Book 1 - Chapter Ten.3

'Silence falls softly like snowflakes through the air…' one of the young girls sung adorably as the camera zoomed in on her face on the screens mounted on the columns along the room.

I felt a brief moment of disorientation as suddenly it became clear what was being played and my jaw dropped open.

He hadn't … they hadn't … this had not come from Hoff. This had come from my iPhone!

'It's nighttime and morning is near … your world has snow men, its hills a frosty white. My world has lots of sunlight!"

And then drums and an electric guitar kicked in and I could see a few heads in the vast audience start nodding their heads along to the beat and it became clear to me that … they had.

'Ohhhhhhhhhh but we're all the same! When we wake, on Christmas day, believe it when I sayyyy...'

And then the music kicked in, the choir joined in for the chorus and hidden Christmas lights (including the 'ice' I had taken for non-functional decorations) illuminated through the darkness, earning a gasp of awe just as that incredibly ear-worm infesting chorus kicked in led by the adorable kids.

'Merry Christmas! And a happy new year! Ohhhhhhhhh! Merry Christmas! And a happy new year! Ohhhhhhhh a happy new year!'

I blinked at that and reached up to wipe away a suspicious amount of moisture that was on my face for some reason as the music rolled on, a lot of people bobbing along as parents waved in time with their kids and enjoyed themselves.

And certainly it wasn't because the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth, Archon-Designate of the Lyran Commonwealth and First Prince of the Federated Suns had taken one of the most played Christmas songs on my iPhone, extracted it, transcribed it into music, crash trained a band in weeks or even days how to play and sing it and then thrown it into one of the more cherished traditions of this Christmas eve night on Tharkad …

Because that would be fucking ludicrous, a waste of their incredibly precious time all for the sake of just … what?

The song built up and up with the lighting and special effects matching until we reached full scale Hogwarts as with an awed gasp from the masses, holographics kicked in above us, seemingly vanishing the roof and replacing it with a night sky, making it look like it was snowing in the Triad with the roof no longer there. And then on the final chorus, Katrina's distinctive voice called "Everyone!" in a way that was not a request and the entire room broke into loud song. Even Sir Snooty Face next to me was smiling and singing along with everyone and broke into applause with the crowd, sustained cheers and whistles showing their approval as the house lights came back up.

Katrina 'high fived' them off as she re-appeared alone, standing just in front of her Throne (and looking seriously incredible in a slick silver dress with a simple tiara around her golden hair) to thank everyone for coming. Finishing by saying that she just wanted to, on behalf of her and Lord Davion …

And then 'We Wish you a Merry Christmas!' kicked in and the entire crowd dove in head first with enthusiasm, the band driving with great gusto and giving me the impression that this was the traditional way the night ended.

And fuck it, it was so damn infectious I joined in in an instant and wondered why I had been full of so much self-pity I had preferred to sulk up in my room, even with running into Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

Or was that just Dumb and Dumber?

And so the music ended with the choir holding the final high not impressively as the drummers up there smashed their hearts out until finally it ended. And to the cheers and clapping Katrina offered the Royal Court a bow that was returned with varying degrees of inebriation by the room before smiling and twirling around to walk out, her dress making a triumph of her slender legs and that incredible a-

I immediately whacked my head against the very stone column I was against, the (significantly more than anticipated) spike of pain bouncing around my skull and down my spine to bring some level of sanity back, pushing away those thoughts as the crowd started to move around me. It seemed the night was 'officially' over but it was a soft close, with the VIPs retiring but everyone free to hang around. Although most families seemed to be moving towards the main doors, herding overexcited and overtired children clutching their presents from Santa while carrying those who had decided to wait it out.

I took a minute to recover my poise, thankful for the handkerchief I had thrown into a pocket on habit when I got dressed earlier to clear my face. And I wasn't terribly surprised when it was Dan Allard who eased his way through the dispersing crowd to me and I stepped down from my little perch out to meet him.

"You okay?" I asked quietly when he was in range and Dan nodded at me with a faint smile. Although the stress could be seen in his eyes, worry for his distant brother.

Get used to worrying I thought sadly, reflecting about what Justin's future held if indeed things held close to canon. Or easily went worse on the Mad Max Express...

