Chapter 2: Equals
Lord Mercer received the envoy from Home in his private study. He had been expecting the envoy for some time now. He had an inkling of what was going on Home. He had sent a couple of people to Home to keep an eye on things. He had also been the primary designer of the political process on Home. He knew how Aggie felt. He thought that she was right; her sovereignty was tied to the planet of Trena, not that of Home. He didn’t know what form the government of Home would take; but he suspected that it would not be a monarchy. He was quite surprised when the envoy handed him the constitution for Home.
He read through it and thanked the envoy, telling her to stand by for a reply. He put the constitution in an envelope and went to the palace. There he asked to see the Queen.
“It’s here Aggie,” the Queen’s attorney handed the document to the Queen.
She read it in silence looked at the man who had been her advisor and confidant since her parents had died years ago, “What do you think?”
“The question is do you agree with this?” Larry Mercer asked.
“The way we set this up; is that Home is not a colony of Trena.” The Queen replied, “Our charter and constitution prohibits Trena from colonizing other worlds and exerting influence over them. So in many respects I didn’t have much authority on Home to begin with. It is fortunate that our citizens have allowed me to send advisors with them. But as I understood it if I left Trena to go to Home, and the crown abandoned Trena, my sovereignty is abandoned also. At least that was what the galactic council told me a few months ago.”
“Okay then how do you want to tell our people,” Larry asked.
“We can’t announce anything until Jill is told and she agrees to it.” Agatha responded, “Also as she is a minor, she will need a regent.”
“They covered that,” Larry said showing another letter, “They seem to want Marshal Wilson, and you to be her regent.”
“Me?” The young queen asked.
“It makes sense majesty,” Larry said, “You a young monarch who came to the throne after the death of your parents, knows what she will be going through. You can show her the ropes. Also you, Marshal Wilson, and Lady Wilson have a close bond; the three of you won’t allow harm to come to Jill, or to Home!”
The Queen was silent for a minute, then spoke, “Page,”
“Yes majesty,” The AI replied.
“Where are Marshal Wilson, Lady Wilson, Jill Wilson, and Princes Carroll?”
“Lord and Lady Wilson are in the Queen mum’s residence. The Princess is at Fletcher, and Colonel Wilson is at the academy.” The computer spoke.
“Place a call to General Alphine at Fletcher.” The Queen asked.
“Yes ma’am,” The computer complied.
“This isn’t going to stay quiet forever. Have that Envoy standing by to launch. I want the palace press corps alerted that there will be a major address tonight.” The Queen said as Princess Carroll came on the line.
“General Alphine,” The woman said.
“Carroll,” The Queen said “I would like to meet with you and Admiral Wilson and Jill as soon as possible.”
“Why?” The heir to the Terran Empire asked.
“A representative from Home has arrived and they have brought us the constitution for Home.” The Queen said, and told her the rest of it.
“No shit,” the princess asked, “Oh the gods are indeed wicked. Are you okay with this?”
“Yes princess,” The Queen answered, “I knew it was going to happen the minute we left Trena; but I had expected to make the announcement from Home, or in route to Home. In about four weeks. We have discussed this.” The Queen said, and indeed they had.
She and the princess had held conversations in the Queen’s residence about what to do next. The Princess had researched the Trena Constitution, and had discussed it with Lady Gray the ambassador to Trena. She had corresponded with various interstellar law scholars on Thonia, and Earth, not only on the question of Trena’s sovereignty; but Trena’s legal obligations and treaty obligations. Most of the legal scholars had come to the opinion that as Trena was about to be made uninhabitable, and that the government was being abolished with no successor that the people of Trena were now absolved of all their treaty obligations, and responsibilities. They had discussed this on those quiet evenings when it was just the two of them. The princess didn’t know if she would be as cool, and calm about losing her throne as the Queen was. But only rebellion would not see her succeed her father. That was not likely to happen.
“Okay then,” The princess said, “I’ll pick up Joyce and meet you at the academy.”
It was late afternoon, and Jill was working quietly in her office at the academy. She was looking over the Mast report for this Saturday’s Commander’s mast when she was interrupted by Princess Carroll, and her grandmother and a short petite brunette she didn’t know.
“Jill this is Suzy Gabriel,” her grandmother spoke up, “She is the Speaker of the Council that you authorized a few weeks ago to form a government on Home.”
“Oh!” Jill gave her full attention to the three women before her. “I see. Speaker Gabriel, are you here to brief me on the government you folks designed?”
“Yes Majesty,” Suzy Gabriel replied.
“Grand mom,” she turned to her grandmother, “Carroll have you reviewed Speaker Gabriel’s document?”
“We all have,” Queen Agatha as she and Larry Mercer walked into the office.
Suzy handed the document to Jill who read it in silence. She nodded at it in a couple of places. Then looked at the Queen asked, “What do you think?”
“It’s really good,” Lord Mercer spoke instead. “It is something that is elegant and simple yet not so. The big thing Miss Wilson is that they have formally accepted you as the Queen of Home.”
“I see the proclamation.” Jill commented, “I see something in here about a regent?”
