Scattered Suns - Kevin J. Anderson [118]
“Not very damned much.”
Daniel inhaled heavily as if he were about to hyperventilate. Freckles stood out on his cheeks, and his bovine eyes blinked stupidly. Basil fought down the urge to strangle the boy.
“How could I ever have thought you were a suitable candidate to be Prince? We’ve invested significant resources in you, to shape you, train you, prepare you. But you’re worthless, too dim-witted to be malleable.” Basil gestured at the clutter of his room. “When was the last time you straightened your possessions?”
“OX does it for me,” Daniel said.
“And when did he do it last?”
“This morning.”
“This is not the way a Prince behaves. Are you an invalid, incapable of making even a minimal effort for yourself? You have appearances to maintain. Look at you! You’re fat. Your clothes are a mess. You slouch when you stand. There is no mark of pride on your face. How can I ever let you be seen in public?”
Daniel had just the beginning of a pout in his voice. “I’m doing what I’m supposed to.”
The Teacher compy stood in the room, and Basil directed his ire toward OX. “And how is he completing his studies? Has he mastered the rudiments of Hansa history, the Charter, the legal basis for our government?”
“He is making some progress, Mr. Chairman. My mind is filled to capacity with the memories accumulated over my centuries of existence. I had assumed I would be an adequate teacher of history,” said the little compy. “But his test scores thus far remain unsatisfactory. Even my most interesting reminiscences do not seem to have an effect on him.”
“Then I hold you as much responsible as him.” Basil paced the room, gingerly setting his brown shoes on the floor, afraid that he might step in something unpleasant. “I have reviewed your records, Daniel. I have noticed how often you refuse to do your classwork. I have seen how poorly you score on the simplest of tests. Do you comprehend even a fraction of the responsibility you bear?”
“Of course,” Daniel said defensively. “I’m going to be King.”
“You are going to be disposed of and replaced, if you don’t shape up. I have never seen such a disappointing excuse for a Prince. You have no regal bearing, no charisma, no charm. You show neither intelligence nor ambition.” Basil curled his lower lip. “And certainly no mastery of personal hygiene or manners. Your responsibility is to be ready to step into King Peter’s shoes the moment the Hansa decides it’s appropriate. For the sake of the human race, I pray that such drastic action does not become necessary in the near future.”
He pointed a stern finger at the Teacher compy, realizing he should have done this long, long ago. “OX, I am giving you direct and explicit orders. You will place the Prince on an extreme diet. I want all those pounds of fat gone as soon as possible. Impose an exercise regimen, alternate rigorous calisthenics with intense instructional sessions. You will establish a precise schedule for the Prince and enforce it. You will monitor his sleep, you will wake him up on time, you will see that he gets no desserts or treats.” Basil swept his hand across the piles of tiny models and games on one shelf. “I want these distractions gone. Such silly amusements have no place in the life of a Great King.”
At last Basil’s stern voice and the strict pronouncements began to sink in. Prince Daniel’s lower lip quivered, and tears welled up in his eyes. “But...but I can’t do all that.”
“You will—or we’ll find someone else who can. We took you off the streets and made you into our Prince. Don’t think for a moment that we can’t reverse the matter and bury our mistakes. No one would ever know.”
When the boy appeared suitably broken and terrified, Basil walked away from the Prince’s guarded chambers with a feeling of satisfaction. Finally, things might begin to improve around here.
Chapter 56—TASIA TAMBLYN
The EDF was certainly anxious to do something, and Tasia didn’t complain. Only a day after she and her five comrades received new orders, the personnel transport carried them to the military shipyards in the asteroid belt