Chapter 4; The Hawks
Two years ago, a dedicated band of men met and formed a commission. This group began a careful campaign. The leaders were all royals and sub royal. All were of the family of Menzi. This new band of rebels (they called themselves Hawks) was able to convince more and more senators that only a completely new leader could save the Empire. What the Senators did not know was that their were helping the chaos to increase.
While his cousin was visiting the Emperor, Heren sat in his Admiralty office and watched the viddy reports. He looked around him and cursed at the marble and dark wood walls. To anyone else, this opulent office would have been enough. For a lesser man, the chance to be the head of all security and armed forces of the empire would have been the job of a life time.
But he wasn’t any man. He was a deeply bitter man. He cursed his luck for the thousandth time, “My younger brother sits upon my throne. Simply due to the fact that HIS mother was married to MY father and MY mother was merely his favorite concubine.” He threw his glass into the fire place sending burning alcohol flying every where.
After his tirade in the Senate, Aldo went to see his mother. He cried on her shoulder like a baby. Finally she was able to console him. She spoke softly to him and stroked his hair, “Aldo, ma bambino, your father, may he rest in peace, tried to disband the Senate, too.”
He turned his tear stained face up to hers, “He did?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“This Empire is too big to run alone. Even he, in all his magnificence could not do it. He eventually had to reinstate the senate.”
He was shocked, “Just like that! No punishments?”
“He said if there was any more sedition, he would have them all killed and get new Senators.”
He stood and shook himself like a dog. “I like it! Thanks, Mama!” and he was off.
Tokar was surprised the next day to be standing in the Throne Room waiting to be noticed by the Emperor. The Emperor was eating and talking to a girl barely of the age of consent. The girl was wearing nearly nothing at all. His cousin was fondling her and she was expected to comply.
She knew what happened to girls who did not, so she laughed and giggled and kissed him even though she was naked and they were not alone. Finally, Aldo noticed his cousin, “Cousin,” he spoke pleasantly as if nothing had happened before.
Tokar had let his mind wander to try to ignore the girl and the activities in front of him. He thought back. They were cousins, but, too much had happened for him to truly wish to serve this beast of a man. He bowed, “Your Majesty. You asked for me?“
Even after reinstatement of the Senate, the members failed to trust Aldo and continued to see Heren as that savior.
Thus over the next seven months, Heren formed and solidified a coalition that he thought would be strong enough to overthrow his half brother. Once he was able to convince enough people that his claim was legitimate, he felt strong enough to make his move.
Heren had no fear of his staff. The other Admirals had also lost all faith in the Crown’s ability to hold the Old Empire together. Their choice for the next emperor was simple. Since childhood, as boys at school, they had followed Heren Menzi. They had named him “the Hammer” in school for his exploits and his temper. They knew that his claim was probably legitimate. After all, every one knew that his father was the 59th Emperor. They had known the emperor was a notorious womanizer. The Emperor, through his sister, had sponsored Heren to the Academy. And Zinad’s sister, Princess Zia was his godmother?
Heren called them together. They met in an out of the way palace on a small moon. When Heren arrived, they were milling about the room chatting nervously. They snapped to attention when he strode into the room pulling off his great coat and cap and pitching them onto a chair, “Admiral on the deck!”
Heren smiled at his men, “As you were, Gentlemen.” Without missing a step, he strode to the head of a long table and sat. As he was moving to his chair, they quietly moved to their places and sat quietly.
They held a brief meeting to discuss their view of the situation and Heren’s plans for the future. “Gentlemen… From this moment, I intend to risk everything to save the Empire.”
“Hoo rah!” they replied simultaneously.
“Do you people understand that if we proceed, we will be signing our own death warrants?”
“Hoo rah!”
“If any of you have other plans for your future…Just turn and go. We all took the same oath. Nothing will be said.” To a man, they vowed to follow Heren to new glory in his New Empire.
Finally Heren thought his position was strong enough to make his move. The Admirals filed in slowly. Each one saluted the head of the table where Admiral Heren already sat. How could they not believe that he was the dead Emperor’s son? He had the Menzi curly hair, now turning grey, a much firmer chin than Aldo, and had he not always been their leader even when they were mere boys at school?
The ward room rang with the sound of highly polished boots. The sound echoed in this room be4cause it was designed for all the Admirals and their respective staffs. This would be a meeting of the Admirals alone. Secrecy was of paramount value. What they decided today would mean their lives and the lives of countless others.
Creatures of habit, the men distributed themselves around the huge table in their usual places. Heren looked down the long table usually filled with faces and laughed gently to him self. He motioned them to come forward and sit tight by his side. He stood up and took off his jacket and the other men did too. The dress uniform jackets that they wore were laid over the backs of empty chairs, medals jingling and sparkling in the light. In this room were the heroes of the Empire, defenders of the borders, and after tonight, the most heinous criminals in several centuries.
There was little discussion and little need for any. After a short time, Heren distributed the bits of paper, two to each man, one blank and one with a black ball on it. Each man folded one of the pieces and passed it to the head of the table. He looked at the grim faces around him. There was Keeth the faithful, Zimmerand the dogged, Maori the worrier, and Chun the inscrutable one.
He knew by their attitudes that there was no need to count the slips of paper sitting before him. Still, to give himself time to calm his voice before he had to speak, he made a good show of counting. They were unanimous, blackballs on each and every one.
He was elated and scared to death all at the same time. “By this time tomorrow, I will sit on the Jeweled Throne as Heren I. I have wanted this all my life. My degenerate half brother and his pox ridden brood will die by the laser swords of my vaulted Fleet Marines, and I will triumphantly make my way to my rightful place. No longer will I have to feel the shame of being the bastard son of a dead Emperor.”
“Gentle men…We have our plan. You know your roles… Please make ready and wait for my signal.” After that, the Admirals made their way around the table to shake his hand. One by one, they headed out to take their places for tomorrow’s mission. Heren mused quietly about how he had gotten there and how far he had come.