EMPIRE: Resistance

by Richard F. Weyand

  “Your Majesties,” von Hesse said, bowing his head deeply.

  “Good morning, Governor von Hesse. Be seated,” Ardmore said.

  Von Hesse realized the ‘good morning’ was a concession to him, as it was afternoon in Imperial City currently.

  “Thank you, Sire.”

  “Mr. Becker allowed as how we should meet to discuss the differences between us, Governor von Hesse. Perhaps you should begin.”

  So, contrition first. It was no more than von Hesse expected, though it was harder than he thought. The Emperor was a physically powerful man, but the Empress was more than that. Oh, at over six feet and still in Imperial Marine training form, she was physically powerful as well, but her psychological power was overwhelming.

  “Yes, Sire. Your Majesties, during the Golden Age of the Empire, when the Four Good Emperors ruled, the sector governors were expected to competently administer their sectors within Imperial policy, to carry out the Emperor’s vision. The sector governors of that time did that job well, and were proud and happy to serve.

  “In the hundred years since the death of Augustus the Great, however, the Throne was weaker, was lacking in vision, and even Imperial policy wavered. I read your book, Sire, and you laid it out very well. The sector governors were forced to take up the slack, taking some control of policy as well as administration, I no more than many others.

  “Clearly the crisis has passed. The Throne is no longer hereditary, but is once again being passed to young and vibrant rulers, with renewed vision, who once again have the reins of Imperial policy firmly in their grasp. I salute you both, and I have the utmost respect for the both of you, as well as the Throne I serve.

  “My previous approach to the sector governorship is no longer appropriate. Has not been, in fact, since you began assisting His Majesty Augustus VI in the final years of his reign, yet, out of habit or stubbornness, I persisted. I see now that is the wrong course going forward, and wish to normalize relations with the Throne. To resume the administration of my sector within the bounds of what is now appropriate.”

  “That, Governor von Hesse, is a cogent summary,” Burke said. “However, I can’t help but wonder if it is a true change of mind and heart, or if you will backslide into your previous habits. Such a reversion would– irritate me.”

  The way the regal figure before him said it left no doubt that irritating Her Majesty was not advisable. Von Hesse agreed wholeheartedly. Sitting here now, he was surprised he hadn’t been more severely dealt with already. Especially if what Becker had said was true and the Throne knew much more about what had been going on than he imagined.

  The stories of her executing spies in the Imperial Palace herself, of her singlehandedly defeating an entire rifle squad in the Imperial Palace, of her threat to kill the representatives of the nanite manufacturers to get a more pliant group of negotiators in, did not now seem far-fetched. They seemed, almost, well, beneath her.

  “However, Governor von Hesse,” Burke continued, “I suppose we cannot go about executing sector governors willy-nilly. It makes it difficult to find people willing to take the job.”

  The way she said ‘executing sector governors’ so casually, this vision of power and judgment, raised the hackles on the back of von Hesse’s neck.

  Burke looked at him, head held high, looking down at her supplicant. Von Hesse felt compelled to look down, to avert his eyes from her judgment.

  “Very well, Governor von Hesse. Apology accepted. We will even arrange a private letter of pardon for you, for the shenanigans you have been involved in up to today. Have no doubt we know about them, and your life would already be forfeit were we to dwell on them rather than seek rapprochement. You should also have no doubt that reversion to past bad habits will not be tolerated.

  “We seek no further information from you. We will not ask you to betray any confidences. In truth, we need no information from you, as we know much more about what is going on than you do.

  “We do have an assignment for you, however.”

  “Of course, Milady Empress.”

  “You are to carry this possibility of rapprochement to your fellows – Mr. Adams, Mr. Conway, Mr. Gaskin, Mr. Karlsson, Mr. Porter, and Mr. Smith – and encourage them to take advantage of it while it is on the table. They, too, should encourage their hangers-on to do the same. Do I need to name them for you as well, Governor von Hesse?”

