[Hope]
Hope drug herself out of bed. She sniffed, straining to pull air through clogged sinuses. Besides the heavy weight of responsibility, the high pollen concentrations on this world had taken their toll.
"Good morning, Hope!" Sai said over the room com. "How did you sleep?"
"Not very well, Sai." She sniffed again. "I'm stuffed up. Do you have anything to relieve my sinuses?"
"I can fabricate a decongestant and allergy suppression drug in the med bay. Shall I do so?"
A sudden sneeze grabbed Hope, causing her to bend over. "Yes, please."
Sai said, "A number of people have gathered outside the ship, Hope."
"Show me."
A visual image appeared on the wall view screen. Sai's term of a number of people seemed an understatement. The crowd, some standing and some sitting on the grass in the clearing, rippled in casual waiting activity like a meadow in a breeze. These were the common people of this world, wearing comfortable clothes of natural fibers.
And expecting miracles from me.
"It looks like half the city is here." Hope muttered.
Sai replied. "I would estimate only thirty-six percent, Hope."
A gaze into the mirror brought dismay. A puffy eyed woman with wild frazzled dark hair looked back.
She sighed. I am a mess, not an Empress.
Hope dragged a brush through her hair. Still unhappy with the result, she tied her hair back in a ponytail. Pulling on black leggings and a simple tunic top, she made her way to the galley, stopping first at the med bay to take the medicine that Sai prepared.
"You look like hell." Gabriel remarked, looking up from his breakfast.
Hope rolled her eyes. "Thanks Gab, I needed that."
Eshe poured a mug of tea and placed it before Hope. "Would you like something to eat?"
"I'm not very hungry." Hope sniffed the herbal tea, letting the warm moist vapors sooth her nose. "Maybe just some of that bread we got yesterday." She looked around. "Where is Dad?"
Gabriel replied, "Sleeping in again, I think."
With Celeste. It confused Hope how she should regard Celeste. Was the woman an advisor? A Sol Priestess in service to the Empress? Her father's lover? Her mother? All of these?
Sai came over the com. "Actually, Gabriel, they are not asleep. I believe that—"
Gabriel interrupted, holding a hand up. "We don't want to know, Sai." He turned to his sister. "Your fan club is waiting outside."
"I noticed." Hope sighed. "But who am I kidding? I'm not Empress material. Just a hick girl from a backwater planet, more like those people outside."
"And that's why you will be a great Empress, Hope." Gabriel put his hand on hers. "You've got this."
Hope chuckled. "Are you being supportive, Gab? That's scary."
He smirked. "Don't let it go to your head."
Taking a sip of tea, Hope said, "You know the Consortium will not go down without a fight. This is just beginning. What do I tell those people?"
Eshe put a hand on Hope's shoulder. "Tell them you care, that you are with them."
Hope nodded to her bodyguard. "Eshe, I am going to make your job more difficult."
Eshe sat down beside Hope, and her expression became stoic. "There is one thing I must say, Empress. Do you remember in the Consortium offices how you tackled me when that guard fired at us?"
Hope held her breath. Eshe had switched from friend to bodyguard mode. "Yes. I didn't want you to get hurt, or worse."
"Never do that again!" Eshe's eyes narrowed, and her expression became grim. Hope jerked at the harshness of her voice. "You are the Empress, and your life is much more important than mine. I can't have you putting yourself at risk to save me. Your protection is my job. Do me the honor of respecting that."
Taken aback, all Hope could do was nod. While she did not believe Eshe meant a rebuke, it felt like one.
The crowd hushed as the cargo bay hatch swung inward with the whir of a servo motor, becoming the target of collective gaze. Gabriel hefted out a small crate and placed it on the ground as an impromptu stage. Eshe came out next with a holstered pulse gun attached to her thigh, standing back at the bay door while scanning the audience with suspicious eyes.
Hope appeared and stepped up onto the crate. Scattered murmurs erupted from the crowd, and any that were seated stood, shuffling about to get a good view.
Priestess Larren made her way closer through the crowd, her traditional white gown billowing out in the morning breeze. First bowing to Hope, she held a silver cylinder, the Signet test device. "Some are still doubting, Empress."
"Thank you, Priestess." Hope smiled.
Hope grasped the cylinder, holding it to her chest. As a blue light appeared at one end, she held it aloft for the crowd to see. The light intensified, casting a blue tint on the Firebird Rise and Liam Glynn's ship, the Amadi, nearby. It lit up the shadows within the surrounding trees where the morning sun had not yet penetrated. Many in the crowd shielded their eyes.
