Message

“Oh, Illoia!” Aleshia squealed, bursting into her cabin, “Did you hear? I was 17’d by a Staff Major! And one assigned to our own home guards, so we shouldn’t have to travel or anything! Do you know what a Staff Major is, Darling? I didn’t, but I do now. It’s a step you have to go through before you become general, and you aren’t in the ‘line of command’, which I didn’t understand before last night, but he spent a lot of time explaining it.

“But, Oh, it was so incredible, I’m sorry you missed it. After your hero tapped you, everyone calls him that, after the two of you, oh, that was so romantic, the way he burst in and interrupted you… but your father is going to be so upset! After he snapped you up, I’m sure you weren’t paying attention, the dam absolutely broke and all of the lads came over and everyone got snapped up, with lad after lad coming over and tapping shoulders. I was one of the last, I suppose they were scared, since my father is so rich, and then I felt a tap on my shoulder, which I really wasn’t expecting, and it was a Staff Major! And we danced and danced, everyone was dancing, and then we registered, long after you did, we stayed oh so late!” 

“But oh, Illoia, your father is going to be irate! I don’t envy your young hero when he has to face him.”

“Well, he won’t have to,” Illoia said, trying to break Aleshia’s flow of ‘gush’. Aleshia was  usually a little more sensible than this! But getting 17’d could break any lasses control… “we are going off to the front right away.”

“Oh, how romantic! I know you won’t believe this, darling, but I guessed he was going to go after you.”

“What?!”

“Yes, Darling. It was only the once, but we were… what were we doing… oh, yes, that nice ship’s officer was showing us around, and he came, your husband, that is, came around the corner, and he stopped, and he looked at you. What a look he gave you! It made me shiver. But I didn’t tell you, because, you know, he was just an army officer, altho oh so decorated, and I didn’t really think he would…”

“Aleshia, that’s all very interesting, but I need you to do something for me. It is good you are home assigned. We aren’t, as I said we are going immediately to a colony planet, on the front, so Papa will have to find out that I have been seventeen’d via vid. Which is a horrible way of finding out anything, let alone something like this. So I want you to deliver the news in person. You know they are always hacking those vids, and I don’t want my private message spread all over the universe.”

“Oh, I know darling, isn’t it horrible! But, me, give a message to your father? In person?? He is going to be so upset!”

“Yes, and you will need to be brave.”

There was a moments pause as Aleshia’s face went through a range of emotions. Then, finally, she sat down, “I’m not very good at brave. I certainly haven’t practiced much. What do you need me to tell him?”

“Tell him that I married Leader Tomirosh…”

“But you didn’t, Darling, you were seventeen’d. That’s what everyone calls it, no one uses the word ‘married’ when…”

“Lesh, let me finish. Tell him that I ‘married him’ and tell him I am ‘very pleased’ with the marriage. I don’t want him all mad with my husband.

“Listen. You know how many lads are dying on the front, and how few coming home. You know that most lasses, and their fathers, are getting desperate for husbands.”

“You wouldn’t have that problem, dear. Altho you were getting a bit old…”

“No, I wouldn’t have.  Oh, how can I make you understand. If Daddy gets mad over this, if he’s seen to be mad, the dictator himself might hear of it… and it won’t do Daddy any good with the population either. They are all desperate for husbands for their daughters, so if Daddy complains when I marry a three time dictators own, what will they think?”

“Oh…”

“Our family survived the coup, and Daddy has held very carefully onto power. This new Article, 17, is probably designed to test our loyalty.”

“And to get more marriages, darling. People were beginning to talk.”

“Yes, and to get more marriages. You know how many fathers… not ours of course, but, well, you know what I mean… they seek out 17 meetings of all sorts to try to get their daughters married to soldiers. It is a political protection nowadays, even if you get widowed but even more so if you have a daughter or two with the army. More so than a serving son, it seems.”

“Yes…”

“So, daddy can benefit from my marriage, if he handles it right. And he can even be helpful to Tom and I.”

“‘Tom and I’,” Aleshia grinned, “you make it sound like you’re a real couple already.”

“Well, we will need to be. Off to a world on the front and all.”

Aleshia mused for a few seconds. “But Darling, if I tell him you ‘married him’ and that you’re pleased and all… that you encouraged the poor lad to marry you, then he will be mad at you?”

“I can handle Daddy being mad at me. And that won’t last long, anyway. But I want my marriage to be a success. It is a done deal. I am married, we have spent the night together (and a long night that was too! It is so annoying. He doesn’t talk hardly at all, but he hums constantly!)

“Anyway … my life is his life, his success is my success. He wants to be a General, and thinks he can get it done. But if Daddy uses his power and influence against my own husband…”

“A General? That is very respectable. Why, my Staff Major in Home Guard is already respectable at his rank, or so he assures he, and he’s hoping for at least one more step before he retires and goes into business.”

“Yes, so, well, will you deliver my message?”

“I don’t look forward to it. Your father is known for his temper.” She shuddered. “But, yes, Darling, I will. God bless you and yours on your journey. The front. How horribly exciting.”

“And dangerous. You know as well as I do that most promotions come from just managing to survive your tour.”

“Oh, yes, Darling,” Alsheia said, sounding close to tears.

“It could have been worse,” Illioa reminded her. “Who knows what kind of lad Papa would have picked.”

