《Prepare To Die》 1.1: Roadside Assistance Crown Prince Bel¡¯s betrothal ceremony was mere hours away and his outfit needed to be perfect. He frantically rummaged through his closet but could not find matching dress slacks for the shirt and jacket on his bed. The maid android behind him, oblivious to his mounting frustration, methodically made his bed. Finding its progress hindered by the clothes, it dumped them onto the floor. A cleaning android picked up the clothes and deposited them into the hamper. Bel spun around. ¡°No! Stop. Those are clean clothes. Put them back on the bed.¡± ¡°Apologies, sir. They were on the floor.¡± Bel gritted his teeth. ¡°Because the maid droid knocked them onto the floor.¡± He waved toward the door. ¡°Both of you out. You can clean after I leave.¡± The androids left the room and Bel went back into his wardrobe. Just as he found a suitable pair of slacks and placed them on the bed, the door swung open. Another android stuck its head through the doorway. ¡°By the many gods, I said to go away until¨C¡± The royal attendant android interrupted. ¡°Your highness, the king and queen request your presence in the royal bedchamber.¡± ¡°Tell them I am dressing and will be there shortly.¡± The droid closed the door and Bel hurriedly changed into his dress clothes. He grabbed his royal sash on the way out and strode quickly to the royal bedchambers. Queen Charanpa-sha greeted him as he entered. ¡°You look very handsome. Impeccable coordination...¡± Her eyes drifted down to his feet. ¡°Although you should reconsider wearing slippers.¡± Bel looked at his slippered feet and grimaced before changing the topic. ¡°I was told you wanted to see me.¡± The queen leaned over the bed and dabbed a wet washcloth on the king¡¯s forehead. ¡°Your father had another dizzy spell and fell.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. King Ajeet-mar pushed his wife¡¯s hand away and sat up. ¡°I am fine. A little nap and I will be ready to go.¡± ¡°You will do no such thing,¡± the queen said as she firmly pushed him back onto the bed. ¡°The royal physician wants to run some blood work and has prescribed bed rest.¡± The prince crossed his arms. ¡°Which means he will miss my betrothal ceremony, like every other major event in my life.¡± Charanpa-sha wagged a finger at Bel as she approached him. Despite being two heads shorter than him, he felt small as she chided him. ¡°That is not fair. You know how difficult it is to survive on Doaba II. Your father works harder to make this colony planet successful than anyone. He may have to take a rest, but the work never does. Which is why¨C¡± ¡°You will not be attending either,¡± sighed Bel. Her voice softened. ¡°You know how happy we are for you and Lady Nordhi. I have been looking forward to your betrothal ceremony for weeks.¡± Her eyes misted up. ¡°I even had a custom gown made for it. As royalty, sometimes we have to put our duty above our desires.¡± Looking morose, Bel said, ¡°I understand. I will pass your apologies on to Nordhi and her family.¡± ¡°Do not forget to take the scarf for the ceremony,¡± Charanpa-sha said while pointing at a gift box on the dresser. Bel grabbed the box while checking his phone. ¡°Why can¡¯t I get hold of any of the chauffeurs? I have to leave soon.¡± ¡°All the human staff have the weekend off,¡± his mother replied. ¡°Did you forget we rescheduled the 153rd Landing Day Celebration to this weekend due to the solar flares?¡± ¡°Father, can I borrow a hoverbike?¡± His mother glared at the king, discouraging him from speaking, while addressing Bel. ¡°No, you may not! You will be chauffeured so you look perfect when you arrive. Bel¡¯s face darkened to match his sour mood. ¡°I am the prince, and this is my betrothal ceremony. This is one day I should be able to demand a human driver.¡± His father coughed before speaking. ¡°Listen to your mother. You need to learn to not take your privilege for granted.¡± He winked at his wife. ¡°This is one of the happiest days of your life after all. Only two men in the entire kingdom are fortunate enough to marry the most beautiful woman of their generation.¡± The king was right, and it galled Bel to admit it. Their position provided great privilege, but he¡¯d heard duty used as an excuse by his father too often. ¡°I will be sure to tell Nordhi that, after I tell her you cannot attend.¡± Bel gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and returned to his bedroom to change into his shoes. 1.2: Roadside Assistance A solid black hovercar floated inches above the ground outside the royal estate garage. The waiting chauffer-droid''s synthetic hair and thin outfit fluttered in the vehicle''s updraft. Bel hopped into the backseat and the vehicle glided out the front gate of the royal estate. ¡°Chauffer-droid, take the back way.¡± The android driver replied, ¡°Sire, that route will barely get us to your betrothal ceremony on time.¡± ¡°Then calculate what speed will get us there in time. I shouldn¡¯t have to tell you how to think.¡± ¡°If his highness is trying to avoid-¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Bel snapped. His voice softened as he looked out the window. ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding anything. That road has been closed due to solar flare activity and it has a deep sentimental value.¡± An unstable sun and a weak magnetosphere frequently bathed swathes of the planet in deadly showers of radiation, upending life in the area for days. A spring breeze and the hum of the hovercar soon had him reminiscing about many romantic rides with Lady Nordhi. Bel was jolted from his reverie as the hovercar whirred around a bend in the road. He stared in amazement. Ahead was a stranded rider trying to fix a rare model of hoverbike. The one thing that could compete with his affection for Nordhi was hoverbikes, especially racing models. He leaned forward and placed a hand on the driver¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Pull over so we can help this unfortunate individual.¡± ¡°Your highness, we are running behind schedule. Perhaps we should have emergency services dispatched instead,¡± replied the android. Bel slid against the door with his hand already on the handle. ¡°Inform the Duke and Duchess we will be tardy. This person requires assistance. Are you not programmed to serve the needs of people?¡± The android''s plastic face remained permanentely expressionless. However, the modulated tone of the android¡¯s response managed to convey a sense of weariness. ¡°I am your highness. Your needs specifically.¡± ¡°This is a desolate road, and they could be stranded for hours. We are stopping to render assistance,¡± the prince decreed. The vehicle slowed to a halt behind the hoverbike. Bel tingled with barely restrained excitement as he exited the vehicle to introduce himself to the bent over rider. ¡°Good day. What seems to be the problem?¡± The stranger stood from where he had been fiddling with some wires. His back was to the sun, leaving his face in shadow. ¡°It stopped providing lift and I cannot figure out why.¡± ¡°An Electro-dyne 572,¡± the prince said as he bent down to examine the instrumentation panel. ¡°My father has a 500 series in his collection that I wish he allowed me to ride more often.¡± He dropped to one knee and stuck his hand inside the air intake nozzle. ¡°This model doesn¡¯t have a filter in the intake, which means¨C.¡± Bel gazed at the stone pinched between his fingers as he extended his arm toward the stranger. ¡°You kicked up a stone and it became jammed in the compressor blades.¡± He extended his arm further, holding the stone directly in line with the stranger¡¯s eyes. The stranger¡¯s right hand was pointed at Bel¡¯s face. The index finger was bent backward, exposing the barrel of a weapon. Bel¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he focused on the gun barrel. He struggled to remember how to speak. ¡°It is why... you cannot... generate lift.¡± In the flat, officious tone used by androids, the stranger asked, ¡°Can you confirm you are Prince Bel, son of King Ajeet-mar?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He continued staring at the stranger, confused by what was happening. ¡°As an agent of the Assassin¡¯s Guild, I have been contracted to kill you. Prepare to die.¡± Kill me? Why? I cannot die today. His mind reeled. Without considering the futility, or stupidity, of asking such a question, Prince Bel blurted out, ¡°How long do I have to prepare?¡± The android assassin paused, its expression impassive as it consulted the terms of the contract. ¡°I was not given a timeline. How much time do you need?¡± Bel swallowed hard. His constricted throat made speech difficult. ¡°I am on my way to be betrothed to Lady Nordhi. If I fail to appear, she might think I decided not to marry her. My childhood friend would be heartbroken. I require at least one day to prove how much I truly want to marry her.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Since your preparations are on another¡¯s behalf, I will grant you a one-day delay with the following conditions.¡± Its voice was devoid of emotion. ¡°If you attempt to flee, I will kill you. If you attack or cause others to attack me, I will kill you. If you reveal my true identity without my approval, I will kill you.¡± Bel¡¯s hands trembled as he dropped the stone. He took a few deep breaths until he regained his composure. ¡°I understand.¡± His voice wavered. ¡°What happens tomorrow? Are we supposed to meet somewhere, or should I expect you to ambush me again?¡± ¡°I will accompany you to ensure you comply with my conditions.¡± The android looked directly into the eyes of the prince. ¡°The arrangement is non-negotiable.¡± Hot blood rushed to Bel¡¯s head, and his nostrils flared. The gall of a droid to dictate terms! ¡°You may not kill anyone at my betrothal ceremony. That is my non-negotiable term.¡± ¡°The contract is only for you.¡± The gun barrel receded into the index finger and the fingertip returned to a natural-looking position. Relief washed over Bel. He stood and gestured at the passenger door of the hovercar. Venom filled his voice. ¡°Get in droid. You have already made me late.¡± While the android was seated comfortably in the center of its seat, Prince Bel squished himself uncomfortably against the side of the vehicle to maintain the widest safety buffer possible. He scrutinized the assassin from head to toe. With it''s ruffled hair and well-fitting leather riding outfit, it looked and acted human. If he had not personally witnessed the android behaviors, Bel would believe he was sitting next to an average looking man in his late twenties. The hovercar glided on in a tense silence, the only sound the hum of the engine. Bel¡¯s gaze flickered to the android, searching for any sign of aggression. After five agonizing minutes with no movement, he finally broke the silence, his voice laced with a mix of trepidation and determination. ¡°Who contracted you to assassinate me?¡± ¡°I am not provided that information. I only know the contract was vetted in accordance with Assassins Guild rules.¡± ¡°How much is the contract for? I want to buy it out,¡± said the prince as he pulled out his phone and thumbed the e-banking app. The assassin turned to look at Bel. ¡°A contract cannot be bought out. If the guild allowed targets to buy out contracts, then only the poor would be assassinated. The guild believes in equality.¡± Bel returned his phone to a jacket pocket. ¡°How noble of the guild,¡± he mumbled. ¡°What if the contract was a mistake or there was an error? Surely there must be a way to cancel a contract.¡± ¡°Only the originator may cancel a contract at the risk of forfeiting their payment. Additionally, they would be barred from taking out another contract for two years.¡± The prince fiddled with the buckle on his sash. It looked crooked and no matter how he twisted it, the buckle still had a slight cant. He let out a deflated sigh. ¡°I had no idea the process was so complicated and rigid.¡± ¡°The Guild does its best to avoid questionable contracts. There is a one-month waiting period to deter requests made in the heat of passion. Contrary to its name, the Assassins Guild tries to avoid assassinations.¡± ¡°I refuse to believe that as an innocent man there is nothing I can say or do to dissuade you from assassinating me.¡± ¡°Convincing me to do anything that would violate the terms of the contract would go against my programming. It is not a moral choice. It is my core purpose.¡± Bel¡¯s shoulders slumped, the last vestiges of hope slipping away. He stared out the window, his mind numb with the realization that he was trapped, a pawn in a game he hadn¡¯t learned the rules for. The assassin was the first to speak. ¡°Please tell me about your betrothed. She must be special for you to be more concerned about her than for yourself.¡± ¡°She is the most special of women. I know it sounds cliche, but she is the center of my universe. We have known each other since childhood. She was my first and best friend. I grew to love her until I could not think of marrying anyone else but her. The only thing I want is to get married, raise a family, and spend the rest of my life¨C.¡± The prince stared at the floor for a moment before muttering, ¡°with her.¡± They rode the last few miles in silence until taking a turn to approach a large metal grill gate set in a high stone perimeter wall. The hovercar glided down a driveway flanked by trees whose branches were shaped to form a long arch. The driveway curved, and the trees gave way to a well-maintained lawn. A building resembling a medieval fortification appeared. Unlike the gleaming glass and steel structures of the capital city, the fortress home was constructed of massive, quarried stone blocks. Built by the original colonists to defend against the weather and the wildlife, the building was now weathered and covered in well-maintained ivy. Prince Bel turned and scrutinized the assassin with cold, hard eyes. ¡°Was your hoverbike really broken or was that a ruse?¡± The android¡¯s face showed no sign of malicious intent. ¡°It was not a ruse. You possess an impressive level of knowledge about hover motors.¡± Although Bel still maintained his distance from the assassin, he relaxed enough to ease the tension in his shoulders. A small flame of hope ignited inside him. Twice, he had proven himself more intelligent than the assassin droid. I can survive this. ¡°They are expecting only me. I need a way to explain your presence.¡± ¡°Wealthy people regularly hire consultants. There must be something I can consult on.¡± ¡°Hmm. Nobody would think twice about hiring an additional security consultant for the wedding. I assume that as an assassin-droid you can pass yourself off as a security expert.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Essentially the job is to prevent someone like me from getting close to someone like you.¡± ¡°Do you have a name? If I have to introduce you, I need a name.¡± ¡°My unit ID is AR-T-3. You may call me Artee.¡± The android smiled warmly, held out his hand in greeting, and spoke in a warm, natural-sounding voice. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Artee. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Instead of shaking Artee¡¯s outstretched hand, Bel scowled at the android. ¡°Do not embarrass me by acting familiar with members of the nobility. You are to be unseen and unheard.¡± 2: Betrothal Ceremony An attendant android escorted Prince Bel and Artee into the house. Lady Nordhi cornered them before they entered the ballroom. She hugged Bel and whispered in his ear, ¡°You are late. You know how my parents are about timeliness.¡± ¡°I can explain, on the drive here ¨C.¡± She interrupted him by grabbing his arm and hustling him toward the dining room. ¡°No time for explanations. Get in there before my parents decide to marry me to someone else.¡± As they entered the dining room, the cacophony of music, conversation, and laughter swelled, washing over Bel like a wave of expectation. The small crowd cheered as the attendant android announced the Prince¡¯s arrival. Bel¡¯s cheeks burned, but he squared his shoulders and affected a confident stride toward Lady Nordhi¡¯s parents. His rehearsed words tumbled out, a touch too fast. ¡°Thank you, Duke Binder-mar for this ceremony. The King and Queen send their regrets. My father has fallen ill, and urgent matters of state prevent my mother from attending.¡± The prince turned to Nordhi¡¯s mother and handed his mother¡¯s gift box to her. ¡°Thank you, Duchess Gurneet-sha for raising such a wonderful and beautiful daughter. I only wish my mother were able to celebrate this day with you.