Mikka opened the door to the CIC and ushered the Ydani inside. He still didn’t have security clearance for the High Deck, so Nalyra had sent her Troop Commander to escort him.
Nalyra did not want her bridge crew watching this.
Tor’laen had a box tucked under his arm, which he placed on the center of the holotable. He was more upbeat than Nalyra had ever seen him, moving animatedly as he took the lid off of the box.
“The official name of this game is The Dominion of Six Worlds. However, most Ydani simply call it Dominion,” he explained, unfolding and placing a large, rectangular board on the table.
Six worlds. The words pulled at Nalyra’s memory. Five habitable worlds…then one more discovered.
“This is based on your home system, isn’t it?” she asked quietly.
The Ydani’s smile slipped for a breath.
“Yes.” He ran a hand over the game board. “It was originally a tactical planning map, until a commander used it for a strategy exercise. The idea proved popular, and before too long, the game came to be what it is today.” The Ydani stared down at the board. “It was—it is one of the very few acceptable forms of leisure in our society.”
A strange mix of emotions was bleeding off of him — nostalgia, sadness, loss, fondness, and others the Crown Daughter couldn’t name. It lasted only for an instant before the small smile returned to his face.
“Each player starts with their homeworld, and a small fleet protecting it.” He indicated a pair of planets, opposite each other on the game board. The remaining planets were arranged between the two, with vague orbital lanes connecting them. “The objective of the game is to successfully bombard the other player’s homeworld, ending the game and winning the match.”
“You win by fucking bombarding the enemy from orbit?” Mikka sounded torn between being impressed and disturbed.
“Mirroring the outcome of the war it is based on,” Tor’laen said quietly. “It was always the way High Command expected the war to end.”
Planned genocide. Lovely. Nalyra rested her cheek on her palm.
“How is it played?” she asked.
“There are three phases to every turn — the reinforcement phase, the movement phase, and the combat phase,” he explained. “During the reinforcement phase, you can trade resource cards,” he held one up for them to see. “For more ships or ground troops.”
“And how do you get resources?” Nivi asked.
“By claiming planets. You get some automatically from your homeworld, but much more comes from landing on and holding these four planets.” He gestured at the planets spread between the two homeworlds. “The movement phase is fairly self-explanatory, I imagine.”
He set out a variety of game pieces. Nalyra could see several varieties of ships, what looked like starbases of some kind, and what she imagined were ground troops.
“The combat phase is where the majority of the game takes place.” He laid out a set of four dice, two ten-sided, two eight-sided, and a pile of small plastic chips with numbers on each side. “Ship-to-ship combat is decided by ship type, weaponry, distance, and chance. After that you have ground combat, which plays much the same. Finally, there is attacking and defending planetary fortifications, which has its own rules.”
Nalyra’s command crew was now investigating the little pieces, looking over the fairly intricate designs.
“So a strategy of expansion must be balanced by protecting your holdings,” Vessa mused, leaning closer. Her ears were slightly perked up. Oh no. Nalyra knew the look she was giving those pieces.
“That’s the essence of the game, if you boil it down, yes,” Tor’laen replied. “Of course, there are various stratagems and tactics that can be used to circumvent that, but those are generally used by more advanced players.” He looked to Nalyra. “Are you satisfied, Crown Daughter? I would think that board games don’t usually fall under sedition.”
Before she could respond, her Admiral cut in.
“A demonstration of a match would be enlightening.”
“Vessa…” Nalyra said slowly.
“Due diligence is important, Nalyra.”
“Of course it is,” the Crown Daughter muttered, closing her eyes. “Tor’laen, please indulge my Admiral’s caution.”
“Understood.” He gave a small huff of amusement. Not quite a chuckle, but close enough.
Vessa moved to sit opposite the Ydani, while Nivi and Mikka moved closer. The engineer sat next to Vessa, while the Lieutenant Commander settled into the seat next to Tor’laen.
“Let us set up the board, then.”
Tor’laen rolled two of the dice. An eight and a ten came to rest face-up.
“And that, I’m sorry to say, takes out your carrier, Admiral.”
Vessa frowned down at the board, as if trying to make sense of what had just happened.
“Your overall strategy was good, but you need to work on how you position your fleet,” Tor’laen explained. He was being oddly gentle, still. Ever since he had started teaching Vessa the game as they played, it was almost like he had become another person. Almost. No less precise. No less sharp. But warmer, somehow. Patient in a way she had not expected from him. And he still had that wry smile on his face.
“Nonsense.” Vessa crossed her arms. “It’s common knowledge to put your largest ships in the front. The size of their reactors allow their void shields to absorb damage that would cripple smaller ships.”
“You’re still thinking like a Zakkili.” Tor’laen tapped his forehead, right below the base of his horns. “Ydani ships don’t have void shields. Putting your carrier or battleship in the front like that is just asking for a railgun slug through the viewport of your bridge.”
“And bye-bye carrier,” Mikka cackled. She was enjoying watching Vessa lose perhaps a bit too much.
“I see.” The Admiral leaned a bit closer, carefully looking over the board state once more.
Nalyra had to admit, she could see why her Armswomen were requesting copies of the game. A social game, easy to watch and understand, with tactics and strategy, and a dash of luck. It was like the thing was specifically made to appeal to Zakkili. The game was inevitably going to spread throughout her ship like a virus.
“If I’m not mistaken, I am in an unwinnable position with the loss of that fleet. Is that not right, Tor’laen?” Vessa looked up at her opponent.
“I wouldn’t call it completely unwinnable, but…” The Ydani shrugged. “Unless I make some major strategic blunders, yes, you cannot come back from that loss.”