“He would have picked some up and coming political type,” Aleshia drawled. “The rumor was he was thinking about Gregin.”

“Well, there you go. Can you imagine me and Gregin?”

“What’s wrong with Gregin?”

“Oh, my Dear, he agrees with absolutely everything Daddy says! It is nauseating.”

Aleshia giggled, “Well, I don’t think you will have to worry about that with your husband. But, seriously Illoia, I know you are shocked by the way he manoeuvred you into marrying him but, you can’t really object to him. A three-time DO, only a year older than you, I know that is more to your taste, your very odd taste. You could have done far, far worse back home.”

Illoia felt her face redden. Indeed she could have done worse. It was only the fact that he had manoeuvred her into the marriage that… “Or I could have gotten called by the dictator, and been put as part of his harem, or given to one of his favorites…” she said, hoping to get Aleshia on a different subject.

(Images courtesy of playground.)

Aleshia flushed, “Darling, we can’t talk about…”

“Yes, but it could have happened, and you know it. We’ve all heard of the daughters of important men being taken to keep their fathers in line. Who knows, perhaps my own husband was told to pick me by the dictator himself. To keep Papa in line.”

“Oh, Darling, do you think so?!” Aleshia leaned forward, looking perversely excited.

“I can’t tell. It’s the kind of thing the dictator might do. I doubt my husband would ever admit it if it was true. What he told me was that he 17’d me because he thought I would make a good breeder and manage his social schedule well.”

“His social schedule?” Aleshia asked with a grin that was almost a leer. “I have a feeling most of his social schedule will involve just two people and one bed and…”

“Lesh!” Illoia complained, reddening. She had thought the same thing, and it certainly was proper to say so, but it was ever so embarassing.

“Seriously, Darling, I’m sure you will do all of that well. Your mother is certainly breeding well, is raising her children well, and you’re marvellous at social events. Your parties are almost as good as mine. But, Darling, going to the front…”

“I’m sure its not that bad where I’ll be,” Illoia said, hoping there was some truth in the statement.

They sat in silence for a few seconds then Aleshia asked, “So, do you love him yet?”

“Oh, Darling, don’t be silly. You know the old saying: Children are for loving, friends are for liking, wives are for breeding, and husbands are for… enduring!”

Aleshia laughed. “Hopefully he won’t need too much enduring!”

Illoia didn’t know how to answer that, so she changed the subject, “I was so surprised when he tapped me on the shoulder though!”

“Well I wasn’t.”

“Yes, I know. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“Darling, that would have spoiled all the fun. And I really hadn’t expected a 17 meeting. That was very odd. I was hoping for something at presentation.”

“Well, I guess I have to confess I’m not surprised by your Staff Major! I saw him eyeing you that evening, you remember, the lecture on ‘New Techniques in Space Mining”…?”

“Oh, that was boring… but you saw him ‘eyeing me’? Did you think he would ask after me?”

“Not like this. I thought maybe he might quietly approach your guardian…”

“He had done! I didn’t tell you that part of the story. He had approached him! And my guardian, stuffy old bird, had said that he didn’t think my father would object to the military connection, but that he wasn’t sure what I would say! They had planned on getting him invited to our house for some functions and, you know, seeing how we did together, but at the Article 17 meeting he decided to just jump in with both feet.”

“So… you like him?”

“Oh, Darling, I’m not like you. You know I never wanted to have to break in a young lad. This way I get a mature man and a ready made family…”

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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!

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Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von

Links

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.

Intro // Podcast Version

She was pretty, popular, snobby, and a planetary governor’s daughter. He was the son of shopkeepers, a social misfit, and a decorated hero. She thought she was there to dance. He had other ideas.

A Dance // Podcast Version

As a governor’s daughter, Illoia usually avoided such events, but when the captain made the announcement that there was to be an Article 17 dance, she, too, was forced to attend. If only the scum hadn’t been there too.

The Unbridgeable Chasm // Podcast Version

Eukles and Meriones, brave military leaders, quail at the idea of crossing the gulf between themselves and asking a lass to dance.

There He Is // Podcast Version

The young hero comes in, and Aleshia and Illoyia gossip about him.

Look at the Young Hero // Podcast Version

The young hero comes in, and greets Eukles and Meriones… and announces his intentions.

Target // Podcast Version

Tom, Leader Cladin Tomirosh, sets his sights on the governors daughter. She isn’t impressed.

Fuming // Podcast Version

Tom and Illoia dance, while she desperately tries to get him to go away!

Now’s Our Chance! // Podcast Version

Eukles and Meriones use Tom and Illoia as a distraction and stalk their own girls.

To Slap or Not to Slap // Podcast Version

Meriones introduces himself to his new wife with a slap on the backside.

No Sane Man // Podcast Version

Illoia insults the young hero, and he proposes.

Never You, Darling // Podcast Version

Illoia finds herself unable to turn down his proposal.

A Wild Dance // Podcast Version

Illoia finds being Tom’s Consented Wife hard… with wild New Irish dances and immodest ones.

Registered // Podcast Version

A new marriage is registered. All hail the dictator!

Middy’s Got a Lass! // Podcast Version

Medinia is deliriously happy… she got 17d!

A Duel to the Death // Podcast Version

Illoia wakes up next to her new husband.