“That went well,” Ekaterina was the first to speak when they returned to the Loon’s bridge.

  “Did it?” Jenny Mae asked. “I couldn’t tell.”

  “We are being permitted entry to the estate. If it went poorly, Aunt Marina would have held us on the Tundra for a while. Or forced us to journey to a lesser holding until a higher-ranking family member could stop by.

  “Congratulations on a successful endeavor,” the Loon cut in. “I’m afraid I was unable to watch. It felt prudent to avoid potential detection by attempting to gain access to the Tundra’s internal monitoring system.”

  Ekaterina’s eyes went wide. “Yes, that was prudent. My aunt would have tossed us all in the brig at best, and taken the Loon apart if she was in a worse mood. Family only gets you so far.”

  Heath, who understood a bit what it was to bond with a ship, only grunted. His focus was on getting them underway and making sure he avoided any potential slights to the crew of the battleship.

  When they were en route, though still uncomfortably within weapons range, he returned to automatic controls, and focused on the directive he had been given. As much as it annoyed him to be ordered around on his own ship, it was still a relief.

  His [Hull Integrity] and [Ship Maintenance] Skills had plenty of resonance, the latter being a part of the skill tree with the former at the base. He activated both.

  “Heath?” Came the Loon’s question.

  He activated the Skills again, and again. Paint which had survived atmosphere entry and jump gates sloughed off, leaving a red-and-orange snowstorm trailing behind in their wake.

  The gleaming white and black of the Loon’s true exterior emerged from the flakes. It took his whole mana pool, three times over, but by the time they were approaching the estate, the Loon had returned to her former glory.

  “Thank you Heath. I dreaded meeting such illustrious persons without being properly attired.”

  He chuckled. “No problem.” The rest of his crew were scattered through the ship, their detour having made the flight to the estate a full day from the destroyer. After a check to confirm nothing needed his immediate attention, he set off for his bunk, and what would probably be the last good night’s sleep he would get in a while.

  His mother had been right about Marina Althalas, and he had no hope the head of the family would be any different.

  *********

  The hatch behind Heath slid open, Ekaterina dragging Emerald and joining the others on the bridge. “It is simply unacceptable not to view the approach. The flight path we’ve been given places the planet between us and the star, correct?”

  “Yup!” Jenny Mae chirped from her station.

  “That is because Inann is a sight to behold.” She shoved Emerald into their station and took up her own chair.

  They were still a few minutes out from a good view, but Heath obliged, prompting the Loon to redirect their main feed to focus on the approach and parse the readings from the photoreceptors into a coherent visual.

  Ekaterina was right. The planet housing the Althalas estate was breathtaking.

  The standard-sized rocky surface was coated in the mix of blues and greens that were always the most common on naturally-habitable planets. Those that needed neither Life Seed, nor terraforming to be worth settling. Expensive real estate, in other words.

  But that was the least of it. A planetary ring was locked in a synchronous orbit around the world’s north pole, miles past the atmosphere. Floating above the world like a crown. Bigger than any station heath had ever seen, it took him time to even comprehend. Ships were buzzing in and out at a dozen different points at least.

  Over the millenia, House Althalas had coaxed certain species that subsisted on the argo and mana that was so abundant in space to grow around and within the structure. So much that it appeared natural. Like a moon had formed into a halo instead of the rough sphere something as mundane as gravity might have insisted upon. If Heath hadn’t traveled to the Edge, and into the unexplored space beyond, it might have been the most impressive ecosystem he’d seen. But it was clearly made by people, too even and too controlled to be anything else.

  All of it, the planet, the ring, the millions of inhabitants going about their day, was limned in the white light of the local star. Like the Sage herself had bestowed a blessing on the entire system.

  “Wow,” Jenny Mae summed it up for all of them. Even the reluctant Emerald bobbed their head in agreement.

  “I told you so,” Ekaterina said. Her personality had returned proportionally to the distance from her aunt. Though perhaps not the best parts.

  “Where is the estate?” Copperfield asked.

  “There,” she answered, pointing at the screen and looking at Copperfield like he might have hit his head on the way to the bridge.

  “Yeah but where specifically? Heath, where’s our landing coordinates?”

  The Loon took over and helpfully highlighted their target, an area in the foothills of the planet’s tallest mountain range. As she zoomed in, Heath saw the white caps that represented real snow. He wondered if they might get Ekaterina’s family to let them explore it, this time when there weren’t monsters attacking. A tropical-city upbringing and a life in space didn’t leave a lot of time for winter sports, but he had seen the vids and had plenty of ideas.

