Working On Plan B
This follows on from In The Ashes of Victory.
He returned to the hotel suite he was sharing as part of the delegation’s enclave via a book shop. Research was required. The problem he faced was definitely one his cultural training hadn’t prepared him for.
It was the ambassador who greeted him on his return to their shared sitting room but their other two suite mates were also present. His greeting words were, “Did you get your personal administration task dealt with, Oberxiao?”
“I’m afraid not, Ambassador,” he stopped to talk although he would have preferred to go and change out of the foreign street clothes into his uniform. “It wasn’t a convenient time for the other person and the situation is more complicated than I thought.”
“How so, Jan-li?” The Ambassador had been a General back when they still had a home world and he had been the Oberxiao’s commanding officer several times through their careers.
“It’s not just a matter of buying off the injury debt, sir. It seems that she’s my luck witch - that would explain why I’m still alive, several times over.” The Oberxiao blushed. “What I think I need is a go-between but I don’t know if these people have them hence,” he pulled the two books proclaiming themselves to authoritative guides to courtship out of the bookshop bag, “I need to do some research.”
“You don’t normally marry your luck witch,” pointed out the ambassador’s aide, the youngest of them and the only one of the four who was a career diplomat.
“Not unless,” the fourth man, a naval Oberxiao, grinned, “Oberxiao Huhn Jan-li, just what is it of yours that your luck witch has to maintain the connection between you?”
He returned to the hotel suite he was sharing as part of the delegation’s enclave via a book shop. Research was required. The problem he faced was definitely one his cultural training hadn’t prepared him for.
It was the ambassador who greeted him on his return to their shared sitting room but their other two suite mates were also present. His greeting words were, “Did you get your personal administration task dealt with, Oberxiao?”
“I’m afraid not, Ambassador,” he stopped to talk although he would have preferred to go and change out of the foreign street clothes into his uniform. “It wasn’t a convenient time for the other person and the situation is more complicated than I thought.”
“How so, Jan-li?” The Ambassador had been a General back when they still had a home world and he had been the Oberxiao’s commanding officer several times through their careers.
“It’s not just a matter of buying off the injury debt, sir. It seems that she’s my luck witch - that would explain why I’m still alive, several times over.” The Oberxiao blushed. “What I think I need is a go-between but I don’t know if these people have them hence,” he pulled the two books proclaiming themselves to authoritative guides to courtship out of the bookshop bag, “I need to do some research.”
“You don’t normally marry your luck witch,” pointed out the ambassador’s aide, the youngest of them and the only one of the four who was a career diplomat.
“Not unless,” the fourth man, a naval Oberxiao, grinned, “Oberxiao Huhn Jan-li, just what is it of yours that your luck witch has to maintain the connection between you?”