Chapter 2: Chapter 2 – Rebellion

As Zarek surveyed the war room of the kingdom of Fioren, he couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation as he gazed upon the advisors crowded around the long rectangular table, their eyes glued to the overhead map. They were spraying out plan after plan for attacking the rebel camp, but the more Zarek listened, the more he realized that this kingdom might be better off as a smoldering heap of ashes. It seemed like these advisors were just spewing nonsense. Maybe it was time for a change of leadership. Or at least a change of advisors. Or maybe just a change of kingdoms altogether.

Yeah, that might be the safest bet.

"So you want to increase taxes on the citizens, just so we can re-take the rebels but then leave the taxes ridiculously high?" Zarek raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"But how will we fund the war effort?" one of the chubby-looking advisors asked. "These rebels have taken half our kingdom!"

"Well, looking at your current tax policies, it seems like they're already pretty high," Zarek pointed out. "I'm not sure raising them even more is the best idea."

"I see no problem with it," the advisor dismissed Zarek's concerns.

"And what about slavery?" Zarek tilted his head. "How can our economics be so poor if we're still practicing slavery?" It was clear that something was seriously wrong with the way this kingdom was being run.

Slavery is a necessary evil," the advisor replied matter-of-factly. "It helps keep our economy running smoothly and provides cheap labor."

Zarek couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you serious?"

"It may not be ideal, but it's a tradition that has been in place for centuries," the advisor argued. "We can't just upend everything and expect things to run smoothly. It takes time to make changes."

"Can someone send me our tax records?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible," another advisor chimed in. "You need permission from the Queen to access those records."

It was clear that there was some serious corruption going on in this kingdom. 

"Alright,  everyone get out," He sighed, "Let me think for a moment."

As he sat in his chair with his foot on the table, Zarek couldn't shake the feeling that there was no easy solution to the problem at hand. The corruption within the kingdom seemed to run deep, and he knew he had to do something to stop it. He thought about reaching out to the rebels and trying to make peace with them, but he wasn't sure if that would be enough.

Maybe he could use the threat of a rebellion as leverage to convince the Queen to step down and let him take over. It was a risky move, but hey, it's not like he had a better plan up his sleeve.

"Alexa version 34, you there?"

[You don't need to call me that] A voice appeared in his head.

"What are your thoughts on this matter?"

[I recommend becoming the new king.]

"Well, I'd have to take over the kingdom forcefully, or the Queen has to willingly give it over."

[I see no problem with that.]

"Should I kill her husband?"

[Analysing outcome.]

A few seconds passed.

[Your grievances with the Queen will rise, however, usurpation of the crown is a notable option.]

"How about the current King abdicates the crown?"

[You would have to marry the Queen to appease the masses.]

"She's too young for me, though."

[It will only be a marriage of convenience.]

"I guess we can call her down and see her thoughts on the matter."

After summoning several advisors to fetch the Queen from her chambers, she finally made her grand entrance, dazzling in a shimmering, star-studded dress that radiated regal splendor. As she approached, Zarek gestured for her to come closer, eagerly sharing his ideas with her.

"You called me?" She replied, adjusting the folds of her dress.

"Big day for you?" Zarek asked, leaning back in his chair.

"I'm going to make an announcement to the commoners about our plans," the Queen replied.

"Before you do that," Zarek paused, "I have a proposition for you."

"What is it?" She inquired.

"The rebels have taken control of half of your kingdom. Based on the territory we have left, I don't think we can sustain this war for much longer," Zarek said.

"What makes you say that?" The Queen asked.

"The rebel commander is clever. They've cut off our only trade route to the other major kingdoms. Our location isn't ideal either, since we're a border kingdom with few resources. And to make matters worse, I suspect there might be corruption within your ranks," Zarek explained.

The Queen considered his words carefully. "What do you think we should do?"

"I propose two options," Zarek said, his voice laced with determination. "I can try to make peace with the rebels by leading the war effort, but in return, I want to be made a member of your royal advisory council. Or, I can join the rebels and lead a rebellion, trying to take the crown by force."

The Queen furrowed her brow, clearly deep in thought. "I see," she said after a moment. "Those are certainly difficult choices. May I ask why you want to become the new King? It's not common to make such bold requests lightly."

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"This only ends one way," Zarek replied, his eyes blazing with conviction. "With me on the throne. I understand why your current King has taken a back seat. He's being held hostage by the other kingdoms, and with our limited trade routes, money is scarce. And let's not forget the advisors he trusts who are stealing from him at every turn. That's why, even with slavery in place, you're barely able to keep things running smoothly."

The Queen sighed, her demeanor shifting. "Yes, I understand," she said. 

"Postpone your announcement," Zarek said, his voice urgent. "I'll give you one day to come to a decision. In the meantime, let me take care of those thieving advisors for you. Just give me the tax records you've received and I'll get to work. And while I'm at it, I'll propose some new tax reforms that are based on merit rather than a flat fee every month. It's time to shake things up."

"I will talk with the King about such matters."

