A Thickening Plot
2003 short story by
Jonathan Hicks Thirty-Eight years
after Episode IV – A New Hope PART ONE THE PRIME LORD’S PALACE Lights
flashed. Holocameras whirred and clicked, hovering
rovers recorded the scene and the Prime Lord Atheus
and his family gazed into the huge mass of lenses with huge smiles. Upon a
low long padded seat in the public atrium of the In
the centre of the family with the newborn girl cradled gently in her arms was
Lady Prenna, her long blonde hair spilling over her
left shoulder and almost acting as a blanket for her daughter. Her dress was
simple yet elegant, flowing like white liquid from her bare shoulders and
spreading out across the floor. Her full red lips smiled sincerely as the infochannel representatives from all over the sector got
their pictures and beamed them to the people. Sat
either side of her were her three sons in their pristine green dress
uniforms. They sat as if posing for a painter and held their heads high,
every now and then exchanging a glance or stealing a smile. Growing up with
this kind of attention made public appearances easier but no less important. A strong back and a firm jaw are the first
steps to garnering the respect of the people, their father had always
told them. You follow that with the
blaster and the boot. Behind
the seat stood Atheus, one hand on the shoulder of
his wife, the other resting on his hip. He wore all his Prime Lord splendour;
a uniform similar to the ones his sons wore but more finery sewn into the
trim, a small robe that hung from one shoulder and terminated at the
waistline embroidered with the heraldry of his family. A single six-pointed
star containing a diving bird of some form that did not exist anymore within
the sector. “Have you considered a name yet, Prime
Lord?” one of the holophotographers asked. Prime
Lord Atheus smiled but shook his head. “It has only
been seven days since the birth. A name will be given at her Blessing, but we
have yet to decide what will best suit her.” “And how do the brothers feel at this
moment?” asked another. Yedtha
cleared his throat. “Of course, we’re very excited and proud…” “Yes, very proud,” Agruccus
put in. “…and we’re overjoyed we have a sister to
tease.” The
collection of beings laughed softly. “Will there be a meeting of the System
Barons?” The
Prime Lord was not expecting the question and he blinked with surprise. A
small smile appeared on his lips and he nodded. “As a matter of fact, after
this I am travelling to the Nexus to meet with the Barons in the Neutral
Hall. I wish to share my joy with them and make decrees to commemorate this
happy occasion.” “Ladies and gentlebeings,
with that in mind I must thank you all for your patience and time.” An aide
appeared from the shadows and stepped into the view of the mass of recording
devices. He held up his hands. “The attendants will show you to your
speeders.” A
few more lights flashed and the large group of people headed for the exit,
their hovering cameras and holosnappers slowly
gliding in their wake. As the great double doors slid shut the family seemed
to relax. An
attendant walked forward to take the child but Lady Prenna
waved her away. “I will put our daughter to bed,” she said politely but held
the baby protectively. The attendant bowed and stepped back. Lady
Prenna turned to her husband and her sons. “That
was painless,” she said with a tired smile. Yedtha
took a deep breath and adjusted his uniform. “I’m glad it was a simple
picture opportunity. I don’t think I was in the mood for a torrent of
questions.” “And I do not have the time for such
things,” the Prime Lord said in an annoyed tone, picking up a heavy fur-lined
overcoat and placing it about his shoulders. “I have to go to the Nexus.” “And I wish to go there to see the
prisoner from the Setnin Sector,” Agruccus said, picking up his own overcoat. “I want to
tell him face to face…” “You spend too much time with him,” the
Prime Lord said in a dark tone. “He cannot hear you down by the power
generators.” “But it will be night cycle, soon,” Agruccus said. “Power will be low, operations minimal. He
will hear me.” Siot
and Yedtha looked at each other and rolled their
eyes, looking back at their younger brother with expressions of resignation. Agruccus ignored them and headed to the door with his
father. “Atheus,” Lady Prenna called after him. The Prime Lord turned. “Yes?” “Do not upset the System Barons.” She
smiled, and the Prime Lord grinned. “I will certainly try not to, my dear.”
