Kishiria sat with Prime Minister Darcia in a corner of the huge office that
had been her father's. The sun was on the other side of the building so
the room was shady, the twenty-foot picture windows giving a view of the
grounds outside.
"So you're taking over the monarchy," Darcia said.
"I hope it doesn't disappoint you."
Darcia smiled. "The idea of being head-of-state of the reinstituted Republic has its appeal. Thinking about the reality of reconstruction puts the thought back in perspective. You do not have an easy time ahead of you."
"I know. So tell me the truth, Prime Minister. What do our finances look like?
The Prime Minister handed her a leather folder and opened one of his own. "We could be doing worse, I suppose. We aren't running a deficit yet. Prince Giren took us dangerously close, though, with his colony laser and such..."
"Insanities?"
"Quite, Your Majesty. As it stands, we still have our helium fields, which are of course our main resource. That's keeping us financially afloat, but to remain so, we can't spend anything. Not on the military, not on social services, not on foreign aid, nothing."
"So the ships and mobile suits we've lost?"
"Must remain lost," he said with a sigh.
"I see." Kishiria reviewed some numbers. "I suppose this would be the wrong time to levy a new tax or cut services."
"It would be an extremely poor political move to start your reign, ma'am."
"Damn." Kishiria closed the folder and stood, gazing outside.
After a few minutes, she turned back to her Prime Minister. "Jion has one of the lowest tax rates in the solar system, doesn't it?"
"Not one of the lowest. THE lowest. That was one of Jion Deykun's objectives which your late father insisted on carrying out."
"Are we involved in offshore banking for, say, billionaires seeking tax shelters?"
"No, ma'am."
"Well then it's high time we started."
"I'll send for the Minister of Finance."
"We should also protect those helium fields. There's a good, safe use for Delaz, to keep him out of trouble."
"What about our remaining troops on Earth?"
"There aren't many of those, and they are quite scattered. Let's spend some resources getting them back home, quickly. They aren't serving any useful purpose. The Federation has requested my surrender, you know that. They might tolerate my baby niece going onto the throne, but not me. I'm the wicked witch. They can't imprison me or execute me I don't think, but I would be forced into exile and I'm not about to do that."
"It might be quite restful."
"And watch the Federation do God-knows-what to their 'Republic'? I think not. We don't need Earth, we never did, and it'll be a goodwill gesture to abandon our holdings there. It'll demonstrate that all we want is our independence and that we'll keep our hands to ourselves from now on. Fine. What actions should I take in the short term?"
Darcia consulted a computer tablet. "The funeral of your father and brothers, of course. The Deykunites remaining in the Assembly and the Senate are confused by the announcement that Casval is still alive. Have General Aznable confirm that with a DNA test and interviews with anyone who knew him as a child. I'll read the Declaration of Intent to Ascend for you in Parliament."
"Excellent. Send the Minister of Finance and contact whoever it was who planned my father's coronation. I know there's all sorts of arcane ritual to be followed. We might as well get that started." Kishiria thought for a moment. "Onto family business. I know that Zena has returned to Jion, and I need to see her to give her my condolences. What about Princess Ingrid?"
"Princess Ingrid has chosen to mourn the passing of her husband Giren from her family's home on Earth. She has left instructions through her lawyer saying that she expects her pension as a royal widow."
"What a surprise." Kishiria looked thoughtful. "Was that marriage ever consummated? Because if it wasn't, I know another area where we can save some money. I never liked Ingrid."
"From what I know of Giren, it probably was. They only separated after their first year of marriage, after all, moving in with their respective lovers."
"Let's be glad of that, because otherwise we'd be adding Giren's legitimate offspring to the mix. Offspring who would be in their teens. All right, then, send her her pension. I'll talk to Princess Zena in person."
After Darcia had left, Kishiria and Hamaan Khan hopped into a house limousine to take them across town to Dozel and Zena Zabi's residence. It was a large townhouse in an expensive part of Zum City, made safe by the constant police presence ensured by high incomes. Degin offered to purchase houses for all four of his children, but only Dozel and Giren had taken him up on it, as both Kishiria and Garma resided off-colony and were content to live at the palace when they were home.
