Game of Thrones Tales: Back to the Throne Room…

Summary: There's only one solution when Tyrion and Sansa have found the new King as mad as the Mad Targaryen and cynically evil, once on the throne, as Joffrey. So evil he's happily allowed the world to be invaded by unspeakably hideous creatures from some little planet out on the spiral rim of the Galaxy, to secure his reign of terror.

Part XII…

Council Chamber broadcast, Great Hall of the United Kingdom of Westeros…

King Aegon, crown modestly put aside on cushion on chair next him, now at light metal podium to give a brief closing "State of the Kingdom" speech…"And, with my gracious thanks to my ministers, my dear Lord Hand…" smile to Tyrion… "You, my good Councilors…" benevolent nod to the general chamber… "And our good friends from the stars, the Terrans…I close this meeting with all my best wishes to my dear subjects. May the Seven bless you all and may peace and prosperity reign in our kingdom and our world."

Fervent clapping from the chamber, the Terran authorities, including the seated General…The Senator…and Chairman Kach, seated next to the Senator, a rather amused look on his arrogant face. Aegon graciously nodded to the applause, motioning for his Ministers to rise as well. All rose, a few clapping to the King.

Father would have gotten on with Kach…Tyrion thought, briefly eyeing the Chairman. They'd've been mortal enemies but Father would have understood him as a man, more or less, and Kach, if I understand him, would have come to a degree of respect for him…After a minor defeat or two of some sort had proven Father's ability.

And then…He'd've spared no effort to destroy him and as much of our world as that took…

Me, however…

Well, that may be a blessing…If a disguised one.

Though I must never underestimate these people. It's tempting to do that when judging them as people…Their edge in technology and science being so overwhelming as to make them practically gods, one is easily tempted to grasp at anything that makes them more human…Vulnerable. One wants to believe they can be fooled…Beaten…On a personal level.

He has, after all, dealt with many like me…On those other worlds, some of whom he and his kind did not hesitate to destroy as they destroyed Stannis and Pentos…

Worlds he…Or his minions…Or at least others of his kind…Boiled….

Even Father would be impressed by that…

What version of "Rains of Castamere" would suit that, eh Father? Poor Father, whose beloved house started to come crashing down the day Jon Arryn got too nosey about Robert's bastards.

One wonders…If that miserable Littlefinger and that treacherous snake Varys hadn't lured Ned Stark to destruction…If the war hadn't started…If the Houses had been united under Robert.

But surely, only more lives lost…Kings' Landing, Robert and Cersei burned with Robert the one bellowing his defiance, Cersei perhaps even happy to die with him…Father would have surrendered whatever survived quickly, I'm sure.

And done as I do…Only perhaps under more suspicion…

No offense, Father…But for all your wiles, you were just too obviously capable of leading a resistance however skillful you might be in concealing it.

Well, you would not have been Hand for long I imagine. The General would have persuaded Aegon even if Aegon's natural inclination wouldn't have moved him to act against Father.

What might have been curious would have been the interim, before the Dirters came in force…When we thought we were fighting the last battle, against that long awaited menace from the East. The Targaryen claimants.

Father would have played quite a role there, wan smile. He would have dealt with Danerys and seen Aegon for what he was immediately, not be blind like me.

And he would have acted, quickly, for the good of the kingdom, though mainly for the good of his House.

But all for nought, in the end. And now, irony of ironies, with Tommen declared a bastard and Jamie, despite finally taking a mate of sorts…That odd, affecting girl…Renouncing our House and his claims…Only I, your despised imp of a son…And Sansa Stark, the daughter of the man whose wife and child you murdered, so efficiently, for the greater good…Are your one hope for your pitiful wreck of a House.

A hope never to be fulfilled, Father…He thought, coldly.

No…I can muse on you with some odd understanding, even a kind of respect now…But I cannot give you…Ever…What I know you most dearly want. I may have a child, Gods willing, one day…Only by the love Sansa bears me, despite having every reason to strangle such a child in the womb. But she or he will never be an acknowledged Lannister. The blood may be yours, Father…But the name dies with me. Unless Jamie has a change of heart one day and lets some child of his take the inheritance. But I would not count on it. In any case, it's more than likely Jamie and I will end as Stannis did…Charred corpses rotting in the wind.

And even if you somehow get your descendant by some miracle...And by some other gracious miracle we ever do drive the Dirters off or force them to some truce that gives us some hope of a life, the moment the threat of the Dirters is gone, every petty lord or ser…Even some jumped-up Lannisterport tradesman with a title purchased from some desperate, ruined knight…Will grab for every scrap of our lands. And I will not fight to keep them off…I will go with my wife and we will watch, with no little pleasure…As they snatch away every piece you gave your and so many others' heart's blood to hold together.

He looked suddenly as a song like Castamere caught his attention…Looking over to a projection screen on which an invisible Dirter troubadour was singing some ballad about a brief sea voyage ending in disaster as several attendants and guards, the Dirters, with some amused enthusiasm, watched…. "A three hour tour…A three hour tour…"

Odd the way sometimes one finds these strange commonalities…I remember that Dirter scholar, the one who wanted to go North and see the Wall…Sinclair…He liked to point out such things. Common development, fixed rules of evolution under correct conditions...The real laws by which Chance and Fate work.

