For now, he was the one accused of being impious.
The room was large, much larger than any room Father Joseph had ever seen on Santa Maria. The entire village of Hazel Dell could fit in here, with room for the sheep to graze around the edges.
Not that there was any grass growing on the gold veined marble floor and pillars that supported a roof almost too far above his head to see.
Not that Joseph had seen much.
When he’d been brought in, windrows of thin, gauzy curtains rich in gold thread had hidden the visage of the Emperor from view. During his exactly dozen kowtows between slowly walking forward, Joseph had been able to catch views of hundreds of vividly dressed courtiers. They went in for bright blues, yellows and a few were in the imperial red. All were heavily worked with silver and gold thread sprinkled with jewels of every color.
Joseph’s clothes had been a plain white. White was the color of death. Roth had warned him of that. “You are already dead. It will only be a flick of the Emperor’s wrist to make you real dead. Do you love your chosen one?”
“Yes, I love my grandson,” Joseph had said, refusing to use the Iteeche word for adoption but holding tight to the human way of blood line.
Roth had snorted. “You scum eating bottom feeder; your stiff neck will be the death of you yet.”
“My persistence is the strength of my people,” Joseph said. It had taken him six months to discover those words.
“You are persistent, but will that help you swim to the surface?”
“I am alive and with you.”
“Which raises the question to the surface of roiling waters, am I the empty-headed one?”
“You are the wise one who has asked questions where others have only closed their eyes. What will you swim into with closed eyes, even if you do swim to the surface?”
“Your tongue is too sharp, limpet. You have hitched yourself to me. Do you suck my blood?”
“I eat what the wise one puts before me,” even if it is raw fish, Joseph did not say. Fresh raw fish was the food of the wise, strong and powerful. The poor naked peasants ate something like yams and seaweed.
Joseph had survived on that for long enough.
In the Celestial Hall a long singsong prayer for wisdom was concluding and talk was starting up again. It went fast, and Joseph caught less than one word in four. Still, the direction was clear.
Several of the courtiers wanted all the humans dead.
If Joseph failed, his grandson would die along with the rest of the passengers and crew from the Prosperous Goose.
The leader of Roth’s clan spoke slowly when he answered the charge of impiety against the humans. Maybe it was to let Joseph follow. Maybe it was to make it easy for the Emperor to follow something that had never been brought before an Emperor in ten thousand years. That wasn’t just a phrase, there really had been an Emperor for that long.
The Iteeche didn’t go in for change.
It would not be easy to convince this court that killing a few strange animals would not change the fact that the two different space-faring peoples were about to be thrown together.
The debate rambled on with the delicacy of teen girls gathering wild flowers, and doing their best to attract the eye of one particular boy among the throng also, supposedly out to gather spring flowers.
How many times had Father Joseph stood witness at the wedding before the flowers wilted?
He searched for such happy memories to keep his heart from pounding out of his chest.
A bell rang soft and clear.
“Who seeks entrance to the Imperial Presence?” rang out from one of the guards beside the throne.”
Joseph did not catch the name. Roth’s elders sought to keep this reception to themselves, to have this question answered, but admission was granted.
Apparently, he who sought admission was one who could not be kept out.
He must also have been powerful, the curtains were not drawn closed, and the official in red garments approached the throne with only six kowtows.
“Who is the scum-sucking bottom-feeder?” the new one demanded.
“A wayfaring sailor, oh wise and powerful master of the Golden Satrap,” came from Roth’s elder. The use of the language told Joseph just how powerful this one was.
“They are murderers, no better than masterless men. They should all be killed.”
“Oh, wise leader of many men, master of many gold mines, you have knowledge of this miserable animal’s kind,” was slathered in butter. Even more butter than these Iteeche usually used.
“Maybe I have,” had a lot less force behind it.
“Could it be that you have brought less gold and silver to market these last moons because some animals like these have caused you trouble?”
“No animal like these can cause me any trouble.”
“Then maybe your wisdom and harmony would not be bothered if my chosen one kept this as a mere pet.”
“They are too dangerous to make good pets, you silver-tongued eel.”
There was a rustle of fine cloth as the one in red turned ostentatiously to the throne. “These masterless scum-eaters have destroyed three imperial ships. That is how I know the poison in the fangs of these bottom feeders. I ask the mercy of the throne to call out the ships of my satrap. To crew them and arm them and send them forth to battle these rodents of filthy habits.”