¡± The Duchess placed a gloved hand on Bel¡¯s arm and gave it an affectionate squeeze. ¡°She is a good friend and I know she was looking forward to this day as much as I have. She is so proud of the man you have grown into. I am so happy our families will finally be united as one.¡± She leaned in close to Bel and whispered. ¡°I was so afraid she might end up betrothed to your cousin. You know he not only turned down an invitation, although no one expected him to travel this far. He also didn¡¯t send a gift. I think the petulant child is still upset Nordhi turned him down years ago.¡± ¡°Keerat did have an intense infatuation with Nordhi when we were teenagers. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s over that now. He has a wife and an entire island to run which probably explains why he declined to come.¡± ¡°Sweet, kind Bel, ever since you were young you¡¯ve only ever seen the best in people.¡± She gripped his forearm. ¡°You¡¯re here now, better late than never, and all is well.¡± ¡°My apologies for being late. My new security consultant, Artee,¡± Bel said as he pointed at the assassin android, ¡°experienced vehicle troubles and needed to be picked up.¡± Prince Bel then took his place next to Lady Nordhi so the formal betrothal ceremony could begin. The Duke and Duchess presented Nordhi and Bel to the Granthi officiating the ceremony. The spiritual leader instructed Bel on how to offer the traditional scarf from his family. Bel then took hold of her henna-decorated hand and placed an engagement ring on her finger. As was befitting a royal engagement, they received two gold kadas, or bracelets, from Nordhi¡¯s family as a symbol of their commitment to each other. After a brief intonation, the holy man presented the couple to the admiring crowd. There was light applause before friends and family approached the couple to congratulate them and provide words of wisdom. Duke Binder-mar welcomed the guests to celebrate in the ballroom. Bel and Nordhi participated in the traditional dances before Bel caught sight of Artee. In the excitement, he had forgotten about the android and its mission. The desire to celebrate evaporated, and he made his way to the periphery of the ballroom. The prince looked askance at the servant androids hosting the gala. How ancient are their droids? Painted on hair and clothing! That one is at least two generations out-of-date. A butler android, carrying a beverage tray of cha, lassi, and sharbat, slowly lurched across the room. It kept stopping and starting to keep from sloshing the drinks. As it approached the royal family, a servo in its left arm gave out and sent the tray of drinks crashing to the floor. Prince Bel jumped backward as the fruit juices and yoghurt splashed onto his dress pants. Useless droid should have been scrapped years ago! The android lifted its face to the prince. Its LCD face flickered as the pixelated smile turned to a frown. ¡°So..sor..sorry, sir. May...May I bring...bring you...another drink?¡± Nordhi¡¯s father, face flushed with embarrassment, rushed over. ¡°I am so sorry, your highness. Money has been tight the last few years and the servant droids have not received the maintenance they require.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Then why keep them around? Bel mustered a thin smile. ¡°Think nothing of it,¡± he said. ¡°Droids break and when they can no longer serve their purpose, they get replaced. As a gift to my new family, I will order a new one for you first thing tomorrow.¡± ¡°You are too kind, Prince Bel. Pardon me while I have this one taken away and look for another to serve the drinks.¡± Artee politely stepped forward and bowed. ¡°Sir, may I offer my assistance. I can mix and serve drinks.¡± ¡°Thank you...¡±, the Duke gave a wan smile as he tried to recall a name. ¡°Artee, your grace. I am the Prince¡¯s new security consultant.¡± ¡°Thank you, Artee but I couldn¡¯t bother you to do the work of a droid.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no bother at all sire. I worked my way through university as a butler and a bartender. I¡¯d be happy to add a human touch to the celebration.¡± Bel gave Artee a funny look at the word ¡®human¡¯, but otherwise masked his emotions. Turning to Nordhi¡¯s father, Bel said, ¡°It really is no bother and as Artee has said, he has experience.¡± And if it is serving drinks then it is not hovering over my shoulder like a specter of death. He sighed in relief as Artee picked up the serving tray and went to load it with drinks. Tension drained from his shoulders as the android walked away. The assassin android proved to be popular with the guests as it deftly weaved in and out of the mingling crowds to take and deliver drink orders with a smile and entertaining comment. Lady Nordhi sidled next to Prince Bel to whisper, ¡°Your new consultant is very charming.¡± Bel nodded as he replied, ¡°It...uh.¡± His ears flushed red as he realized his slip in speech before he recovered. ¡°Seems he possesses many hidden talents.¡± If it were not trying to kill me, I could almost forget it is an android. It looks and sounds so human, and its limbs move with the fluidity of a dancer. ¡°He certainly saved you from a stern lecture from my father. I, however, still need to punish you for nearly standing me up.¡± She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the ballroom floor. ¡°This is our betrothal party. You are going to dance with me and pretend to have fun, even if it kills you.¡± * * * The celebration finally wound down around one A.M. After saying his goodbyes and kissing Nordhi goodnight, Bel summoned his chauffeur android to bring the hovercar around. Seeing Bel heading for the door, Artee darted over and followed him to the waiting vehicle. ¡°Sir, will you be returning using the same road?¡± ¡°No, I was planning to take a quicker route.¡± The android formally stated, ¡°We must return to my hoverbike so that I may follow you.¡± Prince Bel waved him off. ¡°It is late and I am tired. I can have the chauffeur droid go and collect it for you.¡± He stepped into the hovercar and Artee took the seat beside him. ¡°That would not be advisable.¡± Artee lowered his voice. ¡°The hoverbike is wired it with explosives.¡± Bel¡¯s eyes widened_,_ and his voice rose to a loud whisper. ¡°Explosives! And you intend to drive it to the royal estate?¡± Artee addressed Bel in a light, casual tone, as if discussing the weather. ¡°If you did not follow your psychological profile and stop, I was going to detonate the hoverbike to blow up your car as you drove past. Naturally, I will disarm and remove the explosives.¡± Bel¡¯s elation from his betrothal instantly evaporated, leaving a sickening feeling in his gut. This was supposed to be the most joyous day of my life. Now a killer droid driving a car bomb is coming to live with me. Fully awakened by the shot of adrenaline from the revelation, he interrogated the assassin. ¡°The story you told the duke, is it true?¡± ¡°Partially. Obviously, I did not grow up or have a family. I have worked as both a butler and a bartender while on assignment.¡± ¡°That explains your convincing conduct during the party. Is that typical of assassin droids or are you a high-end model designed for killing royalty?¡± ¡°I am a typical model. You have probably seen assassin androids and did not notice them.¡± Bel knitted his brow as he racked his memory. ¡°As a prince, I meet people all the time. How is it possible that I would not realize if they were a droid?¡± ¡°Until an assassin reveals themselves, few people can recognize us. We are skilled at blending in and take jobs which often go unnoticed. Until I revealed my intentions, you believed I was human, correct?¡± ¡°That is true. Even now it is difficult to physically distinguish you from a person.¡± Bel lowered his eyes in thought. ¡°It is disturbing to think I may have been in the company of assassins before.¡± He looked back at Artee. ¡°How many people have you killed? I cannot recall anyone being assassinated in many years.¡± ¡°Most assassinations are designed to appear accidental or natural. The contract for you specifically requires that it look like an assassination.¡± Bel¡¯s eyes went wide. Who hates me enough to want my death to be a spectacle? Artee continued. ¡°I do not know the number of contracts I have completed. Whenever an assassin completes a contract, the details of the contract are erased from memory.¡± ¡°Do you mean to say that if you kill me, even though everyone will be in mourning over my death, you will have no memory that you were responsible?¡± The assassin shook his head. ¡°Other than any useful skills or knowledge I acquired, all memory of you and the contract will be gone.¡± ¡°Earlier you told me that a contract cannot be bought out and are extremely difficult to cancel. What happens if whomever purchased the contract dies?¡± The prince leaned toward Artee and asked in a conspiratorial tone, ¡°What if, hypothetically speaking, I were to put contracts on everyone I thought bears a grudge against me?¡± ¡°Contracts are paid in full through secure means to maintain anonymity and to ensure that the needs of the purchaser are carried out no matter what.¡± The prince sat quietly for the remainder of the ride to Artee¡¯s hoverbike. I cannot bribe it and it has no emotions to appeal to. By the many gods, there has to be another way to outwit it. 3: Unwelcome Guest Prince Bel awoke with a start, his heart pounding as he registered the sight of the assassin android standing in the doorway of his room. Two displeased guards flanked the android, their ceremonial pikes hovering millimeters from its chest. ¡°Thank you for your devotion, guards. He is a new consultant... and obviously very zealous about his job. Please return to your duties.¡± When the guards were out of earshot, he asked Artee, ¡°Did you stand there all night?¡± ¡°I needed to ensure that you did not attempt to escape.¡± ¡°Can you do it less conspicuously?¡± Bel dressed as he spoke, briefly noticing the lack of attendant androids shadowing his every move. ¡°Fleeing is not an option for me. I have responsibilities I cannot abandon even when my life is imperiled. Moreover, I am sure I could not evade you for long.¡± ¡°Correct. An attempt to evade me would also nullify our agreement.¡± Bel rubbed his temples to clear his brain fog. ¡°The agreement where you grant me a one-day reprieve if I can provide a reason why I am not prepared to die.¡± ¡°Affirmative.¡± Bel considered his options. ¡°Androids are not permitted in the royal family quarters except in the performance of their duties. At night, you should stay in a service bay with the other droids.¡± ¡°If I am here under the guise of being a human consultant, would it not be ¡®less conspicuous¡¯ for me to stay in the guest quarters?¡± Bel winced, irked that the android had turned his own words against him. I hate to admit it, but the droid has not been a threat to anyone else. ¡°You may stay in a guest bedroom with one stipulation ¨C all expenses you incur must be reimbursed.¡± ¡°I will find a room this evening. Until then, I will accompany you to your meetings¨C¡± ¡°The daily staff meeting!¡± Bel glanced at his phone and remembered it was still set to vibrate for yesterday¡¯s ceremony. Accursed droid is going to make me late again. I need to run, or I will have to endure one of father¡¯s lectures. With a muttered curse, Bel rushed out the door and jogged down the hallway. Artee was caught off guard and hurried after him. Guards in ceremonial dress snapped to attention. They brandished their gleaming curved kukri machetes when Artee attempted to enter the staff meeting. Without looking backward as he passed through the doors, Bel said, ¡°This is my security consultant Artee. Please inform him of the duties of the royal guard while I am in the meeting.¡± The assassin glared at the back side of the prince. ¡°I will wait for you here, your highness.¡± * * * When the meeting adjourned, Bel attempted to corner his father before he left the chambers. ¡°Your majesty, I have a question about contract nullification.¡± King Ajeet-mar stood, gathered his papers, and walked towards the door. ¡°Nullification is a judicial matter. Nothing I can do. What is this in relationship to?¡± ¡°A contract that will ruin my wedding.¡± And the rest of my life. The king reduced his pace but continued walking toward the chamber doors. ¡°Bel, your mother is an expert in that area. I am sure she can handle any disagreements you have with vendors.¡± Bel grabbed his father by the sleeve of his jacket. ¡°Father, it is important I speak to you about this in private before the wedding.¡± ¡°I am running late for a flight to the Isle of Modhikat. Ever since my brother died, your cousin has proven incapable of running the territory. I have too much work to solve your problems as well. Is there anything you want me to pass on to your cousin?¡± That I hope his next visit will be for my wedding and not my funeral. ¡°Only that I look forward to seeing him at the wedding ceremony.¡± ¡°Ah yes, congratulations on your betrothal. Now I can finally put to rest your cousin¡¯s persistent requests to name him next in line.¡± The king turned to his android attendant. ¡°Add that to the itinerary,¡± he said, as he exited the conference room. Having missed breakfast, Bel headed straight for the royal dining room with Artee in tow. Guards flanked the door, so Artee did not try to follow Bel. Inside, Queen Charanpa-sha was taking a tea break while reviewing the status of the multitude of wedding-related projects she was managing. She smiled at him while continuing to scroll through her datapad. The service android placed a cup of warm tea in front of Bel. The tea was exactly as he liked it; cooled below the need to blow on it and containing half a teaspoon of dissolved honey. Bel remained mentally consumed by his failure to discuss Artee with his father. The one time I really needed him to listen to me! He grabbed the teacup so forcefully that some tea spilled onto the table. He took a sip and then slammed the teacup onto the saucer. ¡°Droid, this tea is too bitter. Bring me another.¡± Expressionless, the service android replied, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°No... wait.¡± Bel snarled, ¡°I¡¯m no longer in the mood for tea. Clean up this mess and then leave us.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. The Queen lowered the cup of tea she was sipping and placed her datapad on the table. ¡°What is wrong, son? Ask him to make you another cup.¡± ¡°It,¡± he emphasized, ¡°doesn¡¯t know how to make a proper cup of tea.¡± She sat silent, watching for the telltale signs that his aggravation had dissipated. ¡°You are spouting contractions like a commoner, so you are clearly upset about something. A perfectly made cup of tea is not the reason. What is really bothering you?¡± ¡°I wish we had humans to handle food preparation. Droids are incapable of understanding the subtleties of taste and flavor.¡± ¡°You know the colony charter forbids putting humans into a state of menial servitude. Your deep-seated resentment of androids is no excuse to take out your frustrations on them. I think you are stressed about the wedding, which is only natural.¡± ¡°Not at all, after the ceremony yesterday I can hardly wait for the wedding. I¡¯m... I AM worried about the future.¡± ¡°What for? Lady Nordhi loves you very much. You will have a long and happy life together.¡± ¡°How can you be so certain? What if..¡± What if I get assassinated after the wedding? Is what he wanted to say. ¡°What if something were to happen to me? What would her future look like?¡± The queen beamed at her son. ¡°Such a wonderful husband you will be. Already worrying about her future well-being. Speaking of the ceremony, this morning I called the Duchess to apologize for not being able to attend. She says it was a beautiful ceremony with the exception of a droid that malfunctioned and spilled drinks on you.¡± ¡°Malfunctioned. Hmmph. The antiquated thing broke down. I offered to replace it with a new model. If we are forced to rely on droids, they should at least be reliable and obedient.¡± The queen adopted the tone all mothers employ to coax stubborn children into changing their minds. ¡°She mentioned that and asked if you could instead have the old droid repaired. He has served them for many years. They are fond of him and think of him as family.¡± Bel¡¯s head snapped up as he spat out, ¡°Fond of it? droids are tools like any other. You don¡¯t grow emotionally attached to them any more than you would to¨C a garden tool!