All That Glitters

All That Glitters - Ch 55

Unaayel attempts to change Asocan society, her forces prepare for battle.

Unaayel tries to return Asocan society to how things used to be, much to the annoyance of the Asocan people. Unaayel and her forces prepare for the upcoming battle.

© bigtddybr Feb. 2023. This story 'All That Glitters - Chapter Fifty-Five' or the series 'All That Glitters', cannot be transferred to any other site besides Literotica.com in whole or in part without the prior authorizations in writing from the author and bigtddybr must be credited for this work.

Due to the number of abbreviations, ship listings, and list of characters, in this story, I include a glossary that is now in a stand-alone chapter called

'All That Glitters: Notes'

. Any and all information that you want or need to know about the series is included in Notes. It will be updated frequently simply by re-issuing the chapter to Literotica.

There is little attempt to explain the back story, so it is necessary to read previous chapters to fully understand where we are.

As before, I claim sole responsibility for the story line. This story is a fantasy, with no basis in reality. Any similarity that you may perceive to current events, people, or situations real or imaginary is completely unintended. Look no further than the story line for its intent and purpose.

A big shout out to SaddleRider and my other editors, who wish to remain anonymous, for all their help. With their guidance, I'm making fewer and fewer errors. If you find any errors still left in this chapter, they are mine, as I have ignored sage advise to make a silly point.

Please rate and comment. But keep your comments respectful. If you rant and rave or are disrespectful in your commentary, it will be deleted.

'Nuff said...enjoy.

Metal Smiths Guild Hall, Asoc Shall, AsocAR, The Asocan Realm, 364 Light Years from Terra

Guro< Mutt Korld was watching carefully as the metallic liquid in the large smelting furnace began to change colour. They were smelting metals to a set regime for further work later in the day.

As the metal began to approach the proper temperature, he noted an inconsistency with the acknowledged temperature and what he saw with his eyes.

"Mortron, there is a problem with the temperature gauge, it is not displaying properly," Guro< told his friend and fellow student, who was in charge of this pour.

"What do you mean, Guro<? How do you know it is incorrect?" Mortron demanded.

"Look with your eyes, Mortron, note the colour shift, it is not correct," Guro< told her. "The liquid is not hot enough to do what is needed. It needs to be corrected before we pour this into the cauldron for transport to the shop floor or it will not pour properly there."

"I do not understand what you are saying, Guro<," Mortron groused. "The Temperature looks fine to me." She gave the instrument panel a cursory look and then sent instructions to get ready to pour the liquid into the cauldron for transportation.

Guro< didn't hesitate. He pulled a carbon tube as long as his body and a long pair of grips. Grabbing the tube with the grips, he approached the furnace and placed one end of the tube into the liquid, Mortron cursing him as she came at him.

"Are you insane, Guro<? You will ruin this pour if that tube melts!" Mortron screamed.

Guro< pulled the tube from the liquid and showed her that the end was still intact. "Look at the tube, Mortron. It should be melted if the smelting was hot enough!" Guro< shouted at her in return.

"These carbon tubes only begin to melt when we exceed the temperature necessary for a successful pour on the shop floor," Guro< told her.

Mortron looked at the tube. She could feel the heat coming from it; however, it was obvious that it had not melted. She knew that these tubes were added to the super hot liquid at an earlier stage, when the mix was being smelted together. Get that wrong, and the metal was basically useless.

Looking at Guro<, she could also see that his hands had suffered from the heat.

She ordered one of her fellow students to get a new temperature sensor and quickly had it inserted into the liquid metal. It was several hundred degrees below the required temperature.

"How did you know?" she demanded of Guro<.

"When I was on Terra, I watched as the Master Weapons Smith was forging weapons," Guro explained. "He used his eyes to judge the proper temperature. Our visual references are better than the human's. As we have been smelting these metals, I have been memorizing the colour shift as they approached the proper temperatures at each step. Each is unique.

"This time, the colour shift I noted, did not agree with what the gauges were telling us. I knew we had a problem. When you refused to listen, I had to prove it to you," Guro< stated. "Using your eyes is a good backup for things like faulty gauges."

"You didn't need to risk your hands though, Guro<!" Mortron said angrily. "You could have taken the time to put on gloves! Go get your hand looked at."

