Center Worlds - Spark Read online

  Chapter 2.3

  The Grand Council, Tara -28 BA

  "The Grand Council recognizes Lord Ryo Camelin, leader of Clan Camelin." came the announcement, and Ryo stood, then walked to the comm in front of the Camelin dais.

  "Grand Council, Clansmen, Members of the Confederacy. I bring grave news, and a heinous charge. Three weeks ago, an unprovoked attack upon two of the Clansworlds deep within my territory was carried out by a group of missile frigates and corsairs. Although we managed to defend both planets, significant damage was done to my Capitol city, and many tens of thousands of my citizens were killed, with even more injured. The Clansmen behind the attack are from Clan Michelab, and have been summoned here to answer for this crime."

  "Tell them which Clanworld was struck first, Clansman Camelin. Let them know your own betrayal before you accuse us of treason." Myo Michelab said from his own dais.

  "The first world that was attacked, as my Clansman would ask me to identify, was Clanworld Desinlo, deep within the Oxymax Nebula. Fully within my territory." Ryo replied calmly.

  "Desinlo is not Confederacy!"

  "Clanworld Desinlo has been banished, there is no crime here!"

  "Desinlo was cast out over a thousand turns ago, Camelin has no right to defend it."

  "Desinlo still exists?" Said a new voice that boomed over top of the rabble and everyone quietened down as the aged Lord Emperor Kyo Masilec rode onto the council floor on an ornate travel chair. "Clanworld Desinlo has been distant from this chamber for a very long time. That name has not been mentioned for many hundreds of cycles. Who speaks of it now?"

  "A dispute over an attack upon the planet. Clansmen Camelin and Michelab are at odds, Lord Emperor." came the Council Archivist's reedy voice.

  "Why is there a dispute? A planet was attacked, people are dead? Who is responsible?" The Lord Emperor asked as he looked around the council, with the heads of every clan in attendance.

  "Clan Michelab authorized a raid on a non-aligned world under Article 16 of Confederacy. We are within the law, Lord Emperor."

  "Council Archivist, read Article 16." Kyo said.

  "Article 16, any world within the borders not aligned or under protection of a Clan is considered free territory for appropriation or any other means, aside from wholesale destruction.

  Section 1 – Destruction of the biosphere is not permitted

  Section 2 – Destruction of the atmosphere is not permitted

  Section 3 – Damage caused by non-radiative weapons is permitted."

  "My Lord Emperor. Under Section 3, I authorized the use of Neutron and Antimatter warheads to attack this world. Clan Camelin intercepted and destroyed a number of the weapons, and did grave damage to one of my missile frigates. We expect compensation from Clan Camelin for the damage to the vessel and loss of the missiles." Myo Michelab stated.

  Kyo frowned. “I recall it had been spoken that two worlds had been attacked. Which was the other world?”

  “Clanworld Camelin, My Lord Emperor.” Ryo said.

  Kyo turned in his chair to directly address Clan Michelab. “Although the Articles of Confederacy do give some lenience in times of trouble for attacks upon non-aligned worlds. This is the world of a very active clan, not some backwater place. Under what authority did you attack it?”

  “Under my authority, Lord Emperor.” Myo replied. “The Clan battleship prevented a valid attack upon Clanworld Desinlo. We took the next target of opportunity. Clanworld Camelin.”

  Kyo looked at the Clan leader. “Are you declaring war, Clansman?”

  “If Clan Camelin continues to protect those from Desinlo, then yes, I believe we will have to.” Myo replied.

  “You are willing to take the step of a Clan War over a battle decided a thousand cycles in the past, Myo?” Ryo asked, astonished.

  “The Desinlo destroyed quite a number of Clans during their time on the Throne, Lord Camelin. Do not forget history. We do not agree that there needs to be reconciliation. They need to be punished, and that needs to continue.” Myo replied, slapping his fist into his hand to punctuate his statements.

  Lya looked nervously at Ryo, then leaned forward. "How long must you punish us?"

  "Until none of you breathe." Came the quiet but firm reply into the silence of the hall.

  The hall erupted into noise as Clansmen raised their voices in protest, shock, anger, resentment, and all manner of words filled the air. It was brought to a sudden stop by the sound of a massive thump. Lord Emperor Kyo had banged the greeting gavel, and brought the hall back to a semblance of order.

  "I will have order in this hall, or I will dissolve this meeting for the evening and send all of you to your chambers. We are Clansmen of the Confederacy, not common rabble from the United Suns. Archivist, what is written about Clan Desinlo's banishment?"

  A few seconds pause, then ..."On this eighty-fifth turn of Cycle 693, the Gathered Clans of the Confederacy so order to be done. Clan Desinlo has been charged with the crime of Conspiracy and the crime of Betrayal to the Confederacy. The crimes in question, disrupting the rightful rule of the Confederacy, generating rebellion and sowing discord among the Clans, Orbital bombardment of Clanworld Kerilac and destruction of Clanworld Jesinlo carry the following sentence. Clanworld Desinlo is to be barred from the Grand Council, all citizens who wish to remain members of this Clan will return to the Clanworld itself. All colonies and appropriated worlds are to be handed over to the Confederacy Grand Council for reassignment to other Clans. The Clanworld located in the Oxymax Nebula is to be blockaded for a period of Twelve Grand Cycles. After this time, this judgement will be re-assessed as to it's merits and whether Citizens of Clan Desinlo may have changed in their views towards the rightful governance of the Confederacy. That is the entire writ, Lord Emperor. It is signed by all members of the Grand Council, including Clan Desinlo."