  “No, Milady Empress.”

  Von Hesse was shocked enough she could name his own inner circle so glibly. He had no doubt now she could name all the rest of the dissident sector governors as well.

  “Very well, Governor von Hesse. This arrangement is available to them for a limited time, after which we will begin to consider at greater length their past actions. They can sign up for it by messaging the Emperor. You may tell them that as well.”

  “Yes, Milady Empress.”

  “One last thing, Governor von Hesse. Four months ago you pledged your obedience to us. That was clearly a sham. Do it again now, and mean it.”

  Von Hesse got out of his chair and fell to his knees before them. He bowed deeply to them.

  “I pledge my obedience, Your Majesties.”

  “Thank you, Governor von Hesse.”

  As at the coronation, he stood, but did not know what to do next. He simply stood in front of them. In front of her.

  “We will hold you to that, Governor von Hesse,” Burke said. “You are dismissed.”

  Their Majesties did not cut the channel, but waited for von Hesse to sign out himself. He was happy to do so.

  Anything to get out of her presence while she was still in a forgiving mood.

  Consolidation

  “So how did I do?” Burke asked Ardmore after the meeting with von Hesse.

  “I’m just glad I was on our side of the room, and not Governor von Hesse’s. You’re very good at this,” Ardmore said.

  “Really?”

  “Oh, yes. You were terrifying.”

  They met as they had so many times before, in VR, around a circular table.

  “Before we start anything else, I have an announcement to make,” Baden Sector Governor Manfred von Hesse said. “I saw an opening to meet with Their Majesties, and I took it. Franz Becker of the Stauss-Becker family – huge supporters of the Throne, for centuries – brought up the possibility of a deal with the Throne. I met with Their Majesties, and made my apologies. This will therefore be my last meeting with this group. In an earlier time, a meeting like this would be treason on its face, and we are returning to such times.”

  “What? What sort of deal?” Pritani Sector Governor Joseph Gaskin asked.

  “Their Majesties have seen fit in their wisdom to give me a private pardon for any activities I may have previously engaged in, and retained me as sector governor. I, for my part, pledged my true obedience to them, Her Majesty having called my previous pledge at their coronation a sham.”

  “Did you tell them anything about what’s been going on?” Norden Sector Governor Anders Karlsson asked.

  “No. They did not require it. They said they didn’t need any information from me because they already knew more about what was going on than I did. It was very sobering. We sometimes forget just how extensive Imperial investigative resources are. Who controls the QE network? Who controls the Imperial Bank? Who controls the Imperial records archives?”

  “A full pardon?” Gandon Sector Governor John Biederman Smith asked.

  “A full pardon for everything and anything that occurred before our meeting. Her Majesty gave me one assignment. To bring to you the same deal, on the same terms. Return to the proper administrative role of sector governors as in times past, swear true obedience to the Throne, and retain your position, with a full pardon. The same offer applies to your own friends among the sector governors.

  “And bear this in mind. When she gave me the assignment to extend this deal to you, Milady Empress called out each of you by name. She offered to name each of your groups as well
, if I wished. I demurred.”

  “Damn,” Earth Sector Governor Michael Porter said.

  “Her Majesty also said this offer was available for a limited time, after which they would take a longer look at the past activities of those who decide not to take it, and take appropriate action.”

  “It sounds like Their Majesties made quite an impression on you, Manny,” Nederling Sector Governor Norman Conway said.

  “Norm, I have never been so terrified in my life. You remember the coronation. Now imagine yourself in a small room, by yourself, with those same two people. Make her well-spoken, smart, imperious. I’ve met some imposing and charismatic people in my life, but I have never in my life seen anything like that. I believe we are at the beginning of one of the great reigns in the Empire’s history. To stand against them – to stand against her – is suicide.

