Corizen

Corizen Rising (Roran Curse #4)

Chapter 1-The Ambassador’s Wife

Andrea Morten sprawled on her bed with an abandon that she didn’t often feel anymore. Sometimes living such a public life took its toll. She had made yet another appearance at a big charity event. Roma, as the capital city of Corizen, was filled with such things, and most of them nowadays wanted someone connected to the Planetary Union to be there. Her husband Casey was the ambassador to the planet from the Union but he just didn’t have time to attend all of these functions. So instead, she often made appearances and speeches about goodwill between Citizens of the Planetary Union and Denicorizens, the people of Corizen. It wasn’t boring exactly, but it was tiring.

“Mom, there’s something on the terminal you might want to see.”

She looked up to see her daughter Tiran standing in the doorway. “Come on in, Tiran. I was just crashing for a few minutes.”

Tiran came in and flopped on the bed next to her mother. “It’s from that history site—the ‘Modern Myths’ show.”

Andie sighed and flicked the remote at her terminal. A holographic image sprung to life in front of the screen. 

“And so we return to today’s modern myth question: Is Sirra Bruche real or just a legend?” queried the show’s host, a willowy brunette with her trademark look of disbelief. Tiran giggled at her side. Andie was faintly amused herself. The view switched to old videos of public demonstrations and fighting in the streets of Roma.

“Ten years ago, revolution swept our beloved Corizen,” explained the narrator dramatically. “The staunch seeker for justice, Morek-Li Damato, had ignited a wildfire which raged through Roma. The King had exerted his terrifying power to strike out and kill even the most heroic members of Damato’s Resistance Movement, like Laeren Bruche and Forsyth Rane. Yet the Revolution furor continued unabated, finally toppling the tyrant from his throne. However, just when Corizen seemed to have achieved freedom at last, a new tyrant arose. Jaory Kruunde from the Blue Plains declared himself king over the continent of Urok.”

The pictures switched to scenes of devastation from Kruundin City. Andie shuddered. The pictures must have been taken in the last days before the siege on the city ended. All the people looked emaciated and haunted.

“At this time, the widow of Laeren Bruche, who was supposedly a Union Citizen, just happened to be in Kruundin City.” Andie could hear the heavy skepticism in the woman’s tone. “We are told she alone was resourceful and brave enough to sneak a homing device into the command center of Kruunde’s own fortress. This beacon allowed the Union military might, the dreaded Armada, to send a shock blast directed exactly at Kruunde’s location, killing him and all around him. So the last threat to freedom was destroyed.”

“But did it really happen?”

Andie watched in amusement as the program went on to explore the theory that “Sirra Bruche” was really a code name for a secret espionage program of the Armada. 

They explained that after the revolution, the woman they were told was Sirra Bruche disappeared and was never heard from again. 

“And what of the former Resistance members who supposedly worked directly with Sirra Bruche?” the host posed. “Modern Myths has tried repeatedly to confirm the existence of Sirra Bruche with Planetary Congress members Bret Ka and Thane Navaro. Both Representatives were high-ranking members of Damato’s Resistance and supposedly had personal interaction with Sirra Bruche. Representative Navaro simply insisted that Sirra Bruche had indeed left the planet after the revolution and that he knows nothing further. Representative Ka refused to speak with us at all.”

Andie shook her head. “Good old Bret,” she laughed. “He was never one to put up with this kind of stuff.”

The program went on to note the suspicious lack of any photographic evidence that Sirra Bruche was a real person, and the questionable nature of any witnesses who stated they knew her. It wrapped up with a sinister insinuation that the Armada had continued the secret espionage and was even now perhaps preparing to take over Corizen.

“Well, that wasn’t propaganda against the Armada was it?” Andie asked sarcastically as she switched off the terminal.

“I think it’s just too funny, Mom,” laughed Tiran. “You’re not even dead yet and you’re a myth. What does that make me?”

“Well, at least they didn’t go the route of finding out who Sirra Bruche really is. Those are the ones that make me nervous. They can pretend I don’t exist all they want.” Andie rolled onto her back and closed her eyes. The pictures of Kruundin City were etched in her mind. She could almost feel her stomach cramping in response, just as if she were starving once again in the days during the siege. She had spent months sick with fear and hunger in the war zone of Kruundin City. Ten years, she told herself, it’s been ten years. Let it go.