The butler escorted them into the parlour. Zena sat in a wingbacked chair, a lady-in-waiting beside her. Both she and her servant were clad in black. Mineba sat nearby, contentedly playing with her toys. Hamaan, 12 years old and still more than half a child herself, looked at Kishiria who nodded, then dropped down onto the floor to join Mineba.
"I haven't seen you since we interred Garma's remains," Zena said softly. She gazed down into her lap. "There wasn't enough of my Dozel left to bury. Even that monster Giren came home in a coffin. What will happen to him?"
"Public funeral, which I will, unfortunately, have to attend. I decided on the park at the corner of 15 August and Jion-Deykun as a gravesite. It's a nice, public final resting place."
Zena raised an eyebrow. "Kishiria, that's a crossroads. Will you drive a stake through his heart before you bury him, too?"
"I've already given one to the undertaker. Not a stake per se, but a nice, long antique hatpin."
Zena smiled a little. "Good." A servant came in with tea and biscuits and Zena poured. "Thank you for coming when I called. I didn't expect to see you so soon after arriving back."
"I figured I should take care of family first."
"I wish you'd kept that in mind when sending reinforcements to us."
"Zena, you are out of line."
"Perhaps. It does force me to ask, though, what happens to me and Mineba now? I would guess she's the Crown Princess, is that so?"
"What happens now is that you receive a royal widow's pension. That's until you die and until Mineba turns 21. You get to keep the pension even if you remarry."
"I won't remarry."
"I believe you. You and Dozel are one of the great love stories of Side 3. Mineba remains my heir until my own son or daughter takes his or her first breath. Then she gets in line behind them. She'll never be out of the succession, if that's what you're worried about. Her situation will change in about six months. I'm having a baby of my own."
"Kishiria! How did that happen?"
Kishiria smiled. "I went on this vacation with Char Aznable, you see."
"Char Aznable? The man who killed Garma?"
"He didn't kill Garma. Garma killed Garma. Anyway, it's not all as it appears. You'll see, very soon."
Zena sipped from her teacup. "I can see why Dozel never trusted you, Kishiria. Giren was a komodo dragon, you are a fox. Still, while you might raid the occasional henhouse, better for you to be sovereign over us than him."
"You'll be taken care of, Zena. I owe Dozel that much."
*****
Char Aznable opened the door of his apartment in Bachelor Officers' Quarter and stepped inside. It was strange to be here after a year of wartime. Time seemed to have stopped completely. Thanks to Housekeeping, everything was dust-free and ready to resume being part of his home. The place was a boxy one-bedroom with a galley kitchen and small balcony, but it was all he needed.
Contrary to popular belief, Char did have a personal life and personal items. There were framed art prints on the walls, books in the shelves, and a ficus plant named Harold that had been a gift from someone he'd worked with in the Mobile Suit Development division. He was pleased to see that Harold was doing well, although it would need to be re-potted soon. He went down the hall to the bedroom and changed from his uniform into a t- shirt and shorts. There was a photo on the dresser he'd forgotten about. Char picked it up and sighed. Himself and Garma at their graduation, still in their cadet uniforms. They were grinning at the camera and Garma's hand was on his shoulder.
I'm sorry, Garma, he thought. Here I was with a vow to exterminate your family, and I killed none of them except you, the one I actually cared about.
He gazed down sadly at the photo for a moment longer.
I'll be good to your sister and your nephew, he promised, and put the photo in a drawer.
Soon after, he was sitting on his couch, bare toes curled around the edge of the coffee table, watching the local sports channel with a glass of gin in front of him. He was just starting to feel fuzzy when there was a knock on the door.
"It's open."
In walked Rav, Moishe, and Lawney, his drinking buddies from the building. "We heard the Red Comet was finally back," said Lawney, putting a bottle of rum on the table. He extended a hand so Char could shake it. "We came to say hi and to congratulate you."
"Thanks. You know where the glasses are."
"So how'd you do it?" Rav asked, sitting down.
"Do what?"
"You know," said Moishe.
"I do a lot of things," Char answered.
"We want to hear the details," Rav insisted, coming out of the kitchen.
"Of what, specifically?" Char asked, with a sinking feeling that he knew.
"Don't play stupid, man," Lawney said. "You nailed Kishiria Zabi. Everybody knows it. What we don't know is how."
