Chapter Text
Lahan sat with his legs stretched out under him, absently skimming through yet another correspondence, and wishing the tea he had finished drinking was brewed from stronger stuff. It would likely be another late evening, but he knew that investing his time now would pay dividends when things went to the void again, whenever that would be. It didn’t seem like anything overt was brewing on the horizon, but it paid to be vigilant. Besides, it was years, if not decades (depending on how one looked at it), before the Grand Strategy would bear its fruit, and the Grand Commandant would finally be able to rest on his laurels. And that meant everyone around and under him, including Lahan himself, had to remain on constant alert.
“Geng Sun!” Lahan shouted without any malice. “I’ve got another one for you!”
“Coming, Sir Lahan!” Sun entered from the main common room, and approached the corner where Lahan was lounging. Unlike Lahan, it seemed like the young man wasn’t done growing, since he now towered over his superior as he fidgeted in front of the low couch.
“What do you make of this, Sun?” Lahan said casually, holding out the missive he had just read.
“Umm, it seemed like a formal request from a High Officer...” Sun’s tone wilted under Lahan’s pointed stare.
“Indeed, and the nature of this request?” Lahan urged.
“Well, it’s a joint inspection, Sir Lahan...” Sun said uncertainly. “It seemed rather important, so I thought...”
Lahan finally straightened himself from his lounging, causing Sun to wince, as if expecting to be chewed out. But after exactly two such occasions, Lahan decided that a different approach was in order. Geng Sun, after all, was the sharpest of the bunch, and he needed to learn how to put his mind to good use. Besides, Lahan doubted that his so-called sharp tone would do much more than make him sound like a younger version of the acerbic Commandant Kang.
“Re-read the passage about what is going to be inspected, Sun.” Lahan encouraged, sipping the last dregs of his tea, which actually had a bit of a kick to them for a change.
“Umm, it looks like an outpost in one of the Middle provinces.” Sun said with more confidence. “A few AUs out.”
“Right. So who do we have passing by that area?” Lahan didn’t look up, already idly picking up another missive to speed things along. He managed to read through most of it before he heard Sun shift above him.
“Oh. Ohh!” Sun finally exclaimed. “I get it, Sir Lahan. At least, I think so...”
“Oh, I’m quite confident that you do.” Lahan finally smiled up at his year-mate. “Just make sure to check what the vessel is already saddled with, and assign to the next closest if necessary.” Lahan nodded to let Sun know he was dismissed.
“Oh, and get me another cup of tea before you head back for the night, will you?” Lahan called after him, already concentrating on the next missive.
After finally completing the last of the day’s pile, Lahan rubbed his eyes, and glanced at the ornate analog clock on the wall by the door. It was just after twenty-one hundred - enough time to see to his nightly routine, and take care of a few personal matters. He had saved the foremost of these for the end of the day to give himself sufficient motivation for getting through it in one piece. He dug around in his far more modest personal pile of correspondence, until he found it.
It was a rather simple missive, color-coded to be clearly seen as originating from the Rear Palace. He brushed his fingers across it, trying to remember the last time he’d held one like it in his hand. It was certainly close to a year by now, though his mind seemed to avoid making the exact calculation for some reason. Lahan sighed, supposing that the underlying issue was having to remember how things were before, with a substantial probability of them returning to that status quo, at least in one regard.
As expected, Xiaolan was reinstated back in the Rear Palace, with a hefty promotion, and a larger dormitory to call her own. She even had some younger girls under her, ones who haven’t yet reached adulthood, and were even more overwhelmed by their new lives than she had been. Xiaolan told him all this during her last day as his assistant, as she carefully went about her various duties. At his suggestion that she could just take the day off and do whatever she wanted, Xiaolan pouted mischievously, claiming that he needed to leave a good impression for her eventual replacement. That comment made Lahan’s already gloomy mood even darker, and it was all he could do to focus on his work as she steadily completed her own.
Even over dinner that evening, more than a week ago now, Lahan was barely able to muster polite conversation, letting Peng take over in a friendly interrogation of his own. The old shock trooper managed to make Xiaolan laugh with his advice about handling unruly subordinates, and gave some more serious tips about providing instruction. Soon enough, their plates were cleared, and it was time for Xiaolan to leave them for good. Peng had stepped out beforehand, coming up with a thin excuse about hitting the cafeteria before it closed down for the night.