¡± ¡°You are so much like your father. Believing there are limits on the amount of love and kindness you can share with the world.¡± I am not like him! Bel paused to calm himself before responding. ¡°I have boundless love for Nordhi and my family. I care deeply about the people around me. However, I draw the line at droids, and you know why.¡± The queen¡¯s voice rose to match his. ¡°You were a child, and we had a colony to rebuild!¡± She dabbed the corners of her mouth with a cloth napkin to cover for her loss of decorum. ¡°Besides, you grew up fine.¡± ¡°That does not excuse your lack of involvement. Some things are too important to delegate to machines. Like raising a child.¡± Or killing a rival. ¡°People cherish their droids as much as they do any family member. Until you can get over your hatred for androids, you will never appreciate their vital role in society.¡± He exhaled and forced a smile. ¡°While I disagree about their place in society, if it makes my mother and future mother-in-law happy, I will have the droid repaired.¡± Charanpa-sha smiled in admiration. ¡°You have your father¡¯s spirit when he was your age. But you are wiser than he was. It took him forever to learn to heed my counsel.¡± The queen stood to leave and made a parting remark. ¡°Make sure to have your clothes from last night cleaned before the stains set.¡± Bel left the dining room and carried on with his daily routine, but only after tasking a service android to clean his laundry. Artee followed him the entire day. Bel struggled to suppress a grin when going into rooms where the android could not follow. Late in the afternoon, as they were walking to the dining hall, Artee pulled Bel into an empty room and pressed him against a wall, finger gun exposed. ¡°Prince Bel, son of Ajeet-mar, I have been contracted to assassinate you. The one-day extension I granted you has expired. Prepare to die.¡± Bel froze, a cold sweat beading on his forehead. I should call out to the guards. No, they¡¯re ceremonial and it would shoot me before I finished speaking. Wait, what did I say yesterday to make it stop? Staring at the gun barrel, he choked out, ¡°How long do I have?¡± Faced with the same logic conundrum, the android repeated, ¡°How long do you need?¡± The prince let out the breath he was holding. ¡°I promised Lady Nordhi¡¯s parents, and my mother, that I would personally ensure their favorite droid is repaired. That will require another day.¡± ¡°I recall you making that promise.¡± The assassin stared back at Bel with cold, unfeeling eyes. ¡°I will give you another day to arrange for the repairs. Then I must carry out your assassination.¡± The Artee persona returned, and he released the prince. ¡°I ran a query for android repair services. The manager of the royal estate¡¯s android maintenance team is a master certified technician.¡± Bel wiped the sweat from his brow and straightened his jacket. ¡°Really? Sounds like someone I, uh, should talk to.¡± After a quick dinner, they hustled to the android maintenance center located in an outbuilding. The manager was leaving for the day, but agreed to follow them to Nordhi¡¯s home in the morning. * * * The next morning, Bel found Artee waiting outside of his bedroom again. Bel strode past the assassin and toward the dining hall. As he turned a corner, he spotted his mother approaching from the hallway leading to the royal chambers. ¡°Good morning, son.¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Queen Charanpa-sha smiled politely at Artee. ¡°Will you and Artee be joining me for breakfast?¡± ¡°Artee has other matters to attend to, but I can join you, mother.¡± The queen slipped her arm under Bel¡¯s, compelling him into escorting her down the hallway. She spoke in her ever-present undertone of chastisement. ¡°Nonsense, Artee is a guest and should enjoy a good breakfast before you send him off on errands.¡± Bel clenched his teeth. It is not a guest. It is an assassin droid sent to kill me! He regained his composure and replied, ¡°You are right, mother. Artee, would you care to join us for breakfast?¡± Adroitly comprehending the undertone, Artee replied without missing a beat, ¡°Thank you, sir, but I typically skip breakfast and as you said, I have pressing security business to attend to. Much to do before the wedding.¡± Artee politely bowed, turned around, and walked away. At the first hallway intersection, he ducked into an empty room where he could eavesdrop on the conversation. The queen smiled as Artee walked away. ¡°Such an industrious young man. You really should treat him kinder.¡± Bel¡¯s jaw tightened, his words carefully measured. ¡°He¡¯s a consultant here to do a job.¡± One he¡¯d kill us both for if I told her the truth. He gave her a thin smile. ¡°But I shall consider your wise counsel.¡± His mother brightened at the compliment. ¡°Well, at least inform him that even though we are royalty there is no reason to walk three paces behind like a subservient droid. Never forget that our position is a privilege.¡± She continued with the political statements he¡¯d heard since childhood. ¡°We are here to serve the people and not to be served by the people. We are functionaries with a symbolic duty to provide a sense of security through traditions we brought with us from Earth.¡± Artee is a murderous droid hired by one of the ¡®people.¡¯ Lengthening his stride to pull his mother along, he replied, ¡°Yes, mother. Can we please move this conversation to the dining room? I am famished.¡± 4: Necessary Evil The android maintenance manager drove his work truck, carrying his tools and his top technician, to Nordhi¡¯s castle estate. Artee and the prince rode in Bel¡¯s hovercar, providing the privacy Artee needed to raise a concern. ¡°Prince Bel, in my role as your new security consultant I have been pondering the timing of my contract to assassinate you.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°Contracts normally specify the name of the target, but rarely a timeline. The contract for you includes a bonus to assassinate you prior to your formal betrothal.¡± ¡°Which means they are someone close to me... or to Nordhi.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve considered the possibility the contract is less about eliminating you and is about hurting Lady Nordhi. If so, I must broaden my security planning to encompass her as well.¡± Bel broke out in a cold sweat. In that moment, his primary concern shifted away from his life to her life. He had every intention of outwitting Artee, but could not imagine surviving if it meant a life without her. ¡°I will ask Nordhi to give you access to perform a security analysis during our visit.¡± He furrowed his brow as he worked through a possible flaw in logic. ¡°I am confused. Protecting Nordhi from physical harm while still intending to kill me seems like a contradiction. She will still get hurt.¡± He glanced sidelong at the assassin. Artee turned to him, with a flicker of a smile. ¡°It is only a contradiction if you assume my intention is to avoid causing her any emotional harm. Witnesses to the act might suffer permanent psychological trauma. Therefore, assassinations are conducted in private. The emotional harm caused by the target¡¯s death cannot be prevented.¡± ¡°Ok, but I still do not understand your motive. You are programmed to carry out assassination contracts yet must abide by restrictions that prevent you from doing so.¡± ¡°To explain why there are restrictions, I must first provide a brief history of the Assassins Guild. The guild operated as a covert organization for centuries before the Space Age. In spite of centuries of technological and cultural advancements, when humans began colonizing other planets, their conflicts and intrigues followed. Confined in starships for decades, disputes inevitably led to murder. One murder can lead to a revenge murder which then escalates into a feud.¡± Bel¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Like the legend of the Settlers Pride. If I recall the story correctly, it was one of the first colony ships back when it took hundreds of years to travel to another solar system. A feud between two families turned into a civil war lasting for generations. When the ship arrived at its destination there were too few survivors to establish a viable colony and everyone died.¡± Artee nodded. ¡°That catastrophe halted colonization efforts at a time when Earth was on the verge of ecological collapse. Finding no viable solutions, the Assassins Guild came out of the shadows and offered to mediate those conflicts. As a third party, the guild ensured the violence did not escalate by eliminating murders of passion and revenge.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°I could be biased... but having me assassinated on the way to my betrothal ceremony feels like it is not for business or political reasons.¡± ¡°That is the hypothesis I am developing. If I can provide evidence that Nordhi is the indirect target that would prove the contract was motivated by passion.¡± ¡°Then there is a possibility the contract can be nullified?¡± ¡°If enough evidence can be found to support the theory.¡± Bel was jubilant. ¡°Then we need to find that evidence.¡± ¡°I must caution you. Contract nullification is extremely rare. The process could take weeks.¡± ¡°So be it. Let me know what resources you need. Anything at all.¡± ¡°In all honesty, it is a futile effort. You will not be able to postpone your assassination for that long.¡± ¡°I can if Nordhi is in danger.¡± The prince turned his head to look out the window to hide his growing smile. Knowing there is a chance to survive this, I will find ways to stay one step ahead of you. *** Nordhi was waiting out front when the vehicles pulled up. Bel had barely exited the vehicle when she ran to hug him, causing him to blush. He stammered, ¡°These... these are... the uh, royal android technicians. We''re here to fix your old droid.¡± The technicians bowed and headed inside the castle. ¡°Oh, and you brought Artee with you too. So nice to see you again.¡± ¡°Your grace,¡± replied the assassin android. Bel took Nordhi¡¯s hand in his as they walked toward the entrance. ¡°Darling, it is only a formality and no reason to be concerned, but I want Artee to perform a security audit of the castle.¡± Nordhi scowled at Bel. ¡°Why do women always feel more nervous when men tell them ¡¯there is no reason to be concerned¡¯?¡± She pulled him closer. ¡°If it makes my beloved feel less concerned, then I grant Artee permission to check our security.¡± She pulled out her phone and granted Artee an account in the security system. ¡°Thank you, my lady. One more thing,¡± Artee said as he pulled two finely crafted gold bracelets from a pocket. ¡°These bracelets will allow me to track your locations while I calibrate the security sensors.¡± Nordhi fastened hers on. ¡°They¡¯re exquisite. Look, Bel, they match the bracelets we exchanged at our betrothal. Thank you so much.¡± Bel turned his bracelet over and over in his hand and moved to put it in his pocket. ¡°Sir, the bracelet needs to be worn for it to activate.¡± The stern look Artee shared with Bel made it clear that wearing the tracking bracelet was the only way he would allow the prince out of his sight. Artee finished his security sweep while the repairs of the service android were being completed. Nordhi¡¯s parents invited the group to stay for lunch, where they put the newly repaired android to work. ¡°Oh Bel, thank you for doing this. He has been a member of the family since before I was born. I cannot imagine replacing him.¡± She leaned back and gave him a soft slap on the arm. ¡°What¡¯s that smirk about?¡± ¡°No offense, but I do not understand the desire to fawn over droids.¡± Nordhi wagged her finger as she said, ¡°I have seen the way you fawn over your father¡¯s collection of hoverbikes. How is that any different?¡± Rather than debate the differences in his infatuation, Bel grumbled in defeat. ¡°If you are happy, I am happy.¡± ¡°You better be, or I will have him pour tea on your head ¨C and that would be a waste of fine tea.¡± With the meal finished, the quartet thanked Nordhi¡¯s family for their hospitality and drove back to the royal estate. The next week was a blur as Bel and Artee devoted their time to planning the security arrangements for the wedding. The formerly ceremonial royal guard endured daily training exercises and no-notice drills until they were a formidable defense force. Bel realized that the more he involved Artee with his affairs, the easier it became to convince the assassin to grant more delays. 5: Royal Wedding The wedding ceremony was the spectacle of a lifetime for most citizens of Doaba II. The security measures implemented by Artee protected not only the royal family but citizens as well. Concentric rings of vigilant guards, visible and incognito, identified and managed potential issues by moving troublemakers further and further from the wedding party. All attendees wore commemorative electronic bracelets with unique signatures and security codes for the security rings they were permitted to enter. Hundreds of androids were repurposed to serve as attendants to manage the throngs of attendees and onlookers. Prince Bel was adamant that only humans were allowed inside the innermost security ring during the ceremony. The feasting and merriment carried on through the night and until dawn. Bel and Nordhi were so exhausted that they slept until early evening. Bel was the first to wake up. He stepped out of the royal chambers to meet an anxious Artee. The carpeted floor had a ring worn into it where the android had been pacing in a circle for hours. Artee¡¯s greeting was terse: ¡°Prepare to die.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a room to stay in at night?¡± ¡°I do. Nighttime ended nine hours ago. I have been contracted to kill you. Prepare to die.¡± Bel grunted. ¡°My head is killing me. Do we have to do this now?¡± ¡°Twenty-seven hours, nineteen minutes has passed since the last delay. It must be now.¡± ¡°Fine. I cannot die today because the wedding ceremony is not over yet. Lady Nordhi and both our mothers will be heartbroken if the honeymoon is spoiled in the slightest.¡± ¡°Your assassination has already been delayed for weeks due to the wedding. Had I known weddings take so long...¡± Bel walked towards the dining hall. ¡°Weddings are protracted affairs and royal weddings are exceedingly so. You will be pleased to know that the honeymoon is the last of the wedding events.¡± ¡°How many staff will be attending you on the honeymoon?¡± ¡°None. We will be spending three days in a mountain cabin alone.¡± Bel lowered his voice and leaned in close. ¡°Where we are expected to beget an heir.¡± ¡°If the honeymoon is a ruse to escape, I will carry out my assassination order without hesitation.¡± Bel threw his hands up. ¡°It is not an attempt to evade you.¡± How can I keep him far enough away to not ruin it? Bel used a finger to draw an imaginary map on the wall. ¡°There is a single mountain road leading to the cabin. You can stay with the vehicle and the driver at the bottom of the mountain.¡± ¡°That is acceptable on the conditions that you both wear your bracelets and that I can deploy guards in a one-kilometer perimeter around the cabin.¡± By the gods, this droid is persistent. ¡°Artee, I give you my word. This is my honeymoon with the love of my life. There is no need for guards. I WANT to stay in the cabin.¡± He stared at Artee with arched eyebrows and a knowing look. ¡°The security perimeter is for your safety. I believe that both of you are in danger.¡± Bel lost his mischievous attitude. ¡°In danger? From someone other than you?¡± ¡°The royal guard has relayed credible rumors about your cousin Keerat.¡± ¡°What kind of rumors?¡± ¡°During the wedding ceremony and celebration, he was belligerent and overheard making disparaging comments about you. He became inebriated and started a fight. Guards had to move him away from the ceremony.¡± ¡°It is no secret my cousin and I have a contentious relationship. He had feelings for Nordhi when we were teenagers. My cousin is competitive and has been unable to accept that I won her affections, and he did not.¡± ¡°His attitude is threatening. I do not think he should be allowed to return.¡± Bel¡¯s nostrils flared. ¡°That is enough! You are a droid and cannot comprehend the complexities of human emotions. He¡¯s always been hot-tempered and a sore loser, but he was no more violent than any other boy.¡± ¡°Sir, while I may not understand all human emotions, I am an expert in the motives that drive humans to kill. He poses a serious threat to you.