"How does everyone know that?" Char asked, alarmed. "Who's the leak?"
"Let's see," said Lawney, who was in Security, "The guy who signed out the car to you on Side 7 was a start. The one who gave you the keys to the cabin. You both stepped out for a container of milk once. Don't worry, Char, none of this came from Kishiria's household staff. They'd never talk even if you tortured them."
"Which is why they're her household staff," said Rav. "So what's she like?"
"What do you mean, what's she like?"
"C'mon, guys, I'm a gentleman. Besides, you need a frame of reference. You'd have to know what it's like to have sex with a woman first."
"Kishiria Zabi comes across as this faceless, distant goddess," Rav said. "We'd sure like to hear she has tits like any other woman."
"Take it for granted," Char sighed into his glass. "Listen guys, have I ever gone into intimate detail about any other woman I've slept with? What makes you think I'm going to start now, with Kishiria, a woman who could have me skinned and made into gloves if she wanted to?" He turned his attention back to the football scores again. "Anyway, I have to go out again, to do something. Before that, pour me a glass of that rum."
Char had been away for three months, during which he'd collected his usual major's income, plus combat pay, and spent very little. He knew there was some kind of rule for what he had to purchase.
The salespeople at Birks fell all over him as he reviewed trays of rings. They took it into their heads that he was shopping for Solana Vargas, a Jion film star he'd had a public affair with after the battle of Ruum, and he didn't dissuade them. They did their best to foist emeralds on him, those being Miss Vargas's favourite stones.
"What's that one?" he asked.
"Not to Miss Vargas's tastes," said the man attending him.
"I didn't ask that. I asked what this stone is."
"A smoky topaz. But I really think---"
"I'll take it."
Another evening, another dinner meeting with Kishiria. He met with her in the Zabi's private dining room, a modest chamber dominated by a solid oak table surrounded by dark, wainscotted walls. Kishiria was looking tired again, and had already changed from her violet uniform to a long green dress of the sort her sister-in-law and ladies-in-waiting wore.
"What a day," she commented over soup. "I've gone over the budget, started I don't know how many motions in Parliament, and seen to Zena's welfare. What did you do?"
"I sat on the couch with my drinking buddies watching Sportsline. Then I went shopping."
"Bastard. The least I can do in retaliation is give you this." She motioned to another one of her secretaries, who came forward and handed Char some kind of legal document. He reviewed it.
"My sovereign lady is a bitch," he stated as he folded it up again. He heard the guards at the door unholster their weapons.
"Your sovereign lady is doing what must be done," Kishiria responded, unruffled.
"This is an order to exhume my father from his grave!"
"For the purpose of proving without a shadow of a doubt that you are indeed Casval Rem Deykun. No one is just going to take your word for it, much less mine. So at 9 a.m. tomorrow, up he comes. At the same time, the chief medical examiner will conduct a second autopsy to confirm that your father died naturally." She paused as a waiter removed their soup plates and replaced them with salad. "You have a 10 a.m. appointment with a geneticist to compare your DNA to that of Jion Deykun. Once that's confirmed, we can announce that you're still alive. So tell me, what did you go shopping for?"
Char was pushing around the vegetables on his plate. "This." He removed a small velvet box from his pocket. "You've ruined any romance this moment could have had, though."
He slid the box over to her. Kishiria picked it up and looked at the ring inside.
"Char, are you proposing?"
"It's the honourable thing to do."
"Not to mention politically wise. If we married, our mutual claim to ruling Jion will be unshakable. I accept your proposal." She removed the ring and slid it onto the third finger of her left hand. "Interesting stone. What is it?"
"Some kind of topaz. The grey colour reminded me of your eyes."
"Char, that's so sweet." She gazed down at her plate. "I'm sorry about handing you the exhumation order like that. I should be kinder to you. I will try."
"Please do so."
"Char, let me tell you a little story. There was an old woman who came across some boys attacking a snake. She chased them away and took the snake home with her. She fed it and nursed it back to health, and the snake stayed with her. Then one day, it turned around and sank its fangs into her hand. As the old woman was dying, she asked it why it had done such a thing to her. 'Lady, you knew I was a snake when you picked me up,' it said."
