Horizon Storms - Kevin J. Anderson [201]
After a while, though, when they had finished most of their meal, he barely tasted the delicately spiced flavors as his own concerns grew heavier. “OX, I want your objective opinion about something.”
“I am always happy to give you my opinion and my advice, King Peter.”
“I’ve got to make a genuine threat assessment. You are training Prince Daniel—how close is he to being prepared, at least to Basil’s satisfaction? How much do I have to worry about being replaced in the near future?”
OX calculated for a moment. Though his words sounded like an outrageous joke, the little robot stated the facts as he saw them. “Extrapolating from the young Prince’s current rate of progress, he will be sufficiently prepared no sooner than…three centuries.”
Estarra chuckled. “How could Basil have underestimated him so badly?”
The Teacher compy stood at attention next to their table. “Prince Daniel was chosen swiftly, without as thorough an investigation as the team members applied to you, King Peter, when you were Raymond Aguerra.” Peter pressed his fingertips together and continued to listen. “Prince Daniel has not lived up to expectations thus far.”
“Do you think Basil will…get rid of Daniel and choose someone else?” Estarra asked, her dark eyes wide.
Peter pursed his lips. “At the moment, Basil’s main purpose is to use the Prince as leverage to keep me in line. As long as we remain sufficiently cooperative, the Chairman would not consider it ‘cost effective’ to shake up the Hansa by replacing me.” Peter heaved a sigh, knowing he had to be on his best behavior not just for himself, but also to protect Estarra. She was his greatest weakness now, since he loved her so much.
He put his elbows on the table, a casual habit left over from his life as Raymond Aguerra, but which his protocol trainers sternly corrected whenever they caught him doing it. “I’ve never had the opportunity to meet him face-to-face, OX. Basil won’t let me go see him. What is my supposed brother like?”
“Narcissistic, rude, and ill-behaved. And he has not been as malleable as expected. I have patiently worked to instruct the boy in matters of kingship, but with little success. Daniel has no interest in learning the material. He is pleased with his current situation and would rather remain in his chambers and be pampered. In order to make him do his work, I have been forced to develop a litany of promises and threats.”
“You threaten him, OX? That doesn’t sound like you.” Peter sipped from a glass of ice water.
“I threaten to take away his desserts. Prince Daniel has an extraordinary fondness for candies, puddings, and other treats. The Chairman has given me complete control over the dispensing of such items. I can either cancel or double the dessert portion of an upcoming meal, depending on his cooperation. So far, Daniel has gained thirteen kilograms. I project, based on the young man’s metabolism and physiological characteristics, that he will become overly plump and, ultimately, an obese adult.”
Peter made a tsk-ing noise. “If the Hansa is facing lean times and colonies are suffering famine and starvation, we can’t have a roly-poly Great King. As soon as Basil notices, he’ll put the kid on a draconian diet regimen.”
“I have already suggested that Prince Daniel begin a regular and healthy exercise routine, but he refuses.”
“Sounds like he just needs a good talking-to,” Peter said. “Hmm, even if Basil won’t officially allow us to talk, maybe you should arrange a meeting between Daniel and myself. Who knows? He might listen to my advice.”
Estarra looked at him, puzzled. Once Peter had stopped playfully feeding her, she’d barely touched her food. “I thought you wanted Daniel to stay incompetent so we don’t have to worry so much.”
“Even so, that boy and I share a common background. We were both snatched from our lives and put