Hero of the Confederacy
Chapter 20

The civilian airliner was crowded as we mingled with passengers crossing the ocean. Most of the conversation was of the war with the Commonwealth or the dissolving of the Senate. I could almost scent fear in the air as some spoke in lowered tones about disappearances. It was almost as if the war with the Confederacy didn’t exist. I guess those in power didn’t want too many failures aired in public especially with a nervous population. Landing at the airport we were quickly passed through a security check it seemed that Eel’s people were working hard to ease our passage. We were passed from group to group not one asking who we were or what we are doing.

I had to applaud Eel for his foresight. A nondescript hover car pulled up to the sidewalk of an equally nondescript house in a suburb I would be hard pressed to identify. The building was a one-storey structure with a porch in front and a flat roof. Camelia waited with Ellie as I pulled her bags from the trunk of the car. I knew one contained my weapons while another contained something Camelia had set aside for me. She had been very reticent about its contents. As the hover car sped away from building Camelia keyed a number in on the little datapad beside the door. Silently the door opened to reveal a number of cloth covered mounds. Camelia moved inside walking slowly as if the place caused her pain. The door shut behind us sealing us off from the world.

“Are you going to be ok?” I asked her.

She turned a glint of sadness in her eyes. “We had so many happy times here,” she sighed and steel replaced the sadness, “come we end this!”

The basement was something I wasn’t expecting all I could see was a room devoid of furniture except for empty cabinets that covered every spare wall. Camelia strode across to the one across from the stairs. She hesitated then blew on a corner of the cabinet she faced. I heard a click and the cabinet swung open to reveal a security door.

“This is a secret way into the palace,” she said, “It's keyed to me.” Reaching out and touching a panel on the door.

“How far from the palace are we?”

“About forty kilometres.”

There was another click and the door to opened to reveal a set of steps leading deeper underground. Down the steps was a short passageway that opened into a larger room and in the far corner was a tram. It made sense I wasn’t looking forward to walking forty kilometres to the palace.

“This will take us directly to the palace,” Camelia said, “I’m afraid it takes only three people at a time. Do you see why I couldn’t bring more even if we hadn’t known about the Rhosani in the palace?”

I unzipped one of the bags and pulled out an AR 32. Ellie unzipped another and changed in to the clothes within it. I noted that she looked stylish in her black pantsuit as she clipped a skirt over the top. Camelia dressed in pale green skinnies looking strange in uniform. She touched something on her hip and a soldier appeared in the place she stood. Her holo suit was still functional. I opened the remaining bag and grimaced seeing its contents. A Terran dress uniform in pale green with purple collars, dark green cuffs and shiny black boots. Two crowns marked the collar at least they had got my rank right even if it was for the wrong army. Reluctantly I dressed in an enemy uniform again and strapped a sidearm to my hip. I was prepared for danger even if I wasn’t ready for what was to come.

“Ready?” Camelia said her question encompassing both of us.

“As I’ll ever be,” I replied.

Camelia gestured at the tram. Boarding the tram I noted how cramped it was. There was almost enough room for the three of us. The machine jerked at Camelia’s touch to the controls. I felt the speed build as the tram sped down the tunnel towards the palace. A wave of nausea washed over me as the inertia of the tram slowed as it reached its destination. We were there.

Despite my churning stomach there were questions tumbling through my mind. I didn’t get a chance to ask a single one.

“Sandra wear these,” Camelia said passing me a pair of skin-tight black leather gloves, “they’ll hide your mark and from now on no one speak more than necessary.” She addressed the both of us. Then to me adding. “If we are challenged you take the lead as good as the holo suit is I cannot disguise my voice.”

“Ok,” I replied.

The tram slowed to a stop and I was glad to get off. Camelia led us to a room just off the tram station I was surprised by the opulence of the room with its expensive armchairs, tables and glass fronted cabinets. Unlike the house we had left all the cabinets were full of knickknacks. She brushed past me and touched a screen attached to a wall beside a door. The screen flickered and showed us a view of a corridor outside. The corridor was ornately panelled each panel showing some fantastic scene. I had hardly the time to take it all in when Camelia opened the door and ushered us out into the corridor. She closed the door behind us the panel fitting seamlessly into the wall blending in with the other panels.

