Cracks in the Spires

1. Backed into a corner

Essanda Riss Tesh Vik stared at herself amazed that her face didn't show the ravages of yesterday. It should have aged fifty years. Behind her, reflected in the mirror, she could see Jon's sleeping form. She bit her lip and aimlessly moved the bits and pieces on the surface of her dressing table from one side to the other. Her brain jumped uselessly from one half formed thought to another. She stared at the figure in the bed, the man who had come to mean so much to her and who shouldn't have, not if she'd been as sensible and cold hearted as her Mother. She remembered that conversation vividly, when she was eighteen. Her Mother's advice about comfort men, 'don't keep them longer than six turns, they tend to think providing intimate services entitles them to special privileges or that they can take liberties'. She'd followed it until a night at a party had brought her Jon. He'd been with her for nine years, the last six and a half of them as a free man. She started shaking. There was no-one who could help her, she and Jon were on their own and she didn't hold out much hope. Hearing the bed creak she looked up, Jon, slipping on his robe, came round and stood behind her. He rested his hands on her shoulders.

"Stop worrying, I have no intention of exiting this life just to oblige your family" He smiled. She leant back against him and put her hands over his

"How can I not worry? Malf was ruthless but he wasn't insane. Grandfather Foran's deeply and completely mad." She shuddered "He made me sit on his lap while he told me about why I have to sign a contract with Chem Mayoth. All the time he was talking he was fondling me in a most unpleasant manner. Look at what he's done to his own father. Malf's been imprisoned in Greenland since last summer. He's alive but for how much longer?" She slid along the seat so he could perch beside her, she twisted sideways to face him. "I don't think you understand how utterly unstable and dangerous he is."

"I think I do. After all he slaughtered the Estas for opposing his appointment as CEO. Even when Malf was in charge I know how careful you had to be about cancelling my indentures, about getting me bio-meds, the way you pruned the staff in the early days. I noticed all of it. I soon realised it wasn't because you were ashamed of me, it was because you were determined to make sure no-one stopped you or got rid of me."

"No and I'm not going to let anyone come between us now. The awful thing is this alliance with the Mayoths is stupid and dangerous. Futura is a bigger, more powerful city. Foran's ceding them control over the rare earth mines in Greenland. How long before they want more control over Esperance backed up by the threat of cutting off access to the resources to repair and renew our systems?"

"What could be worth that? Those resources are scarce now and even if they didn't use it to gain power over Esperance we'd come second to their needs."

"Exactly but he's been flattered and dazzled by the beauty of Chem's twin grandaughters." her face twisted in disgust. "He's sick. He gets both of them and they're only fifteen years old."

Jon pulled a face. "That is sick, though..." he stopped

"I know it's probably no sicker than the idea of comfort men and all the rest of it." she kissed him "You changed me Jon and for the better. I won't give you up or let them kill you it's just I don't know what to do."

"We'll manage, we have so far."

"I hope..." Essy started to reply when there was a knock and a maid entered with a tray. She put it down on the table by the window wished them good morning and withdrew.

Jon got up and poured some dark brown liquid into a cup. As he put it in her hand she realised it had the most wonderful aroma. She took a sip, distracted momentarily from her fears she exclaimed

"This is gorgeous!" she looked up, Jon was smiling broadly. He poured himself a cup

"Well before you arrived home last night in a state of complete despair and desperation this was what was uppermost in my mind. I take it that it meets with approval?"