Fourth Vector Ch. 20

At least he can go be someone else's problem now, she thought.

As she sat down at her desk and thought about all the work she needed to do, Magda looked up at the deadline on the bulletin board. By deadline, she meant the intercepted dispatch that had been sent to the Carinthian ambassador who had so recently been taken hostage. The dispatch acknowledged the Swabian presence in Daban and promised that relief was on the way. It gave a deadline for their arrival, which was only four days away.

"Four days longer to prepare," muttered Magda under her breath as she soon got back to work. "We have to be ready for this showdown."

*****

The next evening, Jack and Kat made their way to Reina's dining hall as the sun was setting over the Grove. The main thruway that led to the hall happened to be near a section of the palace with giant windows that took up an entire wall. From there, the Grove dominated the view, providing a breathtaking setting to what was soon to be an expectant dinner.

For now though, Kat was still giving him a playful stare of daggers.

"I can't believe you did that," she accused, giving him a mischievous glare.

Jack tried his best to look innocent. "Did what, love? I thought you wanted to take a bath before dinner."

Kat stuck her tongue out at him. "I wanted a bath but not fully dressed," she said back with an arched eyebrow.

Jack could only grin. About an hour before they were due to leave for dinner, he decided to try out their personal bathroom in their quarters. The bath was truly elegant, made for two or more, and while Jack soaped up and then relaxed against the smooth porcelain, he watched as Kat readied herself for the meeting with Reina.

In his defense, the whole encounter started playfully enough. Especially when she splashed him with some water for watching her. Kat certainly didn't expect the repercussion of the gesture, and when he grabbed her by the hands and pulled her into the tub, she came back up for air with a mix of protests and giggles. The only thing that he regretted was that her dress was obviously soaked, but he certainly delighted in removing it.

"And I was supposed to know that how?" teased Jack. "Besides, you shouldn't have splashed me."

Kat giggled. "You're impossible." She leaned into his body, making the briefest of contact before they arrived at Reina's door. Jack knew the look that was in her eyes.

It was a promise. A look that meant their previous bedroom activities would be resumed after dinner.

His smile grew wider.

"There you are, come in, come in," said Reina as the door opened with excitement. The queen looked impeccable as usual, with her mixed brown and red hair held together with a tiara of diamonds. She smiled regally as she invited them to the table, although Jack could quickly see that it wouldn't be just the three of them.

There was a fourth at the table, a slightly portly middle-aged man with light brown hair. He was wearing a naval uniform, similar to the Javan style, and Jack could tell by the band around his shoulder that he was high-ranking.

"It's wonderful to see you both again," said Reina with a beaming smile as she hugged them both. For Jack, she hazarded a kiss on each cheek, enough to be polite but not enough to be as suggestive as she was famous for. "Please, sit down at my table. I have someone to introduce to you."

Before they could sit down, the officer at the table stood, taking his hat in his hand. "This is the commander of my naval forces, Admiral Carlos Romero," said Reina before gesturing her hand back to the new arrivals. "This is Katherine Rosdahl, the former Galician Regent. And this man is His Majesty, Jack Easterbrook, rightful King of Galicia."

Carlos raised an eyebrow as he heard Jack's title. He looked to Reina with questions in his eyes. "I know," she said, preempting his response. "I was shocked too. But it's true. Jack is the type of man whom the fates seem to surround and guide."

"In any event, welcome to Carinthia, the both of you," said Carlos, reaching out his hand.

"A pleasure, Admiral," said Jack. "I am a naval officer myself as well, but just a commodore. I look forward to starting this expedition with you."

Carlos smiled. "A commodore, eh? Well, you're an interesting man, Jack. And full of surprises."

"Yes, he certainly is," added Kat with a knowing smile. She then looked down at the table. "Reina, your staff has outdone themselves. I've never seen a banquet look so inviting!"

Kat wasn't wrong. In front of them was a literal smorgasbord of cooked meats and dishes. Jack had forgotten just how hungry he was until the smell of freshly-cooked pork drifted past his face. Once it was there, he was of a single-minded purpose to fill his stomach.

"Come, let's eat!" said Reina. "I don't want anything to go cold. Here, Jack, you must try some of these pork sausages," she said while scooping some food onto his plate. "Carinthia is famous for them. I can't hardly let you leave my country without sampling the best parts of it."

