The Evil Within
31 May 2020Maggie Oz
TODAY'S LOG CONTAINS SOME MATURE CONTENTI set off for Baal at around 12:30, didn't want to risk running late.
I took Roller Girl, my Courier, as it was only a short hop.
I could have flown there just by flapping my wings, I was on such a high.
Every few minutes I looked down at my left ring finger.
A 3-carat diamond, set with a matched pair of 1ct Emeralds on a simple gold ring glittered in the cockpit lights
It was simple, understated but wonderful, just like the man who gave it to me.
I was still all gooey with the idea of marrying him.
Docking at Stromgren Orbital was easy enough, an escort met Sir Richard and I and conveyed us to the Palace where the investiture would take place. The media was there, but thankfully not in huge quantities. Mindful of James' concern I, reluctantly, slipped my engagement ring off and put it on a chain around my neck, out of sight, over my heart.
Upon taking my "seat" at Aztlan, I was invested with the "Seal" for the system. This is my base and home, where I have my Palace, offices and support staff, in ancient times it might have been my castle. So long as I remain "In Place" I continue to carry the Seal of Aztlan.
On a day like today where my area of responsibility is being expanded, to a size known as a Marque, a band for each new system will be added to The Seal of Aztlan, it will then become The Baton of Aztlan. If I change seat but retain the systems, as Roy did when handing Aztlan over to me, I keep the bands but change the Base seal, for example, Roy holds the Scepter of Baal as a Duke level seal is known and it contains a band for all systems in the Baal Sector. As you can appreciate by the time a Monarchy is granted you have a seal of considerable length!
As all seals and bands are crafted by the one jeweller, Duval's on Achenar, they, fortunately, all fit together perfectly. It wouldn't do to see the Senator calling for a spanner!
We gathered in an anteroom that had a short corridor that lead to the room where the investiture would take place.
Sir Rick Deckard, my aide, helped me don the high collared red and black robe of the Imperial Court and I had him carry the Seal of Aztlan ready to hand it to me at the appropriate moment.
"Lady Aztlan" said a small woman with slight Asiatic features, offering her hand
"Pleased to meet you, Your Grace," I said shaking her hand.
"An auspicious day," she said with a smile
"Indeed, I hope I can do as well as you have for the people of the Marque. I hear your next post may be quite a challenge."
"I think perhaps it will, but all postings have their challenges. At least in the Pleadies it is very easy to see who is the enemy, Empire politics can make that tricky sometimes" she said with a slight laugh.
"Ladies!" the Senator called as he entered the anteroom, "So lovely to see you both, Lady Aztlan, or can I say Maggie?" he said looking to me.
"Yes, Maggie is fine thank, you Senator" I smiled.
"And Duchess Massi, as radiant as ever," he said taking and kissing her hand, I saw her smile slip just a bit at that.
A steward stepped up to the Senator "It's time Sir"
"Excellent, shall we?" the Senator said gesturing for us to enter the room.
Duchess Massi lead with her ADC to her side, then I followed, with Richard, then the Senator.
The room wasn't terribly large but the news crews had done their best to pack as many in as humanly possible.
I could hear the vids whirring and the commentators subvocalizing the action as we walked in.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the Senator began "It's not often we Senators get the opportunity to officiate at an investiture but it always gives me great pride to play a small part in continuing the traditions of the Empire, the glue that keeps us strong."
The Senator went on for some time speaking mainly about himself and how he was working so hard to keep the Empire strong and prosperous.
Right on the borderline of overshadowing the ceremony completely, he turned to the matter at hand.
The Herald read the Order of Investiture for Lady Massi, detailing her achievements and her ascension to Duchess and conferring the Seal of Pleiades Sector AB-W b2-4 ... which didn't really have much of a ring to it but did come with a responsibility for the Merope Expeditionary Fleet. The Seal of Pleiades Sector AB-W s2-4 would be conferred upon her at a similar ceremony when she took her seat in Plei ... oh ffs you get the picture!
