Ricki couldn't believe it. "This is good."
"Good, hell. We've never had an anthology sell like this. It was down to number six yesterday, but it jumped back to the big One this morning." He let out with a triumphant laugh. "With these sales, it'll stay there fucking forever. We have to get him back in the studio. Soon. Now. Today!"
Uh oh. Ricki walked over to him. "That may be a problem."
Zachary stopped smiling. "You think he'll play hardball?"
"No. I think the President of the Allied Worlds is going to deport him."
Zachary looked as if he had run into a wall. "What?"
"Imperator Skolia agrees with her."
"Over one song? He has a right to sing it. Free speech! Who the hell do they think they are?"
She regarded him with exasperation. "Well, Zach, the last I checked, one of them is the president of our government and the other commands the Imperialate military."
"So?"
"So?" She would have laughed if her job hadn't been at stake. "Zach, even you don't outrank them."
He crossed his arms. "I have a Skolian expert in our Foreign Sales Division. He says Del was singing perfect Iotic. So who the fuck is Del Arden? He's Skolian, isn't he?"
"Oh, yeah." Skolia, to be precise.
Zachary put his fists on his hips. "He lied to us!"
"Actually, he never lied," Ricki said. "Everything he told us is true. He does come from a rediscovered Skolian colony. Developers from Texas did try to build a resort there. He just 'forgot' to tell us the Skolians threw out their sleazy butts and took over."
"What planet?" Zachary demanded. "I thought we made that up. Lishy-lushy or whatever."
"Lyshriol. It's real. You've heard of it."
He scowled at her. "Not so."
"If you translate Lyshriol into English, it means Skyfall."
Zachary snorted. "Sure, sweetheart. He's the freaking King of Skyfall."
"Uh, yeah, as a matter of fact, he is." She snapped her fingers at him. "And I swear, Zach, if you call me sweetheart again, I'm going to sic his Jagernaut bodyguard on you. I'd like to see you call that Valkyrie 'sweetheart.' "
He seemed more puzzled than angry. "You believe all this, don't you? He really threw you a line."
"Actually, his brother did."
"His brother?"
Ricki blanched. "Imperator Skolia."
And then she told him everything.
For a long moment after she finished, Zachary looked at her. Finally he said, "So his family doesn't like what he's doing."
"They're pulling him home."
"They can't do that. He needs to cut another anthology. One with this 'Carnelians' song."
Ricki didn't know whether to groan or shake him. "That song is a political nightmare."
"Does he want to leave?"
"I don't think so. But he has no choice."
"He's an adult. He can do what he wants." Zachary glared at her. "Or was that doctor's report a fake?"
"No, it was real. But it doesn't matter. He has to do what Imperator Skolia tells him to do."
Zachary snorted. "I'll talk to this Imperator."
The thought of Zachary doing his Prime-Nova routine on Kelric Skolia was more than Ricki ever wanted to imagine. "I don't think that would work." Before her boss came up with more brilliant ideas, she quickly added, "I'll talk to Del."
He narrowed his gaze. "How long have you known about Del?"
"Since that trip to the Moon."
"And you didn't let me know? The King of Skyfall! Think of the promotion we could do!"
"I did." Ricki had more than her share of nightmares without that one added in. She just said, "Del didn't want anyone to know."
"Talk to him. See what you can do."
"I will." She knew it would do no good. It wasn't Del she had to convince, but his infamous brother, and no way would she ever have the chance.
Del was in the living room of his quarters on the base, dozing in an armchair, when the door chimed. He opened his eyes, disoriented. The console across the room said it was afternoon. Chaniece had left for the port, and Mac had gone to find out what was happening with Prime-Nova.
"Who is it?" he asked groggily.
"Ms. Varento," Claude said.
Del dragged himself up straight. It was too soon for Ricki to be back. He had wondered if she would even come. He had avoided checking the mesh because he wasn't ready to face the outcry over his song, and Claude had told him Ricki hadn't sent any messages.
