All That Glitters Ch. 52

It only took her father a few moments to catch on to what she was suggesting...

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While this was being debated, the Erx Toolend stepped aside with Petronellaya, Shylmiya, Elliya, Snr. Elder Fordrat, and Augraf. He spoke with them at some length before calling over Junelliya, Hanalei, and Fayad.

"It becomes obvious that the timing of your punishment will cause us severe problems and embarrassments during this crisis. As such, by royal authority, I wave your punishment for the duration of this situation.

"There are two reasons why we do this, Junelliya: first..."

"You need her," Fayad stated flatly, interjecting his comment before the Erx could finish.

"...Three reasons why we do this...The second is the levels of power you possess will be useful during this crisis.

"The third is fundamental to you as a person. You did not do the things you did out of vanity or personal need. You did them to aid others. In every case, you came to the fore to protect, or to prod others in the direction of peace. Even in the case of William Chartrinyea, you did what you did to protect the Council and the innocent of Terra.

"Basically, I trust your character, Junelliya. Please, do nothing to change the level of my trust in you," the Erx ordered of her. "I have directed Augraf to begin the necessary advanced instructions that you will need to progress as a telepath. Learn them well as they may very well protect your life and those of the people around you."

Petronellaya turned to Junelliya. "As the Erx Toolend has stated, you will be needed in this conflict. We will reassess your punishment at the end of this event.

"Please consider, at all times, the fundamental nature of the First Tennant: do nothing without consent. Your fine will not be lifted, however, I would very much like to reward you with a Pardon of your disciplinary record at the end of this event. Please do nothing that will prevent us from doing that," Petronellaya advised, getting a nod of agreement from Junelliya.

************

The children, Ikekiya, Zarreniya, Prakeshya, Sun-Jarl, and Nar-Jarl were all sitting with Varren, trying to console her after her devastating loss. Varren suddenly roared and ran to the Asoc.

"Please, Asoc! Please, become my hand of vengeance!" she demanded of the Asoc, pulling a table knife from a plate and holding it out in her hands, as she knelt before the Asoc.

The Asoc's heart was torn. She understood Varren's need for vengeance. Her own heart was beating for the same. But she was the Asoc. Her duties were not for her personal pleasure or vengeance. Her duty was for justice to all Asocans. She could not dispense justice with a heart melded to revenge.

"No! No say when sad," Zarreniya spoke to Varren. "You not want venge, want be good."

Sharrenia was correct, the Asoc knew (Asocan mouth parts do not allow them to form a 'Z' sound so Zarrenia becomes Sharrenia). She had just given her an opening but, before she could use that opening, Grace knelt before Varren, clasping hands with the little Asocan.

"Vengeance is a double-edged sword, Varren. The longer you hold it close, the deeper it cuts the user," she told the little Asocan.

"Sharrenia and Grace are correct, Varren," the Asoc spoke. "I am the Asoc. While I would like nothing more than to extract vengeance on Unaayel, I must act for the people. I must act for justice for Semt Shall and all Asocans.

"She took everything from me, Asoc," Varren wailed. "My family, my home, my Shall, they are all gone."

"Yes, Varren, they are. I can do nothing to bring them back. However, I can give you something, a small thing in return. If you want it. But you must give up your quest for vengeance to achieve this thing. You must instead seek justice.

"Will you let me be the hand of justice for you, Varren, instead of the hand of vengeance?" the Asoc asked.

Varren closed her eyes. She did not truly know what the difference between justice and vengeance was but knew that she could not get vengeance on her own. She was simply too young and though she was strong in relation to her agemates, she was not strong enough to take on an adult Asocan. Especially one like Unaayel who was purported to be a formidable warrior.

She nodded her head to the Asoc. Once more she knelt on one knee and held out the table knife in her hands. "Asoc >Catal Mut Herrtt, will you be the hand of justice for me, for my family, for my Shall?" she asked formally of the Asoc, like she had seen the heroines do in the holo-vid serials.

"It is not quite the correct form, Varren, but I understand what you are asking," the Asoc said. "I will answer your request, but not here. You will know when it is time to ask me again," the Asoc assured her.

"Asoc, there is a message from Raddon ShemetAR," her aide stated.

"Put it on the monitor over there. I would ask that the leadership stay out of camera range for the moment, please," the Asoc looked around and received consent from her compatriots who moved a little out of the way.

