrist computer. "Apprentice Starpilot Ablïar, report to the bridge immediately."

"'Ablïar'!?" It was the same name as the Glaharérh (GLAHHARERR, Commander-in-Chief) of the armada. She was a member of a royal family, and her surname was that of the Imperial Household. "Which 'Ablïar' family?"

"She's a member of the Lartïéc Crybr (LARTEE'EH KRYOOB, royal family of Cryb)."

"Then that means..."

"Yes." An impish smile graced her lovely countenance. "Apprentice Starpilot Ablïar is the granddaughter of Speunaigh Érumitta (SPYEUNEZH EHRUMEETA, Her Majesty the Empress)."