A Galaxy Unknown 10: Azula Carver (18 page)

"That was an illegal act by Carver," Neddowo screamed as he jumped to his feet. "She had no authority to destroy our private property in unclaimed space."

"Our surrender to the Galactic Alliance was unconditional. One of the conditions that Carver specifically stated was that we never again build warships unless specifically granted permission by Space Command. Did we have permission?"

"You know we didn't."

"Then Space Command was merely enforcing the surrender agreement."

"But the construction was taking place
outside
GA Space. Space Command has no authority there."

"Our legal people have investigated that assertion. Under Galactic Alliance law, and in the absence of a claim by a sovereign nation for the territory involved, Space Command is free to take whatever steps it deems necessary to enforce provisions of the surrender agreement. Your information was wrong, Ambello."

"Then we'll have to start again at a new location. But this time we'll claim the area of space where the docks will be. And the claim will be made by a newly established sovereign nation. Space Command will not dare commence war attacks in a new nation's territory."

"And how do you propose to fund this new nation and construct the space docks and warships?"

"Why, from the treasury of course."

"Impossible. If there's a trail leading back to us, the claim for sovereign nation status will be invalidated and Space Command will again come and destroy everything."

"Then I request that the government return some of my seized assets so I can leave the planet and establish the new nation as separate and apart from this government."

"Return your assets? Those assets were long ago liquidated to repay the treasury for your poorly conceived plan to seize the GA's Region Two."

"There was nothing 'poorly conceived' about it. The plan was brilliant. Space Command had simply made technology advances beyond those we were aware of, so I hadn't credited Admiral Carver with the ability to defeat us."

"Whatever," Minister Valhallo said. "In any event, there are no funds available in the treasury for another expensive folly on your part."

"Very well. Then I'll go it alone. I still have sources where I can get funding, although I would have preferred to have the government here involved instead of the violent criminal elements to which I will now have to turn. I hereby resign my position on this body. And when the day comes that I destroy Carver, Space Command, and the Galactic Alliance," Neddowo said as he raised his arm to point at the Council leadership, "you shall all bow down to me as your
Emperor
."

~ December 27
^th
, 2288 ~

The holiday get-together had been wonderful. Everyone had a great time, but it was a time of sadness when Quinton, Billy, and Christa had to return to their ships or posts. Without the barge, the half of the Family Carver that had enjoyed the brief visit couldn't have been there, and Jenetta resolved to send a note of appreciation to Admiral Moore for extending her the courtesy.

"Still sad because they had to leave so soon?" Hugh asked her as they sat down to breakfast.

"Of course, but it was wonderful for the short time it lasted. "What about your family, Hugh? Have you seen them recently?"

"Not in over two decades. My folks have moved down to the land I bought on Pelomious and built a nice little house there after selling their home on Earth. Dad likes it because it's so much like the area west of Wichita where he grew up, but Mom is always complaining that the neighbors are so far away they never see anyone unless they go shopping. She says the fact that the cost of living there is a tenth what it was on Earth is the only thing that keeps her there. I think they're slowly getting used to it. We exchange vidMails about once a month."

"What about your sister?"

"I have no idea where she is. The last time I heard from her she was headed for Kethewit."

"Kethewit? Whatever for?"

"The love of her life— that particular month— was headed there for a job."

"And you haven't heard from her since?"

"Nope. I don't even know where to send a vidMail. My folks haven't heard from her either."

"That's sad."

"Yeah. Well, my family was never close like yours. I was surprised when my folks agreed to move to the ranch on Pelomious, but I guess they couldn't resist the attraction of the lower cost of living. It had gotten so expensive to live on Earth that most everyone who could afford to leave had left. And with every family that left it got worse because there were fewer people with assets the governments could grab as taxes, so they either had to keep raising the rates or become more creative as she searched for new ways to impose taxes. My folks got out just before the Unified Earth Governments Coalition agreed to seize all assets of anyone leaving the planet permanently, which gives them ownership of everything those who are leaving previously owned. You can still leave, but only with the clothes on your back. Back in the twenty-first century, authors and movie makers had a field day creating stories about a dystopian future resulting from global war, worldwide weather disasters, or pandemics. They largely ignored political corruption and taxation as the culprits that would eventually destroy life on Earth. The governments there keep saying unemployment is just three percent, but they never tell you that seventy-eight percent of the world's population doesn't work anymore and gets a check every month from governments literally drowning in debt. Don't your folks still own a house there?"