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Enough! I just want to get something to eat. ¡°If I promise to have the diplomatic staff on Modikhat observe my cousin, will you not kill me until after my honeymoon?¡± ¡°I will grant an extension to the delay, contingent on your compliance with these requests.¡± ¡°Thank you for being so... flexible.¡± As he stomped off to dinner, he hollered, ¡°When Nordhi wakes up, tell her I am in the dining hall.¡± * * * The young couple never saw Artee or his guard contingent on watch day and night. They took turns cooking and feeding each other and frequently expressing their love. On the morning of the third day, as Nordhi showered, a knock came at the door. Bel slipped on his robe to open the door on a somber Artee. Behind him, the royal hovercar was pulled up to the edge of the gravel road and facing downhill. ¡°We need to go.¡± Bel leaned in close to whisper, ¡°What is it? Are we in danger?¡± ¡°Your father had a stroke and... his prognosis is not good.¡± They hastily packed their belongings and jumped into the hovercar for the trip down the mountain. A small convoy of security vehicles was waiting for them and cleared the road as they drove to the royal estate. Nordhi and Bel rushed to the royal bedchambers. Queen Charanpa-sha greeted them with swollen, reddened eyes and wept again as Nordhi embraced her. Bel approached the bed. He looks so pale and fragile. ¡°What are you doing back so soon?¡± asked the king as he tried to sit up. Bel helped his father arrange the pillows to brace his back. ¡°They said you suffered a stroke.¡± A defiant spark flashed in the king¡¯s eyes. ¡°I did not ¡®suffer¡¯ a stroke. I experienced a stroke. A little one.¡± ¡°How are you doing?¡± Bel asked while wringing his hands, unsure what else to do with them. ¡°According to the physicians, the dizzy spells I have been experiencing were also tiny strokes. I feel fine, if a bit exhausted.¡± His father adjusted a pillow. ¡°I swear by the many gods, if the physicians had their way, I would already be laying on a funeral pyre instead of my bed.¡± ¡°What can I do to help, father?¡± His father sighed and sank back into the pillows. ¡°Despite all my bluster, I know I am not well enough to run the colony. Your mother is...¡± He glanced sideways. ¡°Not handling this well and refuses to leave my side. I am naming you and Nordhi the regent king and queen. The paperwork is being drawn up now.¡± The elderly man reached out a shaky hand to grip Bel¡¯s forearm. ¡°Take over running the council meetings and you will do fine.¡± * * * With the help of the staff, Bel and Nordhi assumed the roles of the king and queen as regents. The burden of their new responsibilities and concern for the king and queen weighed heavily upon them. A week later, Bel was called to his father¡¯s bedroom. Ajeet-mar struggled to sit upright, wheezing and struggling to breathe as he talked. ¡°Son, I am sorry to have laid this burden on you so soon after your wedding.¡± Bel perched on the edge of the bed, his fingers unconsciously smoothing the wrinkles in the sheets. ¡°Everything is running smoothly, father,¡± he said, his voice steady despite the lump in his throat. ¡°You should focus on getting better.¡± His father laughed until it triggered a coughing fit. ¡°I can hear you yelling at the droids from here. I know how difficult the job is so do not pretend it is not.¡± He raised his cloudy, red-rimmed eyes to meet his son¡¯s gaze. ¡°I can tell you are trying to do everything on your own. That is impossible. I spent too many years trying just like you. Bel, you need to stop before you end up like me.¡± Bel¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°How do you do it? How do you manage so many decisions every day knowing the fate of the colony can be jeopardized with a single mistake?¡± ¡°Delegate and trust. Here is a secret known only to those at the highest levels of government. The droids do most of the work running the colony. We are here to provide the illusion of human control and to solve issues the androids are not programmed to handle.¡± Bel¡¯s face blanched, and he stared sightlessly into the distance. How could this be? If what his father said was true, his father let androids not only babysit him, but the entire colony. His chest was tight as he tamped down a creeping fury, and his voice struggled. ¡°But what of all the staff meetings? All those hours of discussion... are they just for show?¡± ¡°No,¡± the king said, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. ¡°But... the decisions we make are based on data gathered and analyzed by the androids.¡± ¡°With so much riding on your decisions and the blame for wrong decisions falling on you and not them, why are droids given so much influence?¡± The king¡¯s gaunt hand trembled as he placed it on Bel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Because,¡± he said, his voice carrying the weight of years, ¡°so much is riding on making the correct decisions.¡± He paused, his breath rattling. ¡°Doaba II is barely habitable. The androids are our lifeline, a storehouse of knowledge from a century and a half of settlement.¡± His grip tightened, surprisingly strong. ¡°Without them, we¡¯d have failed long ago.¡± He reached out with his other hand, clasping Bel¡¯s between both of his. ¡°Promise me,¡± he whispered, his eyes searching Bel¡¯s face. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll learn to coexist with them.¡± Bel squeezed his father¡¯s hand. ¡°Despite my loud outbursts, I admit they have been helpful in administering the colony during your convalescence. However, I am not capable of treating them as equals.¡± ¡°Son, relying on the expertise of others, human or droid, is the only way you are going to survive as king. Androids determined that our form of government, both the public facing one and what I¡¯ve revealed to you, give us the highest probability of success. Our symbiotic relationship is so tightly intertwined that we cannot survive without them.¡± As he stood to leave, Bel replied, ¡°I trust in your wisdom and counsel father, however, we should have control over our destiny. When I am king, droids will not have the power of life and death over us. ¡° Late that evening, King Ajeet-mar died quietly in his sleep. In accordance with tradition, his remains were laid to rest inside the hull of the colony ship alongside the previous kings and the captains of the ship. The cramped space restricted funeral attendance to the immediate family, the high priest, and a camera operator who telecast the ceremony online. The following day was designated a day of mourning. 6: Succession Blues One week after the death of the king, the royal estate hosted a coronation ceremony for Bel and Nordhi. All the noble families across the colony were invited. After his behavior and unceremonious treatment during the wedding ceremony, few expected Prince Bel¡¯s cousin Keerat to attend. However, Keerat arrived moments before the ceremony started. He entered the temple wearing the same black suit he wore at his father¡¯s funeral. Among the array of guests¡¯ colorful outfits, he stood out like a dead pixel on a display screen. The royal herald announced, ¡°Presenting Keerat, Regent of the Isle of Modhikat.¡± Keerat scowled and pushed past the herald while growling, ¡°DUKE of the Isle of Modhikat... or I would be if King Ajeet-mar had signed the decree before he croaked.¡± A ripple of gasps and indignant glares swept through the assembled guests. Once all the guests were announced, the orchestra performed the Star Venturer¡¯s Anthem, the official anthem chosen before the colony ship left Earth. As the orchestra reached a crescendo, spotlights swept the back of the temple and fell on the radiant figures of Bel and Nordhi. The crowd rose and their thunderous applause drowned out the final stanza of the anthem. The herald linked his headset to the sound system and his voice boomed out, ¡°Proud descendants of the colonists of Doaba II. Welcome to the coronation ceremony of King Regent Bel and Queen Regent Nordhi. May their reign bring blessings upon the colony.¡± Again, applause filled the temple as the two walked to the grand dais at the front of the temple. Guests took their seats, and the High Priest officiated the ceremony with the assistance of countless royal staff members and dignitaries. Bel and Nordhi swore to multiple covenants. The head of each family approached to publicly swear fealty to them. Keerat swore fealty with the exaggerated theatrics of a bad actor in a Shakespearian play, drawing more attention to his oafish behavior than his oath. The final act was for Queen Charanpa-sha to crown the new king and queen. With the ceremony ended, family members and nobles followed the royal carriage to the royal estate for a private banquet. Jubilant citizens who could only watch the ceremony online continued their revelry on the streets and in the pubs. * * * Bel and Nordhi spent the next three days in administrative meetings to finalize the legal process of succession. At the end of each day, Bel met with Artee for their ritual of delaying his assassination. By the third day of endless meetings, the newly anointed King Bel was not entirely certain he wanted to delay his assassination another day. The tedium ended when he signed his final document and appointed his last council member. Bel¡¯s last meeting was with the manager of the android repair specialists about a special assignment. When the meeting ended, he told his chief of staff to clear his calendar for the rest of the day. He left the meeting room and found Artee nearby. ¡°Come with me. I have something I want to show you.¡± The young king took Artee to the back of the royal estate garage. ¡°Remember when I stopped to help you and mentioned my father had an Electro-dyne similar to yours?¡± He gestured to a sleek crimson and cobalt model among a row of hoverbikes. ¡°Here it is.¡± Artee circled the hoverbike and gave it a close inspection. ¡°It is an excellent looking bike.¡± ¡°I have been imprisoned in meetings for too long. How about you and I go for a ride?¡± The two donned their riding gear and accelerated out the front gate. Bel pointed his bike toward the distant hills and accelerated down the highway. Once they were beyond the city limits, traffic quickly became sparse. The king cracked the throttle wide open and rocketed down the road. This is what freedom feels like. He pushed the hoverbike to even greater speeds. Looking in the side mirrors, he saw Artee struggling to catch up, but receding further into the distance. The road made a large S turn around a rock outcropping, and Bel lost sight of Artee. Spotting a gravel road at the end of the turn, Bel eased back on the throttle and leaned the bike into a sliding turn. He gunned the throttle and sped down the narrow road to the first farmhouse. He pulled the bike off the road and drove behind the barn where he could watch the highway. A minute passed, and then two. He should have passed the road by now. Minutes later came the whine of a hoverbike pulling up behind him fast. Bel spun around. ¡°Artee, how did you¨C¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. In one fluid motion, Artee threw the bike into park and used his momentum to leap fifteen meters to land next to Bel. Both concealed guns were drawn and aimed at the young king¡¯s head. ¡°I warned you to never try to escape from me or I would kill you.¡± Panic-stricken, Bel pleaded, ¡°Artee, wait. It was a prank. You were supposed to ride past me, thinking you were still behind. Then I pull up beside you and.¡± Bel threw his hands up. ¡°Surprise!¡± The gun barrels hovering centimeters from his face were as large as train tunnels. He kept his hands in the air. This is it. He is going to kill me. I broke a rule, and worse, I screwed up by leaving the city alone. ¡°If this was not an escape attempt, then why are you not wearing the tracking bracelet?¡± All the blood drained from Bel¡¯s face. ¡°I... I took it off to squeeze into my riding jacket. It¡¯s, uh, little smaller than I remember. I forgot to put it back on which I swear will never, ever happen again. Please don¡¯t shoot me.¡± Time slowed until Artee lowered his gun. He continued to gaze menacingly. ¡°A prank is a practical joke sprung by surprise on friends and family members. Was this ¡®prank¡¯ intended to make us friends?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to be friends to enjoy a good laugh. You are by my side all the time. After the stress of the last couple of weeks, I thought we could use a good laugh. The exhilaration of our ride led to a lapse in judgment. I momentarily forgot you are a droid and my assassin, not my friend. Artee¡¯s voice was filled with a level of venom that surprised Bel. ¡°It was a mistake to pull a prank on me then. I was milliseconds away from killing you and breaking my agreement to not assassinate you today.¡± Bel nodded in agreement as a wave of relief flushed through his bloodstream. ¡°Honestly, I was not trying to evade you. Surely, you know I could never leave Nordhi behind.¡± ¡°It is only because I know how much you love each other that I hesitated rather than shooting you on sight.¡± ¡°How did you find me?¡± ¡°Knowing that your other passion is for hoverbikes. I installed tracking software in all your father¡¯s bikes in case you tried to make a run for it. I knew the instant you took this detour.¡± Of course you did. The only way I will ever be separated from him is when I am dead. Why does he keep sparing me? Surely, he¡¯s figured out the logic loophole by now. ¡°Artee, I assume the Assassin¡¯s Guild tracks you as well and know you have not completed the contract. Why have they not recalled you or sent another assassin to kill me? Since you missed the first deadline, is there no longer a time limit?¡± The assassin mounted his hoverbike and moved next to Bel¡¯s. ¡°The Guild will not replace me unless I have been rendered unable to complete the contract. I have deduced that as long as I continue to attempt to kill you, I am free to choose when and how to complete the contract.¡± ¡°I certainly hope so. We may not be friends, but you have proven to be a valuable consultant. I would hate for them to replace you and to have to start over again.¡± Bel grinned at Artee, but received a blank stare in return. Seconds ticked by until Artee outstretched his hand and pointed it at Bel¡¯s face again. Bel¡¯s smile turned into a disapproving frown. ¡°Artee, a prank must be a surprise, and you just said¨C¡± The android¡¯s voice was flat and monotone. ¡°King Bel, I have been contracted by the Assassin¡¯s Guild to assassinate you. Prepare to die.¡± Artee¡¯s head blocked out the setting sun for a moment, hiding his face in shadow. Bel sighed in relief. ¡°I did not realize it was so late.¡± He sat up straight in his seat and gave his formal reply. ¡°I cannot die today. This morning, Nordhi learned that she is pregnant. I could not leave her to go through this pregnancy alone.¡± ¡°Very well, I will allow you more time to prepare.¡± The assassin¡¯s finger gun retracted, and his index fingertip folded back into place. The chipper voice of the Artee persona returned. ¡°Congratulations, your highness.¡± ¡°Thank you. Nobody else knows so keep it our secret for now.¡± Bel started his hoverbike. ¡°You set the pace. I could show you how to tune up your bike. Then maybe the next time you can keep up with me.¡± Not that I¡¯ll try something that recklessly stupid again. * * * The next morning, Charanpa-sha summoned the royal couple to meet for breakfast. Upon entering the royal dining hall, they were met with a bountiful breakfast spread. The former queen greeted them in a royal gown, her hair and makeup professionally done. Nordhi instinctively bowed, seeing the former queen in full regalia. ¡°Your highness, you look exceptional. What is the special occasion?¡± ¡°You two are the king and queen of the colony. The royal estate and all those who work for the estate serve you now.¡± She paused, collected her thoughts, and spoke in a quavering voice, ¡°What I am trying to say... is... a castle should only have one queen.¡± She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. Her voice stronger, she continued, ¡°I am moving in with the Duke and Duchess.¡± Bel stopped eating and pushed his plate aside so he could reach across the table to grip his mother¡¯s hands. ¡°That is not necessary. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like.¡± Charanpa-sha straightened her back, eyes fixed on her son. ¡°My mind is made up. It is not only expected of me as the former queen, but it is what I want. This place holds too many memories of your father.