The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion
by AJ Marks
Part 32
Meia watched General Porkins walk into the room and head straight to her.
“Ma’am, glad to see you’re still alive, the admiral will be glad. Though,” he paused to look her over, “you appear a bit worse for wear.”
“Had a bit of a fight with my uncle, had some problems but managed to make it through,” Meia said to him. “I need your help in restoring order to the city and palace. Have the captain of the Enforcers report to me as soon as possible, we need to make a few changes.”
“Yes ma’am,” Frank said.
“How many did we lose?” Meia asked.
“Commander Dean states he lost seventy-eight men, and another thirty-six wounded, most from the shuttle which went down. The resistance lost ten people, two wounded and the palace guards lost ninety men, another sixty-three wounded,” he said to her.
“Almost two hundred people, and several thousand more in space,” Meia sighed feeling the weight of the lives. “Its too much.”
“We understood the risks Meia,” Frank said to her placing an arm on the shoulder the doctor wasn’t working on before heading out to carry out his orders.
“You know, I think you’ll do just fine, a nice change indeed,” the doctor said.
She looked at him for several seconds wondering what he was talking about.
“You feel the loss of life, something Prince Boris did as well, and what Emperor Henry did not,” he said to her.
“I fear it will be rough,” Meia said instead.
She grew quiet and merely watched as the doctor went about his actions.
“Are the wounded being treated?” Meia finally asked.
“Yes, they have their own med lab, this is for the royal family only,” he said to her. “You could say I’m your personal doctor on call for anything.”
That felt strange to Meia, having her own doctor.
She looked up as another person walked in and was surprised to see it was Randy. A smile came to her face at the sight of a familiar person as he made his way over to where she sat.
“I’m hearing some amazing stories, and I see you managed to keep yourself in one piece,” he said to her.
“What are you doing down here?” Meia asked.
“Came down as soon as I could, Kim’s taking care of working with the Cimalian ships, damage, recovering escape pods, that type of thing. Any problems they’ll contact me,” he said to her. “And I thought you could use a friend.”
“Thanks,” Meia said, leaning into him slightly as he placed a hand around her shoulder but allowed the doctor to continue his work.
“General Porkins filled me in as much as possible,” Randy said. “Has our troops helping out. He has some ideas for working with the current police forces and such.”
“I can’t allow the Enforcers to continue, they terrorize the people especially the lower classes,” Meia said.
“You’ll do fine,” Randy said to her.
The doctor came finished up placing some things up.
“Done?” Meia asked.
“Only need the blood sample,” he said to her which she frowned at.
“A blood sample will easily confirm your claim and ease your situation,” he said to her.
“Oh, good idea,” Meia said, suddenly having some doubt about it all. What if the Emperor had lied, but then why would he do that.
The doctor quickly took the sample and turned to her.
“All right, this will be going to the lab under heavy guard,” he told her. “In the meantime you are to rest, especially your left shoulder. You landed it pretty hard and it will take a bit more time to fully heal correctly.”
“Yes doctor,” Meia replied.
“A leader who actually listens, goddesses never cease to amaze me,” the doctor said in a mocking tone.
“I can still change,” Meia replied narrowing her eyes at him.
“And then I’ll have Doctor Leaver come down,” Randy said.
“Um, never mind,” Meia replied not wanting him to come down and fuss over her. She noticed a man standing hesitantly at the door and waved him into the room.
“Um, Empress, we found another body inside the throne room, a small child,” theman said to her.
“A girl?” Meia asked seeing the shock in his face knowing what was coming.
“Ah, yes Empress, did you know her?” he asked confused.
“Did I know her? That is a complex question. I think she knew me better than I knew her,” Meia said to him. “She was a clone Emperor Henry had done of me at age five, and mixed in some of my uncle’s attitude. She was to be his ‘daughter’ I believe.”
“Yes, I recall hearing something about him having a daughter, it confused everyone,” the man said back.
“Ironic, I think she was killed in her own trap,” Meia said looking around seeing Randy’s confusion. “Brandy, her name, wanted power, to be Empress and she would do anything to gain that power like my uncle did. During the fight with my uncle I noticed the bomb. I have a feeling when my uncle was blindly firing he shot her after she shot the guard. She probably expected us to fight and bomb to go off after she left leaving her Empress, not expecting to be unable to escape herself.”
“You have a crazy family,” Randy finally said.
“Add in the fact the Henry killed Prince Boris, along with Empress Teressa and Emperor Aaron I guess people are more willing to accept you,” Terry said to her.
“How is the information being accepted?” Meia asked.
“From what we can tell so far, better than anticipated,” Ewa said. “People are nervous about what might happen next but I think once the blood sample is done things will calm down and they will accept you. We’ve already begun to think of way to lessen punishments and begin working with all classes.”
“That will take time,” Randy said to her them.
Meia nodded knowing she couldn’t issue a decree and have things be smooth. She needed to figure out a way to slowly change things, make punishments fair for all. One thing she wanted to do was make it so people could do what they wanted, not forced into one thing.
“So, what’s the next step?” Randy asked.
“I think we need to visit the alliance, as the Empress of the Cimlian Empire and start talks with them for peace,” Meia said. “And let the people know what my family had been doing so they don’t’ view the Alliance as the enemy anymore.”
