Chapter 51

“Cure David, could you follow me please? You have a call,” Herald Forimisto requested.

He led me through to a private office, indicated a tri-dee cube, and then left me to my privacy. The cube then flickered into life and I found myself facing Kirim.

“My love,” I greeted her. “As you can see, reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

“My love,” she sobbed out. “I was heartbroken when Amantil told me; Kiria and Dayyev were in tears.”

“I’m so sorry, my love. I will make them pay for that.”

“Then Myrialis called, and suddenly I had hope again.”

“I suspect the Empire and Amantil had their suspicions something wasn’t right.”

“I think so, but they never said. Oh, it’s just so good to see you again.” She broke down into tears again, as suddenly Kiria and Dayyev appeared in the cube beside her, yelling out “Daddy!” at the tops of their voices.

“My loves,” I greeted them. Now tears from my own eyes flowed.

“I leave the Empire in your capable hands, Regencia Meritocrat Bonsarr,” Amantil, standing in front of the Imperial throne and flanked by Janilla, formally stated before the High Court as she prepared to leave Vreekoos on the latest fleet vessel, the Super-Dreadnaught Empire’s Wrath. A ship which had been designed from the keel up to be a threat to a Raffagee Battlesphere (and anything else that got in its way).

Other than the floating newsie cameras, the Court was quite still for what was essentially just a bit of theatre designed to make Amantil look statesmanlike and show them as wise and understanding.

“I will protect it with all my being until your return, Serenissima,” Bonsarr replied just as formally before Amantil moved to one side to permit Bonsarr to stand in front of the throne.

Amantil then formally stated her aim to the Court. “I go now to bring the worlds of the Republic of Zelnot into the Empire for the high crime of kidnapping an Imperial Cure.” At which they spontaneously rose and applaud her. She continued, “Their independence ends now! Let it be a warning to others who believe they can ignore our power and our determination to keep what is ours!”

“Go with the blessings of Vreekoos and this Court, Serenissima,” Meritocrat Wellat, the High Court Arbitrator, stated. The entire Court gave a formal bow to their Empress.

A lift took Amantil, though without Janilla, who remained with Bonsarr, to a small meeting room where Herrick awaited her, along with Kirim, Kiria and Dayyev as well as Truvia, Janilla’s apprentice.

“Thank you for inviting us, Manny,” a still wan looking Kirim said after a formal greeting by her; Kiria, along with Dayyev, ran up to Amantil for a reciprocated hug.

“It’s the least I could do for you, Kirim. This was supposed to be a simple courtesy to a Realm that had never troubled us in the past and we counted as a small but loyal ally. I never dreamed Dave would be going into danger when I approved his visit.”

“At least he is alive,” Kirim replied, tears flowing again as the stress of the situation overwhelmed her again.

“Yes, the Gershonians were most helpful there and we ... the Empire owe them a small favour for their aid.”

“Yes, I couldn’t believe it when Myrialis called and showed the images of my Dave sitting in their Embassy.”

“We had our suspicions when we were told of his demise in a docking accident,” Amantil nodded. “These things simply do not happen with modern technology and reliable grav-drive systems.”

“Definitely not,” Herrick confirmed with a nod. “We can go up now, the shuttle is ready,” he added.

“Good, let’s go and see what the Zelnots have to say for themselves.”

“The Empress herself will be there?” the (probable) leader of the Women’s Committee asked Abno in surprise.

“Yes, along with the wife and family of Cure David.”

“Oh dear...”

“The Conclave are determined to fight ... or are at least threatening to,” Abno warned.

“And our fleet?”

“Are assembled in the Taloss system and will jump in once the Empress and their Twelfth Fleet arrives.”

“You disapprove of this still, do you, Abno?”

“Very much so. The fault is ours. The Empire sees its Cures as an irreplaceable Imperial asset. Kidnapping one is an act of war. A war we cannot possibly win.”

“Zealot Boge assured us that our fleet is superior to the Imperial fleet.”

“The man is a fool. I remind you that this is their Twelfth Fleet. They currently have eighteen fleets in active service, plus allies. They have also recently fought several wars and are battle hardened.”

“We cannot just give up our sovereignty!” one of the women stated.

“We ensured that it would happen when we kidnapped a Cure and then permitted him to escape. Even then, reporting one killed in an accident a child would not believe was a terrible error of judgement.”

“There is no restitution we could make to remain independent?” the leader asked.

