Illoia left for the party early, with a fireteam protecting her. It was funny to be walking through the jungle like this, for this; and not trooping through on a drill. And where was her little ranker-aide? She didn’t like to bother him, as he had all sorts of drilling to do, but she had really expected him to be walking to the site with her so they could go over things.
The first person she saw in the compound was Marja, Leader Meriones’s wife. “Hello, Dear,” she said, coming over to her. “You’re early.”
“My husband insisted I come, and he has been busy all day with some sort of drill, so I thought I would come early.”
“That was nice of you. You don’t like parties?”
“Umm, no. I prefer more one one one interaction. But I’m sure this party will be fine!” She added, hurriedly.
“When are you due?” Illoia asked her.
“In three months,” Marja said, patting her stomach.
“I say, your family lives out on the country, I suppose you know about Barbecue?”
“Well, yes,” Marja said.
“Could you inspect the pits for me? I would like that part of the party to go well.”
“Ummm, certainly,” Marja said, and hurried off. Illoia hoped that that would keep her busy enough she wouldn’t feel obligated to socialize. She was a strange lass.
“Ma’am,” she heard and looked and saw her secretary hurrying up. “I think everything is just about ready, Ma’am,” he said. “But… have you heard the news?”
“What news?” Illoia asked, going back to casting her eye around the clearing. Things seemed to be quite in order, from what she could tell. There were boxes, she supposed with plates and silverware, at the end of each of the wooden tables. The tables were beautifully done, she regretted the idea that they would only be used today. Altho perhaps they could have another party some other day…
“Your father is coming.”
Her brain froze in mid thought, then she relaxed. “You mean my husband,” she corrected. “I knew that, he told me this morning.”
“No, I mean your father. His ship went into orbit today, and the commander told him about this party.”
She turned and stared, “My father is here? Here on this planet?”
“No, he’s still in orbit. That is, his shuttle isn’t due for another few minutes. But he will be here at the party. He brought a bunch of people with him but, don’t worry, we’ll have enough…”
“My father, the governor of Tarreno, is HERE?!”
The ranker blanched, “Yes, Ma’am. That’s what the governor’s aide told me. You didn’t know he was coming? I thought you just hadn’t told me.”
“I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU!!” she said. “Get on your com and tell my husband!”
“Oh, I did. I knew he would be here later than you so I commed him a few minutes ago. But my comp said you were on your way here, by foot, so I waited to tell you in person.”
“We need to…” she started to say, and the stopped. What did they need to do, that wasn’t already done? He husband had security out in force. The Top Ranker had made combat shelters all over the place and there were combat tarps and blankets in each of them. She had heard him talking to nearby units to be on special alert, no doubt because of so many high profile dependents, the fires had been burning for hours and the coals were looking very nice, the food was on its way… What else was there to do except to get ready to meet her father?
“When is he coming?” she asked. “He can’t land here!”
“Oh, no, ma’am. He’ll be landing at headquarters and skating out to our barracks, and then walking.”
“I should be there.”
“He said he didn’t want that,” the ranker said.
“You’ve been having quite a conversation with my father!”
“Oh, no, ma’am, I’ve been talking with his social secretary. A ma’am named Aleshia.”
“Aleshia? How odd. I have a friend named Aleshia, but my father’s social events are handled normally by his own aides, certainly not some ma’am.”
“She seemed to know you, Ma’am. Said she was looking forward to ‘seeing you again’.”
“It couldn’t be Aleshia. How would she have gotten out here? Did her husband get reassigned? He was a Staff Major in the home guard.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know, Ma’am. And I can’t contact them right now, for security reasons.”
“Yes, yes, I understand. Well, we’ll see when they get here.”
Just then the first of the guests started to arrive, lasses and dependents from Eukles own. They were coming almost as much as hosts as guests, and the lasses scattered themselves around looking for ways to be useful, except for Eudoria, who came over. “Oh, Illoia, this is so nice. I’m so glad to get out of that dorm, and to meet other lasses and all.”
