Empire's Birth (Empire Rising Book 9)

by D. J. Holmes

  When he finished, James looked up at the audience to see that silence had descended upon them. Many were staring, some even had their mouths open. Clearing his throat, James glanced at the Archbishop. With a nod the Archbishop shook himself, turned to one of his aides and lifted the British crown off the red pillow it rested on.

  “With this emblem of our monarchy I now crown you King James VII, King of the British Star Kingdom and all its colonies and territories.” Stepping forward to James’s side the Archbishop held out a large golden scepter which James took into his right hand. “With this scepter I bestow upon you all the authority and responsibilities of King. Arise King James VII.”

  As James made to rise, his knees wobbled slightly before straightening. The weight of the crown and scepter caught him off guard. The Archbishop’s voice booming in his ear startled him. “Long live the king!”

  “Long live the King,” came back the reply from the audience.

  “Long live the King!” the Archbishop repeated a second and then a third time as he led the audience in the chant, the volume in the pavilion rising each time.

  Looking out, James saw that many appeared to be heartily repeating the words, others, like Bernard barely moved their lips as they spoke, if they were even saying anything at all. James didn’t care, not about those who seemed overjoyed, nor those who were unhappy. His focus was on the sudden weight of responsibility he felt. Compared to it, the crown felt as light as a feather. Everyone in the pavilion, and everyone outside, was looking to him to lead them. He had meant every word of the oath he had sworn. He intended to protect the British people yes, but not just them. All of Humanity would fall under his care. Nothing was going to stop him from seeking revenge for what had been done to his homeworld.

  When the chanting stopped, the orchestra began to play again. James knew it was his cue to turn and ascend the throne. It was a replica of the one that had been destroyed in Buckingham Palace. Still, as he stepped past the Archbishop and got a proper look at it for the first time, he suspected he wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between the two. Being careful not to trip over his cloak, he stepped up to the throne, turned and then sat in it. He was immediately greeted by cheers from the audience. Their cheers were heard and picked up by those outside the pavilion. Within seconds the orchestra was drowned out by the cheers of the crowds. Knowing that something special was happening, James did his best to take it all in. He knew the scene was one he would want to remember. There would be many dark days ahead so for the briefest of moments he allowed himself to enjoy what was happening. If only you could see me now Suzanna, he thought. He wished she was sitting beside him. As a Havenite she would have hated all the pomp and ceremony. Yet he had no doubt she would have pushed him towards staking his claim on the throne. The thought brought a smile to his face. More than likely, she would have been even worse than Fairfax about the whole thing. Well my dear, I’m here now. And though I have to do it alone, you will always be with me.

  Chapter 29

  Though many are envious of the life of the princes and princesses born to our Emperors, it largely comes from ignorance. Imagine the weight of responsibility for every one of the trillions of lives within the Empire on your shoulders from the moment of your birth. Every Imperial child is born to serve. Whilst only one sibling will ascend to the throne, the others must give their lives for the Empire all the same. I have known one royal who served alongside me within the fleet. Though I too was suspicious, in time they earned my respect and more importantly, my loyalty. The tradition of our royalty serving in the Imperial Fleet goes back to the founding. It has served us well.

  -Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD.

  Surreal was the only word James could come up with to describe how he was feeling. Just three hours after his coronation, he was back at Badminton House mingling with those Fairfax had deemed important enough to invite to the reception. His crown, scepter and royal cloak had all been left in the carriage to be removed for safekeeping. Now he was once again only dressed in his traditional naval dress uniform. The only outward difference to his appearance were the two small golden lions attached to his shoulders beside his rank insignia. They identified him as a royal serving in the Navy. Almost, it was as if he hadn’t left Badminton House at all. As if nothing had changed. The last three hours felt more like a dream than a reality. Except, everything had changed. It was obvious in the way people around him stared. In the way they showed him a deference he had never experienced before. As a Lord in the British Star Kingdom, he had held some authority in the eyes of British society. As an Admiral in the Royal Space Navy he had held the respect of his peers. Yet what he was experiencing now was something far more.

  The British citizens attending the reception were all treading extremely carefully around him in both their physical and verbal interactions. James found himself feeling a sense of isolation. A gap had appeared between him and those who saw him as their King. Even those who he did not rule over were showing him a measure of respect he was not used to. Many foreign dignitaries he had interacted with a number of times over the last few months as Chairman of the Emergency Committee had come to congratulate him. He had detected a noticeable difference in their friendliness. At least, in their apparent friendliness.

