The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion
by AJ Marks
Part 20
Greg stopped at the door, hesitating for several heartbeats trying to gather up the courage to knock on the door. Finally, after a couple of seconds he knocked knowing he couldn’t back down now. It took only a few moments before a short woman answered the door.
“May I help you sir?’ she asked.
“I would like to see the master of the house, is he home?” Greg asked, now partly wishing he wasn’t home.
“And you would be?” she asked almost bored.
“And old friend, Greg.”
“Wait here,” the woman said closing the screen door and walking back inside the house leaving Greg by himself again.
He looked around the neighborhood, very similar to his own only a few blocks away. A few people were out walking but no one even paid him any attention. Greg wondered if he would even remember him, then realized he probably would considering they had not parted on good terms. The bigger question was would he see him.”
“Well Greg, I see something things haven’t changed over the years,” a male voice said causing Greg to turn back around to see a tall man standing in the doorway. “What are you doing here?” the man asked, a hard edge in his voice indicating he hadn’t forgotten.
“I have some information you might find interesting Patrick,” Greg replied trying to remain friendly.
“And that would be what?” Patrick replied. “Or are you still trying to prove yourself after Boris’ death?”
Greg flinched at the words but took a breath and continued on. “Boris had a daughter.”
*****
Carl walked into the room and for the first time really thought about some things. One question was how they managed to secure an empty office building without the order of the Emperor in a new planet. The more he considered this question the more he felt sure the Emperor had to be involved. He had a quick idea and hoped he had time to use it, and it worked.
“Ah, Carl, so good of you to come by,” one of the leader said in front of him. Carl didn’t recognize the man and figured he was a replacement for someone even as the man continued. “We were beginning to wonder if you’d ever show up again.”
Carl looked around at the assembled group before answering. “Well, wasn’t too sure about how we’d be greeted, as it appears things have changed quite a bit in the past couple of weeks,” Carl said to them.
“I think you’d be surprised at what hasn’t changed Carl,” another person said, Carl recognized the man as Anthony.
“True, but have you ever thought about a few things, I did and that why I haven’t returned,” Carl answered. “At least not freely,” he added looking around and seeing that his words had a bit of an impact as a few shuffled their feet and refused to look at him.
Carl’s attention focused back on the leaders who only glared back at him.
“In fact, I’d say we were brought here by the point of a gun and threatened with our lives if we didn’t return,” Carl said to them wondering how they would reply.
“We needed to know how much we could trust you after that recent incident which cost us the lives of six men,” Anthony said.
“How do you know those six didn’t survive?” Ewa said speaking up.
“Do you see them here,” the first one said motioning his arms around and a few others chuckled at that.
Carl realized he knew something the others did not, an important bit of information. “I’ve seen Brad lately.”
The statement caught them all by surprise. Anthony laughed obviously dismissing the thought as the other three had a smile on their face as well.
“Come on Carl, we all know they died in that foolish attempt,” Anthony replied. “Unless you’ve started talking to the dead all of a sudden.”
More people laughed at that comment, but Carl noticed a few didn’t, they were waiting.
“No, they did escape with Meia’s help. You see she outsmarted the Emperor’s plans for her once more,” Carl said.
“Yes, we know she managed to escape, barely, but she ran back to the Alliance where she should say. Daughter of Prince Boris, what a façade,” Anthony said. “I can’t believe we fell for that lie.”
“So you know everything then,” Carl asked. “Which base did they attack?”
“The Gamma base, what an insignificant question you are asking.”
“Wrong, it was the Epsilon base,” Carl replied back to them. “And instead of leaving those six men, who you sentenced to die in a suicide attack, she took them with her.”
Carl felt the temperature drop in the room as several people looked on with interest. The leaders seemed not to pleased with what Carl said. In fact a few looked almost angry that he had mentioned that. Several others in the group gave an indication that they wanted to believe what Carl said. So the leaders were not in complete control, interesting.
“Perhaps you’d like to explain why you knew they were going on a suicide mission?” Carl asked them.
“I think you had really better watch what you’re saying, spreading lies is a serious crime,” the first leader said.
“Lies! Is that what you think I’m saying? Why is that? Or is that what the Emperor wants you to lead the resistance to think,” Carl replied back, the atmosphere in the room going up even more.
For several seconds no one moved or spoke. Carl waited to see what the reaction would be to his accusations about the leadership. No one seemed to want to take the next step so Carl decided to push things even further.
“I’m sure you’d be happy to learn it was Meia who first suggested for us to stay away from you, or that she said you were working with the Emperor,” Carl said. “I didn’t want to believe her at first, but now, standing here, listening to you talk, I believe the Emperor does control you.”
“I suggest you be quiet Carl,” Frank growled behind him. “You have no idea what’s going on anymore.”
“Me? No, its you who doesn’t know what’s going on,” Carl replied back to him. “You all sit here thinking, dreaming of overthrowing the Emperor but the truth is you sit here as another pawn in the Emperor’s game. A way for him to track those who don’t like the way things are done. When the opportunity comes along to actually do something you send people to an ambush. It’s a good thing she didn’t trust any of you.”