"Yes" he said, leading me away and towards the 'business end' of the Throne room and then out a side door guarded by LIC types and through several other doors to loop around behind the end of the Throne Room, if I had my spatial senses working right. "Justin is going to be okay" Dan continued once we were out of public earshot, but clearly not wanting to talk more about it. "I'm sorry you got caught up in that Agent Smith. I hope you were able to enjoy yourself without me?"

"Quite so" I tactfully agreed with a smile, deciding against telling him about the little run-in his boss had with the eldest Steiner in the house. He'd probably find out sooner or later anyway, but he had enough of his plate tonight to worry about the pettiness of a former Archon who knew his time was running out.

It also gave me time to think on the fact that Justin's 'events' had, so far, played out so much like the original timeline despite, on the face of it, seeming to be fragile enough that they could easily be butterflied.

I really didn't want to think that there was some kind of bullshit 'train track' destiny that would force reality to proceed down preset lines or some crap like that. I was totally the 'no fate but what we make' school of thought.

I mean hell, didn't fucking Helm prove that outright?

Distracted in my thoughts I only realized we 'were there' when Dan paused in front of another guarded door and knocked twice. A muffled 'come in' came back and he opened it to let me inside before closing it behind me.

I made a mental note to apologize to the man for being dragged into babysitting duties by his father later as I glanced around. Ah. This … this could only be Katrina's private office.

Wood paneled with exquisite, aristocratic looking furniture that probably cost as much combined as an Assault Mech was spread throughout it. My attention however instantly gravitated to the large and slightly out of place looking oaken desk sitting towards the back of the room. It didn't look like a priceless antique (like everything else in the room did) and was stained a subtly different shade of brown to boot. I was sure that any number of aristocrats would have turned their noses up at the clearly far cheaper piece of furniture behind which the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth sat and ruled. And quite possibly offered her a replacement desk from their own vast collections of historical and valuable treasures in an attempt to win favor.

I'm also sure that they never would have made that mistake a second time after finding out that this desk had been hand built, semi IKEA style, by Arthur Luvon and Morgan Kell. And thus probably meant more to Katrina than any of the warehouses full of antiques her family surely owned across the planet.

I wonder if the top right draw actually sticks I thought to myself before killing the urge to walk over and check, instead glancing away to the right where the office included a comfortable looking lounge chair set around a coffee table. Katrina was standing and leaning against a chair comfortably, her tiara gone and her hair hanging looser, with Hanse having ditched his uniform jacket sitting next to Melissa, who seemed to be taking great delight in ignoring her mother's reproving look as she slid her heels off and sighed contently.

"Archon, Archon-Designate, Prince Davion" I greeted the three with a somewhat unpracticed bow towards them, but Katrina waved off the formality with faint amusement.

"Leave the titles at the door John" the Archon snorted as she waved to the seat on her left opposite the Prince and her daughter, stirring into motion to walk across to the featureless wall and with a touch, cause a panel to silently drop down to reveal a sideboard with glasses and bottles. "Scotch?" she asked without turning back as she pulled several glasses.

I didn't really feel like drinking - but it did not pay to be rude to my host.

And I had a feeling I might need a stiff drink very shortly.

"Yes, please" I replied as Katrina efficiently prepared the drinks. Trying to resist the urge to fiddle with my fingers as I sort of just … stood there, having not been invited to-

"John?" Katrina called out after a few seconds of silence, not turning away from her work.

"Yes Ma'am?" I asked, glancing at her backs - back! Only at her back! God what was with me around Katrina Steiner?! In front of her daughter?!

"For God's sake, take off your jacket and sit down. And call me Katrina, the room is perfectly secure".

"Uh yes M...Katrina" I caught myself barely in time, though not fast enough to keep Melissa from snickering at me. But her smile was so damn cheeky it cut the tension and drained it out as I took off my jacket and folded it over the back of my chair, coming around to sit down onto the very plush leather as the Archon returned, handing out the tumblers. I accepted mine with a polite mumble of thanks as did Hanse, the Archon moving in her chair at the head of the table and pointedly ignoring Melissa's 'Seriously?' pout at her tumbler seeming to only contain sparkling water, with the patience of a mother dealing with a teenage daughter.

I decided to take the initiative as Katrina settled into her chair, carefully putting the tumbler onto the coaster in front of me, after taking a subtle breath to calm myself down.

Manners first. I may not be a noble, but I'd like to think my upbringing was polite.