He waved to his daughter, her eyes already closed and her small wrinkled face
in the grip of sleep. “Goodnight, little jewel.” Lady
Prenna gently lay her
daughter on the soft cloth in the depths of the huge crib used by her family
for generations. The baby gurgled and turned her head, small useless hands
rubbing her face. She murmured and Lady Prenna
pursed her lips and hushed her softly. Her
daughter. Her new life, and a new member of her
powerful family. “You will inherit such greatness,” she
said soflty, stroking the cheek of her daughter
with the back of her hand. She lay the thin blanket
across her small body and patted it down, taking a seat next to the crib. The
attendants always made such a fuss over their Lady insisting on doing most of
the work involved with caring for a newborn, but she so desperately wanted to
be a true mother for her child. Her sons had been cared for by nursemaids and
nannies, but with her daughter she wanted it to be different. She did not
love her sons any less but this time she wanted to do it right. The
baby murmured again and cried out softly. Lady
Prenna leaned over the crib and pressed a small
stud set into one side and it began to rock slowly. “Once upon a time,” she said in a whisper,
“there was a great world filled with many people. But the people could not
stay there and had to leave, why is not remembered and has been lost in time,
but the people of that world built great ships. The six Ruling Clans took the
ships and conquered new lands, but after hundreds of years their Setnin enemies threatened to destroy them…” The
Prime Lord and his son
sat opposite each other in a huge gravsled,
a long vehicle pre-programmed to take them down the conduit that connected
their home with the Nexus, the central sphere of government in the Ki-Ki Sector. It was simply a long cylinder sliced in
half lengthways, the flat underside hovering over magnetic rails hidden under
the soil of the land. The whole upper half of the vehicle was reinforced
glass, with huge comfortable seats laid out in a casual fashion throughout. The
two men sat in the centre of the gravsled in
half-circle seats. An aide sat next to his Prime Lord reading a datasheet and
a bodyguard sat to one side of the vehicle, his eyes probing the outside.
Four Prime Warriors sat at either end of the sled, their armoured bodies
glowing dull green like giant beetle shells, the helmets elongated and fully
covering their heads. They carried ceremonial thump guns, the sub-sonic
ballistic weapons in holsters across their breastplates, great swathes of riddabeast hair flowing down from the tops of their
helmets. Their armour was decorated with pictures of different beasts and
animals, stars and intricate patterns that twisted this way and that across
breast and upper arms. One had a spread of playing cards painted across his
thigh casing. Agruccus looked at it intently,
wondering if it was a winning hand. The
Prime Lord’s eyes were on the scenery, which flashed by, blurred trees,
undulating hills. “You and your brother’s responsibilities will increase, now
we have a new member to our family, son, and now that the Setnin
Sector is under our rule,” he said as he watched nervous gen-cattle
run from the loud hum of the gravsled. “I understand,” Agruccus
said after a long sigh. He shifted his gaze from the playing cards to his
father. “Yedtha said as much. As heir to the family
he thinks his role will increase.” The
Prime Lord nodded. “You are all heirs and you will all have to work harder. A
daughter in our family means many things.” “Such as alliances?” Agruccus
asked with inquiring eyes. The Prime Lord looked at him directly. The aide
looked up from his datasheet as he heard the words and glanced between the
two men. “This is a large realm we govern,” The
Prime Lord said grimly. “We have fought our way to victory and are back on
course for greatness. We continue to grow and old laws must be once again
dusted off and considered. Our family has ruled for hundreds of years, our
