High Flyght – Chapter 4

“Who are we meeting at this dinner?” Ken asks as he looks out the window of our car zipping through Sakata City. Jinzo and I face him across the back of the autocab.

He’s in a better mood after resting and raiding the pantry in the galley, according to Ai. She’s fascinated with him, and as always, she’s been spying on him for me. I spent the afternoon first with Jinzo and then working in the cargo bay. I gave Ken the space he needed to settle in. Hopefully, it was enough.

“Alipha Cardoso. Her family is in farming as well, though they specialize in growing fibers for textiles and dyeing. She knows everyone. Always the life of the party, that one. Not that I would know about partying.”

I debate whether to tell Ken anything more, but Jinzo’s leg bumps up against mine.

“She’s a former rival. At least, I hope former.” I fidget with my bag and smooth out the silk of my long dress. “We’ve only just called a truce.”

Ken’s smile is slow to form. “Add this to the list of things I didn’t know you were capable of.”

“What’s that?” Jinzo asks.

“Dropping a grudge.”

I sigh. “Yes, it’s true. Once someone wrongs me, it’s hard for me to let that go. But in this case, the circumstances were a little different.”

“How so?” Ken asks. He leans forward to listen, his forearms resting on his legs.

“There was a mixup with one of the men in her network. When we resolved the issue, we realized we had a lot more in common than we thought. She wants to help me get the farm back. She believes it’s better in my hands than in the hands of a stranger.”

Ken’s expression is thoughtful. “Do you trust her?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t told her anything about the seeds or how I’m making money to buy the land back. She wants to talk tonight about strategies.”

My stomach is in knots wondering what to expect when we get there. I thought having Jinzo and Ken with me would help smooth my nerves over, but with Ken’s not-entirely-enthusiastic reception this morning, I’m not sure where we stand.

Going into this big dinner with so many unanswered questions is not doing good things to my confidence. It’s made me feel like a silly and stupid twenty-year-old again, instead of the woman I am now.

The car slows, the door opens, and I realize I have no idea which part of my personality to call on tonight. Plain, ol’ Vivian seems like a huge disappointment. Oh well, I’ll need to play the evening by ear.

The restaurant Alipha chose is exclusive and a level of ‘expensive’ I would never approve of normally. Some things can’t be helped, though. The dining room inside is draped in dark blue velvet, and all the tables are lit with candles. The bar on the far side of the dining room is quiet with brightly lit shelves showing off liquors from all corners of the Duo Systems.

Inside the dimly lit doorway, Marcelo appears, dressed in a bespoke, impeccably tailored suit. My anxiety disappears in an instant.

“There you are.” He opens his arms, and I step into his awaiting hands. His grip on my shoulders is reassuringly secure. “You look beautiful.”

I hold onto my retort. Everyone knows that I’m not beautiful, though I do clean up nicely, and the dress, one Marcelo picked out, is killer.

I swallow these thoughts. “Thank you. Is everything set?”

Marcelo looks past me to Jinzo and Ken, then meets my eyes again. “Alipha is here, and she brought Malina Tsing.”

I catch my breath. “No.”

He nods slowly. “It’s more important than ever for us to make a good impression tonight. With Ms. Tsing on your side? It could open up doors we wouldn’t have available to us.”

“Us?”

He adjusts the cuffs of his shirt. “Ms. Vivian, you now have my undivided attention.”

Undivided? This surprises me. I knew I would never be Marcelo’s only client. He’s one of the most sought-after matchmakers in the Brazilianos System.

His smile is enigmatic. “I’ll explain later. Just get ready for Ms. Tsing.”

Marcelo breezes past me to Ken and Jinzo. “Gentlemen, it’s good to see you. Ken, I heard your trip was a little rocky…”

I let their conversation fade into the background as I get ready for this surprise guest by running through everything I can remember.

The Tsing Corporation, run by Malina Tsing, is one of the biggest agro-farmer conglomerates on Ossun, and her company is in the top twenty largest in the Duo Systems. If I had to pick a rival for someone like Cressida Briar-Stevenson, Jinzo’s ex, Malina Tsing would do. What’s she doing here tonight? And why would Alipha invite her along?

My feet glide forward of their own accord. I’m curious beyond all good reason of what lies on the other side of the private dining room. I should be on the Amagi, preparing for our next Flyght trip. I should be sprouting more seeds for the next growing cycle. I should be having a quiet night with Ken. Why did I let Alipha talk me into this dinner?

