Hero's Return, page 6
Every head in the room turned to look at Julie.
“Finally, you’re here!” Anna exclaimed and patted a spot on the sofa next to her.
“About time,” Dot Evers stated. “All of us have questions.”
“But I asked mine first. Viceroy, you seldom go anywhere without Allison,” Julie stated, but her raised eyebrow turned it into a question.
“Admiral Evers didn’t tell me what was so important when she insisted I come to Pegasus,” Kyle Kane began. “Pegasus is part of the Confederation, and I get routine reports on what’s going on, so I knew that crews had begun work on Superb. I read between the lines and assumed someone had found the body.”
Kyle didn’t have to elaborate any further. Everyone knew who “the body” referred to.
“I felt it was important to limit the number of people who knew that,” Dorothy defended herself.
Kyle nodded and continued.
“You were one of Hazard’s closest friends. I’m surprised you’d ask that question. You know what kind of relationship the two of them had. I didn’t tell her I suspected that workers had found Hazard’s body. I wasn’t sure how she would take it. So, I made up an excuse and came alone.”
Julie stared at the leader of the human portion of the United Federation of Planets before sitting down next to Anna.
“Why are we all heading for Earth?” Dorothy asked. “And in such a hurry?”
“Because there’s special equipment on Earth we need to help heal Hazard.”
“But Doctor Solinger said there wasn’t anything he could do,” Anna pointed out.
“He didn’t have all the facts,” Julie responded.
“Nanites,” Scott Conners said, and everyone except Julie turned to look at the ambassador.
“Nanites.” Julie nodded.
Then she raised a hand to cut off the questions she knew were coming.
“It’s well known that Carl Brougham developed a nanite-based vaccination that would protect against any version of the Black Dragon Virus. He was able to do that because of the data we recovered on Earth.”
“And we went to Earth looking for it because of Hazard’s foresight,” Dorothy Evers stated.
“And his guts,” Scott added. “He knew going wouldn’t be popular if the general populace found out. Especially if the Senate, who bore no love for him, whipped them up into a frenzy.”
“That’s all true, but not pertinent to the story. The Black Dragon cure wasn’t the first nanite-based vaccine Carl Brougham developed, only the latest. Years ago—over twenty years, in fact, when he was Empress Elizabeth’s physician—he developed a universal vaccine to protect the empress from every virus known to man. Once he was certain it was safe, he inoculated the empress, the crown prince, and the spare heir.”
“So Hazard received this universal vaccine. What did it protect him from?” Annalese asked. “And is it responsible for his partial healing?”
“It protected him from everything. I’ve known Hazard since he was in his early twenties. Dorothy, you and Scott have known him almost as long. Do either of you remember him ever being sick?”
The two looked at each other.
“Not that I can recall,” Scott said and looked at Dorothy. She shook her head.
“The nanites were responsible for that. As for whether those nanites helped heal Hazard, Doctor Brougham didn’t stop his research there. He developed an improved nanite that not only immunized the royals but would also help their bodies repair injuries.
“Then there was the last iteration of the medical nanites,” Julie continued, “ones that would repair serious injuries. Carl developed those at Hazard’s request to heal Hiroko after her injuries in the Echo System battle.”
“Why didn’t they continue healing Hazard, then?” Kyle Kane asked.
“I’m glad you asked, Kyle. And I do mean you, specifically,” Julie began. “You see, the body uses up these special medical repair nanites during repairs. And while they do self-replicate, the body can use them faster than they can reproduce. I think Hazard’s body was using them to fix his injuries and used them all up.”
“And there are more on Earth. That’s why we’re suddenly going there,” Dorothy said.
“There is a nanite fabricator on Earth. Fleet HQ sent it out here just in case we needed to fabricate Black Dragon nanites. I’m hoping there is some secret menu buried in the programming that will enable it to create the special repair nanites.”
“And if it can’t?” Anna asked.