"I'll keep that in mind," Char told her. He finished dinner and went home without asking if she wanted him to spend the night.
"So you're taking over the monarchy," Darcia said.
"I hope it doesn't disappoint you."
Darcia smiled. "The idea of being head-of-state of the reinstituted Republic has its appeal. Thinking about the reality of reconstruction puts the thought back in perspective. You do not have an easy time ahead of you."
"I know. So tell me the truth, Prime Minister. What do our finances look like?
The Prime Minister handed her a leather folder and opened one of his own. "We could be doing worse, I suppose. We aren't running a deficit yet. Prince Giren took us dangerously close, though, with his colony laser and such..."
"Insanities?"
"Quite, Your Majesty. As it stands, we still have our helium fields, which are of course our main resource. That's keeping us financially afloat, but to remain so, we can't spend anything. Not on the military, not on social services, not on foreign aid, nothing."
"So the ships and mobile suits we've lost?"
"Must remain lost," he said with a sigh.
"I see." Kishiria reviewed some numbers. "I suppose this would be the wrong time to levy a new tax or cut services."
"It would be an extremely poor political move to start your reign, ma'am."
"Damn." Kishiria closed the folder and stood, gazing outside.
After a few minutes, she turned back to her Prime Minister. "Jion has one of the lowest tax rates in the solar system, doesn't it?"
"Not one of the lowest. THE lowest. That was one of Jion Deykun's objectives which your late father insisted on carrying out."
"Are we involved in offshore banking for, say, billionaires seeking tax shelters?"
"No, ma'am."
"Well then it's high time we started."
"I'll send for the Minister of Finance."
"We should also protect those helium fields. There's a good, safe use for Delaz, to keep him out of trouble."
"What about our remaining troops on Earth?"
"There aren't many of those, and they are quite scattered. Let's spend some resources getting them back home, quickly. They aren't serving any useful purpose. The Federation has requested my surrender, you know that. They might tolerate my baby niece going onto the throne, but not me. I'm the wicked witch. They can't imprison me or execute me I don't think, but I would be forced into exile and I'm not about to do that."
"It might be quite restful."
"And watch the Federation do God-knows-what to their 'Republic'? I think not. We don't need Earth, we never did, and it'll be a goodwill gesture to abandon our holdings there. It'll demonstrate that all we want is our independence and that we'll keep our hands to ourselves from now on. Fine. What actions should I take in the short term?"
Darcia consulted a computer tablet. "The funeral of your father and brothers, of course. The Deykunites remaining in the Assembly and the Senate are confused by the announcement that Casval is still alive. Have General Aznable confirm that with a DNA test and interviews with anyone who knew him as a child. I'll read the Declaration of Intent to Ascend for you in Parliament."
"Excellent. Send the Minister of Finance and contact whoever it was who planned my father's coronation. I know there's all sorts of arcane ritual to be followed. We might as well get that started." Kishiria thought for a moment. "Onto family business. I know that Zena has returned to Jion, and I need to see her to give her my condolences. What about Princess Ingrid?"
"Princess Ingrid has chosen to mourn the passing of her husband Giren from her family's home on Earth. She has left instructions through her lawyer saying that she expects her pension as a royal widow."
"What a surprise." Kishiria looked thoughtful. "Was that marriage ever consummated? Because if it wasn't, I know another area where we can save some money. I never liked Ingrid."
"From what I know of Giren, it probably was. They only separated after their first year of marriage, after all, moving in with their respective lovers."
"Let's be glad of that, because otherwise we'd be adding Giren's legitimate offspring to the mix. Offspring who would be in their teens. All right, then, send her her pension. I'll talk to Princess Zena in person."
After Darcia had left, Kishiria and Hamaan Khan hopped into a house limousine to take them across town to Dozel and Zena Zabi's residence. It was a large townhouse in an expensive part of Zum City, made safe by the constant police presence ensured by high incomes. Degin offered to purchase houses for all four of his children, but only Dozel and Giren had taken him up on it, as both Kishiria and Garma resided off-colony and were content to live at the palace when they were home.
