Chapter 42
War's End
1st of Eleventhmoon, 6 Charles 9
Saintcharles, Merice Province, Kingdom of Byrandia
The stage lights dimmed as the projector hummed to life. The countdown appeared on the screen, then the music began to play along with the title card.
"Good day, Byrandia," the announcer said. "This is the Royal News Service, the First of Eleventhmoon, Year Nine of the reign of His Majesty King Charles VI. We start with today's top story, the peace conference in Benvenue."
The scene changed to a view of the council chamber of the League Parliament. Instead of the traditional seating, the representatives of the nations of the Northern Alliance sat opposite to their counterparts in the Free Miravel Coalition. There were no representatives from the neutral states, though there was an Imperial delegation led by General Adeen that was overseeing the process.
The representatives of both sides rose from their seats and approached the table set between them. There were inkwells and pens on opposite sides of the large sheet of paper in the center of the table. A Palatinian naval officer was first to take up a pen and sign the paper.
"We see Lord Admiral Antonio Paolini, President of the Palatinian Provisional Authority, signing the articles of surrender on behalf of the Free Miravel Coalition. Ever since a ceasefire was declared last month, delegates have been hard at work negotiating terms. Though the Northern Alliance demanded unconditional surrender, representatives of the defeated nations had been permitted to sit in on discussions of the postwar arrangements."
The scene switched again to a map of the world. As it was difficult to distinguish territories in greyscale, the nations' flags were expanded to fill the space within their borders.
"As part of the terms of their surrender, the nations of the Free Miravel Coalition will be placed under military occupation for a term of ten years."
Lines formed in the map of Palatinia, splitting the homeland down the middle and separating Harsouk. The Byrandian flag bled into the west and Slanoa to the east while the old flag of the Souki Empire appeared in Harsouk and expanded into Marsouk. Byrandia also swallowed up Laruna, Antigua and Meridia while North Malvina took South Malvina and Verness. Lastly, Tunggwo was partitioned between Slanoa and Gandoh. Little Vlatoska was the only member of the Alliance left without a larger slice of the pie.
For students of history, it was strange to see ancient rivalries swept away and long-held ambitions fulfilled. What years and years of wars could not achieve was accomplished in so little time. Truly a new era was unfolding before their very eyes.
The next scene showed Lord Bartlebert. Though the film was not of great quality, you could see how sickly and frail he looked, and yet he made the trip to Benvenue to serve as Byrandia's representative.
"After the signing of the articles of surrender, a selection of the delegates made statements. Byrandia's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord Bartlebert de Lumet."
"The time has come to lay down our arms and come together as one people," Lord Bartlebert said. "Recently we learned that we are but a very small piece in the larger mosaic of humanity spread across the stars. It will not be easy going forward, but we must resolve ourselves to make the necessary sacrifices for the sake of our children, and our grandchildren, and the generations beyond."
Next was a speaker from the Coalition.
"Marco Severo," the announcer said, "High Prince of Laruna."
The High Prince did not appear overly browbeaten, but there was a clear resignation in his bearing and his voice as he spoke.
"Strangers from afar came to us demanding submission. Some did submit and some of us resisted. We resisted and fought for our right to determine our own future... and we were defeated. We mourn our losses, but for sake of those who died, in their place we must look forward and live. I will not tell you the path ahead will be an easy one, but it is the one that has been set before us. Bury the past with the dead and let us walk forward shoulder-to-shoulder. You will see that we are stronger together, strong enough to face the great Unknown that waits for us beyond the horizon."
Surprisingly, they managed to get a word from General Adeen next.
"Generalmajor Abul Adeen, Chief Political Officer for the 483rd Expeditionary Fleet of the Imperial Navy of the New Earth Empire."
General Adeen stood there stiffly, poorly suppressing his annoyance.
"The Lord Admiral is satisfied with the demonstration of loyalty to His Imperial Majesty by the so-called Northern Alliance. The surviving rebel leaders have shown some shreds of honor by shouldering the greater share of the blame for their rebellion. This provides their people with the opportunity to prove their loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor that they may be welcomed into the embrace of the Father of All Humanity as his beloved children.
"We are all one body with the Emperor as our head. This most holy body cannot be corrupted by diseased members. They will be cut off, for they were never part of the body. Be then healthy and good. Abide in His Majesty the Emperor and he will abide in you."