“Well, we’re hardly ever in our dorm, but I’ll be happy to meet everyone too. But I’m kind of nervous. They tell me my father is coming.”
“Your father?! The governor of Tarreno??”
“Yes. I’m totally shocked. I have no idea what is going on, and I don’t like being in that position.”
“I think they’re here,” she said, and I whirled around.
At first I really didn’t recognise any of them, except by number, because they were all in uniform, and their helmets were silvered, which they usually did when we went through the jungle, but we all had our set to some setting where we could look through them. But then I recognised the odd ‘rank’ setting on a man about three back in the crowd and knew who it must be. And knew who the lass must be next to him.
“Daddy!” I yelled, and ran across the compound, launching myself into his arms… and nearly knocking him down. I’d forgotten how much stronger I was than I had been.
“Illoia!” he said, spinning me around in a circle. I never would have done this back at home, but I had realised that the military families were much more demonstrative about family than the class I had grown up with back home.
“Mother!” I said, more sedately, and we hugged.
“What are you doing here, Father?” I asked.
“I am using the excuse of a tour of the sector planets to visit my daughter. We would have been here sooner, but various issues kept delaying the trip. And we didn’t come alone,” he said.
“Illoia!” Illoia heard and turned around. “Aleshia!” she said and, awkward in their combat suits, the two lasses hugged.
“I feel like I’m hugging a watermelon,” Illoia said.
“I feel like a watermelon,” Aleshia answered. “Triplets and your father would insist on my coming on this trip. Not that I’m not glad to see you!”
“And it was good for your husband, too. I see he has been made commander?”
“Acting, home assigned, staff, liason, but, yes. And perfect for him, I think. He did his combat tours, and did fine, but I don’t think he’s destined to be one of the front line bad-lads like your husband.”
“And I saw you with twins and triplets? And a wet nurse?”“Yes. The wet nurse is his sister. The poor lass hasn’t had a shirt on in a year!”
They both laughed. “What does her husband do?”
“He’s a hacker, of all things. That works out very well, all round. He can do his work anywhere, and does. We’re always having to get him off his comp… oh, you should see the version that he has! He does something with combat comps, as I understand it, so was pretty excited to get to come on this trip and get to see his stuff ‘in action’. Not that he sees much, he’s always too busy hacking.”
“How… how is father?”
“After today I couldn’t tell you. He’s handled the whole thing very well, politically. Your young hero might as well have saved the dictator himself from a century of aliens in hand to hand combat, for the way your father is playing him up. Quietly, carefully. He is a master politician, even in today’s age.”
Illoia lowered her voice, “He might not be overplaying it. I have only gotten glimpses of the whole story, but he seems to be high up in estimation. I have heard him, a couple of times, say, ‘When I spoke to the dictator.’”
“Those aren’t words to be used lightly,” Aleshia agreed. “Not unless one wants a midnight visit from the Ash. ”
Article 17
Article 17 is a military science fiction story with aliens and romance. It is set in a future reminiscent of Napoleon era Britain. The war was going very poorly until the military installed a dictator. This story follows one of the dictator’s great men: Cladin Tomirosh, Leader, and thrice decorated hero.
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Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!
Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.
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If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.
Von also writes as ‘Arthur Yeomans’. Under that name he writes children’s, YA, and adult fiction from a Christian perspective. His books are published by Wise Path Books and include the children’s/YA books:
The Bobtails meet the Preacher’s Kid
and
As well as GK Chesterton’s wonderful book, “What’s Wrong with the World”, for which ‘Arthur’ wrote most of the annotations.
Arthur also has a substack, and a website. On the substack you can listen to some of his published books. Free.
Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von
Other Stories
Article 17 is not my only story on Substack. I have another light dystopia, or cultural sci-fi. And a Sci-Fantasy, with elves and dwarves. And a Morality Play, ala Aesop’s Fables.
Contract Marriage Intro
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Prologue IP0
Island People is a young adult fantasy book centring on a young prince. The book starts with his kidnapping and follows his adventures as he not only escapes from his kidnapper but gains critical allies and friends.