Perrin held his regal pose until the last of his
court filed out and the great throne-room doors closed, by themselves, behind
them. He didn’t need mere human
attendants. He had his machines.
His invisible valet opened the door to his private
suite as he rose from the throne, the source of all knowledge on his planet, leaving
the heavy robes behind. Jewel encrusted
was impressive but heavy, cold and uncomfortable, especially against aged bones.
He gently raised the ornate crown off his head, with
his own hands, to not jar the neural plates it sat against in his scalp.
It was tiring, being the arbiter of all culture and
of what everyone could know, but it was certainly worth it. He shook his head and sighed. It was something his oldest boy just didn’t
understand. One reason he was off-planet,
where his dear old dad’s police couldn’t reach him. Such a misguided boy.
Perrin settled in front of the fireplace, that
sprang to life as he sat down. He put up
his feet, knowing that his dinner was on its way. Same dinner he’d had for the past hundred
years. Roast horse with terran potatoes,
pale asparagus with green asparagus sauce.
A red terran wine to start... a solid barley beer to finish. A cup of terran coffee for a nightcap, with
his med machines to neutralize the caffeine and let him sleep sound.
His doctors and his medical package had been the top
of the line when they’d bought Chishiki.
Nothing but the best; it was completely logical since they were so far from Earth. It was what
he’d planned for. To rule a thousand
years. It really was too bad that the
others hadn’t understood his vision. He
was somewhat lonely, with nothing but these youngsters to talk to, to sleep
with. No one was left who understood
what it was to be truly long-lived and what it was to be the hard-working and
sole arbiter of terraforming code on the planet.
It would take a while, to fix the problem with the
longevity plants being drowned out by all the excess water. That was a glitch he and his techs hadn't forseen. The wilt caused by too much water. Who would have thought? It was simple enough to stop the ice harvesting on
the moon until his boys figured out how to ensure the thriving crops of
both lifeweed and rais’r. Corporate
space would never forgive him if he terraformed such cheap and effective ways
of extending life comfortably... nicely... without heroic measures... out of existence,
just for some ancient, stupid contracts. People just didn't understand that business was more important. Money had to keep coming or all galactic contacts would break down.
Those old contracts... were contracts signed with people who’d already
broken them, really. It was hard,
working with people who just didn’t --couldn't-- keep their word. He had all of the signed contracts in his
original code kernel. And a dozen
verified backups. His lawyers had
assured him... oh how long ago was it?
It didn’t matter. The law was on
his side. This was his planet. His seed money. His original idea.
He was still holding to the very letter of his
agreements. People just kept getting
messy and willful and refusing to see either justice or truth... they were like
children who had to be smacked to bring them back into line. Like any good parent, he was diligent about how firm he had to be. He did miss Petra in a distant kind of way. Gregori... pft... headstrong liberal thinker with his head in the clouds.
Why... why was he thinking of ancient partners... dead and gone so many years ago? He should probably call Nana's great-great grandchild just to make sure they knew he was still there, still watching.
It was too bad... Perrin Jr. Just had not taken well
to loving, fatherly correction.
William... the heir... as second son he had second son problems... he
just wanted to run and of course if Perrin had anything to say about it he’d
not let William get away the way he’d let Perrin go. He’d been a much younger man then. So naive.
The bell rang and the robot valet brought his meal
tray in. It was so soothing to not have
to deal with people after hours. People
were fickle, vile, uncontrollable, unpredictable.
They never did what they should or what they said they would. People lied all the time and needed someone
like him to make them do the right thing.
He lifted the lid of his teapot and sniffed fragrant
steam, smiling. As he’d done for a
thousand years... and as he’d do for a thousand more. No one would be able to fault him for not
doing his duty, however arduous and tiring.
Perrin Thermontaler was a man of his word and always would be. He nodded
decisively to himself, poured tea for himself in isolate and perfect
splendor. He’d recover from today’s work
and be all set for tomorrow’s onslaught of – he shuddered to himself,
delicately – people. Messy, lying, plebeian,
stupid, people.
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