"If you don't mind me asking, Sir Norman, what prompted this visit?" Ythmun asked. "The next appointment was scheduled for three weeks from now, and I'm positive I've met your quotas."
"Does a man need an excuse to visit a friend, Ythmun?" Norman asked, his phony smile relaxing a bit. "But really, we noticed what happened to your palace, and thought we should check in on you, which is why I'm terribly confused that the terrorists that did this are standing behind you as if they are old chums of yours. Explain that, Ythmun."
"I agreed to spare their lives in exchange for the secrets of flight and space travel. The Tramolians have been increasing their attacks recently."
Norman dropped his smile as his gaze bored into Ythmun, who didn't flinch at the observation, maintaining his salute. After what felt like several seconds, Norman's smile returned as he moved forward and pat the monarch on the shoulder.
"You're a good man. I apologize for doubting you."
'So, he has some kind of lie detection ability? I doubt he'd be so trusting otherwise,' Fate thought.
"But why didn't you just ask us for some planetary protection? Protecting our investments is always worth it to us."
"Sir Norman, I didn't want to bother you with such concerns. I know you are very busy. I thought it best to outsource." Ythmun maintained his position as the hand on his shoulder tightened. Norman stared for a while more before nodding, letting the emperor go.
"An appreciated sentiment, although pointless. We would have gladly assigned a few hundred ships for defense if you had told us. Now, on to business. As a gesture of goodwill, I've brought a construction crew to rebuild your palace for you. It should take a day, maybe two, and you'll have a throne to sit on once more.
"We won't charge you for it or anything like that, all we ask is that you continue working for us," Norman said, emphasizing the 'us.' "Unless, of course, that's a problem?"
"Not at all, sir."
"Good. In the meantime, you can continue sleeping underneath the palace ruins. Now leave me, and take Garrett with you. I wish to talk to these two, alone."
Ythmun nodded, he and Garrett filing away quietly toward the forest, neither looking back. Norman walked over to Fait and Cate, looking them up and down. His fake smile vanished, replaced with the detached look of someone looking at a tree. "Who sent you here? The EPF? The BGC?"
"I don't know who the BGC is, sir, and I don't work for the EPF," Cait said. Fate noticed that she didn't specify that Fate didn't work for the EPF, only that she herself didn't. He applauded inwardly at her quick thinking. 'She must've caught onto the same lie detection hunch I did.'
"Then who sent you?" Norman asked coldly.
"We sent ourselves. We've been trying to find ways to become stronger, and thought this planet might provide that opportunity."
Norman turned to Fate, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the man's black sclera. "And did you know that this planet was under our protection?"
"Well, sir – " Cait started.
"Not you. Him," Norman interrupted, keeping his eyes trained on Fate.
"… We knew this planet had some form of protection but didn't expect them to care about what we planned to do here. Then we landed, and Ythmun sicced his dogs on us as soon as we touched the ground."
"Hmph." Norman turned back to Cait. "Your services are no longer needed, then. Go back to whatever planet you came from."
"Our ship was destroyed, sir. We don't have a way off of this planet right now," Cait explained, making sure to be careful with her words so as not to give away the coming Flaming Crows ship.
"Then let me put you out of your misery," Norman sneered, his Personification-Level aura surging as his Divine Reach grasped for Cait and Fate. Cait's brow twitched as the Divine Energy passed harmlessly over them.
Norman retracted his aura with a light smile, this one reaching his eyes. "You know what? I'll give you my phone. But I want you two out of here by the end of the week."
"Of course, sir," Cait said respectfully. She gently took the proffered phone and dialed the number for the inter-universal taxi service. Ran exclusively by mortals, the ITS was "by mortals, for mortals," as Embodiments rarely didn't have ships of their own, due to how much money they made. The ITS was also a very busy company, which is why it took three tries before someone finally answered.
"Hello, ITS, how can I help ya?"
"Hello, a friend and I are currently stranded on a planet. Our ship exploded, and we need a way home."
"Send your coordinates."
Cait fumbled around with the phone for a while before finding the "share location" button. She pressed it and a ding rang through the call.
"All right, I'll be there in two days. Areas not under EPF influence cost extra, so you better have your currency card ready."
"Okay, thank you." Cait hung up the call and handed Norman back his phone. The man slipped it into his pocket and waved, heading back to his ship. When the ship took off, flying back to the giant square in the sky, Cait heaved a sigh of relief. "That was close."
"Good thing he was weaker than you, huh?" Fate said, watching the ship leave.
"Once again, the arrogance of the Advanced work in our favor," Cait smiled. "Now, any idea where we can sleep tonight? I doubt it's safe bunking with Ythmun with that Norman guy hovering around."
"I don't know. Cornelius is cold-blooded, so he probably has somewhere warm we can stay."
"It's worth a shot. I've had my fill of sleeping in the wilderness. I don't want to know what kind of creepy creatures crawl out of those woods at night."
"Nice alliteration."
"Thanks. Now let's go see a snake about a bed."