Earthman Jack vs. The Secret Army (Earthman Jack Space Saga Book 2)

by Matthew Kadish

  The guards grabbed Green roughly and forced him toward the hangar’s teleportation platform. Green glanced behind him, getting one last look at Armonto Virtuoso as the man stood facing the Earthship, his hands clasped behind his back, watching as his cannons tore away at the vessel’s very soul.

  Chapter 49

  Jack was rushing to get ready as he checked the time on his datapad. Amadeus’s email had said the appeal to Anna over the suspension of the Directory and subsequent overturning of the offensive measure was scheduled for three o’clock, and there was no way Jack was going to miss it, not when so much was at stake. He still couldn’t believe it was Anna who’d made the decision to do this. Did she know about Jack’s ship? About Grohm? None of her actions made any sense.

  Jack was on edge as he rushed out of his apartment and made his way to the teleportation platform. He’d been feeling jittery and anxious all day, though he couldn’t explain why. He just knew something was off and that it had to do with his ship. All of a sudden, it was like the mental link that connected it to him was gone. He could only assume the Maguffyn Corporation had done something to his ship, and he was afraid of what it might be.

  Something’s wrong, he thought. Something’s terribly wrong – I can feel it! I have to get my ship back!

  No sooner had he teleported onto the Throne Level of the Royal Tower than he was assaulted by reporters who were camping out by the platform. He pushed his way through the mob of journalists as they surrounded him, shoving microphones in his face. Camera orbs flew about his head like annoying insects. Questions were shouted at him from all sides as Jack struggled to make it past the throng.

  “Earthman! Do you support the Princess’s decree to suspend the Directory?”

  “What was behind your decision to become the deciding vote in passing the Evenstar offensive measure? Is it because you and Kimlee Evenstar are a couple?”

  “Any truth to the rumors you’re somehow connected to the Rognoks who went on the rampage down on stratum 80?”

  “What are you wearing? Is that Fabu?”

  “NO COMMENT! And yes, it’s Fabu,” stated Jack, as he finally pushed past the media and into the restricted area, making his way to the security checkpoint. There were so many security-bots and Royal Guards around, one would think Anna was preparing for an invasion as opposed to a formal hearing.

  “Name?” asked the sentry at the checkpoint.

  “Jack Finnegan,” Jack replied.

  “I’m sorry. You’re not on list.”

  “What?” cried Jack. “That’s not possible! Amadeus Evenstar himself invited me!”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but only select government officials are allowed entry to a formal audience with the Princess.”

  “Dude, I’m a Junior representative, an Elder representative, and a freakin’ Hero of the Empire! What do I have to do to be on that list?”

  “Is there a reason why someone may have removed your name from it?”

  Casgor, thought Jack, bitterly. Would he really be that petty? Who am I kidding – he’s totally the type to be that petty.

  “Let him through,” said Kimlee, walking up from behind the checkpoint. “This man is with the Evenstar delegation.”

  “I’m sorry, Lady Evenstar, but he’s not on the list,” objected the sentry.

  Kimlee whipped out her datapad and tapped its screen a few times. “There you go,” she said. “He’s just been added.”

  The sentry checked the updated list and waved Jack through. “Thanks,” said Jack.

  “Amadeus thought Casgor might try to pull a fast one and keep you from attending, so he had me out here looking for you,” Kimlee said as she and Jack made their way toward the Throne Room. “Having you publically side with us in the vote has really turned public opinion in our favor. Your presence here is going to be invaluable if we’re going to have any hope of reversing Anna’s decision.”

  “I thought you didn’t care about all this political stuff?”

  “I don’t, but I care about my brother. He fought hard for this win. He doesn’t deserve to be cheated out of it. It’s all hands on deck today. I’m here to support him in any way I can. But I also came because I knew you were going to be here.”

  Uh-oh, thought Jack, not liking the way Kimlee had said that last part. “Um… because I’m here?”

  Kimlee stopped at the entrance to the Throne Room and turned to Jack. “Why haven’t you returned any of my calls?” she asked. “I’ve been leaving voice messages, e-mailing… you’ve been completely ignoring me.”

