Page 32 of Microburst

“Publicly,” she whispered. “And thatshecalled you personally.” She handed me her tablet, and while her hand was steady, it was clear that she was gobsmacked with what was going on.

“I thought you were going to talk to Killara?” Treena muttered.

I gave a half shrug and a look we could discuss it later. Then I tapped play on the tablet.

“I would like to thank all of the citizens of Thovudin for their support in this matter, not just the water dragons who flew to Fiete and helped us,” Queen Rani said to her media. “But mostly, I thank Queen Sagan. It takes a bold,braveruler to change direction for their nation and she is both. I personally called her earlier today to convey my thanks and tell her that.

“And while I gave her my condolences for her loss, I was bluntly honest as is the way of our people that I thought Thovudin had a brighter future with her as their leader. Her father—may the gods bless her parents—was a seclusionist. Many influenced him, but he allowed it, and it hurts all of us when nations behave that way.

“Especially a large and powerful nation like Thovudin. Queen Sagan is forward-thinking and understands that her people thrive when they accept their role in the world, not just the nation. Our ancestors made one language so we could all communicate, not so we never spoke to each other. She understands the importance of communicating and I share her views.

“In mere days, over forty percent of our fires are put out. The dragons who volunteered to help my people saved lands that families have held for generations. Stopped the fires fromspreading before they wiped out thousands of acres of groves and more. Lives were saved as we know there is always a cost to fighting these fires.

“And nothing is more important to me than the safety of my people. As such, after discussing it with my family and my advisors, we are committing ourselves to helping Thovudin in their struggles—namely their droughts that caught them by surprise. The changing climate is affecting all of us, and I agree with Queen Sagan that it is time for the world to work together.

“If we do not—if we do not see that no one country can stand alone against the changing weather conditions, our citizens will suffer.” She gave everyone a moment with that. “And as Queen Sagan said herself, it’s always the most vulnerable in our communities that suffer the worst. For us, she worried about those who couldn’t afford to leave their homes.

“Travel costs money and is always harder with children. Winds shift and—we know how it works. She made it clear in Thovudin she is focused on where funding was cut by the greedy former elders—my words, not hers. It’s why we did away with our elder system years ago, and while I would never tell another world leader how to run their country, I do recommend our system.”

Interesting. They had an elected advisor system beyond their inherited local leader positions like our seventeen area Alphas. Something to think about in the future maybe.

“While they filled their pockets more and more and that your media is finally reporting on, they slashed spending to hurt the most vulnerable of your citizens including children. Now, with the droughts, your wise queen is focused on food shortages and increases in grocery prices that could throw Thovudin right back into a recession.

“And as an outside witness to it all, I fully believe that could be the intention to make her look bad. Something similar wasdone to me after I ascended to the throne without a care of what it did to the lives of our citizens. But true leaders only care about our people, and Queen Sagan is a true leader. She made personal deals to help the people of Thovudin.

“Never forget that because that is a rare leader the gods truly made worthy of a nation like Thovudin and I am grateful for it because Fiete needed her. The friendship she has extended is one we will now answer. As I said, I’ve discussed it with my family and advisors, and to start, we’re sending seventeen cargo ships of fresh produce, one to each area.

“It will be distributed to the schools under Queen Sagan’s directive so that no child goes hungry while the leaders handle what they should. My children—and other area leaders’ children—will take this chance to expand on their own education and how to facilitate such a large task and work with local teams and area leaders.

“It was an education for our people to see the awesomeness of water dragons and theirhumblenessas their power saved our lands. Hopefully, this will be the same for Thovudin and they can see how they don’t have to fear warthog shifters because we look a bit different, because we believe bluntness is being respectful.

“We are also some of the most caring people you will ever meet and my people are ready to show that. We have ample food flooding our markets again this year—can again because so much has been saved. And that is what we will share as friends after your bold queen reached out and offered to be our friend after so many decades of our nations acting like enemies.”

She thanked everyone and walked off the stage, not taking any questions. She’d said enough. She’d saida lot.

Depending on what kind of ships she sent… Small refrigerated cargo ships known as “reefers” could carry up toabout four tons. But the big ones? They could carry all the way up to ten tons.

Assuming she wouldn’t send the biggest ones but still larger ships that would be able to handle the ocean voyage easier and seventeen of them… Minimum she just committed to sending a hundred and thirty thousand tons of produce to us.

By the gods that was un-fucking-real.

Now I just had to figure out what I was going to do with all of that. She’d given me a gift, but also a bit of a bomb that could go off in my face if I fumbled it.

9

Sagan

I let out a slow breath and nodded for June to go ahead. Her gaze flashed shock, but she kept it together and dove right in.

“What are your thoughts, Your Majesty?”

“That I’m not surprised,” I answered, continuing when people went tense. “First, I’ve spoken with Princess Killara several times and she’s bright, thoughtful, and prudent. She obviously was raised well and had a good role model and I expected nothing less from Queen Rani when I spoke with her.

“It was—she is nothing like most paint her. The world is too sexist, and if she was a man they would sing her praises.Ihave nothing but positive things to say about her. She was gracious about our help and had nothing but compliments about our people and what they did. I believe ‘organized and dedicated’ was one of the first things she said.

“In a situation they had no training for? Most never having faced before? Wonderful. I wasproudthat was how another world leader saw our selfless dragons who went there to help. And while I know too many have reservations about warthog shifters because of old poison, I never have and find their bluntness refreshing. I told Queen Rani as much.

“Our conversation was short but evidently more fruitful than I understood and I’m glad I took the chance to help. She askedfor nothing and we could help and now it benefits our people who need the aid as well.” I let out a slow breath and decided to keep being bold as she said. “We will graciously accept her offer in the hopes of becoming friends with Fiete.”