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Ratification
© 2021 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
foxenawolf
The heads of the Presidium, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies all rose as Felix entered the room, trailed by his bodyguards. They remained standing until the Emperor took his seat at the head of the table, and as they all sat down the leopard said, “Thank you all for coming on short notice, but what I have to say is urgent.”
“Three days ago, Ambassador Balakrishnan aboard Downtime Station concluded talks with a representative of the Provisional Colonial Government. Part of those talks included a protocol for an exchange of prisoners between us and the Colonies. I am asking the chambers and the Presidium to approve this immediately, so that we can bring them home.” Felix sat back as the three leaders conferred, while the text scrolled across the table’s surface.
The head of the Presidium glanced up. “This will pass with hardly a murmur, Majesty.”
The leader of the Chamber of Deputies nodded. “We need our warriors home and reunited with their families.”
“Well said.” The Indochinese leopard smiled. “I know that I can count on your continued support. However,” and his smile fled, “the Kashlani are imposing terms on us, and I’m afraid that we may have very little choice but to agree with their demands.”
This caused a collective raising of eyebrows, and finally the leader of the Senate said, “We haven’t heard anything about this, my Lord.”
“I know, and I apologize for keeping you all in the dark. We had held out some hope that we might persuade the Kashlani to soften their stance, but it’s quite impossible.”
“May we know what those demands are, Sir?” the Senate Leader asked.
“Of course. They’re on the table now,” and the three gasped as they read it. Before they could start objecting, Felix raised a paw. “We have plans in motion to persuade planets and settlements within the occupied zone to vote to stay part of the Empire,” and his whiskers twitched as the Presidium leader tapped the side of her nose. “Exactly,” he assured her, and the other two brightened somewhat.
“Unfortunately, Balakrishnan-jih tells us that the final point is not negotiable in any way,” Felix said, “and I will shortly be communicating with her directly to see what can be done to at least partially soften their demand that I and the others who planned and executed the attacks on their homeworld be surrendered to them.”
“What, for trial?” the Chamber leader asked.
The Presidium Leader shook her head. “Execution, more like.”
Felix sighed. “I’m afraid so,” and for a while no one spoke. “My aim is to maintain the Empire, leaders. I am making preparations to pass the title and authority to my son, Vladmir ibn Felix, with all three of you as part of an advisory council until he reaches eighteen.”
“A regency?” the Senate leader asked, as if still trying to process what he’d been hearing.
“Yes, with my wife Alys as the actual regent,” Felix said. “In this trying time, the boy will need his mother’s support.” They all nodded at that. “I’m asking for your assistance in drawing up the necessary legislation, as well as breaking the news as gently as possible to your constituents.” His whiskers twitched downward as he gazed at his clasped paws on the table in front of him. Without lifting his eyes from his paws he said, “I . . . I want to thank you all for your service, to me and to the state, but the oath I swore when I entered service is clear. I have thought through what could happen if we resist these so-called ‘terms,’ it could mean not only my loss, but the loss of Terra itself.”
He looked up, his expression bleak. “What I propose to do is nothing less than to save our race from slavery under an alien yoke.”
***
The meeting had been over for nearly an hour, and Felix hadn’t left the conference room. The leopard had even ordered his guards from the chamber before sitting back and looking up at the ceiling.
“What I propose to do is nothing less than to save our race from slavery under an alien yoke,” he repeated softly.
And quietly his lips curled into a sneer. “Well? How did I do?”
The gray-robed fur standing behind and slightly to the right of his chair inclined their head slightly. “Quite well, Your Majesty,” the Bishop said, their voice masked as usual. “We both serve Holy Terra in our own ways, and your sacrifice is one worthy of your ancestors. But,” they cautioned, “you play a dangerous game, Emperor.”
Felix ibn Vladmir Ngo al-Sakai tipped his head to one side to look at the Bishop as he smirked and said, “Life is a dangerous game, Bishop.”
© 2021 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
foxenawolfThe heads of the Presidium, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies all rose as Felix entered the room, trailed by his bodyguards. They remained standing until the Emperor took his seat at the head of the table, and as they all sat down the leopard said, “Thank you all for coming on short notice, but what I have to say is urgent.”
