Just a little bit of blue R1.9

1.9– Confutatis

One of the pleasures of being Chancellor of the Earth Goverment is to choose what musical pieces are to be played in the anniversary of one's innauguration. Rising to this position made him the most powerful figure in the entire Sol System. Even though his realm is a dwindling power due to the lasting effects of the apocalypse, and both Mars and the Outer Colonies rapidly becoming economic and military powers to be reckoned with, Earth is still the massive populational giant that hosts ninety percent of all human beings. Chancellor Gokaldas rules over them all. There is, of course, the matter of the fourteen other High Council members that moderate his power over the technocracy .

(Image: wqxr.org, modified by me)

The growing influence of the alien Arcturians and Centaurys over some of the Counselours, has Gokaldas worried. He couldn't prevent the rise of that corruption in the preceding years, and, in two years time, according to the Rules of Commerce that serve as the basic laws of the Land and Sea, he has to resign his office to the successor nominated by the Houses of Trade and Industry. He's not really sure that he's ready for that, yet. For his Eight Anniversary, he selected Mozart's “Requiem” to be played in the Auditorium of the Houses. In his mind, this year marks the end of an era, and, being the showman that he is, he's setting the mood for it.

-Do you like Mozart, Demetrius?- The Chancellor asked. Sitting around him in the honour cabin of the House were the holographic projections of representatives from all the Planets, Moons and Planetoids that usually attend events of pomp and circumstance. The only one that was physically present was Demetrius Corba, who had landed on a launch from his yacht in the Béchar Spaceport just hours earlier, skipping the orbital lift. -Am I supposed to?- He retorted. - At least this piece seems to be short enough. You know I hate state functions.- Gokaldas looked at him with a disdainful smile. -I know that, and that's what gets me even more puzzled for seeing you here in person, space being such a dangerous place to travel, these days... - His tone not conceiling the veiled threat the statement implied. - If you remember the state that the Boyazz affair brought to our relations, you can imagine I am more than surprised for having you here. Even under a Diplomatic banner, you made a very risky trip.

The audience started to applaud and Gokaldas faced forward to follow the Maestro's entrance with his eyes. From his left, he could hear Demetrius Corba: -I'm here because we need to talk. It's in both our interests that we bury the hatchet, Rashmi. I bring you a gift.- “Beware the gifts of the Greek” thought the Chancellor, while rising to accept the Maestro's salute and making a grandious gesture to signify that the concert could proceed. The audience exulted, re-erupting in applause. -I'll give you five minutes, after the concert ends, in the backroom. I hope your gift is good enough, or you'l never see Coriolis again.- The choir began singing the Lacrimosa.

-To be continued -

03.02.25 - @hefestus

To find the other parts: https://steemit.com/created/justalittlebitofblue

Disclaimer:
"Just a little bit of blue" is a work of fiction. Every event, character, planet, continent, country, city, street, building, corporation, institution and product mentioned in this work is totally fictitious and has absolutely no relation to reality or real events, persons, planets, continents, countries, cities, streets, buildings, corporations or institutions. Everything is derived from the author's own imagination and no AI products were involved in the planning, writing or revision of this work. Additionally, the story happens in the future, in a time that has not yet come, so, any considerations about the possibility of the occurrence of facts or release of products mentioned herein, in the years to come, are due to mere coincidence and in no way derive from the author's inside or 3rd party knowledge of any country, organization or person's plans to implement actions or release said products into the market.
Just to be clear: All that's written here is fictional and originated by the author's own toughts about what may happen to come in the unknown future.