Superluminary by John C. Wright

Author:John C. Wright [Wright, John C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Castalia House
Published: 2018-06-03T04:00:00+00:00

Episode 12: The Lady of Love

Lady Venus arrived in a sedan chair carried by swans. She landed, and curtseyed, putting her crowned head very low to the shining floor, but her maidens put their heads lower yet. Her face was serene, but Aeneas could see the glint of anger in her eyes.

“Freely I offer my fealty, my lord Emperor. Yours is to command, Imperial Majesty, and mine to obey,” she said.

Aeneas did not rise from where he slouched. “And what of democracy?”

Venus rose. “This moment is historic, and you sit like a sack of potatoes. I will have to erase the memories of all my servants and rewrite them, if history is not to mock us.”

Aeneas stood, his face black with wrath. “You shall never do so! You will not touch a single brain cell of any soul here!”

Venus smiled her winning smile. “Do you protect the people? That is the task of the Emperor.”

Aeneas said, “We are in the midst of an emergency. A nightmarish horror from the stars has come to obliterate us with overwhelming force. We have no chance of fighting them, and only a slender chance to survive. We must move all our worlds to another star system.”

Her normal self-control slipped. A look of wonder was on her face. “You– you have such power…?”

“Yes, and more.”

“But I thought Father’s secret only was to build starships!” She shook her head and shivered. “But I am glad it is you who have it. You are foolish, but not wicked. You will make a fair and stern Emperor.”

“I am not Emperor! Aren’t you listening? There is no time to debate!”

Venus said, “If there is no time to debate, then there is no time for democracy. Who will dictate commands in the meanwhile? You are emperor whether you say so or not. You might as well say so.”

All the ladies in the room cheered. It was a high-pitched, sweet sound, and it rang from the golden dome above. Many voices hailed him as Emperor.

Aeneas shouted at them, “Stop this nonsense!”

The ladies were of many ages, but in appearance were in the first bloom of maidenhood. These maidens quailed, blushing with shock, bowing their heads nervously, faces hidden behind fans, teary-eyed.

Lady Venus held up her hand, “My ladies, if you would give us some privacy, please?”

It took several minutes for the lovelies gathered there to curtsey and walk away, graceful as dreams in their shining peacock-bright gowns, glittering in gems. Beroe, his sister, more beautiful than all the others, unadorned in her plain white dress, also curtseyed and departed.

Lady Venus strode with dignified yet graceful step up to the black three-headed throne. Aeneas, unwilling to shout after her, perforce rose and walked after, taking two steps at a stride with his long legs.

She said, “I had this throne spirited away by stealth from Ultrapolis and brought here to await your coming, and this palace was built as a sign of my faith that you would return, to claim your rightful place, and set the Empire to rights.

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