“It would be fun to see that lady’s face if she knew that Sirra Bruche has been in front of her the whole time,” Tiran commented with relish. “After all you did, Mom, they pretend it didn’t even happen. You saved all those lives.” She sounded a little bitter.

Andie sat up. “Oh, honey, you know I don’t care about that stuff. It’s far more important to me that we stay anonymous. Your father has enough pressure on him as it is.” She put her arm around Tiran’s shoulder.

The terminal chimed a priority code with a special tone. 

“Speaking of your father . . .” Andie picked up the remote and answered the terminal from the bed. “Hi, sweetheart. How are you?” Her husband Casey’s face appeared in the terminal.

“Hi, Tiran,” he greeted quickly. “Andie, the Bastalt Prison has been taken over by the Brotherhood. I want you and Tiran to stay at home until the security troops get the situation under control. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night for me. Don’t wait up,” he directed.

“Sure, honey. I love you.”

“Love you both. Tiran, go to bed!” He smiled and switched off.

Tiran turned to Andie with a pout. “Mom, you can’t possibly expect me to go to bed right now!” Andie was lost in thought. The Brotherhood had taken over the Bastalt Prison! What could they possibly want with the prison? Was their latest terrorist act going to be involving the criminals? It would hardly have the effect they were looking for. Most people weren’t likely to worry about the safety of maximum security felons.

“Mom!” Tiran’s voice recalled her to the present.

“No, climb up on the bed with me. We’ll see if we can find a news report.”

They spent the next couple of hours sifting through news sites, trying to find out something new. The news crews were all stationed around the prison but the security forces didn’t let them get too close. They only had video footage of the outside of the fortress, and there simply wasn’t much to see. Tiran was already asleep when Andie finally drifted off.

She woke to sunlight peeking in through the slats in the window blinds. Tiran was snoring softly, one arm hanging off the bed. Andie blinked to clear her bleary eyes and looked at the terminal, which was still on. A reporter was speaking in front of the gray hulking mass of the prison.

“Fourteen casualties have been reported so far from last night’s prison takeover by an unknown group. The mass majority are believed to be prison security officers but at least two were inmates.” Andie turned up the volume a bit. Tiran stirred in her sleep.

“The Brotherhood has not officially claimed responsibility for the prison takeover, and we have no idea what was the motive. However, we repeat, the Roma riot troops were dispatched and now have full control of the prison. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.”

Andie lowered the volume again and pulled herself out of bed and stretched. No point in trying to find out more from the news. At some point Casey would return and he was likely to have the most accurate information.

She had showered and was sitting down to breakfast when Casey finally came in. His hair was tousled, and his eyes were red. He kissed the top of her head and slumped into a chair.

“Want something to eat?” she asked, getting up from the table.

Casey shook his head. “No, I just need to get some rest. Give me six hours at least. Then I’ll tell you all about it. What we know anyway.”

Eight hours later, Casey and Andie sat at the kitchen table together. The kitchen table was where they always had their serious discussions. It worried her that he wanted to discuss this here at the table without Tiran present. Usually Casey wasn’t much involved in security issues on Corizen. Yet when Casey had given her all the details he knew from the prison attack last night, Andie could find nothing in the news that was so important the Ambassador needed to be involved. It seemed to be just another incomprehensible move by the Brotherhood. Andie traced her finger on the wood grain of the table and thought of what Casey had just told her.

“So, the Brotherhood broke into the prison to recruit members, most likely. Why the prison? Can’t they just get people off the street?”

Casey ran his fingers through his hair. It was a nervous habit of his, and obviously he had been doing it a lot lately. His hair practically stood straight up. “I know, it sounds crazy. We can’t even be sure which prisoners are missing or how many. They destroyed the prison’s paperwork on the inmates. Not like it was up-to-date anyway. Why can’t these people just go digital?”

Andie sighed. “You know there’s no money for that sort of thing on Corizen, Casey. Nobody cares about the prisons when they are trying to feed their families.”