The image opened showing a group of Gurn and one person who the Asoc did not expect to see...

"Shugrand!" she snarled.

Before she could say anything else, Shugrand and the Gurn all bent a knee to the Asoc. Shugrand pulled her >Curlat and presented it formally to the Asoc.

"Asoc >Catal Mutt Herrtt, I pledge my allegiance to you and your line," Shugrand stated formally.

That brought the Asoc up short. She took a deep breath and nodded her acceptance, not wanting to say anything for the moment lest she say something that she would regret.

"Why are you calling me, Shugrand?" the Asoc demanded, perhaps a little to sharply.

"Asoc, my mother has gone too far. She has forgotten what the role of the Asoc is intended to be. She has named myself and my older cousin, Tarrest, Martte, and named me Raddon of ShemetAR. With these actions, she has taken on the trappings of Asoc, when she is not the legitimate Asoc.

"Worse, she has allowed her anger to crush a Shall. An entire Shall...just to punish one Gurn who she believed slighted her! I can not believe that she could do such a thing, Asoc.

"My mother is insane. In one single action, she has eclipsed Asoc Minatran. She has lost all perspective in her rush for power. She has become Belgedra. All this before even being named as Atas Asoc.

"I know the laws of our people, Asoc. My life, the life of my mate, and our adult children, are forfeit when mother fails, and fail she will. I accept this as necessary, Asoc. But we must stop Unaayel before she destroys another Shall.

"I do not know if Tarrest was aware of what mother might do, Asoc. However, Tarrest is mother's strategist. She is the one who guided mother in the last three failed coups. She is the person who told mother to name her and I, Martte, in direct contradiction to our laws, raising the flag of rebellion against you the rightful Asoc.

"They do not understand the laws of our people, Asoc. They have always delved in palace political intrigue and only referred to the law when it contravened their wishes.

"I, on the other hand, have always dealt with governance and have been doing so for most of my adult life in the service of my mother. Governance deals with the law of the land, Asoc, while political intrigue does not.

"Tarrest has acted rashly in giving mother free rein. She has allowed mother's baser nature to come out. Mother has now destroyed our line and done irreparable harm to the Asocan people."

Shugrand slid down and prostrated herself before the Asoc. "My life is yours, Asoc. It has been forfeit since mother started this venture. However, I wish to use my life as your hand, Asoc.

"I, Shugrand Mutt Herrtt, of the Second Clutch of Martte Unaayel Mutt Herrtt, do pledge my hand to justice for the Asocan people, under the guidance of the legitimate Asoc; >Catal Mutt Herrtt. Will you accept my hand Asoc?" Shugrand asked.

"I, >Catal Mutt Herrtt, Supreme Ruler of the Asocan people, pledge my hand for justice for the Asocan people, and Semt Shall. I shall not rest until this justice is rendered." The Asoc made a formal bow, though she could not accept the >Curlat from the image of Shugrand.

Understanding this, Shugrand cut her finger and painted her forehead, her cheeks, and her breast over her heart with her blood. >Catal repeated this ritual on her side. It was an old ritual, predating the pledge using the >Curlat. It signified not a pledge to each other, but a pledge to the people. The pair were now bonded in blood to the Asocan people until justice was served.

Shugrand rose and bowed formally to the Asoc.

One of the Gurn moved down to stand next to the Raddon. "Asoc >Catal Mutt Herrtt, I am Gurn Woaden Mutt Shemet. I ask your forgiveness and confess my part in the elevation of Martte Unaayel to what she has become.

"My line of Mutt Shemet has always lusted after the riches of ShemetAR. We were denied the opportunity to rule this planet and it sparked our anger. Our greed grew and we sought a means of achieving our goal. We found it with Martte Unaayel.

"In exchange for the right to claim ShemetAR, we acknowledge Unaayel as Atas Asoc. Then, Unaayel conducted the ultimate betrayal of her position by destroying an entire Shall to 'punish' one Gurn who rejected her previously.

"I was stunned by this betrayal of our ways and of our people." Woaden knelt before the Asoc. "I tender my resignation to you as Gurn of my line of Mutt Shemet."

"Denied," snapped the Asoc. "It will take months for your Mutt to find a suitable candidate for Gurn to replace you and fully train your replacement for her duties. We do not have the time to allow for that.

