hing bad happened, since Suralle is going back to Terra, and you've come to the palace. They know the attack failed, but they won't know how bad it was until their ships get back. Did you capture the Skaa ships?_

He shook his head. _They were the first ships destroyed._

_Damn. I'd have loved to get my hands on those._

_What's the Imperial position?_

_Officially? None. I frown on inter-house fighting, you know that, but I can't officially stop it. About all I can do is summon you and Maeri to my study and give you a bitching out. Unofficially, though, I don't think I really need to do anything else. Maeri tried to destabilize the Imperium by cutting off Terran food production, and usually I'd come down on her for something like that. But this time, I think I'm just gonna step back and let her squirm a little. She got her ass kicked, and when what's left of her task force gets back, she's going to know just how badly she got spanked. I know Maeri, Jason. She's ambitious, cunning, and dangerous, but she's not an idiot. She'll take that pasting as a sign that she'd better not try something like that again, because she knows that now I've seen that trick, and I'll be coming after her with a task force of my own if some other government's ships mysteriously appear in Terran space and attack the stargate. I'll make sure to tell her that, too._

_That's all you're going to do?_

_Jayce, baby, she just lost about a _hundred billion_ credits' worth of military hardware to you. Trust me, I can't do anything more to her that you haven't done already. You didn't just _destroy_ a Trillane command ship, you _captured_ it. A command ship! Trillane only had _seven _of those, Jayce. Well, six now. Do you know how much one of those costs to build? She lost a major piece of Trillane property to you. Between what you destroyed and what you captured, you punched a big hole in her military budget. It's going to take them _years_ to replace those ships._

_If they're that expensive, why did she send one to attack Terra?_

_Because they _are_ that expensive, baby. A command ship is a serious warship. I guess Maeri thought that not even your _Defiant_ would be able to fight off a command ship. If I were in her place, I'd have made the same assumption. I'd have been afraid enough of the _Defiant_ to send a command ship to destroy it, but confident a command ship would be capable of the job. Boy, would I have been wrong,_ she sent with a chuckle, continuing her steady, rhythmic pedaling. _So, are you sending her your ring?_

_No, I'm not starting a fight that might send the Imperium spiraling into a civil war,_ he answered.

_Good, because I've have stopped you. I'm glad you see that too. What are you doing with the Trillane nobles you captured?_

_Tossing them in jail for now,_ he answered. _I don't want to keep them, though. I'm not petty like Maeri is, I'm not gonna kill Trillanes or torture them just to get back at them for what they've done, or hold those nobles prisoner and make their families suffer with fear and anxiety over what may happen to them or what I might do to them. I will not become my enemy. As soon as things calm down, in a few days maybe, I'll be shipping them to Draconis and letting them go. Trillane can pick them up here and take them home, or whatever the hell they wanna do. I don't really care._

_Not the way I'd do it, but at least your reasoning makes a kind of sense, given how well I know you,_ she sent with a nod. _You sending those nobles to me, or just letting them go?_

_Letting them go._

_Aww, come on, send them to me, so I can make Maeri pay through the nose,_ Dahnai winked.

_Usually I'd say yes Dahnai, but I'm not going to hold the families of those women hostage because of a power game between the leaders of the _Siann_. So no, you can't have them. I'm letting them go._

_Fair enough,_ she sent, slowing to a stop on her exercise bike. She put her elbows down on the handle bars and looked at him. _I have to say it, Jayce, you've come a long way in a short time. I'm very impressed._

_Well, thanks Dahnai, I appreciate it,_ he sent modestly.

_Beh, can the modesty. Now, you've done me a favor by pissing off Maeri, so what can I do for you?_

_Well, my wife's busy and I'm a little tired. Can I stay over tonight?_

_Sure. I'll have a steward find you a room._

_A room?_ he sent, giving her a thorough look.

Her expression was like sunshine as she beamed at him. _I thought you said you were tired._

_I'm not _that_ tired._

_Ooohhh, now?_

_Not _now_. After a meal, a bath, and some rest, sure. We can do what me and my wife and our friends do, sit on the couch and watch the viddy 'til we're in the mood._

_Deal,_ she grinned, looking to one of the pages who stood near the door. _What do you feel like for dinner tonight?_

_Lobster._

"Subin, go to the kitchen and tell the chefs to prepare a lobster dinner for two, and have it sent to my room as soon as it's ready."

