38 The Last Effort #2
No one talks about the smell of a boiling brain, but I promise it’s vile, like burned meat and rotten eggs. Nevertheless, that gut-wrenching stench was one of the sweetest odors I had ever been pleased to smell.
And it was over. As Selnikov’s corpse hit the floor, I felt the ending of this era. The pomp, the parties, the putsches and politics all culminated with this.
I had won.
I took a moment to breathe in the silence, enjoying the calm as all eyes rested on me. Then, straightening, I holstered my lancer, sheathed my zeroblade, smoothed my pressure suit’s front, and turned to my Emperor.
“My Emperor, there is a throne which requires your presence. Shall we?” I extended my hand. Wonderfully, Astrid took it.
We walked onto the dais together, Emperor and Consort, bloody and bruised by the ordeal, but not beaten. Now it was time for the Emperor to decide the quadrant’s future.
Astrid let me lead her to her throne, gracefully sank into the cushioned pearl-and-platinum seat, and waited.
She extended one hand expectantly, and Ingvar appeared to place a goblet in it.
Sipping her drink, the Emperor surveyed the battle-ruined wreck of the once-grand Great Hall, getting as comfortable as she could in her injured condition before she spoke.
“It has come to my attention that not all of you accept my position as Emperor.
Some of you want a different person on the throne.
A few of you may even consider my choices to be dangerous and foolish.
I am here to tell you, you are wrong. I am the Emperor, and I rule this Empire.
My foe lies slain before me, killed by my Consort and my guards, not because I ordered them to, but because they love and believe in me.
“Before that traitor’s ill-conceived and illegitimate coup, I had a rough peace agreement with the Allies, but the actions of certain nations have revealed which of them truly desire our friendship and which wish to manipulate us. As such, I have altered the deal.
“First, representatives of the Urgan Despotate, present yourselves.” The soiled, rumpled lords commander stepped forwards, anxiously peering up at the Emperor.
“It has been revealed to me that the accusations of Fall Propagation against your government are scurrilous lies. In addition, I appreciate your sacrifices in restoring me to my throne. Thus, your nation shall be allowed to exist.” The Urgan officers began to express their thanks, but the Emperor raised a finger.
“Do not think you will emerge unscathed. Much of the blame for this war lies in your reckless expansion into former League space. I intend to strip many of those systems from you. The Urgan Despotate’s precise shape remains to be seen, but at least your nation shall survive. ”
Next, the Emperor called upon the representatives of the former League of Sovereign Stellar Nations.
Only Princess Marie-Christina and Archduke Darius stepped forwards – all the other delegates were still in their chambers.
“The League shall be abolished. Two hundred years have shown that experiment to be a failure. The League’s component nations squabble amongst themselves rather than defend each other from their neighbors.
So we shall consolidate the former League nations into a few stronger states as a more stable arrangement.
Yezhidia shall receive the lion’s share, having been a steadfast Imperial ally throughout the war and the attempted usurpation, but Stelsylvania’s spirited defense shall not be forgotten.
Once the new borders are drawn, we shall discuss which nations shall be bound by alliance to bring stability and security to a troubled sector of our quadrant. ”
Darius fell to one knee. “If I may, Your Imperial Majesty, I wish to propose an alliance now. The Princess Marie and I have grown close during these tumultuous days, and we fought side by side to restore you to the throne. Although we were enemies during the war, we have proven steadfast when our aims were aligned. I would like to continue aligning our two nations, to learn more of their culture, and hopefully, to grow closer with…” The archduke trailed off, looking hopefully at Princess Marie.
“Princess? Is this your wish as well?” the Emperor asked.
Princess Marie blushed, but only a little. Quietly, she said, “It is, Your Majesty.”
Astrid gave an imperious nod. “Then let it be so.”
Finally, the Emperor called upon the delegates from the Royal Commonwealth.
“Your nation has been the most steadfast enemy of the Empire since the inception of this conflict and beyond. You blunted our invasion ten years ago. You held firm during the intervening decade of attritional warfare. Even two hundred years ago, it was the Royal Commonwealth who delivered the final defeat which convinced Emperor Simeon the Great to abandon his plans of conquest. Yet, when the time came, you chose to stand by my side and return my crown to me. I appreciate your assistance, and admire the skill, tenacity, and honor with which you prosecuted this war. In recognition of your behavior, both in war and in resisting the usurpation, I hereby decree all Royal Commonwealth territories are restored. The Empire shall withdraw from all occupied Commonwealth worlds, and the Federation will relinquish its control over the Commonwealth’s Fallspace colonies.
The Commonwealth shall be as it was before the war. ”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. Incredibly, Lady d’Lyre stood, drawing attention to herself, and she had the audacity to look furious.