Cassandra's Challenge (86 page)

What does this little bitch think she’s doing!
Audric is enraged spouting off Articles and page numbers as if she
knew anything. And Terwilliger, the old fuck, deferring to her,
he’s probably slamming her too. He’ll pay for this insult! When
this was over they’d all pay!

This is what she gets for listening to Audric.
Yakira can’t believe she’s let herself get into this position. It’s
like being eighteen all over again. Having to stand in front of the
Assembly and justify herself, allowing them to judge her, her and
her children, judge their lives. She looks at her children seated
to her right. They were both so beautiful, they were her reason for
existing. She would do this for
them
, to protect
them
. Fuck Audric.

“Queen Yakira.” Terwilliger feels he has waited
long enough. “Your defense please, of your Trusteeship of the
throne of the House of Knowledge.”

Cassandra watches as Yakira look at her
children. They were both beautiful the boy fifteen is in his third
cycle Academy uniform, the girl thirteen is dressed in Knowledge
blue. Neither bore any resemblance to Audric.

Rising Yakira realizes she’s forgotten about her
robe. It’s long, heavy and hard to maneuver in without assistance.
She wore it for what it represented, knowledge, the House of
Knowledge, to remove it, to defend herself, would be equated to her
not knowing what calling the Challenge meant. That would undermine
her position. When her staff rises to assist her she waves them
off. This is for her to do.

Slowly, steadily Yakira approaches the Assembly,
her eyes scanning those on the main floor, those who mattered, who
voted. She ignores the balconies.

“Assemblymen, fellow Royals. I will not keep you
long. I come before you today as the humble Trustee of the House of
Knowledge. A responsibility you charged me with over fifteen cycles
ago. Since that time I have faithfully performed all the duties
required of the Queen of the House of Knowledge. I have not
faltered.”

“During my reign as Queen, Carina has become
much safer, do in no small part to the House of Knowledge scholars.
Ships designed by them fill the skies. They are safer, faster, and
more maneuverable then any that have come before. They have
assisted the Coalition with captured Regulian Intel securing the
safety of all Carinians.”

“You know me. Know my family, who I descend
from, where I come from. You
know
my values, my beliefs. We
have shared experiences. To entrust such an important position to
someone unknown puts us all at risk.” Giving the Assembly a slight
bow she turns. Her supporters erupt in their seats.

It takes Yakira several long moments to complete
her turn. She negotiates around the six foot velvet train. Once she
finally reaches to her seat she allows her staff to assist her in
seating her. Audric never moves.

Listening to Yakira’s defense of her throne
William can’t help but be angered. That she would use something he
had done, the Regulian Intel, against Cassandra. He hadn’t thought
about it.

“It’s fine.” Cassandra’s voice is low, for his
ears only, her lips barely moving. “It’s actually perfect.” Her
eyes never leaving Yakira, she spoke directly to those whose votes
she needs, ignoring all others. Something she’s done her entire
reign. Playing to their fears, of the Regulians, of the unknown, of
her, it would be a smart move, usually. Change is a hard thing, it
scares many, but a traitor will scare them more.

Terwilliger, who resumed his seat during
Yakira’s defense, now stands. Waiting until Yakira is seated he
approaches the podium, dreading what he must now do.

“Princess Cassandra, as per procedure, you now
have the right to call for an immediate vote on ending the current
Trustee’s term.” Angry voices rise from the House of Knowledge
section. Terwilliger watches as Admiral Zafar stands his back to
the Assembly.

“Are you ready Victoria?” Cassandra looks down
to her niece.

“Yes.”

“Remember what you promised.”

“I will.”

“I love you.”

Putting her hand in William’s she stands,
switching back to a language he understands. “I love you too.”
William squeezes her hand than turns so she can reply to
Terwilliger.

“Assemblymen Terwilliger, I see no reason to
call the vote.” A hush falls over the Assembly. “Queen Yakira has
raised some very important questions, questions concerning myself
and the protection of Carina. Questions that
I
for one
believe deserve to be answered. So following Carinian procedures I
will speak.”