The butler escorted them into the parlour. Zena sat in a wingbacked chair, a lady-in-waiting beside her. Both she and her servant were clad in black. Mineba sat nearby, contentedly playing with her toys. Hamaan, 12 years old and still more than half a child herself, looked at Kishiria who nodded, then dropped down onto the floor to join Mineba.
"I haven't seen you since we interred Garma's remains," Zena said softly. She gazed down into her lap. "There wasn't enough of my Dozel left to bury. Even that monster Giren came home in a coffin. What will happen to him?"
"Public funeral, which I will, unfortunately, have to attend. I decided on the park at the corner of 15 August and Jion-Deykun as a gravesite. It's a nice, public final resting place."
Zena raised an eyebrow. "Kishiria, that's a crossroads. Will you drive a stake through his heart before you bury him, too?"
"I've already given one to the undertaker. Not a stake per se, but a nice, long antique hatpin."
Zena smiled a little. "Good." A servant came in with tea and biscuits and Zena poured. "Thank you for coming when I called. I didn't expect to see you so soon after arriving back."
"I figured I should take care of family first."
"I wish you'd kept that in mind when sending reinforcements to us."
"Zena, you are out of line."
"Perhaps. It does force me to ask, though, what happens to me and Mineba now? I would guess she's the Crown Princess, is that so?"
"What happens now is that you receive a royal widow's pension. That's until you die and until Mineba turns 21. You get to keep the pension even if you remarry."
"I won't remarry."
"I believe you. You and Dozel are one of the great love stories of Side 3. Mineba remains my heir until my own son or daughter takes his or her first breath. Then she gets in line behind them. She'll never be out of the succession, if that's what you're worried about. Her situation will change in about six months. I'm having a baby of my own."
"Kishiria! How did that happen?"
Kishiria smiled. "I went on this vacation with Char Aznable, you see."
"Char Aznable? The man who killed Garma?"
"He didn't kill Garma. Garma killed Garma. Anyway, it's not all as it appears. You'll see, very soon."
Zena sipped from her teacup. "I can see why Dozel never trusted you, Kishiria. Giren was a komodo dragon, you are a fox. Still, while you might raid the occasional henhouse, better for you to be sovereign over us than him."
"You'll be taken care of, Zena. I owe Dozel that much."
*****
Char Aznable opened the door of his apartment in Bachelor Officers' Quarter and stepped inside. It was strange to be here after a year of wartime. Time seemed to have stopped completely. Thanks to Housekeeping, everything was dust-free and ready to resume being part of his home. The place was a boxy one-bedroom with a galley kitchen and small balcony, but it was all he needed.
Contrary to popular belief, Char did have a personal life and personal items. There were framed art prints on the walls, books in the shelves, and a ficus plant named Harold that had been a gift from someone he'd worked with in the Mobile Suit Development division. He was pleased to see that Harold was doing well, although it would need to be re-potted soon. He went down the hall to the bedroom and changed from his uniform into a t- shirt and shorts. There was a photo on the dresser he'd forgotten about. Char picked it up and sighed. Himself and Garma at their graduation, still in their cadet uniforms. They were grinning at the camera and Garma's hand was on his shoulder.
I'm sorry, Garma, he thought. Here I was with a vow to exterminate your family, and I killed none of them except you, the one I actually cared about.
He gazed down sadly at the photo for a moment longer.
I'll be good to your sister and your nephew, he promised, and put the photo in a drawer.
Soon after, he was sitting on his couch, bare toes curled around the edge of the coffee table, watching the local sports channel with a glass of gin in front of him. He was just starting to feel fuzzy when there was a knock on the door.
"It's open."
In walked Rav, Moishe, and Lawney, his drinking buddies from the building. "We heard the Red Comet was finally back," said Lawney, putting a bottle of rum on the table. He extended a hand so Char could shake it. "We came to say hi and to congratulate you."
"Thanks. You know where the glasses are."
"So how'd you do it?" Rav asked, sitting down.
"Do what?"
"You know," said Moishe.
"I do a lot of things," Char answered.
"We want to hear the details," Rav insisted, coming out of the kitchen.
"Of what, specifically?" Char asked, with a sinking feeling that he knew.
"Don't play stupid, man," Lawney said. "You nailed Kishiria Zabi. Everybody knows it. What we don't know is how."
"How does everyone know that?" Char asked, alarmed. "Who's the leak?"