"Before anything else I wanted to thank all three of you" I said, glancing across at the youngest who was sitting just a tad closer to Hanse than might have been considered entirely appropriate in other company, suppressing a smile at that. "Melissa especially for taking the time to drag me out of sulking in my room with only self-pity for company" I said with a nod in her direction, before adding after a pause and a bit of a smirk; "and for leaving me mostly unbruised in the process". That earned me a look but unlike Tweedledee and Tweedledum there was absolutely no rancor in her eyes, only playfulness and amusement. "But that Christmas song … well" I paused for a second and ruthlessly fought down the emotions trying to push up. "I don't want to even think about how much time and effort on short noticed had to be put into that and … well, thanks. A lot, for going to that effort for me".

"We're House Lords John" Hanse laughed softly at me, his eyes dancing with mirth, waving a hand idly towards the ceiling. "We have entire castles filled with people who leap at our minor whims - but you're welcome. You earned having a part of that celebration be specifically for you given what you accomplished this year. And Melissa was, quite rightly, insistent that you shouldn't spend Christmas alone"

"Yes, I've noticed trying to refuse her what she wants is, fortunately" I smiled at her, "a futile exercise".

"See, if everyone else in this family would just listen to me like him, things would move a lot smoother around here" she posted with an exaggerated huff. "And besides, that song was awesome, way better than last years!"

"Yes it's actually quite catchy" Katrina added as she took a tiny sip from her tumbler, her smile slightly wry. "I'm probably going to have it in my head for days".

"It does that" Hanse agreed with a tight smile before glancing back at me to explain off my look. "As it so happens, we've released a compilation of a great deal of your 20th and 21st century hits on the New Avalon charts that were, as best our archivists could tell, unknown to us. Claiming like I said tonight they were from a Star League era drive. We've easily played it as simply being a thousand years on the wrong side of three Succession Wars and no-one questioned that, but it's made your songs wildly popular. The album has gone straight to number one on the charts across most worlds in the Crucis March, with all proceeds going to charity" he said, raising his own tumbler for a moment to offer me a salute. "A lot of less fortunate people across the Outback are going to get a few things of their own for Christmas this year who would have otherwise gone wanting".

"That's … very good to hear" I said in some surprise, feeling genuinely pleased at the news that my little stash of iTunes would have some good come of it.

"Indeed, you seem to have a knack for helping out people John" Katrina observed from over the lip of her glass, her gaze considering and contemplative. "Almost without realizing what you're doing..."

I wasn't exactly sure how to answer that but didn't have to as Hanse sat up a little straighter, placing his tumbler down on a coaster to consider me a little closer and I felt the 'mood' switch over to something more serious.

"When I was much younger John, in the aftermath of Halstead Station, I spent some time on the way home examining and cataloguing much of what we had saved, from the Star League Library. When we opened that vault and saw all those books and data slates, I have to admit, I thought that we - I - had done it. That Lostech would be a thing of the past soon enough" he said, before huffing in a sort of dark amusement and shaking his head once. "Call it the hubris of youth I suppose. On the way home though as we catalogued and started to go through what we had recovered, frankly, all it seemed to do for me was to bring into perfect focus just how far we had fallen from our heights and just how daunting the task was before us. That there would be no easy or quick answer to all our problems and I must admit, I wondered at the time if the lives lost were even worth what we had managed to save?" he said, his expression turning solemn and introspective for a moment. No doubt in my mind he was remembering Dana Stephenson, the woman he had proposed to -and lost- in that mission and I was not sure what to say or do to that.

Melissa however was there and she reached out and took a hold of Hanse's hand, startling him slightly as she gripped it, her face an expression of silent understanding as she gave his hand a squeeze.

I couldn't help but smile for a moment at that. I'm sure Melissa knew of Hanse's first love and that he was thinking of her ... but there was not even a hint of jealousy or unease or anything like that in her expression; just empathy and support over his loss, offered without conditions.

And as Hanse squeezed her hand back with a silent thanks in his eyes, I knew that he knew she knew (say that three times fast) and accepted the offered support for what it was.

And I knew then and there, to my considerable relief, I had not fucked up the cornerstone of the Federated Commonwealth as I had feared from the bruises no doubt forming on my shin...

"In any event" Hanse continued after a moment, his voice once again filled with the normal calm confidence I had come to associate with him as he turned back to face me, "after reflecting, I knew now where we were and where we needed to go. And no matter if I did not live to see us reach it, it was incumbent upon me to be the one to start us on that path. NAIS is, at least to me, in part a living promise to Dana and all those who died. To make their sacrifices worth it, no matter how hard or long the road..."

