Chapter 58

There was a scream of ‘Kiria’ from someone, I’m not exactly sure who and the military AI in my armour did not identify them as it had gone into overdrive in sealing off my ‘wound’ even whilst I, despite being in shock, scrabbled to pick up my severed arm to re-attach it.

The aliens had begun a dirge of some type though were not acting hostilely (as yet) and several Troopers were keeping an eye on them.

“We’ve got you Kiria,” I heard Flinn’s voice. “Torun, start re-attaching the arm, blood and bone only.”

“Got it!” I heard Torun’s voice seemingly from a distance.

“Well done, Kiria. Good blow,” Truvia said as she came into my view.

“Could have done without the fuss of losing an arm,” I said weakly.

“They’re putting it back,” she chuckled. “Not like you lost it and they had to re-grow it.”

“That’s true.”

“Hold still or I’ll put you out,” Flinn warned.

“No problem, oh, and no Cure either. I’ll sort any scarring myself.”

“They wouldn’t cure you for losing an arm, you wimp,” Torun added.

“You aren’t the one missing an arm!”

“You aren’t missing it. Nearly got it back on, see.”

“Better not be on backwards!” I joked, slowly coming down from my shock with the help of Flinn and her wand.

“Like you’d notice.”

“I think I might notice something like that, it’s why I made Commander,” I laughed.

“Ooh, she’s pulling rank on us, Flinn.”

“Won’t be the only one, if you don’t hurry up.”

“Bones and major vessels attached, setting up the minor ones and repairing tissue damage to re-attach muscles and sinews.”

“Good ... whoa, the aliens!”

The entire group of aliens that had simply stood there whilst we duelled were now collapsing.

“No life signs,” Flinn added somewhat redundantly.

“Got a nanite injection repairing the medial, radial and ulnar nerves,” Torun informed me.

“Could have waited,” I replied, somewhat surprised.

“Well, as I was here...” she chuckled.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. The real problem is heading down here to tell you off, I reckon.”

“Oh, you got that right,” I sighed.

I now noticed that the Troopers who had been with me had formed a cordon around me to prevent anyone staring at what Flinn and Torun were up to, though I didn’t really need the privacy. They did part to let Commanders Gust, Terk and Vicce through though.

“Status on your patient?” Gust asked Flinn, keeping it formal.

“She’ll be on her feet in five rotations; full recovery, less than a binary cycle,” Flinn replied.

“At least she had the sense to duel where Healers were available,” he noted with a wry smile.

“Ended this gods awful war though.”

“She did that, now she just has to explain to the Empress about usurping Royal prerogatives. But I suspect she’ll be forgiven for that,” Gust chuckled.

“Usurping Royal prerogatives?” I asked.

“You committed to a duel in the Empress’ name, not your own.”

“Er ... oops?”

“Pretty much sums it up,” Flinn chuckled. “For the record, she wasn’t given time to get permission.”

“True,” Truvia added.

“Plus it wasn’t likely we’d lose,” Loss chuckled. “We’d never hear the end of it.”

“You’d be dead,” Flinn laughed.

“Like that would stop some people.”

“Tenshun!” senior Monitor Mack roared out as I spotted blue armour approaching.

All the Troopers immediately drew themselves to attention, including Flinn and Torun, who hauled me to my feet.

“Salute!” Mack added as all except me slammed their fists across their chests, whereas I couldn’t due to the nerve damage still being repaired around my wound.

“Well done, Ground Force!” Amantil spoke out. “Your Empress and the people of the Empire salute your bravery and courage at laying this final threat of the aliens to rest. There will be a proper thank you later no doubt as well as awards for courage. For now though, assist with the clean up as well as any other duties you have,” she added to the listening Troopers, most of whom were bursting with pride at actually getting to see her.

“Thank you, Serenissima,” Marshall Tuvic replied as the highest commanding officer present.

“I saw that Commander Kiria was injured?”

“She was, Serenissima,” Gust replied. “I believe she will be ... functional very soon.”

“Please arrange for the three in the duel to attend me at Imperial Tower when her initial wound allows.”

“Oh hell! She’s pissed at me,” I murmured, as for all Amantil could clearly see Truvia, Loss and me, she totally blanked us, a sure sign that she was irritated.

“By your command, Serenissima,” Gust replied as all who could saluted.

