Chapter 21

The following work period I was with the rest of the team, minus Sakla who was being rotated out to other duties.

“Do we know who we’re getting?” I asked Trusha.

“Not yet. There’s some competition for the spot as it’s seen as good training in urban situations,” she replied.

“Not because it’s easy and with travel?” Amanda asked cheekily.

“Most certainly not,” Trusha huffed, looking a little put out ... and guilty.

“Sakla was good. Hope he enjoys his new tasks,” Verlig added.

“He will be joining Herrick’s taskforce aimed at taking down the Verglis Entertainment Centre Group who have reputedly managed to get hold of energy resistant shields as well as hyperbeam weaponry,” Liono informed him.

“How the hell did they get those?” I enquired.

“Corruption in a Ground Force Supplier.”

“Figures,” I sighed. The Empire, for all it was well monitored by ImpSec and the AIs, had a number of criminally minded entrepreneurs who were constantly coming up with new ways to get around restrictions.

“AI, can you update us on Parros, please?” Haelee requested.

“Local ImpSec are aware of rising tensions, but have so far been unable to locate a source,” it replied.

To which Amanda added, “It is prevalent in the lower levels where there is no extensive monitoring and it is merely noted as a rise in criminal activity affecting the majority.”

“Widespread?” I asked.

“Yes. No direct source though.”

“Guess we’ll all have to go look,” I nodded thoughtfully.

“That we will.”

“Just been notified,” Trusha interrupted. “Sakla’s replacement will be Larre.”

“Wonder how many favours he called in?” Amanda teased.

“You’ll never know,” Liono teased back.

“How many tours will he be doing?” I asked.

“Two, then it will be someone else,” Trusha replied.

“Travel out in advance, check the visit sites and then travel back in comfort,” I chuckled.

“Along with any extra stuff we might need him for,” Torric added.

“True enough,” Amanda nodded. “He should be OK; he coped with Vicki for over a year,” she finished with a giggle.

“Including the infamous lift lock-in,” I grinned.

“That was him? I wasn’t sure from your sketch and thought it was Regis.”

“Pretty sure it was, just from later sketches and a bit of reminiscing, but Kilios and Vicki aren’t saying.”

“No comment,” both Trusha and Liono added, speaking simultaneously.

“And if you value your life, you won’t quiz Vicki on it,” Amanda laughed, making us all smile, including the bodyguards.

“Yes, I think we all recognise the wisdom of that,” Torric chuckled.

“All in the past,” Trusha stated. “I take it there’s nothing on the other planets we’ll be visiting?”

“Other than possible crowd issues as neither have ever had a Royal visit, no,” Amanda replied.

“We have confirmed the new crowd restriction protocols with the Governors and their staff. They and the AIs will implement them,” the AI replied.

“Good, we want to avoid another Trevaglion situation.”

“Amen to that,” Torric replied as we all nodded.

Several days later the Gloriana slipped into orbit above Parros and approached the station. Whilst there was the usual myriad of craft giving us a welcome, it wasn’t the throngs we’d seen in past visits to other planets. Nor as far as we could tell were the viewing areas of the station crowded to capacity.

“Is this the crowd safety protocols at work?” I asked the AI.

“No, Dayyev. Crowd capacity has not been reached.”

“Interesting,” I murmured thoughtfully.

The reception we got when leaving the boarding tube though was enthusiastic and Amanda’s presence had the crowd enthralled as she did her walkabout, accepting gifts from the young and engaging in conversation with the adults. In short, very typical for a visit and nothing outwardly amiss.

Afterwards, once Amanda was in a meet and greet with the station Command Staff, Liono and I went out to sketch as well as assess the station’s residents. I found a lot of the adults were somewhat surly and standoffish, but I soon had a crowd of the younger ones around me, getting themselves sketched and gradually opening up to me.

“So why are some of them so ... grumpy?” I asked Flennish, a gang member, my current subject.

“It’s cos of the tithe,” he shrugged.

“Tithe?”

“Yeah, the Temple of Ezrone got the Governor to sign off on a bill to fund them. It’s supposed to be voluntary, but you have to opt out and if you do...” He shrugged. “Accidents happen.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. They also send their enforcers around to keep order and stop people having fun.”

“Doesn’t sound like any religion I’ve ever heard of,” I frowned.

“Yeah, well, a lot of people were Ezronites here, so they’re the ones pushing for it, miserable shleckers.”

“All done and thanks. I now know who to keep out of the way of,” I chuckled.

“No problem. Damn, that’s good,” he marvelled at his portrait.

“My pleasure.”

It was soon obvious that the issue facing Parros was to do with religion, though I wanted to check on the planet itself. I did report it to our group and had it confirmed by Torric who had called in at the medical centre to check on the health status of the station.

“I’m not sure why this hasn’t made it through to ImpSec or via the various other channels available to complainants,” Amanda noted with a frown.

