Chapter Thirty-One

Aelfred gathered the department heads. The most important members of the court and council were attending via hologram.
"I've called you here because..."
"Captain, there's a woman here to see you. She says it concerns the princess, and that its urgent."
"Do you recognize her?"
"No."
"Then she can wait. Right now we're dealing with matters of state."

"Shall we take roll?"
"As chancellor of the court I move that the captain takes roll," said King Treng of Tara.
"I second it."
"All in favor?" Aelfred paused and counted. "All opposed?" Another pause, "Very well, the motion fails." Some grumbling and mentions of 'against tradition' were heard.
"Captain, why have we been called together at this time of year? And where is the empress?"
"I am considering her incapacitated."
Mumbling, some of it from his lieutenants.
"She's mumbling, and Petra insists she'd elected to abdicate in her favor. I've known Tania for decades, she'd have mentioned something this important before now. Something is wrong."
"Then ask her; what do you want us to do about it?"
"I'm putting contingency plan 36b into effect. Temporary autonomy, the guard will be locking down the palace until the situation is resolved."

Everyone looked around for a while silently. Most of the court logged out. Those who remained were uneasy. Utimately it was Lord Knod, who had recently suceeded his mother as ruler of Gasca, who broke the silence.
"Captain Spielgan, you know that I have the utmost respect for the Imperial family and for all who serve them. And that is why I feel it is nessesairy for you to enact protocol 98. My council has been listening in, and we have agreed that it is inadvisable to allow the princess to remain in the palace."
"Agreed, whether or not she is responsible she must be removed from the facilities."
"And what about..." the holograms wavered and transmisions broke off.

"To your stations men, this never happened. I'll escort her highness into the garden personally."

Captain Spielgan's log ends after this transmission.