“None, this was a betrayal of our treaty with the Empire that they cannot and will not forgive. They sent David here without a bodyguard because they trusted us. We betrayed that trust totally when the Conclave took it upon themselves to kidnap him and lied to them about his demise.”

At this point a serving clone entered and handed Abno an info-tablet.

“Ladies, the Second Gershonian Royal Fleet has arrived at our borders. We have also detected two other fleet movements, designating one of them Melanoqui, the other a combination of Hiren, Herstmosow and Truvik flotillas.”

“Do they come to our aid?” the woman who had asked about sovereignty now asked in a hopeful voice.

“Do not be foolish! These are all staunch Allies of the Empire,” Abno retorted.

“You dare call me foolish?” came the reply in threatening tones.

“I do, for it was.”

“Indeed it was,” the leader agreed. “When Amantil arrives, begin negotiations for the Republic to unconditionally surrender and be integrated into the Empire. Order our fleet to stand down and the arrest of the Conclave.”

“I will.”

“Try to preserve what you can of our ways, Abno.”

“I will, though I suspect Amantil will wish to speak to you as well.”

“We women work in the background.”

“That will not alter her determination to have words with you.”

“If that is what is required to prevent our worlds going down if flames and ruin, that is what we shall do.”

“She will also want to know exactly who she is dealing with ... all of you.”

“That is to be expected.”

“I will carry out your commands,” Abno nodded. “First I must inform the people of what was done by their Conclave and what the Republic must do to make amends.”

“You will have our support in this.”

“Thank you. I believe a good few of our citizens are not going to like the truth.”

“Indeed not, but it is infinitely better than fighting an enraged foe for an act of barbarism on the part of the ruling Conclave,” the leader stated before the image of the committee blanked out.

I was sitting in the rest room, drinking a large glass of a drink the Gershonians called greth which was some sort of citrus-tasting liquor combined with a bit of a caffeine type of stimulant. Around me were a few of the Gershonians I’d got to know over the last few planetary days and whom I now considered friends, including the gate guard Kilimaris and the Herald Forimisto. Things had become a little tense as the Embassy had at one stage been surrounded by armed Peacekeepers, though they had withdrawn a day (planetary day, about 18 hours) ago.

Mostly we just swapped tales and commented on the situation as well as had a good few laughs at the various adventures we’d all to a degree been involved in.

Our banter ended however when the tri-dee screen in the rest room interrupted some sort of soap opera to announce a planetary wide broadcast by the senior Zealot. Abno then appeared and gave a measured statement of exactly what had happened, who had done what and the Empire’s response coupled with the Zelnot one.

“They’re going to surrender?” Kilimaris said into the stunned silence.

“That’s what he said,” Forimisto replied.

“Are Cures so important then?” Kilimaris asked me.

“To the Empire they are an irreplaceable asset,” I replied. “The rules on harming one are the equivalent of treason if done by an Imperial subject, or an act of war if done by a foreign government,” I replied.

“I’m glad I let you over the boundary field,” she replied swallowing slightly.

“Definitely a smart move,” Forimisto chuckled.

I commented, “It occasionally causes issues with my job if I’m ... treating a foreign national and they don’t understand the rules. Mostly though it just results in a reprimand or a threat of sanctions, not an annexation of an entire Realm. I guess Amantil is making an unequivocal statement to a few Realms on what happens if you really piss off the Empire.”

“You can say that again,” Forimisto agreed. “We had word today that the Second Royal Fleet moved up to the border of the Republic in a show of support for the Empire. Also that other Allies were sending a fleet each as well, including the Melanoqui.”

“Guess all of them were determined to make a statement,” I said thoughtfully.

“Yes, we stand by our Ally and they’ll stand by us,” Forimisto agreed. “Or in the case of some it will be sucking up, as I gathered the Empire wasn’t best pleased by the actions of some Realms during the Raffagee war.”

“That’s true,” I nodded.

The Empire’s Wrath emerged from XD space and moved to a position designated for it in the standard table of disposition used by Fleet Command.

“All is ready, Serenissima,” Admiral Hark informed Amantil as she and her guests relaxed in the massive conference room set up in the centre of the ship. “Our allies are in position, though will not interfere unless there is some sort of incident.”

“Hopefully there won’t be, the Zelnotians have sent a message indicating that they will accede to our demands. That said, there may be incidents by individuals who will not accept their surrender for what they did.”

“Yes, Serenissima. It could take generations to weed out if the leadership is not fully behind this surrender.”