To all,
Due to the interest in this series, here is part 12. To say the least I have heard commentary both ways on the loss of one of my strongest characters. Regretfully, sometimes real-life mirrors fictional life. No, there are no other species yet, I was not dating an alien...well?
But trust, honor and duplicity can carry over and mask your normal internal protection devices, no matter the sex or species. So, I felt it needed to be played out this way. In my own personal loss and betrayal, I was reminded again that it's the ones closest to you that can hurt you the deepest. When that trust is broken, it can be devastating.
This chapter deals with trying to handle the responsibility of a combined set of species, all with their own spin and shade on the issues. The sad part is that humans are the worst of the lot.
Any aliens, real or imagined in this story are purely a construct of my twisted and warped mind. My attempts to enter a realm (writing), that has always eluded me, has been exciting. I hope you enjoy my continued tale of Drew Jr.
Part 12
***
"I need you to vote with your heart and mind, just say a name to vote. There is no shame and there will be no harm, no matter how you vote. We will start in the front row, just broadcast or say a name out loud." Then Drew pointed at the first seat on the left.
"Lord Drew" and so votes were mentally tallied...all for Lord Drew.
Drew nodded when the Votes were cast. Tiffany burst into tears and slumped forward in her chair.
"I will lead the exploration of the Other space. I am now the commander of the new fleet." Drew stated without any happiness. He heard and felt the audience erupt with a verbal or mental cheer.
"I made a promise once, on the bridge of a star ship. I am not sure that I can now carry out the promise." Drew paused.
"What shall we do with Tiffany? Banishment? Enslave her again and see if she can earn her way back into our good graces, or fulfill my promise made so long ago?" Drew asked out loud so all could hear.
There was again silence, then in the same order, votes were cast with mental comments. The votes were tallied, two for banishment, two for slavery and the rest...fulfill his promise.
Thing Two turned and reached for the Claymore. Thing One re-manacled Tiffany and drug her from the hall into the grass of the Glen. She was shoved on her knees crying. She kept repeating the same mantra, "but I am a Queen."
Drew was about to lose his nerve when he felt a presence at the tree line. It was the alpha and he felt a simple statement come his way.
"Being Alpha is hard"
Drew looked into his eyes and knew it was much deeper than that simple phrase.
The blade arched over his head and buried itself in the soft ground below the grass. He did not remove it but turned and walked away with both Goldie and Kitten rubbing against his legs.
***
A pyre was built, and Tiffany was raised to her ancestors. Many helped with the preparations because of the services she had done for the Pride and Humanity. But betrayal brought its own response. No one stayed once the fire was lit. No one sang her history. No one sang her virtues. The wolves did not howl in her honor.
Drew sat with his Dad and got drunk.
Both Goldie and Kitten wedged themselves in at the open door and just watched the fire burn from a distance. Drew could reach in and see that they had no idea of significance of what they were watching. They had no feelings about the loss of Tiffany, to them she was there and then she was not. Drew wished it were that easy for him.
So passed the life of Queen Tiffany of the Pride.
***
Now that Drew had partially pulled his own head, out of his own ass, he began the process of integrating humanity with the aliens under his charge. He was now working on his drem, a comingled colonization. He specifically did not want a Kettle world, human world, finch, or fox world. That went for humans too. He had not agreed to ever have a colony just made from the Northern Alliance, North African, Chinese, Russian Federation, European, etc. There had been much early 'discussion' on people, size, and experience, and he knew in his heart, that his path was true.
Drew had originally defined 'village size', around 120 people. That tended to be the size that could be guaranteed to be kept together. It was a human construct, widely studied by anthropologists and business leaders. A single leader or small group was ok up to 120 people and then a "management' change had to take place.
There had been so much to do, belief freedom, and tolerance of others was to be maintained. The term 'law' had been in the process of negotiation since the beginning and was in the final throws of closure.