They began to dig into the food, and Jack wasn't sure how it was possible, but it tasted even better than it looked. While they ate, he got to know the admiral on much better terms, finding out more about his personal backstory, his experience, and then finally getting a chance to discuss some naval matters with him. Jack found out much about Carlos' task force, and it let him put together a vague plan for their integration on the journey back to Picardy. All the while they spoke together, Kat and Reina talked like old friends.

Finally, once the food was significantly dented, Reina turned matters back to statecraft.

"I thought you two would find this very interesting," said Reina as she produced a note and laid it out on the table. "It appears our fears about Aedan being held hostage are true. We just received this message this afternoon from his palace."

She then handed it to Jack for him to read.

ATTN: REINA, QUEEN OF CARINTHIA

ALL NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO PEOPLES ARE NOW AT AN END. IF YOU WISH FOR WAR WITH PICARDY, YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND US.

AEDAN, KING OF PICARDY

Jack let out a low whistle before handing it off to Kat. "They certainly didn't want to mince words, did they?"

"No, they didn't. And by they, I mean the Swabians," said Reina with a disgusted face. "I've known Aedan long enough to know that didn't come from him. Even if he was angry, he would never be so brief or hostile."

Kat read the message and looked up at the queen. "I have to agree. This is nothing like Aedan. It must be true then. He's a hostage."

"And signing dispatches like the war is already imminent," said Jack. "I think the Swabians realize we're going to come at them. I just hope they don't know how hard we will."

"That's for you and I to plan out," added Carlos, gesturing to Jack. "If they're expecting a war, then we'll give them one."

"A war with Swabia, yes," said Jack. "But the Picards are innocent in this. Anything we do with them, we'll need to minimize casualties. The Swabians are our true enemy here, and we have to keep that thought at the forefront of our plans."

"Agreed," said Reina before turning to look at Carlos. "Save your fury for them, not the Picards."

"Speaking of them, what of our latest invention?" asked Carlos. "Are we going to get the chance to test it out in war?"

Reina smiled. "You will. I've arranged for six airplanes to be sent with your force. Use them as you see fit, especially your four."

"Four?" asked Carlos. "I thought you said six."

Reina turned to look at Jack and then grinned. "Our new allies will get two as well, as long as you still want them, Jack?"

"You bet we do," said Jack with a relieved smile. "Thank you, Reina, I really appreciate this. I think we can have a real chance to test them out in a true war environment and really see what they're capable of."

"You'll just have to be careful with them," said Reina. "We only have ten airplanes right now capable of flight. We have more being manufactured, but you'll have the majority of our forces, so if anything happens to them, it will be a significant setback."

"We'll make sure that nothing does," said Jack.

"Good," said Reina. "I've made arrangements to send them down to the port, along with the launchers, fuel, and pilots to man them. The launchers aren't hard to mount I'm told, so we can do so before you leave tomorrow. I'll send some of my engineers along with you as well, in case you have any troubles with them."

"I'll radio ahead to my force and let them know," said Jack. "Our own cranes should be enough to bring them back to the deck of our ships. With any luck, they might prove to be the difference maker."

The four of them discussed their war plans for another twenty minutes before Reina steered the conversation back to more personal matters.

"Jack, I'm absolutely fascinated by your backstory, or rather, your lack of one. If anyone had told me that I'd be dining with the heir to the Galician throne tonight, I would've told them I fully intend to grow old with my third husband." Reina waited for the polite laughter to end at the joke before she continued. "How is it that you found yourself in Java?"

"My parents sent me there," said Jack quietly. "It was the only place they were sure that I could be safe. They knew they were being hunted, and they wanted to put me out of reach of our enemies."

"Hunted?" asked Reina. "Who was hunting you?"

Jack shared a knowing look with Kat. It was only her subtle nod of the head that convinced him to continue. "The Rosdahls were hunting us, Reina. It appeared they didn't want any other contenders to their rule in Galicia."

Reina's mouth dropped open as she looked back and forth between Jack and Kat. Finally, she hazarded a response. "Katherine . . . is that true?"