“I suppose that’s that.” Lahan wished he could think of a way to make her stay, but nothing came to him that wouldn’t put them both in danger. “I have complete confidence in your abilities to excel for the duration of your contract.”
“Oh, cheer up Lahan!” Xiaolan was not as oblivious to his foul mood as he thought, no matter how he tried to hide it. “I’ll write to you as soon as I can, okay?”
“You don’t have to go out of your way on my account.” Lahan started, but immediately changed his tune upon seeing her reaction. “But of course, I would greatly appreciate it!”
That seemed to mollify her, and she had stood up, brushing and straightening her uniform, before collecting a modest roller bag from the corner of the room.
Lahan savored what happened next once again, as he had every day for the past week.
“Shall I... see you off, then?” Lahan inquired hesitantly. “I’m not sure if Peng will be back in time...”
Xiaolan had shaken her head with a small smile.
“Don’t worry yourself on my account.” Xiaolan said simply. “I’m sure someone will be around to escort me back. Besides, Fen Fen taught me to never walk alone without some backup.”
Xiaolan had patted a hip pocket of her uniform, which bulged with a round oblong shape of some kind of container.
“All right...” Lahan said, slowly. “Until next time, then.” He stepped towards the door, and bowed his upper body in an overly formal gesture of farewell.
Her form paused by his side, causing him to look up at her in surprise.
She stepped into his personal space and put her arms around his neck, not needing to stand on her tip toes on account of his obeisance.
“I’ll see you around.” She murmured into his ear, and then planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
Then, she left through the door, Lahan seeing a grinning Peng waiting for her in the common room. In a rare moment for Lahan, his mind was almost completely blank.
Lahan chuckled fondly, and extracted the thin typewritten rectangle of paper. He began to read about her first week back at the Rear Palace with a smile, savoring the feel of the words, which his mind registered in her own bright voice. Unlike her, he had nothing particularly exciting to share in return, but he knew he would make the effort anyway. He idly wondered whom she had gotten to type this out for her, and had the very question answered moments later, with a mention of the Jade Apartments.
It seemed that after returning to the Rear Palace, Xiaolan wasted no time re-establishing her connections. The youngest assistant to Consort Gyokuyou, Yinghua, was happy enough to provide the favor, quickly bonding with Xiaolan over their mutual longing for Maomao’s presence. The main issue seemed to be securing a new clandestine source for sweets, but Lahan could detect genuine sadness behind the humor. Xiaolan told him that she would continue to visit as long as they let her, and launched into another account of its various highlights, as if she was still tasked with collecting information. Lahan re-affirmed to himself that his choice of Xiaolan as their Rear Palace contact seemed to be as pleasing a duty to her as ever. And though she was no longer required to spy on Maomao’s condition, there were still plenty of tidbits she could acquire. He would request her to tell him about all the other consorts, knowing that the newcomer, Loulan, would certainly require looking into.
Lahan began formulating his reply, a faint smile still plastered on his face.
𖥔
His father turned back from the armorglass at Lahan’s arrival, and gave him one of his friendlier grins. He gestured for Lahan to take a seat at the table, a game of shogi already set-up for his perusal. Lahan nodded to his father, and began contemplating the position.
After receiving the full report about the party from Lahan and Rikuson, Lakan seemed like a different man. Oh, he still maintained the overbearing persona of the Grand Commandant, and his schedule was as busy as ever. But, more and more often, Lahan had noted his father’s quiet contemplation of the void outside his office’s armorglass window. The man was certainly in the midst of planning, and it very likely had something to do with the change of status of his only daughter. Lahan just hoped that the additional... complication that they’ve uncovered would not affect his father’s dedication to the Grand Strategy.
“My son, do you know why Rikuson has already been sent away to continue his assignment?” Lakan asked lazily, coming around to gaze at the board. “Despite recently receiving a commendation, from the Void Emperor no less, regarding his successful resolution of the Hokuareini situation?”
“I suspect we’ve received word of more troubles on the horizon?” Lahan hazarded, picking up a freighter to examine its markings.
“Not exactly.” Lakan dissembled, taking his seat. “It is more accurate to say that the cycle of intrigue between our nations has once again reached a... favorable milestone. One which both of the sides would be foolish not to exploit.”
“Understood, father.” Lahan sighed. “Though I admit I was hoping to see more of the man in the coming months. His humor and intellect make him an excellent dining companion.”
“You don’t know the half of it, my son.” Lakan said wryly.