  “Understand this. Those stories we’ve heard – executing spies herself, taking out an entire rifle squad by herself, threatening to execute the nanite executives by her own hand – those are understatements. Piotr could have sent two rifle squads. Or three. It would have made little difference. Sitting there, I was surprised she hadn’t executed me already, just for being associated with him, but she said she couldn’t just execute sector governors willy-nilly. It made it hard to hire for the job.”

  “She said that?” Midlothia Sector Governor Steven Adams asked.

  “Yes. And if you value your lives, you will take Their Majesties’ deal. Empress Arsinoe will be one of the Great Empresses. I have no doubt of it.

  “And I for one will be proud to serve such a ruler.”

  “How many is that now?” Burke asked.

  “Twenty-five, I think,” Ardmore said.

  “And we figured they were divided more or less third-third-third?”

  “Yes, that’s right. So we probably only have another couple or so to go.”

  “Well, there are three more requests in queue, so that might take care of them all,” Burke said. “Which is good. This is getting exhausting.”

  “You’re still doing a good job, though. And when you’re done, we’ll have the sector governors solidly in our corner.”

  “Which is good. Still, I’m glad it’s the end of the week. I can take some time off from being Arsinoe, Destroyer of Worlds.”

  Ardmore chuckled.

  “Hopefully the weather is nice this weekend. We can spend some time in the gardens and unwind.”

  Saturday was a beautiful day, and they went up to the gardens after lunch. Ardmore lay on the double chaise and watched Burke swim her laps in the twenty-five-meter pool. He could never get over how beautiful she was. To him, at least. Part of it was her level of fitness, from the sports when she was younger, from her time in the Imperial Marines, from continuing to work out and exercise in the Imperial Palace. He had almost lost her just four months ago, and it still shook him to think how close it had been.

  Burke finished her normal laps and kept going, pushing the envelope. Finally, she swam up to the ladder and climbed out on the pool deck, the water sheeting off her naked mahogany body.

  She joined him on the double chaise, curling up to him, shivering as her metabolism backed down from the exercise and the evaporating water on her skin stole heat away.

  “Oh, you’re so warm. You feel so good,” she murmured as she snuggled.

  He wrapped his big arms around her and held her close. She purred in contentment.

  “Make love to me, Baby. Make me feel like a woman, and not a fearsome Empress.”

  “But you’re the Empress of my heart, where you reign unchallenged.”

  “Oh, Baby....”

  “Jimmy,” Burke said.

  They were drifting in and out of sleep on the double chaise, their passion spent.

  “Mmm?”

  “Jimmy, it’s getting to be about that time.”

  “What? Time for supper?” Ardmore asked.

  “No. Time for me to be a mommy. I want babies, Jimmy.”

  “It’s time for that?”

  “I’m almost thirty, Jimmy. We need to start soon. I don’t have forever.”

  “Ah.”

  “And I want more than one. Three maybe. Or four. So I need to get started.”

  “Well, then I suppose you have to turn off your nanites.”

  “Yes, but I didn’t want to do that without talking to you about it.”

  “No, that’s fine, Gail. Go ahead.”

  “I love you, Jimmy.”

  “I love you, too, Gail.”

  Brunch on Sunday morning was, as always, with the Co-Consul and his wife, Paul and Claire Diener, in the dining room on the Co-Consul’s side of the upper floor of the Imperial Residence, the top floor of the Imperial Palace.

  The sideboard was loaded with all the usual breakfast fare. There were blintzes and pancakes and waffles and French toast. There were sausages and bacon and ham slices. There were fruits and breads and spreads. Everybody loaded up their plates and set to it with gusto. They all wanted to get to coffee, and the conversation that went with it.

  Saturday’s beautiful weather had held and they had coffee out on the balcony, the staff having been dismissed.

  “So I’ve heard you two have been having a bunch of meetings,” Diener said.

  “God, yes,” Burke said. “One after the other after the other.”

  “Meetings with whom?” Claire asked.

  “The sector governors,” Ardmore answered. “Franz Becker approached Manfred von Hesse about a rapprochement with the Throne, and he took it. So we told him to pass the offer on, and everyone is taking us up on it.”