Kat nodded quickly. "It is. You knew my father. He was relentless about it in his younger years."

"My goodness," said Reina. "I suppose history isn't without a sense of irony," she said, gesturing to the table where Kat's hand was held firmly within Jack's own.

"It's the reason I can't go back even now," said Kat. "Not only would my own life be forfeit with my cousin, but so would Jack's. I can't risk that."

"Speaking of your cousin, Katherine, this arrived just this afternoon as well." Reina pulled out another dispatch and began to read from it. "Your cousin seeks an explanation why I'm harboring a known criminal and fugitive from justice."

Kat raised an eyebrow. "Fugitive from justice now? He's called me colorful things in the past, but that's a new one."

Reina gave her a sympathetic look. "My only question is how he knew you were here. Is there anybody else in Carinthia that would recognize you? Anyone that would be able to contact him?"

Kat shrugged. "Take your pick. I've had to avoid my cousin's people in the most unlikeliest of places. He has eyes everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if he has spies here in the palace."

Reina pursed her lips. "That's a bit troubling, but at least I don't intend to give him an answer on this." Reina took the dispatch and ripped it up.

Kat could only smile. "He doesn't deserve a response. He's already prevented me from returning to my home. I'm not going to let him dictate where I can go in the world either."

"Speaking of which, have you two thought about going home?" asked Reina while gesturing to them both. "You surely have enough claim to Galicia if you should choose. What's next after Carinthia? After Picardy?"

Jack shared a long look with Kat before he finally turned back to Reina. "It's a little complicated still, Reina. Officially, I'm still a naval officer of Java. I have my own orders to follow."

"Surely that is superseded by this news of your ancestry though, Jack? Isn't your birthright more important?"

Jack opened his mouth to respond but no words came out.There it is again, he thought.The fault line of my soul.

"I'm pulled in two directions," said Jack finally. "Between east and west. Up until now, I've tried to balance them, as usually the interests of one were also the interests of the other."

"You won't be able to walk that line forever, Jack," said Reina. "From one sovereign to another, one day you will have to choose where your heart lies. I think if your people knew you were alive, it might make it easier for you to pick."

"It also might start a war," said Kat warily. "If we go anywhere near Galicia, my cousin will take it as a declaration of war. And honestly, news is controlled so tightly there that a war would be the only way for the common people to find out about Jack."

"It sounds like quite the conundrum you find yourself in," said Reina with a sympathetic look. "I imagine it's hard going through it alone though." She turned to Kat quickly. "I didn't mean romantically, I just meant personally. There can be only one heir."

"Not quite though, Reina," said Jack. "I have a younger sister. Like me, she's only recently discovered the true nature of her ancestry."

Reina clapped her hands excitedly. "A sister? Why isn't she with you? Is she still in Galicia?"

Jack's face dropped. "She's with us. Unfortunately, she caught the plague in Picardy. She's confined to the hospital on my ship."

Reina's smile disappeared quickly as she reached out to touch his hand. "You have my sympathy, Jack. That has to be hard."

"She's in good hands with our doctor though," he said positively. "We're still hoping she can pull through."

"What is her name?"

"Vera," answered Jack.

Reina raised her glass of wine. "To Vera then. May she quickly overcome this illness and return to good health."

Jack, Kat and Carlos joined the queen in toasting her shortly after. For the rest of the evening, the topic never once approached any other serious topics. Reina delighted in telling them all about her life in Carinthia, including detailed descriptions of her first two husbands. Almost too detailed, as Reina didn't seem to have any remorse about going on about their sexual lives.

"My second husband, Fernando, was an asshole truly," said Reina thoughtfully. "But I've never met a man who knew how to make me cum like he did."

Jack struggled hard not to laugh while Kat made a small squeak, indicative of the same problem. The person who looked most uncomfortable was Carlos, his traditional sensibilities looking highly shocked at the thought of his queen having a sex life. Jack almost felt for the man, except he was able to see the comedy of the situation.

Thankfully, Reina didn't linger too long on those more detailed descriptions and soon returned to normal dinner conversation. It wasn't until late in the night when the last of the wine had been drunk that she made a move to end the dinner.