If there was more to what General Adeen was saying, it was mercifully cut short. Who did he expect to win over babbling like a fanatic? Apparently long ago, the Empire tried to unify its subjects under a cult of Emperor worship. The cult stopped being the state religion centuries ago, but there were still devotees and the Political Officer Corps seemed to be counted among them.
The newsreel went on to the next story, about King Charles' pending abdication, and the rest of the hour was spent on other stories of varying degrees of newsworthiness. Apparently Marlene Beauvoir was in the running to play Princess Anne in a film adaptation of her harrowing adventure around the globe, the King's secret ambassador and the key to the formation of the Northern Alliance. The studio was facing legal challenges from the government, but with the government's own status thrown into question due to current events, the future of the production was uncertain.
When the newsreel was finished, the light came back on, the curtains were closed, and the audience filed out of the theater. Among the audience members, one man stood out from the rest. He was a Royal Army officer of some distinction limping along with the aid of a cane. A thickset enlisted man was with him. Once they exited the theater, the enlisted man saluted and took his leave of the officer. As the officer stood waiting by the curb, a woman's voice called out to him.
"Not watching anything indecent, I trust, Colonel."
The officer turned to see a young woman, a fellow Royal Army officer.
The Colonel turned to her and grinned, saying, "Wrong kinda theater for that. Now, if ya go to Rue Paul Marcion..." He paused, then said what most people say at the start of a conversation. "Hello, Yvette."
A slight flush rose to the female officer's cheeks, either because the Colonel addressed her by her first name or because she was imagining the cinematic offering to be found on Rue Paul Marcion. Possibly a little of both.
"I was just catchin' the news," the Colonel said. "Nice to be watchin' it for a change instead a' makin' it."
"I can imagine."
Changing the topic, the Colonel asked, "What's up with that movie anyway? Did your boss fall asleep at the wheel?"
"Don't even get me started on that damn thing," the female officer grumbled. "I was interrogated for six hours about it."
"Eight hours for me an' Kran," the Colonel said. "Prolly would've been longer, but His Majesty found out about it an' threatened to skin my interrogator if he didn't let me go. I'm guessin' he had words with General Boyer after that."
The female officer averted her eyes and said, "I can't say I liked being suspected of leaking state secrets, but those of us who knew about it are the most likely ones responsible."
"I sure as hell hope they appreciate you coverin' for 'em like that."
"We're not supposed to be sentimental. It only gets in the way."
"Easier said than done, ain't it?"
The female officer looked uncertainly at the Colonel before asking him, "How are you holding up?"
"Which part?"
"All of it. I... I heard you aren't staying at your house. Did she... did she kick you out?"
"No. She packed up the girls an' went off to her mother's. Left my peg-legged ass all on my lonesome. Couldn't really stand bein' in that damn place what with it bein' empty an' all."
"What are you going to do? It's not like they're going to let you be with her either."
"We both knew that wasn't happenin'," the Colonel said. "Frau Kapitän's ordered her to stay away from me ever since we got back. Wouldn't surprise me if I never see her again."
"I... I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"I said a lot of things to you before, acting like I was on some kind of moral high ground, but seeing you like this... it hurts."
The Colonel gave the female officer a weak smile and told her, "It's nothin' for you to be worryin' that pretty lil' head over. You reap what you sow. I blew everythin', so I'm left with nothin'."
"It... it doesn't have to be nothing."
"I don't think I like where this is goin'," the Colonel said warily.
"Let me buy you a drink," the female officer said. "It'll be my way of apologizing."
"I don't think your wallet can handle all the alcohol it's gonna take, an' besides, it's still duty hours."
The female officer stepped closer and rested her hand on the Colonel's chest, running her fingers along the lapel of his coat as she said, "Then we just drink really slowly until it's not duty hours."
"This is probably a really bad idea."
The female officer smiled.
"Probably."
The Colonel sighed.
"Aw, hell... Bit late for me to start makin' the right decision."
Having whittled away what little resistance the Colonel had made the female officer bolder, a bit playful even.
"You never know," she said, "it may be the best decision you've made in a while."
He highly doubted that, but he seemed to recall the Gandohese having a saying, something to the effect of 'To not eat what is set before you is a man's shame.' It may not have been the best advice, but as he said, it was a little late to start making the right decision.