"You will retain your position as Gurn of your line until this crisis is past. After that, you will resign your position...but not to me. You will resign your title to the survivors of Semt Shall," the Asoc thundered.

Gurn Woaden fell prostrate on the floor. "Please, Asoc! Anything but that! I could not face them," she cried out.

"Do you not understand why your line was refused control of ShemetAR, Gurn Woaden? An entire line of a Mutt extinguished themselves in the pursuit of the treasures of a planet. What a line can do, so too can a Mutt do. If one line of a Mutt is permitted to claim a fallen planet from a line that has gone extinct, then other lines of that Mutt can also lay claim to the same planet. That would put the entire Mutt at risk of extinction as they fight over the resources of a planet instead of sharing it. That is why no other line of a Mutt can be permitted to take over a fallen planet, Gurn Woaden.

"You have shown that your line is capable of the same selfish lust that destroyed the first line of ShemetAR," the Asoc roared.

"You are the Gurn of your line, Woaden. You have had to do things as a Gurn that you must have found distasteful. This will be a further test for you as Gurn, your final test. You will resign your title to the survivors of Mutt Semt. They will decide your fate.

"Until then, you will work your best to assist this government in stopping Belgedra. DO YOU UNDERSTAND, WOADEN!!" the Asoc thundered.

"Yes, Asoc. I understand and agree to this test," a shaken Woaden replied. "I can never amend the damage that I assisted in creating under Belgedra. I will give my fate into the hands of the survivors, after Belgedra is defeated," Woaden pulled her Damate, a knife that every Asocan child is given by their family when they become Shamot and are counted as a full member of their family, their line, their Mutt, and the Asocan race. She cut her finger and ritually painted her forehead, cheeks and breast over her heart, signifying her contract with the Asocan people.

The Asoc nodded her acceptance, then turned to the Raddon.

"Shugrand, your mother will attempt to impose her own people on the Beerlen AsocAR as soon as she sets her talons on the planet's surface," the Asoc told her. "You must tell her that she cannot do this. Find a way to 'inform' her that if she does this outside of the appropriate times, she will not be considered a legitimate Atas Asoc.

"This is in fact true, but your mother will try to circumvent the process. You must convince her that she will lose her legitimacy with the Asocan people if she does this. We need her to have to wait for the next time that Beerlendl can legitimately be named to the Beerlen AsocAR. If she pushes to have her people named before then, you must inform her that her title would not only be considered illegitimate but that the people would look down on her for having done this. You must convince her that doing otherwise would destroy the trust of the people in her title, a trust she has already badly shaken by destroying a Shall. Can you do this?" the Asoc asked.

"I can, Asoc, and I will," Shugrand confirmed. "May the Goddess look on us kindly."

"Good luck, Shugrand. Do not try to contact me after today. I will be moving about constantly. I will contact you from different places around the Greater Community and probably through a proxy. Staying in one place too long is a death sentence when your mother commands jump capable ships," the Asoc told her.

The Asoc cut the link.

"Well, that was interesting," the President said.

"Indeed," the Asoc admitted. "Now, it is time for us to play our part in this, 'soap opera' that is playing out," the Asoc said of all those around her. They quickly came to a consensus and then moved to the theater for take one of the soap.

Denders Theater, Denders Resort, Terra, The Sol System

The media had sensed a hay day. A city had been destroyed and the leadership was in a quandary. They were eagerly waiting for how this would play out. They were also of two minds as someone had pointed out that only humans had atomic weapons and that meant human involvement in some manner.

They were debating the issue when a call came that the leadership was returning.

The Asoc took her place in the center of the group on stage, the president on one side and the Kumaraie of the Pod-Drran on the other. The President stood and approached the podium.

"To the people of the Union and the Greater Community, after lengthy debate, it has been decided that this situation is uniquely internal to the Asocan realm. Neither the Union, nor the other non-Asocan members of the Greater Community will interfere in this situation," the President said.

"As we do not know for certain who rules Asocan space, all Union shipping is now banned from Asocan space until this issue is resolved," the President finished, bringing up a storm of protests and requests for questions. The President raised his hands for silence.

"There will be several other speakers so please wait for the end for your questions," he ordered.

Next came the Kumaraie. "The Pod-Drran grant asylum and sanctuary to Asoc >Catal Mutt Herrtt and her people until such time as this crisis is fully resolved," she told them. Once again pandemonium burst forth but when the Asoc rose, the media went silent once again.