"At once, your Majesty," the young boy said with a whiplike bow, and he ran from the room.

Dahnai looked almost giddy. She usually had to initiate their interludes, but this was the first time Jason had done the inviting. It was a combination of pure lust and living up to a name. He _was_ starting to get the itch, and Jyslin and Symone were busy, so Dahnai was an eminently acceptable alternative. After all, she _was_ a very good time in bed. But, he also knew that Dahnai had officially had him recognized as her _amu dorai_, and she was going to _expect_ him to show the same interest in her that she showed in him. Jason liked Dahnai, liked her a lot, and he couldn't deny that he looked forward to spending time alone with her, even if he did have to suffer through court for the privilege. It was about time he at least start treating her with a little consideration, especially since she'd soon be showing signs of her pregnancy and she'd be lamenting the fun they had before she got fat and ugly... in her own mind. She liked it when he spent time with her in an informal setting, like a date, or just vegging out in front of the vidlink, so he would give her some quality time. Then they'd have some very satisfying sex, and both of them would be happy.

That was the plan. And it went very well, up to a point, but reality certainly decided to interfere with their evening. It managed to go well enough; a nice dinner, a few good hours doing absolutely nothing of importance while Jason and Dahnai bathed together (but she kept her hands to herself, enjoying the game of anticipation) and watched the vidlink, first catching a _batchi_ game on the Imperial Sports and Games Network, then watching _Terra TV_ when Jason started telling her about shows he used to like to watch before the Subjugation.

Dahnai was a sucker for _Family Guy_.

And just about the time Jason was starting to feel it was about time to retire to the bedroom with Dahnai, so much so he was untying the belt of the thigh-length robe she commonly wore around her apartment as she giggled and kissed his neck, the vidlink cut off and came back up to show one of Dahnai's staff. "I _really_ beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but a priority missive just came in that demands your immediate attention."

Jason sighed and put his forehead on her bare shoulder, but Dahnai sat up without bothering to close the robe that Jason had _just_ opened to get at the delights within, giving the young woman a truly _ugly_ glare. "Mitti, if this doesn't involve the explosion of a planet or the Coming of Trelle, I'm gonna scalp you," she threatened the vidlink monitor, which made the young lady on the other side flinch visibly. "Well? What is it?"

"Uh, Grand Duchess Maeri Trillane has used the call of council," she said. "I know you know I'm required to warn you of that. Shall I patch her through, or do you wish, uh, to make yourself presentable, your Majesty?"

"Oh, get that bitch on the line _right now_," she said hotly, standing up.

The girl's face vanished, and the mature face of Maeri Trillane appeared. She took in the scene with a single glance and seemed slightly amused. "I beg your pardon for interrupting," she said with complete insincerity. "But I felt this important."

"What do you want, Maeri?" Dahnai snapped. "I'm fucking _busy_, and if not for you, I could be busy fucking!"

"Yes, your infatuation with the Terran is well known," she said disdainfully. "But it's been brought to my attention that you're holding a number of my nobles. I called to bargain the terms of their return."

Dahnai grinned evilly. "They're not under my banner, Maeri. They're under _his_," she said, pointing at Jason, who was still sitting on the couch. "I'm surprised that got back to you so fast."

"Well, when a number of my ships came up missing, I had them tracked down, and found out they'd initiated an unapproved attack on Terra. I want them back so I can put them on trial for insubordination and disobeying orders."

"Since you acknowledge they're your ships, maybe you can explain why the Trillanes are using _Skaa_ vessels," Jason asked bluntly, standing up. "Seems that two of them jumped into my system and tried to attack the stargate."

"Vice Admiral Sheva Trillane clearly had put some thought into this unsupported action," Maeri said smoothly.

"You can drop the semantics, Maeri," Dahnai told her. "You wanna talk terms, then start talking."

"There are no terms," Jason told Maeri simply. "Tomorrow when I get home, I'll be shipping all your nobles to Draconis and letting them go. No terms, no ransoms. They're free to go."

"How, generous of you," she murmured.

