Chapter 6; Mara, The General's Wife
Mara Medio was the wife of the General of the Guardians of the House of Menzi. She was also a mother three times over. Her oldest daughter, Madlin was the Empress. Her youngest, Lea, was a major general of the Tech-Body. Mara had also been a researcher there many years ago. When she could, she would come by to see her old friends and to have lunch with Lea, of whom she was very proud, as was the General. Pedra, who was later to create heroic solutions, was still in school.
She was nervous these days. He tried to fool her, but, she had known something was up long before the old man would ever tell her. In almost forty years of marriage, he had gotten very little, good or bad, past her.
Then one day she was called to lunch at the Palace. Although Empress Madlin had tried to act nonchalant, a tone of great tension could be heard in her daughter’s voice. Madlin met her, making a grand entrance as usual, dressed in her newest gown just as her mother’s private flitter to set down on the pad outside.
Looking quickly into the shiny gold mirrored windows, she gave herself the once over. “Not bad,” she thought, “for an old gramma.” She noticed a slight wisps of gray creeping into her auburn tresses. She inspected her hips, “Just a little plumper than she preferred. But, hey, after all, I am a gamma and grandbabies prefer a soft lap for those special hugs,” she told herself. With that final approval, she shut the door and headed for the Palace.
At the Palace, she was astounded by the activity. Trying to appear normal, the Guards could be seen rebuilding every guard post, putting in those new Laser Batteries that Lea’s Blue Team had perfected. It was told to the Sun Down Reporters that it had been almost fifty years since the Guard areas had been refurbished and that this was just a cosmetic face lift.
Since the new Batteries were unknown outside of the Tech-Body, they believed the story. Mara had to admit that the Lasers, newly recovered in the old Laser Battery covers really did look the same. What the Crown had not told the reporter was that they had they were working day and night to complete the project.
Mara and Madlin walked arm in arms escorted into the Empress’s private chambers. There, already seated were her husband and daughters, Lea and Pedra. Just after she entered, the Emperor and all of his children came in surrounded by new camera crews. The excuse to bring all the children in from far flung homes around the galaxy was the birthday of their grandmother.
Mara played along for the cameras, acting surprised and delighted, know full well that the Emperor would not have called the dogs in to honor his mother-in-law. Aldo had barely spoken to her in years. The situation keeping her husband up nights must be of the gravest of importance. Also, it wasn’t even her birthday.
As soon as the news crews were gone and pleasantries had been exchanges, the luncheon was served. The Empire could be crumbling around him, but nothing would hold up Aldo’s meal time.
It did Mara’s heart good to see her family. She was feeling so good that she would include the Emperor in that circle, just this once. To see them all together at a table gossiping, teasing and plainly enjoying themselves warmed her heart. Even the General relaxed for awhile, basking in the adoration of his family.
Mara was most concerned about her Madlin. She had her father’s auburn hair and hazel eyes. Today though, she looked so pale that Mara was afraid her health was going. Living with that man would wear out a saint, she fumed.
After coffee and a large Vesuvius Brandy for Aldo, they went into Madlin’s private library where gifts were opened for the news crews. Mara knew that whatever the real reason for this gathering, nothing could be worked out until all the photographers were gone. This process completed, finally alone, all eyes turned to the General.
She watched him as he began to speak, “We have begun receiving reported that the Admiralty. They are chafing under the last round of budget cuts from the Royal coffers. My bastard brother has begun organizing a coup. They have much support from the Hawks in the Royal Senate who feel that the Empire is being put in too grave of danger by these cuts.”
“Our spies tell me that Heren has spoken three times in the last two months to secret panels of Senators playing up the dangers to outlying sectors if they lack the ability to patrol and react to uprisings.”
The Emperor was his usual arrogant self, “Why…why, that’s preposterous. Who are these traitors? We will have their heads. I was with Heren at school. He was always loyal and spoke so highly of my Aunt Zia, his god mother.”
His father in law spoke evenly as if speaking to an idiot child, “Never the less, Sire. It has come to my attention that the Admiral that you speak so highly of is really your half-brother. If that were true there are some who might say that he is the real 60th Emperor of your line. He says that you stole the Jeweled Throne from him.”
Aldo staggered to his feet, “There is no right of ascendancy for bastards. I have spent my life hunting and ridding this Empire of my father’s illegitimate spawn. By the stars, I get so tired of these pretenders. Have him arrested and brought before me.”
General Z looked down at his son-in-law. He searched those rum soaked eyes, looking for something to cling to, some bit of leadership. He had wanted so desperately that this man would snap out of his dream world when faced with a real challenge. He got no such assurance. “On what charge, Sire?”
“Well, treason or blaspheming my father’s memory, whatever you can find. You just bring him here,” he raved, clearly entering his usual state of inebriation.
Knowing that it was futile, the old general continued to try and be sensible, “Sire, we have no proof. Up until now, we have only heard stories. I have made contact with my cousin. He is an Admiral on Heren’s staff. He is not thrilled nor does he support the Admiralty’s positions in this matter. I have equipped him with the new Super Scrambler Spy Radio. We will not get detailed reports daily from inside the Admiralty. When we have enough data to go on, then we can arrest the lot of them and nip this revolution in the bud.”
Mara saw the Emperor nod and then his head dropped onto his chest. In a chair designed just for him, the Empress pushed a button and hydraulic motors stretched it out into a bed.
General Z then began to explain a plan that they hoped would never be needed. They broke each unit down and created specific plans about escape routes that they would be taking. For his grandchildren, he had set up escape teams to come and get them at their various homes and schools.
Each had a code word to learn. When they heard this word, they were to follow that person, asking no questions, because that meant that they failed to stop the coup and their lives were in grave danger.
Mara watched her husband and patriarch of this clan working feverishly to get his babies to understand this was not a game. His long, lean frame folded so uncomfortably over to look into their little faces so that he could whisper his instructions. His graying head tucked in among all those little curly ones was so dear to her now.
They must be made to understand that some people wanted them dead, but wherever they went many more people would give their life to keep them alive. She marveled, as she always had, at how organized he was when it came to solving a puzzle, and, if possible, she loved him even more.
Returning home, she began to organize their little family. Pedra must call in every time she changed location. Her mother knew what this would do to her very active love life. Pedra needed no explanation beyond the look on her father’s face when he had told her the plans for her. Mara saw her husband wink.
Then, he pressed into her had a prize almost beyond belief. It was a Royal Guard Palm Buzzer. Fitted into the meatiest portion of the palm attached to nerves it would vibrate your whole palm when activated. If tingling, she should get home immediately.