Imperial Orders

♕The Prime Minister♕

Just in case you were curious, here are the references from last chapter. Great job everyone who tried to find them! I know they were very subtle.

Marvel: "We have a Daughter of Ikmanon" = "We have a Hulk"

Lights: "...dashing off into a tunnel that led to nowhere". This is a reference to the Tunnel, a centerpiece of the story, into which Swan and her friends unwittingly go.

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The Peenutz and their newfound Ikmanonite acquaintances walked in silence down the hill. As they got closer to the colossal warship that awaited them at the bottom, more Hominan soldiers joined their guard, surrounding them until they could barely see the path in front of them, ray guns at the ready even though there were no Djareny in sight. Tuofah was beginning to realize that she and Hugo were a big part of why the Hominans were here. They must've done something stupid back at the Spaceport to reveal to the government where they were headed. 

"Up you go- that's right," the soldier behind Tuofah prodded her sharply in the back with his gun, forcing her up a small, steep metal ramp and through the narrow door in front of her. 

This ship, though it was probably just as expensive, was nothing like the Minister's luxurious vessel. First of all, it was larger and much more threadbare, stocked only with the bare necessities of furniture and reeking of oil and used ray gun charges. Soldiers and officers swarmed the narrow passageways, each hurrying off to a different destination, and it took all but a miracle for the soldiers escorting the Peenutz to get them down a metallic hallway to an important-looking wooden door at its end. 

"All of you- in there," one soldier commanded as another stepped forward to open the door. He made a move to enter the room behind it, but was stopped by Admiral Houke. 

"No one goes in but the prisoners. Prime Minister's orders," he said sharply. The soldiers stepped obediently back as Tuofah and Hugo led the Peenutz warily forward into a cozy but well-furnished office. Tuofah pressed her lips together in anticipation at the sound of the door closing behind her. 

Just in front of her, taking up at least a fourth of the room, was a gargantuan wooden desk with more drawers than any sensible person would know what to do with. There were chairs in front of it, but not enough for all of the Peenutz, so they silently elected to stand with their backs against the wall. Somehow, they all felt that it wasn't wise to get too comfortable. However, the biggest surprise awaiting them wasn't the desk but the woman sitting behind it: a woman Tuofah recognized from more posters, murals, and newscasts than she cared to count.

"P-prime Minister Remy?" she sputtered, instantly losing her composure. Here was a woman with the information to connect her to her father in seconds. Here was a woman who could lock her up forever. 

"Hello, Tuofah," Saara Remy smiled, regarding the motley group before her with professional interest. "You and your Djareny friend have stirred up quite a bit of trouble for poor Minister Speiss. But you mustn't worry- his ship was recovered long before we chose to make contact with you." 

None of the Peenutz reacted- they knew this was coming- until Hugo's eyes went wide with realization. "Koot!" he hissed to Tuofah. "We left him on the ship!" 

"And he is safe with us," the Prime Minister affirmed. 

"Well, then, you've captured us all, haven't you? You've outsmarted Serpis and the First Legion. You've won. What more do you want with us? Why not just put us in prison already? Oh, wait, I know why. It's because I'm your prince. I'm Arafien Tyllanie!" Hugo announced boldly. Tuofah stared at him, dumbstruck by both his boldness and his stupidity. Was he trying to make things worse? 

"That is what I was getting to next," Remy sighed, resting her chin on her hand in front of her. Her white skirt suit was creased with sweat and a few stray strands stuck out of her blond bun. Something was stressing her out...and she was showing it. "I know that you don't have a drop of royal blood in you, Djaren. I also know that you are an experienced con artist, and your grand scheme involved posing as the prince in order to gain access to the Royal Treasury. It pains me to stoop to this level, but the reason I have yet to imprison you is that I... I need your help, Hugo Pearce." 

At this, Hugo cocked his head to the side and a lopsided smile swept over his face. "You want my help?" he guffawed. "What a place this universe has become!" 

The Prime Minister was not amused. "There was a time when I, too, would have laughed at this proposition, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Surely you have heard of the riots in the streets of Relorio. They are getting worse as we speak. The people believe their emperor irresponsible for not showing his face in public, and they take out their frustrations on me and my Ministers. If you do not help me, my political career will soon come to a swift and untimely end, and if I do not help you, you will rot in prison for the rest of your life. I am afraid that at this point, we are each other's only option." 

"Why do you need me?" Hugo narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just tell the emperor to make a public appearance. Problem solved. You're a great Prime Minister- I'm surprised you haven't thought of that yet." 

"Hugo..." Saara Remy ran her hands through her hair, never once breaking eye contact. "Emperor Zionus Tyllanie has been dead for ten years." 

Now this, the Peenutz had not been expecting. They stared at each other, now able to fully understand the precariousness of the Prime Minister's situation. Unless she resurrected a dead man, the people would literally drag her out of office. 

"His death came as a shock to me," she continued. "I was the only one in his room when it happened. He was sick, yes, but the doctors said it was curable. No one expected it to go so far. I still remember him laying there helplessly with tears in his eyes. His son was missing, and his wife was long dead. His passing would mean the end of his dynasty and the advent of anarchy in Homina... unless..." she took in a deep breath, steeling herself. "It was our final joint political scheme. I walked out of his room that day and announced that he had been moved to a rehabilitation facility on Khaas, when in reality, he was six feet under his palace. I buried him myself- I was the only one who knew. And then the lie only grew from there, as lies always do. Now, I'm afraid it may have reached its breaking point." 

Tuofah wanted to say that the Prime Minister- the golden figure of Hominan politics- had been corrupt all along. She wanted to condemn Remy's actions as irresponsible, but how could she? How could she know that she wouldn't have done the same in that situation, if the fate of an empire had been resting on her shoulders? 

"Okay..." Hugo seemed to sense her feelings. "What do you want me to do?" 

"Do exactly what you planned to do," Remy smiled slyly. "Today, you are no longer Hugo Lennez Pearce. You are Prince Arafien Tyllanie of Homina, and you were miraculously rescued from the Djareny just days ago. You will announce the tragic death of your father, you will conduct his last rites, and you will assume his throne. You won't have to do much in the way of actual ruling- I will make sure you are told exactly what to do- and most importantly, you will never have to steal again." 

"You want me to be Emperor of Homina?" Hugo stared at her in disbelief. 

"Yes, I do," Remy nodded. "You will be richer than you could possibly imagine. Rich enough to pay for your friend's college education," she darted her eyes at Tuofah. "And not just any college education, but an education worthy of an associate of the Emperor. As for the Ikmanonites, they will be able to start a new life," she suggested, smiling at Ben. "We could even graft you a new tongue." At this, Aikoro's eyes lit up as she pulled Ben into a bear hug. 

"Did you hear that? You will be able to speak again!"

"We never had this conversation," the Prime Minister noted, turning her gaze back to the documents on the desk in front of her.