Duchess Massi then surrendered the Baton of Luchoer to the Senator. With great dignity, the Senator took the Baton and laid it on the podium.
"Duchess Massi of Pleaides Sector AB-W s2-4 departing" was called by the Master at Arms, the Boatswain's Call sounding and the Duchess then stepped back.
The Herald called my name, reading my Order of Investiture as I walked up to the podium.
"Lady Aztlan, Earl of Aztlan Arriving" was called by the Master at Arms, the Boatswain's Call sounding again.
Rick handed me the Seal and I stood before the Senator, uttering the ceremonial words as he handed each System band to me, which I duly afixed to the Seal, it became the Baton of Aztlan as I screwed the final section in place.
"Lady Aztlan, Marquioness of Aztlan Arriving" was called by the Master at Arms, the Boatswain's Call sounding a final time.
As was tradition, the press gallery was permitted a single question to each investee. The selection of who got to ask was done via the time honoured media scrum tactics of who shouted loudest or had curried most favour in their recent articles.
The Senator pointed to one of them, "Yes Adeline?"
"Thank you, Senator," she said smugly as the rest of the press gallery looked daggers at her "Duchess Massi, are you looking forward to the challenge of a posting so far out and so close to Thargoid space?"
"Thank you, Adeline, I am certainly looking forward to being far from this sector .... I ... I think it will be good to be reminded of the hardships that are faced by those who bring the Emperor's Glory to the distant systems" she replied and made her way out of the room.
The Senator pointed to another "Yes Tom"
"Thank you Gias," he said "Lady Aztlan, "What are your thoughts on the wave of disquiet sweeping Federation space in regards of cloning, in particular, your own group of Generational Clones"
"I can only say, to you Tom and everyone listening whether they be Imperial, Federal, Allied or the many who remain Independent that we are all Humans and as humans, our greatest strength is our diversity.
Clones, whether they be generational or not, are just as human as anyone else. We fear most that which we do not understand and I hope that in the days to come we can bring Generational Cloning out from its cloak of secrecy and with that knowledge we can gain the understanding to all live together in harmony."
I turned and walked from the room, as I did so and ambitious newshound cried out "Maggie! Dere's rumours a 'bowt that you are to marry, wot do you say ta that!? " I turned and couldn't help a tiny smile and a wink. The room EXPLODED in flashes from stills cameras and it was many minutes before I could see clearly again from my organic eye.
When I returned to the anteroom the Duchess was already gone.
"Well that's, that hey Maggie?" said the Senator, "Do you have a few minutes? I'd like to go over one or two things before you head off"
"Yes, of course, Senator" I replied "I'll see you back at the ship in half an hour, Sir Richard," I said handing my Robes and Baton to Rick
The Senator and I walked through the halls of the Palace to his offices on the second floor. He made pleasant conversation as we went. He had the charismatic style of all high level politicians that made them easy to like.
His office was incredible, easily bigger than my entire home on Aztlan.
"Drink?" he asked
"Thank you," I said as he handed me a glass of Baalenese Whiskey
"You see Maggie, going forward I think we can achieve great things together, "He started "You have a wonderful natural style that the common folk find most endearing, we could make a very effective team. "
"Thank you for saying so Senator, I just enjoy being around them I suppose. But I think it is very important to my role that I remain clearly impartial and to be seen as independent of the political process, so the people can trust me. So I'm not entirely sure how I can really help you out directly."
"Oh, I'm sure we make certain .. arrangements. Nothing formal, just understandings that make the wheels turn a little better"
I had an uneasy feeling as to the direction the conversation was heading.
"I'm not entirely sure what you are implying Senator," I said as he stepped a little closer to me
"You're very popular Maggie, that can be very useful in keeping things on track," he said, lifting his hand and placing it on my left breast, without thinking I batted it away
"Senator, I think I had best go"
"Oh don't be like that Maggie," he said raising his other hand to my right breast
"Senator!" I barked and batted it away again.
