"I'm Joyce with Interstellar News!" said the perky young blonde with dark red lipstick. "I'm here with young Ha'Vathion in front of Damon's!" The camera swerved past Vathion's blank expression to the store signage. He had not been in that store.

"Ha. Product placement," Paymeh commented, amused. "They do that sometimes."

The camera turned back onto the woman's face. She smiled charmingly. "First off, I'd like to ask you about some strange rumors floating around. Are any of them true?"

Vathion had adjusted his expression to a smile. "Well, that's a bit ambiguous." Zandre and Logos lurked behind him, both looking vaguely amused. "Could you be more specific?"

Joyce laughed. "Well, about Ha'Natan going to become a celibate priest or joining the circus?"

Vathion gave a rueful shake of his head. "Oh, Ancestors, no! Dad's just gone to Bond with my mother." He flipped a hand casually with a small laugh. "Though I'm sure he's laughing his butt off. You seriously heard he'd joined the circus?"

She leaned forward. "So, has he really gone off to Bond? Has he not totally disappeared due to something else?"

"I really don't know what you mean?" Vathion had asked, putting on a confused expression. Watching it on Vid, Vathion thought he looked genuinely puzzled. Though it was also very clear he wasn't remotely interested in the interview or woman.

Joyce had leaned closer then, eyes wide. "I heard that Ha'Natan was dead. And that his son is only sixteen."

Vathion had been afraid that he had broken character at this point. His brow did twitch slightly, but it could be passed off as shock about such an absurd story. "I assure you, I spoke to my father just yesterday. When he decided to finally answer the call." He glanced towards the camera, then rolled his eyes and shrugged, as if speaking directly to his father. "As for me being sixteen..." He pulled a face. "That was the worst year of my life, and I hope never to repeat it." At least that was true.

The current-time Vathion sucked the sticky sugar off his fingers, holding his half-empty cup of cider between his knees. Joyce's voice continued on the wallscreen, but he'd stopped paying attention.

"Turn it off," Vathion ordered and sat up, looking at the screen. "Kiti," he called, taking a breath to say something else when the image of a scantily clad Gilon female with mint green hair and matching eyes appeared on the wallscreen. She lounged on the bed in a mirrored image of his room and smiled.

"Hmmm, Ha'Vathion, you're looking incredibly sexy today. You want a back rub?"

Flushing crimson as her top began to slide off her shoulders, Vathion scrambled back, the cup hitting the floor. The ship's minibots scurried out to clean the mess. "I-uh! Um! Battle Fleet!" he gasped. Minibots swarmed across the floor from the port on the wall. Looking down, he watched them scurry to the mess to clean. They each had hand-painted flowers on their black backs; their many multi-jointed legs flailing as they worked.

Daisybots...

He looked back up at the wallscreen at the sexy AI.

Kiti pouted and sat back. "Aww, fine." The image changed and Vathion became aware that Paymeh was sniggering behind him.

Turning, the young man scowled at the Hyphokos. Getting up, he went to the study to grab the wireless keyboard. The last of the Daisybots were scuttling in a line towards the kitchen with the remains of his aborted snack when he returned. Kicking off his boots, Vathion climbed onto the bed, piling the pillows against the headboard.

Hitting a key, Vathion opened his last saved game.

"Kiti, input the data from the Natan Fleet log files into my game. Overwrite all data that didn't occur to the Fleet," he ordered, deciding that wiping the slate clean would be best.

The screen showed a cutesified image of the Xarian bridge, with a yellow-eyed cabbit playing the part of Bibbole. Twin carrots stood in for weapons stations one and two. A minx played the part of Navigation. A cucumber was Ship-ops. Ma'Gatas was a horny siren beetle with big fuzzy antennae and googly eyes. "Rename the bridge crew: Ca'Bibbole, Wo'Arih, Wo'Chira, Fae'Erekdra, Li'Codas, and Ma'Gatas."