"They will heal, Mortron. It was necessary to prove to you that the gauge was faulty before you began to pour it into the cauldron." Guro< gave her a smile and turned to leave the furnace area, heading to the small infirmary near the main door.

As he came into the main reception area, he was suddenly confronted by Unaayel and Tarrest along with several security types.

"What do you want, Unaayel?" he snapped testily.

"We have come to place you in protective custody, Guro<," Tarrest told him.

"Really? And from what am I being protected?" Guro< demanded.

"There has been a marked interest in certain people among the fringe groups, you included," Tarrest explained.

Guro< barked a laugh. "You can make claim to 'fringe' groups of others, Tarrest?"

"Be careful how you speak to me, Guro<," Tarrest hissed.

"Or what, Tarrest?" Guro< inquired. "By your own account, you are here to place me in protective custody, not to harm me. What then if I am suddenly harmed while in your 'care', Tarrest?"

"That is Martte Tarrest, Guro<," Tarrest finally snapped at the insult.

"Really? Only the sitting Asoc can bestow the title of Martte on someone. Last I looked, she had not bestowed the title on you, Tarrest. Not only that, but the title of Martte that your mother holds would automatically be revoked since she has raised the flag of rebellion. You are both common citizens now.

"My mother is High Gurn of Mutt Korld, my father is a War Dragon, Minster of Interspecies Affairs. I learned politics and the law at their knees. But I disappointed them both when I decided to become an apprentice metal smith. I, Guro< Mutt Korld, from a family dedicated to politics, had decided I wanted to be a smith. You will not control either my mother nor my father by taking me into custody, Unaayel.

"Even if I had been a politician, my family would never allow themselves to be blackmailed. The Asocan people will not be swayed by such actions.

"Walk away, Unaayel. This action is not worthy of an Asocan, and most certainly not worthy of an Asoc," Guro< snapped, turned and continued in the direction of the infirmary. His hands were damned sore, which added to his testiness.

Unaayel wanted her security personnel to grab Guro< but Tarrest knew that Guro< was right. This would not be well received by other Asocans. There were other means of action against their adversaries.

>Clot<, Asoc Shall, AsocAR, The Asocan Realm

The Warship Dryas snapped into existence and moved down to its assigned parking orbit. Half an hour after arriving there, it sent a shuttle down to the planet.

The shuttle landed at the >Clot< (Imperial Palace) Shuttle Port and the hatch cycled open. Shugrand Mutt Herrtt had arrived home. She stepped from the shuttle and breathed in the familiar tastes of the planet of her birth as she stepped down to the surface.

Her aide, Gashafen Mutt Shemet, took a deep breath of the home world. Born and raised on ShemetAR, She had never been before smelled these odours and the scents were unique.

They did not have much time to take to sniff the air as Shugrand's elder cousin, Tarrest Mutt Herrtt, arrived with her entourage to pick up her younger cousin (only those siblings from the same clutch are referred to as brother and sister. Those of a different clutch, but from the same mother, are referred to as elder or younger cousins. Those of clutches to Aunts are referred to as first or second cousins).

"Welcome home, Shugrand," Tarrest said as she approached.

"It is good to be back, Tarrest. Though I am curious as to why I have been summoned," she replied.

"Mother and I need to focus on our task of her becoming the Asoc, cousin. That means we have little time to devote to the task of governing. We need you to reprise the role you conducted on ShemetAR," Tarrest informed her.

"What makes you think I am capable of governing the realm itself, Tarrest?" Shugrand demanded. "I barely managed ShemetAR."

"You did much better on ShemetAR than 'barely managed', Shugrand," Tarrest tittered. "We have faith in your abilities, and you will have a staff of senior personnel to help you."

Tarrest turned to those who were with her, waving a hand to half of them. "These are members of the >Clot< who are responsible for the management of the realm. They will report to you," Tarrest informed her. She gave a quick nod and left, half of the entourage remaining behind.

"Who is the most senior?" Shugrand requested. One stood forward, her demeanor something just barely respectful. Shugrand wasn't surprised by the attitude, she had seen it before on ShemetAR.