A collective gasp broke out, and more murmurs rose. A man at the back clapped in steady rhythm. The action spread like wildfire until it became a thunderous applause, punctuated with cheers. The reception both warmed and terrified Hope at the same time.
Hope's raised hand quieted the crowd. She took a deep calming breath, then spoke in a loud voice. "People of Elysium, thank you for your hospitality. You have honored me. I grew up far beyond the outer colonies and the reach of the Commonwealth, blessed with a loving family and good friends. Until recently, I was unaware of my bloodline — just a common girl from the colony."
She smiled. "I guess I am as much like you then a daughter of Empress Iona." The smile faded. "I had a sister named Faith, the rightful Empress heir before me. They murdered her!"
Scattered gasps came from the crowd.
"The Sol Writings tell us profit devoid of compassion is a desolating corruption. Long ago, the Trade Consortium lost their way, seeking money and power above all else, dragging down the Commonwealth Parliament with it. And who suffers for their greed? All of humanity! Including you, the people of Elysium. Even now, the Consortium comes to take your world away from you."
Mumbles and a spattering of angry shouts spread through the throng.
A raised hand again silenced the people. "The greed and treachery of the Consortium has come to light, but they will not give up so easily. I will not deceive you, though, a time of trials still comes, maybe even war." Hope paused, letting that sink in. "This is a beautiful world, a paradise. Let it not become paradise lost. I ask your permission, here and now. May I stand with you?"
Almost instantly, a chorus of shouts and cheers rang out, filling the meadow and overflowing to the quiet forest. Raised fists pummeled the air.
Permission granted.
Hope glanced at Eshe, who stood behind her in the cargo bay with arms folded. Eshe nodded with a rare on-duty smile.
Hope jumped down from the box that was her makeshift stage and wandered through the crowd. Eshe followed closely behind, with eyes shifting back and forth. The people seemed hesitant to approach the Empress, instead parting from her path and bowing outside of arm's reach. Hope smiled and bowed in return, but the display of reverence baffled and concerned her.
I do not want to be like a deity.
A tug on her shirt brought Hope to a halt. A little girl with wild blonde hair and mud-streaked cheeks flashed a toothless smile. She held up a necklace of brown twine that held a teardrop shaped pendant made of a colorful grained wood with wraps of copper wire that secured it to the necklace.
"I made it myself," the girl said proudly.
A woman rushed forward, putting her arm around the little girl. She spoke with head bowed. "Please forgive us, Empress. She does not understand--"
"It is quite alright, ma'am. Let the children come, to them is the future." Hope kneeled down before the child, gently stroking the pendant. "This is beautiful, little one. What is your name?"
"Enya!" the girl said with glee. She shoved the necklace forward, causing Hope to flinch back. "I made it for you!"
Hope smiled, accepting the gift. She placed the necklace around her neck, pulling her long hair from beneath the twine. "Thank you, Enya! How does it look?"
The girl beamed.
The woman collected the girl in her arms. "I know it is not much, but thank you for accepting it."
"Not much? I would disagree, ma'am. It is a treasure!" Hope paraphrased a passage from the Writings. "The greatest of gifts come from the most innocent of hearts."
After more time mingling with the people, Hope retreated to the ship, blowing out a deep breath. She watched from inside as the crowd dispersed.
Gabriel came up to her. "Not bad, Hope."
"An affirmation and a sorta compliment in the same day?" She grinned. "That really is spooky."
Celeste grasped Hope's hands. "Better than not bad. That was wonderful!"
Standing beside Celeste, Moon put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "I think Faith would be proud of you."
With a sudden swell of emotion, Hope rushed in, collapsing into her father's arms. She whispered, "Thank you, Dad."
Liam Glynn appeared at the doorway, interrupting the hug. "Our scouts have spotted Consortium warships. They will be here in about twelve hours."
Moon released his daughter, nodding. "Then, let's get off the ground to give them a proper reception."
*****
Hope stood on the bridge of the Firebird Rise behind her father in the captain's chair. The holographic tactical display showed seven Trade Consortium warships approaching the Elysium in a wedge formation. Meeting them was a rag-tag fleet of nearly a hundred, composed of mostly local starships, supplemented with Confederacy warships.
Moon pushed a button on his chair arm, activating the com. "Fire!"
A coordinated volley of plasma cannon bolts lit up space like a fireworks finale. Vastly outnumbered, the Consortium ships turned away and fled into the depths of space.
Hope smiled. The Battle of Elysium really was not much of a battle.
She savored the victory, tasting the sweetness in her mind. But an anxious feeling tingled her gut and her smile faded: the Consortium will not let this go unanswered.
Next time won't be so easy.