Second-Who-Was
The first Second we meet, during the events of Even the Wingless. Lisinthir Nase Galare characterizes him as the Emperor's right hand.[2]
Physical Description
As of the period where Lisinthir Nase Galare was Alliance Ambassador ad'Chatcaaava, Second was the oldest Chatcaavan the Queen had ever seen. His eyes were "so bright a blue they approached purple," and his wings had grown dry and brittle over time, chafing when he does not have them oiled regularly.[1] He moved with more deliberation than younger members of the court, but still had the power to dispatch a food animal with one swipe.[2] He had less mobility in his face than the Emperor, possibly due to age.
Biography
Prior to Lisinthir's Arrival
Second was the Emperor's Second for twenty-five years, since the beginning of the Emperor's tenure as Emperor. He had already been at the Throneworld Court when the Emperor took power; the Emperor requested that he stay, specifically asked by the Emperor to stay. As such, he was delegated responsibility for most issues, save trade, which was the domain of Third. He traditionally sat at the pillow next to the Emperor at supper, and was responsible for testing the cup for poison for him. At the time of Even the Wingless, the Emperor claimed that Second was "the only male" he'd trusted in all his life. Also: "Second has been Second since I began my tenure here. He was a powerful male."[2][1]
Even the Wingless
Second was initially one of the more polite, in his way, to Lisinthir. He was sent by the Emperor to introduce himself, as Lisinthir would be conducting most of his business with Second, and Third only for matters of trade, on Second's referral. In the initial meeting, he agreed to address him using terms appropriate for a male, rather than "you-the-alien;" he agreed to hang the Alliance flag for Lisinthir and replace the flagpole with one that could be lit at night, and also arranged for breakfasts to be delivered for him. He was also the one who arranged with the Emperor for justice when Firestorm's Heir shredded the Alliance flag.[2]
Despite this, Second's willingness to deal with Lisinthir was entirely dependent on whether the Emperor was paying attention to him or not. When the Emperor seemed disinterested in Lisinthir, or avoided him, neither Second nor Third bothered to speak to him, leaving Lisinthir with his negotiations stalled before they'd begun. In addition, Second withheld the information that the Emperor was away from Lisinthir; the Queen speculated that it was because Second didn't like Lisinthir very much, possibly because he feared something about Lisinthir. His anger and worry were so great that he resorted to consulting with a female--the Queen--for more information about Lisinthir. He then began to stonewall Lisinthir, refusing to see him and never visiting him, as he tried to determine what to do about the situation.[1]
He attempted, several times, to warn the Emperor away from Lisinthir: first on the grounds that he was taking up too much of the Emperor's time, then because he feared the Court would turn against the Emperor if they discovered that he was giving honor wounds to an alien, and then because, as someone who cared about slaves and females, Lisinthir was unworthy of the Emperor. The Emperor dismissed these arguments. Meanwhile, he grudgingly began meeting with Lisinthir again, but persistently claimed that reports of Chatcaavan ships on the Alliance border were mistakes, or falsifications, by the Alliance. He quickly resumed ignoring Lisinthir.[1]
When Lisinthir was installed at Second's place at the table--next to the Emperor, tasting his wine--Second was dismayed and appalled. He begged the Emperor to reconsider, as he valued the Emperor more than anyone else; the Emperor put him off by characterizing the change as "a reprieve" for Second. In response, Second attempts to enlist Third's aid in dealing with the problem, but Third refuses. In response, Second began having Lisinthir poisoned with hekkret.[1]
Lisinthir used his new position on the second pillow to force Second to meet with him and to make concessions. Second was no longer able to brush off incursions by Chatcaava into Alliance space in violation of the treaty, and used the threat of withholding debt forgiveness for costs incurred by emergency aid to gain better terms: import taxes on luxury items halved and those on essential aid items reduced to a quarter. Lisinthir was also able to claim the Queen's mornings as his own when Second came to make use of her one morning. Second again attempted to bring his concerns to the Emperor, and was again rebuffed. He began again to plot with Third, who this time was more willing to cooperate.[1]