very blood is the heart of this sector. There are those who want the life we
have rebuilt to continue as it is, and there are those who would rekindle the
ways of old and revert back to the way we were.” He leaned forward and put
his elbows on his knees, talking in a low tone as if engaging Agruccus in a conspiracy. “Some may even wish to take the
power we have built, or revert to the old ways any way they can.” “You’re speaking of the System Barons,” Agruccus said. “You’re speaking of the Barons and their
wish to go back to the old ways. Do you really think they would try something
to topple this dynasty? Do you honestly think they would dare? Why would any
of them want to go back to the way things were?” “Because they believe that seperation is the way,” The Prime Lord said. “They
believe that self-contained governments on each world will heighten the
chances of our survival. That one pocket will continue the ideals of the Ki-Ki Sector even if the others fail.” Agruccus nodded. “I see the logic in that.” His father’s face stiffened. “But
I cannot see the wish,” he continued. “Trade and supply between the worlds
makes the sector rich and diverse. The technology discovered and shared by
the Nexus benefits us all. Separate rulers for separate systems? Such a thing
is ludicrous. Why?” “Because even a little power is still
power. Some of the System Barons feel they once wielded great power on their
worlds but now they have to answer to a Prime Lord.” “Patriotic feelings from generations
past,” Agruccus shrugged it off. “It has no
relevance now.” “Perhaps. But we must stand united against
it. I will do whatever it takes to secure the ways of the Ki-Ki
as they are now.” “You have my support, father, as always. I
have walked the deserts, have marvelled at the jungles and have sailed the
waters of all the worlds of the Ki-Ki Sector. Such
wonders should be shared between all, not locked away behind jurisdiction and
government for the sake of the ancient ideals.” The
Prime Lord smiled and leaned forward, patting Agruccus’s
knee and then sitting back with contentment. “Good boy,” he whispered. PART TWO
BARON ASH’S PRIVATE STARSHIP Baron
Luken Ash sat in the huge zero-G acceleration chair
aboard his personal starship the Ash’s Glory and stared at the planet
of Fedarn from a distance as it slowly turned. His
eyes rested solely on the planet of the Prime Lord, his eyes narrow and
filled with distaste. A
daughter, he thought bitterly. A
damnable, childbearing girl. He
slowly turned his head in contemplation, and regarded the other System Baron starships in orbit.. Upper
left (as far as the direction of the private starships
artificial gravity was concerned) was the ship of Baron Truder,
the lower two-thirds of the ship, as with all the other huge vessels,
glittered like a jewel as dozens of portholes and windows glowed with light. Here with his benevolent heart, Baron
Ash thought, the idea making him almost spit with derision. Upper
right was the ship of Baron Edgun from Obelisk, a
large jovial man who had a tendency to eat too much and rule too little. His
people were as he and enjoyed the finer things in existence. If he acted as much as he ate, he would be Prime Lord, Baron Ash mused. Lower
left was the ship of Baron Uber, Ash’s closest
ally. A tall man with gaunt features, he ran a tight and ordered society with
an emphasis on personal improvement. I
wonder what he makes of all this? Baron Ash wondered. The
vessels passed the huge Mindmoon that orbited the
planet. Within the now fully enclosed artificial system were now the
factories and laboratories of the gargantuan Ki-Ki
Sector, great hangars for their scout and survey vessels (which made thick
black lines on the leading curve of the Moon), massive
engineering bays for repairs and factories for production. The Minds had no
real power now, after their fall from grace and influence, the almost
religious and aloof people whose Minds used to
control communication but now solved the Ki-Ki
Sector’s physical problems and made new ideas reality to make life easier.