“Princess Cassandra, you have the Assembly.”
Terwilliger sits knowing Carina will never ever be the same after
this Challenge.

Letting her mind settle she approaches the
Assembly. “Queen Yakira states that you should allow her to remain
Trustee because you
know
where she comes from. Let me tell
you where
I
come from.”

“A planet called Earth, a great distance from
here, even by Carinian standards. A small planet, half the size of
Carina, with one sun, one moon and an abundance of life hard to
imagine. It was similar to Carina in many ways, with land, water,
heat, and cold. It supported
seven billion
people, men,
women, and children people with lives, hopes, and dreams, just like
here on Carina.”

William watches as his wife moves around the
platform, making eye contact, not only with Royals and Assemblymen
but with the people of Carina, allowing them to see her, her
world.

“But unlike Carina, we hadn’t yet advanced to
long distance space travel. We were looking at the stars knowing
there would be planets like Carina out there. We were developing
the technology so that one day our civilizations would meet. But a
little over two of your moon cycles ago we were no threat, not to
you, not to anyone.”

“But the Regulians attacked and destroyed the
Earth anyway. They murdered
seven billion
people. They had
their orders, ‘find the Imperial Light or destroy it’.” She ignores
the gasp from the Assembly.

“An interesting phrase ‘Imperial Light’, it
meant nothing on Earth, it meant nothing to the Regulians, the only
place that phrase means
anything
is
here
on Carina.
It is the phrase used to describe the Imperial House of Knowledge,
of the heir to the throne; she is always described at the Light of
Carina. But why would the Regulians care?” Cassandra answers her
own question.

“They care because they’ve been promised
something. They have an agreement with someone who very much cares
about the very
possibility
that the lost princess, the
true
heir to the House of Knowledge, was on Earth, and
might
return to claim her throne.” She pauses letting what
she’s said sink in.

“What it means is that Carina has a traitor. For
nearly eight cycles, someone has been willing to not only deal with
the Regulians but make promises to them, promises that threaten
Carina.” Cassandra finally turns to look at the group from the
House of Knowledge. She sees the shock in Yakira’s eyes. In nearly
everyone’s ones, except Audric, in Audric’s there is rage.

“Princess Cassandra!!! Princess Cassandra!!!”
Terwilliger draws Cassandra’s attention. “You must explain to this
Assembly how you’ve come to reach such a conclusion.”

“Gladly, Assemblymen Terwilliger.” Cassandra
looks at Victoria who brings her first two fingers down to her
thumb, signing no.

“Nearly eight cycles ago there was a great
battle, a battle between the Regulians and the Coalition’s fleet.
It was long and bloody with many lives lost on both sides. Many in
this room fought in this battle, Admiral Zafar, Assemblyman
Bevington. Many more lost sons, daughters, husbands and wives. In
the end the Coalition was victorious; you know this, Queen Yakira
has referred to it. It is the Battle of Fayal. It is the turning
point. For Carina, for Earth, all because of the Rappen, of the
information it contained.”

“Queen Yakira is correct.” She gestures back to
her. “The scholars from the House of Knowledge were able to
translate the data the Rappen carried. They translated the data
about their weapons systems, tactics, and communication systems,
all vital to the Coalition. That information was turned over to
High Admiral Valerian.” Cassandra meets Valerian’s hard eyes seated
in the House of Knowledge section.

“But the scholars found more. Specifically
Scholar Olah found more, in the data bases of the Rappen, he found
research files. The Regulians had been studying a distant planet, a
planet occupied by a humanoid species genetically similar to
Carinians. They would abduct people from the planet. Men, women,
children, scan them, study them, to see if there was a weakness
they could find that they could use against the people of
Carina.”

“A specific young girl they kept longer than the
others, nearly a week, because they found something interesting. A
mark on the inside of her right leg, they studied it, imaged it,
trying to figure out what caused it. And what they found was this
girl was different then all the others, her genetics were nearly
identical
to those on Carina. Because of this they implanted
a thread in her arm so they could find her when they returned.”

“The Regulians had no idea what they’d found,
what it meant, but Olah did. He immediately contacted High Admiral
Valerian. To tell him he’d found the Lost Princess.”