Negotiations continued: Lisinthir extracted the information that the Chatcaava bought most of their slaves rather than capturing them themselves, and a list of people and places where this trade happened. Second put together that Lisinthir was as effective as he was because he was getting information from the Queen. He confronted her in a rage, accusing her of "giving [Lisinthir] the keys to our country," and for the first time he was violent with her, forcing her to the ground and raping her. He then, in her presence, advised the Emperor that she was a traitor and an abomination; in addition, he called Lisinthir "the worst thing to have come to us. Ever," and recommended that the Emperor kill both Lisinthir and the Queen to stop the spread of the poison. The Emperor dismissed him.[1]
Second later protested the Emperor giving away the new Alliance slaves, but was again dismissed by the Emperor and enacted the command to do so. After Lisinthir killed Third, Second once again protested to the Emperor, saying that the Emperor was their example, but was "barely visible anymore." When he was once again rebuffed, he ransacked Lisinthir's chambers and confiscated his belongings, including his data tablet. Lisinthir demanded their return, and noted, accurately, that Second couldn't break into his tablet because the encryption was bio-specific. Second agreed to return his items, but expressed his intention to keep standing in Lisinthir's way. Lisinthir responded by attacking him, pinning his arm and dislocating his wing joint.[1]
Finally pushed to his limit, Second challenged the Emperor as unfit to rule. The Emperor answered his challenge. The Emperor accepted the challenge because "he deserves to be answered." Second managed to injure the Emperor on the back, separating the wing from the body; the Emperor gave him another chance to back down, but he refused. The Emperor then tore out his throat, killing him almost instantly. The Emperor noted that the injury done to him by Second was the easiest of injuries, and said "Even in his battle rage, Second could not demean me by ripping open my wings."[1]
Trivia
- Oaths: "Living air beneath you-the-alien"[2]
- Oddly facile with Alliance interfaces.[1]
- Kept notes about what happened, including the acts of the Slave Queen, which were left behind for the next Second to read [3]
- Came to the Slave Queen almost exclusively for bathing and wing-oiling; she used scented oils to make his wings supple and relieve chafing, as well as to soothe his spirit. She found it notable that he was kind to her, and did not offer her cruelty or violence; he "had never been mean with her."[1]
- His office had bookcases: books, scrolls, and tablets in the shelves, with the occasional decoration: a jagged amethyst formation, a globe of onyx. A viewscreen with a map of the Throneworld solar system, and a writing desk. His desk was relatively untidy, stacked with books and papers and tablets.[1]
- The Queen tended his wings from the time the Emperor took power up until Second's death.[1]
- Though he is superior in importance to Third, their roles are autonomous; Third does not take orders from him and is not directly answerable to him.[1]
Quotes
- "You give honor wounds to an alien. If the court discovered it, they could accuse you of devaluing honor."[1]
- "It is an act, Exalted. Test him. You will see I speak truth. Devise a way to expose this weakness in him and you will see he is no different from those the Alliance sent before."[1]
- "Nothing can calm my spirit. I have seen the future and it is painted red with folly."[1]
- "What makes us Chatcaava is that we can Change--and we don't."[1]
- "That's why he's always here, isn't it? He's learning! All this time I wondered how he could possibly know the things he does. How he could understand that the tests are honor and not something to flee. How he could continue to betwitch the Exalted Emperor. It's YOU! What do you tell him! Do you give him the keys to our country? Do you tell him about the secret heart of the Emperor? WORTHLESS SLAVE!"[1]
- "When you came here, when you asked me to stay for you, Exalted, you tasked me with the assessment of threats to your being and to the Empire you represent. Hear me now: this creature is the worst thing to have come to us. Ever. Kill him now, Exalted. And kill her too, to stop the spread of this poison."[1]
- "If you are my Emperor, then you will kill me for my insolence!"[1]