"You choose to go to the moon" I muttered to myself as he seemed to trail off, as everything about the NAIS sort of clicked into a new perspective from me. That it was as much as anything a final gesture to the woman he had loved and all those under his command who had made the sacrifice to lay the foundation stone for NAIS.

Which in turn was now in position to exploit the Helm Core, in full...

Then I realized I had said that out loud and refocused my gaze on Hanse, feeling a slight flush come up on my face at the probably rather esoteric, ancient reference feeling I'd have to explain it.

But then again, this was Hanse motherfucking Davion.

"And do the other things. Not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too" Hanse quoted John F Kennedy flawlessly, awarding me a nod with a look that made me feel I had just passed some sort of test. "But for all I've built and accomplished with NAIS, I was sure that it would be up to our children and our children's children" he said, squeezing Melissa's hand once again and getting a smile once again as they glanced at each other, "to bring about a second renaissance, if you will". He paused for a moment and again turned to look at me, his expression even more intense somehow and making me shift slightly. "Until this morning that is. When Katrina and I arrived at Asgard, ostensibly to discuss the logistics of some war games we are planning for the Davion Guards on the way home with the 3rd Royals. But in reality, just gave us both an excuse to log onto the copy of the Helm Core due to be put into deep storage in the black-vault there, log onto it and just …"

Hanse shook his head sharply and took a breath. Holy hell, was the man on the verge of tears there for a second?

…

Well if he was, he snapped it back under control in a heartbeat as Katrina smoothly stepped in.

"If someone had offered me ten mixed regiments of Mechs, vehicles and equipment from the Star League ripe for use and with plenty left over for reverse engineering, I would have considered giving them one of my lesser but still developed worlds to rule as perfectly acceptable trade" the Archon said, staring into her glass of scotch absently for a moment before her eyes shifted to fix me. "Even with the political nightmare of arranging such a thing I would have considered it a bargain" she continued, leaning forward to delicately place her tumbler onto the table, leaning forward in her chair with her elbows on her knees to regard me closely and directly. "And I would have grudgingly paid a much higher price if the alternative was one of my peers getting their hands on it instead - present company excluded of course" she added the last with a sly smile in her expression, which Hanse returned with a chuckle and nod before all eyes dragged back to me.

"If said person had also brought me enormous political insights to my enemies, shown me where the bodies were buried and how what their most secret inner most thoughts were past present and future? I would have happily thrown titles and money at them enough that their family would be raised from nothing to among the Commonwealths most lauded, without hesitation".

And now, she eased forward on her seat, leaning inward and resting her elbows on her knees as she got just a tad in my space, closer than I had ever been to her with her grey eyes seeming to pierce right through me.

"And John, if they had offered me and my peers the means to completely rebuild the technological base of the Star League from first principles? Asking that in exchange my cost would be to give them my daughter's hand?" she said, turning her gaze for a second to Melissa who returned her mother's look levelly without objection or rancor before Katrina turned back to me. "Then I would have given that".

"Then it's a good thing she already has a fiancé, I don't think my shins could take much more" I snarked without thinking, the sheer intensity in Katrinas eyes was just frightful as she made me believe she meant absolutely every word she said … and made me understand how much such a choice would have cost her.

There was a moment of terrible ghastly silence that lasted just long enough for me to wonder if I had just made a really bad joke when Katrina was trying to be really serious-

Then there was a snicker from my right that hissed into a snorted giggle as Melissa tried to control herself … and Katrina closed her eyes and let a smile pass across her face as she leaned back and joined her daughter in laughing softly, the tension in the moment dissipating and her mask slipped and she reached down to pick up her drink.

Hmm. Good idea I thought, reaching down and doing the same, bracing myself …

Ah! Smoooooth. 

Katrina clearly has much better taste in drinks to keep for guests than Hanse.

"Nonetheless" Katrina put in as she settled into her chair, her gaze now somewhat more relaxed than it had been but just as serious. "If you can understand that, you can understand just how much what you have given freely to us is worth, making it perhaps even more incumbent upon us to reward you" she said, holding up a hand as I opened my mouth to speak up. "Part of the duty of Hanse and I, as it is for all nobility, is to reward those in service to us when they accomplish great things. That is not negotiable" she added as I started to open my mouth, causing me to close it quickly. "Fealty is not a one way street and not rewarding you for doing more for both our realms that frankly anyone has in centuries, is an insult to all those who have sworn themselves to us".