  “We are being directed towards the main residence.” Ekaterina was still clearly confused.

  Judging from expressions, it dawned on Copperfield at the same time Heath internalized what the Wizard was saying.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “The whole planet is your estate,” his voice was flat as he announced the connection.

  “Yes, that’s what I said.”

  “No it fucking wasn’t –”

  “Absolutely not –”

  “I misunderstood –”

  “I think,” Heath said, cutting off the rest of his crew who had all tried to speak at once. “We assumed your family had a piece of land on the planet. Not that the whole planet was the estate.”

  “Oh.” Ekaterina cocked her head to the side. “I suppose such misunderstandings make sense. Inaan is not significantly different from most planets of this size, though the population is lower than average. There are a few cities, and much of the land is used for production. My family just keeps tighter control on who is allowed to live there. And the ring.”

  “Right, the ring,” Jenny Mae echoed faintly.

  “So when you say the main residence…” Heath trailed off, hoping she would continue to make sense of what was going on.

  “The mountain range. Our family produces the best ice-magic combat Classers in the Empire. The environment is useful for cultivating such specialties.”

  “Right.” Heath said. “Why not own a whole mountain range?” He was getting hysterical the more he thought of the sheer scale. Families or corporations might own control over the management and development of a planet. That was not always how the colonization went but it wasn’t uncommon. But owning the planet itself was a different matter.

  Ekaterina kept going, as if more explanation would make it less absurd. “The system itself has a high dungeon density. Perfect for training. Including our millennium-cycle rank eight.”

  “Rank eight.” Copperfield said. “Yup, just a casual level-400 dungeon. Everyone has one.”

  “I wouldn’t say casual, but yes.” Ekaterina continued her tour guide routine, as though Copperfield’s comment was in earnest. “My father passed that threshold on the last cycle.”

  “How big is your family,” Jenny Mae asked, cutting Heath off from trying to imagine what a Classer like Lord Althalas might be like. “If you have a whole mountain range to fill?”

  “Several thousand at last count,” she replied promptly. “Of differing relationship to the inheriting branch.”

  Heath had exactly one family member. That kind of genealogy was more difficult to process than owning a planet. Luckily for him, or unluckily as the case may be, they were now close enough to focus on landing. They had been decelerating for an hour, and Heath brought them into their assigned berth with his [Piloting] Skill on display.

  He had expected the kind of area most planet-side spaceports on the Rim used. Namely, an empty field. Maybe with some markers to separate it from the lots next to it. An expectation he should have purged the moment Ekaterina started her explanations, but it hadn’t crossed his mind.

  The Loon touched down on the crest of a hill, one where the top had been leveled, as though a massive sword had sliced off any uneven parts to create a landing perch. For all Heath knew, that was exactly how they did it. The ground was replaced by the kind of mana-conductive metal the very best shipyards used. Surrounding the landing zone was a high wall, and Heath could see various instruments and repair equipment tucked neatly against the stone. As the Loon’s engines powered down, a dome shimmered into existence above. Weather enchantments. To protect a ship that could survive atmosphere-to-vaccuum transitions.

  Heath made a resolution then and there. No gawking at the expenses, or trying to figure out how much anything here cost. It would give him an aneurysm and distract from more important goals. He would just do his best to ignore it all, and act like he belonged here. Fake it til he made it.

  “Everyone ready?”

  The ‘aye Captain’s that came back were not enthusiastic, but they existed. That would be good enough.

  “Loon, you good to hang out here?”

  “Indeed. While I regret that I will not be able to join you all on this leg of the journey, I am a ship. I shall be perfectly comfortable in port.”

  “We’ll visit.”

  “I have no doubt.”

  It was time to go. Heath thought about bringing luggage, as Ekaterina was doing, but decided against it. Their noble was confident they would be asked to stay and treated as honored guests, but it was still a presumption Heath didn’t want to make. Especially as they were going to have to announce themselves as the people who turned their perfect princess into an outlaw and a pirate.

  They stepped off the ship and through the wall surrounding the landing pad. With a closer look, he spied far more than just the weather controls. On the other side, they were confronted with a man in a perfectly tailored livery, with ice-white hair and an expression that Heath was sure could shrivel a Classer at twenty paces. He was also a higher level than Heath, though not by much. Maybe 65 or 70. Mid rank 2 for sure.

  His gaze took them all in, stopping at Ekaterina. He swept into a deep bow. “Welcome home, my lady.”