"Not anymore. Once Mom got comfortable here, she put it up for sale. It sold in a week because of its location inside the special housing section next to the base. Marisa and Richard sold their house on Earth as well. There was no sense paying the outrageous taxes and maintenance while Marisa and Berl were living here and Richie was on the
San Francisco
. And Regina and Billy sold their house as well."

"That's great. Your family got out just in time, as mine did. So I guess you're going to be stuck with the whole gang."

"I wouldn't call it stuck. I love it."

"I was only kidding."

"I know—," she said, holding up the breakfast muffin she was buttering, "or I would have thrown this at you." With a giggle she added, "I still might, simply for saying such a thing."

"Honey, I love you, and I love spending time in the palace with you, but I'm beginning to feel like I'm in a ship. What say we go out for a ride around the countryside. I haven't seen any part of this planet except for the area immediately around the palace."

"Okay. I've been wanting to do that also, but we've been having so much fun in our bedroom."

"We still have two and half months for bedroom fun. Besides, I need a day off. My back is beginning to ache a little."

"Let's take an oh-gee car and cruise around the farms and towns in this part of the estate. I've wanted to see if the newcomers are settling in okay."

"What time?"

"As soon as you're ready."

"Then let's take a shower and go."

~

Two hours later Jenetta, with Hugh, Thor, and Nicky, were cruising at treetop level above the farms. It was December 27
^th
on Earth and winter in the USNA, but it was late spring on the Carver Estate on Obotymot. Before Hugh arrived on Obotymot, Jenetta had the palace dressmaker make a number of shirts and several pairs of slacks for him, anticipating that they would tour the farm. She didn't know if he had any civvies that weren't twenty years out of style. He was wearing one of the new outfits today.

Jenetta's first stop was a farm where she had once interceded between her chamberlain and the tenant to help the farmer get his fair share of fertilizer. As she set the vehicle down, the farmer and his son came running from the field where they were working. As they got close to the oh-gee car, both he and his son dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.

"Please raise your heads and stand up," Jenetta said as she stepped from the car. As they rose, she said, "How have you been doing? It looks like you're growing a fine crop this year."

"Yes, Azula Carver. The weather has been good to us this spring and we've had a number of excellent growing seasons since you helped us get the fertilizer we needed."

"Your son is getting big," she said with a smile.

"He's a strong, healthy boy," the man said, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder. "And I have two more sons now. Once we knew the farm could support us, my wife and I decided to have more children. One boy is two years of age and the other is six months. In a few years they'll be able to help us work the farm."

"Is there anything you need?"

"As long as God continues to bless our crops with sunshine and makes water abundant, we can handle the rest."

"Excellent. I'm delighted to see you prospering."

"Azula Carver, what are the newcomers like?"

"Like you, I suppose. All they want is a chance to grow their crops and raise their families in peace and security. I'm sure they're a little frightened about being in a strange land, but they've vowed to make every effort to blend in with our people and become part of our community. Give them a chance and I'm sure they'll make good neighbors."

"We will, Your Grace."

"Fine. May the sun shine on your crops and the heavens water them with just the right amount of rain."

"Thank you, Your Grace."

"Goodbye."

As the car rose up and moved towards the next farm, Hugh said, "If his attitude is representative of how the people here feel about you, you could get elected queen."

Jenetta chuckled. "They don't elect the queen. And I suppose I'm already as powerful and influential. On Obotymot anyway."

"If we married, would I be the Azulo?"