“It’s keyed to my DNA no one else would be able to open it from this side,” I saw her glance to Ellie as she said this obviously there was another meaning there. Ellie slowly nodded. Camelia gestured to me and I took the hint.

With me on one side and Camelia on the other we flanked Ellie looking to the entire world like her escort but not in a good way. We strode down the deserted corridor as if we had a right to be there. Camelia led the way from muttering comments when we needed directions.

“Left here,” she whispered as we reached an intersection. “There might be a guard post half way down.”

We turned a marched down the new corridor. As Camelia had predicted a soldier stepped out of an alcove. He was younger not much older than Gena and held his weapon in unprofessional manner. His dress uniform was a copy of mine except he wore no rank insignia on his collar.

“Halt and identify!” he called holding out his hand.

His weapon was still attached to a harness across his chest. Had I been here to kill he would have been dead before he could blink. The thought of another innocent like Gena and her companions stayed my hand. But I was ready to change that in an instant if the mission was compromised I knew my duty.

“And?” I sounded like every drill sergeant I’d ever encountered.

“And?” he replied clearly floundering out of his depth.

“It should be identify yourself. Sir!”

“Yes sir!” he saluted clumsily.

“Who the hell taught you to salute like that?” I was warming to my subject playing the arrogant Terran officer to the hilt, “and that uniform is a disgrace.” I jabbed a finger at him. “Who’s your CO?”

“CO?”

“Your sergeant then?”

“Sergeant Hathaway.”

“He saw you in this state did he?”

“Yes sir! No sir?”

“He just told me to guard this post and stop anyone coming this way.”

“Commendable but I will be speaking to your sergeant later.”

“But sir I was ordered to stop anyone in this part of the palace?”

“And that includes someone the emperor wants to see does it? I will have to tell him why I was delayed and he won’t be happy and if he’s unhappy then so am I?”

The soldier quivered his reply came out as a squeak. “Sorry sir you may pass.”

“One other thing.”

“Sir?” The man was a wreck and I enjoyed dressing him down I’m not a sadist but after the last few weeks I was indulging the bitch in me.

“When I return and you are still in this state of dress I will be putting you on report.”

“Yes sir!” he snapped a salute sloppy even for a Terran. I returned it smart as I could muster.

Out of earshot Camelia managed to chuckle. “Glad I brought you. That would have been difficult your father would have been proud of you.” She stared down the corridor. “We’ve yet to get to the throne room. We need to get going the clock is running.”

I hadn’t heard that expression before and assumed it had something to do with time. By the time we reached the anteroom before the door to the throne room I was on edge. All my nerves were keyed to fever pitch certain with every passing second that we were walking into a trap. The doors to the throne room were massive stretching almost up to the ceiling a good twenty metres above the floor, ornate gilding flowed over its surface in a pattern of roses and vines.

“No guards?” Ellie suddenly remarked she had been eerily silent since we had boarded the tram

Camelia halted a frown on her face. “Where are the guards? There are always guards here?”

“It a trap,” I growled, “I knew it!”

“Trap or not we go in.” With that she touched the door and they swung open under her palm.

Stone columns twice the height of the roof in the anteroom flanked a purple and green striped carpet strip that led from the doors to dais at far end of the room. The throne room was huge big enough to take in the whole academy parade ground. High balconies perched atop of the stone columns all in gold and silver perfect sniper positions my military mind told me. Upon the dais was a throne that glinted with golden light even at this distance. I could see two figures there. A man in purple seated on the throne and the other by his side in a hood and robes that completely concealed the man’s companion. A Rhosani, I knew that even without the insight I had been given by the Guardians.

I drew my sidearm as I walked up the carpet flanking Ellie the forlorn figure in the centre. My hand tingled I could feel a slick wetness from my mark. I felt it solidify as my fingers closed around the object forged from my own body. The shuriken was ready to throw in an instant. The man rose from the throne and stood slowly almost lazily. He was handsome with a black beard trimmed to a point. The thing the marred it was the cruel set of his lips. He appeared to be the type of person that enjoyed the suffering of others. As he spoke I recognised the voice of the man that ordered Ellie’s death.