  “Sorry,” muttered Jack. “I’ve been kinda busy lately, what with the government trying to steal my ship and all.”

  Kimlee frowned. “Is everything okay?” she asked. “Between us, I mean? Ever since we kissed you’ve been acting… weird.”

  “Weird? Me? I’m not weird,” Jack said quickly, feeling totally weird as thoughts of Kimlee making out with Wilvelm and Fredreek played out in his mind. “I’m just… look, can we talk about this later?”

  “I want to talk about it now,” said Kimlee. “Are you mad at me?”

  “Why would I be mad at you?”

  “I don’t know,” said Kimlee, looking sad. “What happened between us in the Ebella Overlook… it was so amazing. Ever since then I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. And then you disappear and won’t even talk to me.”

  Jack suddenly felt very guilty for ignoring Kimlee. He had been busy trying to get his ship back, but the truth was, the things Wilvelm and Fredreek had told him about her had freaked him out enough to make him want to put some distance between them.

  “You really haven’t been able to stop thinking about me?” Jack asked.

  Kimlee smiled. “You think I’d leave as many messages for you if I could get you out of my head?” she responded. “I miss you.”

  Jack smiled shyly, feeling flattered that a girl as gorgeous as Kimlee would miss him. “I guess… I guess I have been a little antisocial lately,” he said. “I’m sorry if I’ve been ignoring you. I miss you, too, actually.”

  “Really?” asked Kimlee coyly. “Then let’s do something about it!”

  “Like what?”

  Kimlee sighed. “Earthman…” she said good-naturedly, “do they not take girls out on dates where you’re from?”

  Jack blushed, suddenly feeling incredibly stupid. “Oh, uh… right. So you, like… wanna go out? On a date?”

  Kimlee nodded. “Nothing fancy, I just want an excuse to hang out with you,” she said. “Maybe even do another round of what we did in the Ebella Overlook? How’s that sound?”

  Really, really, really, really, really, really, really good, thought Jack. “I’d like that,” he replied.

  “Great! It’s a date!” said Kimlee with a bright smile. “Come by my place around eight. Hopefully, if what’s about to happen goes well, we’ll have something to celebrate.”

  “You think it will?”

  “Amadeus has been consulting with an army of lawyers and compu-consuls since this whole mess began,” Kimlee said. “He may not be much fun at parties, but he can litigate like nobody’s business. He seems confident he’s found a way to convince Anna she’s in the wrong on this issue.”

  “I still can’t believe she’d do something like this,” Jack said. “It just doesn’t seem like her. None of this does.”

  “Most likely it’s simply Casgor and the Skyborns whispering in her ear,” Kimlee said. “Now that we have a chance to address her directly, I’m sure we can work this out. If there’s one thing you can say about Anna, it’s that she always wants to do the right thing. She’s just had the wrong people around her telling her what that is.”

  Jack hoped Kimlee was right. They both entered the Throne Room together. It was a majestic hall with a cathedral-like vaulted ceiling. A balcony wrapped around the room in a horse-shoe shape, with another two-tiered seating area on the ground below it. At the head of the room was a grand, golden throne on a raised dais, a large red bann
er emblazoned with the insignia of Legacy Prime hanging on the wall behind it. Holographic murals of famous Emperors from the past lined the walls, occasionally fading to new images of different Emperors, all of them looking powerful and dignified.

  The Throne Room was already packed, filled with the most important and influential government officials the Empire had to offer, at least those Jack was able to recognize. There were a number of people standing on the floor in cordoned-off areas, monitored by Royal Guard sentries. Jack followed Kimlee to where Amadeus was standing with with Elder Faulyde and a few compu-consul androids while reviewing his notes on a datapad.

  “Jack,” said Amadeus. “Thanks for coming.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” Jack replied. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

  “Just be seen in our corner. When the Princess sees you’re with us, I have no doubt that will make her more inclined to listen to our argument.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Jack said.

  Amadeus sighed. “I hope so, too. But Anna’s always been reasonable. When she hears my arguments, I’m betting she’ll realize she’s made an error.”