They both focused on the position, Lahan realizing just what it was that confused him at first. The regular markings of the vessels, which allowed one to determine the allegiance of each piece, were completely obscured. As he reached to examine one of the destroyers, Lakan held up his hand, preventing him from going further.
“Lahan.” His father said seriously. “While Hokuaren will ever remain a notable adversary, there are other cycles I perceive, much closer to home. I believe you recall our lesson, so early on during your tenure... I hope you’ve continued to take it to heart.”
“I have. You can rest assured of that, honored father.” Lahan said, frowning in concern. “Peng and Xiaolan are beyond reproach, and Lihaku continues to prove his worth. With the Estate freed from its toxic influence, I believe the Lang family will continue to flourish towards our full reliance on them.”
“I meant to thank you for that, by the way.” Lakan gave him a genuine smile. “I should have done the same, long before... But I suppose there is no sense to speak of such matters... I believe that I shall continue to let you take the lead there. Unless, of course, Maomao would be willing...”
“Father, I think we are getting ahead of ourselves.” Lahan said cautiously, not eager to dampen Lakan’s seemingly good mood. “We still don’t even have the full details of my cousin’s new contract.”
“Oh, don’t you worry about that, my son.” Lakan chuckled darkly. “I aim to uncover everything there is to know about the nature of her duties. And why that man was so eager to have her serve by his side.”
“Of course.” Lahan decided to focus on the game, in an attempt to distract the older man. “Though, I recall a recent bit of gossip in that regard. It does not seem like she was meant to fulfill a servant’s duties. You can have Xiaolan to thank for that, by the way. She was passing along her friends’ disappointment at falling short in the Undersecretary examinations. And just who do you think her friend ran into when examining the results board?”
Lakan frowned angrily, his mind elsewhere as he haphazardly moved a piece.
“If those bastards on the Palace Board think they can just pick and choose who moves forward...” Lakan growled.
“From my understanding, Maomao wasn’t particularly surprised at her failure.” Lahan said drily. “It would seem that she hardly studied any of the materials. And yet, her final grade was not too far from Yinghua’s, despite her own best efforts...” Lahan looked off to the side, as memories of his own desperate preparations flooded his mind.
“Then it was that man’s fault that my Maomao didn’t have the time to adequately prepare!” Lakan grumbled, slamming down another piece, before realizing that he was moving one of Lahan’s.
“Father... this may be difficult to hear for you.” Lahan felt the burning need to set straight that misconception. “But my cousin cares little for becoming an Undersecretary. It is not surprising, therefore, that she would fail, given the lack of clear motivation towards succeeding. Unlike myself...” That last was added in a mutter, though Lahan suspected his father still picked it up, based on his frown.
“I have always been proud of my willful daughter!” Lakan pronounced. “It was the fault of that imbecile to not see the issue for himself, despite everything he must have learned about my sweet girl...”
Even half-distracted, Lakan was still handily winning the match, and Lahan sighed in frustration.
“It would be best if you curbed that sentiment when coming to speak to the man, dear father...” Lahan muttered. “Lest you lose the opportunity to get the information you want out of the Void Prince...”
Lakan frowned at Lahan, pausing as he held up a piece, but then shook his head in exasperation.
“There is some truth in what you say, my son, loath as I am to admit it...” Lakan said with a moue. “Just the thought of that false man, with his sparkling clean hands, near my Maomao!”
Lahan’s awkward cough seemed to bring his father back to the present, though it took a few more moments for him to continue the game.
“You need not worry about my strategy towards the Void Prince, the so-called ‘Jinshi’.” Lakan said, back to his old sly self. “It is far past the time that the man began to contribute more seriously to the Grand Strategy, instead of playing manager in the one place where he isn’t truly needed. And I will convince him of this, sooner rather than later. Getting the chance to see more of my daughter is merely a pleasant addition to my existing plans.”
“I would of course be more than happy to assist in these matters.” Lahan said absently, considering his own growing responsibilities. “Geng Sun has been a promising candidate for my own eventual replacement, and it would do him good to take on even more responsibility.”
Lakan rubbed his hands together at that, before making another sharp move. His father seemed to be able to easily remember the allegiance of his pieces, even after picking them up only once before.
“It is good that you have made yourself available for additional duties.” Lakan said, with a gaze from under his eyebrows. “For just as Hokuaren is ripe for intrigue, the same can be said about our own Linese.” Lakan looked off into the distance, remembering.
