to Jonathan.
“Jonathan, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Your Excellence.”
He nodded. “Jonathan, why was Mr. Dawes not given an Imperial ring?”
“He gave me one,” I interrupted. They both looked at me wide-eyed. “Your Excellence,” I tacked on. He took a long look at my hands. “I told him I didn’t want to wear it.” I shrugged uncomfortably. “I just…didn’t want to.” My face was hot.
He looked up at me, eyebrows high. A smile teased the corner of his mouth. “Oh? Well, I’m sorry we weren’t able to choose something that met with your approval.”
If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn he was teasing me. That scared me. I didn’t want to attract his attention any more than necessary. I’d already learned that it was never safe to be on the radar of those in authority.
“I didn’t mean any disrespect, Excellence. I didn’t realize it was important.”
“It’s not,” he said. “At least, it doesn’t need to be. Most people place a great deal of importance on it, but if you don’t, then you don’t.” He seemed to be sincere, but I didn’t trust it. Why bring it up if it wasn’t important?
And yet, the fact that we were even discussing the ring made me even less inclined to wear it, just to be contrary.
“Thank you, Excellence.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying your stay, Mr. Dawes. I’m sure I’ll see you aboard ship,” he said, and I knew he was dismissing me. I bowed and walked away, and Jonathan followed, looking at me sideways.
“What?” I asked. He just shook his head, a slight smile on his face.
fg 11
I returned to my room and picked up my book again, but I was full of nervous anticipation and still uncomfortable about the conversation with the emperor.
“Jonathan, may I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Do you like your job?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Don’t say what you think I want to hear, and I’m not talking about me, anyway. Do you like serving people like you do?”
“Yes,” he answered, “I do. There are many worse jobs. I’m always warm and comfortable, and in much better circumstances and places and company than I would be on my own. And to work at the palace is an incredible achievement, even if you’re just a toilet scrubber,”
I snorted. “They use robots to do that sort of thing.”
“I know,” he said, his mouth quirking.
“But didn’t you want to do something else when you were growing up? I mean, this wasn’t what you dreamed of doing, is it?”
He hesitated. “My dreams weren’t realistic. This is. In fact, I am very lucky to be here. I’m from a mining colony on Dessas. Everyone I grew up with is working in the mines now. It almost defies belief that I have this position. Yes, I’m very happy about my job.”
I thought about that. “I shouldn’t be here either,” I said. He looked at me, waiting. “I’m an unclass from the worst part of Mexico City. We don’t get jobs at the palace.”
“But you were chosen for the Intellectual Complex,” he countered. “People like that do indeed end up at the palace.”
“But that’s not the life I was born to.”
“Of course it is. What got you chosen for the IIC, if not the abilities you were born with?”
“Well then, your abilities are what got you here too.”
“No,” he smiled. “No, I’m here because of my connections. My uncle’s employer got promoted to a job here on Earth and when I came of age, he helped me get here and find employment.”
“Well, maybe things will keep going well for you and you’ll get a better placement soon.”
“There are few better placements than to a permanent appointee of the emperor.” I grimaced at his reference to my permanent status, but he misunderstood. “If you are unhappy with me, Mr. Dawes, you need only speak to the Head Steward and someone else will be assigned to you.”
“No, no, I’m not unhappy with you. I kind of like you. It’s just…Never mind, it’s nothing.”
His eyebrow
“Jonathan, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Your Excellence.”
He nodded. “Jonathan, why was Mr. Dawes not given an Imperial ring?”
“He gave me one,” I interrupted. They both looked at me wide-eyed. “Your Excellence,” I tacked on. He took a long look at my hands. “I told him I didn’t want to wear it.” I shrugged uncomfortably. “I just…didn’t want to.” My face was hot.
He looked up at me, eyebrows high. A smile teased the corner of his mouth. “Oh? Well, I’m sorry we weren’t able to choose something that met with your approval.”
If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn he was teasing me. That scared me. I didn’t want to attract his attention any more than necessary. I’d already learned that it was never safe to be on the radar of those in authority.
“I didn’t mean any disrespect, Excellence. I didn’t realize it was important.”
“It’s not,” he said. “At least, it doesn’t need to be. Most people place a great deal of importance on it, but if you don’t, then you don’t.” He seemed to be sincere, but I didn’t trust it. Why bring it up if it wasn’t important?
And yet, the fact that we were even discussing the ring made me even less inclined to wear it, just to be contrary.
“Thank you, Excellence.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying your stay, Mr. Dawes. I’m sure I’ll see you aboard ship,” he said, and I knew he was dismissing me. I bowed and walked away, and Jonathan followed, looking at me sideways.
“What?” I asked. He just shook his head, a slight smile on his face.
fg 11
I returned to my room and picked up my book again, but I was full of nervous anticipation and still uncomfortable about the conversation with the emperor.
“Jonathan, may I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Do you like your job?”
“Of course, sir.”
“Don’t say what you think I want to hear, and I’m not talking about me, anyway. Do you like serving people like you do?”
“Yes,” he answered, “I do. There are many worse jobs. I’m always warm and comfortable, and in much better circumstances and places and company than I would be on my own. And to work at the palace is an incredible achievement, even if you’re just a toilet scrubber,”
I snorted. “They use robots to do that sort of thing.”
“I know,” he said, his mouth quirking.
“But didn’t you want to do something else when you were growing up? I mean, this wasn’t what you dreamed of doing, is it?”
He hesitated. “My dreams weren’t realistic. This is. In fact, I am very lucky to be here. I’m from a mining colony on Dessas. Everyone I grew up with is working in the mines now. It almost defies belief that I have this position. Yes, I’m very happy about my job.”
I thought about that. “I shouldn’t be here either,” I said. He looked at me, waiting. “I’m an unclass from the worst part of Mexico City. We don’t get jobs at the palace.”
“But you were chosen for the Intellectual Complex,” he countered. “People like that do indeed end up at the palace.”
“But that’s not the life I was born to.”
“Of course it is. What got you chosen for the IIC, if not the abilities you were born with?”
“Well then, your abilities are what got you here too.”
“No,” he smiled. “No, I’m here because of my connections. My uncle’s employer got promoted to a job here on Earth and when I came of age, he helped me get here and find employment.”
“Well, maybe things will keep going well for you and you’ll get a better placement soon.”
“There are few better placements than to a permanent appointee of the emperor.” I grimaced at his reference to my permanent status, but he misunderstood. “If you are unhappy with me, Mr. Dawes, you need only speak to the Head Steward and someone else will be assigned to you.”
“No, no, I’m not unhappy with you. I kind of like you. It’s just…Never mind, it’s nothing.”
His eyebrow
Similar Books