"Keywords 'done for'" I dared to reply, glancing around the room. "I have actually done very little, I simply provided some information I had. I didn't have to steal it single handedly from Luthien shooting my way past the massed Sword of Light regiments on foot shaking their MAGIC BUSHIDO FISTS at me as I flew off into the distance on Takashi's personal shuttle".

"...their what?" Katrina raised an eyebrow at that one and I paused, considered and shook my head.

"Long story. Anyway, the point is that all I did was fast forward known events. If I had not even existed, the Grey Death Legion would have gotten it to you - albeit not in the most perfect of formats, but there none the less. If anything, you should reward them because without what they did in the old timeline, none of this would have happened - even ignoring the fact that I'm in no way qualified or trained in things like how to handle a landhold if you wanted to give me one".

"I already have the Director of Mercenary Liaisons working on that with quite generous terms" Hanse noted from the side, looking amused at my being behind the eight ball. "From what you've told me of them and what MIIO brought up, they seem to be an ideal long term prospect for recruitment and I could certainly use some more troops in the Draconis March over the next few years".

"Oh. Well, good" I blinked. "Anyway" I tried to move the subject back to my objections, "other rewards like trying to elevate me to noble status are, again, problematic. I mean just walking around the Triad tonight I felt like I was so far out of my depth I was rolling for crush-depth breaches-"

"You certainly seemed to handle my uncle rather well" Katrina smiled like a shark and I froze at that.

Question. How in the fuck had she found out about that when she had spent all night in the middle of the party with her hands full?

Answer; she was Katrina Steiner. Just … deal with it.

"Well, I just, uh-"

"Stood up for Patrick and Morgan with a surprisingly eloquent speech that shut him up and killed his attempt to try and embarrass me by proxy?" she suggested. "Out of your depth or not, you seem to be able to swim well enough John" she pointed out, staring me down and shutting me up. "Loyalty and natural talent like that is not something I or Hanse are inclined to casually waste by having you sit down in some room trying to remember things for the next decade".

"You also impressed Ardan with how you operated on the expedition to Helm" Hanse put in from the side. "He genuinely seems to think that you have a future ahead of you in staff work in DMI once you graduate - which would dovetail nicely into your cover".

"My cover? You - wait a second, graduate?" my thoughts finally caught up with the rapid changes in direction this conversation seemed to be bobsledding through.

"Oh, we're sending you to Sakhara Academy" Hanse explained, taking a sip of his scotch and making an approving noise at his glass as I just stared at him. "You'll be leaving on the 27th, taking the command circuit linking me to New Avalon and getting off at Kentares, jumping a few ships to get you there just in time for the 3027 intake. Quintus has already arranged it all through the 'old boy's' network".

"Once more?" I finally asked after a long silence, my thoughts coming to the halt with the distinctive sound of a record scratch in the back of my brain.

I couldn't possibly have heard that right, could I?

"As far as the Sphere is concerned -if they can dig through to the data anyway- you are a MIIO agent who just helped oversee a recovery effort unlike anything seen in recent history, with enough Star League gear to build the core of five Regimental Combat Teams around" Melissa explained to me casually, sitting up and smiling at me. "As a reward for such outstanding service in support of the operation as the represented of Quintus Allard on the ground, being granted a slot as a MechWarrior at prestigious academy is certainly not an uncommon reward. And it would naturally then lend after a tour of duty of you being assigned into DMI, making a highly useful, multi-talented agent".

"It was actually Melissa's idea" Hanse added with a smile at his fiancé who offered me an unquestionably 'superior' little mocking wave. "And while you've made your feelings about the 'Cult of the MechWarrior', as you called it rather clear, feelings I'll admit even have some basis in reality, the sad truth is that in the Federated Suns - and the Inner Sphere as a whole- being a MechWarrior is very tightly associated with the nobility. Sakhara will train you both as a MechWarrior and expose you to a lot of the younger nobility in the 'real world' in a secure environment which you will network in. It'll also teach you how the military here thinks which you can compare and contrast in turn. Then, you can get some light field duty after the 4th Succession War ends when you graduate, transfer into an intelligence and command pathway, by which point we would have come up with a neat way to justify giving you an impressive plot of land somewhere and the titles that go with it".