“You were only a small boy at the time, but I recall very well the various claimants that turned up, just as I assumed command of Third Fleet.” Lahan sat very quietly, realizing that he would get the rare opportunity to hear his father reminisce about his old service. “Oh, things were far more developed than they currently were, but the overall situation was eerily similar. The Forbidden Fleet was mostly loyal, but were pinned near Li and the Palace, only managing to patrol the close approaches. Our then young Void Emperor, long may he reign, was handed a challenging set of priorities, to say the least. Though I myself cared not one whit about which of them would come out on top.”
Lahan took a careful sip of his water, standing up to refill his father’s cup, which he greedily drank.
“I managed to secure a private conference with Yang at the time, which was granted to me due to my request for a mere fifteen minutes.” Lakan reminisced. “Do you know what I said to him then, before I shipped out?”
Lahan winced at such a casual mention of what was decidedly taboo, but tried his best to marshal his thoughts.
“A warning about how things stood?” Lahan hazarded.
“Hardly, my son.” Lakan chuckled fondly. “I told him that he had three choices. Four, if he was willing to abdicate his power, a comment which almost earned me a swift trip out the airlock. Regardless, I told the young Void Emperor that he could not please all sides, no matter how hard he tried. And that I would crush the one that was causing him the most trouble. Of course, he only had a few minutes to decide by then, but I told him that he must have already made that realization.”
Lahan felt a chill run down his back, at the casual way that his father spoke of rooting out a whole clan, along with its retainers.
“It was regrettable that the man’s choice was ultimately based on a set of faulty assumptions. But those details were hardly relevant in the situation we found ourselves in at the time.” Lakan’s face had hardened at the memories, and Lahan could not meet the eyes of his normally mischievous father. “All Yi family members and sympathizers under my command were given a simple choice: forced labor, or the airlock. I sent the same recommendation along to the Forbidden Fleet, as well as the First and Second, but it didn’t really matter by then. The siege and the clean-up took months, especially once the Void Emperor confused the situation by retracting his prior edict... At the very least, the confusion allowed Rikuson to escape with his life...”
“A-and the lesson, father?” Lahan hated how his voice trembled, but he suddenly did not enjoy hearing about the past.
“Ah, of course.” Lakan clapped his hands and crinkled his eyes, suddenly his old self again. He made one final move, using a piece Lahan had assumed was under his control to deliver a clear defeat.
“You must build a core around you, consisting of those you trust, which you have begun to do admirably.” Lakan lectured. “But after it is in place, you must rely on it to go after those who are causing you the greatest trouble, and remove them from the board.”
Lahan was reminded of the midshipmen he’d sent along to complete the Circuit early, after leaving the ringleader whimpering in an industrial airlock. But since that time, he did not think he’d made additional enemies, except... Lahan rubbed his neck, the small scar under his palm likely to remain there for the rest of his life. The man who had given it to him had recognized him, and Lahan had his suspicions about who had sent him. Though it was likely that the man and his team were long dead, the one behind them was likely still up to his old scheming. He would need to write Junjie again to make sure, and perhaps discover more.
“I see that you have at least one individual in mind, my son.” Lakan said in amusement. “But recall that your personal enemies must take the aux route in favor of the enemies of the Void Emperor, and Li. And not all of them must be dealt with using the sort of... methods I was forced to employ at the time. Now, let me tell you about some of these alternatives...”
𖥔
His hand holding the gun shook slightly, as the four shadowy figures dispersed away from the prone form of Xiaolan. Lahan willed her to get up, to move towards him, but she simply lay there, with her eyes glazed over, staring at nothing. Her skirt was hiked up past her knees, but Lahan quickly averted his gaze from the sight. The shadows muttered, their hands raised in supplication, until one of them pierced him with its eyes. Suddenly, all four were surging forward towards him, and Lahan was firing wildly, backing up as best as he could. The first shadow went down with a wound in its chest, turning into a pale young man in dirty overalls, eyes pointing accusingly at Lahan as blood pooled from his mouth. Another jerked to the side, shot through the head, turning into an older man with grizzled facial hair and a sad expression. The last two were upon him, and he activated his stun stick, the shadow flickering into the form of another young man, burn scars spreading across his ghastly face. The last one took a swing at him with its claws, and Lahan fell on his side, trying in vain to block the blows that followed. He could feel his left arm, his neck, his torso get shredded, but the pain failed to reach him, yet he slumped to the floor. The last thing he saw was Xiaolan, lying in another spreading pool of blood, a gunshot wound dead-center of her forehead. Lahan screamed his anguish...
