“Why you common born bitch,” said Halbrook, glaring at the woman. “How dare you speak to your betters in such a manner?”
“I will have civility in this meeting room,” said Augustine, raising his voice. “From both of you. And I would remind you, my Lord,” he said, turning his stare toward the Minister of the Exchequer, “that this is a free society. And I respect the credentials of the professor far more than the birthright of any noble. And since we can’t get anywhere with the Exchequer coming up with the funds the crown needs, I say let us move on. How goes the colonization efforts, Mr. Jenkins?”
“We are having problems opening up enough slots to keep everyone happy, your Majesty,” said the young man with an infectious smile on his face. “As soon as we open another world for colonization we are inundated with requests.”
“And why are the people not allowed to move,” said Halbrook, seeming to want to keep his nose in every argument.
“Planets have to be opened at a sustainable pace, my Lord,” said Jenkins, looking at his flat comp. “We have to have the area to put them. It doesn’t do anyone any good to pile a bunch of unprepared colonists on a planet to watch them die.”
“And most are coming from the core worlds?” asked Augustine, trying to avoid another argument, asking a question he already knew the answer to.
“Yes, Majesty,” said the young man. “Over ninety seven percent of them. The rest seem to be the disaffected in the developing worlds. But most want to have children, so they move from the crowded worlds, where they need licenses, to those that will give them unlimited reproductive rights, while it opens up more licenses on the core worlds.”
And so we keep expanding the population base without overcrowding the interior worlds and getting behavioral sinks, thought the Emperor. That had been ordered by proclamation from one of the early rulers, who did not want to see the problems of crime and poverty that came with overcrowded resources. Jewel and New Terra were super densely populated, but they were able to bring in enough of everything by space to leave large wilderness areas on the surface. Other core worlds had population limits, flexible of course, if just a bit, so that people could move for business or other purposes. But they were mandated to remain at least fifty percent wilderness, with another ten percent as outdoor recreation space. So living worlds could remain living worlds. And on colonized worlds with indigenous life, those wilderness areas had to populated by the native organisms of the planet.
“And the terraforming?”
“I understand you visited one of the new open worlds, your Majesty,” said Jenkins, raising an eyebrow.
“Quite an experience, I must say,” agreed Augustine. “And according to my figures you should have another ten opening up within a year.”
“They are prime destinations, your Majesty,” said Jenkins with a nod. “Perfect for terrestrial life.”
“Any word on Hephatius IV?” said Halbrook, leaning forward.
He’s not going to like this,” thought the Emperor, looking at his own flat comp.
“It’s a death trap,” said the Under Minister without hesitation. “Exploration teams have called it the deadliest terrestrial environment imaginable. It’s like the planet goes out of its way to kill us.”
“The scuzzzies, I mean the abos, seem to do OK,” said the Minister, who had invested his own money into opening what looked like a verdant world.
“Because they evolved there,” said Jenkins, looking over at the Emperor.
“Why don’t we just send a division of Marines down to the surface and take charge,” said Halbrook, his voice tone trying to make it sound like a reasonable proposition. “Then we can clear cut that damned forest for the colonists.”
“And destroy the most magnificent biosphere we have ever seen,” said Professor Martin, holding out in hands in a pleading stance. “The Ministry of Science would never condone such a move.”
“Then don’t condone it,” said Lord Halbrook, glaring at the man. “We don’t need the permission of your ministry to exploit the resources of that world.”
“But the biodiversity?” exclaimed Martin.
“Exactly,” said Halbrook. “That diversity could lead to exploitable products that could increase the wealth of the Empire.”
“Increase the wealth of those who can buy their way into the forest,” said Martin, returning the glare.
“What are you saying,” said Halbrook, his voice rising.
“I have decided that Hephatius will remain an Imperial protectorate,” said Augustine, watching the reaction in the Minister. “Off limits to all but researchers. And of course anyone who invested will receive compensation.”
The face of the Minister fell, and Augustine knew the man was calculating the loss he was going to take on his expected return. Well, too damned bad. Those people there want to be left alone, and so they shall be.
The meeting went on for another half hour, and Augustine found himself looking at the time.
“We will meet again when I get back from the Donut, gentlemen and ladies,” he said, nodding at a couple of Ministers to stay.
“May I have a moment of your time, your Majesty?” asked Halbrook, trying to stay in the room.
“After my return,” said Augustine, waving the man away. The looks from a couple of Secret Service agents got the man moving, and soon the room was empty except for the Ministers of War, State and the holo image of the Minister of Security.
“So how does it look on the Lasharan front?” he asked Lady Hannah.
“We should be able to handle anything they throw at us,” answered the ex-Marine General. “The only problem is the damned fanatics might give us a bloody nose. I don’t like to involve civilians in war, but it takes two to follow that rule.”
“Just do the best you can,” said the Emperor, nodding his head. “I have your subordinates figuring out the best way to spread the wealth so we don’t get caught flat footed in any sector.”
“The Three Stooges,” said Jana Hannah with a laugh that brought a smile from Augustine as he thought about those real old comic routines that he too was a fan of. The rest of the people in the room, with the exception of the Imperial family, returned blank looks. “They’re good people,” she continued. “I hope you don’t have them doing something that gets them hung.”