“Could be dangerous, undermine your power,” Terry said.
“No, I want to be honest with them,” Meia said. “I’m not like my uncle, I don’t need to hide behind false stories about the Alliance. I believed that foolishness as well until I learned the truth.”
They stood there looking at each other before Randy finally broke the silence.
“Well then, if you allow me the pleasure I’d love to escort you to the Alliance,” Randys aid.
“I can’t think of a better person,” Meia said knowing she’d feel better with someone she knew beside her.
“Actually I also mean the Akai as an official escort,” Randy said to her.
“Yes to both,” Meia said knowing it would be nice, and feel like home to her.
“You will go on board a Cimalian ship,’ Ewa stated almost shocked that Meia would consider an Alliance ship. “After all, it’s an official visit.”
“I know, but for now we have a process to start,” Meia said. “Get an aide.”
*****
Meia took a breath to relieve her own nervousness as she stood beside Randy in his official formal uniform escorting her into the room where she would meet several members of the Alliance, not her first time here.
“Relax, you’ll do fine,” Randy said.
“I’m about to represent an entire Empire to the Alliance, the most I’ve commanded is two dozen pilots,” Meia hissed back at him.
“Just go out for drinks later, have John buy,” Randy replied with a chuckle.
“No, never again,” Meia replied not trusting John with water.
“I give you the Empress of the Cimalian Empire, Meia Cimal.”
The doors opened allowing Meia to step forward and into the spotlight as she walked forward into the room. She partly wished she was back on Pacifica and simply eating with Randy and his parents, anywhere but right here.
Making her way into the room she took her seat which had been left open for her. Taking her seat she waited knowing this time she was equal to them all, what she said carried weight.
“Welcome Empress Meia,” she heard President Able Sauer say to her.
“Thank you Mr. President,” Meia replied after she had been seated. She understood what happened here would determine the future of both the Alliance and the Empire.
“You are aware that the Cimalian Empire has recently, invaded Alliance space now twice. We are looking for reassurances and concessions it won’t happen again” Able said to her.
“I was there on both sides, as invader and defender of the Alliance,” Meia said. “We’ve all suffered, I lost friends and family in this senseless fight.”
“I was told your parents were killed years before the invasion,” Able said.
“True, but the reasons behind the deaths, and the invasion, are the same, my uncle” Meia replied to them. “But those are concerns of the Cimalian Empire. We are here to forge a new peace between our two empires, are we not?”
“Um, yes, yes, of course,” Able said and Meia had a feeling the power play had not ended. She already felt a slight headache coming from the stress as Able continued. “I wanted to make sure our concerns are met, we lost many lives in the war.”
“Lives that might not have been lost had this government and the press had not lied to the public about what was going on, and blamed the military instead,” Meia heard Randy said. “I will say this, many in the military consider Empress Meia a friend.”
“So our military would rebel against us?” Able stated looking at Randy.
“No, she has earned our trust, we will defend the Alliance against all enemies, including those who worked against us in the invasion,” Randy said to him.
“So it doesn’t bother you that she was part of the invasion?” Able asked.
“Actually, it’s the way the government treated us during the invasion which concerned me more,” Randy said.
“And what way is that?” a senator asked.
“Ignoring it,” Senator Amy Barnes said speaking up. “I was on Serria when they invaded, I was wounded, where were you?”
“That is irrelevant,” the senator replied back.
“Maybe to you, but not to me or the people on Serria,” Amy replied. “I think we’re here to work a peace between our two civilizations, not antagonize each other. But I have no problem going to the press and telling people what went on in this meeting.”
Meia noticed the attitude changed slightly as Amy spoke. She had a feeling that with Amy she had an ally in this group and it felt nice.
“Yes, perhaps we spoke a bit hastily,” Able said, wiping his forehead. “Let’s see what we can work out.”
Meia sat back waiting to hear what they might say next.
*****
Meia felt relieved to walk out of the room. Once the hostility ebbed away they were able to actually get down to business. Now she felt they might at least have a peace between the two empires as Ewa came up to her.
“Cimalius reports everything is going all right, no riots as we feared there might be with some of the proclamations,” Ewa said to her.
“Good,” Meia said running her hand though her hair. “I think I plan to go aboard the Akagi when this is over and head to Pacifica.”
“Are you sure Empress?” Ewa asked, seeing Meia frown at the term Empress.
“Yes, and its Meia.”
“Only in private,” Ewa replied, something all her aides did. “I’ll inform the Seydlitz.”
“You’re accepting my mother’s invitation?” Randy said.
“How could I refuse,” Meia said. “Dinner at a place your mother recommends, I’d be a fool not to accept, and gong aboard the Akagi, well.”
“For old time sakes?” Randy asked.
“Yeah, see Ben, John and the others,” Meia said. “They are still my friends.”
“I think we can do that,” Randy said. She felt his arm wind around her shoulders.
“People are going to talk,” Meia said.
“Let them,” Randy said
Meia relaxed a bit leaning into Randy as they made their way to the shuttle. She still had a lot of challenges ahead, but she felt the future of the Alliance and Empire looked bright for a change.
The End