"You won't think that for long, when the only two ships that got away from me get back to your territory and tell you what happened," Jason told her, sitting back down and crossing his legs, taking a very casual comfortable pose. "I destroyed or captured the rest of them, including your command ship. In three weeks, when we get it repaired, I'm gonna jump it to Arctus and drive it by the planet so you can see the Karinne crest painted on it," he told her, holding up his hand and ticking off his fingers with the list. "I got your command ship, both your battleships, three cruisers, and a destroyer. The rest were destroyed. I hope you weren't too attached to them." He put his arm around Dahnai when she sat back down. "Oh, and you're only getting the _nobles_ back, Maeri. I'm exercising my rights as the victor house and I'm keeping them as spoils. They work for House Karinne now. Since they were manning those ships, that gives me experienced crews to put right back on them once I get them repaired. I've even arranged it so their indentured service to me counts against their conscription time."

"I can't believe that," she snorted. "How could you _capture_ a command ship?"

"Easy when you knock out all its power and leave it dead in space," Jason answered. "Crews aren't too worried about repelling borders when they have no life support. They surrendered _very_ quickly."

"I don't believe you!"

"I don't care what you believe," Jason said, rather flippantly. "When your ships get home, they'll tell you all about it. By the rules of the _Siann_, ships and crews captured by rival houses become property of the victor house._ _Your ships are mine now. So are the crews that manned them, all the fighters in them, even the underwear in the panty drawer of the Vice Admiral. All mine. I'd have kept the Vice Admiral too, she was kinda cute and had a sexy ass, but I don't have to look very far to find gorgeous women," he said, brazenly reaching down and fondling Dahnai's breast, letting Maeri watch him pawing the Empress' person. "And between Dahnai and my wife, I'm kept pretty much well exhausted. All you're getting back is two ships and a shitload of scared noble officers who can tell you all about it. So have your people at the Miga Spaceport tomorrow at noon standard time so you can collect up your nobles. And Maeri. _Never_ try that again. If you _ever_ jump an attack force into Terran space, I'll turn around and jump everything I have to Arctus, and I'll blow your planet out of the sky. And if you don't think I can do it, then _try me_," he finished with an ominous hiss. "You have _no idea_ what I've managed to recover from my ancestors, Maeri. They left me clues to recover everything they left behind, and I have to say, it's _damn _impressive. I have toys squirreled away that would make you feel like your house is still using swords and spears. You'll get to see some of it in action when your ships get back and you can access their visual logs, and _see _what my ships are capable of. But, to spoil the surprise, I brought in only three ships to take on your attack force. Three, and the largest of them isn't even the size of your heavy cruisers. And they kicked the piss out of your task force without a single casualty. My crews didn't even so much as break a nail. But I know you don't believe a word I'm telling you, so I'll just let the logs you get back from those two ships that got away do all my talking for me.

"I've put up with you so far because I abhor violence and I want to see the Imperium at peace, but if you push me again, I _will_ send you my ring. And I'll make sure I take it back out of your cold, dead hand.

"Remember that, bitch. Stay away from me, my house, and my planet, and we can coexist just fine. But push me one more time, and I'll hit you so hard, so fast, you won't have a clue what the fuck just happened to you."

"Oh, and Maeri. If you ever try to disrupt food production again, I won't even bother revoking your charter," Dahnai told her in a sober, adamant voice. "I'll just take your banner down from the hall, then have the _entire_ Imperium hunt your house down and slaughter them to the last child. Do I make myself clear?"

"I have no idea"

"That was not an offer to respond with anything other than _yes_ or _no_," Dahnai cut her off, scowling at the monitory. "_Do you understand what I have just said to you_?" Dahnai asked in a voice that startled Jason with its outright hostility and promise for graphic, ruthless violence.

"I understand," she said in an arrogant tone. Jason had to give Maeri Trillane one thing; she did not scare easily. Not even an angry Empress was enough to frighten her.

"Now push off. I don't have time to deal with you. I have better things to do," Dahnai told Maeri, pointedly turning to Jason and grabbing the ties of his robe.

The image on the monitor winked out, replaced with the show they'd been watching. "Mmmm, sounds like we're alone," she purred in his ear, undoing his robe and opening it. "Now where were we?"

"Right about here, I think," he answered, leaning in and kissing her.

_Mmmmmmmmmmm, but don't think we're not going to talk about that little speech,_ she warned as she pushed herself into his arms. _Later,_ she added, melting against him.

