Arlusk wasn’t even the biggest city on the planet—there were industrial settlements on other continents and a data-sink sprawl farther toward the ice-covered south—but it was the oldest. The Imperial College, Iskat’s principal state-affiliated university, was in the part of town built in the first flush of enthusiasm after the colony started to thrive. The grand granite facades and shabby modulus builds were as familiar to Kiem as his own living room.

This was an official visit, though, so he and Jainan sat in the back of one of the palace’s official flyers as it crawled slowly downhill. Bel had booked a palace chauffeur and sent them off with a briefing pack in a folder, since Jainan’s wristband still wasn’t working, and an injunction to Kiem not to promise anyone funding under any circumstances.

Now the briefing folder glowed gently on Jainan’s lap as he sat facing Kiem.

Jainan seemed deeply immersed in the mundane details of the Imperial College, so with an enormous effort, Kiem had managed not to say anything for the last five minutes. The back seats had always seemed like more space than you really needed, but right now Kiem was acutely aware of where his feet were and had moved them several times to avoid touching Jainan’s.

Kiem’s wristband pinged. “Oh, right,” he said, forgetting he was trying to be quiet. Jainan looked up, and since Kiem had already disturbed him, he decided to read the message off anyway. “Bel’s warning us that there’ll be a couple of photographers. I suppose there’s interest because of the wedding.”

“Is that a problem?” Jainan said.

“Not really,” Kiem said. “They’ll probably just want shots of us and the chancellor—or me and the chancellor, if you don’t want to be in it. You probably did all that with Taam.”

“Taam didn’t do many charity events,” Jainan said. He paused to pick his words, which seemed to be a habit of his. “His position made a lot of demands on his time.”

“Right, of course,” Kiem said. “He was a—a colonel, right? Not much time for fundraisers.” Taam had done something more useful with his life than Kiem and entered the military as an officer. Kiem didn’t think Taam had commanded a ship, but he’d been fairly high up the chain. Kiem had a vague idea that his unit was involved in mining operations.

Jainan didn’t answer the question. He was looking out the window as they went through the Imperial College’s sweeping, spired gates, which were gray against the shower of snow they’d had that morning and in need of recoating.

“I’ve been here before,” he said. “I came to a public lecture a few years ago.”