"Let her in," he said.
The door shimmered, and Ricki stood there watching him with those big blue eyes. Del rose to his feet, uncertain. "Did you talk to Zachary?"
"Oh, yeah." She came over to him. "Did I ever."
Del winced. "He's that angry?"
"Are you kidding? He's having multiple orgasms."
He reddened. "What?"
"Haven't you looked?" She shook her head, laughing. "Your sales are going crazy. Everyone wants your songs."
Del didn't believe her. "It doesn't work that way."
"If your song was about my people, you're right, it wouldn't." Ricki waved her hand toward the sky. "But you were singing about Skolia and Eube. My people have no stake in it. It doesn't affect their political views, so they don't get mad. For them, it's like watching gladiators fight. And here you are, this wild, gorgeous angel in black leather singing about the wrongs done to your family. People are eating it up faster than Tackman zaps his brain with neuro-amps."
Del didn't know about the "angel" part, and given his struggle with the bliss-node, he had no call to criticize Tackman, but he understood what she meant. Interstellar politics mattered to Del because how the Allieds dealt with the Traders directly impacted his people and his family. But he knew little about the politics among the various factions on Earth and understood them even less. Seeing news holos about who was fighting here over what issue was like watching a fight in an arena where he had no stake in the outcome.
"Even so," Del said. "The censors must be furious."
"I think they're more confused than anything else. If you were singing about us, they'd ban it in a second. But you're not." She regarded him with satisfaction. "No way will they get you off the meshes now. No matter how far away your family hides you, nothing will stop your songs. Your music will play everywhere."
Something loosened inside Del that had tightened the moment he decided to act against Tarex. And he felt that sense of release for more than himself. Even if he couldn't benefit from the unexpected results of last night's concert, Jud, Anne, and Randall would reap the rewards. After Ricki and Mac, they were the ones he would miss the most when he left Earth, even Randall who, despite his many challenges, never gave up on Del. None of them condemned Del for his decision to sing the "Finale," though it affected them as much as him. They had stayed with him, playing until the end, and for that, he would always be grateful.
He pulled Ricki into his arms and laid his head against hers. "Thank you," he whispered against her ear.
She held him close. "I didn't do it, babe. Prime-Nova didn't create Del Arden, no matter how much it feels that way. It's you. Your talent, your gifts, your passion."
He had never had a lover who wanted both him and his music. Now he was going to lose her. He wasn't ready for what he had to say, but hell, he would never be ready. So he just said it. "I don't want to go without you."
"Your family won't give you any choice."
He drew back and looked down at her. "Come with me."
She regarded him with no artifice, just Ricki, straight. "I can't. My work is here. I love what I do."
"You can work for Prime-Nova anywhere." He held her arms and spoke intently. "I'll get you your own studio. You can run the whole thing."
She stiffened. "I won't be your mistress."
Del was as scared now as the first time he had gone onstage. "I'm not asking you to." He felt as if he were on the edge of a cliff. So he took a breath and stepped off. "Be my w
ife."
She backed away from him. "Stop it."
"Why? Don't you trust me?" As soon as he spoke, he felt like an idiot. "Okay, maybe not. But I won't hurt you again. I swear."
"Del, don't." She smiled wanly. "Besides, your family would never agree. Don't they arrange marriages or something?"
"They try. It never works. And I want you, not some matriarch I've never met." He spoke more quietly. "I can't promise it'll be easy. But my love life has been so convoluted anyway, my family will probably be relieved to see me start untangling it." He tried to pull her back into his arms. "Say yes."
She braced her palms against his shoulders, holding him at bay. "I can't."
"Why, Ricki?" Softly he said, "What were you running from all those mornings you left me to wake up alone?"
"Nothing."
He stroked her hair back from her face. "I'm afraid, too."
She looked as if she wanted to run, like the wind. But she stayed put. "I don't know how to love. I never have."