"The weather starting getting rough…" the ballad went on. A minstrel listening, fingering his strings, eager to learn a tune the Dirters seemed to enjoy.

Grim enough to fit Castamere, though somehow it seemed silly, even happy.

"It's primitive as can be…" the words continued.

"My Lord Hand…" Mace had come over, beaming smile.

"My Lord…" Tyrion nodded, offering hand, ring on finger, which Tyrell kissed lightly.

"A good meeting…" Tyrell, clearly pleased to have been able to make some favorable if vague pronouncements as to the state of the Kingdom's finances.

"Yes, an excellent one…" Tyrion, pleasantly. "It's good to have you back, Tyrell. How did you find things at Highgarden? It must be lovely there now."

"Oh, quite. How is the Queen, these days? And the King, I've not had chance to speak more than a few words with him."

Quite by design, old fellow…Aegon being able to only take so much of your sincere fascination with accounts and finance, charming as he always is when it is called for.

Still, reading some serious concern in Mace's briefly clouded then cheerful face…Even ole Mace has learned to be a bit guarded in this new era…Tyrion thought…He spoke reassuringly. "Oh, the Queen's been very well…I think pregnancy agrees with her, at least in these early stages."

"Yes…She seems a bit tired though."

Oh, ole fellow…You know I can't say what you want to hear in public…That she's in no danger…That the rumors about Aegon are not true. That she conceals nothing from you. Tyrion sighed.

And yet, there at least, there's little cause for concern. In that he is not like Aerys.

"Well, she remains far too busy. Sansa, I, the King all tell her to slow down. She promises but finds far too much to do."

Mace's worried face, all attempts at concealment lost… Regarding him.

Oh, you good-hearted fellow…I can see why, if this was your father's face, your crafty mother, for all her annoyance with him, did truly love him.

"I am sure, old friend…" Tyrion put a hand on his shoulder. "She is safe and well. She has care we couldn't have dreamt of a few years ago." He smiled.

"Of course…Forgive a old father his worries." Mace nodded graciously.

"Not at all. Be assured…The King adores her and ensures her continued good health." Tyrion noted firmly.

"Thank you, my lord." Mace, genuine smile. "You and Lady Sansa are kind to be so good to her."

"She was always the one person Sansa could rely on here, in her darkest days. I never forget that, Tyrell." Firm stare.

"She is the best of us…My mother's brain…My father's heart…" Mace, again genuine smile. "I am concerned a bit about the labor draft for next month, my Lord." He began.

"Yes, it is high, I know…" Tyrion nodded. But, despite their slight isolation from the others was cautious as he saw Chairman Kach, having left his seat on his own, moving their way. "Perhaps we can discuss…"

"Lannister…Tyrell." Kach addressed them in perfect Westerosian, slight north accent…From Sansa and her teachers' training no doubt, Tyrion thought.

"Chairman." Tyrell calmly. "Chairman…" Tyrion echoed.

"Glad as I am that the festival of talk is over?" Kach grinned.

"The 'gab-fest'?" Tyrion smiled. Kach nodding, pleased.

"Well, a necessary evil…" shrug. "One does wish to keep the people informed."

"Sure." Kach, smile.

"Did you have good hunting at Riverrun…?" Mace, seeking conversational input.

"We blasted some deer to pieces, so yeah…" Kach smiled

Deer, people…I wonder if it matters to him, even in the case of close relatives, Tyrion thought.

Though he doesn't look like he'd be much with spear or sword…

"You ever hunt, lil' fellar?" Kach smiled at him now.

"Only when I'm sure I won't miss…" Tyrion smiled.

"That's my way." Kach nodded. "Uh, Tyrell, mind if I have a moment with the Hand…Alone?" his nonchalant words belying the insistence of the order. Mace nodding.. "Certainly. We should talk later, Lord Hand." Eyeing Tyrion, nodding again to Kach.

"Hope I didn't interrupt anything…"

"No, we're planning to talk later…What's on your mind, Chairman?"

Kach stretching back and regarding Tyrion with smile. "Always to the point, I like that about you, Lannister. You're not a bad people but some of you, like some of us, get a bit long-winded…Or bogged down in things that aren't worth worrying about." He strode, forcing Tyrion to follow after…Guards of both following at near distance as well. They moved out of the chamber, Tyrion briefly nodding to several councilors who hesitated to approach seeing Kach leading him on…

In the hallway Kach continued down to his office in the building, a fairly modest one…

Tyrion a bit torn between amusement and irritation at being treated like…Well, the sort of glorified flunkey Father had always treated him as when not ignoring him altogether. Kach nodded to a guard to open the door, the guard and Kach went in, Tyrion following.

His guards as always, very pointedly not allowed in…

"And?" Tyrion eyed Kach when the Chairman looked at him again, having indicated for him to take the seat across from his desk. Kach sitting as well.