Great thinkers and engineers who relied on their inventions to keep their
powerful minds satiated. Ignorant,
self-serving fools, Baron Ash thought dismissively. Behind
the moon, hidden out of sight of Baron Ash’s thoughtful gaze, was a long
three kilometre wide, ten kilometre long boom ending in a System, the globe
of the Mind Engineers. If the Nexus was the brain of the Ki-Ki
Sector then the Engineer’s globe was the heart. The Great Reactor, the power
and the drive of the entire planet of Fedarn, was
housed here. A core of unimaginable energy supplied the planet remotely with
everything it needed, from light to artificial gravity, from simple power for
appliances to the thrust that pushed the great moon through space. This was
achieved by the greatest advancement the Ki-Ki
Sector had ever conceived and produced – a miniature sun, artificially
created and encapsulated, the energy harnessed and utilised. The power was
buried deep in the centre of the Engineer’s System, it’s
limitless energy monitored and cared for by the Minds who maintained the dark
deep bowels of the ship. And with that power in my hands, Baron Ash considered, who would not bow to me as Prime Lord? Even
now the forager starships were returning from long
missions in deep space and the Setnin Sector,
delivering raw materials harvested from asteroids, planetoids and the sparse
matter of space itself. Great vessels unloaded cargoes of ores, drifting dust
and nebula gases to keep the Mindmoon functioning
and alive. To keep what was now a huge vessel on its course. Most of all,
they unloaded the spoils of war. A
new Ki-Ki Sector marching to the future. If we don’t tear each other apart
before we get there, that is,
Baron Ash thought with a small, humourless laugh. Baron
Ash shifted slightly as a soft bell rang twice, stirring him from his dark
thoughts. He took in a deep breath and pressed a stud on the arm of the
acceleration chair, allowing artificial gravity to power up beneath him.
Slowly, he settled into the seat and his weight returned to normal. Pressing
another stud, the circular door in the floor of the observation dome cycled
open, and up a steep staircase and into the room entered an almost skeletal
long-haired man in heavy robes of office, flowing blue trimmed with purple.
He stood behind the huge chair and waited to be addressed. Chief
Advisor Iote looked down on his Baron and concealed
a yawn. The thick black curly mop of hair that sat like a woollen hat on top
of Baron Ash’s head was oiled, his blue casual shirt and trousers were
pressed and neat and only the bare feet gave any indication that he wasn’t
about to receive guests. As always, Baron Ash was immaculately dressed and
groomed. Iote
waited patiently. “I have already heard the news, Iote,” Baron Ash said after a heavy theatrical sigh. His
voice was deep and tinged with a guttural sound that made anyone who did not
know him think he was faking such a bass voice. “’A daughter!’” He lifted his
arms in mock celebration. “’A daughter for the Prime Lord’s family!’” Iote
looked up as if interested in the crossbeams of thick alloy that supported
the dome. He had expected the reaction from his Baron. “The other System
Barons have already transmitted their messages of congratulations, sir,” he
said, his own voice high and light. “We should send our own.” “Of course,” Baron Ash appeared pleased at
the thought but Iote, who had been by his side
since he had been a boy, knew that he was leading up to another sarcastic
comment. “Send him our best wishes.” And
that was it. Iote waited for a comment but none was
forthcoming. His hand hovered over his datasheet, fingers gripping the
stylus, ready to add to a message he had already written half an hour
previously. After a long pause, Baron Ash looked up at Iote
and smiled. “What’s the point, Iote? What’s the
point in me coming out with another long-winded rhetoric about how the Prime
Lord has ruined our great sector?” “They are the appointed family…” “By default! And it wasn’t an appointment, it was seizure of power whilst this sector
was vulnerable…” Iote
held up his hand. “We have been over this many times, my Baron, and every
time we come to the same point. We smile over gritted teeth. We accept the
way things are.” “But all that has changed, Iote,” Baron Ash said with fisted hands, his elbows on
the arms of the acceleration chair and his body leaning forward. “They have a
daughter, now.” Iote nodded.