"No. You would be the Azstat."

"The Azstat? What's that?"

"It's the husband of an Azula who attained his position through marriage. He becomes part of the nobility with the marriage, but he has no real power. The power can only rest with someone born into the nobility. If we married and our firstborn was a son, he would become the Azulo when I stepped down. If the firstborn was a female, she would become the Azula when I stepped down."

"And what if our son, the Azulo, married? What title would his wife have?"

"His wife would be an Azula, but she would not have any power and could not rise to power as a result of his death, except as regent until one of her offspring reached the age required to rule. If she hadn't had any children with the Azulo, then the title would pass to another Carver-born, according to the laws of nobility succession."

"Okay, I think I understand now. So when do we get married?"

"What makes you think I'd marry a commoner?"

"Who's a commoner? I'm a Space Command senior officer and soon to be, I hope, a warship captain."

"Well, I suppose that does make a bit of a difference."

"Stop teasing me and answer the question."

"Well, definitely not this year."

"Okay. The new year starts in five days. I can wait."

~

New Year's Day, as celebrated on Earth, came and went without Jenetta making a commitment to marry Hugh. He knew she wanted to but couldn't understand why she was holding back.

As the days passed, Cayla and Tayna were showing more and more. Jenetta had two birthing boxes made for the Jumakas from oversized shipping cartons. They were simply sturdy boxes of a man-made material with a single opening that would give almost complete privacy to the mothers-to-be. After adaptation as birthing boxes, they were situated in a shaded area of the large garden behind the palace and placed in fairly close proximity to one another with their single opening facing the other box. The arrangement offered the maximum in privacy for the expectant mothers because the area was off limits to everyone except the gardeners, who knew they were to stay away from a box once the Jumaka moved in.

Wilkerson had been allowed to set up a wireless infrared camera in each of the cartons and had then been restricted from further access. Jenetta had confirmed that the cameras had a fixed focus and could not pan or zoom; therefore, they made no noise and there was no movement. They were so tiny that no one would even realize they were there without advance notice. Wilkerson had also tweaked the translator device so that the Jumakas could turn it off or on at will by a simple spoken command, much as Space Command officers terminated the carrier following communications. It gave the Jumakas a bit of privacy not available when the units were active all the time.

As the time approached for the births, the soft grasses in the birthing boxes were replaced with fresh grass every day.

Jenetta was sitting out by the pool with Hugh when she heard Cayla say, "Jeneeta. Much pain. My time."

Jenetta hurried out to the rear garden, but Cayla was nowhere in sight, so Jenetta hurried to Wilkerson's cargo container. As she reached his lab, she found him staring at a monitor."

"Come in, Your Grace. Cayla just arrived in her birthing box a few minutes ago."

"Does she look okay?"

"No one has ever recorded a Jumaka birth, so I can't be sure, but based on my knowledge of Terran animals, I believe so. So far her appearance and actions are similar to those of large Earth cats preparing to give birth."

"That sounds positive. I'm surprised Tayna isn't there."

"From everything we've seen and heard, the birth process seems to be a highly private time for Jumaka females."

Jenetta and Wilkerson watched as Cayla squirmed and stretched on the bed of grasses. They could see her body's contractions and hear mewling sounds as pain washed over her.

Finally, they saw one tiny ball of wet fur in an amniotic sac begin to slide from Cayla's body. They could see her pushing to help the baby get clear.

"The baby appears to be coming out feet first," Jenetta said. "Is that bad?"

"That's not unusual. Terran kittens come out either way. They're not like human babies that must come head first."

Cayla immediately began licking the tiny fur ball as it cleared her body. Another appeared, got halfway out, then appeared to stop. The Jumaka twisted to help the delivery and then began licking the second fur ball as it cleared her body. A minute later they saw a third. Each of the fur balls were moving energetically by now. That was always a good sign. It was two more minutes before they saw a fourth kitten, and by the time the fourth was out, the first was already sucking down it's breakfast.