Chapter 61

And so the Empire was at peace, despite the occasional grumble about not having taken the Hegemony down permanently. Work went back to normal, both for Kirim and I, though we were both overjoyed when Cass told us she was pregnant and arranged a grand party for her with all her friends. In this we guessed right, Cass was (and is) a very private person, but thoroughly enjoyed the moment where she ended up in a restaurant surrounded by friends and getting their congratulations. No mention was made of the baby’s father, though pretty much all there knew, even if the official announcement was made as an anonymous donor.

Elsewhere, the Emirate civil war ended and the new Emir was, as we hoped, of the moderate Mirza faction. Amantil also received a request of marriage from him via the High Priestess of Lamolli. This Amantil passed on to the High Court saying she had no objection to the terms of the marriage and the production of an heir from the Emir. She also pointed out that it was to be a marriage in name only, in which she would also produce an heir for the Empire. The Emir would run the Emirate and be supplied with two sons to be grown in artificial wombs and Amantil would bear a child of her body, meeting the Imperial accords that demanded this. Neither would meet except for the marriage ceremony and neither would be heir or in the succession for the other’s Realm, nor would Empire and Emirate amalgamate.

Generally the Court was in agreement with this and voted by a small majority in favour of it. Hence, arrangements were put in place for a massive ceremonial royal wedding which neither Amantil nor the Emir wanted but some things in what passed for the constitutions of both Realms needed to be done to satisfy the legalities.

This naturally meant negotiations which Regencia Meritocrat Bonsarr took on and meant travelling to the Emirate as, despite his victory, the Emir did not dare leave. Things were still fragile as he and Lauralla, the High Priestess of Lamolli, were still weaving together the threads of several alliances by other marriages for him to seal the deal with the various factions as it were.

As Cass and I knew Lauralla, we were invited along with our families or, in Cass’s case, Hiqua and her son, Plenna. It also meant that because it was an official visit, we were travelling in the Superdreadnought Empire’s Wrath to the border of Emirate space where we would be escorted to the Emirate’s capital world of Gamappe where negotiations would take place. Also along were a series of Bureaucrats and a few of the more capable of the Nobles of the Court to assist in negotiations which I knew exasperated Bonsarr as both sides (at the very top) wanted to keep things simple but knew that royal weddings were more of a public spectacle. Both the High Court and the Viziers of the Emirate were determined to get one and be seen to be attending. Naturally both were demanding that it take place in their capitals and this was where the issues were as there was no way either side would risk having their entire ruling groups potentially put at risk by being in foreign territory.

So, the Empire’s Wrath, surrounded by the Emirate Home Fleet (who were all trying to subtly scan the Empire’s Wrath), floated above the beautiful world of Gamappe and waited for permission to disembark our diplomatic party to the Temple of Lamolli where negotiations were to take place.

“This is just silly,” Bonsarr muttered in an aside to me. “Both Amantil and Grigo, the Emir, know what they want and this isn’t it!”

“It’s out of their hands. I don’t know about Grigo, but if Amantil tried to do this by fiat she’d be likely to face a two-thirds veto and she knows this. I was looking up the constitutional requirements for marriage and they lay out what has to be done to make it legal in the Empire for an Emperor or Empress. It has to be done in public, which means witnesses; it also has to be done in front of the whole High Court as well. Hence, a royal wedding and the Court isn’t going to give up their rights and privileges to have it done quietly.”

“Yes, I know,” she sighed. “I also expect it’s similar on the other side.”

“Permission to disembark directly to the Temple of Lamolli has been given,” the AI announced to the party.

“Let’s go and see what can be done,” Bonsarr stated to the party as we boarded the shuttle to take us to the surface.

Unlike the last time I was there with Cass, we did not land at the spaceport, but were permitted to land at the Temple’s own landing pad. As soon as we touched down the shuttle was approached by some sort of delegation and what was an honour guard, all armed, but not wearing armour. We had been warned in advance and we had our own close protection detail with us led by Truvia, Janilla’s second-in-command and a lethal assassin in her own right.

We were led into a large chamber which contained a massive table at which were seated the various Nobles of the Emirate charged with sorting out the wedding. They all stood as we entered. I did recognise Lauralla, still looking young and healthy, flanked by two of her bodyguards, Simma and Rubia. Cass then greeted Lauralla and introduced the Imperial party, after which Lauralla did the same for the Emirate. Cass and I, along with Kirim, Hiqua and my kids were then invited by Lauralla to tour the Temple and have an informal chat.

“It’s good to see you again, Cassire and you too, Dave,” Lauralla began as the doors closed behind us to allow the negotiations to begin.

“You too, Lauralla,” Cass replied with a friendly smile as my two kids and Hiqua’s son, Plenna, darted off ahead of us to view the garden area we were now walking through.

“It is also good to meet you as well, Kirim and Hiqua. Both Dave and Cassire here missed you when they were sorting out my issues. I take it the Empress resolved the incident of your family spying on you, Cassire?”

“She did, though it has caused an estrangement from them that has only just thawed in that my daughter has begun to talk to me again,” Cass admitted.

“I’m glad. Family fights can be terrible things as we in the Emirate found out when the succession became disputed after the accidental death of the designated heir.”

“As am I,” Cass nodded with a slight smile.

“So how is the Emirate these days?” I asked as I watched Simma helping the kids to climb a tree.