“Lady Broaden so good of you to join us and you brought your lovely daughter with you,” Seeming to dismiss me as hired help.

The holo around Camelia flickered and died. She stood proud her hands still on her weapon.

The man spoke again sounding contemptuous. “You’ve failed, your rebellion has failed. Even now we are rounding up the last of your rebels. As soon as you are dead no one will be able stop me.” A hollow boom in the distance made his words a lie. I saw his eyes narrow.

“Really?” Camelia replied I admired her aura of calmness.

I interrupted speaking in Galactic my concentration on the Rhosani. “Rho’xan leave this world or die!”

The hooded figure shuddered at the words. Suddenly a wave of psychic energy washed over me. Ellie and Camelia wilted under the assault but it splashed over me like water off glass. I brought my sidearm up and fired at the Usurper as I threw the shuriken at the Rhosani. The shot went wide but my throw was dead on target. As blackness took me I heard the whine of a coil gun. Then everything went dark.

I woke and opened my eyes the first thing I saw was a painted ceiling the image showing a scantily woman clad rising from the sea on a shell pulled by something that were a cross between horses and fish. I wasn’t sure where I was but at least I wasn’t dead or in prison. I looked across to see a large ornate bed on a dais. Slowly I sat up becoming more aware of my surroundings. I was on a medbay bed an IV drip attached to my arm. On the far side of the bed were windows that reached from floor to ceiling at least fifteen metres above the floor, which was carpeted in a riot of colours. Either side of the bed was a door. Three doors lined the wall closest to me and there was a fancy double door on forth wall surrounded by cabinets and paintings mostly of landscapes.

I climbed off the medbay bed and stood. I shook a little as I did that as if my legs were unused to standing. I glanced around considering my next move. At least they had given me a slip to wear. The material feeling good against my skin. The double door on the forth wall slid open and two people hurried in. Both dressed in medical whites, a man and a woman. Similar in height but a total contrast the man was pale skinned and blonde haired his companion darker her black hair curled under a white cap.

“Lady Sandra you shouldn’t be up and about you are still too weak.”

“Where am I?”

“The Empress’ private quarters.”

“Empress?” I was sure it was a man that I had confronted in the throne room but I had blacked out at the crucial moment.

“Empress Constantina. She had you brought here.”

I hadn’t heard of anyone with that name it meant nothing to me. Like Camelia these two seemed to insist on calling me Lady Sandra.

“Where are Camelia and Ellie?” I hoped they had survived and at least they would be able to make sense of this mess.

“Who?”

“Camelia and Elspeth Broaden.”

“Lady Broaden is busy with affairs of state. The Usurper left us in chaos.”

“I need clothes! I got a mission to complete.”

“I’m sorry my lady you are not going anywhere. The Empress gave us strict instructions.”

I gauged chances of getting past these two but in my present condition that was unlikely so I asked. “Ok which way to the bathroom?”

The man pointed to one of the doors either side of the bed. “Both of these are bathrooms pick one.”

“Thank you,” I replied and stumbled a few steps towards the closest door my legs failing me.

The woman grabbed my arm and guided me into the bathroom. I looked around aghast at the sight I was seeing the bath alone could have doubled as a swimming pool. Everything in the room was in pale rose with all gold fixtures and fittings. I shooed the woman out and ran the bath. Sometime later I emerged from the room feeling relaxed and at ease with no stiffness that characterised my earlier stumble. The two medics were still there but the Medbay bed had vanished.

“Right!” I said loudly, “now where are my clothes?”

Four weeks later I was still there unable to leave. I had been wrong in my assessment it was a prison. I the bird in a gilded cage for that was what it felt like to me. The door was locked and couldn’t get through that way. I desperately wished I had Lottie with me or even Vorra both could have got me out without a second breath. Currently I was staring out of the windows. Well I couldn’t tell if they were windows or screens the glass on them were so thick and if my guess was correct armoured to boot no access there. I considered the two medics I had met on my first day I had woken were my jailers. Both seemed to be more concerned with my health than with anything I asked and trying to get information out of them was harder than getting blood out of a stone. It sounded silly but I got the odd sounding phrases from a datapad. I had to look up the meanings when one of my two jailers had muttered the words under her breath. I had to admit I was bored and a little irritable at the time so I had been difficult as they ran their battery of medical tests on me.