  “Thank you, Noborov. Glad to be home. This is my delving team.” Not, Heath noticed, her hauler crew. “Are we expected?”

  “Yes, the Admiral sent word ahead. We have prepared apartments for your guests.” The Butler? Majordomo? Escort? Guard? Executed a crisp turn and marched off, leaving them to follow in his wake.

  “My parents have not requested our presence?”

  “I’m afraid they are supervising a training session for your peers.”

  “When do you expect us to see them?”

  “As to that, my lady, I’m sure I couldn’t say.”

  “But it’s been years!” Jenny Mae exclaimed.

  Ekaterina shook her head, ever so slightly. Apparently they were not to comment on the cold reception. “My parents have significant responsibilities. We will see them when they are able to make the time.”

  That was less than ideal. They were still in a race, after all. Their speedy explanations and desperate propositions pitted against the rate at which the news of their piracy could travel. But Heath was not an idiot, even if he’d made some questionable choices, ruining their chances with House Althalas wouldn’t be one of them. If Ekaterina said they had to wait, he was willing to follow her lead. For now.

  He focused on observing this section of the estate. They were being led, not to a castle or manor house, or an on-planet transport shuttle. Instead, they arrived at a nondescript stone building at the base of their hill, vines growing up the walls, and a neatly manicured path leading to the Loon’s enclosure. It was clean and spacious enough for the five of them. He felt a small pang of disappointment he wouldn’t get to see more wonders, then chastised himself for the expectations. These would be generous guest apartments for strangers showing up out of nowhere.

  When they were ushered inside, Heath realized his mistake. This wasn’t a guesthouse. The entire interior was a single large room, coated with magitech.

  Ekaterina strode to the center of the space, unlike the rest of them who had paused to gape at the walls.

  Their guide cleared his throat from a respectful distance several paces behind her. Which would be great if Heath knew what in the nine hells was happening.

  With a sigh and an eyeroll that would have done any teenager proud, Ekaterina deigned to explain. “It’s a teleportation circle. You need to stand in the middle to take us to the main estate.”

  They were a sheepish bunch that joined her.

  “I thought this was part of the main estate,” Jenny Mae said as she took up position.

  “It is, but we don’t let ships come that close to the living quarters.”

  “Oh –”

  Whatever else Jenny Mae might have said was cut off as space twisted. The sensation was familiar, like the gentlest jump Heath had ever experienced.

  When it ended they were somewhere else. This time the transfer circle was obvious. Golden runes gleamed in a twenty foot radius, but the room went much further. Vaulted ceilings and some cleverly placed skylights brightened the harsh granite. It was a light airy space, which in no way concealed the fact that they were now inside a mountain.

  “Your castle is a mountain,” Jenny Mae whispered in awe.

  “Several,” Noborov interrupted. He was already striding away, Ekaterina following with a stiff back and an air of authority Heath had never seen her wear before. Always, she walked like she deserved to be heard, but rarely like she expected to be obeyed.

  There was nothing much to do but scramble to keep up. This part of their journey was part frog march, part guided tour. Their chaperone never slowed or stopped, his pace enough to leave any unClassed or low-leveled person in the dust. At the same time, he regaled them with the history of the estate, and stories about each wing they hurried past.

  Heath would ask Jenny for the summary later. For his part, all he could absorb was ‘money’. As someone trained in hauling cargo, he had a good idea of how much raw materials were worth. He saw exotic woods carved into purely decorative pieces of furniture, or metal trim that was only harvestable under the light of certain stars.

  The rest was beyond him. Artwork and libraries, entire mountains of space dedicated to guest entertainment. The labor costs alone were something he couldn’t fathom, not to get into how each room probably contained enough luxury items to buy half a frontier city.

  It was too much.

  His brain could not handle the overload. Which actually made the rest of the tour pleasant, as he decided to stop trying, and enjoy the mystical fairytale playground he’d been dropped into.

  At least Jenny Mae was unintimidated. While the rest of them had been rubbernecking in stunned silence, she had kept up a steady stream of clarifying questions their tour guide was only too happy to answer.

  “How do you get anything done if it takes hours to get anywhere?” Copperfield whispered to Ekaterina.

  “Ah, the family suites are more compact. And there are additional transport circles we use to get between major areas.”

  “Should we be worried they’re sending us the long way?” Emerald grumbled. The first words they’d spoken since arriving on-planet were tight with barely-leashed concern.

  Ekaterina didn’t answer.