“Three days ago, Ambassador Balakrishnan aboard Downtime Station concluded talks with a representative of the Provisional Colonial Government. Part of those talks included a protocol for an exchange of prisoners between us and the Colonies. I am asking the chambers and the Presidium to approve this immediately, so that we can bring them home.” Felix sat back as the three leaders conferred, while the text scrolled across the table’s surface.
The head of the Presidium glanced up. “This will pass with hardly a murmur, Majesty.”
The leader of the Chamber of Deputies nodded. “We need our warriors home and reunited with their families.”
“Well said.” The Indochinese leopard smiled. “I know that I can count on your continued support. However,” and his smile fled, “the Kashlani are imposing terms on us, and I’m afraid that we may have very little choice but to agree with their demands.”
This caused a collective raising of eyebrows, and finally the leader of the Senate said, “We haven’t heard anything about this, my Lord.”
“I know, and I apologize for keeping you all in the dark. We had held out some hope that we might persuade the Kashlani to soften their stance, but it’s quite impossible.”
“May we know what those demands are, Sir?” the Senate Leader asked.
“Of course. They’re on the table now,” and the three gasped as they read it. Before they could start objecting, Felix raised a paw. “We have plans in motion to persuade planets and settlements within the occupied zone to vote to stay part of the Empire,” and his whiskers twitched as the Presidium leader tapped the side of her nose. “Exactly,” he assured her, and the other two brightened somewhat.
“Unfortunately, Balakrishnan-jih tells us that the final point is not negotiable in any way,” Felix said, “and I will shortly be communicating with her directly to see what can be done to at least partially soften their demand that I and the others who planned and executed the attacks on their homeworld be surrendered to them.”
“What, for trial?” the Chamber leader asked.
The Presidium Leader shook her head. “Execution, more like.”
Felix sighed. “I’m afraid so,” and for a while no one spoke. “My aim is to maintain the Empire, leaders. I am making preparations to pass the title and authority to my son, Vladmir ibn Felix, with all three of you as part of an advisory council until he reaches eighteen.”
“A regency?” the Senate leader asked, as if still trying to process what he’d been hearing.
“Yes, with my wife Alys as the actual regent,” Felix said. “In this trying time, the boy will need his mother’s support.” They all nodded at that. “I’m asking for your assistance in drawing up the necessary legislation, as well as breaking the news as gently as possible to your constituents.” His whiskers twitched downward as he gazed at his clasped paws on the table in front of him. Without lifting his eyes from his paws he said, “I . . . I want to thank you all for your service, to me and to the state, but the oath I swore when I entered service is clear. I have thought through what could happen if we resist these so-called ‘terms,’ it could mean not only my loss, but the loss of Terra itself.”
He looked up, his expression bleak. “What I propose to do is nothing less than to save our race from slavery under an alien yoke.”
***
The meeting had been over for nearly an hour, and Felix hadn’t left the conference room. The leopard had even ordered his guards from the chamber before sitting back and looking up at the ceiling.
“What I propose to do is nothing less than to save our race from slavery under an alien yoke,” he repeated softly.
And quietly his lips curled into a sneer. “Well? How did I do?”
The gray-robed fur standing behind and slightly to the right of his chair inclined their head slightly. “Quite well, Your Majesty,” the Bishop said, their voice masked as usual. “We both serve Holy Terra in our own ways, and your sacrifice is one worthy of your ancestors. But,” they cautioned, “you play a dangerous game, Emperor.”
Felix ibn Vladmir Ngo al-Sakai tipped his head to one side to look at the Bishop as he smirked and said, “Life is a dangerous game, Bishop.”
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Leopard
Size 120 x 120px
File Size 40 kB
Listed in Folders
(jarring chord) NOBODY EXPECTS THE STORY UPLOAD! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and reading enjoyment ...reading enjoyment and surprise.... Our two weapons are reading enjoyment and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are reading enjoyment, and surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Muse.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as reading enjoyment, surprise.... I'll come in again.
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