“Yes Majesty,” Suzy answered, “Several of us felt that since you were so young and new to this planetary ruler business, it would be better for us and for you to have regents or proxies running the planet.”
“I see,” Jill remarked. At nearly eighteen years old she thought she was old enough to manage her own affairs. She was a little insulted that strangers felt that she wasn’t old enough to run her own affairs.
“But only until you are twenty five standard years old,” Suzy answered, “Did you read who we wanted to be your Regents?”
“No,” she hadn’t read the full document.
“We are recommending that Queen Agatha and Marshal Wilson be your regents,” The brunet replied, “It wouldn’t be that different from the setup that you have with your grandmother, and the Princess. Instead of handling your financial affairs they would both advise you and handle some of the day to running of the departments under your supervision.”
Jill opened the document again and read the passage then asked, “So Princess Carroll and my grandmother will handle my finances until I am twenty five and Dad and the Queen will advise me and help me manage Home’s Crown Offices.”
“That is correct.” Suzy replied.
“Speaker Gabriel,” Jill asked, “let me have some time and I will have a response for you shortly. I would like to talk to my father about this.”
“Your majesty,” Suzy spoke, “Take as much time as you want.”
“Thank you!” Jill said then called, “School Mistress, would you and Lady Hawthorne see that Speaker Gabriel is given quarters. Also I would like Sergeant Mitchum to be her aide while she is on planet.”
“I will make it happen, Colonel Wilson,” School Mistress answered.
“Thank you,” Jill replied, “Oh and you can post the Mast Report.”
“Will do,” School Mistress replied while alerting Lady Hawthorne and Sergeant Mitchum they were wanted in the cadet commander’s office.
“Have you spoken with Dad about any of this?” Jill asked.
“No,” the Que
en replied, “we should have; but he was having lunch with Lisa when Mrs. Gabriel showed up at the palace. This is the first time they have had any Mike and Lisa time this week so I didn’t want to disturb them. Also we thought you should see this first.” She ruffled the document.
Jill nodded, trying to find a way to get everyone out of her office except Agatha. She was about to say something when Mitch showed up.
“Sergeant Mitchum,” Jill spoke up, “Would you escort Speaker Gabriel to the VOQ please.”
“Aye,” Mitch said turned to the only person she didn’t know in her friend’s office, “Speaker Gabriel I am sergeant Mitchum the cadet sergeant major. If you are ready I will escort you to the visiting officers’ quarters.”
Suzy nodded and said, “By your leave Majesties.”
Aggie and Jill both nodded. The woman left and Jill turned to the others. “Grand mom, could you and Lord Mercer give me and Aggie a few minutes?”
The two nodded and began to leave. Carroll waited for a second and then followed the admiral and nobleman from the office. When they were gone Jill motioned for the Queen to shut the door. “School Mistress I want you make sure me and the Queen are not disturbed. I also want you to turn your sensors off in this room for fifteen minutes.”
“Will do Colonel,” School Mistress faded out, giving them some privacy.
When they were alone Jill turned to the Queen, “Aggie if you don’t want to be my regent then we’ll find a way to get you out of it. I think it is a good idea.”
“Thank you for that,” the Queen said though she didn’t really know how she felt about being Jill’s regent.
“Though before you make you decision Aggie you might want to consider it.” Jill commented. “There is a certain sense to it Aggie. You, a young monarch who came to the throne after the death of your parents know what I will be going through. You can show me the ropes. Also you, Dad, and Mom have a close bond; the three of you won’t allow harm to come to me. You will also help me to rule.”
The Queen was silent as she digested what Jill was saying.
“Aggie I turn 18 in a couple of weeks.” Jill spoke into the silence. “That means you only have to put up with me for seven years. More importantly, I would be greatly honored if you would be my regent and one of my principle advisors.”
Jill lapsed into silence to await her friend’s response. Aggie’s mind was reeling over the prospect. The evacuation was taking great emotional toll on her. She was sometimes right on the edge of a complete breakdown. It was the combination of the great disaster befalling her home world and the worry of was she doing the right thing for her subjects. She had made up her mind that once Trena was gone she would not be queen. She was coming to grips with that, and was looking forward to being just Agatha McAllister, private citizen. Yet she also wanted to continue helping her people as best she could. Finally she took both of Jill’s hands looking her in her blue eyes and spoke, “Jill I swear fealty to you. I will serve you to the best of my ability.”
“I will serve our people to the best of my ability Agatha,” Jill returned.
“How do we tell your family?” Aggie said brushing a tear off her face.
“Very carefully,” the teenager replied, “Dad may have a heart attack over this!”
“I am more worried about Lady Wilson,” Aggie returned, “I was getting the feeling she wanted to go back to being a simple house wife and healer. Not the step mother of a Queen.”
“Flip a coin to see who tells who,” Jill suggested with a smile.
“Tales you tell your dad and mom,” the Queen answered, “Heads you tell your mom and dad!”
“Such bravery!” Jill giggled. “But it’s the same thing I would have suggested.”
“I am brave; not stupid,” Aggie said, “the only good part of this is that your family already knows you will be the planetary ruler of Home!”
“Let’s get to Serenity,” Jill spoke.
Every Last Mother's Child Page 224