I clench my teeth together at the sight of the long dining table beyond the double glass doors of the restaurant’s side room. Alipha and Malina are already seated at the head of the table, their heads tilted towards each other, deep in conversation.

Along the length of the table, I recognize Alipha’s network, though Sean isn’t here. That’s not surprising since he isn’t especially social. The rest I remember from running into them at the festival and the photos in her house.

Malina’s network, though, makes my knees shake. All of her men, and two women, are dressed to impress in the finest suits and slinkiest dresses. I eye the two women and wonder at the richness of Malina’s life. Only the most affluent of women have other women in their network. Women partners don’t have to be romantic, and often the relationship is not, but it increases the odds of children without the Vir Gene being born into the family name. These women give up their own names and birthrights to be a part of something bigger. This is not wealth. This is luxury.

Alipha’s eyes wander from her conversation, and she spots me hovering in the doorway. My one moment to escape this madness is gone.

“Vivian! There you are!” Her smile beams across the table as she stands up and crosses the room to me.

Apprehension threatens to claw me back to the front door and into the car again. Alipha and I are only just on sound footing, and it doesn’t erase the years in secondary school where she avoided or made fun of me.

The light pressure of a hand on my lower back brings my posture upright. Ken smiles as he comes forward with Jinzo and Marcelo.

“Smile, Vivian,” he mumbles.

I snap on a smile quickly, and one of Malina Tsing’s women snickers. Great. Everyone can tell I’m out of my element.

Alipha stops short of kissing me on the cheek. We’re not there yet.

“You look lovely, Alipha. I hope things have been well since we last spoke.” I bow a little, trying to cover up my awkward entrance. “How is Sean?”

“He’s good. I think he’s finally come around.” Alipha steps back to look me up and down and doesn’t say anything. I could laugh, but that would be rude. The only compliments I’ll be getting tonight will be from my own network.

Malina Tsing rises from the table and approaches us. I take a shallow breath as she extends her hand, and I see that we’re the same height. She might even be taller than me.

“Ms. Kawabata, I’ve heard so much about you.”

My fingers meet hers, and I shake her hand like my mom taught me. Firm and brief.

I’m immediately jealous of her. She’s striking. I don’t want to say ‘gorgeous’ because that term is overused, but she takes my breath away. Her hair is as dark as night and curls down her back and over her shoulders. She doesn’t need a fancy dress to highlight her well-sculpted body, and her terra cotta skin glows like she just came from the spa.

“Good things, I hope. Unless you watch OEN and then maybe I should have a strong drink and go.”

Her smirk is as charming as the rest of her. “That Senna Snow woman is a piece of work.” She leans to the side so she can eye the men I’ve brought with me. For the first time since this whole situation started, a shock of possessiveness zaps my chest. “Who do we have here?”

“Oh, yes,” I say, stepping to the side and tucking my slippery hair behind my ear. “This is Jinzo Lee…”

“Ah! We’ve met before.” Malina shakes Jinzo’s hand. “It’s good to see you again. And…” She seems to stop and collect herself. “How are things at Lee Shipyards?”

My cheeks heat as I realize Malina and Jinzo have unspoken words between them. “You know each other?”

“Well, yes, I suppose we do.” Malina doesn’t elaborate, and I’m not sure if I should press more.

Jinzo nods. “It’s good to see you again. Lee Shipyards are the same as always. Nothing much ever changes there.” His smile is polite, but his small talk indicates he’s not interested in going any further with the conversation. That’s not like him at all. Usually, he’s so friendly with everyone.

He steps aside to let Ken move forward.

“And this is Ken Mata, CEO and Founder of —”

“Flyght,” Malina fills in. She shakes Ken’s hand, and his calm expression reminds me of the day he came to me and proposed we do business together. This must be what he’s like in board meetings.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he says, making sure to also shake Alipha’s hand.

“I’ve hired your ships before. It’s an impressive system.” Alipha looks between Ken and me. “So, did you really propose to Vivian or was that all gossip?”

Nope. We’re not going there. I step forward into the conversation, knowing that every person in the room is waiting for Ken’s answer.

“I could use a drink,” I say, raising my voice. “And I would be rude not to introduce Marcelo Silva.”

Marcelo pulls out a chair for me near the head of the table with the other women.