"Let's see," said Lawney, who was in Security, "The guy who signed out the car to you on Side 7 was a start. The one who gave you the keys to the cabin. You both stepped out for a container of milk once. Don't worry, Char, none of this came from Kishiria's household staff. They'd never talk even if you tortured them."
"Which is why they're her household staff," said Rav. "So what's she like?"
"What do you mean, what's she like?"
"C'mon, guys, I'm a gentleman. Besides, you need a frame of reference. You'd have to know what it's like to have sex with a woman first."
"Kishiria Zabi comes across as this faceless, distant goddess," Rav said. "We'd sure like to hear she has tits like any other woman."
"Take it for granted," Char sighed into his glass. "Listen guys, have I ever gone into intimate detail about any other woman I've slept with? What makes you think I'm going to start now, with Kishiria, a woman who could have me skinned and made into gloves if she wanted to?" He turned his attention back to the football scores again. "Anyway, I have to go out again, to do something. Before that, pour me a glass of that rum."
Char had been away for three months, during which he'd collected his usual major's income, plus combat pay, and spent very little. He knew there was some kind of rule for what he had to purchase.
The salespeople at Birks fell all over him as he reviewed trays of rings. They took it into their heads that he was shopping for Solana Vargas, a Jion film star he'd had a public affair with after the battle of Ruum, and he didn't dissuade them. They did their best to foist emeralds on him, those being Miss Vargas's favourite stones.
"What's that one?" he asked.
"Not to Miss Vargas's tastes," said the man attending him.
"I didn't ask that. I asked what this stone is."
"A smoky topaz. But I really think---"
"I'll take it."
Another evening, another dinner meeting with Kishiria. He met with her in the Zabi's private dining room, a modest chamber dominated by a solid oak table surrounded by dark, wainscotted walls. Kishiria was looking tired again, and had already changed from her violet uniform to a long green dress of the sort her sister-in-law and ladies-in-waiting wore.
"What a day," she commented over soup. "I've gone over the budget, started I don't know how many motions in Parliament, and seen to Zena's welfare. What did you do?"
"I sat on the couch with my drinking buddies watching Sportsline. Then I went shopping."
"Bastard. The least I can do in retaliation is give you this." She motioned to another one of her secretaries, who came forward and handed Char some kind of legal document. He reviewed it.
"My sovereign lady is a bitch," he stated as he folded it up again. He heard the guards at the door unholster their weapons.
"Your sovereign lady is doing what must be done," Kishiria responded, unruffled.
"This is an order to exhume my father from his grave!"
"For the purpose of proving without a shadow of a doubt that you are indeed Casval Rem Deykun. No one is just going to take your word for it, much less mine. So at 9 a.m. tomorrow, up he comes. At the same time, the chief medical examiner will conduct a second autopsy to confirm that your father died naturally." She paused as a waiter removed their soup plates and replaced them with salad. "You have a 10 a.m. appointment with a geneticist to compare your DNA to that of Jion Deykun. Once that's confirmed, we can announce that you're still alive. So tell me, what did you go shopping for?"
Char was pushing around the vegetables on his plate. "This." He removed a small velvet box from his pocket. "You've ruined any romance this moment could have had, though."
He slid the box over to her. Kishiria picked it up and looked at the ring inside.
"Char, are you proposing?"
"It's the honourable thing to do."
"Not to mention politically wise. If we married, our mutual claim to ruling Jion will be unshakable. I accept your proposal." She removed the ring and slid it onto the third finger of her left hand. "Interesting stone. What is it?"
"Some kind of topaz. The grey colour reminded me of your eyes."
"Char, that's so sweet." She gazed down at her plate. "I'm sorry about handing you the exhumation order like that. I should be kinder to you. I will try."
"Please do so."
"Char, let me tell you a little story. There was an old woman who came across some boys attacking a snake. She chased them away and took the snake home with her. She fed it and nursed it back to health, and the snake stayed with her. Then one day, it turned around and sank its fangs into her hand. As the old woman was dying, she asked it why it had done such a thing to her. 'Lady, you knew I was a snake when you picked me up,' it said."
"I'll keep that in mind," Char told her. He finished dinner and went home without asking if she wanted him to spend the night.