Vathion eyed the characters. "Is this really what dad thought they were like? Bibbole looking cute and cuddly? What does that say about Ma'Gatas?" Paymeh had finished his snack and sucked his fingers clean as he came over to sit next to the young man, curling up against his shoulder and neck.  It was exactly the way Jathas used to.

Looking down at the Hyphokos, he had to ask, "Did you... take Jath's memories?"

Flicking his ears lightly, Paymeh sighed. "It was unfortunate, but I had no time. Yes, I have merged with Jathas. He lives on. I am sorry for hurting you. In time, you will understand. It had to be done."

"There's a call, Stud Muffin," Kiti interrupted. "It's from Emperor Daharn."

Vathion felt the blood drain from his body. Shoving the keyboard off his lap, he scrambled off the bed, tripping on the edge of the mattress as he went. Regaining his balance, he dashed into his study, pulled his chair up to the desk again, and ran his hands over his hair before pulling his shirt and jacket down. "Uh, open channel," he squeaked nervously.

The man wore a loose white shirt with tangerine Tassels draped across his shoulders. His hip-length light lime hair was left free around his babyish face. His stormy gray eyes were half-lidded; Bondstone gleaming cyan.

"Where is Natan?"

Licking his lips and looking down briefly, Vathion pressed his palms together and gave a polite bow from his seat. "My father is dead, Imperial Majesty. In an accident a few days ago, although Paymeh's said something about it not being an accident, but he hasn't said anything about who might have done it. Emperor, I'm so-so-so sorry about your agents! Ma'Gatas discharged them without my permission, and I don't know whether their deaths on the docks were accidents or what. But please, I had nothing to do with that! I was going to put out at first shift and head to Heartland to present myself to you in person, but if you wish to see me sooner, that can be arranged!"

He abruptly closed his mouth as he realized that the Emperor was chuckling. Daharn tipped his head back, leaning back in his seat, hands resting on his stomach. Vathion could feel his face heating.

Lifting a hand, the emperor wiped his eyes. "Breathe, Vathion! I believe you. However, I've heard a lot of conflicting rumors lately."

Licking his lips, Vathion nodded, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I did that. If Natan's death really was a plot by the Rebels, or even if it was an accident, it wouldn't do us any good to tell people. They'd panic."

Once more, the emperor was serious. "Indeed, they would. I would like a full report on his death. I want surveillance tapes, the autopsy. Everything you can dig up."

Poking his fingers together lightly, Vathion looked down then back up. "Um... did you still want me to present myself to you?"

Daharn shook his head. "No. That would be a waste of time. However, I would like to have at least a few people on the Xarian."

Vathion quickly nodded. "If you could make them bodyguards?" His lips turned downwards slightly. "After that stunt Gatas pulled today, I'm not so sure about him. He might be afraid for the Fleet's safety, but then again, he might not. If Dad's talked to you about me, then... you probably know I really am sixteen."

"Ah, but Natan is a sly one. You've held up well under the stress, boy; I think he lied when he said you weren't his clone."

Vathion flushed, and not with pleasure.

"I have a pair of agents on Marak Station I will send to you," Daharn said. "Use them as extra weight to throw in Gatas' face. He's an old bug. The only reason why your father kept him on was because he felt guilty about Gatas' injury."

Vathion, recalling the graphic for Gatas on his game midway through the emperor's sentence, bit his lips to keep from laughing and snorted a few times. The emperor quirked an eyebrow, "Ah... Battle Fleet?" the man guessed.

Mutely, Vathion nodded. "Gatas the siren beetle. Did Dad show you that game?"

A slightly amused expression crossed the man's face, and he nodded, his chin doubling briefly. "Indeed, I have a copy of it. Though I doubt I've done as well as you. What's your rank?"

Vathion grinned. "Sixth-level Admiral."

The emperor smiled. "Quite good; I think there was only one level after that, and you've beat the game. Gatas is a siren beetle. You can probably control him similarly."