“When I heard of Lady Prenna’s pregnancy eight
months ago… I have virtually held my breath until this moment, my Baron. Lady
Prenna is supposed to be past legal child bearing
age.” “Yes,” Baron Ash agreed, “another rule
broken to suit the Prime Lord’s wishes.” He held out his hands as if
helpless. “But beyond all the odds, she has produced a daughter. A daughter
eligible to be betrothed to another System Baron’s son, cementing alliances
that will draw families together and divide the power between the Prime Lord
and the system lucky enough to be chosen. “My poor son will not be considered, as
weak and sickly as he is. My planet, merely water and soggy mist-covered land
and the least rich of us all, would hardly be a fine choice for the ruling
family. We know this. If more than one of the sons born to each of the Barons
had been anything but heterosexual a marriage would have been possible but
that has not happened. Only one Baron’s son practises homosexuality but none
of the other Baron’s sons have shown any signs of preferring their own
gender, emotionally or sexually. A marriage is highly unlikely. “If any other System Baron had produced a
daughter the damage may have been contained. A daughter born to the Prime
Lord’s family means they can choose any of the other System Barons to bond
with and build a greater power base, the offspring of such a union carrying
on the ideals of both the Prime Lord’s family and whomever they decide upon.
And I, on my waterlogged unproductive planet, would not even be considered. I
have only one son. Baron Uber has four, although
one of them is exempt from marrying the girl. Baron Edgun
has three.” Iote
knew all this, but allowed his Baron to voice his thoughts. “My father,” Baron Ash said, almost to
himself, “once said to me, ‘if you have to get anywhere on this world, make
sure you get there by understanding both the power of your friends and the
weaknesses of your enemies’.” Yes,
Iote thought, he
probably said that before he gave you another sound beating. “Is there
anything else you would like me to add to the message of congratulations, my
Baron?” “No. But send a message to Baron Uber. Tell him I would like to meet with him as soon as
it is convenient.” Iote
nodded and turned to leave, noticing the narrowed eyes of his Baron as he
slowly considered each word. “Tell him… tell him that I would like to
talk to him of the old days.” Iote
stopped just before the door and regarded the back of his Baron’s head
calmly. A slight smile flashed across his lips, and he bowed and exited. PART THREE THE NEXUS Within half an hour the gravsled
had made it’s way down the conduit that connected
the Palace to the Nexus, and the world changed. Gone
were the flowing fields of the globe, the hills and trees and the single
great mountain. Behind them were the intricate buildings of ancient
architecture and marble walls. Now they entered a land of uniform and logic. Severe
angles and precisely ordered walls and corridors surrounded them on all
sides, cast in sharp lights of blue and green. The road they travelled along
was wide enough for three gravsleds; the walkways
either side precise and pristine. There were no signs of ageing as every
panel; strut and wall were clean and shining in the light. Doors were precise
and their accompanying windows spaced at perfect measurements. The high
tunnel was lined with buildings that were exact in detail so that it was difficult
to tell one street from another. Only the subtle changing in light gave any
indication that they were not travelling along one long, endless road. The
tunnel took them deep into the centre of the Nexus. Now they passed
industrial centres and hangars, half-built warships sat like stripped
carcasses, their internal workings spilled like the innards of a huge beast
but even so they were laid out in an orderly fashion. As
he stared a wall interrupted his view and he knew they had reached their
destination. The Central Nexus was a domed affair with gold and purple
colouration. As with the rest of the interior of the Nexus it was orderly and
precise, with symmetry the overwhelming factor in its construction. It was
peculiar to see a building within the centre of the closed area, with no
glass dome above to give the impression of freedom. The
gravsled entered through the front of the dome and
came to a stop. The Prime Warriors stood and formed up in a square at the
exit, the Prime Lord, his son and his aides in the centre. The hatch slid
upwards and the ramp lowered, and the group exited the vehicle. Maxus
Ordrum, the Head of the Nexus, stood at the door
that led into the Hall of Neutrals and watched impassively as the men
approached. His grey dress fell from his shoulders and covered his feet, the
thick black woollen robe he wore over it did likewise, and the gold-trimmed
hood bobbed as he bowed his head to his Prime Lord. “The Nexus is pleased by your visit, Prime
Lord, and expresses joy at the news of your newborn,” Maxus said, his voice