"Well, neither do I." He gave her a crooked smile. "Maybe with two brains combined, we can figure it out."
She spoke quietly. "I'm honored, Del. But I can't live as your consort in the Imperial Court."
"We could live on Lyshriol," he said, knowing it was absurd. Her life was on Earth.
An edge came into her voice. "With your sister?"
What could he say? "I guess not."
"Is she still here?"
"No. She went home." They hadn't wanted to leave the boys for long, but it had made his time with her much too short.
"Your song, 'Diamond Star'—it's about her, isn't it?"
He took her hand. "Let me show you something."
"Del—"
"Just come with me." He drew her out to his balcony. They stood looking over the river, he behind her with his arms around her waist. "Do you see how the sun sparkles on the water?"
"It's beautiful."
"I translated 'Diamond Star' into English out here. I think of it every time I look at the river." He bent his head and kissed the top of hers. "You commed me that night, Ricki. And then I went up to the Star Tower to meet you. Now, when I come out here, I think about you. You're the 'Diamond Star.' "
She leaned her head back against his chest. "I'm afraid."
"Who wouldn't be, at the prospect of being stuck with me?"
She laughed softly. "It would certainly never be boring."
"There's more." He gazed over her head at the water. "When I was in cryo, our government was scared. They feared they would lose their Ruby psions. So they made more of us."
"I thought Rubies couldn't be created in the lab."
"They can't."
She wasn't smiling now. "I'm not sure I want to hear this."
"You should know." Del took a breath. "Chaniece and I have two sons. The Assembly used both our DNA and her eggs. I didn't know about the first until years after he was born." He stopped, mentally bracing himself.
"Do you miss them?" Ricki asked. "Your children, I mean?"
Del blinked. That was it? Do you miss them? "Every day."
"How could your government do that? It's horrible."
"Do I disgust you?"
"Why? It's not like you had any choice."
It finally sunk into Del that she wasn't going to explode. "I got serious enough about a woman once to tell her. She left me."
Ricki snorted. "She's an idiot."
His smile curved. "So if a woman leaves me, she's an idiot?"
"Del! Cut that out."
He kissed her ear. "Marry me, beautiful."
"Stop being so charming," she muttered.
A chime came from the suite behind them.
Del swore under his breath. "Not now."
"You better answer it," Ricki said.
With a scowl, Del released her. Then he stalked into the living room. "Claude," he growled. "Who is it?"
"Your bodyguard, Tyra Jarin," the EI said.
"Oh." Damn. He hadn't seen Tyra since last night. She was supposed to come for him today when Kelric wanted to see him. He intended to argue her case as best he could with his brother, but he wasn't sure if his support would help or hurt her.
"Open the door," he said.
The wall vanished, and Tyra came in. She didn't hide her relief. "You look a lot better today."
Del shifted his weight. "Does Kelric want to see us?"
She grimaced. "He's already talked with me."
"No!" Del hadn't expected it to be over before he had a chance to speak on her behalf. "I was going to tell him it wasn't your fault."
Her expression eased. "I thank you. But it wouldn't have helped. He knows it was my decision." Grimly she added, "He's taken 'suitable disciplinary action,' as he put it."
Ah, hell. "What did he do?"
Tyra looked past him toward the balcony, and Del could hear Ricki coming into the room.
"We can talk later," Tyra said.
Del wanted to say she could talk in front of Ricki, but it wasn't his choice. "All right."
"Are you ready?" Tyra asked him.
"To see Kelric?" Del asked. "Never. But yeah, let's go." He turned to Ricki. "Give me moral support?"
She took his hand. "Always."
The three of them left together. But Del knew he would have to face Kelric alone.
The virtual conference room was empty when Del arrived, but Kelric appeared within moments. It was just the two of them, with no one to put out any flames they ignited.
Kelric wasted no time. "You'll have four Jagernauts at all times. No more apartment. We'll find an estate outside the city with better security. If you want roommates, they have to go through security checks. No live concerts unless ISC approves the venue and its security."
