Princess of the Void.
https://www.scribblehub.com/read/1419041...r/2253617/
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/120617...ken-record
Dukerino Wrote:Seven cycles into Sykora’s pregnancy
“Crew of the Ziya’s Valor, this is Prince Grantyde of the ZKZ Black Pike. Your vessel’s armed presence within a lunar span of Marquess Lewyn’s orbital station is a breach of Frontier Nonaggression Protocol. You have one minute to respond with an explanation for your breach of Imperial Law or to vacate the premises, or your vessel will be disabled and boarded. Acknowledge.”
Grant releases the broadcast button on the throne’s armrest.
“I know I’m being a broken record, but I’m hoping we could raise the camera just a little further, Mags,” he says. “Top of my head’s still getting cut off.”
On the bridge below, Ensign Magziwa bows from her place at the Monitor station. “We are regrettably maxed out, Majesty.”
“Perhaps it’s more intimidating that way.” Hyax looks up from the communicator message she’s tapping out. “It gets your considerable height across.”
“His hair is too nice. You wanna let that effort go to waste?” Waian strides to the camera’s boom, takes it in her mechanical hand, and cranks it higher with a crack of plastic. “There we go.” She sits back at her console. “I’ll fix that later.”
“It’s crooked now,” Hyax grunts.
“That’s fine,” Waian says. “Artsy.”
“I didn’t really work on my hair,” Grant says. “To be clear. It’s just like this.”
Waian winks. “Sure it is.”
“I use some of that sabsum shampoo Sykora has in the shower and I do a quick little heat dry and that’s it. Really. Takes like five minutes.”
“Hail from the Ziya’s Valor, Majesty,” Magziwa calls.
Grant sits up and rolls his shoulders back. He’s tried doing the imperial slouch that Sykora does; he can’t make it work. His throne posture is all rigid formalism. The command group’s been calling it his Sergeant Grolli pose, which is apparently a very funny reference to some sort of Taiikari adventure serial. “Onscreen, please.”
https://www.scribblehub.com/read/1419041...r/2253617/
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/120617...ken-record