"What? With food?" Vathion sputtered. "Is that how Dad put up with him? Just pinched his nose and shoved cake in his mouth?" He flushed crimson to the roots of his hair.

Laughing much louder this time, the Emperor collapsed back in his seat, swaying in his chair. He laughed so hard tears came to his eyes. It took nearly five minutes for him to calm down again while Vathion sat nervously in his seat. Rubbing his face, the emperor finally wheezed into silence. "Oh my, I never thought I'd meet someone who could make me laugh as hard as Natan did." His lips pursed in a sad smile. "I'll miss him. But I hope you'll also be willing to be one of my few friends."

Vathion smiled in return and nodded. "Of course, I would be honored, Emperor."

"Then call me Daharn."

Yet again, he flushed, but Vathion nodded. "I would be honored to, Daharn." The slight change in Daharn's posture left him realizing how important actual friends were to the slightly older man. Vathion cleared his throat and said, "I'll send as much information as I can find to you by twelve hundred. Where should I pick up the guards?"

"I'll put the call in as soon as we disconnect; I'd like you over at Marak anyway, so you can get them there." Daharn reached forward, tapping a few keys on the keyboard in front of him, eyes focused on a popup window only he could see. "Here are their files. Don't stay up too late, though. There's no rush. Take care until then, Vathion."

A spinning envelope popped up in the corner of his screen. Giving a grin, Vathion saluted. "Yes sir. Thank you... for believing in me."

Daharn nodded. "Your father talked about you constantly." He started laughing again as Vathion paled. "Goodbye for now." The screen went dark.

Lifting his hands to rub his face, Vathion sighed. "Personal friends with the emperor?" he had to ask. Tapping the screen, he opened the file and glanced it over. "Kiti, save this file in my version of the crew files. Edit out the last two paragraphs on Aialst and the last three on Luth and send them to Personnel Management."

"Yes, Stud Muffin. Sent."

Getting up, Vathion returned to the bedroom. "Save game." He picked up the keyboard again. Paymeh had been playing the game in the Rec Room, playing Graviball with Vathion's hack-patch, which inserted character graphics instead of the ball. Ma'Gatas was the ball this time, flailing and squawking as he hit the wall with satisfying spats. This was not the only hack Vathion had done on the game. He had given his avatar a pair of yellow Hyphokos ears on a green headband.

Paymeh sat up. "This is good! Quite fun!"

Taking a seat, Vathion looked at the score and laughed. "You don't like Gatas, do you? Seriously. Does anybody like Gatas?"

The Hyphokos shook his head and stuck his tongue out, ears twitching. Vathion took his character back to the study in his quarters. "Open security files," he could have done this from the real study, but he liked the game interface better. It put him at ease. "I want everything Natan did since the twentieth." He bit his lip, the twentieth being the day before Natan had died... the day before Natan's birthday. He had never gotten to give Natan his birthday present.

He was given a list of files named by date from Sunday through the twenty-sixth, and after thinking about it, Vathion realized that today was the twenty-sixth. Vathion frowned at that and sat forward. "Open the file for today, current time."

"Password required," Kiti announced.

Pondering this for a long moment, Vathion finally said in Terran, "Fruit Salad." It was Vathion's highest-level security password in Battle Fleet. Maybe his passwords would work since he was opening it through the game.

Kiti's voice said, "Access granted."

If he had not been sitting down, Vathion would have fallen over. The video was Kiti's view of the medical lab. The camera was focused on a regeneration tank that incubated a steadily growing adolescent who looked like Vathion. I'Savon stepped into view, took a careful look at the readout and nodded to herself, then turned and headed off.

"What the—is that woman obsessed?" He whipped to look at Paymeh—just in time to see him scurrying off the bed and out the door. "Hey! Come back here! You know something, don't you?" Before he could get off the bed, he heard the front door hiss open and shut. "Kiti! Where's Paymeh going?"