It was at that moment that Jenna realized that Lucy also wanted Jenna to babysit her baby.  The horror washed over her like someone had just poured hot maple syrup all over her.

Ixy cut in.  “I don’t have immediate access to the rail guns in the Salt Palace, but if you say the word, Jenna, I’m sure I can get access.”

Jenna didn’t answer Ixy.  “I’m not your baby’s auntie,” she said calmly to Lucy, still keeping her voice as soft as possible.  “Through you, I’m their second cousin once removed.  Through his father, your baby is my ex-husband’s child.”

“But you never had a real relationship with Armen,” Lucy said hurriedly.

“Yeah… I didn’t,” Jenna agreed.  “Look, Lucy.  It’s clear that you don’t understand my circumstances.  I can’t be your baby’s auntie.  I have a job to do that has nothing to do with you.”

“Armen and I could help you with your diplomatic work and wouldn’t it be amazing for Celestina to do a show on your growing family?” Lucy said, offering everything she could think of.

“You want to be a reality TV star?” Jenna gasped.  “That’s the last thing in the world I need.”

“You just aren’t thinking about this,” Lucy continued.  “If you really considered how great it would be to have a child running around the palaces and all the unique footage Celestina could get, I’m sure you’d change your mind…”

Jenna had begun crying.  If it appeared that she was crying because she was tortured at the thought of having Lucy and Armen’s child running around all beautiful under her nose, then she was lucky.  Instead, she was crying because if she didn’t cry, she’d stand up and beat Lucy’s head with the first rock she could grab.  As it was, she was eyeing a particularly large hunk of pink salt that had a lamp inside it.

Lucy said more before she noticed Jenna’s emotional state.  “See?” Lucy said kindly.  “You need us here.  All this is too much for you.”

Jenna stood up and looked down at Lucy.  ”I need you to leave.  I am completely inflexible on the issue of crowning your unborn child.  I won’t do it.  I need adult diplomats.  Thank you for taking care of my cat.  I wish you all the best in your delivery and your family in the future.  I only need to talk to Armen for a moment and then I’ll be off.  We should say goodbye now.”

Lucy stood up.  “Surely, we need to talk about this more.”

Jenna put her arms around her cousin for a microsecond.  Lucy didn’t even have time to return the hug.  

Turning to Sardius, Jenna asked, “Where’s Armen?”

“He’s on the front deck, pacing.”

“Goodbye,” Jenna said to Lucy and walked away.

“Wait,” Lucy said, waddling behind her.  “I’m coming too.”

Jenna did not wait for her.  Instead, she pushed ahead, listening for the beat of Sardius’ feet behind her.  

When she came around the Salt Palace, she saw Armen and was in for an unexpected delight.  Seeing Lucy looking so much worse for wear did not make Jenna happy.  Seeing Armen look so much worse for wear made her very happy.  An evil smile spread across her features and helped to dry her face.  She hoped to pass the look off as welcoming.  “Hello, Armen,” she said in her perfectly professional tone.

He turned toward her.  His tan was faded, he was thinner, and she spotted a whole patch of his hair had turned gray in the back.  Did he know about it?

Armen put out his hand.  “Nice to see you, Jenna.”

She shook his hand and glanced at his ear.  The PA’s earpiece was still there.  

“I suppose you know why I wanted to see you,” she said brightly.

“No.  I haven’t the faintest clue,” he said, trying to look like he honestly expected nothing.  

Jenna knew he was lying.  What he thought was written all over his face.  He thought that he and Lucy were there because at least one of the three of them was going to be crowned.  

Jenna wasn’t cruel enough to make him wait to find out that his hopes were being dashed to pieces.  “I came to ask you for your earpiece back.”

“Oh,” he said, touching it, but not immediately removing it.  Armen dropped his hand.  “Sorry.  I just didn’t expect to hear you say that.  I was worried about what coming here would mean.  If I’d be welcome or not.  I wasn’t sure.  Was I only invited to return the earpiece?”

Jenna nodded.  “Is it still working?”

“Yes.  No one bothered to reassign him.  If you remember, his name is Jisbet.”

Jenna’s eyebrow twitched.  “Really?  May I speak to him?  Ixy, can you patch me through?”