“Not worried about yourself, Duchess?” asked the Emperor.
“Not a bit,” she replied. “Haven’t met anyone yet in Parliament I couldn’t take one on one, or even two to my one. “But, do you really think we’re about to see our old friends again.”
“The curse has been acting up lately,” said the Emperor, his smile turning up to a frown. “I don’t get a clear vision of who is steamrolling us, but can you think of anyone else in this neck of the woods.”
“Hell no, Majesty,” said the woman who had been born a commoner and gained social rank through her own meritorious service. “And if you think it’s going to happen, that’s good enough for me.”
“And ideas Prince T’lisha?” asked the Emperor of the holo image of the large Phlistaran. “What does the IIA tell you?”
“Nothing definite, Majesty,” rumbled the deep chested centauroid. “Rumors and supposition. But my agents are hearing an awful lot of rumors and suppositions. Enough to really worry me.”
“Sector Four?”
“As near as can tell, Majesty,” said the spymaster. “Near as can tell. No guarantees, but it looks like something is going to come down hard on us in that region of the Empire. And I have something that might be of interest.”
The holo projector in the middle of the table came to life, showing the image of a ship. All present in the room sucked in a breath with the exception of the big alien, who knew what was coming.
“It looks a bit different,” said Lady Hannah, her eyes widening.
“Not too unexpected after two thousand years,” said Augustine, looking at the massive vessel, then over at his master of spies. “And where did this come from?�
�
“It was taken by a battleship that encountered this vessel in sector four,” said the Phlistaran with a toothy smile. “In fact, your son’s ship, the Sergiov, was involved in this encounter.”
“Leave it to Sean to stick his nose into something like this,” said Augustine, his face warring with trying to decide on a smile or a frown.
“The ship displayed unfamiliar hyperdrive resonances,” continued Lord T’lisha. “Not that we had any comparisons to what they resonated when we last encountered them, seeing as how we did not have hyperdrive at that point in our history.”
Ours, thought the Emperor, nodding as he looked at the image of the big alien. They are so integrated into the Empire that they now think of we as being one whole, not humanity as the conquerors.
“Why don’t we show this to the Lords and Commons?” asked Jana Hannah, her eyes narrowing as she continued to study the ship. “This is proof positive that the Ca’cadasans are on our doorstep.”
“Would you answer that, Lord T’lisha,” said Augustine.
“Because the Lords and Commons would never believe it,” said the big alien in a voice like distant thunder. “They would say that it was a trick of computer animation, making up something that we want them to believe.”
“And I also would not want this released to the public, ladies and gentlemen,” said Augustine, waving a finger in the air. “I don’t want a panic. We need to move what we can while we can without people clamoring for shipping to get them to nonexistent safety. But we know that the enemy is at the gates. And it cannot be long before the enemy comes out into the open with a massive attack. Which brings us to the next question.”
He turned toward the Minister of State. “And our known friends and enemies, Lord Garis?” asked the Emperor. “What can we expect of them?”
“From the enemies,” said the cultured Lord. “A stab in the back. What else. I know the Lasharans will do whatever they can to discomfit us. The Crakastans as well. But I think we can handle the Fenri and the Muxxar using diplomacy. As far as allies, I know we can count on the Margravi Hegemony and Klashakians Concordium through anything, especially on the Lasharan front.”
“Which leaves the Republic of Elysa,” said Lady Hannah. “Always the wild card.”
“I think we can depend on them as long as the Brakakak are in charge of the Republic,” said Augustine. “At least as long as High Lord Grarakakak is in charge.”
“You’ve met the High Lord, have you not, Majesty,” said the Minster of State.
“I have, and I liked him,” said the Emperor. “He is an exceptional member of an admirable species. And I am sure he will see the need to unite against the threat that is coming. At least as soon as he sees it coming too. But we still must depend on our own resources to blunt the assault until we can come up with an overwhelming response.”
Augustine looked at the time in his link as the internal alarm sounded. “I’m sorry, Ministers, but I have an appointment on the wonder of the Galaxy. When I return we will meet on this matter again.”
The ministers all acknowledged their leader as they left the room. They’re a good bunch, thought Augustine as he escorted his wife and family from the room into the long corridor leading to the wormhole gate. Probably better than I deserve. Then he thought of his Minister of the Exchequer and shook his head. Actually they are karmic payment for having to put up with Halbrook and the Prime Minister.
* * *
“Prime Minister,” called out the voice from down the hall. “Can I have a moment of your time?”
Shit, thought Prime Minister Count Mejoris Jeraviki as he looked back and saw the figure of Grand Duke Carlos Maldonado, the head of the Brotherhood Party faction of the Lords. The last shithead I want to see.
“I was heading back to my estate, your grace,” said the Count, flashing a politician’s smile. “Can it wait for tomorrow?”
“Just a moment, Prime Minister,” said the silver haired man who was the Emperor’s champion in the Lords.