"My, my, how does the time fly," said a flushed Reina, obviously feeling the effects of the alcohol. "I need to learn when to quit talking. All of you have to leave in the morning, and I'm sure you'll want to get some sleep."

"It was delightful to be in your company regardless, Reina," said Jack politely. "Dinner was excellent, and I'm hoping that the next time we get to see you, we can involve King Aedan as well."

"As is my hope too, Jack," said Reina, standing from the table. The four of them said their goodbyes and soon Jack and Kat were making their way back to their room along the darkened, quiet halls of the palace.

"Well, that was . . . descriptive," said Jack finally, turning to look at Kat with a half-cocked grin.

Reina hadn't been the only one feeling the effect of the alcohol as Kat soon burst out into a fit of giggles. "I thought I knew Reina before but now I know way too much about her sex life," said Kat with a laugh. "I really wish I didn't know her favorite positions."

"She's a woman after your own heart, babe," said Jack with a grin. "She enjoys riding just as much as you do."

Kat elbowed him in the ribs before she nearly lost her balance. He had to catch her before she started giggling once more. "Don't pick on me just because I've been drinking."

"I wouldn't dream of it, but I do remember you promised me something on the way to dinner," he said with a suggestive eyebrow raise.

"Don't think I've forgotten about it either," said Kat with a sultry tone.

They both started walking a little faster.

At this time of evening, the palace was dimly lit, and several of the turns in the hallways were quite dark and filled with shadows. It could have been ominous if not for being on friendly ground although at several times during the walk, Jack felt an urge to look behind him. Something wasn't right, and he felt like he was being watched.

"Are you all right?" asked Kat finally, noticing him looking back for what must have felt like the tenth time.

He nodded quickly. "Sorry, just thought I heard something."

No reason to worry her when it's my own imagination acting wild. I must've drank too much.

"Maybe you shouldn't have drank so much then," said Kat, again picking up on his thoughts. He couldn't help but smile at her playful tone, and they continued walking down the hall without another thought.

Finally, the small, dark hallway opened up to the main entrance hall of the palace, where some of the staff could still be seen moving around at this late hour. Jack was happy to see other people for that moment, but felt uneasy once more as they moved on to another quiet wing. The feeling got worse when he heard the definitive sound of footsteps behind them.

Not wanting to look behind him and give in to his imagination, Jack focused on walking more quickly. Kat seemed to pick up on it, and she soon was rubbing her hand up his thigh, no doubt thinking his fast pace was indicative of his willingness to get her to bed.

Unfortunately, the footsteps behind them seemed to pick up as well, and soon they appeared to be directly behind them. It only got louder as they approached their room, which also happened to be across the hall from Dustin's. Jack was no more than fifty feet away when the footsteps seemed to catch up to them.

Turning quickly, he moved his body halfway in front of Kat's in an instinctual form of protection. His hand went to his sidearm, ready to draw and take out any threat.

As soon as the man behind them saw Jack's quick movements, he stopped in his tracks, looking at them with afraid yet wild eyes. He appeared not to be a servant, and he could have been an envoy or a merchant by his dress. He also looked to be just as afraid of Jack as Jack had been to have him behind them.

"I'm sorry, man," said Jack finally. "You just startled us."

"No problem whatsoever," said the man before looking at Kat. "Say, you two look like Galicians. Is that right?" Before he could finish speaking, he pointed to his own hair as was so common throughout that corner of the world.

"We are," said Jack, before half-turning to continue walking. He stopped completely when he heard the man's next words.

"Are you Katherine Rosdahl?"

Jack's blood went cold at those four words. In the next moment, he saw the flash of a gun from the man's coat sleeve. Jack's instincts snapped into effect, pushing Kat out of the way as he soon dashed after the assassin. The man's eyes went wide as he saw Jack take two giant steps in his direction. The gun raised in a flash.

BANG.

Jack pointed his own gun but as he pulled the trigger, the most unfortunate event happened.

It jammed.

Jack was on him in the next split second, taking him to the ground rapidly. As he tangled with the man on the marbled floor of the palace, he could hear commotion behind him, a woman's scream, and the sound of crying. Praying that none of them belonged to Kat, Jack tried as hard as he could to disarm the assassin before he could get off another shot. He found himself banging the man's hand against the marble floor.