  “Von Hesse?” Claire asked. “Isn’t he the leader of the dissident sector governors?”

  “He was, but not anymore,” Ardmore said. “He first, and then all the rest of the more troublesome sector governors, have been meeting with us to set things right.”

  “How in heaven did you manage that?” Claire asked, looking from Ardmore to Burke and back.

  “It was Franz Becker’s idea,” Burke said. “A full Imperial Pardon for all past shenanigans, plus a promise they would not be removed either administratively or by more, er, kinetic means.”

  “That and Gail has been holding the meetings in her ‘goddess sitting in judgment’ avatar,” Ardmore said.

  Claire looked at Burke with a raised eyebrow.

  “My coronation getup,” Burke said.

  “Ah. Well, I can see that, then,” Claire said. “Don’t forget I had a very good view of the coronation from the foot of the dais. It’s powerful imagery.”

  Ardmore nodded.

  “So the sector governors are falling into line,” Diener said.

  “Yes,” Ardmore said. “We still have the old royal heirs and the plutocrats to deal with.”

  “But with the sector governors in line, it’s time to put in place the free trade rules,” Diener said. “It’s been three months. That was our timetable. And you can take back control of the military at the same time.”

  “I think Paul’s right, Jimmy,” Burke said. “We’ve been so busy with the sector governors, we didn’t even think of that.”

  “That makes sense,” Ardmore said.

  “What’s going on with the plutocrats?” Diener asked.

  “The Zoo is working on that, but we should have all the information we need for our next offensive move soon,” Ardmore said.

  “What’s that?” Claire asked.

  “Take away all their money,” Burke said.

  “Oh, I think they’ll find that offensive,” Claire said.

  “I hope so,” Burke said. “I owe them one.”

  On Monday morning, the Imperial Press Office issued a press release.

  PRESS RELEASE

  – For Immediate Release –

  IMPERIAL PALACE – Emperor Ptolemy and Empress Arsinoe have made an Imperial Finding that trade restrictions and trade tariffs within the boundaries of the Empire constitute an illegal tax. See attachment.

&
nbsp; Imperial General Eric Hargreaves, Commandant of the Imperial Guard, Imperial General Samuel Destin, Commandant of the Imperial Marines, and Imperial Admiral Jason Presley, Chief of Naval Operations of the Imperial Navy, were waiting for Their Majesties in a conference room on the Imperial office floor of the Imperial Palace. Meetings with the Emperor and Empress had not been on a regular schedule since the death of Augustus VI. There was just so much going on.

  Edward Moody opened the door and Ardmore and Burke entered the room and walked to their seats. The three senior officers all stood for the Emperor and Empress as soon as the door was opened. Ardmore and Burke sat down.

  “Be seated, Gentlemen,” Ardmore said.

  “Yes, Sire,” Presley, with more time in rank, answered for all three.

  They all sat and waited attentively for Their Majesties. The Throne had called this meeting, and they had no idea what the topic was.

  “We are instituting a policy change that affects the military,” Ardmore said. “Beginning immediately, by Imperial Decree, the military chain of command will pass directly up through military commanders to the head of the respective service, who reports directly to the Throne. The sector governors, provincial governors, and planetary governors will no longer appear anywhere in the military chain of command.

  “Imperial Navy Sector commanders will report directly to Imperial Navy Fleet Headquarters Center. Imperial Marines Sector Commanders will report directly to Imperial Marines Headquarters Center.”

  “That sounds excellent to me, Sire,” Presley said.

  “Indeed, Sire. As it should be,” Destin said.

  Hargreaves simply nodded.

  “Very well. That is all, gentlemen,” Ardmore said.

  Ardmore and Burke stood, as did the commanders, and Ardmore and Burke walked out of the room.

  “The Throne is back in command,” Hargreaves said.

  “Thank God,” Presley said.