4 - He's Trying to Kill You

*Papa?*

*Are you still all right, Sweetheart?*

*All safe. I won't be telling you where I am, just in case Grandfather realizes I'm not just 'being female' and staying out of sight. *

*We can take advantage of his ossified prejudices, Jess... be careful. The Captain of the Immoderates is looking for you. For all his reflection of Perrin's attitudes, he does realize that having you would give him a hold on me.*

*Any more word on this 'Terrforming Project' that he's announced?*

*Glass Mountain gives me the impression that it would gladly tell me if it could. I'm wondering what kind of project would require using orbital water to pound an inland sea into another continent.*

*I have my suspicions but I am busy enough, fending off all the little threats my father is throwing at me in code. He's furious that Gerald and his family got away from both of us, especially since his laboratory blew up, with his younger brother vaporized in the rubble. We escaped neurological disaster, daughter mine.*

*It's true then, that he had a loyalty modification application?*

*Gerald trusted me enough to leave me a coded message. Yes. It was crude and inclined to turn people into drooling morons but it modified their loyalty just fine.*

*Daddy. I hate to say it, but he's trying to kill you.*

*I know. I suppose I knew before we came back that his 'let's all make up' pose was just a way to get me back into his reach. I'm sorry.*

*No apology necessary Papa. I'll stay out of the way and give you some room to manoeuvre. They won't be able to use me as a bargaining chip to get you.*

*I love you, my Wressie!*

*Papa, you know I'm too old for baby names.*

*And you have two doctorates and you're a grownup and...*

*Perrin Thurmontaler the Fourth!*

*You don't have the weight of years to pull that off yet, my dear, even if you sound like your mother when you do.*

*Just don't let him kill you or brain injure you, all right? I'll see if I can track down why he's pounding a hole in another continent. *

*Thank you, my dear. I'll stay safe. *

*I'll send off another set of mails to mother, when the next courier comes through.*

*Thank you, mein Schatz.*

*Oh, Papa, just talk to him in a Germanic based language, he hates that!*

*I might just do that.*