  “Well, good luck all the same,” said Jack.

  Jack and Kimlee made their way to the area of the floor reserved for the Evenstars, which was already pretty crowded with a number of lawyers busily going over last minute preparations for the presentation. Jack glanced up at the balcony opposite him and saw Mourdock make his way in, followed by Wilvelm and Fredreek. The three of them took their seats, none of them bothering to look in Jack’s direction.

  “All rise,” intoned the Royal Herald. “Presenting her Imperial Highness, The Blood of the Ancients, Matriarch of Legacy Prime, and Heir to the throne of the Regalus Empire, Princess Glorianna!”

  Anna entered the Throne Room from the back entrance, accompanied by all four members of the Royal Vanguard, who took up positions around her throne. She was followed in by Uleeg Casgor and Gebhard Skyborn, who stood behind the Royal dais as Anna took her seat. Amadeus frowned when he saw the prominent positions Casgor and Gebhard occupied. Jack saw Anna glance his way and thought he noticed her scowl briefly when she saw him standing with Kimlee.

  “Hear ye, hear ye,” said the Royal Herald. “Her Imperial Highness, Princess Glorianna, shall now grant audience to the esteemed Lord Amadeus Evenstar, of Legacy Evenstar. Lord Evenstar, you are permitted the floor.”

  Amadeus stepped forward to the center of the room and bowed deeply toward Anna. “Your Highness,” he said. “Thank you for granting me an audience this day.”

  “When I receive a petition from almost half the Legacies in my Empire threatening to with-hold revenue and resources unless you are heard, Lord Evenstar, I don’t exactly feel as though the option to turn down a request for a formal hearing is much of a choice,” Anna replied, all pretense of politeness already dispensed with.

  Amadeus frowned at Anna’s hostile tone but pushed forward nonetheless. “My apologies, Your Highness, but when our initial requests were ignored, we felt there was no other recourse to gain your attention on this important matter. Those Legacies have a grievance and wish to be heard. I speak now with their voice and the voice of Legacy Evenstar. We are here today to appeal to you to reverse your decision to suspend four members of the Directory, thus granting full control of the government to Director Uleeg Casgor.”

  “Denied,” Anna said flatly.

  “Your Highness…”

  “It is the right of Legacy Prime to dismiss any member of the Directory it feels is not doing his duty,” Anna said. “And as of now, the only Director I feel worthy of the position is Uleeg Casgor.”

  “Your Highness is correct, the dismissal of Directory members falls under the legal rights of Legacy Prime,” Amadeus said. “However, I should like to point out that the issue at hand does not have to do so much with the dismissal of the Directors, rather, with the tactics employed to overturn offensive measure T-800, a bill which was legally passed through both councils of government.”

  “The measure was vetoed by a unanimous vote of the Directory,” Anna proclaimed.

  “That is not true, Your Highness,” Amadeus said. “The vote was 1-0, yes, but the Directory is legally defined as a five-member ruling body. Until four other members of the Directory cast their votes, the measure cannot legally be vetoed.”

  Amadeus’s words caused Anna to shift uncomfortably on her throne. “That is your argument, is it?” she asked.

  “That is the law, Your Highness,” Amadeus replied. “Until new elections are held and those four seats are filled so that a proper Directory vote can be completed, I must insist that legally, measure T-800 is still in effect.”

  “I have granted Director Casgor special emergency powers using Prime Privilege 17, thus allowing him every legal right he needs to veto that legislation,” Anna said. “The measure is dead, Lord Evenstar.”

  “Again, Your Highness, legally, Prime Privilege 17 cannot be applied in this instance due to—”

  “Lord Evenstar,” Anna said, forcefully. “I did not come here to debate Imperial Law with you all day. You made your appeal. I have denied your appeal. That is the end of it.”

  Amadeus gazed at Anna, his jaw tense. “Your Highness,” he said. “I came here today as a courtesy, to appeal to your better sense of judgment and to save us all a great deal of time and trouble. I feel the law is on my side, and on the side of all those who voted to pass measure T-800. If you do not reconsider your decision, then you leave us no choice but to take our case to the Council of Seven.”

