"You have a point, Mayor. Or is it Negotiator? Maybe I should call you Governor Elect instead? What is your highest official position?" Nico asked.
"Negotiator on behalf of the Governor's Office is my highest position and one of the highest on the planet before the invasion. I was in charge of getting all the Mayors and regional leaders on board with the plans that the Planetary Governor's Office made since the lower-ranked members didn't have clearance to even know who the members of the Cabinet were." Ponce explained.
"Interesting. I won't interfere so that nobody thinks that there is an Alien army forcing you to do their bidding or take over the planet. In fact, I will bring out a drone so I can record the footage of the meeting in case you need to broadcast it. But first, we need to make a proper impression." Nico agreed.
She ordered the printer in Shattered Pride to make a tiara of gold and precious gems, along with a fur-trimmed cloak to go over the Governess's military outfit and had a Camera Drone bring the lot of it over, struggling with the weight and its own tiny size.
The small camera drone from Shattered Pride was a disc barely larger than her palm, which flew straight to the Governess, who recovered the items that had been draped over the top of it before the Drone moved to hover above and behind Nico's head so that she would be at the bottom of the feed the entire time and not out of view.
The fewer questions that could be asked about the situation, the better, and Nico began her performance as soon as the drone was in place and the very regal-looking outfit was on the Governess.
"As I was saying, these foods and beverages are all made by the Replicators that Terminus Trading Company is offering you at a discount as new members of the trade group, so please, do enjoy," Nico announced, looking up at the camera above her head.
"Of course. It would be my pleasure." The Negotiator chuckled, plating up a lunch for the second time in an hour and placing it in front of the new Governess before picking another set for himself.
She looked at the food selections dubiously, so Nico explained. "At the top is a shepherd's pie serving, next to a portion of Spiced Mutton Stew, a vegetable medley, and a buttermilk biscuit. On the side are a bowl of Tomato Cream soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, a favorite of the members of the Terminus Trading Company.
The beverages are Reaver Rum, which I will warn you is a rather potent alcohol, and Mango juice, which your Fiance, the Lead Negotiator, has chosen himself for you to enjoy."
The new Governess fell quickly into the role, having been raised in an environment of complete noble decorum before taking an internship as a Communications officer so that her senior family members didn't have to speak to a commoner every time they contacted the outside world.
She ate politely and quietly while Nico picked out a selection of desserts and placed them on the table, choosing some for herself and then looking out the flaps of the pavilion.
"That should be your guards escorting the other guests in. Should I ask them to wait until you are finished, Governess?" Nico asked.
"No, it wouldn't do to keep them waiting in this situation. Guards, please allow the guests to enter." She replied, sitting primly with her hands folded in her lap while a half dozen military officers entered the room and began to look around in confusion.
There was obviously a very bloody battle outside, but the pavilion wasn't damaged, and the floor was covered in a pristine rug of extreme quality and a design that they had never seen before. On top of that, they had received a briefing on what the Trading Company was offering, so they were curious about the devices sitting along one wall and the array of food on the table.
"If we may, I will make another table for our guests, and we can begin the meeting." The Negotiator asked the young Governess, who nodded politely and gestured for a guard to move to the Materials Printer.
The man looked shocked when a Table and bench seats suddenly appeared, not realizing that the printer was actually using the bodies stacked on the other side of the tent wall as materials, but he set it up right away and had the guests take a seat facing the Governess.
Nico nodded to the Replicator, and the guard stood by to collect a platter of snacks and drinks as they came out of the machine, impressing all the new guests with the technology and making for a great video feed for the population of the planet.
Fine food and beverages appearing out of nowhere at the touch of a button were always impressive the first time you saw the process.
"First, I will ask the obvious question. As the highest-ranked living member of the Planetary Governor's lineage and the bride of the Head Negotiator, who is also the Capital City's Mayor, do any of you have an objection to me taking over as Governess?" Lady De Leon asked politely as the officers stared at the food displayed in front of them.
"Are there really no older men left alive? How did that happen?" One of the soldiers asked.
"The Narsians located and bombed the Royal Command Bunker, unfortunately eliminating all of the direct descendants of the line. There are still some children left, who were hidden with their nannies in the city, but they are much further down the succession than Lady De Leon." The Negotiator informed them.
"Well, it was no real secret that she fancied you, so I have no objections to the Marriage, but do you have any direct link to the Governor's family, Negotiator Ponce?" Another officer asked.
"Only very distantly. Nine generations ago, my mother's side came from the youngest sister of the Elected Governor at that time." Negotiator Ponce replied.
"Well, at least you're still part of the lineage, so we don't have to amend any laws to allow the wedding since it would make you Governor Consort." The officer agreed.
This was sounding a lot like a King and Queen sort of thing more than a Governorship, but it wouldn't be the first planet they had encountered where the "Elected" leader must be chosen from a single family by the family members themselves. All she had to do now was wait and watch.
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