*****

After postponing the announcement, Zarek stood in a room with most of the advisors, having spent several hours with the help of Alexa uncovering the current affairs of the kingdom. He had discovered several things of notable intrigue. Most of their resources came from farmland and textiles, but the rebellion had crippled their main sources of income, with the rebels now controlling much of the farmland and patrolling the trade routes. As a result, loyalty to Fioren was beginning to wane, with more and more revolts popping up.

"Lock the door, will you?" Zarek told one of the advisors. "We're about to discuss something very important."

As the door was securely shut and locked, Zarek sat down in a nearby chair.

"Toss me the key, please," he said, raising his hands. "I'm about to reveal something that cannot leave this room. I want to make sure that everyone is on the same page as me before I proceed."

"Alright, leave me," Zarek replied, "Bring in the other advisors as well."

As the first group of advisors filed out of the room, Zarek beckoned for the second group to enter. He had carefully divided them into two categories: those he deemed trustworthy and those he considered untrustworthy. While the pool of trustworthy advisors was small, numbering only about four, Zarek knew they were the key to uncovering any embezzlement within the kingdom. And so, as a reward for their diligence and hard work, he decided to offer them a promotion for their efforts.

Alright, state your name," he said, turning to the first advisor with a raised eyebrow.

"Baroness Eliza St. Clair," she replied with a sly smile, her piercing blue eyes sparkling with intrigue as they locked onto Zarek's. Her jet-black hair was styled in a sleek bun, a sleek and polished look that seemed to match her sharp wit and quick tongue. Zarek couldn't help but notice how confident and poised she looked, standing tall at a statue-like six feet.

"Tell me a little about yourself," He asked.

"I was born into a wealthy and influential family of the Greybrooks with a long history of service to the royal court. After completing my education, I began working as a junior advisor to the king and quickly rose through the ranks throughout the years."

"Who's the chief advisor for our tax policies, again?" Zarek asked.

"His name was Steven," came the reply.

"Oh, that's perfect then!" Zarek snapped his fingers, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "You're the new chief advisor for our tax codes."

She looked at Zarek with a mixture of surprise and disbelief, but after a moment of contemplation, she nodded slowly.

"Alright, everyone come around." Zarek beckoned the other three advisors closer.

"Right now, your tax codes are pretty simple. You do a flat base tax based on the classes of the people. We need to start compiling a more comprehensive social security for the commoners. We'll switch to a merit-based tax system based on their monthly disposable income, and we'll start taxing businesses at different percentages based on the profession they enter." 

Eliza, intrigued by Zarek's proposal, asked for more information. "Would the nobles not revolt against these percentage-based taxes, which may potentially increase their financial burden?"

"It's not a given," Zarek explained. "While their taxes may be higher, the relative tax would still allow for profit margins. In fact, these new tax codes would actually benefit the commoners. We can lower tax percentages on necessities like food and housing, while still supporting industries like mining and the trade of certain goods like war materials. Of course, we'll still need to keep the tax on slavery in place."

"But how would we ensure compliance with these new tax laws?" Eliza inquired.

"We'll work closely with businesses to compile monthly income statements for every citizen. We can monitor anyone entering or leaving our borders and track their profits and goods brought in. This will allow us to strengthen the centralized tax system."

"Your plan sounds promising," Eliza noted, "but I can already imagine the mountains of paperwork it would generate."

"Don't worry," Zarek assured her. "I have some ideas for inventions that could streamline the process. In the meantime, I'll need your advisors to draw up rough plans for this merit-based tax system. We'll also need to standardize methods for valuing property and measuring income from various sources."

"But won't this centralized system be at risk of corruption and abuse of power?" Eliza asked, a hint of skepticism in her voice.

"There's always a risk of corruption in any system," Zarek admitted. "However, I believe that by implementing strict accountability measures and transparency in our tax collection process, we can minimize that risk."

"I see your point."

"Great! Let's get to work then," Zarek said as he stood up and clapped his hands together. "I'm going to meet with our top-notch battalion to strategize for tomorrow's battle. Meanwhile, I trust that you'll take care of your tasks and have some solid preliminary plans ready for me by next week."

Once everyone had left the room and he was all alone, Zarek let out a grunt and slumped back in his chair. Even though he had more pressing matters to worry about, like ruling his kingdom, he couldn't shake the desire to return to his former galaxy. He turned to Alexa and asked, "Do you have any ideas on how I could make that happen?"

[One option might be to advance our technology to match that of the other galaxy. That way, it would be easier for you to travel back and forth.]

Zarek considered this for a moment before shaking his head. "But what's the point of going back, then? I could just conquer this galaxy instead."

[I'm sure your family would miss you. Don't you want to see them again?]

Zarek let out a sigh. "Most of them probably want me dead anyway. Succession and all that."

[Unfortunately, that comes with the territory of ruling a galaxy. But perhaps you could consider retiring as Emperor and entrusting it to your children instead?]

Zarek let out a wry chuckle. "You mean ruling two galaxies?"

[Perhaps.]

"I guess it could be fun..."

 

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