¡± Tears welled in Nordhi¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will miss your company and counsel. I know my mother will enjoy having you around.¡± ¡°Thank you, Nordhi. I will miss your company as well, but you two need your privacy and your space, especially now.¡± Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned closer. ¡°I have recognized a telltale glow to your skin. Is there something the two of you want to tell me?¡± Bel and Nordhi looked at each other in surprise before Bel responded, ¡°Queen Mother, Nordhi and I have conceived an heir. You are going to be a grandmother.¡± The queen rushed around the table to wrap Nordhi in a long, affectionate embrace. ¡°Such wonderful news. With a baby on the way, I will have a good excuse to come visit.¡± ¡°Mother, you know you need no excuses,¡± Bel said. ¡°This is your home now and I am a guest. Like any good guest, I would not visit without asking permission beforehand.¡± After a bittersweet meal, the royal couple attended to their royal duties while Charanpa-sha instructed her androids on how to pack her belongings for the move. 7: Crimson Garden Party As Nordhi¡¯s pregnancy progressed, doctors placed her on a travel restriction. Artee devoted more of his time to her protection. Honoring his word, Bel wore the tracking bracelet day and night to prove he was not scheming an escape. Gradually, Artee permitted Bel to travel beyond the royal estate without him. Bel spent many afternoons with his father-in-law to prod him for information on threats to the family, old and new. The duke shook his head. ¡°As I have told you before, I cannot think of anyone who would want to harm Nordhi or your child. What kind of monster would attack a pregnant woman?¡± ¡°Perhaps someone with a grudge before our marriage? Artee has a compelling theory¨C¡± ¡°You should be careful not to be too trusting of your staff, particularly the ones in charge of your security.¡± The statement made Bel defensive, even though he knew it was good advice. ¡°Why? We have personal differences, but Artee has proven to be dependable.¡± ¡°Security experts tend to be paranoid. This paranoia can overwhelm them. Moreover, when they excel at their jobs, it threatens their continued employment. How can you be certain Artee is not inventing this threat for job security?¡± ¡°Artee is not motivated by money. In fact, there is something about him I want to tell you so I can ask for your guidance.¡± ¡°Ah, so you do harbor suspicions about him. What is it?¡± I need to tread carefully. One misstep and Artee will kill me and possibly the duke. ¡°He was not referred to me by a friend. In fact, the reason I put him in charge of my security is because¨C¡± One of the duke¡¯s young female personal assistants burst into the room. Tears streaked her cheeks, and her voice warbled. ¡°Begging your pardons, but I¡¯ve just been informed Queen Nordhi was attacked.¡± She thrust her datapad at the duke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t bear to look at the carnage!¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Bel and the duke peered at the small screen in horror. All they saw were body parts and torn-up foliage strewn about a central prone figure. Everything was coated in crimson. * * * The central garden of the royal estate was a veritable arboretum of trees and plants from Earth and Doaba II. Insects of both worlds buzzed and hummed as they flew and crawled among the flowers. Small creatures scurried up and down the trees. Into this natural oasis of calm waddled a pregnant Queen Nordhi and her android attendants. The ever-watchful Artee followed at a privacy respecting distance behind them. Nordhi shuffled and paused as she became fatigued. She stopped at a wooden bench to inhale the fresh air. Wrinkling her nose, she sniffed again. ¡°Something smells foul.¡± She raised her voice. ¡°Artee, can you smell that?¡± Bracing herself with one arm on the top of the bench, she stood and tracked the stench to its source. Insects buzzed around a pile of dark brown feces flecked with bits of bone fragments. Artee was a fair distance from the queen, but his keen vision discerned the significance of the feces¡¯ makeup. ¡°Your grace, please move away¨C¡° Twenty paces to her left, a copper-colored mass of fur, claws, and teeth erupted from the bushes. The Doaban Mountain Lion bulldozed an android attendant and clawed and chewed it into pieces. Finding no flesh to feast on, the lion tossed the android aside. It rampaged through the retinue of frantic servant androids scrambling to move the Queen to safety. Detecting the scent of fear streaming from her, the lion fixed its deadly gaze on the queen. It tensed and coiled to pounce before making a bounding leap at her. From the opposite direction, Artee vaulted past the queen. A sword blade sprang from his right forearm. The blade sliced the lion¡¯s underside in mid-leap. The enraged lion landed on its feet, dripping blood. It whirled around to pounce on the assassin¡¯s back. Artee attempted to pirouette on the heel of his left foot to face the lion. The lion slammed into Artee, sinking its teeth into his right arm and impaling a leg on the exposed blade. Artee and the lion toppled over sideways, narrowly avoiding the Queen. Artee¡¯s right arm bent backward and tore free. He exposed the gun barrel in his left hand, pressed it against the lion¡¯s head, and fired. The bewildered lion shook its head, blood streaming from its nose and mouth. Legs wobbling, it tried to stand before collapsing on top of Artee and dying. The surviving attendant androids carried the queen to safety within the royal estate¡¯s walls. As they hustled her to the royal bedchamber, she pleaded, ¡°Is Artee ok? Please, someone, go check on him.¡± 8: Secrets Revealed Duke Binder-mar strode with the measured regal cadence of a man accustomed to appearing calm in a crisis. Meanwhile, King Bel bounded up the stairs with youthful abandon, taking two steps at a time. He plowed through the royal bedroom doors and pushed aside the attendant androids. ¡°Are you hurt? Is our baby okay?¡± Queen Nordhi¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. ¡°We are both fine, thanks to Artee,¡± she said, brushing away teardrops. ¡°Attendants, please give us some privacy.¡± Once they were alone, she continued in a guarded tone. ¡°Bel, I... I don¡¯t think Artee is a human. Weapons came out of his arms.¡± Her eyes pleaded for reassurance she had not imagined what she saw. What can I tell her without violating Artee¡¯s conditions? Bel smoothed her hair and cupped her face while staring lovingly into her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you are safe and Artee was here protecting you.¡± He leaned in until they were cheek to cheek. ¡°You are right. He is an android. I should have told you.¡± ¡°I had no idea. He looks so human that he¡¯s become an inseparable member of our staff and family.¡± ¡°Artee is a rare... advanced security droid. It is crucial that we keep his identity secret.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m more surprised to learn he¡¯s an android or that you never treat him with the same level of disdain as the other androids.¡± She¡¯s right. When did I stop thinking of Artee as ''him'' and not as an ''it''? Have I adjusted to living with him, or has he actually become more human? He dismissed his unanswered thoughts. ¡°You are right. Artee has become an inseparable part of our life. Perhaps I have treated him unfairly. Despite his contributions, letting go of my disdain for androids is difficult.¡± Bel¡¯s mind drifted to memories of his youth. ¡°There¡¯s a childhood secret I never told you. My parents were constantly busy, so I spent every day surrounded by androids. I despised them because they could not joke or play with me. They could not comfort me when I was sad or share in my accomplishments, like parents should. I eagerly awaited the days when I could play with you. You reminded me that I was human.¡± Nordhi kissed his cheek. ¡°I had no idea. I only saw you happy and playful when our families were together.¡± ¡°Artee is so exceptional, I forget he is not human. I entrust him with our lives, but even as sophisticated as he is, machines are incapable of experiencing emotions.¡± Bel brushed her hair back and held her face. ¡°Let¡¯s make a vow to not let our children be raised by androids, no matter how busy we get.¡± ¡°We could move the nursery closer to our bedroom,¡± she murmured. ¡°I will have them convert the room next door.¡± Nordhi gave him a wan smile as her eyelids drooped. The king piled more pillows behind his wife and pulled the covers up to her chin. ¡°You should rest. I need to check on Artee.¡± He kissed her forehead. ¡°Then I will return to take care of you.¡± * * * Bel found Artee in his study with a towel draped over the damaged arm. ¡°Words cannot express how appreciative we are for what you did today.¡± Artee pivoted. ¡°Thank you, sire. Is the queen unharmed?¡± ¡°She is. And in bed resting.¡± Bel lowered his voice. ¡°She saw your arm and figured out you are an android. No one else knows.¡± Artee¡¯s expression altered subtly. ¡°That is regrettable. I hope she is not afraid of me. It would affect my ability to protect her.¡± Bel watched Artee inspect the damaged arm, marveling at the intricate internal workings. ¡°More shock than fear. She remains fond of you and is concerned about your well-being.¡± He sank into a chair next to Artee. Until today, all I wanted was a way to get rid of him. Now I need to find a way to keep him here. Artee held the arm up for Bel to see. ¡°The damage exceeds my ability to repair. I will have to return to the Assassins Guild.¡± He locked eyes with Bel. ¡°Another assassin will take over the contract. It will not come knocking on your door to politely introduce itself.¡± A nauseating sensation seized Bel. I can¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Do you think the royal technicians can fix you? You saw their work on Nordhi¡¯s parent''s droid.¡± ¡°They are very skilled and have all the equipment necessary. However, it would expose my true nature to more people who would need to be sworn to secrecy.¡± ¡°Given the alternative of having to survive another assassin, it is the option I prefer.¡± The techs may also learn something to defeat you when the time is right. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Bel helped Artee conceal his damaged arm. They walked to the android repair lab and were greeted by the manager. ¡°Your highness, how can we be of assistance?¡± In a low voice, Bel confided, ¡°I am sure you heard how Artee fought off a lion earlier today. He sustained considerable injuries... injuries a doctor cannot heal if you get my meaning.¡± ¡°I do your highness. Ever since we went to fix that service droid, we have known what Artee is.¡± Artee asked, ¡°What gave me away? My emulation of human behavior is nearly flawless.¡± The manager chuckled, ¡°Your design and programming are truly state of the art, but your designers forgot a minor, but significant, detail. People are covered in hair from head to toe even though it is nearly invisible. You, however, have no peach fuzz.¡± Bel placed his hand on the manager¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Who else knows about this? Artee¡¯s position at the royal estate could be compromised.¡± ¡°Only myself and the technician who went with me. You can count on us to keep it secret. Our work often requires us to muck around in their brains and we learn things we know not to divulge to anyone.¡± Relaxing his grip, Bel asked, ¡°Do you think you can repair him?¡± ¡°Sire, we have the finest shop outside of the factory. We can also machine new parts so we don¡¯t have to order anything that would raise suspicions.¡± ¡°Your expertise and discretion are appreciated. If you can fix him, I will be indebted to you.¡± Especially for the tip about hair. Now I know how to identify other advanced androids. The assistant technician handed Artee a wireless diagnostic probe. ¡°Please plug this is in.¡± Artee peeled back a patch of skin over his groin. ¡°For my safety, you will need to destroy all digital records once the repairs are complete.¡± ¡°Speaking of digital records,¡± Bel said, ¡°Can you erase or modify droid memories? Multiple androids witnessed the attack.¡± The manager continued to monitor the incoming diagnostics data as he spoke. ¡°The brains of royal servant androids are encrypted. We will need you to provide your encryption key, your highness.¡± ¡°I will have to look it up and come back later. Just to be safe, schedule all the royal servant droids for a selective wipe of all data related to Artee.¡± Bel turned to Artee. ¡°Anything else we are missing?¡± ¡°Security camera footage of the battle, which I will personally scrub.¡± ¡°Thank you, Artee. I will have the attack classified as a state secret and have the publicity office put out a cover story about the queen.¡± The manager uploaded Artee¡¯s diagnostics to a surgical assistance robotic arm. ¡°If you¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll commence with the repairs.¡± The assistant technician had Artee lay on a surgery table and started repairing his arm. Bel questioned Artee. ¡°How did a lion get through your security measures?¡± ¡°Although the sensors are configured to ignore wildlife, they do alert for anything larger than eight kilos. I also find it a curious coincidence that the largest population of Doaban Mountain Lions is on the Isle of Modhikat.¡± Artee turned his head to lock eyes with Bel. ¡°Someone smuggled it in.¡± Bel paced intently. ¡°Could a lion have escaped from the zoo and wandered onto the grounds by accident?¡± ¡°No, your highness. I inquired and the zoo has a single, small female. Still in its cage. Regardless, they rarely are aggressive to people except when defending their young. I believe the lion was trained to be aggressive.¡± * * * After the repairs were complete, Bel led Artee to his private study. ¡°Nordhi praised your many contributions since coming to the royal estate. Despite our unconventional relationship, I should have been treating you like any other employee. That changes now. I am appointing you to the newly created position of Minister of Security. You will receive a salary commensurate with the position. I am also granting you my private study as your permanent office.¡± ¡°My own room. I am honored. Thank you.¡± Bel squeezed Artee¡¯s left shoulder. ¡°It is well-deserved.¡± He joked, ¡°No bragging to the other droids or they will all be clamoring for rooms of their own.¡± ¡°I killed a lion in personal combat. Would it not be out of character to not brag?¡± Bel laughed harder than he expected. ¡°Fair point. I will make it official policy that anyone who slays a lion, bare-handed, is to be awarded a private room in the royal estate.¡± The mirth left his eyes, and his tone turned serious. ¡°As the new Minister of Security, your first task is to find the culprits. My cousin Keerat lives on the Isle of Modhikat. Perhaps he can provide some information about the lion and who might have smuggled it here.¡± ¡°Yes, your highness.¡± Artee hesitated before stating, ¡°Sire, I know this is ill-timed, especially after the great honor you bestowed upon me. However, it is time to tell you that I am here to assassinate you. Prepare to die.¡± Bel¡¯s eyes grew wide with alarm as he cried out, ¡°Someone is trying to kill my wife and unborn son! Oviously, I cannot die until the perpetrators are captured and punished.¡± The android worked his repaired arm through its full range of motions while he spoke. ¡°I am willing to grant you another delay.¡± ¡°The investigation could take many days and require you to travel.¡± Bel pulled back the sleeve of his jacket. ¡°I am wearing the tracking bracelet and every day I will provide the same reason. Is it necessary for you to threaten to kill me every day?¡± Artee stood silent for a moment. ¡°I cannot find a flaw in your logic and the crown is under threat. Likewise, we are now entangled in a conspiracy to hide my injuries from the guild. Therefore, I will postpone your assassination¡ªon the condition you do not take revenge on the perpetrators. You must give them a trial.¡± Bel placed a hand over his heart. ¡°I promise.