                                        * * *

He had done everything Zaa had suggested.

He had openly given his support to the Empress. He had showed the _Siann_ his hand, since now the video logs from the Trillane vessels were now in the public venue, and the rest of the noble houses had seen Jason's deadly ships in action against Faey warships. He had started working on building the forces of his house, and was rebuilding the Academy.

This was the final step.

Jason and Miaari walked along the beach of the Teyan Sea on Karis, as she showed him the work that her people had been doing. The first structures of the reclaimed city of Karga had already been put up by the Kimdori, and in about a year, the entire city would be rebuilt. But those other structures weren't what they were there to see. What they were there to see was just down the beach.

It was a glittering glass and steel compound enclosed in a defense screen, a force field of a fence that was the first line of defense to protect what was inside. This was the building that an army of nearly ten thousand Kimdori had labored every moment to build, and it was completely, both outside and inside.

It was the new biogenic manufacturing facility.

There had only been one of them, even back then. The compound was huge, the size of a small town back home on Earth, all enclosed in a force shield. Within were the various buildings necessary to grow the biogenic crystals that formed the heart of a biogenic system, as well as the manufacturing facilities to build the computers that would surround them, build new gestalts and memory bands, and begin construction on the components for a new CBIM. Cybi had asked that that be their first priority. She was the last of her kind, the last CBIM, and no other computer could store the information she contained. If she were to malfunction or go offline, then the knowledge of the Karinnes would be forever lost. Cybi wanted another CBIM online to serve as a backup, or serve as the primary and allow her to return to her assigned role as emergency backup herself. Before the fall of Karis, that was Cybi's function, to be the last line of defense to protect the knowledge of the Karinnes. When another CBIM was complete and online, she could return to that role, but Jason would rather not see that. Another CBIM would not be Cybi. Cybi wasn't just a computer to him. She was a friend, and he wanted her to continue to be the voice and the face of that which was.

Jason had been surprised they got it up so fast... and not just from the construction aspect. When he asked Miaari about it when she told him of the nearing completion, she responded that the Kimdori had already built all the equipment that would go into that facility, and had had it on hand for _years_, just waiting for the chance to use it. They had really thought ahead, building the delicate technology that would grow the crystals and waiting for a place to install it to be built. It reminded Jason yet again of the towering discipline and respect the Kimdori had for their word. They had promised not to make biogenic crystals, and despite building all the equipment they'd need to do it, they had never done it. They had built those machines, that equipment, and simply left it in some warehouse somewhere, having it on hand and ready in case they could use it.

"There it is, my friend," she told him. "The Biogenics lab facility, which we had always called the Shimmer Dome due to the everpresent shield. It was brought up and operational yesterday, while you were, entertaining, the Empress Dahnai."

"Go ahead and laugh," he snorted.

She did laugh then. "No, no, we actually approve. You are a moderating influence on Dahnai. You were exactly what she needed, friend Jason, a man who sees her for who she is and likes her for no other reason. Now she knows that she _can_ find a man that can look past her title, and she will look for him. When she finds him, she will marry him, she will love him, and she will be happy. She will always treasure you and the joy you brought to her, you will always be her _amu dorai_, for you opened her eyes and her heart and showed her that there is more to life than the power that comes from sitting on her throne. And for that, we thank you. An Empress who cares about more than power is an Empress that is less likely to wage war. This is what we hoped would come to pass, and you have helped make it so.

"You are everything we hoped you would be, my friend," she said as they stopped on a sand dune and looked down on the compound. "You are a strong, wise, cunning man who can play the Grand Duchesses hand for hand, yet you retain your dignity and honor, and your compassion. You are an anathema to the others in the _Siann_, but as time will show them, you are not weak, as they believe you to be. They mistake your devotion to your people as weakness. In time, they will see that it is the greatest strength you possess."

"Faith."

"Faith," she said with a nod. "You give others _faith_, my friend. You help them believe that there is something better, and with hard work and devotion, they may attain it. It has shown Dahnai that there is love out there for her, if she only opens her eyes to find it. Your commoner crews see a real future ahead of them, and the Terrans see hope that they will return to the lives they once held, with only minimal intrusion from the Imperium. You have learned the one thing I hoped that you would learn from me, my friend, and that is your faith was your greatest asset. You held onto it, and now you pass it to others. You make the lives of those under you better, for that is what you see as your duty, and in return, they give to you a powerful devotion and loyalty."