"Uh…" I managed, blinking several times as my mind tried to follow the logic. "I don't exactly have a Mech!" I pointed out the first flaw. "And I've never used one before, most of the kids going into military training have at least played with their family 'mechs first" the second point came up. "And" I added finally, "Aren't I a little bit old to be going to boot?"

Melissa was instantly up to defend her plan like a Gods damned lawyer on cross examination.

"In order; first, given that you just gave us over five hundred of them, I'm sure that we can find one for you. Two; every academy starts with the assumption that you don't have a clue how to pilot a mech and forces every cadet to go through the same training. Three, yes, but it's also far from unprecedented for older people for varied reasons to go into the military - or at least through training - at ages well past yours for example, assuming they are fit enough. And the fitness reports on you say that you're more than capable of meeting the entry requirements - the neural scans while you were unconious suggested you won't have any issues using a Neurohelmet. Anything other objections?"

I blinked as that look before wondering if she just wanted me to get to the obvious one. So I did.

"Ultimately. You're asking me -or more specifically, I'm asking me - if I'm capable of taking up arms, to kill if necessary, in defense of the Federated Commonwealth".

There, I said it. Would I be able to kill another person?

All the armchair general fun and videogames in the world I knew didn't a soldier make. Let alone prepare me for taking the life of another human being. There were a lot of combat veterans on Spacebattles whom I'm sure would have jumped at the chance to jump into a giant robot and show these walking tanks who a real combined arms force worked.

But me?

Okay, right here right now, it really became clear that this was not the fucking tabletop. Or a SI fic. Where the SIs generally shrugged and got down to the killing in a 'do or die' situation.

"No-one is ever sure if they can until the times comes John, all the training in the world can't answer that question" Katrina said quietly, almost gently. "So no, that isn't the question we're asking. The question is are you willing to risk your life, if necessary, for the sake of the Federated Commonwealth to protect it against its enemies?"

Huh. Put it that way … even if it sort of sounded like semantics … it was nonetheless surprisingly clear to me.

"Yes" I said after a moment of silent thought, looking up to meet each of their eyes in sequence. Because for all the flaws of this Neo-Feudal system. For all the problems in this idiotic fight over a dead corpse and empty chair that meant nothing, the Federated Commonwealth is the only power with the liberal traditions, defensive depth, industry and unity to have a hope in hell of dealing with what might be coming down the line.

All three seemed to look for something in my eyes. All three seemed to be satisfied they found it.

"Then, in that case" Hanse noted, reaching under the coffee table to pick up a manila folder and pass it across to me. "This, is yours - consider it the first gesture from Katrina and I for what you have done and accomplished for the Suns and the Commonwealth. Merry Christmas".

I accepted it with a mild thrill of excitement I have to admit - I mean it was essentially a Christmas present from two House Lords. A small sort of smile was on my face as I broke the wax seal and found a single expensive sheet of paper inside, with what appeared to be verigraphed inserts and a single neat few paragraphs of text that I started to read.

Ah crap it looked like a legal document. Oh well, one line at a time.

'Stated on December the 25th, 3026. Amendment to section 9, paragraph III clause VI is now inserted following clause V' I read carefully. 'Stating the following; "That John Smith (Federated Suns identity number 74733-222294-291-555-1119, Lyran Commonwealth identity number 846545S56-356SD-55Z) is hereby given the privilege and right of being' I paused for a second, my eyes going slightly wide, 'the first person granted status as a Citizen of the Federated Commonwealth, with identity number 0000-0000-0000-0000-0001. This amendment to be kept secret until January 1, 3050. 

This amendment to the Federated Commonwealth Accords agreed to and signed by First Prince Hanse Davion and Archon Katrina Steiner - Verigraph afixed and confirmed below with confirmation keys registered to trustees of these documents- 

What the fuck?

"You wrote me into the Federated Commonwealth Accords?" I spluttered in numb disbelief, my eyes wide as saucers.

I mean seriously? What? It would be like being written into the Constitution of a country back home!

The fuck?

"Surprise!" Melissa grinned. "Actually it's right below my secret clause that Hanse and I are getting hitched" she said. I glanced up from the paper to stare at her as I slowly closed it and handed it back to Hanse.

"Please tell me it doesn't actually use that language?" I managed as I tried to recover my poise. Even in a symbolic sense, the two of them making me the 'first citizen' as it were of the Federated Commonwealth ... that was big.

