Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

midair. Beatrice’s head and shoulders filled the screen, her white cowl surrounding her tired face like a halo. There were dark smudges under her eyes, and when she spoke her voice was ragged with exhaustion. “I’ll keep this short, because we’re up to our lower lip in work and sinking fast. The war has left half the planets in the Empire existing at barely subsistence levels. Only Beckett’s food ships are holding off mass starvation. Social, political, and business structures have collapsed everywhere, and people are dying from lack of food, shelter, and medical supplies.
    “The Church is overseeing relief work everywhere it can, but our funds and our people are limited.
    Parliament must make more funds available to us, or whole populations will revert to barbarism or worse.
    Millions are already dying. Millions more will die if something isn’t done soon. The Church’s work these
    days is wholly concerned with charity; you have my personal assurance that all monies voted to us will go directly to ease the suffering of the needy. Help us, please. Help us to help those who need us.”
    The screen went blank and disappeared. There was a certain amount of uncomfortable stirring. Golgotha had taken its wounds during the rebellion, but in the end had come through largely unscathed. It was easy to forget that many others had not been so lucky. Elias Gutman leaned forward in his chair. “We will of course take Her Holiness’s request under advisement. Though once again I must point out that there are many calls on Parliament’s limited resources. We will consider the matter further in this House once the appropriate committee has made its report. But now we have one last piece of business to discuss.
    Something that I think practically everyone here can agree on is our need for an official head of state, someone to personally represent the government to the people. After much discussion in many committees, it has been decided that we should appoint a constitutional monarch.”
    There was an immediate uproar. Everyone wanted to speak at once, and no one was willing to back down. Gutman tried to wave them to silence, but for once was completely ignored. So he sat back in his chair and just let them get on with it. Owen stood silently in the midst of the hubbub and thought about it.
    Even though he’d destroyed the Iron Throne, the crown still existed, and legally he supposed there was nothing to prevent Parliament from appointing a new Emperor, if they were stupid enough to do so. He felt very tired. He’d been through so much to overthrow Lionstone, but more and more he was beginning to wonder if all his efforts had been for nothing.
    The noise finally died down, and Gutman was able to make himself heard again. “Nothing will be decided without this House’s full approval! We are suggesting a purely constitutional monarch, with no actual power or legal authority. A figurehead whose duties would be entirely public and social in nature.
    It would, of course, have to be someone that everyone could trust and support. After extensive discussion the committees came up with what I think you will all agree is the only suitable choice: Owen Deathstalker!” There was an uproar all over again, and a great deal of more or less spontaneous applause, from those who approved of honoring such a great hero to those who saw the advantages of removing the Deathstalker from the political process once and for all. Owen was shocked to silence for a long moment, and then his voice rose above the general roar, cutting it off immediately. “No way in hell!
    If I’d wanted to make myself Emperor, I could have done so when I overthrew Lionstone. I didn’t want the crown then, and I don’t want it now!” Gutman smiled easily. “Most people here seem to think it’s a good idea, and an honor you richly deserve. And who is more suitable to be a constitutional monarch than a man who openly says he has no interest in power? Though we may have our differences, sir Deathstalker, I do not hesitate to acknowledge all you have done to make this democracy possible. Who better to represent it? And think on this, sir Deathstalker; if not you, who? A Campbell perhaps? Or a Wolfe? Or a Shreck? You are perhaps the only aristocrat who could come to the crown without an agenda. Come, Owen, you have always known your duty. Think about it.” Owen nodded stiffly, still scowling. Hazel looked at him, and her face showed nothing, nothing at