"I am Dorrest Mutt Sim, Martte. I normally report to the Minister of the Interior, or her assistant, or to the Minister of Finances or her assistant. However, both these luminaries went with the Asoc to the summit while the assistants have fled the >Clot< in the wake of Unaayel's rebellion," Dorrest informed Shugrand. Her stance said that she couldn't care less what Shugrand thought.

"I am not your enemy, Dorrest," Shugrand answered. "Like you, I have been thrust into history with no say in the matter. I must do the best I can to mitigate the excesses of my mother. We must work together to ensure that the realm survives and moves forward, despite what Tarrest and my mother will do.

"Will you help me in this?" she asked of Dorrest but looked around at those standing with her.

"She has done very well helping the people of ShemetAR, Dorrest," Gashafen Mutt Shemet explained of her superior. "I have been impressed with her since before I was assigned to her as her aid."

The others gave Gashafen an odd look, not sure how to respond to that.

"Regardless of what you might think of me, we need to work for the realm. That means we must conduct the business of government that my mother and my cousin are incapable of doing. I will admit that I am in over my head in dealing with the governing of the realm. Your support will help the Asocan people. In the wake of my mother's activities, the people will need that support," Shugrand ended.

Shugrand watched the faces of the others in the group. Dorrest might be a lost cause but the others were listening to what she was saying.

"Which of you are 'down' in your departments?" Shugrand asked. Almost everyone raised a claw.

"Somehow, I expected no less with those two at the helm," she muttered. Though she had spoken under her breath, Asocans had excellent hearing and all had noted the tone in her voice. The comment caught many by surprise.

"Right, this is not the place to air the issues of the realm. Let us go to a conference room where we can look at what is actually happening in your departments and see what we can do to put things to a better claw."

Shugrand looked directly at Dorrest as she said this, waiting for her to turn and lead the way. Dorrest spent only a few moments sniffing the air before she turned and stormed away, the group following, Shugrand and Gashafen in their wake. They were not completely forgotten, but still not included in the group. Shugrand had been here before, she knew the drill. She needed to concentrate on the situation of the realm and not on the obvious animosity that existed in the dynamics of this group. In this she would at least garner their respect, if not their trust.

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

The group entered a secure conference room and Shugrand went to the podium. As soon as everyone found their places, she began.

"I will warn you once and only once, that this kind of open animosity cannot exist between us. Mother and my elder cousin are likely looking for reasons to expel you and replace you with their minions. That mother is not yet Asoc, is likely the only reason that she has not done so. You may vent your stomach at me if you wish but doing so in a public venue is risky.

"Which of you is the most down?" Shugrand demanded. One that she did not know raised a claw.

"I do not know all of you by sight. You are?" Shugrand asked.

"Bammes Mut Shem, Second Assistant to the Minister of Finance of AsocAR. We are down 25% as of this morning," she told Shugrand.

"Let me guess, the Gurn are withholding their tribute to the realm?" That got a nod from Bammes. "That is to be expected. I will have to speak with each of the Gurn in turn. They are playing a dangerous game where mother is concerned.

"We must act to help mitigate the worst excess of Unaayel. The best we can do is to ensure that our separate departments continue to function as they are. If mother becomes the Asoc, she may see that you are worthy of being retained. Changing those who are working at your level will seriously disrupt the realm. We must avoid that.

"Our goal, as a group, will be to gain the trust of the Gurn and of mother in turn. The best way we can do that is to work for the people of AsocAr and the realm. That will not be an easy task as most are opposed to mother. It will take all of our efforts to successfully complete this.

"If mother fails in becoming the Asoc, then we can hand the realm back in good order. I know that many of you would like to poke holes in mother's plans but do not risk the people while doing so. If you wish to risk your own life, you are welcome to do so. I will not object. I will, however, admonish you if you risk others with no regard to their safety. That is all I have to say on the matter.

"Now, give me the regular morning briefs you would give to your department heads. Hold nothing back. I know it will be bad. Lets see how bad."

It was worse then Shugrand expected...

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

Tarrest walked away from her younger cousin, leaving the riffraff of the Ministries with Shugrand. She had no time for such officials and she knew that Shugrand liked this kind of challenge.

