A Time To Mourn - Chapter #89

Free Enterprise  -  A Time To Mourn -   Chapter #89


Tamara arrived at Barbarossa's quarters, entered his bedroom and found Tyr kneeling on the floor next to the bed, where Barbarossa's body was reposing. He had his head on the bed as he cried. Khan was kneeling next to him. HaxHis stood next to them with her head bowed.

Victoria arrived on the run with Xena, Amanda, Desdemona, her handmaidens and the Pride elders. She stepped forward and went to Tyr.

“Tyr. Come with me. The elders are here to prepare him.” she said as she took hold of Tyr's left hand. Tyr stood and so did Khan. As they were leaving the room, Tyr looked back.

“Your service to him is done, Tyr. Let the professionals take it from here.” Khan said as he put his arm around his Pride Brother's shoulders and guided him out of the room.




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



The group retired to Victoria's quarters, and they all sat in her living room as her handmaidens served up tea, coffee and something lite to eat. It was just 0257 hours. Tyr begged off despite his mother's encouragement to “take something”.

“Tyr. Your father gave you a gift not too long ago.” Victoria said after she took a sip from a cup of Chi. “Yes, he told me about it and how he was going to make it possible to change the promise you gave to him.” she continued.

“Yes, he originally made me promise not to open it until I returned to Deep Space Ten. But he told me to open it after we had finished. . . . . . . . .” Tyr started but could not complete the statement. He realized now, that Barbarossa knew he was going to die right then and extracted several promises from him.

“Where is the gift, Tyr?” Victoria asked.

“I gave it to Tamara to put up for me.” Tyr replied, becoming mildly annoyed.

“What is so all fire important about this gift?” he wondered.

“Tamara? Could you please bring the box to me?” Victoria asked.

“Yes, Ma'am.” Tamara said. She got up and left.

Minutes later Tamara had returned with the pizza-sized box and handed it to Victoria. In turn, she handed it to her son.

“Open it, Tyr.”

Tyr put aside the tea he was drinking, and took the parcel, set it in his lap and began to unwrap it. He opened the box and encountered another box.

Despite his sorrow, Tyr sighed and rolled his eyes. This was a typical joke Barbarossa pulled on him. He would wrap his gifts in the manner of the Ancient Chinese puzzle, a box within a box, within a box. Tyr unwrapped and opened three more boxes until he got to the real thing. His hands shook as he took off the wrapping, and exposed a large sized jewelery type box. Although Tyr already knew what was contained within, he opened it anyway.

On a bed of dark blue cloth sat a golden circlet and a pair of golden bone blade gauntlets. Barbarossa had selected Tyr to be Arch Duke.

“Why me? I have older brothers who are much more capable. . . .” Tyr asked. This was utterly unbelievable to him.

“Tyr, you know Nietzschean hierarchy does not necessarily go according to age. It was up to your Father to chose who he thought would make the best successor. He deeply loved all of his sons, they are wonderful, responsible and caring men, but when he tested them, they all fell short of his expectations.” Victoria replied.

“He tested them?” Tyr asked.

“Yes, he tested them in many ways. The last and most important one was being available to care for their elderly father. If you cannot minister to one elderly man, how can you minister to thousands and perhaps millions?” Victoria replied. “You were the only one who truly impressed him and thus passed with flying colors.” she continued.

“Mother, I've just been promoted to Rear Admiral by Haxhis. . . . . . .” Tyr started.

“I know Tyr. I will give you a year to decide. I am perfectly able to rule until you make a finial decision.” Victoria replied.

Indeed she had kept things in order during Barbarossa's later years, as he was no longer capable of making difficult governmental decisions.

“HaxHis seems like a reasonable woman. Speak with her and see what she says.” she continued.

Tyr handed the box back to his mother, and knelt before her.

“At the behest of my deceased consort Barbarossa Anasazi I crown thee Tyr Anasazi, Arch Duke of the Kodiak Pride and Viceroy of all Nietzscheans .” she said as she set the circlet on Tyr's bowed head, then handed the gauntlets to him to put on. Tyr swapped his everyday gauntlets for the ones of state, then stood.

“Now come. You must put the dagger into his hands before they stiffen with rigor.” Victoria said, as she stood.




 NOTE TO READERS   This chapter is definitely NOT ANDROMEDA CANNON.  Just checkin' my SIX!