“Oh, I know the lecture on Corizen poverty, Andie. Spare me,” he grumbled. Andie refused to let his tone irritate her. She could tell he was very tired and also very worried.

“We did have one stroke of luck. The Brotherhood got in because they had an inside man—a member who was a guard. The CPF managed to catch him, and they passed him to the Armada. The Armada is still questioning him of course, but before I left, we had gotten far more information from him than we could have hoped for. I guess he was a long-time member back from the smuggling days. He agreed to tell us everything he knew if we would quietly ship him off-planet. My office is seeing to the details.”

The hope dawning on Andie’s face lit up her eyes. “So do you think we’ll be able to catch up with the Brotherhood then? End all of this violence?”

“Well, we have a chance anyway. It depends on what else he tells them.”

“So what are you not telling me? There must be something or you wouldn’t be so worried,” Andie insisted.

“The Brotherhood has declared war on the government of Corizen. The new Oman has declared himself a prophet, and he says the Brotherhood has been called to bring down the apostate government and drive out the foreign invaders.”

“Invaders?”

“Well, he says that the goal of the Union is to come and turn away all Denicorizens from worshipping Veshti like they are supposed to.”

“So this is a religious crusade,” Andie said fearfully. “How did a smuggling organization mutate into a religious cult?”

“No idea,” Casey sighed wearily. “But that’s not the worst, Andie. The Brotherhood has a list—it’s called the Red List . . .” Andie suddenly noticed that Casey was gripping the arms of his chair tightly. So this was what was bothering him. It was this Red List thing.

“The Red List?” she repeated quietly. 

“It’s an assassination list. The Top Ten To-Do List of murders that Veshti wants committed, I guess. Mostly political targets. Morek-Li is number one.”

“Well,” Andie returned thoughtfully, “I can’t say that is a surprise. He may be the ex-President now, but he still has a lot of influence.” But Casey was still looking haunted and Andie didn’t know quite what to say. They sat in silence for several minutes. Casey looked out the kitchen window, and Andie patiently waited for him to share what was really troubling him.

Finally, Casey spoke again. “I’m number ten on the list.”

They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Andie anxiously chewed at a fingernail. Her husband was on a hit list. Once again she was married to a man people were out to kill. It just wasn’t fair!

“What does this mean for us?” Andie finally spoke, raising her gaze to Casey’s face. Casey turned from the window. “I don’t think it will affect us much. After all, I always have security wherever I go. However, I would feel much better if you stopped making public appearances. It will be much safer if you just stay in the International Complex.”

“What, you want me to quit going with you on trips?” Andie asked incredulously.

“Maybe it will just be for a short time. I’d feel so much better if I knew you were safe.” Andie submitted silently. She didn’t like the idea at all; it felt so confining, but she could do it for his peace of mind. Besides, there was no point in risking leaving Tiran as an orphan.

“What about Kendra? Should I contact Jenna and tell her Kendra should stay home?” Andie brought up. Her sister’s daughter had been accepted at the International University here in Roma as part of an exchange program. She was supposed to arrive in just a few months.

“Well, that’s really up to Kendra and her parents, I guess. She’ll be here in the International Complex with you and Tiran. She will probably be just fine. In fact, I’m sure we’re all going to be fine. Hopefully, the Armada will be able to shut the Brotherhood down quickly.”

Andie asked Casey the one question that had been bothering her throughout all of this. “Why is the Armada hunting down the Brotherhood, Casey? Shouldn’t the CPF be handling it?” The Corizen Protection Force was Corizen’s planet-wide army and main peacekeeping force.

Casey didn’t answer.

“Are you just being stubborn or is it classified information?” she pressured.

“It’s classified,” he said shortly. He rose from his chair and kissed her cheek. “I’ve got to go check in, Andie.”

She nodded and continued to sit in her stiff kitchen chair, considering what Casey couldn’t tell her. What if “Modern Myths” was somewhat right and the Armada did indeed have a much deeper reach on Corizen than anyone expected? Surely the Union wasn’t planning to overtake Corizen? She shook the thoughts from her head. The Union always insisted that it had no desire to govern planets that wanted to be independent. No one in their wildest dreams could believe that Corizen wanted the Union in charge.