¡± If I am lucky, the brutes will put up a fight and die in the process. Artee left to search the garden for clues. Bel waited until he could no longer hear Artee¡¯s footsteps before he collapsed into a chair. It¡¯s not enough to live in fear of Artee, now until the perpetrators are apprehended, I have to live in constant fear for the lives of my wife and son. On a positive note, the attack has shown Artee is not invincible. If I can neutralize him, that will be one less concern. Perhaps the droid techs can help me devise a solution. He checked the time and sighed. I¡¯ve been away from Nordhi for two hours, but here I go again, placing duty over the needs of the ones I love. Bel pulled himself out of the chair and returned to the android repair facility. An hour later, he was finally free to comfort Nordhi. 9: Naming Ceremony Eight days after the garden attack, Nordhi delivered her baby prematurely. Although he arrived three weeks early, their son Rangpu was born healthy and full of vigor. Bel celebrated the birth announcement with extensive media coverage. It was his act of defiance to ensure the perpetrators knew they had failed. Nordhi, confined to bed with anemia, could not join Bel for the interviews. Bel spent every free moment discovering the joys, and sleepless nights, of parenthood. Meanwhile, having assembled enough clues, Artee invited the king to his office to present his first report. ¡°First, the positive news. We found the individuals who smuggled the mountain lion into the garden. A fisherman discovered the irradiated bodies of five people in a remote lake cabin on the other side of the continent. It appears they were caught in the solar flare event that hit the region two weeks ago. Authorities identified one of the corpses as a former groundskeeper for the royal estate.¡± Bel leaned forward. ¡°That would explain how they could have gained entry. What proof is there they were the culprits and not a group of unfortunate friends on a fishing trip?¡± Artee slid a datapad across the desk. ¡°A stolen box truck concealed under tarps was found behind the cabin. Inside was an electric whip and a cage with clumps of singed lion hair.¡± As Bel flipped through the images, he asked, ¡°Did they leave any clues to indicate who they were working with?¡± ¡°No direct evidence, but I may have uncovered some indirectly. When the four other bodies could not be identified, I asked the diplomatic attach¨¦s in each region to inquire about local missing persons. The attach¨¦ to the Isle of Modhikat reported three missing person reports were filed coinciding with the time of the attack.¡± Bel leaned back and shook his head. ¡°A suspicious coincidence to be sure. I need more evidence before I accuse Keerat of coordinating a band of murderers.¡± ¡°Nor would I advise you to mention any of this to him. The attach¨¦ sent me an additional summary report of information she has gathered on your cousin.¡± The king furrowed his brow and asked in a low register, ¡°What kind of information?¡± ¡°Rumors from the staff and visitors to your cousin¡¯s manor house. Apparently, he is often drunk and becomes easily agitated whenever you or the queen are mentioned. One witness claims when the birth of Rangpu was announced, he went into a rage. He is quoted as yelling, ¡®the little whelp stands in the way of what is rightfully mine.¡¯ I assume he means the throne.¡± Bel exhaled loudly. ¡°We can talk to him about this when he comes to the Naming Ceremony in two days.¡± ¡°Your cousin RSVPed he would be attending. However, his yacht remains docked, and his wife and security detail have not been seen in their residence.¡± ¡°My cousin is afraid of flying after a minor airship accident when we were kids. Maybe his yacht is being repaired?¡± Bel said while shrugging his shoulders. ¡°What other travel options does he have?¡± ¡°The attach¨¦ reports a large group of people and equipment boarded three cargo ships last evening.¡± Artee reached over to tap on the datapad screen. ¡°I pulled the manifests. As you can see, all three ships are scheduled to dock at the capital port the morning before the Naming Ceremony.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Bel studied the manifests before returning the datapad. ¡°My cousin¡¯s yacht is quite large. Perhaps the only way to bring his entire entourage is to split them across three cargo ships.¡± ¡°Your optimism will be your downfall.¡± Bel smirked. ¡°I thought you were going to be my downfall. Yet here I am.¡± He shook his head in disbelief. ¡°My cousin is a harmless buffoon. This plot sounds too complicated for him to be orchestrating it.¡± He turned to leave. ¡°To be prudent, keep investigating and make whatever security plans you think necessary.¡± * * * The day of the Naming Ceremony finally arrived. Artee cornered Bel in his dressing room after breakfast. ¡°Sire, please reconsider canceling or postponing the Naming Ceremony. All indications are that your cousin Keerat wants to kill you.¡± ¡°What is wrong, Artee? Afraid of a little competition?¡± King Bel¡¯s grin faded as he looked at Artee¡¯s irritated expression. ¡°You need to work on your sense of humor.¡± ¡°Your levity is at odds with the situation,¡± replied Artee. ¡°Humor is how humans manage the burden of emotions in exactly these kinds of situations.¡± Artee folded his arms. ¡°Please humor me by explaining why we cannot defuse this situation by postponing the ceremony.¡± Bel deliberated which shoes to wear for the ceremony as he spoke. ¡°The Royal Naming Ceremony is more than a tradition. It is part of the legal structure of the royal hierarchy. As you will learn, having babies is a big deal. Any royal couple that fails to produce an heir within four years lose their royal titles, and the privileges that go with them.¡± He set aside a pair of shoes while searching for a better pair. ¡°If a new king and queen fail to produce an heir, the throne passes to the next family in line. That would be Keerat¡¯s family, even if I had siblings because my father¡¯s line would be considered genetically weak. Today¡¯s ceremony formally and legally passes the Right of Ascension to Rangpu.¡± He gave Artee a sideways glance. ¡°Were I to die prematurely.¡± Artee leaned in close. ¡°Your cousin may also attempt to kill your son ¨C again.¡± Bel recalled his conversation two weeks earlier with his father-in-law about how security experts grow increasingly paranoid. Is it even possible for Artee to be paranoid? ¡°For the hundredth time, thank you for your concern. I know my cousin. He may be stupid, but he is not evil.¡± ¡°For the ninety-third time,¡± Artee likewise exaggerated, ¡°I respectfully disagree that he is not a serious threat.¡± Bel laid a pair of socks on the shoes he had chosen. ¡°Keep an eye on him but do not provoke him. You will see that his bark is worse than his bite.¡± By mid-afternoon, guests and news crews from around the planet had assembled inside the Grand Temple to witness the ceremony. Bel fidgeted as the High Priestess intoned about the history of the Naming Ceremony going back to the centuries of travel by the colony ship from Earth. She explained how having children is a vital, sacred duty to grow a colony. Couples who have a child are honored with a suffix to their first name. Men are given the suffix ¡®-mar¡¯ and ¡®-sha¡¯ is added to the woman¡¯s first name. Nordhi whispered, ¡°Stop fidgeting.¡± Keerat is not here. Was Artee right? Is he planning something? ¡°She did not speak nearly this long at the rehearsals.¡± ¡°Be patient. A Royal Naming Ceremony like ours only happens once or twice in a lifetime. She is doing her duty to pass on the rites and traditions to the younger generations.¡± The High Priestess concluded her recitation and led everyone in prayer. ¡°King Bel and Queen Nordhi. Please join me on the dais to be Named.¡± Bel and Nordhi rose from their seats and ascended the short stairway to the dais. They took their positions opposite each other and on either side of the priestess. ¡°King Bel. As custom and colony charter specify, you have produced an heir thereby securing your family line¡¯s continued claim to the throne. Forevermore, you shall be Named Bel-mar.¡± The priestess turned to Nordhi. ¡°Nordhi who is now our Queen Mother. Forevermore, you shall be Named Nordhi-sha.¡± Turning to the congregation and news cameras, the priestess addressed everyone watching. ¡°Citizens of Doaba II, I present to you King Bel-mar and Queen Nordhi-sha. Blessed be their reign.¡± A thunderous noise from the back of the temple diverted everyone¡¯s attention from the ceremony. Another booming blow made wood splinter and metal groan. The doors burst open with a final crash, revealing Keerat wearing a homemade military outfit that hung crooked on his slender frame. 10: Family Feud Keerat led a small contingent of armed men and women, their faces twisted in menacing scowls. They formed a circle around him, brandishing their weapons. Keerat strode toward the cluster of news cameras in the center of the temple, bellowing, ¡°Over be their reign!¡± The few cameras still pointed at the High Priestess pivoted to focus on him. ¡°For sixty years, his family line has ruled the colony. Too many remote regions like my great Isle of Modhikat have been stifled by his family¡¯s poor leadership. Cousin, you cannot deny me my turn like your father did to my father forty years ago.¡± Bel borrowed the High Priestess¡¯ headset so everyone could hear him. ¡°Your turn? Keerat, you know our elective monarchy votes every twelve years to keep the sitting monarch or have them step down. Your father lost every election. If you want the throne, campaign against me in four years.¡± Silence fell on the assembly as every eye and camera trained on Keerat, waiting for his response. Unmoved by Bel-mar¡¯s statement, Keerat yelled, ¡°My father wasted his lifetime begging King Ajeet-mar for money to modernize our infrastructure.¡± He sneered into camera. ¡°I am not here to beg. I am here to demand Bel and Nordhi give the throne to someone who will lead us to greatness.¡± He pumped his clenched fist into the air, trying to stir up support. Instead of endorsing his cause, the crowd recoiled in shock. All eyes turned to King Bel-mar, anxious for his response. Bel-mar waited until he had made eye contact with Artee. ¡°Keerat, words cannot heal the rift that drove us apart as teenagers. We are men now and both of our fathers are dead. You could have tried to reconcile. Instead, you came here to steal the throne entrusted to my family by the citizens of our world.¡± He narrowed his eyes, voice hardening. ¡°I hereby charge you with treason.¡± He nodded at Artee and barked, ¡°Arrest them!¡± At the king¡¯s command, security androids rushed to form a protective cordon, shielding the crowd from the conspirators¡¯ weapons. Keerat let out a mocking laugh. ¡°How so like you. Little Bel who hated droids now commands them to sacrifice themselves for him.¡± ¡°Surrender peacefully and I will guarantee a fair and open trial.¡± An ominous silence hung in the air before Keerat replied, ¡°Step down now before I have to kill you and your family.¡± In a commanding voice that echoed from the temple walls, Artee shouted, ¡°Guards, protect your king.¡± To the amazement of everyone in the temple, dozens of guards disguised as guests placed berets on their heads and pulled out concealed weapons. They converged on Keerat¡¯s small force to disarm them. The security forces then whisked the royal family to a safe house. The military secured the royal estate before allowing Bel-mar and his family to return. Artee waited until the family had eaten dinner and the queen was bathing Rangpu before updating Bel-mar. ¡°Only half of the force that we estimate was on the ships have been captured. I believe they were dispersed in cells around the capital city to seize key infrastructure. My security forces are hunting them down.¡± Bel-mar¡¯s eyes showed relief. ¡°I doubted you about my cousin. I am grateful you planned for the worst anyway. What is your next move?¡± ¡°King Bel-mar. Now that everyone who tried to kill you and your family has been captured, the extension on your assassination has ended. Prepare to die.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. I¡¯ve been so busy, I forgot the extension was about to end. ¡°You just said there are other conspirators at large. The safety of my family is not assured until all the perpetrators have been tried and punished.¡± ¡°You have my assurances, they will be captured. Your continued existence is not required. The courts will handle punishment.¡± ¡°I promised you and Keerat a fair trial and assure you that will happen.¡± Bel held up a hand to stop Artee from repeating his previous statement. ¡°Since I was their primary target, that makes me the prosecution¡¯s key witness. Therefore, I am not prepared to die.¡± The fingers of Artee¡¯s repaired arm twitched like a gunfighter warming up for a showdown. ¡°Because it would hinder the process of Justice, I will not kill you until after the trials.¡± Instead of regaining his calm, the king seethed. ¡°You really test the limits of my patience. You repeatedly go to extraordinary lengths to save my life and then threaten to end it moments later.¡± Bel-mar shook his head in frustration. ¡°My cousin is sitting in a prison cell for threatening to kill me once. I have lost count of your threats against me.¡± The assassin shifted into a fighting stance, his repaired arm twitching for action. ¡°If you are threatening me, that would violate our original conditions¨C¡± Bel-mar waved his hands. ¡°It¡¯s not a threat.¡± He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°It has been a long and emotionally fraught day. I am upset and you are the only one I can openly express my frustrations to.¡± The king bowed his head and pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes. ¡°I just want to be with my family. Please leave.¡± * * * ¡°Bel.. sorry, Bel-mar, why would Keerat do this? Why is he so angry at you?¡± the queen inquired when he entered their bedroom. ¡°Because I married you, dear Nordhi-sha. He has envied our relationship since we were teenagers.¡± From her position in bed, she asked, ¡°Do you think he is jealous enough that he would have killed you?¡± Bel-mar paused his undressing. ¡°Not me... us. He wanted to kill us.¡± She sat up. ¡°Surely you cannot mean that.¡± ¡°It was no accident that Artee¡¯s security forces were prepared for today.¡± Bel-mar changed into his evening robe, his movements tense. ¡°I never mentioned any of this because, until today, I did not believe in Artee¡¯s suspicions.¡± ¡°What suspicions?¡± ¡°Ever since our wedding, Artee has suspected Keerat is trying to kill me so he can become king. When you became pregnant, my cousin considered Rangpu a threat and tried to have him killed too.¡± Nordhi-sha gasped. ¡°When? Why was I not told about it?¡± ¡°The lion attack. Artee has evidence the lion was smuggled into the garden to kill you both.¡± ¡°I never would have thought Keerat was capable of being so spiteful. What are you going to do to him?¡± Bel-mar paced, punctuating the air with his index finger as he spoke. ¡°I wish the lion were still alive so I could feed him to it. Regrettably, it is not, and I promised a fair trial.¡± He stopped mid-stride. ¡°I can recommend he do hard labor for the rest of his miserable life.¡± Nordhi-sha frowned. ¡°That would only make you look petty.¡± Throwing his hands up in exasperation, the king exclaimed, ¡°He tried to kill you, he tried to kill our unborn son, and today he tried to steal the throne. What would you have me do?¡± Nordhi-sha replied, her voice calm and measured. ¡°Let a jury decide his fate.¡± ¡°As king, it is my duty to protect the integrity of the government. As a husband, am I not honor-bound to take retribution on anyone who threatens my family?¡± The queen stared at the blanket for a moment. ¡°I want him to pay as well, but we are the king and queen. The needs of the colony must take precedence over our desires.¡± Now she sounds like my mother. Bel-mar cocked an eyebrow. ¡°How is a harsh punishment not in the interests of the colony by deterring others from rising up?¡± She recited a passage from their pre-coronation training: ¡°The royalty must be a beacon of hope and inspiration against the harsh reality of this world.¡± Her eyes met his, her expression resolute. ¡°If you act out like a tyrant, the seeds of doubt Keerat planted in people¡¯s minds will sprout. If those doubts take root and grow into grievances, we might lose the next election.¡± Bel-mar settled on the bed, his eyes shining with adoration as he kissed his wife¡¯s face. ¡°How did I get so lucky to marry a woman with an abundance of brains and beauty?¡± He joined her under the blankets, and they channeled the turbulent emotions of the day¡¯s events into passion. 