Ellie or Camelia could have at least come to see me that much I had gleamed from my jailers. But every time I asked the two medics were extremely evasive. Finally I had given up and spent my time in the little study. One of the three doors on the opposite wall to the windows. The other two contained a fully equipped gym and a walk in closet larger than my apartment at the academy. I heard the door to the outside open. I looked around expecting to see my jailers. I was surprised to see the tailor from the Santiago, the Terran cruiser that brought us to Earth. He had several box carrying assistants with him.

“Mr Dabos? What are you doing here?” I blurted out.

“I come to dress you my lady.”

“Dress me?”

He looked at me surprised. “Didn’t you know? The Empress is to reward you, you are to be given the highest honour the empire can bestow.” He motioned to his assistants. “Put the boxes on the bed and depart.” He glared at the two medics who had slipped in behind Mr Dabos’ assistants. “You out!”

I was glad to see them comply. I wanted out so bad I was willing to do almost anything to get out of here. Cautiously I opened the first box not knowing what to expect. I stared at the contents it looked like a Confederacy dress uniform but our uniforms weren’t that shiny.

“What’s this?” I demanded holding up the tunic of the uniform up.

“As her majesty ordered. Is there something wrong with it I used the best silk?”

“Silk?” I stuttered. Silk cost a small fortune back in the Confederacy even the little I had had cost me a months salary.

“Only the best.”

I sighed. “I suppose you don’t have nothing else.”

“There is an Imperial dress uniform also silk but her majesty suggested you’d prefer this one,” indicating the Confederacy uniform I was holding.

“It will have to do.”

“As you wish my lady,” he opened a much smaller box.

I blinked on seeing two Confederacy Stars nestled within. “Are they real?” I exclaimed. They felt real to my touch.

“When you are ready I will help you dress,” Mr Dabos said reaching for the uniform.

“I’ll dress myself,” I told him not wanting a stranger to see me naked.

I hurried to the closet and dressed I felt more myself. Another surprise awaited me on my return. On the bed was a belt with a holster and it wasn’t empty. I pulled out the sidearm feeling the calming familiarity of my own weapon or at least the one I had drawn from the Havok’s armoury all those months ago although it seemed longer. I hurried away to check the fit. When I returned from the walk in closet Mr Dabos and his assistants had gone so had the other packages from the bed. Taking their place was a stranger in dark grey almost black suit.

He bowed to me. “Lady Sandra I am your guide both in palace etiquette and a guide in as such you don’t get lost on the way to the throne room. At that moment I was tempted to make a run for it past the still open door but he was correct on one aspect I wasn’t going to find my way out of the palace on my own.

“Well guide on,” I replied I meant it as an insult, see if he liked that.

Stepping through the door I found myself flanked by four guards in full armour, green and purple strips on the shoulders of their pale green armour. As we marched down the corridor I subjected to a barrage of suggestions and tips on court etiquette so much so I couldn’t concentrate on my surroundings. I one thing I did take note of was the amount of people standing around on their own or in little groups. Most of the women favoured the type of dresses Camelia liked while the men dressed plainly in dark blues or black. Several people in green and purple passed and from my companion’s comments these were palace servants, whom the last emperor had dismissed.

From servant to noble or whatever they were they all stopped and stare at our party even soldiers in full dress uniform regarded us in passing. Some saluted while others nodded. Although I did see some scowl I guess the war with the Confederacy was still too recent. That was one thing I at least gleamed from my jailers that the war between the Empire and the Confederacy was over both sides agreeing to a cease-fire and withdrawal back to their respective borders at least on the Empire side that was. As I had thought the Confederacy hadn’t gone beyond its own borders. The Confederacy mandate didn’t allow for invasion of sovereign territory not since the secession wars over a century ago.

The anteroom was crowded a stark contrast to the last time I was here. We had to force our way through the crowds in front of the door. My escort forced a way through and there we stopped. In front of the open doors was a huge bear of a man in a purple and green robe. He bowed as my guide had done.

