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Roseanne and Lisa were eating a late breakfast when a knock on the door interrupted them.
"Go away," Lisa yelled.
"Open the damn door," Kai bellowed. "Messengers from the Ruling Council have arrived."
Lisa shoved herself away from the table and opened the door. "What do they want?"
Kai's voice was worried. "Roseanne."
"Was it a verbal or written message?"
"Written, addressed to Manoban don al' Jamiros."
Lisa smiled slowly. "Hyun-suk is a fool. Instead of waiting and gathering information, he petitioned the Council for her immediate return."
"From what your father says, that's exactly what has happened."
Both of them turned to face Roseanne who sat contentedly on her chair.
Kai frowned. "You don't look too worried, Coz."
Fully content for the first time since her hasty departure from Earth, now sure of Lisa's love, she shrugged. "Why should I be? I have the Manoban clan, the royal Medirian family, and now a Gattan brother. What's more, I carry the Manoban heir. What can Hyun-suk possibly do to me? One wrong move, and one of your men will tear him to pieces."
Kai only shook his head as Lisa grinned broadly.
"Come, love, let's go meet these messengers. I want to see the look on their faces when you confront them."
"Me?"
"Since you first appeared on my ship, my love, you have returned our cousin Kai to us and bloodbonded us with a very powerful Gattan family. You routed Minako and brought my brother the happiness he deserves. And you have won the hearts of my family. Hyun-suk's messengers stand no chance against you."
Roseanne chuckled happily. Surrounded by a loving family, unknown messengers from Hyun-suk did not trouble her in the least. "Very well. Let's go rout the dastards."
Kai and Lisa looked at each other. Both shrugged. They were getting used to it.
Lisa escorted Roseanne to the library where her father, mother, and grandmother waited with three strangers. After she had made herself comfortable, Jamiros said, "Lisa, these are Kadon don al' Meterac, Ruling Council member and messenger, and Sasonit don al' Huwnder and Grovanit don al' Zoterif, Academy of Science guards. They've come with a signed order for you to turn over the specimen you unlawfully stole from Yang don al' Hyun-suk."
Lisa perused the sheet of paper her father handed her. "And if I refuse?"
"You are ordered to appear in person before the ruling council two weeks from this date to defend yourself against charges of treason."
Lisa cocked an eyebrow. "Treason? Isn't that charge rather harsh?"
"Probably," BamBam answered as he and Minari entered the room. "The legal team is working on it right now." Minari sat down next to Roseanne, and BamBam moved to stand behind them.
The messenger had the good grace to look embarrassed.
The two guards were far more belligerent, however.