...and woke up sweating, half tangled in his blankets after falling from his bed.
He laid there for a long few minutes, trying to gather his wits about him as the nightmare slowly exited his recollection. When he finally felt able to move, he slowly stood up to drink some water at his bedside, hardly managing to steady the glass in his shaking hands. He wished he could go right that moment to see Xiaolan, create some excuse to summon her to the offices of the Matron, just to make sure that she was still alive and well. But the impulse passed almost as quickly as it appeared, as Lahan got his breathing under control.
This was the worst one yet. Lahan knew he would have to visit the Medical Wing and ask for help, but his prior experiences were never quite bad enough to overcome his stubborn streak. But as he remembered her face in the dream, her surprise mixed with accusation, just as on the day she had confronted him... he knew it was past time he received some assistance. However, even as he considered the best time during his busy schedule to make a visit, his mind supplied another form of answer to this problem.
Lahan had felt out of sorts as he considered what his father had said, when he performed his nightly ritual. At its core, the issue was the degree of ruthlessness that he perceived in the context of Lakan’s story, as well as the lack of serious calculation about potential outcomes. Did his father never wonder what would have happened if he supported one of the other claimants? Did he have any personal motive for choosing the current Void Emperor, as opposed to say, the Yi clan, or some of the larger conglomerates? Lahan simply could not imagine plunging into a course of action without considering its benefits towards his current goals.
But now, in the strange clarity of his darkened room, he knew that the issue was simpler than it appeared at first glance. The question was, what could he do to deal with it?
For example, he was faintly sure that he could return the favor to his grandfather by hiring just the kind of crew that the man had sent after him. But how would that affect his tenuous relationship with Junjie? And if he was successful, and news of his involvement got out, what would Peng think of it? Lihaku? Xiaolan??
Lahan shuddered, though the mental exercise was already proving valuable in terms of what he didn’t want to do. Besides, it completely distracted him from re-living the last remnants of his latest nightmare.
Lahan decided on a two-pronged approach. He would write Junjie as planned, to determine what the old man was up to. And, he would send along a warning, to keep the old bastard in check. Lahan logged into his work terminal to confirm that the Yung Lo was still at its berth, and then dressed himself, before setting out into the darkened mid-shift hallways.
Lahan had agonized over what to send to the old man in lieu of a written warning, but in the end, the answer was simpler than he realized. He spun the articulated bracelet in his hand, wrapping it and unwrapping it around his palm with every motion. It was a simple miner’s lanyard, to be clipped on top of a voidsuit during a job, in order to indicate one’s status. Lahan had kept his own after his departure, but never bothered taking it out from the drawer that held other remnants of his old life. Now, it would finally serve a useful purpose. It had a new symbol etched into its springy alloy, right under Lahan’s name, consisting of an x, superimposed across a triangle. Structure unstable, do not attempt. Any miner would understand to ignore any rocks with such a symbol, lest they wanted to receive a suit breach. And if he had been anything else in his life, his grandfather had often been involved in the extraction of the conglomerate lifeblood, out on the float.
Lahan strode up to the docking station, and buzzed the ship, uncaring about the minor breach of etiquette.
“Yeah? What do you need?” A familiar voice answered quickly, with ill-concealed irritation.
“Get Zi Hao for me.” Lahan said without preamble. “Wake him if you have to.”
“Fine... Wait - Lang??” The voice seemed to wake up from its mid-shift cadence, and the airlock began to cycle.
Lahan had a pretty good idea of who was waiting for him on the other side, and his resignation warred with amusement at the likely conversation to follow.
The young woman who greeted him had chosen to cut her hair short, and her uniform now fit even better on her spare frame. But otherwise, Huo Fen was mostly unchanged, as she gave him a suspicious look. He was glad to see that the Yung Lo had chosen to retain her.
“I sent a runner to wake Hao.” She said, crossing her arms, and indicating with her chin for him to come up. “What’s this about?”
“I would say it is none of your business, but I suppose it may bear on the rest of the ship...” Lahan said with amusement, finding that he missed he acerbic tone. “I need to send a private message, and ensure it gets to the right individual.”
“Right...” Fen said, and then they stood side by side in awkward silence.
After another minute of no conversation, Fen seemed to scowl, and went back to sit at her watch station.
“I got a message from Xiaolan a few days back, you know.” Fen said offhandedly. “Glad to hear she’s doing well in this scrap heap.”
