Galactic Gale

Chapter Thirty

Un-Takin

In the finest tunic and leggings she owned, Nona stood at the head of the oddly-matched party. She had opted for the practical outfit rather than one of her beloved gowns after a long talk with Wedjank during the flight. If blasters started to be unholstered, she wanted to be able to flee as quickly as possible, or to stand her ground without being burdened by layers of fabric.

It was not the best thought to have running through her mind as she stepped out her flagship. A princess should be elegant and dignified in all her actions. Running away hardly provided her with the chance to be either of those things.

"I'm not a fan of this place," Traen said. He turned to get a better view of the meeting place Wedjank and Hershyl had chosen. "It's too dark. I already feel like Hershyl is hiding something."

"This is simply a discussion. Krome has no reason to want to harm us, or even start an argument." From the back of the party, Wedjank motioned with his chin to the ship across the platform.

Nona was thankful Traen said nothing further. She did not need her two closest companions arguing with each other during a trip like this. They were here for work. Nona and Wedjank had to understand Hershyl's intentions, and Traen had the Sorii to represent. There was no place for bickering.

At what she guessed was the halfway mark between her ship and Hershyl's transport, she stopped, the rest of her group falling into line behind her, Traen right at her heels. He had been right to say Un-Takin was an unsettling spot for a political meeting.

Situated in the Noric Region not far from the border of the Kalvar Region, Un-Takin was a station with little appeal aside from its ease of access.

The circular ground platforms were widespread with only narrow bridges connecting. From above, the station appeared to be a web. Each platform could hold no more than a handful of ships and very few had buildings attached. Most of the locals, it seemed, preferred to live in their ships rather than in a form of housing.

As if the lack of lighting was not bad enough, the giant planet of Meritha loomed above, blocking the light from the Noric Region's largest sun. Nona's guards had turned the spotlights on their vessels to full power, but there was no light granted from the Krome Federation's singular transport shuttle.

Rain splattered on Nona's forehead. She sighed and led her companions towards the shuttle. Had she not been so concerned about Hershyl's intentions, she would have remained in her own ship and forced Hershyl to come to her. But time was dragging on and her patience was starting to run out.

Not good, she told herself. Take a deep breath. This can't get messy – least not when Traen is here to try and negotiate funding for Sorium.

Funding that would come from the Utercian royal funds, should Nona allow it. She had managed to speak with Wedjank about the possible outcomes of the meeting while in transit. If Traen somehow made a deal with Krome but Nona refused to donate to the Federation, there was no knowing what would happen.

She would have happily paid for the Sorium building program outright if Traen would have allowed it. Having Traen here to practically beg with these people was near insulting. Uterca had more than enough wealth to go around.

Traen worried too much regarding what the Assembly of Nor thought of him. Let them think he and Nona were plotting and scheming with the Sorii to drain Uterca of its power. Nona could not care less what pompous politicians thought. Soon enough they would have been forced to realise they were wrong.

If her time in the palace had taught Nona one thing, it was that life was too short, too close to its expiry date, to bother about gossip and the worthless words of bored onlookers.