“A lot calmer. The planetary fighting is over and the Amirzade faction reduced to impotency. I’m still manoeuvring various allies into positions of power and having several Viziers forcibly retired as an example to others though,” Lauralla replied.

“They weren’t part of the Amirzade faction?” Kirim asked.

“No. Well, not all of them. But they took advantage of the chaos to enrich themselves and remove political rivals and criticisers from amongst the ranks of the administrators. Grigo is mostly pushing for it as he values honesty along with competence. Too many of the Viziers were barely competent, having been placed there by the various factions fighting to be the Emir and who had no interest in actually running the planets efficiently, simply using them as cash cows to finance the factions.”

“And now he needs an heir?” Kirim asked. “Grigo that is.”

“Yes. It will stabilise the internal worlds and lessen the threats from usurpers if there is a line of succession,” Lauralla explained.

“Pretty much the same from Amantil’s point of view. There are still a good few in the High Court unhappy with Bonsarr being the Regencia Meritocrat, as she isn’t nobility,” Cass replied.

“Stupid really, but I know the types and it absorbs them in a petty situation rather than actually doing their jobs,” Lauralla nodded.

“We have a lot of those,” Cass chuckled.

“So do we,” Lauralla replied with a smile as we caught up with the kids who were all hanging out of and swinging on the tree.

We all sat at a table next to a beautiful pool in the gardens as the kids played around us, including ones from the Temple staff as Lauralla explained.

“I used to play here myself before becoming a handmaid and then moving up the Temple ranks,” she finished.

“It’s beautiful,” I nodded.

“It is, which is why, when I got to where I am, I opened it to all, not just a select few. It’s a decision I’ve never regretted.”

“Did Padishah Krii behave himself?” I asked, remembering the odious little man who’d sought to intimidate Lauralla and had ended up being intimidated himself by Lauralla’s bodyguards.

“He was assassinated for his failure by Vizier Ramallo who was the planetary governor here until he was assassinated in turn by Simma for attempting to poison me.”

“Exciting politics you have here,” Hiqua giggled.

“It’s calmed down a lot, but yes, it definitely had its moments,” Lauralla grinned.

“What are your thoughts on the wedding ceremony?” Cass asked her, changing the subject.

“An unnecessary necessity,” Lauralla chuckled. “It can’t be held on Vreekoos as Grigo would have a revolt on his hands if it was thought he wasn’t here and I doubt your High Court wants it here as we still have a few issues with security and killing off the Imperial Court would be too good a target to resist.”

“Pretty much Amantil’s thoughts,” I agreed.

“Hold it at the border on a neutral liner seems to be the best bet,” Hiqua mused out loud.

“No liner big enough and they are susceptible to enemy fire,” I replied.

“True,” Lauralla nodded.

“Space station?” Kirim asked.

“Got one spare?” I chuckled.

“We might have,” Lauralla replied thoughtfully.

“Really?”

“Yes. The one above Vermoth is being replaced in about a hundred planetary rotations. I’m pretty sure it could be towed into the border space and used to stage the wedding. It’s too big to be easily taken out by anything, and no doubt the Empire and Emirate will have a fleet stationed nearby.”

“Seems a reasonable compromise,” I nodded. “Though let’s see what the diplomats come up with.”

“And let them think it’s their idea when they’re stumped,” Kirim giggled.

“Might be the only way to get it sorted,” Lauralla agreed as the kids came running up to get us involved in their games.

It was clear that negotiations were stalled when we got back to the Empire’s Wrath with the rest of the party. The issue was, as Lauralla had surmised, the Emirate didn’t want to take a chance on something happening with Grigo being out of the Emirate and the Empire worrying that something might happen because an incident with all the High Court (more or less) being in one place inside a foreign realm would be a big temptation for the remaining objectors to Grigo’s position to destabilise the Emirate (again).

Our party then sought out Bonsarr and gave her the idea that we’d come up with, with Lauralla.

“A space station towed out to the Emirate border?” she mused rhetorically, holding her chin thoughtfully.

“Yes, the Empire buys it, tows it out there and prepares it, as we aren’t a threat to Grigo,” Kirim added. “We also handle security inside the station other than Grigo’s own personal security.”

“But we both have a fleet positioned near though not within firing distance of the station to prevent interference from outside ... yes, that might work,” Bonsarr nodded slowly. “We’d need to see the station first though.”

“Tell the owners we need it for Sanctify on the Gullen border to act as a trading outpost and clearing station, when we send in someone to have a look,” I suggested.

“Hmm, yes. We’ll need to keep the venue secret until we’re ready.”

“Hope you can sort something. Both Realms get something they need from this situation, if it goes ahead.”

“Yes. We both get suitable heirs; both Realms will ratify the extension to the Accords we have between us; and the border area becomes a lot more stable on the Emirate side of things.”

“And you’ll be able to be just the High Justiciar and not a target for outraged Nobility,” I chuckled.

“Yes, it will be a weight off my shoulders not to be the heir apparent.”

“Just got to sell the plan to the Emirate now.”

“Mmm, but they are reasonable people too. Both sides just have different priorities and problems.”

The following planetary day we were back in the garden with the kids ... or rather I was. Lauralla had taken the ladies out shopping, leaving me to cope. Still, I had plenty of help in the shape of a couple of Lauralla’s bodyguards who were there to ensure nothing happened to us.