Chapter 6: Property Disposal
A whole town was on the block. As much as Wilson or Queen Agatha didn’t want to let the property breakers in, they both had come to the conclusion that the money gathered from these auctions were needed to cover some of the evacuations expenses. Although the Queen’s family owned the planet and all the wealth that entailed, because of the calamity befalling their world and the way the Crown was spending money to get people off world the Crown needed to recover some costs. So reluctantly they agreed to sell off some of the abandoned homes. Everyone understood that they would not sell for their full worth. The keeper of the royal purse believed they would only get one tenth of the before evacuation value of the property.
Larry Mercer the Crown’s attorney was the only person from the evacuation staff at the first auction. Though he was not an expert in property law, he thought the crown’s attorney needed to be present to be sure that it went without a hitch. He didn’t need to have been worried. They sold the small town of Lankenton for a little over ten million crowns. It went to an entertainment company from the Movie Planet who was going to shoot a holovision epic about the evacuation. They would set up cameras throughout the town and record its destruction. If Mercer had known that was what was going to happen he might not have signed the deed for the Queen.
Latter as he got ready to go bed he discussed the day’s events with Alice his spouse of nearly fifty years.
“I’ve done some shitty things in the name of queen and country. I’ve also been there when some horrible piece of duty just had to be done.” Larry said holding his wife close to him. “But presiding over the auction of that town was the most profoundly sorrowful thing I have ever witnessed. I thought I would have to witness the selling off of every home, everything in every home that had been left behind. I don’t know if I could have withstood the selling of dolls, and toys. It was the sadist thing I have ever witnessed. Finally the highest bid ten million crowns to a company from Movie Planet.”
“You mean the holo people?” Alice said looking her husband in the face.
“Yes they are going to record the destruction of the town and put it into a movie about the evacuation.” Larry said.
“Oh my,” Alice said, “Is the crown going to let it happen?”
“I don’t think we would stop it if we could!” Larry said, “The story needs to be told. But more than that, I know Wilson was planning to place cameras and sensors around the planet recording what happens. Although there is a lot of scientific value to be had from the observations, he’s concerned that some will say it wasn’t as bad as we told people that it could be and we over reacted.”
“Is it possible?” Alice asked.
“I don’t think so.” Mercer replied, “Only the nut cases believe that this can be survived on planet. A couple of the lords still think that Wilson is over reacting, but we have sent the data we have to Earth and Thonia. We’ve said in no uncertain terms. Prove us wrong. The only thing that they have not agreed with us on is the scope of the damage. Most of the universities and astrophysics and geophysics people are saying that our estimates are too conservative. One or two are saying it won’t be that bad. But all of those are from no name organizations on worlds that are either arm pits of the universe or connected with those lords and organizations who would fight crown if the crown gave them a million crowns to disagree with them. So to cover our bets in case Wilson or the Queen is sued, we are going to broadcast the damage and then send in damage assessment teams to survey the damage.”
“Can Wilson be sued?” Alice asked.
“Not on Trena.” Larry said, “He has been commissioned by the Queen to effect the evacuation of the Trena Home world. His power derives from the Queen herself, and has been endorsed by the Queen’s Bench, and the Parliament. So it would be hard to sue him. He can be prosecuted, if through his negligence he gets some one killed or harmed.”
“Oh god,” Alice said, “He must be a nervous wreck.”
“No,” Larry said, “He’s made some tough decisions, and yes some people have been killed, and injured, but overall everything he’s done has not been negligent. I just wish it was over.”
“What are you going to do once you are no longer the Queen’s Attorney?” Alice asked.
Mercer whispered into his wife’s ear.
“Oh really,” Alice said rolling up on top of him, “well old man I hope you have enough energy to make that boast a reality.”
“Well let’s find out.” Mercer said and turned the lights off.
Every Last Mother's Child Page 143