This seems a bit more than slight irritation at my probing on the contact…

"That bitch needs to be put down…" Kach, coolly.

"Mother Love…" Tyrion regarded him.

"Best if you people do it yourselves…We keeping our hands out of it." Kach leaned back in his chair.

"We are proceeding against her…As a possible terrorist…But, we have to…"

"Best to see it gets done, Lannister." Kach firmly, maintaining a friendly tone. "You and your people know your way around up there…You can handle it." He smiled.

"The legal niceties can be waved when things are getting rough."

"Are she and her movement that big a problem?" Tyrion asked, managing genuine surprise. "She and hers have gotten some attention but it's all smash and grab. Food supplies. Little military."

"Not yet…But we intend to see they don't get big enough to be one. You know she could be." Kach frowned.

"I…And Aegon want this done, Lannister. It needs to be done."

"And may I ask why I should avoid the legal niceties?" Tyrion, calmly. "Surely there will be talk…"

"Not unless you want to end up like Lord Stannis…" broad smile. "Just kidding. She's a terrorist, Lannister. You've got to deal firmly with terrorists, not talk, not coddle them. We learned that on Earth long ago. So we don't put up with the waste of bulls."

"I see."

"It's a problem for us all…We can't have her disrupting our new mines and the work we're doing in the North."

"The Walker virus eradication?" Tyrion nodded.

Nod… "And you folks don't want her tearing up North there, getting the crops spoiled, that sort of thing."

"No…" Nor, just right now, do I wish to end up like Stannis.

"I'd no idea the raids were predicted to become so far ranging…She's always been limited to the beyond regions, even in the far North."

"Guess she's expanding her horizons, Lannister." Kach, firmly.

"Of course if we could have access to more heavy technology…" Tyrion smiled, anticipating.

"Fraid not. But we have confidence you people can handle this."

Work in the North…And he was too quick to let me answer it for him with the Walker eradication.

Damn, not good…Not good if they've started something in the far North., perhaps even training for Winter?

Right in the midst of our new supply dumps and during very delicate negotiations with the wildlings and former Walkers…

But the mines. In the North? Below the Wall? He seems honestly concerned for them.

"The mnes you're concerned about?"

"Especially the new ones at Riverrun." Kach noted.

"That far South? You think she could soon operate to the extent?"

"That's what I'm told." Kach, nodding. "Of course, it's all small stuff…Anything big we'd be ready to send in our troops and burn or shoot her out. But lets keep it simple for now, eh?"

Well, best to gain control of this potential muck-up, Tyrion thought. We might even be able to turn it to our advantage if handed well.

"If we do launch a major campaign in the far North, we'd need a free hand…Your activities up there…" Tyrion eyed Kach.

"Could be cut back for a few months…And while military technology beyond a few guns is out…We could provide some vehicles, heaters, heated clothing." Kach noted.

Beware of Dirters baring gifts…Tyrion thought.

We've had occasion to learn that lesson by heart these last few years.

"Now." Kach coolly. "About the new treaty."

"I've discussed it with Aegon. He's explained it."

"I would think by now, Lannister…" cool stare. "You and your people would realize we always have your best interests at heart."

"I accept that…But you may not always be aware of the ramifications of what you do, Mr. Chairman." Tyrion, calmly. "The labor drafts for all regions have been increasing steadily and there have been some serious health incidents."

"These mines are vital to Earth and the Terran Systems, Lannister. Nothing is going to be allowed to interfere with them, including any panty waists from the UN or the general public back home. You understand how the media can get when they think they blow a story out of proportion." He smiled.

"I was told you and your family pretty much owned the 'media' as you call it back on your home world." Tyrion noted quietly.

"Largely…Not perfectly. And there are the colonies…There's always trouble with radicals there. They'd love to make something like this, on a planet with a large native population, into something big, something they could get their crazies fired up about." Kach nodded. "And that would not be good."

"No, I imagine not." Tyrion glanced about the room.

Bare but for a holographic photo and laptop on desk. His wife? He eyed the photo…

Never seen her, she's quite young and pretty.

"I could say I wouldn't want to interfere with you as a native official…" Kach smiled. "But we're big…" grin. "Well, neither of us are that big…In size…"

Tyrion smiled…It was unavoidable. And Kach, while no dwarf, was very much on the shorter side of the human population.

"…But in spirit. So you know as I do, that there are separate rules for those of us in the inner halls…So I am interfering, between us…"

You remind me of Lord Varys now…Tyrion thought.

"And stating very clearly we'd prefer it if you don't try to come between us and the King on business. Put your trust in him, Lannister, he'll do what's right for your kind…Do we understand each other?"

Tyrion eyeing him. Kach nodding.

"So we agree…Now, lets put this troublemaker to rest and get on with business." Kach smiled.

"Soon as we can, Chairman." Tyrion, nodding.

So…The mines truly are critical which explains the urgent rush to completion and there's far more than a benevolent medical treatment program in effect in the far North.

Though in either case, it's got to be even more serious if Kach is willing to risk letting me know how important both projects are.

.