Honor Harrington fought back a surge of primal fear, her short
brown hair combed down thoroughly, her uniform spotlessly neat. She sat
there stiffly in her seat, not noticing the sympathetic glances from the
Admirals and various Diplomats sitting around her.
"Bleek," Nimitz chided her, the treecat looking up to give her a
perplexed glance, clearly not understanding why his chosen human was so
nervous.
"That's easy for you to say," Honor murmured to him softly, but
feeling just a bit better somehow. Knowing that the treecat didn't care
about the rank of the dignitary they were going to meet was oddly
comforting.
The pinnacle bumped as it touched down, and Honor gulped softly.
White Haven gave her a smile, "It will be all right, Honor."
"I hope so," she answered as Honor fell into her traditional
place, exiting the pinnacle and walking out onto the landing platform. A
small crowd stood waiting for them, a few guards in position around
them. 'There she is,' Honor thought.
Queen Elizabeth greeted her Admirals and Diplomats with gentle
dignity, the dusky skinned beauty smiling warmly. She looked up to see
where Honor stood and surprised her by saying, "Commander Harrington,
I've heard so much about you."
Honor gave a picture perfect salute as she answered, "I hope it
was all good, your Majesty."
"Cousin Michelle speaks of you highly," Elizabeth answered
softly, "and often."
Honor gaped in surprise. 'Michelle,' she thought dazedly, a
fierce blush coloring her cheeks as the Queen politely looked away.
"I believe we have much to discuss," Elizabeth turned to her
staff, "and this is not the place to do it. Follow me."
In a daze Honor followed them. trying to recover her composure a
little. She was a bit surprised not to be taken to a meeting room,
instead they gathered in a large private office, one used for more
informal business. She was even more surprised to see only Langtry,
White Haven, Courvosier and herself remaining for the meeting and she
turned to go.
"Stay," Courvosier ordered softly, her old tactics teacher
smiling as he added, "Elizabeth wanted you here, too."
"Yes sir," Honor squeaked.
Elizabeth sighed softly. "All right," she looked over at the
group with a suddenly piercing gaze, "start at the beginning and tell me
everything."
White Haven gave Honor a prompting look, and she took a
steadying breath. Meeting her queen's eyes Honor said, "Shortly after
the Manticore fleet arrived Warlord Ryouko used our holographic systems
to make contact...."
It took a few minutes, the Admirals, Honor and Ambassador
Langtry taking turns to cover relevant details. Langtry finished with,
"We informed Ryouko that we needed to bring her offers to you, and she
gave us two days to consider and make any counter offer."
Elizabeth nodded gravely, digesting what had been said. She
turned to the two Admirals, "What do you think of this?"
"Jurai has been expanding closer and closer to us for years,"
White Haven said dryly, "we're going to have to fight against them
eventually, anyway."
"I do have some mixed feelings about taking on Kagato,"
Courvosier added seriously, "he's dangerously powerful." He smiled
reluctantly, "Though bringing him to justice for his attacks on our
colonies is attractive."
"Fair enough," Elizabeth nodded. She looked at the Ambassador,
"And what do we know of planets that have been absorbed by Manticore?"
Langtry checked some papers, "The Office of Naval Intelligence
provided some briefing papers, and I've also used diplomatic contacts to
confirm it. As far as we can tell, it seems that they've benefited from
Manticore's rule."
"You're serious," Honor blurted in surprise.
With a wry smile Langtry continued, "Manticore provides
increased safety for it's people, they have a constitution that limits
their interference with conquered worlds, and they share their
technology with occupied worlds."
"Their drives would cut days of our merchant vessel's
schedules," White Haven noted, "and if they re-armed our fleet with
their tech, we'd be far nastier all round."
"Fair enough," Elizabeth nodded slightly. She looked over to
where Honor stood nervously, "What do you think, Commander?"
Honor puffed out a breath, pushing her short brown hair back.
She met Elizabeth's eye and said, "I talked to Ryouko a bit, after the
meeting ended." Honor smiled wryly, "She's bold, even rude, but I liked
her and I think she was sincere."
Elizabeth gave a ghost of a smile, "Interesting." She took a
moment to look over the official documents then said, "We will accept
Ryouko's alliance."
"We'll send an escort out with the message," White Haven said as
he moved towards the door, "they can escort the Washu's Revenge in."
"There will need to be a public signing ceremony for the
alliance," Langtry noted, "I'll begin all the preparations."
"Thank you all for your service," Elizabeth said simply, "let us
begin this new task." With that dismissal they moved out, Honor nearly
making it to the door when Elizabeth called, "Commander?"
"Yes?" Honor squeaked.
"My cousin Michelle is here at the palace," the Queen said with
a smile, "I think she'd be happy to see you."
"And I'd be happy to see her," Honor admitted softly.
"I'll have a servant escort you," Elizabeth summoned a young
page, and the two of them left the meeting room together.
The two of them didn't have to go very far, the young man
leaving her at the door of a parlor. Honor pushed the door open
nervously, taking in the Lieutenant Commander who stood looking up at a
portrait that she bore a startling resemblance to.
"Honor," Michelle Henke beamed up at her as she walked across to
where Honor stood, hugging a startled Honor close.
Honor froze a second, then wrapped her arms around Michelle.
"Good to see you, roomie," she murmured softly.
"I hear you've been getting in trouble without me being around,"
Michelle said softly into Honor's ear. She eased off on her grip
finally, taking in Honor's uniform and remarking, "You look good,
Commander."
"So do you, Lieutenant Commander," Honor's cheeks were red as
she looked down at the slightly smaller woman.
"I hope cousin Elizabeth didn't scare you too badly," Michelle
took Honor's hand, drawing her over to a comfortable couch.
"Oh yes," Honor said softly. She smiled wryly as she settled
down beside Michelle, "I understand you've been telling the Queen about
me?"
"Nothing too outrageous," Michelle actually smirked, "I didn't
tell her about that cute little mole you have on your...."
"Michelle," Honor scolded.
Michelle chuckled wickedly, but desisted in her teasing. Instead
she looked over at Honor searchingly, "Do you remember that night you
kissed me?"
Honor looked down, blushing. It had happened shortly before
graduation, ad Honor had come to the simple realization that she and
Michelle might not see one another again. The possibility of war with
either Manticore or Jurai lay just over the horizon, and the odds of
both of them surviving such a war were slim.
"I... I'm sorry," Honor stuttered.
"I'm not," Michelle said softly, and Honor looked up at her in
pure shock. "I always knew I was fond of you," she said to the younger
woman gently, "but I don't think I realized how much I cared until that
lovely kiss."
"I'm surprised I didn't hurt you, I was so clumsy," Honor
managed, her thoughts racing. 'Michelle cares for me?' she thought
wonderingly.
"I wanted to tell you back then," Michelle reached out to stroke
Honor's flaming cheek as she said, "but with everything that was coming,
I didn't dare."
"So why now?" Honor asked, leaning into that touch.
"Well, cousin Elizabeth was tired of my moping about you all the
time," Michelle admitted, "and she encouraged me to try."
"The Queen knows about us?" Honor's face went bone pale.
Michelle just looked amused, "Not only that, but she approves."
Honor was still trying to digest that piece of news when the
parlor door opened suddenly. Michelle opened her mouth to protest, then
saw the man's admiral stars. Honor leapt to her feet nervously, "Admiral
White Haven."
"It's time to move out," White Haven said apologetically, "we
need to move out to escort the Washu's Revenge in."
"I'll be here to meet you," Michelle promised softly as she
watched Honor stride off.
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