Breath left Joseph. It was no longer a story of one ship taken. He’d heard of a few brought back, taken, no doubt, from exploration ships. Now, was it to be war?
The debate went long and sometimes even loud as different courtiers took different sides. Some were for caution. “Wars cost blood and treasure.”
Some, including the Imperial guard, were for war and glory.
Others cautiously voiced the fear that a lord who led a successful war might rise up and make war against his own neighboring satraps.
No one, of course, suggested that anyone would make war against the throne.
At least that was what they said. Did they, like the maiden, protest too much? Joseph must try to get his hands on more history. He and David were learning to read.
When the end came, it was sudden. In a rustling of cloth and the stomping of one foot, all fell silent.
“We would know more of these new things,” came in a soft voice. “Kon’sum’We’sum’Quin Chap’sum’We, you will play with this new pet of yours and tell me if it can learn any tricks that might amuse our court. All of this kind who have fallen into our nets will be brought to you for your amusement, and maybe mine.”
The Emperor here paused, then turned to his satrap lord. “My Servant, you may call out your ships and stuff them with crews to go forth for war. If you find glory, you may bring the tales of it back to me. If you fail us, know that you may make your apologies to us and your ancestors in person . . . and slowly.”
The Lord of the Golden Satrap stood in place while the Emperor left in a flurry of cloth and curtains.
When the Emperor was gone, the lord snapped something at Roth’s elders, then stomped out. They stayed on their knees for a long time as the army of courtiers whispered away on soft-soled shoes.
Only when the audience hall was silent did Roth whisper to Joseph, “If you can find the strength in your two legs to move, we can now leave.”
With an effort, Joseph hauled himself to his feet. He made a profound bow to Roth, and his clan, then he waited while all of them left before following last, as should the least.
Joseph had heard many tales of war. He had never expected to be present when one was declared. “God help us,” he prayed half aloud.
“Your God will need to help every human being alive or ever to be born,” Roth added over his shoulder.
Also by Mike Shepherd
Published by KL & MM Books
Kris Longknife: Emissary
Kris Longknife’s Replacement
; Kris Longknife: Admiral
Kris Longknife’s Relief
Rita Longknife in the Jump Point Universe
Rita Longknife: Enemy Unknown
Rita Longknife: Enemy in Sight
Ace Books by Mike Shepherd
Kris Longknife: Mutineer
Kris Longknife: Deserter
Kris Longknife: Defiant
Kris Longknife: Resolute
Kris Longknife: Audacious
Kris Longknife: Intrepid
Kris Longknife: Undaunted
Kris Longknife: Redoubtable
Kris Longknife: Daring
Kris Longknife: Furious
Kris Longknife: Defender
Kris Longknife: Tenacious
Kris Longknife: Unrelenting
Kris Longknife: Bold
To Do or Die: Jump Point Universe Book 4
Vicky Peterwald: Target
Vicky Peterwald: Survivor
Vicky Peterwald: Rebel
Mike Shepherd writing as Mike Moscoe in the Jump Point Universe
First Casualty
The Price of Peace
They Also Serve
Short Specials
Kris Longknife: Training Daze
Kris Longknife : Welcome Home, Go Away
Kris Longknife’s Bloodhound
Kris Longknife’s Assassin
The Lost Millennium Trilogy Published by KL & MM Books
Lost Dawns: Prequel
First Dawn
Second Fire
Lost Days
About the Author
Mike Shepherd is the National best-selling author of the Kris Longknife saga. Mike Moscoe is the award nominated short story writer who has also written several novels, most of which were, until recently, out of print. Though the two have never been seen in the same room at the same time, they are reported to be good friends.
Mike Shepherd grew up Navy. It taught him early about change and the chain of command. He's worked as a bartender and cab driver, personnel advisor and labor negotiator. Now retired from building databases about the endangered critters of the Northwest, he’s looking forward to some fun reading and writing.
Mike lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife Ellen, and not too far from his daughter and grandkids. He enjoys reading, writing, dreaming, watching grand-children for story ideas and upgrading his computer – all are never ending.