“AI, are the planetary AIs compromised or the communication relays blocking certain traffic?” I asked.

“Unknown, but I am being blocked from interfacing with them,” the AI replied.

“I suspect that someone or other is trying to assume control via religion or at least religious zealotry,” Verlig noted.

“That’s what Flennish was implying as well. I think we need to check the religion of the head of ImpSec here too,” I suggested.

“We will. Though other than indifference from some of the populace, it doesn’t appear threatening. Still if they are forcing an involuntary tithe from non-believers, that is a breach of the Rights and Obligations Charter of the Empire,” Amanda replied.

“Well, we’ll be meeting the Governor tomorrow, guess we can ask.”

“That may not exactly be wise if he is the promotor of it,” Trusha warned.

“Yes, you’re right. This may run far deeper than simply him and the Ezronites,” Amanda replied. “Everyone, be on your guard and we’ll investigate further when we’re down there.”

The following morning we all shuttled down to the surface. I do know Trusha had been in contact with Larre and had found out that large swaths of the planet were off limits to visitors, though the ship’s AI could not find a reason for it in the limited database it could access. Still, all seemed well as the spaceport was crowded with people who had turned out to see Amanda and cheered loudly when she made her appearance.

The official reception though was different. Only the deputies of the Governor and a few of the High Bureaucrats were there to greet Amanda, not the high-ranking officials themselves. This was a subtle snub that was missed by the crowd, but not by our group. Amanda, though, took it in her stride and paid it no heed, being gracious to all, including those she met on her walkabout. Also noticeable was a small group of very vocal protestors, who were all carrying banners of some type decrying the Empire’s lack of morals, including that of the Empress.

These Amanda ignored, though I sketched the scenes, making sure to catch the anger and hostility of the crowd as they were held back by the local equivalent of the Guardians.

Afterwards, having been taken to a set of rooms in a luxury hotel and not the Governor’s residence, we all gathered whilst Trusha and Liono scanned and removed a ridiculous number of scanning and listening devices. We were then joined by Larre once it was safe for him to enter unidentified by the planetary authorities.

“OK, this appears to be a little more than a dissatisfied planet,” Haelee stated as our meeting got underway.

“The problem would seem to be the actions of the Ezronite Temple and its priesthood, who are more or less taking over the governance of the planet with the collusion of the Governor, several High Bureaucrats and the local Head of ImpSec,” Larre explained.

“Do they not realise that there is no opting out of Imperial control of a planet?” Amanda asked.

“I’m sure they do, Serenissimé. However, they are using strongarm tactics to keep the masses under control, as well as using a tithe to keep them impoverished.”

“And controlling the AI network too ... somehow,” I added.

“Is there any reason or excuse for this behaviour?” Amanda asked.

“Apparently they consider the Empire is a cess pit of immorality; headed by a whore who is married but sleeps with another man,” Larre explained bluntly. “Hence, the Ezronites will not meet with you, won’t have you in their buildings and will protest your presence everywhere you go,” he continued.

“Time to pop the diadem on. Summon the senior Nobles and Bureaucrats. Lets give them a reminder of what real power is about,” Amanda stated flatly.

“Could be dangerous,” Trusha advised.

“My family’s Empire, our rules.”

“Yes, Serenissimé.”

“Planetary AI?”

There was no answer, though Amanda didn’t look surprised.

“Planetary AI, override, Amanda, alpha 2. Restore Imperial control to original parameters.”

“Restored,” came the reply. “How may we serve you, Serenissimé?”

“Lock all Ezronite control out of the system. The Ezronite Temple and its followers are interdicted from the Empire’s AI network until a full investigation has been made of their activities.”

“Complying.”

“Ezronite tithe is suspended indefinitely and all funds taken are to be returned to the people who paid it.”

“Complying.”

“Planetary Council are summoned to a conference at this hotel. Non-attendance will be grounds for dismissal or suspension.”

“Arrangements made. Council notified,” the AI replied. “Planetary Governor is demanding an audience.”

“Explain to Hisuat Indost that a Hisuat does not demand anything from a Princess Royal. He or she politely requests.”

“Complying.”

“Unlock any blocking of the interstellar array by the Council or the Governor.”

“Complying. You have other requests from Council members who would like an explanation of your high-handed actions.”

“Remind them of just who runs the Empire and who her daughter is.”

“Complying. The senior priest of the Ezronite Temple is exhorting his followers to march on the hotel and demand restitution of the Temple’s right to gather the tithe. He has not mentioned violence, though the crowd are extremely turbulent.”

“Neural pulse any who get violent or breach the secure perimeter.”

“By your command. You have a call from Her Serenissima.”

“Put her through, please.”

“Amanda,” Amantil stated gravely once the connection had been made.

“Mother,” Amanda replied with a nod.

“The AIs from Parros are suddenly reporting some form of insurrection. Care to explain?”