“Hmm.” Lahan agreed. “I just wrote her back yesterday.”
Another awkward moment passed between them.
“Look, Lang.” Fen said, with sarcastic emphasis on his false name. “What’s going on? Why the hells is she back with those vultures??”
“Look, Fenfen.” Lahan shot back, using the pet name he’d learned from Xiaolan. “You think I had any say in the manner?? They restructured, and her experience was necessary. At least she oversees a team now, which should cut down on the prior... issues.”
“And here I thought you actually have some influence inside these walls...” Fen taunted, lounging back in her chair. “Or maybe now that she’s outlived her usefulness, it’s time for you to move onto someone of higher status?”
Lahan clenched his jaw, and took an inadvertent step towards her, before he got himself under control.
“Perhaps she did not deem you trustworthy enough to mention our resolution of that very issue.” He grated, but then scoffed at her knowing smirk.
“Well, I’m glad to hear you haven’t changed your mind then.” She said with amusement, and they both heard the runner returning.
A boy who was not old enough to attend vocational school gave Lahan a curious look before making his report.
“I got him up, boss! ETA, three minutes, or it’s his ass - I told him.” He piped proudly, while standing at attention.
“Very well.” Fen said languidly. “Get us some tea, and then resume your studies. Dismissed.”
The boy made a brief obeisance, made comical by him using the wrong arm to do it. Then, he disappeared back into the ship. Fen shook her head after him.
A sleepy Hao came out of the main passageway, immediately perking up once he realized the identity of his visitor.
“La-Lang, a pleasure!” Hao said with genuine happiness. “Come to check on your investment?”
Lahan clasped the man’s hand.
“Not exactly. Though I would be interested in the manifest, later.” Lahan said, glancing at Huo Fen. “I was actually hoping you could deliver a message for me. To the La Family Conglomerate.”
Hao also glanced at Huo Fen, before leaning in and lowering his voice.
“We’re not actually stopping by that transfer station on the upcoming trip.” He hesitated. “Honestly, I doubt we ever will. You know, after what happened...”
“I understand, Hao.” Lahan sighed. “But there’s no one else I can rely on to get the job done.”
“You know we can just take one of the rock hoppers to pay it a visit?” Fen said from her place at the chair, causing them both to look up at her.
“Easy for you to say, you weren’t the one who got nabbed!” Hao shot back, immediately wincing as he turned back to Lahan.
“We’ll make it a Deck trip.” Fen said in a tone that brooked no argument. “You can show us around, tell everyone where it happened. Maybe walk us through how Lang here came in to save the day.” She gave Lahan a playful swish of her eyelashes, before turning to Hao with an expression of inquiry.
“I don’t know, Fenfen...” Hao almost whined. “There’s no way dad will give permission for this kind of thing...”
“Not unless you tell him just who made the original request.” Fen said, looking meaningfully at Lahan’s dark blue uniform. “Besides, Yumiko will be there too, you know...”
Hao looked away from them both, happily accepting a tea tray from the returning runner.
“Fine.” He said, passing out the utilitarian cups. “I’ll work on my dad, first thing next shift. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to bed. It was good to see you, Lah-Lang.” With one final glance at Fen and Lahan, Hao disappeared back into the ship, holding the lanyard.
They watched him go for a few moments in companionable silence, both taking sips of their tea.
“I’m not stupid, you know?” Fen told Lahan. “I know you’re not the man himself, but you can still wield some of that influence, right?”
“Maybe I can.” Lahan sighed, taking another sip of the overly sweet, strong tea. “But I can’t just use the most obvious approach. It would paint quite a target on her back, and I’m guessing neither of us wants that to occur.”
“I suppose you’re right about that, Kan Lahan.” Fen said meaningfully. “But if you wait too long to act, the situation may get away from you. It’s what happened to me, you know... Not that I mind where I ended up.”
“I’ll do my best.” Lahan promised her, setting his half-finished cup by her own. “Thanks for the tea. And the advice.”
“Anytime.” Fen looked at him seriously. “I’m not going to spill exactly what’s in that letter, but she misses you already, you know? So you go and make sure that’s only temporary, yeah?”
“Yeah.” Lahan agreed, and inclined his head in farewell.
He walked off the Yung Lo with his head held high, and his mind already working the problem. It would only be a matter of time until a solution presented itself. And until then, he’d do his best to stay in touch. Lahan knew that for them to get what he thought they both wanted, he’d need a lot more power and influence before it was all said and done.