“No need,” Ixy said with a giggle in Jenna’s ear.  “I know what’s going through your mind, Madam Diplomat.  You are curious about how his PA could be a man when hardly anyone lived through the prison riot over at the men’s prison?”

“Exactly,” Jenna said to Ixy, pleased Armen couldn’t hear Ixy’s half of the conversation.  “What’s the explanation?”

“His he is a she and her cell is above ours.  She uses a voice-altering program.  Armen thinks she’s male and a tiny octopus in his ear.  Jenna, if I have ever earned any favor in your sight, please do not tell him that Jisbet is a woman.  It would ruin so many things.”

Jenna rolled her eyes and turned back to Armen.  He had no idea that he was being gawked at in his private moments by a cluster of women in a prison.  “It’s a relief that you’ve kept the earpiece in good condition,” she said to Armen.  “Can you please remove it for me?”

Armen kept his hands at his sides.  “I’m afraid not.  It’s glued in.”

Jenna nodded.  “I see.  Ryatt, would you do the honor?” She took a step back.

Sardius snapped open his boot and retrieved a cruel-looking instrument that had multiple pointy parts.  

The day got more satisfying as Sardius loomed over Armen.  Jenna hadn’t realized that Armen was kind of a small guy before.  His skin was too smooth too.  He looked smaller and wussier than even Fallcet and that was saying something. 

Armen squirmed while Sardius palmed his head and put the tool in his ear.

Lucy chose that exact moment to come around the corner.  She screamed.

Armen turned his head.

The earpiece popped right out.  

“Got it,” Sardius said pleasantly before he returned the tool to his boot.  

Jenna let Armen explain to Lucy what they were doing.  

When he was finished, Jenna waved a farewell wave to them.  “Have a good trip back to Octavia Five.  As a baby present, I’ve decided to give you my grandfather’s house.”  After the two of them had lived there, Jenna wasn’t going to want to go there ever.  It was all right.  After all, it wasn’t really her grandfather’s house anymore.

“Wait!” Armen said, closing the distance between them.  “Don’t you care about the house itself?  It’s that too much of a sacrifice?”

“Don’t worry about a single thing.  Take it with my compliments.  I hope the three of you have a beautiful life together.”

“Are you cutting us off?” Armen said, chasing after Jenna and Sardius.

Lucy was following too, but at a much slower pace.

“Let’s not call it that,” Jenna said over her shoulder.  “Just take care of your family, Armen.  Ryatt, sever the connection to the Salt Palace and let it go adrift.”  

She turned back to Armen.  She and Sardius were on the dock of the Stone Palace and Armen and Lucy were on the dock of the Salt Palace.  Sardius had opened the locks and the Salt Palace was floating away.

“You shouldn’t do this.  Lucy will call all the news outlets.  She’ll say things you wouldn’t even imagine,” Armen shouted across the distance.

“And every time she does, I will say that I love her like a sister, no matter what she says about me.  I wish you all the best.  Say whatever pleases you.  I’m too busy to watch the news.  I have far too much work to do.  A pod will arrive at your door within the hour.  It will take you anywhere you want to go.  You can decide when to take it, but my hospitality does not extend any further than the end of today.  Goodbye.”  Jenna turned on her heel and walked away without a backward glance.

“You didn’t owe Lucy that pack of assuaging lies,” Sardius said to Jenna, referring to what she said about being jealous of her pregnancy and of her marriage to Armen.

“Yeah… I did,” she said wistfully as they walked back.

“Why?”

“Because I’m never giving her anything else.  I don’t care that she took Armen.  She didn’t exactly take him.  He chose her over me and that’s fine.  I’m glad he did.”  Then she spoke to Ixy.  “Please let me know when they’ve left.”

“They’re arguing.  I’m listening through the microphones.  Now, I like listening to people fight, but this is next level.  Lucy is a piece of work.  I’ve never heard you rage like that, Jenna.”

“Stop listening to them, Ixy.  Just let me know when they’ve left.  I need to have them off my mind before the AAMC nominees get here.”

***

Lucy and Armen left later that night when she went into labor.  Naturally, Jenna did not hear if they had a boy or a girl.