Well shit again, thought the Count, pushing open the outer door to his office and allowing the Grand Duke entry. I can’t very well refuse him during business hours. The Count shook his head and tried to calm his heart. He had wanted to be at his home when the shit went down, where he wouldn’t have to play act his reactions.
Jeraviki said a couple of words to his private secretary and led the Grand Duke to his private office. He waved the man to a chair. “Would you like a drink, your grace?”
“No thank you,” said the elder Lord, waving it off. “My physician says I need to go easy on the alcohol.”
Too bad, thought the Count, going over the bar and making himself a strong one. It would do my heart good to see you fall dead on the floor of the Lords.
“I asked the Duke of Coventry to join us,” said the Grand Duke. “I am interested in hearing his input as well.”
“Input on what?” asked the Prime Minister, taking a seat, his mouth suddenly dry.
The door opened and the ebony face of Theo Streeter, the Duke of Coventry, looked in.
“Come in, Theo,” said Maldonado, waving a hand. “Do come in.”
“What is this about?” asked Streeter, who everyone knew was one of Jeraviki’s staunchest allies.
“Have a seat, Theo,” said the Grand Duke of New Spain.
This is my damned office, thought the Prime Minister, gritting his teeth. Who does he think he is?
“The Countess gave me a rundown on your actions the other day, Mejoris,” said the Grand Duke, leaning toward the prime minister. “I shouldn’t have been surprised, but even I did not think you could act like such a pig.”
“Why you bastard,” said the prime minister. “How dare you talk to me like that? I am the leader of the Lords.”
“For now,” said the Grand Duke. “For now. But I might try to pull together a coalition to unseat you. And then you will be just another Count sitting in the Lords.”
“And who would you propose take my place?” asked Jeraviki, raising an eyebrow. “Yourself?”
“I would better serve our Empire and our sovereign than you,” said the Grand Duke with a smile. “And I wouldn’t get your hopes too high, Theo. I think we have just about had enough of your xenophobe party.”
“You don’t have the votes to unseat us,” growled the PM.
“Not at the moment,” agreed the Grand Duke, nodding. “But there are some disaffected conservatives who could be convinced to jump ship, and the Countess has said she will bring the Liberal Party in as well. So you could soon find yourselves outvoted. And then there’s the matter of Consolidated Ether Paddles. A company in which I believe you two gentlemen own a combined fifty-four percent of the stock holdings ”
“And what about it?” asked Jeraviki, feeling sweat begin to bead on his forehead, despite the perfect climate control.
“You sold what?” said the Grand Duke, ignoring the PMs question. “Ten billion Imperials in the last two years. Which put what in your pockets?”
“We made a standard profit,” said Streeter, his voice angry but his face showing his anxiety.
“You would have, if you have put the standard mix of Super-platinum in the grabber units. But I think you know as well as I that you only put in sixty percent of the super metal that the specs called for. So they last, what. Ten years, instead of the twenty years that the contract calls for.”
“You can’t prove that,” yelled Streeter.
Oh, shut up, thought Jeraviki, knowing that this man would not have brought up such a charge if he couldn’t prove it. All one had to do was pull one of the grabbers that Consolidated sold to the Fleet and subject it to a thorough analysis. And they couldn’t even blame it on the Super-metal plant the Super-platinum came out of. That plant sold to many other concerns, and there was no problem with their product going into those manufactories.
“I still don’t understand why you oppose Fleet expansion,” said the Grand Duke, shaking his head. “That doesn’t make
sense to any of us. There would be so much more to make selling shoddy products at full price. I suspect that something other than making money is going on, but I can’t see what. Well, if we keep digging I’m sure we can find it, eventually.”
“And who is we?” asked the PM, wiping the sweat from his face. They already know too much. We can’t afford for them to discover our true agenda.
“Oh, Lady Sergiov has some of her best operatives on it,” said the Grand Duke with another smile. “And you both know how much of a bulldog Ekaterina is.”
Imperial Intelligence Agency, thought Jeravika with a shudder. And investigation into his affairs was somewhat out of their jurisdiction, and he could use IIB to raise hell with IIA. But IIA would not give up an investigation that they were fully involved in, and finding the dirt would bring forgiveness to that agency.
“We still can’t figure out what those devices you attached to the grabbers are,” said the Grand Duke, looking from man to man.
“What devices?” asked Jeravika, feeling confused. We’re guilty as hell of watering down the supermetals. But nothing else.
“These devices,” answered the Grand Duke, pulling a small holo projector from his coat pocket. The projector lit up and a small schematic sprung into existence in the air above it.
“It looks like some kind of alien technology, buried in the metallic portion of the grabber, where it wouldn’t be seen. One of Ekaterina’s wonderboys decided to scan the metal with nano and found this. And then found it in the next twenty he looked at. But he can’t figure out what it is. Any comments, gentlemen?”
“I have no idea what that is,” said Jeravika, glancing at Streeter and seeing the same confused look on the other lord’s face.
“Well, no matter,” said the Grand Duke, nodding. “We already have enough to take you down. We’ll just see about removing all the offending grabber units, though that will take some time.”
“And what could we do to convince you to not, let us say, disrupt the government?”
Exodus: Empires at War: Book 2 Page 4