“I will announce you to her majesty and her court.” He gave another bow and stepped aside.

“Lady Sandra Camelia Locke recipient of two Confederacy Stars of valour,” his voice boomed out above the hubbub of the crowds.

I winced at his mispronunciation of my name. Every single eye turned to see me. He bowed to me again and gestured for me to enter. I started down the carpeted floor aware I was the centre of attention. I so busy concentrating on my walk and the instructions I had been given as how to address the empress that I at first failed to see who was seated on the throne. Ellie sat on the throne a thin wand in her hand. Her dress was silver and shimmered as she moved. I nearly stumbled but caught myself before I could make a mess of it. Standing beside the throne was Camelia in a gold dress with a green and purple sash. She broke into a broad grin on seeing me I couldn’t say the feeling was mutual I felt they had deserted me. Ellie stood and to all the gasps around her she greeted me with a hug.

“I’m so sorry Sandra I wanted to see you but there was so much to put right,” She straightened becoming more regal. “Lady Sandra Camelia Locke,” She said formally, “kneel before your Empress and receive the honour you rightly deserve.”

Had it been Camelia who had said that I might have resisted but the memory of Anwa Padak and her tearful face as she cradled the dead body of her friend came back to haunt me. I knelt and my bowed head.

“For your courage and honour in defeating the evil that threatened the empire I award you the Valour Victorious the empire’s highest order...”

She looped a purple band around my neck attached to it was a large diamond encrusted cross. As I rose it hung from my neck glinting in the light sending a rainbow of colours shooting out from it. Camelia stepped forward and kissed me on the cheek.

“Welcome home niece.”

I nearly collapsed in shock.

“Welcome back cousin,” Ellie added, “it was so hard keep the truth from you.” She scowled at her mother. “Mother thought it would confuse the issue with you. And we weren’t certain that the Rhosani could pick our connection from our minds.”

“Damn right,” I felt such a fool, all those hints and remarks I blissfully ignored came flooding back.

“You are who you are Sandra. My niece, your father Frank was my brother. Constantina is your cousin.”

“Ellie?” I said still angry that I had been played for the fool.

“She was Constantine’s daughter and his legitimate heir,” she sighed, “we were going to announce the truth but Constantine’s death put an end to that. I was glad I sent her away but she didn’t know any of this until recently.” She waved at the crowd. "Come we’ll speak of this in private.”

Ellie motioned to the court. “We are fatigued the court is dismissed.”

I watched as the crowds disbursed leaving us alone in the throne room as alone as you could be with dozens of guards around the room.

“I want answers.”

“Of course you do Sandra. I sorry if I mislead you but at the time I wasn’t sure of the Rhosani’s full capabilities. You found your own protection against them,” Camelia said.

I didn’t want to be reminded of what the Guardians had done to me. “If that’s it I can go?”

“Go? Go where?”

“Home.”

“This is your home. It’s where you should have been. Haven’t I being telling you this all a long?” Camelia paused and spoke again before I could get a word in edgeways, “besides you are third in line to the throne with so many others dead or missing.”

“What! Impossible?” I had a bad feeling she was right.

“It is true,” Ellie said sounding resigned, “whatever you think I need your help.”

Had anyone else had said that I would have told them were to go but I owed her for not being quicker on Anwa Padak. “But my mission?” My thoughts were on the reason I was here. We were supposed to be hunting the disappearance of a planet and Rhosani warship that’s what started all of this.

“Combined Operations have given you an indefinite leave of absence.”

I felt abandoned by my own people. “Com Ops knew it all?”

“Not at first but they were pretty quick to sum it up.”

Camelia looked at Ellie. “We’ve still yet to find if there were any more Rhosani on Earth or any of the Usurper’s cronies.”

She nodded in return.

“Ok you win,” I said reluctantly. But the first chance I get I’ll be out of here I promised myself

Camelia smiled. “See it’s easy.”

I had my doubts. As I walked away from the throne room escort in tow I wondered what the future held for the Hero of the Confederacy and now a Knight of the Empire. I was determined to leave as soon as I was able. The Rhosani were still out there. I was going to stop them or die in the attempt. With that thought fixed firmly in my mind I would see this through to the end and no one was going to stop me.

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