The Admiral simply smiled, her eyes going back to the board. Probably already planning her strategy for the next match. Oh, Vessa was going to be simply insufferable about this accursed game.
“I suppose I’ll have to add a request for another copy to the fabrication queue,” Nalyra muttered. Her Admiral’s ear gave the slightest wiggle at the Crown Daughter, and Nalyra just rolled her eyes.
“Now, if we are finished with our little…demonstration, we can begin to discuss the other reason we are gathered in the CIC.” Nalyra sat up straight once more, setting her shoulders.
That caught the Ydani’s attention, Tor’laen’s gaze flying to Nalyra’s face. His warm grin once again vanishing underneath that same stern look that he always wore on the bridge. The rest of her command crew also followed suit, sobering up and turning their full attention to her.
“The situation on Orphila remains unstable. There is still peace and order, but it is delicate. Fragile. My notable absence from the capital has become…an obstacle towards regaining the full trust of the citizens.” Her eyes moved slowly between each of her command staff and the Ydani. “There has been some progress on locating the bomber from the capital building,” she nodded at Mikka approvingly. “However, there is still no sign of any assassins, or the larger plot that must connect them.”
“Until we have a better picture of any conspiracy-” Vessa began, before Nalyra lifted a hand to silence her.
“I know, Admiral. A public appearance is far too dangerous,” the Crown Daughter acknowledged, giving Vessa a nod as well.
“Then how will we reassure the citizens?” Nivi chimed in, a worried look on her face.
“That is where our guest comes in once again.” Nalyra let a smile creep back onto her face.
Tor’laen said nothing, just raising his visible eyebrow at her.
“We can take advantage of Tor’laen’s…uniqueness,” she explained. “As the only Ydani Orphila has ever seen, and having made some very public appearances alongside me, we can use him to demonstrate that I have not abandoned the capital in the face of danger.” A measure of hunger slid into her voice. “In addition, your visible presence might, let us say…agitate any hidden parties.”
“You’ll use me as bait,” Tor’laen instantly replied. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards, slightly.
“Perish the thought, Tor’laen.” Nalyra smirked. “You will be accompanied by an armed soldier from the Aegis and will rendezvous with peacekeeper forces planetside. Besides, I’m certain you can take care of yourself if an…issue arises.”
The Ydani’s jaw was set, and a glimmer of eagerness had crept into his gaze.
Out of the corner of her vision, the Crown Daughter noticed Mikka sit up straight, her eyes darting between Nalyra and the Ydani.
“Hey big guy, why don’t you teach Vessa how to set up that game board?” She nudged him with her elbow. “I need to have a real quick word with the boss lady.”
Tor’laen glanced at Mikka, then Nalyra, and simply nodded. He turned his attention back to the board, which Vessa already leaning over.
The Crown Daughter allowed Mikka to lead her to one of the corners of the room.
“Nalyra, are you sure about this?” her Lieutenant Commander asked, her voice low.
“What do you mean, Mikka?”
“Look, Tor’laen seems like a decent person, for an alien. I’ll even admit it, I like the guy.” Mikka glanced back at the Ydani. “But this is a lot of trust you’re giving him here. Letting him represent you and maybe even dangling him in front of assassins. This is a guy who attacked the Aegis, mind you. He’s still an outsider.”
Nalyra bristled for a heartbeat, before her mind caught up. This was Mikka. This wasn’t idle insubordination, or pointless fretting. She wouldn’t question Nalyra like this unless the situation actually called for it.
“I am sure, Mikka,” Nalyra replied quietly. “I won’t tell you I trust him. Not completely. But he acted on my—on our behalf without being ordered. Without any prospect of reward or return. On top of that, I still hold the future of his people in my grasp.” Her hand went to the dagger on her belt, resting her palm on it.
Mikka’s lips pressed together, then a moment later, she nodded.
“Alright. As long as you’ve thought this through, Nalyra.”
The Crown Daughter straightened up, a royal grin returning to her face.
“Besides, it’s as you said. These Ydani have experience with actual warfare. It would be a waste to not make use of such a useful piece.”
Mikka chuckled.
“By the Maker, he’s even got you using board game terms now.”
Nalyra said nothing, just giving her friend a light mental flick, which did nothing to diminish the woman’s grin.
By the time the pair returned to the holotable, Vessa and Tor’laen were already in the middle of another match of Dominion.
“I did not say the briefing was complete,” Nalyra said, a note of bemused exasperation entering her voice. She sat back down at the head of the table. Despite herself, her gaze lingered on the board, noting both players’ positions.
“I can play and listen, Crown Daughter.” The Ydani glanced at her as he moved a cruiser into position, a small smile on his face. “Admiral, watch the position of your point defense frigates. Your fleet is straying dangerously close to torpedo range.”
Nalyra sighed.
“I suppose it’s permissible. There is little more to add. Some of Mikka’s women will be moving in tandem with your group.”
“Plainclothes. They’ll be keeping an eye out while remaining incognito,” the Lieutenant Commander added.
“Precisely.” Nalyra nodded, watching her Admiral carefully advance her plastic fleet. “You will be seen inspecting a few sites critical to the city’s infrastructure, as well as personally reviewing the capital building’s new security measures.”
“On the non-public side, you’ll meet with the peacekeepers who are working with our girls with counter-terrorism experience,” Mikka continued. “Hopefully they’ll have something new for you. They sounded confident that they were closing on something. Or someone.”
“We do have a timeline that we must keep.” Nalyra tapped a finger against her chin. “Tomorrow afternoon there is a memorial service for my sister, and I cannot be absent. Bring me something useful, Tor’laen.”
“Understood.” The Ydani landed a few troops on one of the board’s planets, then glanced up. “When will I depart?”
“Right after this match,” Vessa answered, eyes fixed on the game.