plain and loud. His face was slightly elongated due to the lesser gravity in
the Nexus and as the Prime Lord came near his height was evident, at least a
full head taller. Lowered Nexus gravity allowed for easier work and the
fine-boned figure, along with the height and large eyes, of all the members
of the Nexus was a testament to this. Two other Nexus denizens flanked the
man. “Thank you for your kind words, Maxus Ordrum,” The Prime Lord said, returning the greeting with
a nod of his head. “Have the System Barons arrived?” They began walking to
the hall. “All but Lord Tilkon,
Prime Lord,” Maxus said, falling into step. “He has been… delayed.” “I will have to try and find out her
name,” the Prime Lord said with a smile and Maxus chuckled softly. “My son
wishes to see the prisoner Ocern Gabe. Could one of your servitors escort him down?” “Of course, Prime Lord,” Maxus motioned
with a cutting gesture and a grey-cowled figure
seemed to materialise out of the recesses of the corridor. “Eleanor, escort
the Prime Lord’s son to the prisoner, if you please.” “Yes, sire,” the figure responded, a soft
female voice. She motioned to a corridor that split from the one they were
traversing and bowed to Agruccus. “If my Lord would
follow me?” Agruccus smiled and placed a hand on the Prime Lord’s shoulder. “Good luck,
father,” he said. The
Prime Lord patted his hand. “Give my best to the prisoner.” “I will.” Agruccus and the woman walked down the corridor to a large circular door that
split in half and receded into ceiling and floor as they approached. A large
wide elevator with seats and sharp white lighting was revealed and they
entered, the woman stepping to a control panel and pressing several lights.
As the door slid shut and the elevator began to descend Agruccus
went to a small table and poured himself a glass of
water. The woman stood to one side, head bowed. “Do you work with the prisoner?” Agruccus asked. “No, my Lord. I am simply a palace
servitor.” Agruccus frowned. “But you dress as a Mind.” “We all dress similar, my Lord, to avoid
distraction.” “But you still work as a Mind? Dream up
things, I mean?” “Yes, my Lord, but we do not call it
dreaming. It is thought made real for the benefit of the sector.” Agruccus sat down. “Eleanor, that is a nice name.
Why do you stand there as if I am some kind of infochannel
celebrity? Join me.” “You… you are my Lord Agruccus
and proper respect must be shown.” “And you must make me comfortable, yes?” “Yes, my Lord.” “Then join me. Share a glass with me. It
is a few minutes until we reach the bottom level. I can’t imagine you want to
stand like a statue until then.” Eleanor
stepped forward hesitantly, but she sat down as requested. She drew back her
hood but would not allow her eyes to meet Agruccus’s.
“If it pleases you, my Lord.” Agruccus poured a glass of the sweet water and passed it to her. Her eyes
were bright blue; a sharp contrast to her pale complexion, and her thick
jet-black hair was tied into a topknot and then spilled about her shoulders.
As with all Minds she was fine-boned and large-eyed, but Agruccus
found it endearing. It gave the denizens of the Nexus an aura of nobility he
liked, especially as their minds were fine tuned for intelligence. “In all my twenty one years I’ve never
seen a Mind relax,” Agruccus said with a smile.
“Perhaps this could be the moment.” Eleanor
smiled back, her eyes meeting his, and then she remembered her place and
looked back down at the dull grey floor plating again. Agruccus
shook his head with perplextion. “Perhaps not,” he said. The
Hall of Neutrals was a vast circular chamber, supported by twelve plain
columns that surrounded an oval table in its centre. The dark corners of the
hall were illuminated by a single globe of light that hung suspended by gravfields above the table. Six high-backed chairs
surrounded the table, each with a smaller chair behind it, one chair at the
head of the table being higher than the rest. Behind each chair was a flag of
heraldry that declared who sat beneath it. On the wooden table were glass
bulbs of water and the flat screens of datastations. Many
people mingled in the hall as they awaited the Prime Lord. The System Barons
would amass here, with their advisors and bodyguards, with the other
important dignitaries who were taking advantage of the light chatter before
they were ushered out. Each wore sharp uniforms or the latest fashion of
their planet. Great robes and dresses of flowing colour and detailed
embroidery moved throughout the hall and talk was low and muted. Deals would
be struck, thoughts would be heard, appeals would be made; there were very
few times that the System Barons met and interested parties, either hangers
on or businessmen, would make it their business to be there. Baron
Luken Ash listened with most of his attention
elsewhere as a man with thin grey hair and layers upon layers of purple and
yellow robes talked of his plans to combine the Ash system’s fish products
with his own brand of delicacy, a pastry he was making from g-mod grain.