Without any form of warning, not a quiver of expression on his face that was just inches from mine, he swung a full force punch into my stomach
I yelped and doubled over, gasping and coughing, phlegm spraying from my mouth and nose with the force of the blow.
He grabbed the back of my hair and pulled me upright pressing my face to his
"Now this can either be easy," he said caressing my breast "Or hard" he snarled crushing my nipple between his fingers I cried out in pain.
"You bastard, you won't get away with this" I snarled, biting back the tears, still gasping for breath.
"Oh? Oh but I will, little Maggie. You see with a word in the right ear, I can have that little sailor boy of yours commanding an Interdictor on patrol in Achenar OR a scout ship in Thargoid Spacccee. I can have your precious Roy sent to Beagle Point, hmmm how would that be? I can even order a hunt for those ridiculous birthing labs your kind are produced from, it wouldn't be difficult to have them all shut down, the furore in Federal space would be pretty easy to bring home to the Empire, with a few .. incidents ... that might or might not happen."
With that, I stopped struggling "You ... you ..." I had no words, he ran his hand down my body and between my legs, I stared at the ceiling
"Now that is much better, see how easy it can be?" I was on the verge of screaming but I held it in, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction
He reached up and began unbuttoning my blouse, I began to shake with rage
The com rang -oh thank GOD-
"What is it?" The Senator barked
"Emperor Arissa on the line in 3 minutes, Sir,"
"Very well, put her straight through when she calls" he replied and the comm link went dead. "Ooooh ... never mind Maggie, we'll have to continue this another time, but I AM looking forward to it," he said and as he did so he licked the left side of my face from chin to temple, I almost wretched.
"If you come near me again fucking I'll kill you" I snarled at him
"Now now," he tutted, waving a finger admonishingly, " Remember the rules. For anyone you know to survive, I say, you do ... are we clear, bitch?"
And with that, he threw me roughly to the ground, "Now get out"
I scurried out, buttoning my blouse as I went and walked as fast as I could to the spaceport.
"Fly us home please, Rick," I shouted as I boarded and I went straight to one of the passenger cabins.
I sat on one of the beds and shook uncontrollably with fear, frustration and rage for the short trip back to Aztlan.
Once we had landed Rick knocked gently on the cabin door "Are you alright Mar'm?"
"No Rick I'm not, I fucking am not" holding back the tears
"W-What can I do?" he asked, his face a pall of pain and concern
"Just help me back to the Palace, and don't whatever you do tell anyone anything about this, especially Jamie"
"Of course Mar'm."
Rick got me back to the house and I swore him to silence again.
I then showered scrubbing myself all over again and again.
I lost track of time.
"Madam?" said DAC, breaking me out of the trance I was in
"Yes DAC?" I called weakly, still huddled on the floor of the shower
"I am reading water flow to you shower unit having been constant for 3 hours, I am concerned there may be a plumbing issue"
"No DAC I am just ..... having a long one that's all."
"Very well Madam" DAC replied with a slight note of concern
"Madam?"
"Yes DAC?"
"If there is any support I can provide you, please ask. I am noticing elevated bio signs from you that indicate a high degree of stress"
"Thank you, DAC, but I'm OK. Please keep this to yourself DAC."
"Yes Madam," he said, crestfallen again
I turned off the shower. I had stopped shaking, mostly. I towelled myself dry and put on some casual clothes.
Just then I heard the front door open as James came home
"Hello Mags?" he called " How did it go?"
"Oh great, great, the usual thing, you know' I called back and walked out to greet him, putting on my "brave face".
"That's good, I was ... wow, what's happened to your face?"
"Hmm? " I looked at my reflection in the lounge mirror, the left side of my face was livid and raw, I must have been scrubbing it for hours
"Oh, that's a ... a bite from a savage insect."
"Pris needs to get those predators in, that one is bloody nasty"
Yes ......... Very