It seemed to Del as if the world went still. This couldn't be what he thought. It was impossible. "You're letting me stay?"
His brother's voice lost its crispness, which Del had begun to suspect was as much a defense for Kelric as Del's songs were for him. "Dehya and Chaniece can be very convincing." He gave Del a wry look. "We're outnumbered by all these women in the family. You and I need to stick together."
Del knew no one could sway Kelric when he set his mind, besides which they had a lot more brothers than sisters. Kelric had made a joke. At least Del thought it was a joke.
Del smiled for the first time with Kelric in he didn't know how long. "Thank you for letting me stay." He needed to find words to say what this meant. He was the writer; he shouldn't be so tongue-tied with his own brother. "It wasn't until I sang here that I knew how much I wanted this. Not having to give it up—I want to say—well, thank you."
"Just be careful." Kelric didn't go on; he had never been one for words. But his decision said more about how much he understood than anything spoken.
Del couldn't rejoice yet, though. He had an unfinished matter to tackle. "About Tyra."
Kelric frowned. "I should break her out of the J-Force."
"No! She's a good officer." Del hoped he wasn't about to ruin the tentative détente he and Kelric had just attained. "I pressured her into it. I'm the one you should 'break out' of something. Not her."
To his unmitigated shock, Kelric laughed. "I never thought I'd hear you say a bodyguard that ISC sent you is a good officer. You usually hate them."
Del didn't see what was so funny. "Tyra is great. She doesn't deserve a dishonorable discharge."
"Oh, I didn't. I gave her a worse punishment."
"You can't!" Del had to convince him otherwise. "Don't do that to her."
"She said the same thing." Kelric raised his eyebrows. "Is guarding you really such torture?"
Del felt as if he had slammed on brakes. "What?"
"I put her in charge of the unit that guards you."
"But that's good!" Del began. Then he absorbed what his brother had said. So instead he glared. "Guarding me is not a punishment."
"So don't get her in trouble again."
"I'm a reformed ma
n."
Kelric smiled slightly. "I hope so."
"This turned out so different than I expected."
His brother's expression became more serious. "For decades, centuries, we've struggled to tell the Allieds about the Traders. They heard the words, but they couldn't believe them, maybe because they're incapable themselves of being that brutal. You convinced them to listen, truly listen. You achieved more with one song than we've managed in over a century of negotiations."
"Do you think it will change how they deal with us?"
"They've agreed to talk about forming an alliance. This is the most progress we've ever made with them." He spoke quietly. "You got to them."
Del had never imagined one song could make that difference. "I'm glad some good came out of it."
"I also." Kelric spoke awkwardly. "You know, I rather like some of those songs on your vid. 'No Answers,' especially."
"You do?" His brother was full of shocking statements today.
"Yes, I do." Kelric sat back against the table. "But you have to promise me one thing."
Del regarded him warily. "What?"
"The next time you get mad at me, don't write a song."
Del couldn't help but laugh. "Deal."
"Just take care of yourself, all right? No more wild stuff."
"I'll be so boring, no one will want to be around me."
His brother smiled. "I doubt that will ever be true."
Del knew his life wouldn't be easy. But it would be worth every difficulty.
Del found Ricki in his living room, sleeping on his couch. He stood just watching her. She looked so helpless like that.
He sat next to her on the couch. "Wake up," he murmured.
Her lashes lifted slightly. "Del?"
"That's me."
She curled drowsily against him. "You don't look upset."
"He's going to let me stay." Del still couldn't believe it.
Her eyes widened and she sat up. "On Earth?"
Del pulled her into his arms. "I'll have a lot of restrictions. But yes, here."
She hugged him. "That's incredible."
"We could live here, Ricki. Together."
"That's true, we could."
He smiled into her hair. "That doesn't sound like a no."
"I need time to adjust. Wait awhile, then ask again."