She found mother practicing with her >Curlat in an open area not far from the Crèche swamps of the >Clot<. Mother had wanted to vent her recent rage on this crèche as opposed to the crèche of Mutt Beddan but Tarrest could not be sure which of the clutches in this swamp belonged to whom and did not want to antagonize the workers of the >Clot<. Tarrest had worked hard attempting to ascertain who was who in the crèche but the Caregivers were proving cagey, thus Mutt Beddan took the brunt of mother's ire as High Gurn Sekkek Mutt Beddan had proved a thorn in mother's side.

Tarrest watched as mother finished her routine and put away her weapon before stepping into her line of sight.

"Tarrest, you have introduced the Callate (a herd animal the size of a large sheep but with not fur) to Shugrand?" mother demanded.

"I have, mother. She is with them now," Tarrest advised.

"Good, maybe she can bring them under some semblance of control. In the meantime, we need a method of shaking up those around us that does not include actions from me or you," mother suggested.

"I may have just what you need, mother," Tarrest said with a smile. "Gurn Hallan Mutt Hude wishes to speak with you on a matter of honour..."

Gurn Hallan had harboured an ambition all her life. Hude Semt had been stolen from Mutt Hude more than 2,000 cycles ago. All her life she had heard the stories of how the High Gurn of Mutt Sim at that time had stollen the Semt of Mutt Hude and then had petitioned the Asoc at the time to change the laws to prevent High Challenge for a Semt. Mutt Sim had been successful at changing the law and thereafter Mutt Hude had never been allowed to challenge for the return of their Semt.

Hallan had heard that Unaayel wanted to return to the old ways. She hoped the meant that the old style challenges would be brought back. She was here at the >Clot< with five other Gurn to petition Unaayel to return to the old ways, for which she and the other Gurn she would support Unaayel's bid for the title of Asoc.

Normally petitions of this kind were done in a public venue, in the Imperial Gathering Center, however, Unaayel was currently not the Asoc, and couldn't, by law, conduct a public petition until such time as she was named Atas Asoc (Asoc to be). Ergo, she was forced to conduct this petition, and many others, in one of the >Clot's< conference rooms.

Unaayel brought her tame Beerlendl, those with whom she would replace the current Beerlen when the time was right, to the meeting. She had wanted to replace the Beerlendl as soon as she took over the >Clot< but her daughter Shugrand had informed her that if she didn't adhere to the laws regarding the Beerlen and succession, Unaayel would never be seen as the true Asoc.

Unaayel had relented, waiting the time for the change of the Beerlen, which was less than one moon cycle away now. She would emplace her tame Beerlendl at that time and they would name her Atas Asoc, giving her limited functions as the Asoc. Three moon cycles later, her own people would ensure that she was elevated to Asoc. She looked forward to that happening even if she chaffed at the time she would have to wait.

The only people in the conference room were Unaayel, Tarrest, her tame Beerlendl, and the five Gurn, who all bowed low to Unaayel as they would to the Asoc. Unaayel purred at the acknowledgement. It was about time that someone recognized her rise to the highest level of power in the Asocan Realm!

"Gurn Hallan Mutt Hude, I understand that you have a petition for me to entertain?" Unaayel demanded.

"Yes, Martte Unaayel. Many thousands of cycles ago, Mutt Sim stole from Mutt Hude, the Shall we once held. The Gurn of Mutt Sim at the time challenged the Gurn of Mutt Hude for control of the shall and defeated my ancestor. History tells us that the method of the defeat was shameful and that it should not have been allowed. However, the Asoc at the time permitted the challenge to stand.

Not long after, the Gurn united and requested of the Asoc to change the law to make High Challenge for control of a shall illegal. The law was changed and Mutt Hude lost any opportunity it might have had of reclaiming our shall.

"We five Gurn all have historical plights between our Mutt and those Mutt who now reign in our place in the shalls that were originally our own. We request of you and the Beerlen, to return the right of High Challenge between the Gurn to allow us to once again reclaim our original shalls," Hallan finished, again giving a deep bow.

"You have proof of this afront?" Unaayel demanded.

"I have, Martte. I requested of Beerlendl nominee Hilla Mutt Reta to review the historical records and brief us, Martte Unaayel," Hallan informed them. What she didn't tell them was that she had used a very substantial bribe to get Hilla's support in her petition.