were subdued. Like his own residence, S’anra’s home on Nimbus III was located outside of Paradise City, and, despite its obvious attention to creature comforts, it was equipped with a variety of potent concealed defenses. It would seem she’s taken the same lessons from D’tran’s death that I have, Jetanien concluded.
She set down her drink. “Since you took the liberty of arrivingwith an ample supply of your own beverage, I presume your visit is not about availing yourself of my hospitality.”
“Not entirely, no,” he confessed. “Though who could resist your charming company?”
Her gaze sharpened as she studied him. He could tell that, far from the eager young naïf she had presented herself as months earlier to his assistant, Sergio Moreno, S’anra was a shrewd if inexperienced player in the political arena. “What are we really here to talk about?”
“Any number of topics present themselves.” Jetanien kept her waiting a few moments by taking another swig of N’va’a and then setting down his bowl before sitting back against his portable glenget, a special type of kneeling chair designed to accommodate his unusual anatomy. “Your assumption of D’tran’s mantle of diplomacy here on Nimbus III; the need to defuse tensions between our two governments following that unfortunate incident with the Enterprise and one of your birds-of-prey; the Romulan Star Empire’s new accord with the Klingons; the rumors of a new praetor rising to power on Romulus in the next year; my suspicion that you’ve initiated a sexual relationship with my assistant, Sergio, as a means of compromising my privacy. Many things are in short supply on Nimbus III these days, my dear, but worthy topics of conversation we possess in abundance.”
She tapped her index finger twice on the tabletop and narrowed her eyes. “I saw what you did there, Jetanien. You muddied the waters with an excess of verbiage to conceal which subject really matters most to you. It was an especially deft gambit to finish with a personal accusation designed to make me feel defensive and vulnerable, so that I would dismiss the rest of your prattle as preamble. But I think it’s the new accord with the Klingons that sparks your interest.”
“What a curious presumption,” Jetanien dissembled. “Why would you think that?”
Projecting her suspicion like a rebuke, S’anra said, “Off the top of my head? There’s no reason to discuss my succession of D’tran as your clandestine channel to Romulus; it’s a fait accompli.The Enterprise fiasco is far too public to merit our attention, and any rumors of a new praetor are woefully premature—as I’m sure you already know. And you should have more faith in your man Sergio. His only virtue greater than his stamina is his phenomenal discretion. Your secrets are safe with him, Jetanien—but you already knew that, too, or else you would certainly have forbidden him to become my lover.”
“Actually, I did forbid it. When I took him to task for his disobedience, his only defense was the rather cryptic human expression, ‘ É l’amore .’” Jetanien had to stop himself from grinding the halves of his mandible in frustration. “If he weren’t such an exemplary attaché in every other respect, I’d have fired him on the spot. I might do so yet.”
S’anra threw her head back and laughed, then half covered her mouth with her fingers. “Please don’t,” she said with a teasing lilt. “I rather enjoy him.”
“You mean you enjoy his company.”
A rakish tilt of her head. “That, too.” Putting on a more serious air, she continued. “In any event, that leaves the Romulan-Klingon accord as the sole remaining topic of interest.”
“If you say so,” Jetanien replied, feigning disinterest. “I suspect your alliance will be short-lived.”
She picked up her drink and lounged back, affecting a casual air. “Alliance? That’s quite a loaded word. I think you might be overstating our
She set down her drink. “Since you took the liberty of arrivingwith an ample supply of your own beverage, I presume your visit is not about availing yourself of my hospitality.”
“Not entirely, no,” he confessed. “Though who could resist your charming company?”
Her gaze sharpened as she studied him. He could tell that, far from the eager young naïf she had presented herself as months earlier to his assistant, Sergio Moreno, S’anra was a shrewd if inexperienced player in the political arena. “What are we really here to talk about?”
“Any number of topics present themselves.” Jetanien kept her waiting a few moments by taking another swig of N’va’a and then setting down his bowl before sitting back against his portable glenget, a special type of kneeling chair designed to accommodate his unusual anatomy. “Your assumption of D’tran’s mantle of diplomacy here on Nimbus III; the need to defuse tensions between our two governments following that unfortunate incident with the Enterprise and one of your birds-of-prey; the Romulan Star Empire’s new accord with the Klingons; the rumors of a new praetor rising to power on Romulus in the next year; my suspicion that you’ve initiated a sexual relationship with my assistant, Sergio, as a means of compromising my privacy. Many things are in short supply on Nimbus III these days, my dear, but worthy topics of conversation we possess in abundance.”
She tapped her index finger twice on the tabletop and narrowed her eyes. “I saw what you did there, Jetanien. You muddied the waters with an excess of verbiage to conceal which subject really matters most to you. It was an especially deft gambit to finish with a personal accusation designed to make me feel defensive and vulnerable, so that I would dismiss the rest of your prattle as preamble. But I think it’s the new accord with the Klingons that sparks your interest.”
“What a curious presumption,” Jetanien dissembled. “Why would you think that?”
Projecting her suspicion like a rebuke, S’anra said, “Off the top of my head? There’s no reason to discuss my succession of D’tran as your clandestine channel to Romulus; it’s a fait accompli.The Enterprise fiasco is far too public to merit our attention, and any rumors of a new praetor are woefully premature—as I’m sure you already know. And you should have more faith in your man Sergio. His only virtue greater than his stamina is his phenomenal discretion. Your secrets are safe with him, Jetanien—but you already knew that, too, or else you would certainly have forbidden him to become my lover.”
“Actually, I did forbid it. When I took him to task for his disobedience, his only defense was the rather cryptic human expression, ‘ É l’amore .’” Jetanien had to stop himself from grinding the halves of his mandible in frustration. “If he weren’t such an exemplary attaché in every other respect, I’d have fired him on the spot. I might do so yet.”
S’anra threw her head back and laughed, then half covered her mouth with her fingers. “Please don’t,” she said with a teasing lilt. “I rather enjoy him.”
“You mean you enjoy his company.”
A rakish tilt of her head. “That, too.” Putting on a more serious air, she continued. “In any event, that leaves the Romulan-Klingon accord as the sole remaining topic of interest.”
“If you say so,” Jetanien replied, feigning disinterest. “I suspect your alliance will be short-lived.”
She picked up her drink and lounged back, affecting a casual air. “Alliance? That’s quite a loaded word. I think you might be overstating our
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