Interregnum

November 29 - Zenobia. Restricted Zone.

"Then shall the realm of Albion
Come to great confusion" - Shakespeare

"Times are bad. Children no longer obey their parents,
and everyone is writing a book." - Cicero

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There was a quietness to the station.

This region was now under a full lockdown. All to ensure the safe transportation of the bones of a man dead for over two thousand years.

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The year was 337.

It was the end of the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great. A time of violent transition. Constantine had been the ruler that established Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire, and in so doing changed the course of history. Upon his death, his three sons killed many other members of his family in an effort to consolidate power.

St. Zenobius was born that year. Raised by pagan parents, he came to the church early in life. His career advanced and he rose to become the first bishop of Florence. He was also credited with the miracle of raising children from the dead.

["The Last Miracle and Death of St. Zenobius" Sandro Botticelli]

When I reflect on this last point, I can't help but think of Audrey Aurotharius.

It is from the father of St. Zenobius that the Girolami family of Florence would claim descent tracing their heritage through him to Queen Zenobia of Palmyra. The ruling families of our planetary government have maintained this tradition, bringing it with them from Earth-That-Was, only now instead of pedigree books and family trees they use DNA analysis.

His bones therefore serve as both a national treasure and the genetic marker used to substantiate any claim to power.

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During the war, the UAP placed the bones of St. Zenobius in secure holding. At that time, we used the opportunity to substitute the relics with a copy used to substantiate the claim of a leader inclined to support the wartime policies of the Alliance.

Over a year ago, the Alliance lost control of the authentic remains. Soon after, Ardra Aurotharius placed them on the black market.

We found her ship and my team confiscated the authentic remains in March this past year.

Which brings us to the present...

Towards the end of November, Lord __________, the current head of state of the Government of Zenobia, walked away from the seat of power. If someone in his immediate circle is aware of his plans, they haven't made it public yet.

It is not unheard of for a ruler to disguise himself in the dress of the common man and walk among his subjects. And it is all very good if we are talking an evening out at the tavern, or a stroll through the barracks, but if the absence is prolonged who is to know if that ruler will return? Perhaps he grows to enjoy the taste of life away from the court. Perhaps he meets with an untimely end.

So while we wait to see if he will return, the machinery of succession engages.

And I am left with the bones of St. Zenobius, this time to ready them for transportation to the capital city, where a committee of scientists, appointed by the Senate, will conduct the DNA testing of the relics and begin the screening of candidates.

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But here is the twist.

No longer do we have the fog of war behind which to make another substitution of the relics in order to ensure the protection of Alliance interests. Without another substitution, we are left with using the authentic remains in order to verify candidates for the highest office in the land.

Further, if Lord __________ were to return, he would likely fail the genetic testing necessary to verify his identity, belonging as he does to the line established by the UAP during the war.

This makes a shift in government inevitable.

Does that really mean that by placing the relics on the black market, Ardra had set into motion the events that will restore the traditional leadership of Zenobia?

She did mention that she had an employer in the matter of the stolen relics...

I have a sick, dizzy feeling that I am standing on a giant chessboard, only now getting a hint of the size of the game.