For more information:
www.mikeshepherd.org
mikeshepherd@krislongknife.com
2017 Releases
In 2016, I amicably ended my twenty-year publishing relationship with Ace, part of Penguin Random House.
In 2017, I will begin publishing through my own independent press, KL & MM Books.
I have high hopes of bringing a lot of fun stories to you in 2017 and then again in 2018 and 2019.
We have already started the year with Kris Longknife’s Replacement. Later in the summer, I hope to produce a trade paperback.
Kris Longknife’s Replacement tells the story of Grand Admiral Sandy Santiago as she does her best as a mere mortal to fill the shoes left behind on Alwa Station by Kris Longknife. Sandy has problems galore: birds, cats, vicious alien raiders. Oh, and she’s got Rita Longknife as well!
February had a novelette for you. Kris Longknife: Among the Kicking Birds was part of Kris Longknife: Unrelenting. However, it went long and these four chapters were cut to one short paragraph. I hope you enjoy the full story.
Rita Longknife: Enemy Unknown is the first book of the long-awaited Iteeche War series. It was published as an e-book March 1, 2017, and is available from your favorite source. Audio book and trade paperback will follow. Rita has had enough of Ray Longknife gallivanting around the universe. No sooner is little Al born, than ships start disappearing. Is it pirates or something more sinister? Rita gets herself command of a heavy cruiser, some nannies, and heads out to see what there is to see.
April will have another short offering. Kris Longknife’s Bad Day. You just knew when Kris asked for a desk job that she’d have days like you have at the office. Well, here’s one that will bring you up to date on the technical developments in the Royal US Navy, as well as silly bureaucratic goings on. In the first draft of Emissary, these were the opening chapters, but I found a better opening and this got cut. Enjoy!
Kris Longknife: Emissary begins an entirely new story arc for Kris. It will be out in e-book May 1, 2017. Here is the story of what it takes to get Kris out from behind a desk. And for those of you betting in the pool, you’ll get your answer. More I cannot say.
June 2017 will have Abby Nightingale’s view of things around Alwa as Kris Longknife’s Maid Goes on Strike. You knew sooner or later this was going to happen.
July 2017 will see another book set in Alwa as Kris Longknife’s Relief, Sandy Santiago, continues to battle aliens of various persuasions and not a few humans.
September 1, 2017, Rita Longknife: Enemy in Sight will resolve the unknowns left by Enemy Unknown as humanity slips backwards into a war it does not want and may not be able to win.
November 1, 2017, Kris Longknife: Admiral will see Kris up to her ears in warships, enemies, and friendlies who may be not as friendly as she’d like, as battlecruisers square off against battlecruisers. A fight where both sides are equal is a bloody fight that often no one wins. In Admiral, that is exactly what Kris faces.
Each month that a book isn’t published, a short story or something from the cutting room floor, a scene that had to be cut from an overly long book will be published. The price will usually be 99 cents.
I have secured the services of Scott Grimando who did the wonderful Kris Longknife covers for Ace to provide the new covers for all the books going forward. It truly will be art to enjoy.
Stay in touch to follow developments by following Kris Longknife on Facebook or checking in at my website www.mikeshepherd.org.
I hope to soon have a mailing list you can sign up for.
Also by Mike Shepherd
Kris Longknife
Kris Longknife - Emissary
Kris Longknife's Assassin
Kris Longknife Among the Kicking Birds
Ruth Longknife's First Christmas
Kris Longknife's Replacement
Kris Longknife's Bloodhound
Kris Longknife's Bad Day
Kris Longknife's Maid Goes on Strike
Kris Longknife's Relief
Kris Longknife's Successor
Kris Longknife Commanding
The Iteeche War
Rita Longknife - Enemy in Sight
Rita Longknife - Enemy Unknown
The Lost Millenium Trilogy
Lost Dawns: A Prequel Novella to the Lost Millenium Trilogy
First Dawn: First Novel of the Lost Millenium Trilogy
Second Fire: Sequel to First Dawn of the Lost Millenium Trilogy
Lost Days: Final Novel of the Lost Millenium Trilogy
Vicky Peterwald
Vicky Peterwald: Dominator
Standalone
A Day's Work on the Moon: A Collection of Short Stories
The Job Interview: A Collection of Short Stories
The Strange Redemption of Sister Mary Ann: A Collection of Short Stories
Kris Longknife: Admiral