Baron Ash nodded and made his smile as patronising as possible but the man
was oblivious to his boredom and continued to blather. After a while, he
allowed his eyes to wander as the man began to talk of paste. His
gaze fell on Baron Uber, a tall, bald angular-faced
man who always appeared to have a rigid metal bar for a spine. He had just
entered the hall and his small mousy advisor was chattering to him as he
swept through the crowd to the drinks table. He nodded politely at words of
greeting and acknowledgment of his arrival. “Excuse me,” he said to the man who was
about to begin a long description of combining the pastry and the fish paste.
“I have business elsewhere.” The surprised expression of the man forgotten,
Baron Ash began walking towards the dark blue dress uniform of Baron Uber, adjusting the belt of his own blue uniform as he
did so. Baron Uber noticed his approach and drank
the small measure of Corellian Whisky he had poured
for himself in one go. “My good friend Baron Uber,”
Baron Ash said, extending his hand. “A pleasure to see you again.” “Baron Ash,” Uber
answered, taking the proffered hand and giving it a single hard shake. His
voice was hard and gravelly. “First here, I see.” “As always,” Ash smiled. “I’m eager to see
what the Prime Lord has to say. I have left messages for you to contact me
before today, why have you not returned my requests for a meeting?” “Because I knew what it was you would want
to talk of and it would change nothing. He will tell us of his joy at having
a daughter, and we will congratulate him. He’ll make a decree to commemorate
the day and we’ll all return to our systems with little to show for it. No
doubt you will make your case again.” Ash
frowned deeply. “A case I feel must be bought up. I will continue to do so
until serious thought is given to it.” “Serious thought has been given to it,” Uber said, pouring another measure of brandy. “That
thought is ‘no’. The Prime Lord will not give up the whole sector for any
reason, and you know it. Democracy? He has the power. Why would he give it
up?” “But what if it is the wish of the
people?” Ash pushed. “I still think a referendum would…” Uber
snorted. “You think the Prime Lord would sanction such a thing? Risk his
power being divided between the System Barons? Think again, Luken. Whilst this dynasty rules and their blood is the
heart of this sector, they will fight to keep their position safe. The wishes
of the people are not considered if the people have no voice. “Besides, a referendum might split the
sector into two parties and nerves are already frayed as we all wait to see
if times will change. Would you risk civil war for a mere slice of the
sector? The invasion might have wiped us out. A civil war would definitely
finish the job.” “We’re on a course for self-annihilation,
the deals we have brokered and the alliances we have made. Well, then, there
is only one thing for it,” Baron Ash said with a shrug, lowering his voice. “And what is that?” “Prime Lord Atheus
has to die.” People
stared at Baron Uber as his glass shattered on the
floor, but he simply feigned clumsiness. A Thickening Plot
2003 short story by
Jonathan Hicks Thirty-Eight years
after Episode IV – A New Hope Histories – Power struggles
within the Ki-Ki systems and an unbalanced power
base for the prime lord. This 2003
short story by Jonathan Hicks shows the continuing undercurrent that plagues
the Ki-Ki and makes their fight against the Setnin Sector ever more precarious. Cast of Characters
Prime Lord Atheus Lady Jenna Lady Prenna Lord Siot Lord Agruccus Lord Yedtha Chief Advisor Iote Baron Luken Ash Baron Uber Maxus Ordrum |