  Almost, James thought as he allowed a small smile to play across his lips, he would be sad to have to give it all up. For the first hour of the reception he had struggled to figure out where the new attitudes were coming from, then it had hit him. He had real power now, and it was a power that could not be curtailed or simply ignored. As an Admiral he could have been silenced, or events manipulated to get him out of the picture. Even as Chairman of the Emergency Council, he could have been outvoted or removed. Yet as King, he was no longer someone to be discounted or overlooked. Yes, his power was limited by the British constitution, but where he did have power, it was absolute. Suddenly, everyone who wanted to deal with him felt they had to give him a great deal more respect. They needed to gain his favor, they could no longer just manipulate him with political games to win whatever they were aiming for. Of course, he knew from experience they were still likely to try.

  Now we are about to see just how far this newfound respect stretches, James said to himself as he saw Councilor Bernard approaching. “Your Grace,” Bernard said as he tilted his head barely more than a centimeter. The gesture made James smile. Clearly his new position didn’t impress Bernard too much.

  “Councilor,” James replied as he returned the gesture. “I’m glad you were able to attend the ceremony and the reception today. Though I’ll be just as glad when it’s all over and we can get back to work. There is still much to do.”

  “Indeed there is,” Bernard agreed. “I’m sure settling in as King and acclimatizing yourself to your new duties will take a great deal of your time. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. We should make finding your replacement as Chairman of the Emergency Committee our first priority.” Bernard held up his hands in a defensive gesture as he continued. “I know you told us you intend to continue to fulfil your responsibilities for a short period, but perhaps the realities of being King are starting to dawn on you now, are they not? You will need to sort out an official residence, hire a plethora of staffers and start to get on top of all the duties of our monarch. I do not envy you the task.”

  “I’m sure you do not,” James replied as he struggled to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “But as I said to the Council, I do not intend to rush handing in my resignation. We should think carefully about who will replace me. It may take a couple of months or more to ensure a smooth transition occurs. The work we are doing is too important. As much as I know I will have a new sphere of responsibilities as King, my work as Chairman will not play second fiddle.”

  “It is precisely because of the importance of the position of Chairman that I feel I must speak with you about this once again,” Bernard pushed. “You are the King of the British Star Kingdom now. You may fee
l your responsibilities to the British people and to Earth in general are of equal importance. But how many of the other Councilors will feel the same?” Bernard paused for a moment to let James think. He then continued as he touched his chest. “I for one have no problem with my King holding the position of Chairman. It can only be a good thing for the British Star Kingdom. But others will not see it so. The longer you remain Chairman, the more damage it may cause to the Council.”

  James took a breath to steady himself. Bernard was either trying to ruin his day by intentionally starting a fight, or he was genuinely concerned. Though he suspected it was the former, James chose to believe it was the latter. That was the only way he could keep his temper. “I understand your concern Councilor. Yet every member of the Council knew where my loyalties lay when they elected me Chairman. I was already a British citizen, Admiral and leader in the rescue efforts after the Karacknid attack. That did not discourage them from appointing me Chairman.”

  “On the contrary,” Bernard replied as he waved a finger James. “I am not forgetting anything. I think you are forgetting what it was like a few months ago. After the Karacknid attack, we needed someone to fill the job. You were the most apolitical among us. That was why so many readily accepted you.” Bernard waved his hands to take in all those at the reception. “That has changed. The Council members don’t see it right now. But they will in a week or a month. You must move to replace yourself. Simply giving up your voting rights will not be enough.”

  Instead of replying, James glared at Bernard. If the Councilor had lowered his wagging finger, James could have kept telling himself he was acting out of concern. However, in front of everyone his finger was still pointed directly between James’ eyes. More than a handful of those nearby had stopped their conversations to look. Slowly, James counted to ten, all the while he stared unblinkingly at Bernard. It wasn’t till he got to seven that the Councilor began to lower his hand. When it was finally at his side James gave him a sharp nod. “I will consider what you have to say Councilor,” he said loud enough for those nearby to hear. Without waiting for a reply, he turned his back on Bernard and walked through the crowd. He didn’t trust himself to add anything more. He only stopped walking when he found a table with refreshments upon it. Taking a glass of the strongest drink available, he downed it in one sip. Closing his eyes for several seconds, he tried to relax and ease the tension from his shoulders. There was a lot of truth to what Bernard was saying. But it wasn’t what the Councilor had said that had angered him so, it was how he had said it, and where.

  “I see you just had a friendly conversation with our friend the Councilor, what was he asking you about?” Fairfax asked as he stepped beside James and reached for a glass.

  James turned to Fairfax and sighed, “A number of things, where I will set up my official residence, if I’m going to resign as Chairman tomorrow or not. You can imagine where his mind is.”

  Fairfax rolled his eyes, “That man never changes. He is going to be a problem. Especially when we put the next stage of our plan in motion.”

  “I thought you had a plan to deal with him?” James said as his eyebrows rose.

  “I hope I do, we shall see,” Fairfax replied.

  James didn’t like the sound of that one bit, but he didn’t get to follow up on it as another voice joined the conversation. “Did I hear something about an official residence?” Christine asked as she stepped up beside the refreshment table.

