"Yarix News was the first of the home system broadcasters to reach out for comment, but they have not been the last.As they are a Creche Hanalthi affiliate, and Creche Hanalthi is invested heavily in the station guard on Sozamia, of course they would catch wind of your – yourbrazenactions.I have taken the liberty of translating their article for you so that you might begin to understand the scope of what you have done."They stabbed a finger at their wristband, and my own beeped as it received the file.
I pulled it up, skimming the text and glancing through the pictures.There was a photo of Araxis and me at the victory ceremony at the Tournament; another of the cultural centre in Radiant Ward; there was a grainy photograph of a pale abaya with an unbound crest – the leader of the Unbound who'd been speaking and who had, the caption informed me, evaded capture yet again; there was another as well of the marn officer who I'd been speaking with.It looked like he was quoted.I tapped the little icon to the corner, and a video clip played.
"Sashen of Creche Thiel was here with anumberof crecheless abaya.He said, very plainly, that he thinks fines for disorderly conduct and agitation are, and I am quoting,stupid!He said debt claims and fines shouldn't even exist."A mottled green and teal was undulating beneath Lurjo's skin: he was having a field day; I'd probably made his fucking year.
I tapped the video off, looking up at Vivith."And?"
Vivith's jaw pulsed with tension, the sound in their throat close to a growl."AndCreche Hanalthi was meant to be a creche we might win to our side, Sashen, to say nothing of the letter we havealreadyreceived from Creche Arvas – whose pilot we require in order to return to Xitera.You have publicly questioned the legitimacy of legal systems and traditions so complex you cannot begin to fathom their scale and significance!You have behaved as though thereshouldbe no consequences for sheltering the Unbound!You have made enemies out of those who should be our allies!You have –"
The door to the meeting room slid open with a rattle.Vivith, who'd been leaning closer with each word, fists curling tighter and tighter, reacted before I did, their posture slackening like a taut rope that had been cut.They allowed themself to fall back to an upright seated position, chin dipping down as they stared at their cold cup of tea.
I twisted my neck, looking up at Araxis, and at once I saw the source of the sudden change.
Araxis was incandescent with rage – and that rage was crackling in Vivith's direction.His jaw was tight, his black eyes wide and fathomless as he stared down at his creche-mate; beneath that stare lurked the kind of exhaustion borne of being up all night.I knew it pretty well, and I'd seen it growing in him, day by day since we'd arrived on station.There was what looked like a smudge of grease on the back of one of his hands, which were clenched into fists at his side.His jumpsuit was worn and dirty, like he'd rushed to get here as soon as he'd finished with Egnax on the ship.
All at once, my heart panged with something I couldn't name.He looked like the Araxis frombefore: before the Tournament, before I'd known anything about him, before I'd known what he had done.The Araxis I had fallen in love with.
I'd never needed him to be a space prince.We probably would have been a lot better off if he wasn't.In fact, I knew we would have; none of the rest of it would have happened.
Araxis stepped into the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.He stepped around the table, dropping heavily to a cushion at my side.I wanted to reach and put a hand on his thigh, to touch his hand, to caress the line of his shoulder – but I couldn't, not yet, not when Vivith's accusatory words still hung in the air like acrid smoke.
I swallowed in the silence.I reached for the teapot, filling my own empty cup.I placed it gently before him, nudging it close."You must be tired," I said, quiet.
He spared me a soft look."Thank you."
"I have sent you several worrying articles from Xitera this morning, Araxis," started Vivith, head still tipped downward."They came in on the morning burst."
"I have read them," said Araxis, voice thin.He took the cup, taking a slow sip, allowing the silence to lengthen.
"Then you understand that thiscannotgo unaddressed," continued Vivith.
Araxis blinked once, slow."Yes, I understand."
Something twisted hard in my stomach, but then one of Araxis's hands drifted to mine, which was clenched hard against my leg.His fingers skated over the back of my hand, tracing the tendons, the bumps and ridges of my knuckles which had been split and healed not too long ago – not that he could know that.The moment he touched me, I understood: he reallywasn'tupset with me.
"He has jeopardizedeverything, Araxis."It was almost a plea, Vivith jerking their head up to look at him, features pinched.They switched to abayan."If we do not work to remediate this mess, the Assembly will believe we sympathize with the Unbound.Even you can admit –"
"You know I do not care for their ideology," he said, blunt."Even if they occasionally strike a true note."
"Then we must –"
"In Standard," Araxis said."You are speaking about Sashen.Do so in a way he can understand."
Vivith made a sharp, irritated sound and shot me a look I could only describe as venomous."Wemust," they said, "make a statement immediately.I believe if we address Sashen's actions and explain that he is emotional, that he has struggled to adjust to this role because he is ahumanvirra, we may be able to bring Creche Hanalthi back on side.Creche Arvas, though they are decidedly not pleased – I have had word this morning to that effect – will likely be forgiving so long as we are careful in our approach.I have started to prepare a release we can send directly to Yarix News and –"
"Yes, I agree," said Araxis."We should make a statement.Sashen, could you explain what motivated your actions yesterday?"His thumb was gentle as it stroked my skin, and I almost shivered under his touch.
I nodded, looking not at Vivith, but directly at him."I was there," I said carefully."At the start of the speech anyway.I was curious; it was a big gathering."Across the table, Vivith scoffed, but I continued to ignore them, losing myself instead in Araxis's black eyes, the curious tilt of his head, the weight of his thumb on my skin – warm."There wasn't a riot.There wasn't anyviolence.The guards came in and – did what guards do.And all of these crecheless abaya were locked up because they couldn't pay a release fine for bullshit charges, and if those don't get paid, they go to these… labour camps.And I don't know much about them but it sounds bad and – just a fucking waste.And the artist whose work we were looking at, Celravi, she was detained too.I know her; I'vemether and she's lovely.It was just – It was sostupid, Araxis.I know what it's like to live like that, on the edge, and you're just so… vulnerable.And I could fix it, so that's what I did."
"Hm."He was quiet next to me.Then, "Thank you."His gaze drifted back to Vivith, features still placid, as they had been since he'd sat down.As they had been since that first, supernova-bright burst of fury."I will prepare a statement.Creche Eshos is correct: the treatment of our crecheless kin is deplorable; it is unacceptable.You know as well as I do, Vivith, that fines are levied on the crecheless for the sake of detention and forced labour.You are aware that this is one of the ways that the Concord consolidates power and wealth.They banish skoshas, and then force them into servitude: they use their labour to enrich the creche, while fulfilling none of the responsibilities a creche owes to its members.We have seen it again and again during the many years we've been outside Xitera.We have seen the truth of the matter in a way others have not, safe in the heart of empire."
I smothered my reaction, biting the inside of my lip, dropping my stare to my lap, but the hiss that left Vivith's mouth was clear enough."Araxis, youcannot–"
"I can," said Araxis, tone sharpening."And I will.We go to Xitera to do the work our Thalidi started.Youknowthis."
"Our Thalidi would have never –"
"She would have."He said it, sharp and fast, in abayan.His fingers spasmed against my skin, and he pulled his hand back into his own lap."We will make a statement and we will continue the work Sashen has rightfully begun.We cannot bow and scrape as if we might make ourselves palatable to those who conduct themselves dishonourably, Vivith.We must –"