The crowd disperses, and light chatter resumes along the length of the table.

“Mr. Silva doesn’t need an introduction,” Malina says, sliding into her chair. “He’s matched me with two of my own.”

Two men down the table talking with Ken nod at Malina. The staff fills up our wine glasses. Thank goodness. I need alcohol, immediately.

“Well, good. He’s the best at what he does. I’m lucky to be working with him.”

I settle into my chair and let Alipha and Malina talk about the state of affairs in the Ossun agricultural society. This has never been something that I took part in or cared about until now. Graduate school, and then work on the family farm, kept me plenty busy. But when I had purchased those Bomba-Faria shoes, it was because these kinds of dinners would be a part of my life, eventually. And not just dinners. It would’ve been banquets and dances and festivals and balls and weddings and… It would have been exhausting. It could still be exhausting if I get the farm back someday.

“There’s a crisis in the market,” Malina says, bringing my attention to the present. “I don’t know if you know this, but the distribution of all Kawabata label goods halted about ten days ago.”

I set my wine glass down carefully on the table, so I don’t throw it at the wall. That fucking bank! I knew they wouldn’t be able to handle the company.

“According to my staff, there are still some stores of Kawabata sushi-grade rice, unprocessed wheat, and other shelf-stable grains in your old warehouses, but the bank gave up trying to keep to your supply schedule.”

I close my eyes and breathe hot air through my nostrils. “I’m not surprised,” I say, sitting back in my chair and assessing both women. “The bank executive I spoke to the day they swooped down on us seemed competent but better able to push numbers around a spreadsheet. I doubted she had any kind of skill to run my business.”

Malina looks to the doors as waiters enter to serve appetizers of crisp greens, soft goat cheese, pine nuts, and rich red tomatoes. My mouth waters.

“This leaves us in a… situation, Vivian,” Alipha says, mixing up her salad. “You know, my mother often told me that there was no competition here on Ossun. There were only partnerships and opportunities for making more money. Admittedly, I disagreed with her for most of my childhood, and I took it out on you.”

From down the table, Alipha’s number one huffs a cough into his hand, and both Ken and Jinzo turn their heads.

“And I’m sorry,” Alipha intones. She looks at her plate for a long moment before lifting her eyes to meet mine.

Everyone is watching me now, and I swallow carefully, making sure I don’t choke on my meal.

What should I say? This is a table of influential people, people who could be my friends, allies, or they could be my enemies.

“I’m sorry too.” I decide that humility is the best policy. “I wish our relationship had gotten off on a better footing. But I think now, we can put the past behind us.”

I lift my glass of wine, proud of myself for not knocking into it and sending it skittering across the table.

Everyone toasts and Alipha seems pleased. I think I just dodged a major scandal.

“I’m glad we can all be friends here, Vivian,” Malina says, shifting her long dark curls to her other shoulder. “Because as Alipha has said, we have a situation here. I always knew that this system operated on a fine balance of the markets, but I didn’t realize how precarious it was until a few days ago. With Kawabata goods off the market, there is a giant, planet-sized hole to be filled. One that none of us on Ossun can handle.”

She pats at her mouth with a napkin and signals for the dishes to be taken away. I hurriedly stuff the food in my mouth. I won’t eat this well again for weeks.

“Land here was so carefully divided up. We’ve all done our jobs for hundreds of years with no issues, and the system always puttered along in perfect harmony. If land was to be sold or passed on, it was resolved without disruption. Until now. The truth of the matter is that my company can’t handle the call for extra goods. Alipha’s company can’t either.”

Waitstaff with plates appear from the doorways loaded with wine-glazed lamb, mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots. It’s hard to concentrate on Malina’s words when my stomach is growling.

“You know I’d love to help. I want my family farm back more than anything.”

Emotion catches in my throat, and I stare at my plate. Why can’t I dissolve away? My vulnerability as Whole Vivian, not a bunch of split personalities, is showing. These two, strong, smart women could shred me to pieces right now, and I would have no way to defend myself.

“Just how badly do you want it back?”

Malina’s question is a stab to the heart. I glance over at Marcelo, and he jerks his chin as if to say, “Go on.”

This was all a setup. Everyone knows that I won’t ever be able to afford to buy the farm on my own. No matter what I do. Even if I find Tomu and wring him dry, there won’t be enough money to cancel the debts.

Unless I get help.