"I'm glad it helped you out too, Miaari," he said, reaching over and touching the white band of fur on her upper chest, between her collarbones.

She gave a growling laugh, touching the white band herself. "I still find myself staring at it in mirrors," she admitted to him. "I almost can't believe it. A Handmaiden, me. Kimdori children dream of the honor of the white band from as soon as they learn its meaning. When my father found out, he ordered a feast that lasted for nine days without respite."

"Did Kiaari take it well?"

Miaari laughed again. "She wasn't _too_ jealous," she told him. "And Denmother gave the others that helped me their own measure of honor and respect. Kiaari's efforts were definitely noticed, my friend. It is why she is entrusted with your safety, despite her being so young. For a Kimdori her age to be given such an assignment is almost unheard of."

"Well, I'm glad of that," he said. "And I'm glad you're my ambassador, Miaari. I wouldn't want anyone else."

"Which is why you have me," she told him, patting him on the shoulder. "So, Jason Karinne, what next?"

"Next we build more ships," he told her. "As fast as your people can build them."

"The first ship of the same class as the _Defiant_ will be ready for launch in three months," she told him. "There is another cruiser two weeks behind it, and we will have the first destroyer class ship out of space dock in three weeks, with two more only weeks behind it. We have every bay in the shipyard on Kosigi filled, my friend, and we are working hard to get those ships out so we can start anew. There are even more Kimdori at Kosigi engaged in the construction effort than there are here building the Shimmer Dome. The cruiser and destroyers will be built before the crystals are grown to build the computers. Have you had your first meeting with the Makati?"

He shook his head, looking up as a dropship came down into view, landing near the compound. The tickling sense of Jyslin was all over that ship. She had come down from Kosigi. "Next week," he said. "Ayuma is scheduled to return to Terra tomorrow with her staff, and we have our first meeting with the builders on, uh, Wednesday I think."

"It will not take them long. Six months maybe."

"Seriously?"

"Jason, the Makati are as quick as they are thorough. I can guarantee you that they will give you a time frame of about six months. Maybe more, maybe less, depending on the complexity of their blueprints and the number of workers they assign to the project. What the Kimdori build fast using sheer numbers, the Makati build fast using skill and experience. They are some of the best civil engineers in the galaxy. Building is genetic for them. They evolved from burrowers who made elaborate home systems underground. The need to build is coded into their DNA."

"Huh."

_Jason! Jason, where are you?_

_We're up on the dune near the sea._ He sent her an image of what he could see, the compound and the dropship near it, now on the ground, and then he saw her come out of it. She pushed out a sweep to find his mind, locked onto it, turned and waved to him, then started running up to him. Tim and Symone climbed out behind him, and to Jason's surprise, so did Ian and Erinn. Jason thought it was a bit early to reveal Karis to Erinn, but it was too late now. Jason should have thought that through more. He should have realized that when he told Jyslin she could bring the ship back, she'd be bringing her crew with her. With all three ships here, that put just about all of the House Karinne on Karis.

"I see you are introducing your house to Karis," Miaari noted. "How are they taking it?"

"I really don't know, those ones are here because I wasn't thinking," he said honestly. "Let's go meet them."

They met Jyslin about a quarter of the way. She threw herself into his arms and kissed him, excited and breathless. _You should see Kosigi, my love! It's huge, it takes up almost the entire inside of the moon! The moon is _hollow_, Jason! It's nothing but a big base! There are Kimdori everywhere, and they're building more ships! One of them looks like it's almost done!_

_I haven't been to Kosigi yet,_ he told her. _I think I want to tour it before we go home._

"It's good to see you again, Duchess," Miaari told her.

"Miaari! Your people are helping us! Thank you!" she said, pushing out of Jason's arms and actually hugging the Kimdori. Miaari looked a little startled, but she put her hands on Jyslin's shoulders and patted them fondly.

"Yes, we are helping you, as much as we can. The success and prosperity of the Karinnes is a very important matter to us. We have entered an agreement with your husband to work with him while he rebuilds the house. Until you have the hands to work the necessary jobs, Kimdori hands will fill in. As your house grows in size and training, we will pull back and allow you to handle your own affairs."