“There is a source of those nanites on Earth. If we can get some of them, I’m betting the fab unit can replicate them,” Julie said, then looked at Kyle. “That’s why I asked about your wife. You see, after all the assassination attempts that happened right after Edward’s attempted coup, Elizabeth ordered Doctor Brougham to give the special nanites to all of her children. I’m almost certain Allison doesn’t know they’re inside her, but Hazard was certain she had them.”
“How do you know all this?” Kyle Kane asked.
“Remember when assassins almost killed Hazard on Icarus?”
“I thought they almost killed his double,” Anna said.
“They did. And they did kill his comms officer and two Marines. The assassins, an ex-Imperial Security wet team, almost got the real prince by accident. Hazard was at the rear of the party, picked up a pulse rifle from a fallen Marine, and started blasting away. One of the snipers clipped him in the leg. His fast recovery amazed Shinto’s doctors, and he asked me, as the ship’s captain, to run interference for him. We’d already developed our special relationship by then, but I had to know the actual story. So he shared it with me.”
“Based on that story, he must have shared stories about his relationship with Allison,” Kyle said.
Julie started to laugh, then saw the look on the viceroy’s face and cut it off.
“I’m sorry. I always assume you know Hazard as well as the rest of us. But you don’t, do you?”
“Let’s just say our relationship started badly, mainly due to my mother’s desire to seek power through me and my Kane lineage. We did become friends, though.”
“And Hazard wouldn’t have put you in charge of rebuilding Earth if he didn’t trust you,” Scott said.
“I laughed, Kyle, because Hazard is a very private person. So is Hiroko. He seldom shares anything about his family, and that includes Allison. But he didn’t have to tell me about his frosty relationship with her. I saw it on numerous occasions.”
“Then you must understand, I don’t know how my wife will respond to this. That her dead brother is now alive. That she can help restore him to full health.”
“I’m wondering, Julie,” Scott said, “and I’m sure Kyle is wondering as well, what you’ll do if Allison chooses not to share samples of her blood to develop the nanites?”
Julie’s quick glance at Kyle showed Scott was right.
He’s worried I’ll use the power I have to force her to help.
“I love my wife. She’s the perfect partner and has been invaluable to me in trying to rebuild Earth. But she can be difficult.”
Both Julie and Scott snorted at the comment. They’d both seen the bitchy side of Allison not once, but several times.
“Very difficult at times,” Kyle continued, “but if you try to force her…”
Julie held up a hand to stop him before he could finish the sentence.
“There will be no forcing her to do anything,” Julie emphasized. “Not by me; not by anyone else. I admit, I might think differently about it if we needed the samples to save Hazard. But we don’t. The doctor assures me he’s fine inside the cryo unit. I’m hoping to get the blood samples from Allison to speed up his recovery. But if we don’t get them, it will wait till he returns to Britannia. The experts there have the special nanites and can give them to him when he arrives.”
“But why even do this?” Kyle asked. “Just ship him back to Britannia.”
“Because the Empire needs him. Britannia needs him as soon as it can get him,” Julie responded. She then related the events she’d seen within the Empire and why Britannia needed its hero emperor again.
“I can’t believe we’re on the brink of a civil war,” Scott said when Julie finished.
“We’re on the brink, Scott?” Julie asked.
“Sorry, old habit. Being a part of the Federation is so new, I sometimes forget.”
Julie nodded. “It’s hard, I know. Hell, I’m the damn president and almost bowed to Hiroko and Edward. I stopped myself at the last second. Still, I agree. It’s hard not to be concerned. Regardless of how things have changed—and will continue to change—it will always be home.”
“And it’s our turn to help save it,” Scott said.