  "Twelve Grand Cycles, how long is that again?" Kyo asked.

  "One Grand Cycle is 48 cycles, so that would be 576 Cycles, My Lord Emperor." The Archivist replied.

  "We have been lax, my Clansmen. The Confederacy elders set a time limit for Clanworld Desinlo to be barred. It was not banished, as most of us had made mention of. Why was this never brought up, Archivist?" Kyo said, slowly shaking his head, then looking at the faces all presented towards him.

  "Records indicate that when the cycle came to contact Desinlo, there was no way to get into the Oxymax Nebula. Weapons fire had destroyed Vortex navigation. No mention is made of other attempts, however there are scattered filed reports of raids against the Clanworld by members of Clans Kerilac and Jesinlo before this time." The archivist replied.

  Kyo turned in his chair to look upon the assembled members of the Confederacy Clans. "Clan Michelab, you absorbed the members of Clan Kerilac and Jesinlo. You have the same records we have here, why did you permit an attack upon a world long after the records indicated it should have been contacted?"

  Myo Michelab leaned forward into the comm. "My Lord Emperor, we determined that the traitors of Clan Desinlo have no redeeming qualities and as such, I allowed the attacks to continue. I saw no need to contact the Grand Council, there are much more pressing matters to attend to other than worrying about an abandoned clanworld that has no function in this Confederacy."

  The Clansman from Clan Guylian leaned forward to the Comm. "Clansman Michelab, when did you gain the right to decide for the entire Grand Council?"

  "Well said, Guylian."

  "Lord Emperor?" Ryo asked quietly.

  "Yes, Lord Camelin?" Kyo replied, looking over at the Camelin dais.

  "I need to speak to the entire council, may I approach centre?"

  Kyo nodded, and slid his chair backwards as the centre of the room elevated slightly and illuminated. Ryo stepped onto the floor and walked over to the raised podium, then looked at the assembled Clan leaders of the Confederacy.

  "All of you know me. I lead Clan Camelin. I have lead this clan for the past seven Cycles, since my father passed to Pangea.
My judgement is sound, and I do not seek revenge for petty crimes, nor do I seek vengeance upon other clans for slights upon the character of my clansmen. The crime committed initially was one of forgetfulness. We, as the leaders of the Grand Council, forgot our own words, and allowed a Clan to be abandoned. I am now here before you to say No More. This Clan is now a full part of Clan Camelin. I have asked my own council, and have had unanimous support, Clan Desinlo is a part of Clan Camelin and we are strong. No More violence against this Clanworld. Any attacks upon Desinlo will be responded to with a military strike by the Camelin forces. If the Lord Emperor and the Grand Council will not control the actions of you other clansmen, then I will take action myself, and there will be more blood spilled. No More actions against Desinlo."

  "Lord Camelin, you are also indicating civil disturbance. Is that wise?" came the question from the council wall.

  "I will defend the Clanworld Desinlo the same as I will defend any world guided by Clan Camelin. They are under my protection, and I will act to defend them. No More violence against the Desinlo." Ryo replied.

  "The Desinlo destroyed my Clanworld, and razed Kerilac to bedrock. We swore vengeance, and vengeance will be served." Came from Clan Michelab's dais.

  "What did Clan Jesinlo do to the civilians on Giarda, before your Clanworld was destroyed?" Lya asked, suddenly stepping into the battle of words.

  "We rebelled against an oppressive government by making a stand!"

  "Your elders took ten thousand young citizens of the city of Giarda, slit them open from neck to groin, and allowed them to bleed to death, in agony. Then gathered that blood and made it rain down over the palace on Tara. This started the Bloody war. Desinlo attempted to solve it through proper means, it was escalated by Kerilac. The elders retaliated and Clanworld Jesinlo was tragically destroyed. The Desinlo did not start the conflict." Lya said.

  "No, but we will finish it." Came the reply from Clan Michelab.

  Ryo looked at the Clan Michelab dais. "Clansman Myo Michelab, are you sure of what you say? Are you wanting to enter into war with Clan Camelin, over a battle fought more than a thousand cycles past, which was already ended by this Grand Council, also a thousand cycles in the past?"

  "I took the remains of the clans Jesinlo and Kerilac into my own Clan more than a hundred cycles past, Lord Camelin. I knew what I was doing, those clans were dying. Their homeworlds smashed and unable to rebuild. The few colonies they had were dying. Now they are strong within my borders and can begin to grow again. Their war is my war, and I have agreed to honour it. As long as you harbour Clan Desinlo, you are no longer on safe terms with Clan Michelab."

  Ryo sighed. "Then, with the permission of the Lord Emperor, I will now depart to reduce Clanworld Michelab to silica glass."

  Kyo crackled with laughter. "I have not seen such entertainment in almost a deca. Ryo, you do not have permission to glass the Michelab homeworld. I still have need of them. However, I see no need for this to end in violence. Myo Michelab, you will control the clans under your flag and will not breach the borders of Clan Camelin again, or you will find yourselves in a war that this Grand Council will remain apart from."

  He then shifted in his seat, and raised the Gavel. "In the matter of Clan Desinlo I decree that they are to be reinstated to the Confederacy under the flag of Clan Camelin and shall have representation alongside them in all Grand Council matters. This session of the Council is closed. Let's get some wine, for my throat is parched." He banged his gavel down with a loud echoing clang, then drifted away in his chair towards the exit, where Tyo stood waiting.