  Anna regarded Amadeus coolly. “Am I to understand you’d attempt to circumvent my will by going to the Royal Judiciary?”

  “Your Highness, when Emperor Nameer formed the Council of Seven, it was so that there could be a body in place that could countermand an Emperor’s orders deemed unjust, cruel, or unlawful,” Amadeus said. “As long as the issue does not pertain to the use of Ancient Technology, bringing our grievance before the Council of Seven is simply following the safeguards that are within our system of law. We do not wish to use it as a way to circumvent you.”

  “No, just as a way to threaten me, apparently,” Anna replied.

  It seemed to Jack as though everyone in the Throne Room stiffened at Anna’s words. Amadeus kept his composure, despite Anna’s icy glare. “You misunderstand my intention, Your Highness,” Amadeus said. “Your recent actions have created a legal crisis we simply wish to clear up.”

  “Oh, I think I understand your intentions perfectly well, Lord Evenstar,” Anna said, leaning forward on her throne. “Either I give you what you want, or you find a way to force me to give you what you want. Is that not what you are telling me?”

  A murmur rippled through the Throne Room as those in attendance uttered their disbelief at Anna’s confrontational tone. Even Amadeus looked taken aback. He glanced over at Jack and Kimlee, as though looking to them for help on how to respond. “Your Highness,” Amadeus finally replied. “Legacy Evenstar simply wishes for you to follow the law.”

  “Does it now?” Anna asked. “Or does Legacy Evenstar wish to sit upon the throne so that it can choose what laws to make?”

  The murmur that occurred moments before now became audible chatter. Amadeus looked at Anna, confused at the accusation. “I’m afraid I do not understand what you are implying, Your Highness,” he said.

  “Your Legacy has long coveted this throne,” Anna said. “Your parents tried to marry into it with your sister. And recently, your Legacy was suspected of trying to have my fiancée murdered so that you, Lord Evenstar, might take his place. Then I see you passing measures through the council chambers using cheap political tricks, and now you come before me looking to intimidate me into doing your bidding! But Legacy Evenstar does not possess this throne. Legacy Prime does! And as long as that is the case, Legacy Prime makes the law.”

  Jack felt his chest seize up as the people in attendance around him were reacting to Anna’s accusations. His mind flashe
d-back to the night he and Anna had snuck out, and realized to his horror that her words now were echoing the ones he’d spoken to her that night.

  “With all due respect, Your Highness,” Amadeus said, standing up straight. “The people’s representatives make the law. No Legacy, including yours, is ever meant to have that kind of control over the Empire. And as for your accusations, I feel the need to point out that Legacy Evenstar is the oldest and most respected Legacy in existence, next to your own. We adamantly deny your charges against us and maintain that we are loyal subjects of the Empire.”

  “You claim to be loyal, and yet here you are, demanding I change my decisions to suit your will,” Anna said.

  “There is a distinction to being loyal to the Empire, wanting what is best for its people, and blindly allowing you to do whatever you wish, Your Highness,” Amadeus said.

  “That, is where you are wrong, Lord Evenstar,” said Anna, getting to her feet. “I am the Empire! Legacy Prime is the Empire! And if you are not loyal to me, then you are no loyal subject of it! Therefore, you leave me with no choice. You have proven yourself unworthy of your position and title. As of this moment, I am invoking my right and privilege as the head of Legacy Prime, and once and for all dissolving Legacy Evenstar!”

  A stunned silence rocked the room. Every single person in attendance was so surprised at Anna’s announcement, one could hear a pin drop. Jack felt Kimlee’s hand latch tightly onto his wrist, her eyes wide with shock. Even Amadeus looked like he’d seen a ghost.

  Anna smiled at Amadeus’s reaction. “This audience is now over,” she announced.

  Immediately, commotion erupted all around. People were talking to one another frantically, trying to process what had just happened. Jack had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. This is bad, he thought. This is so, so bad! He looked over at Anna as she sat back down on her throne, sitting up straight with authority and power. She was not the same girl he’d known back on Earth. The girl sitting there was someone completely different. The girl sitting there was a stranger to him.