Carl stood looking at everyone as they seemed frozen by his statement. He then noticed a movement from Anhony, a PRG appeared in his hand. Shots rang out and he heard Ewa scream.
*****
Greg waited to see what Terry would say. The big man stood there for several seconds before he finally said anything.
“So, you think he had a daughter? Why has nothing come out before this?” Terry asked and Greg knew the questions were logical.
“She had an Epsilon mother,” Greg replied back unsurprised when Terry laughed at the comment.
“An Epsilon! You can’t be serious, they are low class, not worth anything,” Terry said.
“I’ve talked with her, if anyone was Boris’ daughter she is it,” Greg replied back.
“And you know this how?”
“I met with her not long ago,” Greg said before saying the second part. “She has his eyes.”
“Yeah, you would know that,” Terry replied.
“You might not have liked me much, but we were both friends to Boris, or at least I thought you were,” Greg said.
“So you’re saying Boris had a daughter with an Epsilon class citizen,” Terry said.
“Yes, remember that waitress at the bar near the base. He never spoke of her much except for one strange conversation. He had a crush on her, I’m positive of it now,” Greg said to him waiting for anything.
“Well, if he did he hid it well from me. But we did spend a lot of time there, and there was a small reddish-blonde waitress there which always seemed to serve us,” terry said. “And your right, he did seem to look at her quite a bit.”
“That’s the girl,” Greg said. “Remember what class citizen she was?”
“Of course, had to straighten her out a few times, stupid Epsilon,” Terry said suddenly stopping and looking at Greg who only nodded. “Perhaps we should go inside.”
Greg felt like he had made it in and followed Terry inside. He noticed that Terry had done well for himself over the years, a bit better than being an instructor in the academy. Reaching the office they sat down across from each other.
“So, what else about this daughter?” Terry asked.
“She has his abilities, she’s a blue,” Greg said to him.
“Yeah, no kidding, was always a step behind him, but then again I doubt anyone else could have competed with against him. Poor Corrus, always trying to better Boris, if it wasn’t so funny it would have been sad,” Terry replied back.
“Funny you mention him, his son, Olin, didn’t like her either,” Greg said before wondering something. “You know, you might recognize her name.”
“I might know her name,” Terry said sounding a bit surprised before his eyes went wide and Greg knew he had heard the name. “Don’t tell me, that Epsilon pilot from the invasion!”
“Yes, Meia,” Greg replied back to him. “I did some research on her when I got back from meeting her. You know her father is classified.”
“Classified? Can’t think of many reasons for such a thing, unless they were one some deep mission to the Alliance,” Terry replied back to him.
“Or he happened to be the Prince who was killed, along with Empress Teressa and Emperor Aaron,” Greg stated.
“That’s quite an accusation,” Terry replied, his eyebrows rising.
“Did you ever look at their deaths, I did recently and they all died of the same thing,’ Greg said.
“Okay, let’s assume you’re right, all three were murdered. Who did it? The resistance?” Terry asked.
“No, Prince Henry,” Greg replied waiting for the outburst.
“You’re accusing the Emperor of killing his own grandmother, father, and brother?” Terry asked.
“Yes I am,” Greg answered evenly.
“That’s a dangerous thing to do Greg, it could get you killed,” Terry replied.
“You mean like Boris,” Greg stated. They sat in silence for several minutes as each thought about what was going on before Terry finally spoke up.
“So, what do you want?” Terry finally asked.
“I know you’re part of the resistance, the real resistance, not he controlled one. Meia is the person who can bring change, she wants change,” Greg said to him.
“You’re asking a lot,” Terry finally replied.
“I know, but this is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for,” Greg said. “The leaders don’t talk to me because of what I believe, but now is the time.”
“And she’ll eliminate the class system,” Terry replied.
“Not right away, she’d like to but knows change must happen slowly with some things. It might not even happen in our lifetime,” Greg said to him. “But they deserve the same chance to be happy as we have. I’ve known some very intelligent Epsilons whose talents are wasted because of this stupid class system.”
“All right, I’ll talk with them, but they might want to meet her,” Terry replied.
“They’ll have to talk to me to talk to her. She’s in hiding at the moment, the Emperor is consumed with finding her,” Greg stated.
“I’ll talk to my contact in the palace as well, we’ll see,” Terry said.
“Don’t wait too long. I get the feeling events are pressing in on us. She won’t wait for long, or their approval to strike,” Greg said.
“She will wait,” Terry said.
“Would Boris have waited,” Greg said watching Terry. “She is his daughter in more than one way. She’ll do it herself if need be. She has the support of some military units, probably the Alliance, but this won’t wait around forever for us to decide. If we wish to e included we must step up now, tell them that.”
Greg stood and walked out fo the office and the house not waiting for Terry’s reply. He had gotten his message though and now the rest was up to them. He wondered if they would help at all, or hinder. He was one of the few who was aware that each class had their own resistance group, Dave belong to the small group, the Betas. If only he could unite them all together in time.
End part 20