“You can’t possible know that!” Valerian is out
of his chair. William tenses as Cassandra walks towards him.

“I can.” Her eyes are hard as she stares at
Valerian. “Scholar Olah kept a meticulous journal of all the data
he’d found, who he reported it too. It’s
procedure
. On 20
Nallag 5247 he contacted HAV, the same abbreviation he used in his
journal when he gave progress reports on the Regulian systems, High
Admiral Valerian. He also made notations about the conversation.
Beside this entry he wrote ‘Not interested’.” Valerian’s face turns
bright red but he sits.

“But Olah knew this was vital information to end
the mystery of where the lost Queen went too. That there might be a
true heir to the House of Knowledge on a planet deep in the
Relinquished Zone, so he decides to contact someone he
knows
will be interested in this information. Queen Yakira.” Cassandra
turns to face Yakira.

“What!” The shock is easily read by all on
Yakira’s face.

“Olah’s same journal 20 Nallag, he makes an
appointment to meet with QY regarding the LP data at 1400 25
Nallag.” Cassandra takes several steps to Yakira as she speaks.

“This is an outrage!” Audric stands, as he does,
so does William. “For this…
person
…to accuse my wife of
treason is intolerable.”

Cassandra gives Audric a look of pure distain.
“Assemblyman Terwilliger,” Turning her back on Audric she walks
back to the Assembly. “This is my time to answer questions Queen
Yakira has raised is it not?”

Terwilliger rises. “Yes Princess it is.”

“Then would you kindly tell
Prince
Audric
to sit down and be quiet.” The Assembly gasps in unison at her
request. Cassandra waits.

Clearing his throat Terwilliger looks at Audric.
“Prince Audric, would you please resume your seat so the
Challenger’s response can continue.”

“This is outrageous!”

“Audric.” Yakira’s voice is cold. “Sit!” As he
slowly does, William resumes his seat but he doesn’t relax.”

“As I was saying before I was interrupted,
Scholar Olah scheduled an appointment with Queen Yakira on 25
Nallag. He copied all his data and took the transport to the Royal
Palace in Kisurri, sitting in the last coach. It was well known
that Scholar Olah
always
sat in the last coach of the
transport. Upon his arrival he was told Queen Yakira was
unavailable.”

Cassandra turns looking at Yakira. “Earlier in
the day her son, Prince Vance, had been involved in a ‘freak’
riding accident, she was at his side, where any parent would be.”
Giving her a slight nod Cassandra turns her attention to
Audric.

“Because of this, Prince Audric took the Queen’s
appointments.” A mummer starts within the Assembly, eyes turning to
Audric, including Yakira’s. “Scholar Olah while disappointed not to
be speaking with the Queen herself told Prince Audric what he’d
discovered, what he believed.” She turns her back on Audric,
knowing her speaking about him in such away would ‘irritate’
him.

“Olah wrote in his notes he was disappointed in
Prince Audric’s lack of interest. He felt the Prince didn’t
understand
what he was saying. But Prince Audric took the
data copies he’d brought, said he would present them to the Queen
and get back to him on her decision. Taking the transit home Olah
could do nothing but wait.”

“He didn’t have to wait long. Two days later he
receives a communication from PA. Prince Audric, Queen Yakira
requests he bring all the
original
data to the House of
Knowledge so it can be studied in more depth. She would like him
there the next day. 28 Nallag at 1500. Olah complies and arrives on
time only to find that Queen Yakira is again, unavailable.”

Cassandra turns back to Yakira. “He doesn’t know
she is traveling with her son to Moncton for medical treatment for
his earlier injury, had in fact left the day before. I find it
interesting that an appointment can be made in the Queen’s name
when the Queen isn’t even in residence.” She can see Yakira’s mind
racing. Turning back to the Assembly she continues.

“So Olah gives the requested data to Prince
Audric and leaves, he gets on the transport along with hundreds of
others, sits in the last coach and ten minutes later is dead. He
and a hundred others, as the last coach of the transport uncouples
and plunges into a ravine, it was considered a ‘freak’ accident.”
She gives the Assembly a moment to consider.