"Well, thank you. Thank you very much."

"You are more than welcome, Duchess," Miaari said with a toothy smile.

"Did you have to take off like that, Jys!" Symone complained as they reached them. "Really, that baby in your belly is going to your head! Jason, did you know that the moon is _hollow_, and it's got like a million Kimdori in it building ships?"

Jason laughed. "Yes, I know, Symone," he smiled. "How was the trip back?"

"Scary," Tim said. "The _Resolute's_ power failed in mid-jump, and the other ships had to pull it through. They told me that if it had tried to jump by itself, it would have been trapped in hyperspace forever. That didn't sound very pleasant."

"No, it would not be," Miaari mused.

"Anyway, we got all three ships back, and they're on that moon being fixed by an _army_ of Kimdori. But I think you knew that."

"Yeah, I knew that. I didn't know you guys were still here, though. I thought you'd have gone home."

"Nah, there was too much to see!" he said excitedly. "The moon's hollow, Jayce, and it's huge! It took us almost a whole day just to look around. And when we were told you'd come, they allowed us to leave the base and come down to the planet to join you. Seems they don't allow anyone down here unless you're here or you approve it."

"Yeah, security," he said, looking at Miaari, who nodded. "This is what they're protecting, guys," he said, waving his hand at the compound as Erinn reached them. "That's the new biogenics manufacturing compound, and I'm told it just started up yesterday. You okay, Erinn?" he asked, switching to Faey.

"I'm a little overwhelmed, your Grace," he said honestly. "I just get out of secondary school four weeks ago, and now I'm a Karinne noble, I just had a battle with another house the other day, and I'm standing on _Karis_! They said in school that this planet is dead!"

Jason laughed. "That's what we want everyone to think, Erinn," he told the green-haired male. "So consider this your first test as a Karinne noble. The Karinnes were all about keeping secrets, Erinn. If you're going to be a Karinne noble, then get into the habit. What you've seen here, what you know, you can never discuss it with anyone off of this planet. Not even with people who _do_ know about it. A secret unspoken remains a secret," he cited, using a Kimdori saying.

"Truly," Miaari said with a nod.

"It'll be hard, but I think I can do it," he said with a nod. "Your Grace."

"Can it with the titles, or I'll start calling you Count Erinn," Jason told him. "Call me Jason, or Jayce."

"Sure, uh, Jason."

"I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you guys some of the things I haven't explained yet," he told them. "Now that you've seen Kosigi, I'm sure you know that there's much more to this place than meets the eye. I think I need to take you to Kosiningi and meet Cybi. I think it's time for you to see the true legacy of the Karinnes, and it's about time for Erinn to receive his gestalt."

"Ohh, I've heard about this mysterious Cybi from the Marines," Symone breathed.

"And when I find out who was talking about her, I'm gonna kick her ass," Jason grunted. "They _know_ they're not supposed to be talking about things like that off this planet. Who was it?"

"Uh," she said, then she looked him in the eyes and tapped her temple.

Oh yeah. Symone could hear private sending. "Alright. I'll deal with her later," he said, pretending Symone had sent the answer.

Miaari gave them a tour of the biogenic facility, which was conducted by the Kimdori scientist who was in charge of it. They showed them the vast liquid tanks where the crystals were grown, and the huge facilities where those crystals would be cut and shaped into both processing crystals and the board on which all the components would be installed. The computers used cybernetic components rather than moleculartronic and were actually less powerful than modern Faey moleculartronic computers, but the site commander also showed them a research building where they were already at work adapting biogenic components to the new standard in computer science, moleculartronic systems. He was quite confident they would have their first moleculartronic-based biogenic system by the end of the year, since they'd already done a great deal of research and preparatory work for this project, they had just lacked the biogenic crystals to test their theories and designs. When they managed to do it, they would refit every biogenic system currently in operation to moleculartronics, and would build new gestalts and memory bands using the more powerful system. For Jason and the other gestalt wearers, it would be like having the power of a panel at his disposal rather than the current computer, which wasn't half as powerful.

Introducing those new to Karis to Cybi was an experience. Jason flew them to the island of Kosiningi and took them down to mee