* * * * *
Chapter 4: Neutering the Senate
Britannia System
Empire of Britannia
Empire Date: Jan 1049
Dorn Sedaya, Astreo’s senior senator, stood looking out the study’s plate-glass window at the rolling pastures surrounding the estate. It wasn’t his property. It was where he’d fled to when the Senate’s power grab had failed. A wealthy supporter of the “cause” had provided it to the Senate Anti-Imperial Coalition. Sedaya knew the man had intended it to be used for clandestine meetings and such initially, but it had provided a safe hiding place.
Until a royal page accompanied by a brace of guardsmen appeared at the front door and delivered a summons, Sedaya thought. So much for being hidden. Damn Henry King and his Imperial Intelligence operatives.
Senator Sedaya was, of course, referencing Grand Duke Henry, husband of the previous empress, father of the late Emperor Hazard, and grandfather of the boy emperor, Edward. More importantly, he was the very capable head of Imperial Intelligence, whose agents had obviously had no trouble locating him.
And likely many other senators who are currently in hiding, Sedaya thought.
“So, you’re not going to answer the summons?” the other person in the room asked.
Dorn turned to face Cynthia MacNamara, Babel’s junior senator. Cindy was more an ally and collaborator than a friend. She was a mid-ranking member of Berloc Telana’s party.
The missing Berloc Telana. But he’s not really missing, is he? Dorn asked himself. He’s hiding on his home planet, Crux. The asshole had an escape plan in place just in case the plan failed. A plan he kept to himself.
MacNamara’s place in the party provided her with adequate cover, so she wasn’t concerned about being arrested for treason. So she’d stayed out in the open, keeping office hours at the Senate administrative annex, where she was able to pass information to all the senators currently in hiding. Knowing Empress Regent Hiroko had found him, Sedaya had reached out to her, hoping to discover the palace’s plan.
Dorn shook his head.
“I don’t know what her game is, but Hiroko Kane is much more devious than her late husband. And, based on what I’ve heard, twice as vicious. No, I won’t appear on the Senate floor tomorrow. There’s still a chance our plan can succeed. Much of the fleet followed Berloc to Crux.”
“We won’t have nearly enough senators present to reach a quorum,” MacNamara pointed out. “That will bring everything to a grinding halt.”
“Which is the reason I and many others won’t appear. Without a quorum, the Senate cannot conduct business. That will slowly bring the Empire to a grinding halt.”
“Hiroko could declare another Imperial Emergency,” MacNamara pointed out.
Dorn laughed. “She wouldn’t dare. The system leaders wouldn’t stand for it. Don’t get me wrong, she was justified in declaring the last one. But to declare another less than a month after the previous one ended… no, she won’t do that. It would make her seem too weak.”
“Her only other option would be to issue arrest warrants and seize the senators she can get her hands on,” Cindy pointed out. “Have you thought of that?”
Sedaya nodded. “If that was her play, she’d have already done it. It could have been constables at my door to arrest me a week ago, if that’s what her plan was. Instead, she sent a court page with a summons. But don’t be mistaken. She has a plan. I just don’t see what it is.”
“I need to run,” MacNamara said after checking the time. “There’s just enough time to make it back and be in the chambers. Besides, with everyone else missing, I’ll be the senior senator present, and thus, the acting president of the Senate.”
* * *
Cynthia MacNamara sat in the Senate president’s chair and stared at the clock inset in the desk in front of her. She was meticulously counting down the time to gavel the assembly into session.
Sedaya emphasized that everything has to be done precisely under Senate rules, she thought.
Cynthia had never expected to sit in this chair. Even with eighteen years of seniority, she was a very junior member of her party. Berloc Telana, for instance, had been a senator for well over fifty years. The cranky old man had been a senator even before her government had appointed her father as a senator.
Cynthia’s home, Babel, was a hereditary monarchy, and like the name implied, the king had sole ruling authority, but those in the royal line were benevolent rulers, always looking out for the best interests of their subjects. Cynthia always wondered whether it was because they’d all been the altruistic leaders they seemed, or if it was by necessity. Because, as a true monarchy, their system was right on the edge of being an acceptable government under the Imperial Charter. Taking care of its citizens, ensuring the government didn’t violate the guaranteed rights of the people, was the only thing that allowed the king to remain in power.