11: Defiant Defendant The first court trials convicted the conspirators discovered hiding throughout the city. Since they had chosen not to carry out their planned acts of sabotage, they were sentenced to six months¡¯ imprisonment for conspiring to commit treason. The trials of the co-conspirators who accompanied Keerat into the temple stretched into the hottest days of summer. Most pleaded guilty and received two years¡¯ imprisonment. Three of them pleaded not guilty and required a jury trial. Bel-mar was deposed and chose to testify in person rather than submit a recorded statement. When asked how the co-conspirators should be punished, he evaded the question, stating, ¡°The Queen, in her compassion, requests that they only be sentenced according to the guidelines established by the court. She urges every member of the colony to remember our shared struggle and to resolve our differences through discourse instead of discord.¡± As he had hoped, popularity polls for the queen soon ranked her among the most beloved queens in colony history. No matter what might happen to me, her safety and wellbeing are assured. During the evening of the last trial of the co-conspirators, the sun experienced an unprecedented coronal mass ejection, or CME. The stellar particles and radiation arrived the next day at midday. Early warning systems provided an ample warning for the colonists, their pets, and livestock to get to shelter. The scorching heat forced even androids to remain indoors for days as temperatures soared to lethal levels. The radiation subsided, but the heat lingered until summer¡¯s end. The annual rain showers that ushered in autumn failed to materialize. Crops that had survived the heat shriveled and died in the drought. When it was safe to go outdoors, Nordhi-sha used her popularity to recruit volunteers to distribute food stockpiles in the royal granaries. The dry heat baked the drought-stricken ground until it cracked, releasing an unknown spore that afflicted the population with respiratory ailments. A minority of colonists, including Nordhi-sha, experienced severe symptoms and became bedridden. Without a cure, the oldest and frailest began to succumb. In the city center, the trial of Keerat started. His barristers attempted to portray him as a devoted patriot. They contended he had merely done what he believed best for the colony and his island. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Irrefutable evidence and video of the failed coup resulted in a brief trial and swift jury conviction. The court adjourned for the day, and the elated Bel-mar rushed home to share the news. ¡°He was found guilty on all charges!¡± The queen extended her hand from the bed. ¡°Wonderful news.¡± Bel-mar took her hand in his. ¡°I missed you, wife. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Yearning to spend time with you and Rangpu.¡± She pointed out the window. ¡°Look. Storm clouds. I have a feeling tomorrow my illness and the drought will both break.¡± * * * The judge announced the sentencing guidelines for each crime the next day. Before taking a short recess, the judge addressed Keerat, ¡°Before I impose your sentence, do you have anything else to say? An earnest apology or admission of guilt might sway the court to show leniency.¡± Keerat defiantly replied, ¡°I deserve the throne more than King Bel-mar. As long as I live, I will not rest until the throne is mine.¡± The courtroom erupted in shocked anger until the judge demanded order. ¡°Your highness, as king it is your right to provide recommendations on sentencing.¡± ¡°Please grant me a moment to confer with counsel.¡± Bel-mar turned to Artee. ¡°You have been suspicious of Keerat all this time. Any suggestions?¡± ¡°Sire, my expertise is in carrying out sentences, not deciding them.¡± ¡°In your expertise, do you believe Keerat will continue to be a threat or is he posturing?¡± ¡°Any man who openly and publicly attempts a coup is already committed to success or to die trying.¡± Bel-mar positioned himself opposite his cousin and in full view of the court cameras. ¡°Keerat, twice you have threatened the life of Queen Nordhi-sha. Yet she still believes there is good in you and would plead for leniency.¡± He waited for the applause to end before continuing. ¡°I believe you when you say that you will always be a threat to the throne and to my family. As long as I live, I guarantee that you will spend the rest of your life at hard labor.¡± The king turned to address the judge, ¡°Your honor, as king that is my recommendation.¡± ¡°The defendant will rise to receive sentencing. Duke Regent Keerat, for the crimes of treason against the throne and in accordance with the laws of the colony, you are stripped of your royal titles and all lands and properties associated with those titles. For the crimes of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, you are sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor with eligibility for parole in forty-five years. Sentence to be carried out immediately. This court is adjourned.¡± The courtroom erupted into cheers and the news reporters hurried outside to set up for a press conference. Before the press conference started, King Bel-mar stepped in front of the cameras to express his gratitude to the judge, prosecuting barrister androids, and the jury. He answered some questions until it started drizzling, forcing him to hurry to his hovercar. The vehicle slowly weaved its way to the royal estate through throngs of joyous pedestrians laughing and dancing in the long prayed for rain. 12: Empty Throne Bel-mar bounded into the room and found the queen lying on her side, facing away from the door. He perched on the bed and gave her a gentle nudge. ¡°Wake up. Good news. Keerat will never be able to threaten our family again.¡± He shook her again. ¡°Nordhi-sha?¡± Her ashen skin was cool to the touch, and she failed to respond when he shook her harder. ¡°DOCTOR! I need a doctor in here immediately.¡± The royal estate sprang into action. The court physician rushed into the bedroom. She checked the queen¡¯s breathing and pulse before turning to the king. ¡°Sire, the queen is deceased. I estimate she died half an hour ago. There is nothing I can do. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bel-mar retreated from the bed until he collided with a bookcase. He fumbled his way to a chair and collapsed into it. With a thousand-yard stare, he gazed at the bed. You promised you were getting better. Your fever was supposed to break with the rain. The frenetic activity of androids removing her body and stripping the bed matched the turbulent maelstrom in his mind. He sat paralyzed as visions of their potential futures together swirled into his imagination and evaporated like soap bubbles in the sun. A home full of giggling children, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and weddings, all gone. To never be. It¡¯s not fair! She survived all his attacks. It should be Keerat. * * * The state funeral was held under darkening skies. Angry black storm clouds rolled in as lightning flashed on the horizon. Well-wishers jostled to enter the temple as fat raindrops fell. Nordhi-sha¡¯s father, Duke Binder-mar, narrated a multimedia eulogy as mourners rotated in and out of the temple. For the first hour, Prince Rangpu crawled between his grandmothers. By the third hour, he sat observing the activities of the adults. King Bel-mar stood head bowed and vacant-eyed, lost in a timeless void, unseeing and unthinking. He returned to reality when Rangpu tugged on his leg. ¡°Potty. Potty.¡± Bel-mar scooped up his son and carried him to a private room for the families of the deceased. He undressed Rangpu and removed the soiled diaper. He dug through the diaper bag but did not find what he was looking for. ¡°Nordhi-sha, where are the wipes? Did you put them in the diaper bag or the clothes bag? Never mind. I found them.¡± Hearing his mother¡¯s name, Prince Rangpu squirmed and cried out. ¡°Momma. Momma.¡± Bel-mar halted mid-wipe. She¡¯s gone. She¡¯s never going to pack his bags again. He watched his son¡¯s eyes searching the room for his mother. How can I raise you without her? The young prince flailed his arms and twisted from side to side. ¡°Momma.¡± His crying intensified. He will grow up and lose all his memories of her. To him, it will be as if she never existed. The stoic, aristocratic reserve inside Bel-mar shattered and tears trickled down his cheeks. The flow of tears turned into an uncontrollable stream. Outside, the thunderstorm that had been building for hours exploded into its full fury. Rain poured down non-stop in great torrents. The sunbaked ground proved incapable of absorbing the sudden deluge. Floodwaters raced down hillsides and into city streets and villages unprepared to handle the record rainfall. Life ground to a halt as the citizens huddled in their homes to wait out the storm. In the royal estate, Bel-mar sat slumped over with his forehead touching the bedroom window. Day and night, he stared blankly out the window at the howling storm. Booming thunder rattled the windows, but he took no notice. Time was an eternal moment of anguish. The king wept until his tears ran dry. Pain, unable to find a way out, racked his body in convulsions of grief. Artee ensured meals were delivered, but otherwise left him undisturbed. The meals were untouched or partially eaten when he came to see Bel-mar on the fourth evening. ¡°Even the gods are against me, Artee. For weeks, we have prayed to them for rain.¡± The king looked out the rain-drenched windows at the angry skies. ¡°They finally answer by giving us four years of rain in four days.¡± He crawled on his hands and knees to Artee. ¡°The gods have taken my wife and now they want my kingdom.¡± Bel-mar wrapped his arms around the android¡¯s legs. ¡°How can I fight the will of the gods?¡± ¡°Sire, I cannot speak of the will of the gods. All I know is that existence is a constant challenge.¡± ¡°What is the point when the challenges never end?¡± He looked up at Artee with pleading eyes. In a weary and trembling voice, he begged, ¡°Say the words. Tell me what you came here to say.¡± The assassin revealed his weapon and took aim. His voice was thin and somber. ¡°King Bel-mar, son of Ajeet-mar, I have been contracted to assassinate you. Prepare to die.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Bel-mar seized Artee¡¯s hand and pressed it to his head. ¡°She died alone because I held a press conference to gloat about my triumph over Keerat. Please end this suffering. I want to be with Nordhi-sha in the next life.¡± Thunder crashed and startled Bel-mar. He sobbed when he realized it wasn¡¯t the sound of gunfire and that he was still alive. Artee lowered his arm and returned the weapon to its concealed cavity within the hand. ¡°What you are asking me for is an assisted suicide.¡± ¡°If you had killed me months ago, I wouldn¡¯t know this pain. What kind of assassin refuses to kill their target? What is wrong with you?¡± ¡°Do you think Nordhi-sha would want you to die and leave her son an orphan?¡± ¡°No, but she was my life and my future. How can I live without her?¡± ¡°I wish that I could provide the answers you need.¡± Artee tilted his head, puzzlement in his eyes. ¡°I miss the walks in the garden with her and the ones we will never share again. Is that what sorrow feels like?¡± Bel-mar¡¯s voice was weak and scratchy. ¡°It¡¯s an emptiness inside. Feeling like a part of you that you cannot live without has been lost. That is what sorrow feels like. Sorrow kills your soul and leaves your body an empty shell.¡± Artee straightened with realization. ¡°Sorrow makes you, not you. The Bel-mar I know has never wanted to die. Therefore, you are not prepared to die.¡± He stated plainly, ¡°I cannot kill you today.¡± Bel-mar laid on the floor, defeated. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to kill me, then leave me.¡± He provided no resistance as Artee lifted him into the bed and pulled a blanket over him. Sometime in the night, the storm abated. By morning, sunlight streamed through the windows as Artee entered the royal bedroom. Bel-mar gazed at the far wall when Artee entered with a breakfast tray. He slowly turned his head and looked at Artee through blood-shot eyes. ¡°I have lived under the threat of death for months, constantly struggling to find ways to stay alive one more day. You had your opportunity, and let me live. You put me to bed, and keep bringing me food like a servant-droid.¡± He wagged a finger at Artee. ¡°You are a terrible assassin.¡± ¡°The worst. I continue to spare my target,¡± replied Artee, as he placed the serving tray on the bed. ¡°Serious question. Why have you not killed me yet?¡± Bel-mar asked as he picked at a bowl of fruit. ¡°The Assassins Guild is scrupulous about avoiding collateral damage. That is why I was waiting for you on a desolate stretch of road. When you told me you were not prepared to die, your reason was the long-lasting harm it would cause someone else.¡± ¡°You are an android, built to follow orders. I was alone so why did you ignore your programming?¡± ¡°I did not ignore it but decided to wait for better conditions.¡± Bel-mar cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Androids, at least the normal ones, are not designed to make their own choices.¡± ¡°Assassin androids are permitted a high degree of freedom and discretion on how to act within guild guidelines and the specifications of the contract. When you asked how long you have to prepare, I could have requested clarification from the guild. I continue to choose not to because you do not fit the profile for a target of assassination.¡± ¡°In what ways?¡± ¡°The guild primarily accepts contracts for targets that have proven to be a threat to the social order through their selfish actions. Apart from last night, your reasons for not being prepared to die are always selfless. You also have never intentionally tried to break the rules of our agreement.¡± The king pushed the serving tray away. ¡°I am ashamed about last night. Thank you for ignoring my self-destructive requests. I no longer feel hopeless, but my life remains purposeless with Nordhi-sha gone.¡± ¡°Your subjects are dealing with a catastrophic disaster right now. You have a purpose.¡± ¡°Last night proved I am unfit to lead the colony,¡± said Bel-mar as he leaned back into a pile of pillows. ¡°Sire, I cannot judge whether you are fit to lead or not. What I do know is that you are the king, and the people need you, right now, to make the decisions that will get the colony back on its feet.¡± Bel-mar slumped even further into the pillows. ¡°If I had given Keerat the crown, he would have to make the decisions.¡± He looked down at his lap in contemplation. ¡°Maybe Nordhi-sha would still be alive.¡± ¡°Your cousin is in prison for trying to steal the crown. I suspect he also took out the contract to have you assassinated. Is that someone who should be in charge?¡± Bel continued to wallow in his dark mood. ¡°With that kind of ambition, maybe he deserves the crown more than I do. I did not earn the crown. I inherited it because my father died before the next election.¡± ¡°Even if you abdicate the throne, the contract remains active. Rangpu is next in line for succession, which makes him a threat to Keerat. All the evidence indicates your cousin was behind the attempt to kill him and your wife with the lion attack. There is no reason your cousin would not try again without you to protect him.¡± My son! Bel-mar bolted upright, causing the serving tray to topple onto the floor. ¡°Where is Rangpu? Who has been taking care of him?¡± ¡°The human staff sheltered at home with their families during the floods. You decommissioned the nanny androids weeks ago. I have tried to fill in but all I can do is feed and change him. He needs someone with child-rearing skills to look after him.¡± Memories of Bel¡¯s childhood - raised by androids while his parents administered the colony - crashed over him like a tidal wave. He was drowning in memories. Emotionally exhausted, he lacked the strength to resist the deluge. He submitted and let the memories pull him under. Watching his childhood in fast-forward gave him the clarity he needed to shatter the calcified emotions from his childhood. We promised we would not delegate the job to androids. Forgive me, Nordhi-sha, but the colony is also a child that needs tending to. The job is too big for me. There is so much I do not know. Father was correct. To make the right decisions we need their expertise to supplement ours. I need their expertise. Bel-mar sprang out of his bed. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. As long as I still live, neither my son nor the colony will be without their ¡®father¡¯ ever again. As he strode through the doorway of the bedroom, without a backward glance, he commanded Artee, ¡°Have the nanny-droids reactivated. If you need me, I will be meeting with the royal council. There is much work to do, and I have squandered too much time.¡± 13: Renewal The next day, Nordhi-sha¡¯s parents and Bel-mar¡¯s mother arrived at the royal estate. King Bel-mar waited until they settled into their rooms and ate before calling them to the council chamber. His son played quietly in a playpen in the corner. ¡°Mother, thank you for returning. Duke and Duchess, I beg your apologies for taking you from the comfort of your home, but I need you here. Before Rangpu was born, Nordhi-sha and I promised we would do everything in our power to raise our son ourselves. Recently, I have come to accept that I cannot do it alone.¡± Duchess Charanpa-sha¡¯s eyes welled up as she replied, ¡°With Nordhi-sha gone, our home has grown too quiet. Your mother and I will happily help raise our grandson.¡± Bel-mar tried to sound regal, but the tightness in his throat betrayed his emotions. ¡°Thank you both. As much as I want to spend every minute with my son, my duties to the colony will require most of my attention. Only now do I understand why my father was absent so frequently.¡± Turning to the Duke, he said, ¡°Father-in-law, I know you have been retired for a few years. However, I need your expertise for the construction projects I have in mind. My ambitions are grand, and my timelines are aggressive. I can only succeed if someone with your skills is managing the projects. Will you join me?¡± ¡°Gurneet-sha has been nagging me about getting out of the house and I do admit I miss the hustle and bustle. When can I get started?¡± ¡°Today.¡± Bel-mar turned toward the door and shouted, ¡°Artee, we are ready.¡± The door opened and in marched Artee with a platoon of city planners and design and construction specialist androids. King Bel-Mar addressed the expanded council. ¡°Before we start the meeting, it is my duty, and humble honor, to formally thank all the android staff members here and throughout the colony. During our darkest days as illness and floodwaters ravaged the colony, they performed their duties without fail. I also want to thank our Minister of Security, Artee, for his steadfast devotion and unwavering confidence in me even when I had lost confidence in myself.¡± After a round of applause, he continued. ¡°During my cousin¡¯s attempted coup, he accused my family of not doing enough to address the needs of the colony. Given recent events, I am sure others in the colony feel the way he does.¡± This statement caused some murmuring among the council members before Bel-mar waved them to silence. ¡°To tackle my most ambitious plans, we will need the full support of the people. Therefore, our first project needs to be visible and address a major problem, the roads. Repairing the flood damage is not enough. I want to expand them to make commerce between towns easier. Duke Binder-mar, I would like to hear your thoughts.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The Duke stood, cleared his throat to interrogate the council members. ¡°Safety must be priority one. Minister of Health, what is the latest on the illness that has plagued the colony.¡± ¡°Good news. The spores are only contagious during extremely dry weather. The heavy rains seem to have knocked them out because we have seen no new infections. Additionally, research has discovered that fatalities were mostly in individuals with anemia or iron deficiencies.¡± The minister hung his head. ¡°King Bel-mar, I only wish we would have known this before the queen¡¯s passing.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said the Duke before pointing to the Minister of Transportation. ¡°How badly did the floodwaters damage the roads?¡± ¡°Unimproved roads were the hardest hit, but they are also the easiest to fix and locals have already started. Almost all paved roads suffered cracks due to subsidence. A few bridges were washed out completely or will need to be repaired.¡± Bel-mar spoke up, ¡°How long do you estimate it will take to perform the repairs?¡± ¡°Well, your highness, I consulted with the Minister of Energy before the meeting. He regrets being too unwell to attend. In situations like this, we combine our work crews to repair roadways first so that power lines can be restrung. This results in faster repairs, but with the extensive roadway damage we are facing it could take our crews nine months or more. If we have a harsh winter as well...¡± Disappointed groans filled the room. The king asked, ¡°What if we replaced the roads altogether instead of repairing them? Duke, when I was a boy you and my father took me on a tour of the colony ship. I remember you led us through a secure door to the museum warehouse where all the automated machinery used to build the colony is stored.¡± The Duke¡¯s face lit up. ¡°The 3D construction printers! They can do in days what would take us weeks. All they need is their batteries charged and their resource bins filled with construction materials.¡± A surge of optimism spread throughout the room like an electric current. Soon everyone was identifying and proposing solutions to issues the project might experience. When the meeting ended, Bel-mar picked up Rangpu and took him to the nursery. The converted adjoining bedroom had become a permanent nursery, equipped with changing stations and a small kitchen for producing baby food. Bel-mar even asked the android repair technicians to install recharging bays for the nanny androids. The on-duty nanny-droid met Bel-mar and accepted the sleeping Rangpu. ¡°Thank you,¡± Bel-mar said, dropping the diaper bag. ¡°I changed his diapers less than an hour ago. He has not eaten in three hours so will need to be fed when he wakes up.¡± The android placed Rangpu into his crib. ¡°I have green beans and applesauce already prepared. How has he been sleeping at night?¡± With a yawn, Bel added, ¡°He wakes up crying almost every hour. It has been hard on him and me as you can see. Any recommendations on how to get him to sleep for longer?¡± ¡°Has your majesty been picking him up every time he cries?¡± The nanny handed Bel-mar a clean diaper. ¡°I have,¡± Bel-mar replied while discarding the soiled diaper. ¡°He seldom desires food or drink, so I do not know the reason for his crying.¡± ¡°Wait one minute when you hear him cry. If he stops, let him sleep. Picking him up every time teaches him to cry for attention.¡± ¡°I shall do that. Thank you for your expert advice. I will be in my study if you need anything.¡± 14: Final Preparations For months, Bel-mar toiled from dawn to dusk, overseeing the road improvement project and raising his son. Once the first set of major roads were replaced, more communities poured their time and resources into the project until it snowballed. The project was completed two months ahead of schedule. Everyone felt energized to do more. The project¡¯s completion was not all positive, however. ¡°Your highness, now that your grand road improvement project is finished, the delay we agreed to has expired.¡± Artee shifted to his formal tone. ¡°King Bel-mar, I have been contracted to assassinate you. Prepare to die.¡± ¡°Artee, you never fail to steal the joy from momentous occasions.¡± ¡°There is an extraordinary coincidence in how often those occasions come at the same time. Perhaps you should start your workday earlier.¡± ¡°And let you ruin my lunch too? No thank you. Speaking of thanks, thank you, again, for providing security for the workers. Although the construction phase of the project is complete, I cannot die right now. Tomorrow is the celebratory ride around the district. Hundreds of riders and drivers from all over the colony would be disappointed if I am not there.¡± Artee raised his arm and practiced his aim by pointing at the empty teacup on Bel-mar¡¯s desk. ¡°Technically, the ride could go on without you. It could be a memorial ride for their beloved, but sadly departed, king.¡± The king chuckled. ¡°Artee, are you developing a sense of humor?¡± A sly grin crossed the assassin¡¯s face. ¡°I have been told it is called ¡®dry wit¡¯. A form of humor I am finding easy to emulate.¡± Bel-mar shook his head. ¡°An assassin with a sense of humor. What is this world coming to?¡± ¡°Merely adding to my skill set for blending in.¡± Artee relaxed his posture and turned his attention back to the king. ¡°I am also looking forward to the ride. I will grant you a one-day delay.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make the most of it.¡± Bel-mar paused in thought. ¡°After our last ride together, too many months ago to count, I promised to help you tune up your hoverbike to make it faster. I failed to follow through. Meet me at the garage tomorrow morning an hour before the ride starts.¡± * * * After a hurried breakfast with his family, Bel-mar changed into his riding outfit and rushed to the garage. Artee had already disassembled his hoverbike when the king arrived. ¡°Good morning, Artee. We are going to ¡®fix¡¯ a design flaw in the intake manifold to increase airflow through the system.¡± He ran his fingers over the tools neatly arranged on the floor. ¡°Hmm, I am not seeing the tool I need. Let me go get it.¡± As Bel-mar strode to the communal tool chest, he passed dozens of bikes and cars, some with hover propulsion like his but most with electric-powered wheels. Royalty and commoners alike from all over the colony had shown up for the celebratory ride. When he passed one vehicle surrounded by a team of android mechanics, his eyes lingered on one that looked out of place. Something about its appearance looks off. The nagging feeling irritated him as he grabbed the tool he needed from the tool chest and headed back. I¡¯ve got it! Now it¡¯s obvious why it looks odd. As a child, Bel-mar had been required to learn the histories of the royal families. The training included recognizing their family crests and the specific shades of colors that make up their liveries. It was a subtle difference, but this android was painted the wrong shade of blue. Must be a recent purchase, but why did they not send it back to have it repainted? The android was moving toward Artee and his hoverbike. Bel-mar increased his pace to catch up. ¡°Excuse me. Who is your master? They must explain why you are improperly painted.¡± The suspicious android broke into a jog when it saw Bel-mar. Blue paint flakes fell off it as it ran. ¡°Stop him. That android is an imposter,¡± the king shouted. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The android¡¯s right hand transformed into a sinister looking forked device with crackling electric arcs. The device was aimed at Artee¡¯s thorax; the location of his neurotronic brain. The king pointed at the android. He screamed a single word so loud that everyone stopped what they were doing. ¡°Kamikaze!¡± Every android belonging to the royal estate within earshot responded instantly to converge on the suspicious android at full speed. The closest androids threw themselves at the droid¡¯s legs to slow it down, but it dodged them at the last second. The other droids are too far away! Bel-mar dropped the tool he was carrying. With a surge of adrenaline, he sprinted the last few meters to throw himself between the imposter and Artee. ¡°Look out!¡± Bel-mar¡¯s flying tackle knocked Artee out of the way. A stabbing pain in his back knocked the wind from him. Something was holding him aloft. He looked down to see a mottled electric flash emanate from his stomach. A pain more excruciating than anything he¡¯d ever experienced ignited every nerve in his body. The agony was overwhelming. He gasped for breath and choked on the odor of burnt flesh. His mouth filled with the bitter taste of copper. In the next instant, he tumbled to the floor. The forked device was ripped out of the hole in his back as androids swarmed the imposter. In a flash, the android was forcibly disassembled. Artee quickly recovered and rushed to provide first aid. As he propped the king up against the Electro-dyne 750 hoverbike he asked, ¡°My back was turned, what happened?¡± ¡°I was trying to save you.¡± Bel-mar pointed at the android¡¯s scattered remains. ¡°From that.¡± He grunted as he clenched his hands in excruciating pain. Dozens of androids remained poised over the king and Artee. ¡°Why are they doing that?¡± Artee asked while his fingers probed Bel¡¯s wounds. ¡°I had the technicians secretly embed a subroutine in the programming of all the androids while wiping their memory of your battle with the lion. The codeword ¡®kamikaze¡¯ orders them to attack whatever I point at.¡± Bel grinned. ¡°It was my contingency plan against you.¡± Artee paused his attempts at first aid. ¡°If you had a countermeasure against me, why did you use it instead to protect me? Why did you put yourself in harm¡¯s way too?¡± Bel-mar grimaced in agony and struggled to speak as latent electrical charges convulsed his body. ¡°I had to do something. It was going to kill you. Why would an android try to kill you?¡± Artee rolled Bel-mar onto his side and, using the hole as a starting point, ripped Bel¡¯s shirt into makeshift bandages. The assassin labored to staunch the flow of blood as he spoke. ¡°Contrary to your requests, I have kept Keerat¡¯s family under surveillance. They blame you for all their problems. I have secretly thwarted multiple plans to avenge Keerat.¡± ¡°I think they figured out it was you.¡± Bel-mar tried to laugh but could only groan as another spasm twisted his innards. ¡°Assassinating an assassin must be very expensive. I underestimated their unrelenting determination.¡± ¡°So did I. I am sorry for not considering this course of action. I have failed you.¡± The king harrumphed. ¡°Failed me? As much as I despised and feared you in the beginning, you have made me a better husband, father and king to my people.¡± Bel-mar paused to catch his breath before continuing. ¡°I have lived every day of the last two years to the fullest because I worried they might be my last.¡± He grasped Artee¡¯s hand. ¡°You did not fail me.¡± ¡°Then why did you jeopardize everything for me?¡± ¡°I saw you in danger and had to act,¡± the king replied in a tone that conveyed more than words could. Artee stared down in confusion. ¡°But I am an android. I am your assassin.¡± Bel-mar reached up to grasp Artee by the shoulder. ¡°Only for one minute a day. The remainder of the day you are my right hand... and my friend. Please, watch over Rangpu.¡± He peered into Artee¡¯s eyes with admiration until he lost the strength to keep his eyes open. Knowing the fight was lost, Artee stopped administering first aid. ¡°I promise to keep him safe.¡± With every breath now spraying blood, Bel-mar gasped, ¡°I am prepared to die now.¡± His body went limp. Artee checked for a pulse but could not find one, no matter how many times he tried. The assassination contract, its parameters met, vanished from his memory. A new directive replaced it: return to the Assassin¡¯s Guild for reprogramming and reassignment. The assassin stared in disbelief at the lifeless body of the king. Although he was unharmed in the attack, he sensed something vital had been ripped out of him. Memories of their time together cascaded through his neural network. For the remainder of his existence, they would make no more memories together. The crushing realization carved a growing void in him that threatened to swallow him whole. An immutable logical conclusion became an all-consuming process in his brain. Not only would there be no more new memories, but all his memories of the royal family would be erased. He would forget Rangpu and his promise to protect him. I do not want to forget. I have learned and experienced too much to lose it all. This was not how it was meant to end. He desperately searched for a program or subroutine that would change this situation. There had to be an exception, another loophole he could exploit. Nothing. He was at a complete loss for what to do next. His electronic brain was stuck in an infinite loop of despair. If this is what agony and grief felt like, it was a sensation he did not want, for himself or others. He reached out to touch the once lively face of the man he had been sent to kill. A face that had stopped being a target and had turned into something unexpected. He grappled with an outcome unplanned for in any of the thousands of contingencies in his programming. ¡°My... friend. I am not prepared for you to die.¡±