  “You did, but I haven’t really given it much thought,” James answered as he turned to her. “Perhaps Badminton House would serve well enough. That would make things easier.” James rolled his eyes when he saw the look in Christine’s face. “I take it you have a thought or two about the issue?”

  “Well… “Christine replied as a small smile spread across her lips. “I am a former British Princess. I do have some experience with the official residences. Perhaps you should look into Sandringham House. I recall my father having an auxiliary command and control bunker installed when I was young. I imagine it might meet the needs of your growing staffers. Plus, I remember the caretaker well. Clarence Witherington if I recall. He was always a stickler for ceremony, but behind closed doors he was nice to me. You need someone to keep you right when it comes to who bows to whom and just how long each citizen is meant to kiss your royal ring. Which, by the way, I see you have not put on yet.” Christine then raised a finger and waggled it in James’ face, mimicking Bernard. “Tut tut your Highness. If you don’t act like a King, others will not treat you like one.”

  “And by others do you include yourself in this?” James asked as he raised his eyebrows. “If I wear the proper regalia will you show me more respect?”

  The smile on Christine’s face broke into a wide grin. “You’re forgetting your Highness, I am no longer a British citizen. You are no more my King than I am your Empress.”

  James couldn’t help but return her smile. “That is a relief I suppose. I wouldn’t want to be at your beck and call.” Christine feigned a look of hurt and then made as if she was going to punch him in the shoulder. James winked and took a half step back out of range.

  “If you are quite done,” Fairfax said as he pushed his way between them and turned to James, “I did have a serious question for you. Your oath, it wasn’t quite in line with tradition?”

  “No,” James said as his face turned serious again. “It wasn’t.”

  “The bit about seeking revenge, that, I understand. It was actually a good addition,” Fairfax replied. “Many in the pavilion were likely uncomfortable, but the ceremony was broadcast all around the planet. Revenge is exactly what is on the people’s mind. There was something else you added as well though, what was it… Something about protecting all of Humanity?”

  “Aye,” James said as he nodded. “I thought it appropriate.” He then paused and glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. “Given the other things we have been discussing. I could hardly swear to uphold the British constitution and nothing else. Not considering the other constitution we have in mind.”

  Fairfax smiled. “I thought as much. You are getting sneakier your Highness. Let’s just hope no one else starts putting two and two together.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about that,” Christine said as she placed a hand on Fairfax’s shoulder. “He is the Chairman of the Emergency Council after all. It makes perfect sense that his mind is on his responsibilities to all of our species. For now at least, I think our main concern is how quickly Bernard is going to make a move to oust him.”

  “Ah, finally,” James said as he looked over Fairfax and Christine. Gupta and Scott were approaching. He had already had his fill of political talk for one day. “I can actually have some normal conversations. Please, tell me you two are not going to start bowing and agreeing with everything I say?” When his joke didn’t get the desired response, James felt his pulse quicken. Gupta and Scott both had the same serious look on their face. “What is it?” he asked.

  “We received our first reply from Varanni Prime,” Gupta said as she handed over a datapad. “This was just transmitted from UNS Earth.”

  James shared a glance with Christine and Fairfax as he took the datapad and looked down at it. In short direct sentences, Commodore Becket explained what she had been up to. The supply convoy from Varanni Prime had arrived several weeks ago so James knew she had gone with Ya’sia. Within the space of a few paragraphs Becket outlined the Karacknid probing attacks and their main thrust against Delta Fort. Then she recounted the retreat to Kalesh and subsequent defeat there. What followed was a very bleak description of the strategic situation. James wasn’t intimately familiar with the Alliances’ territory, but he knew it was not good. Several significant worlds were under direct threat along with Cria and Varanni Prime. Finally, Becket proposed the only way she could see the Alliance being able to save their worlds. James closed his eyes after reading it. She had to know what she was asking, yet she had asked anyway. “Is it possible?”
he asked when he opened his eyes and looked to Gupta. Suddenly he was very glad she had come back for his coronation.

  “The first stages, yes, perhaps. You’ve been keeping up with our simulations. In another week, preferably two, relieving Lightfoot may very well be doable. But everything she’s asking?” Gupta simply shrugged.

  “We have to try,” James insisted. “We have to. We cannot let what happened here happen again. If this Karacknid battle fleet continues its advance, the war will be lost.” As he spoke, James handed the datapad to Fairfax. His mind went to the Emergency Council. One by one he ticked off how he imagined each member would vote. It would be a tie at best. Perhaps we could convince one or two to swing our way, James told himself. The stakes could not be any higher. He shook his head at his own naïveté. If we try to take Becket’s request to the Emergency Council it will likely fail. Even if he could pass it, it would probably take weeks to bring enough council members around. And there is no time for delay. “How many of us are here?” James asked as he looked to Fairfax.