Somebody Else's Space Program
---
Chapter Forty Eight "...Hey, you, keep your head down, Don't you look around..."
Mairyonven took off the headset and put it carefully onto the desktop. "They've all been arrested -- 'detained' is the official word."
"Enemy aliens." Ross's voice was bleak. "Any word on Envyss himself?"
"He's with the detainees. They don't know he's part of the royal family -- he's travelling under his father's clan name. But it's only a matter of time before the Akshobhya find out who he is."
Ross slammed his hand down on the desk. "Why did he have to be going to school _there_ of all places?"
"Best engineering school in the world. That's what he wanted, and he didn't see any reason to change his mind. A few years apart, not that much of a hardship for the rewards..."
A messenger came into the room, barely slowing to knock. "Your Serenity, I have a private message for you from Envyss."
Her glance swept the room, and the others stopped their work and left. Ross headed for the door -- "No, stay, Ross." The door closed. "Go ahead."
The messenger was a trained mimic, and it was not hard to imagine Envyss there in front of them, talking. "Star of the World, greetings, and greetings as well to my partner. Injuries were minor, although some of our people are still unaccounted-for. You know my opinion of the people on the hill -- it has worsened. I expect to be coddled for the duration, although the supply of bedwarmers is less than esthetic."
Ross laughed at that.
Mairyonven, "Did I miss something?"
"Females. The local women don't believe he's not interested. He's had to literally throw them out of his bed. But he can't tell them why -- it's not just illegal to perform those acts, admitting he prefers men can be grounds for him to be thrown out of the country for ... oh, what was the phrase... 'moral turpitude.'"
"Perhaps that would have been better."
"Not now. He's in detention. It would be so easy to toss him in with the worst offenders, just as a 'mistake.' Messenger. Any more?"
The messenger nodded. "I expect to be offered in exchange for treaty concessions or even territory. Don't. It will greatly inconvenience us, but losing me will only lose a few years, not the destiny of a people."
The messenger took a deep breath. "Ross, in my suite in the palace is a safe. The keyword is 'golden' and it has records you want to look at. Take care of Mairyonven and I'll try not to be too long the next time." The messenger bowed and waited.
"You may go," Mairyonven said. The messenger left, leaving Ross and Mairyonven alone. "Congratulations," she said, dryly."
"I don't understand."
"I knew you were lovers. Envyss has been in love with the _idea_ of you since he was a child. I think it's the blond hair. Did he ever use the word 'partner' to you?" She followed with the word "khymreth."
"Yes."
"Just mentioned it? That someday you would be partners?"
"No." Did she relax? "That's what he called what we were. Just after the first time we made love, he told me 'You are my partner. You have always _been_ my partner.' And it took me a while, but I believe him, now."
"My son is a romantic. He waited for you, rather than accept his adult night... Did he tell you that?"
"That's what he claimed. Mairyonven, how much danger is he in? I don't know how well the Akshobhya honor diplomatic immunity."
"He's not covered. The Akshobhya won't let that sort of student attend their universities -- they tend to be troublemakers. Ordinary passport. Danger... Some, depending on what their public demands. There are some distinct disadvantages to that barely-codified mob rule of theirs."
"Then he has to be rescued. When do I leave?"
"You don't. I don't have anyone here who can replace you. I have many people who are very well trained in military matters, both overt and covert. If you go, we risk losing both of you. I will not permit it."
Ross scowled at her. "He's my partner."
"Yes. But he is not your child. Ross, I can have you put under house arrest. Do _not_ force my hand."
A long glare, then Ross melted. "What can I do here?"
"I don't know yet. You'll get updates as they exist. In the meantime, isn't there a safe you're curious about?"
"No. That part of the message smacked of 'If I don't come back, read this.' It can wait."
"As you wish."
---
Envyss paced. His passport had him listed as minor nobility, not at all rare for foreigners in Akshobhya -- the schools were too expensive for commoners as a rule. So the accommodations, technically arrest, were in a hotel of middling quality... with a lot of guards and cameras.
Not all of his fellow detainees were hruss. The Akshobhya had decided that everyone west of them was suspect, or at least a convenient identity for their enemies to hide behind. The room assignments scrambled nationalities, and there were strict rules about using languages other than Akshobhyan.
Envyss had been "blessed" with a young lady for a roommate, a music student named Thoasis from Perimed who had not been permitted to bring any of her instruments with her. She had limited resources for dealing with boredom: singing and trying to seduce Envyss, both of which were annoying Envyss to the edge of his endurance.
"When I go home," he finally said, "I'd like you to come visit."
Thoasis brightened. Was she finally getting his attention? "Certainly."
He looked at her and smiled. He was sure that the tonal qualities of that voice could be harnessed somehow as a weapon of war. Then a thought, "What kinds of instruments do you think we can improvise here?"
"Percussion always exists. Wind is the next easiest."
"Examples?"
She looked around. "Almost anything that you can blow through will make a sound. It's not always pretty, and not always loud. Let's see..."
---
A wind or percussion instrument can be used to communicate. Especially to sound alarms. Envyss made himself an extremely annoying little whistle, and carried it on a lanyard around his neck, beneath his clothes.
"You're just not going to cooperate, are you," Thoasis asked.
Envyss gently pushed her hands away from him. "Thoasis, I'm married. I promised to be faithful."
"She's not here. How will she ever know?"
"I will know. My honor will know. That's enough."
"You are so strange. I didn't know the hruss bothered with getting married."
"Many of us do not. _We_ did."
"And then you left, to come to university. Why didn't you bring her with you?"
"My love is safe at home, not here with me in danger. I'm content with that."
She smiled fondly, "Children?"
"No. Nieces and nephews by the dozen underfoot -- we might just adopt some of them to spread out the childcare."
That seemed to mollify her for a while. "What's her name?"
"Auryn Rhos."
"Auryn sounds like one of your words for gold or golden. Is she?"
"Oh, yes. Hair like finest spun gold, skin the color of honey in the light, and a voice pure and clear and so sweet -- I miss Auryn's voice the most."
---
"News?"
"He's on their list of detainees. One of the guards was persuaded to get a message to him."
"Bribery?"
"Combination of bribery and blackmail. Just because your favorite vice is illegal doesn't mean you don't occasionally indulge -- just be wary of foreign nationals with cameras. I think she might immigrate after the war is over."