Peter Hamilton - The Evolutionary Void

“Nothing. It’s a good idea. I like the way some family sons are striking out for themselves.”

“Well, the older merchants should start taking notice of the fellowship’s grievances. The way they treat legitimate competition isn’t exactly lawful.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You want to hear that, do you, Daddy? How my boyfriend and his friends spend their drinking time grumbling about unfair competition from larger rivals, how no one listens to them, how the world ignores them? I can talk for hours on the subject if you wish.”

“That’s fine. I’m sure they’ll find a way of making their presence known in the Council. Every other pressure group in the city certainly seems to manage.”

“Daddy, you’re such a cynic.”

“So when are you going to take him out to our beach lodge for a week and the day?”

The look she screwed her face up into was one of pure dismay. “Urrgh! I thought you wanted to rid Makkathran of useless tradition, especially something as demeaning as that one.”

“Er …”

“You know, I was eight before I found out the ‘Ignorant man’ song was all about you. That was a fun day at school; even my closest friends … Oh, never mind.”

“Ah, yes. I never did forgive Dybal for writing that one.”

“It’s horrible.”

I thought it was quite funny, actually . “It’s in the past, darling. Don’t worry about it. But my question still stands. You could do a lot worse.”

“I know. It’s difficult for him; this is only his second year as Captain. And we’re not going to rush into anything.”

“You’ve been going out for five years now,” he pointed out reasonably. “When you know, you know.”

“I’m sure love at first sight worked well for you and Mummy. But I need to know someone more than a couple of days.”

“It was not two days,” he protested. “I spent weeks wooing her.”

Jiska’s delicate eyebrow shot up. “Daddy, tell me: You didn’t just say ‘wooing’?”

He sighed in defeat. “You know, maybe if your generation did a bit more wooing, I might have a few more children married off.”

“I’m not even forty yet.”

“And still beautiful.”

She pouted. “You old charmer. No wonder Mummy fell for you.”

“Just so you know, I don’t have any problem if you and Natran do want to go before the Lady and marry.”

“Yep, got it, Daddy. Actually, got that four years and eleven months ago. Anyway, my big brother is certainly doing his bit. You know what?” She leaned in, eyes agleam.

“What?”

“I think Wenalee is expecting again.”

He gave his daughter a sharp look. “You haven’t farsighted that, have you?”

“Really, Daddy! No, I did not. And I’m shocked you should think so.”

“Yeah,” he growled. Jiska had a farsight even more powerful than his own.

Maybe I should get her to track down my secret watcher . But the idea of Wenalee being pregnant really buoyed him up. A third grandchild. That would be something . He loved having little Garant and Honalee (everyone called her Honeydew) running around the tenth floor. Rolar, his oldest, certainly hadn’t wasted any time settling down and starting a family.

“Uh oh,” Jiska murmured silkily. “Twins warning.”

Edeard scanned around to see Marilee and Analee worming through the guests, heading straight for him. His fifth and sixth children were identical twins, and right from the start they’d relished making a play of their matched looks, always styling their hair the same and wearing indistinguishable clothes. Tonight they’d dressed in synchronized satin gowns, except Marilee’s was shimmering burgundy while Analee sported yellow-gold. Edeard smiled indulgently at them; not that they deserved it, but what could a father do? They were twenty-five and the absolute stars of Makkathran’s high society. As tall as he, slim like their mother, faces where girlish wickedness forever lurked among exquisite fine-boned features, and thick raven hair that came from his mother’s family. Add their good looks to their status, and basically, whatever they wanted, they tended to get, from clothes to pets and parties to boys.

“Daddy!” they chorused delightedly. He was kissed simultaneously on both cheeks.

“We’ve been very good tonight.”

“We talked to so many people.”

“And convinced them to vote for you.”

“They all got reminded of what you did for the city.”

“Even though it was so long ago.”

“A debt like that can never be ignored.”

“So they’ll remind all their friends.”

“And their family to get out there on election day.”

“And put their cross where it counts.”

“Or they’ll have to answer to us.”

Being talked at by the twins was like being deafened by birdsong. “Thank you both,” he said.

“So now we’ve done our duty.”

“And we’d like you to set us free.”

“Because there’s a super party at the Frandol family mansion tonight.”

“And we’ve found us a suitable escort.”

They both giggled and looked at their father pleadingly.

“Uh …” Edeard managed.

“Utrallis.”

“He’s gorgeous.”

“And tall.”

“And serves in the Pholas and Zelda regiment.”

“But he’s independently wealthy, too.”

“Not just some minor son.”

“A gentleman of honor.”

“Happy to serve his city.”

“All right.” Edeard held his hands up. “Go on, go away, the pair of you. Have fun.”

“Oh, we will.”

Another burst of giggling assaulted Edeard’s ears as they turned away. Each girl raised a gloved hand. Two fingers beckoned imperiously. Through the melee of guests Edeard saw a young man in his militia dress uniform, all polished buttons and perfectly tailored scarlet and blue jacket. Utrallis couldn’t possibly be older than the twins, though he held his broad shoulders square and had a strong jaw. Edeard regarded his nose charily, suspecting a distant Gilmorn heritage-he had a nasty flash memory of Ranalee and the helpless lad in her office. Their eyes met, and the young man produced such a panicked guilty look as his cheeks flushed crimson that Edeard couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Then Utrallis was suddenly caught between the twins and hauled off.

Jiska shook her head as she sighed. “And he looked so sweet. Poor thing. How is it they’re always so elated at the start of the evening, then when morning comes, this tragic broken husk creeps out of the ziggurat looking like he’s managed to escape from Honious itself?”

“The twins aren’t that bad,” Edeard said mildly.

“Daddy, you’ve got such a blind spot when it comes to them.”

He grinned roguishly. “Because I was so tough on you.”

Jiska raised her glass. “I’ll get around to Natran, don’t you worry. I suppose five years is long enough.”

“No pressure. From me. Besides, it’s only two months till Marakas goes before the Lady.”

She smiled with a kind of fond bewilderment. “I can’t believe he’s marrying that one. I mean … Heliana is nice, and shapely, but really, what else has she got? Are men genuinely that shallow?”

“Of course we are.”

“Poor Taralee.”

“Taralee will do fine; she’s destined for great things. One day she’s going to be grand mistress of the Doctors Guild.” He was still inordinately proud of his youngest, not yet twenty-two and already a Doctors Guild journeyman. She’d completely eschewed the dizzy party life the twins had chosen so she could devote herself to medicine.

“Let’s see,” Jiska mused. “After the election you’ll be Chief Constable. So now that Dylorn’s joined the militia, you just need me or one of the twins to become a Novice and work our way up to Pythia, and you’d be king of the city.”