"I, Asoc >Catal Mutt Herrtt, legitimate ruler of the Asocan people, accept the sanctuary offered by my friend and fellow ruler, Kumaraie Na-Maj Se-Lam Raie of the Pod-Drran," she formally stated, nodding to her friend.

"However, my intent is not to remain in Pod-Drran space but to return to Asocan space to bring justice for Semt Shall, for AsocAr, for the Asocan people, and end the tyranny of Unaayel."

The Asocans in the theater raised their snouts and roared out their determination to follow the Asoc.

Varren knew what she had to do. She cried out a loud "NO!!" and ran onto the stage before any could stop her.

Kneeling before the Asoc, she reprised her demand from earlier and begged for revenge.

"Please, Asoc, please, I beg of you, become my hand of vengeance!" she demanded of the Asoc, pulling the table knife she had kept and holding it out in her hands, as she knelt before the Asoc.

"I am the Asoc. While I would like nothing more than to extract vengeance on Unaayel, I must act for the people. I must act for justice for Semt Shall and all Asocans," the Asoc explained to Varren.

"She took everything from me, Asoc," Varren wailed. "My family, my home, my Shall, they are all gone."

"Yes, Varren, they are. I can do nothing to bring them back. But you must give up your quest for vengeance and instead, you must seek justice.

"Will you let me be the hand of justice for you, Varren, instead of the hand of vengeance?" the Asoc asked.

Varren nodded her head to the Asoc. Still kneeling, she held out the table knife in her hands. "I, Varren Mutt Semt, of the First Clutch of Vodina Mutt Semt ask you, Asoc >Catal Mut Herrtt, to be the hand of justice for me, for my family, and for my Shall," she said formally of the Asoc.

"Varren Mutt Semt, I, the Asoc >Catal Mutt Herrtt, Supreme Ruler of the Asocan people, pledge my hand for justice for you, your family, for Semt Shall, and for the Asocan people. I shall not rest until this justice is rendered." The Asoc made a formal bow and took the proffered knife from the hand of Varren.

"What is this? Where did you get this Varren?" the Asoc asked.

"From the table, Asoc. I was named Shamot here on Terra and never received my Damate from my family," the little Asocan admitted getting nods of understanding from the Asocans in the theater, and those watching around the resort.

"You have made the correct decision, Varren. I had not expected you to do so. You have surprised me greatly. I have watched you carefully since we have arrived at Denders and I must admit that I am very much impressed." the Asoc said. "My children could not do better. I cannot give you back what you have lost but perhaps I can give something of value to you instead.

"You are the last known child of the lost Shall. You have proven your intelligence, your strength, your character. You would not diminish my line.

"I, Asoc >Catal Mutt Herrtt, of the third Clutch of Asoc Ensch Mutt Herrtt, formally adopt you, Shamot Varren Mutt Semt, into my line. I name you Shamot Varren Mutt Herrtt é Salalta Semt.

"Will you accept your new name and position, Varren? Understand, I would expect you to continue to live up to the standards that I have set for all of my children," the Asoc finished.

Varren was stunned. The Asoc was asking her to join her line. She could have a family again. And the Asoc was allowing her to keep her lineage as part of her name, Salalta Semt. Most children that were adopted lost their names, being renamed by the new family, losing their old heritage and gaining a new one.

Varren looked up at the big Asocan and was surprised to see worry on her face. Did she expect her to refuse?

No, she would not refuse, but the Asoc did not know that did she?

Varren opened her mouth but no sound came out. Her jaws worked again but still no sound came out. She looked deep into the Asoc's eyes and nodded her head. The Asoc threw open her arms and Varren ran into them. The sounds she couldn't get out suddenly found an exit. Varren wailed her frustrations, her fears, her heartbreak, at the loss of all she knew. But deep inside, there was light in her heart, a light that would eventually find its way out.

Warship Astigalin, In Orbit of AsocAR, The Asocan Realm, 364 Light Years from Terra

Unaayel watched the spectacle with a sneer.

"How pathetic," she said to no one in particular. "However, you were correct, daughter, as the other races have deemed this an Asocan internal matter. We can do as we have planned," Unaayel stated.

"Of course, mother," Tarrest agreed. They continued to watch as >Catal led the little one away, leaving the stage. Unaayel thought that this showed just how soft hearted that >Catal was.