But the Crown had total control, including the appointment of the system’s senators. When her father died in an air car accident, the king appointed her to replace him. For the MacNamaras, it was a family business of sorts. She was the tenth member of her family to serve as a senator.
It’s time.
Cynthia banged the oversized gavel, a special sound pickup causing the dull pounding to reverberate throughout the chamber.
The chamber being almost empty makes it seem louder, she thought.
“The Senate will come to order.”
MacNamara had sat out amongst the senators many times, watching Jenica Lonarcch, the elected Senate president, or some other senior senator bang the gavel repeatedly to get the attention of the Senate. Today, it took only a single time.
“Quorum call,” Cynthia called out. “The clerk will issue the summons.”
“The summons” was an electronic message sent to every senator, informing them that a quorum vote was being held, and they had one hour to appear on the Senate floor and vote that they were present. Official Senate business could only happen when a majority of senators were present. Originally, that meant inside the Senate chamber itself, but lawmakers had amended the rule to allow the senator to be “present” if he was in the building. Most senators would simply show up, cast their “present” vote, then disappear back to their office, or someplace else within the building.
Cindy lounged back in the chair, occasionally glancing at the large display mounted on the back wall of the Senate. It and its duplicate on the wall behind her listed the names of every senator. Beside each name were three lights: Present, Aye, and Nay. The screens allowed every senator—and more importantly, whoever was sitting in the president’s chair—to see how the current vote was progressing. At the top of the display was an enormous clock, showing the time remaining for the current vote.
MacNamara was passing the time, reviewing correspondence on her tablet, when a commotion to one side of the chamber jerked her back to reality. She looked up to check the time. Thirty minutes remained. Then she swept her gaze to the right side of the chamber, searching for the cause of the disruption.
A set of ornate doors had opened, doors seldom opened and only used by one person. Cynthia watched as a squad of imperial guardsmen, the gold of their dress uniforms reflecting even in the chamber’s subdued light, entered. Their appearance shocked every senator into silence. But it was the appearance of the person behind them, the boy behind them, that stunned MacNamara.
“Emperor Edward,” she whispered. “What the hell is he doing here?”
She watched as the entourage finished entering the chamber and another squad of guards followed the boy emperor. Cynthia expected them to proceed into what most senators referred to as “the pit,” an open section on the floor of the Senate containing a single podium that faced the Senate. Senators and visitors would make formal remarks to the Senate from there.
When the party turned and began climbing a ramp, MacNamara involuntarily turned and looked behind her. When the Crown had built the Senate building, the emperor at the time had insisted that the builders install a suitable throne for him, a throne that would look out upon the entire Senate. MacNamara had only seen it used twice: when Empress Elizabeth had announced the end of the Swarm War and when she’d announced her abdication.
Now she watched as Emperor Edward sat down, the eight guards forming a perimeter around the perch upon which the throne sat. Cindy couldn’t help but wonder what the hell was going on.
Whatever it is, it isn’t good, she realized.
Before she could decide what she should do, MacNamara’s personal comm device beeped. A check of the display showed her it was Sedaya.
He must be watching the internal feeds.
“What the hell am I supposed to do?” Cindy asked, not giving Sedaya a chance to say anything. “This was supposed to be easy. Sit in the president’s chair, call for the quorum vote, then declare there is no quorum, and adjourn the session.”
“Listen carefully, Cynthia. You cannot declare that there is no quorum,” Sedaya said, ignoring Cindy’s original question. “There’s no time to explain, but you can’t…”
The call suddenly disconnected while the other senator was still talking. One moment, Sedaya was telling her what to do, then there was a click—then nothing. She tried calling back, but her phone showed she had no connection to the building’s network. Hearing grumbling from the few senators present, she looked up and discovered most staring at their comm devices.