Twenty rotations later, the three of us who had fought the head aliens exited a lift in Imperial Tower to enter one of the High Courts that Amantil was using as her on-site headquarters. Flinn and Torun had done an excellent job on my arm, though it was still totally numb from below the shoulder as the nanites shut off all feelings while they continued the internal repairs.

Unlike her usual policy of turning up after her visitors were security scanned, Amantil was already there, waiting sat on a throne wearing the Royal Diadem and flanked by her Security Group as well as several Court Members, mostly of the Nobility, all of whom were expressionless.

We came to a halt before the raised dais and Loss and I saluted, or rather Loss did and my armour saluted for me.

“Well done, all of you,” Amantil began. “You saved hundreds of lives and the Empire is grateful for your efforts. However, in doing so you also breached Imperial High Law and committed lese-majesté.”

“I take full responsibility, Serenissima,” I replied. “Prefect Loss was under my command and simply obeyed orders. Imperial Bodyguard Truvia was under instructions to stay at my side.”

“Confirmed,” the melodious voice of an AI stated into the silence.

“Prefect Loss, Imperial Bodyguard Truvia, you have been found not guilty of lese-majesté. You will, however, remain here and act as witnesses to this enquiry, if required,” Amantil stated.

“Yes, Serenissima,” they both replied.

“Commander Kiria, do you plead guilty to lese-majesté?”

“I do, Serenissima.”

“Your justification?”

“The alien boss would allow no time for consultation. To save the lives of potentially hundreds of my command, I accepted its challenge.”

“And so you took it upon yourself to usurp my authority and agreed to fight in my place?”

“I did, Serenissima.”

“Did you consider the consequences of what would happen if you lost?”

“Yes, Serenissima. I presumed you’d arrange for your Imperial Bodyguards to be issued with appropriate armour in order to end this crisis.”

“You believed they could win?”

“Truvia, Loss and I had already despatched several bosses, so yes, Serenissima. I was certain that we could win or our replacements certainly would.”

“I see,” Amantil nodded. “Members of the Court, your thoughts?”

“Whilst certainly guilty of lese-majesté, I see no reason to punish Commander Kiria more than a demand for an apology, Serenissima,” High Court Arbitrator Wellat replied.

“Lives were saved, even if she was forced to trample over protocol,” Meritocrat Taisha added. “Nor could it be conceived of as treason.”

“Agreed,” Amantil replied, seeing the consensus of those gathered. “Had there been time, I would anyway simply have chosen a champion to represent the Empire.”

“I believe we need to have the High Court and the AIs examine these laws with regards to circumstances like these where the Royal prerogative is impugned, yet no harm or insult meant,” Wellat suggested. “That we have had to drag Commander Kiria before the Court is a travesty of justice, yet such is the law.”

“I realise this, old friend. Yet under the current laws of the Empire, it cannot be allowed without immediate challenge.”

“We, the High Court, leave this to your discretion, Serenissima,” Wellat replied after glancing around and seeing the nods of agreement from the other members attending.

“Thank you, Nobles and Meritocrats. You serve me well and wisely as always,” Amantil acknowledged.

“Serenissima,” all replied with a simple nod.

“Commander Kiria, this court finds you guilty of lese-majesté in usurping a Royal prerogative. You will apologise and beg forgiveness for your act.”

“I apologise for usurping your prerogative, Serenissima. I would not have done so had I been allowed to consult and only did it to save lives. I beg your forgiveness for this.”

“Accepted, Kiria. I’m truly proud of you and your actions, but the law allows for no leeway for such acts, which is why we’re going to look at changing the law.”

“Thank you, Serenissima.”

“It’s Manny now, my lovely girl, and I believe your parents and fiancé want a word with you,” Amantil chuckled.

“Oh hell...”

“Yep, you’re going to get it far worse from them than you ever would from me.”

I was immediately surrounded by my family as well as Tillan and Aunt Cass, who was simply confirming the work Flinn and Torun had done and who, after finishing, just gave me a smile and went over to have a word with them.

“Oh, Kiria, you silly girl,” my Mum said through falling tears as she hugged me in spite of my armour.

“I wasn’t given a choice, Mum,” I replied, getting emotional myself now it was over.

“I know,” Dad nodded. “Manny wasn’t exactly best pleased initially, but the reports confirmed your hands were tied.”