"Not really, that's about thirty pages long" Melissa rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised they didn't go into the mechanics of exactly how Hanse is supposed to throw me onto the bed and-"

"Melissa!" Katrina's voice cracked in that kind of paternal mortification when their teenage daughter decides to go just a tiny bit too far and Hanse, for the first time in his life seemed to be actually blushing slightly.

The younger Steiner however simply rolled her eyes in that passive-aggressive genetically teenager way of ignoring a parent telling them to behave.

"No matter, we'll just have to improvise on the wedding night" she muttered, turning a look I could best describe as speculating towards her fiancé … who confronted with his future wife on one side and mother in law on the other, did the smart thing.

"Your enrollment has been confirmed by Sakhara" he said, reaching up to pull another folder out from under the table and handing it over, not looking at his future wife who continued to study him speculatively. "The induction is on the fourteenth of February, so you'll be leaving on the twenty ninth to make it" he said as I broke the seal and started to read the cover letter. I wasn't terribly surprised to see that I had been invited on a fully paid admission on the 'recommendation' of Quintus Allard. Sakhara was incredibly picky about its admissions, generally only allowing the most wealthy and connected in and even then only on recommendations from its alumni network. And unlike some of the Lyran social clubs that pretended to be military academies for the wealthy, Sakhara if anything was fanatical about the excellence it expected from its students.

Justin had in fact graduated from Sakhara, no doubt explaining why Quintus had officially sent the request.

"Why Sakhara?" I asked out of curiosity. "And not Albion or the College of Military Sciences?" After all, they were on New Avalon which was much closer to home and excellent in of themselves…"

"Two reasons" Hanse explained. "One, given your higher profile, having you around on New Avalon - especially at NAIS - risks people talking, even inadvertently and giving things away by adding two and two together; the downside of having far too many smart people in the same building I suppose. Two, security at Sakhara is actually tighter than NAIS. Partially because unlike New Avalon, there are few reasons to bother setting up spy rings and partially because rather significant nobles children pass through, force protection and security is as near to airtight as you can get. We'll have emergency contact methods in place should you remember something time critical or otherwise needing immediate action, but otherwise Katrina and I are hoping you can just sit out the … shall we say, upcoming events of the next three years?"

I bit my tongue to stop myself from bringing up Justin.

Perhaps it was a good idea that I was going to be sitting most if not all of the 4th Succession War out from the sidelines.

"Makes sense" I agreed after taking it in, offering the trio a quick look, then smiling as a thought occurred. "So, I take it I'm not going to be invited to the wedding?"

Of course you're not, what kind of stupid question is that John?

"I wish you could be" Katrina said and she sounded genuinely regretful - Melissa also looking slightly downcast at the negative.

Which was a tad bizarre given that I had only met the bride a few hours ago.

"But it would be somewhat incompatible with keeping a low profile. And even as public as such an event is ... do you really want to walk onto ROMs home turf?" she asked?

The shudder that went through my body probably answered that directly enough.

"I'd offer to save you a slice of cake, but it might be a little stale by the time it gets to you" the bride to be shrugged impishly.

I laughed at that one, as from the corner of the room I heard a series of chimes in the classic Westminster pattern. I turned to look and spotted a grandfather clock that seriously looked like it could have come off pre-spaceflight Terra, which finished its chime sequence and started to ring out midnight.

"And that's December 25" Melissa smiled. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas" I replied along with the other two adults … and in that moment. I felt something more was called for, closing the folder and tossing it onto the table, before reaching for my tumbler. "And as I'm not going to be present for the wedding - and in honor of your engagement..." I said with a pointed look at Melissa who tilted her head in confusion for a moment … then suddenly realized with a silent 'oh!' as she reached into her pocket to pull out her hidden engagement ring … and handed it over to Hanse with a blush. Who in turn quickly put his glass back down to take out the ring … and carefully slide it onto his blushing fiance's finger before the two retrieved their glasses, standing as I did.

"I'm not terribly good at speeches" I said. "So I'll make it simple; may your wedding day be glorious, Maximilian Liao's face hilarious and your honeymoon notinterrupted by Toaster Worshipers".

"Hear hear!" the trio laughed and with a tink of very expensive crystal out glasses met as we drank to that offset the final chimes from the clock, Christmas Eve and the last vestiges of my old life sort of faded away … and my new life in formal service to the Federated Commonwealth began