“Kaan this time, darling,” Vaile said. “Why do you think I’m slipping brandy in my coffee? You never need me these days, anyway. You haven’t gotten yourself arrested for ages.” She ignored Kiem’s protest that he’d never technically been arrested and continued, “You’re taking this better than expected.”

“Which bit of it?” Kiem said. “The bit where Internal Security is investigating my partner? Or the bit where he casually breaks it to me that we’ve stopped him from talking to his family for two years?”

Vaile frowned delicately. “I haven’t kept tabs on Thean affairs at all, but that does seem odd. No, I meant the part where the Emperor married you off to someone three weeks before the Resolution renewal, and Internal Security didn’t tell you he was under investigation. I wonder if they told the Emperor. They’re not known for their frank and open communication.”

“This has been a massive screwup, and it’s all a horrible mistake,” Kiem said.

“Jainan just needs some space. What I want you to do is explain to the Emperor that Rakal’s people need to back off and find another way to settle the Auditor.”

Vaile gave a musical laugh, then put her cup down and said, “Oh. You’re serious.”

“You’re on the Advisory Council,” Kiem said. He had very little idea what the Advisory Council actually did. He was starting to realize he had very little idea how any of the Empire’s machinery really worked. It had never been his problem until now.

“Internal Security has never reported to the Advisory Council,” Vaile said.

“They’re like the military; they go straight to the top.” She shook her head regretfully. “Kiem. I know you don’t really pay attention, but do you know what’s going on at the moment?”

Kiem thought he had a fair handle on it— we’re about to sign a Galactic treaty and it turns out one of our representatives was murdered—but that, from Vaile, was a loaded question. “Probably not as much as I need to, huh?”

Vaile gave him a sudden assessing look, her head tilted, but it was so quick that Kiem might have imagined it. “You know about the Resolution treaty renewal. Are you aware that, behind the scenes, all the vassal treaties are being frantically renegotiated right now? There are teams of diplomats arguing over commas while we all smile at each other over coffee.”

“I thought we just rubber-stamped the treaties we already have,” Kiem said, somewhat bewildered. “This whole thing is only a ceremony.”

“The renewal ceremony seals them,” Vaile said. “The Resolution wants a sector frozen in amber. You can understand, really; it has thousands of worlds to deal with. So we make terms for each renewal, then everyone is largely stuck with them for the next twenty years, under threat of breaking with the Resolution. Of course the vassals are agitating for better terms. They always do.