(no subject)
Jun. 14th, 2006 07:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gabriel_tamHe wakes abruptly in the dark hours before dawn. Gabriel rolls to his back and stares silently at the ceiling, examining the textured pattern in the plasterwork. He finds no answers written there, but then he hadn't really expected to.
Eventually, Gabriel leaves Regan asleep in their bed and goes out to the living room, where he stands at the picture window of their new Londinium apartment. The view looks out over the city toward the government complex with the brilliantly lit Parliament building at its heart. Off to his right, an amber-bronze stepped spire gleams as though heralding the dawn. He has to fight back a sudden twinge of homesickness at the sight of the shape of the Tallis building, whose signature construction is duplicated on Osiris, Lavinia, and Sihnon as well as here.
This is home now, however, or it will be. It has to be now, even though it's not the familiar quiet comfort of the Tam estate-- Parliament is practically synonymous with Londinium. Even children know that, from Core to Rim. Primary school lessons include it as part of the basic curriculum, in history and civics both-- along with other things, as he recalls.
"The Central Planets formed the Alliance to guide and protect its citizens, bringing enlightment and civilization to all the worlds."
Not without a struggle, as it turned out. First came the War for Unification, later came the Miranda Plan, each with its lingering bloody legacy. In the silence, a familiar, agonized voice echoes in his mind as it had once echoed on a Cortex terminal in his office, months ago. "We meant it for the best. To make people safer."
"'Try again,'" Gabriel mutters absently to himself, watching shuttles fly back and forth.
"Our Parliament is a bicameral legislature made up of members elected to the House and the Senate, headed by an executive council composed of the Senators from the Central Planets."
The Council of Seven. One senator each from Ariel and Bernadette; two from Sihnon, the second world terraformed and colonized after the exodus; and two from Londinium, the first world settled and the heart of the Alliance and of its government.
And one senator from Osiris. Gabriel Tam.
Today he will assume his office, and with that office he will swear an oath.
"Together, they manage our government for the comfort and benefit of all its people."
Maybe more than one oath.
The swearing-in process is actually a simple one, and for Gabriel it takes place not with the rest of those being sworn to the House and Senate in the great hall of Parliament itself, but in a different room. The tradition is that the Westminster Chamber, named after a piece of ancient history on Earth-that-Was, not only serves as the site for the Council's deliberations but also for the swearing-in of each of its members.
There's plenty of room in the gallery, however, to seat the guests of status high enough that they are privileged to attend, as well as on the floor for the media to observe and record. Regan Tam and Andronicus Crowley have seats in the center of the gallery's first row, where they can easily see and be seen. Other seats are occupied by businessmen and lawyers, doctors and guildmembers and Councillors-- including, of course, Senator Fred Atwood. The quiet murmur of conversation fills the room with a low hum. Even the side gossip is dutifully recorded by eager reporters in search of something new for their stories about the dark-horse candidate who has somehow rocketed to one of the highest elected offices in all of the settled worlds.
A hush falls over the room as the judge walks into the chamber and moves to his place at its center, where he signals for the ceremony to begin. The sound of the ceremonial knock on the great wooden door echoes through the room, and the formal challenge issued by the Sergeant-at-Arms is clearly heard, as is the requisite answer.
Gabriel Tam strides into the chamber and down the center aisle to its heart, where he stands facing the judge. The tap-click-tap of the reporters' notetaking is the only sound, at first, as they note that Tam looks determined and confident, at ease with his surroundings. An observant few look up to the gallery, finding that Crowley seems relaxed, and Regan is sitting tall in her chair, with a small smile and the dignified demeanor of a queen.
The judge begins the recitations with, "For what purpose have you come here today?"
"I have come to assume my office and with it to enter the service of the Alliance and its people."
Both questions and responses are according to rote and long tradition; there are no surprises expected here.
"Do you aver that you accept this responsibility freely and of your own will?"
"I do so aver and affirm."
"Are there any present who know of any reason, legal or ethical, that would bar Mr. Tam from his service?"
Regan's knuckles are white where her hands are clasped tightly in her lap. Crowley doesn't move, and the sudden flicker of his eyelids is hidden by his sunglasses. The media are not the only ones holding their breath, it seems, but not a single voice is heard to speak.
"Having heard no objection, Mr. Tam, I call upon you to swear your oath."
Gabriel places his right hand on the book that the judge offers him, which contains some of the legal system's most ancient foundations and is as traditional as the verbal responses. Some few newsfeeds that night will note that his left hand rises to cover his heart, and will speculate as to the meaning -- eventually settling on the gesture as a quaint personal expression, perhaps something incorporated from an old family tradition.
They will be more right than they know. Under his left hand, over his heart, Gabriel can feel the presence of the datapad with its hidden weight of encrypted knowledge-- and with the pictures of his children.
His voice is strong and clear and carries through the chamber easily.
"I, Gabriel Tam, do hereby swear to be faithful to the Alliance, its laws, and its people, and do solemnly promise to perform my duties as a member of Parliament, its Senate and its Council, to the best of my ability."
Before Senator Tam turns to leave the chamber in accordance with tradition, he glances up to the gallery. His gaze meets Regan's, and for the first time this day, Gabriel smiles.
Eventually, Gabriel leaves Regan asleep in their bed and goes out to the living room, where he stands at the picture window of their new Londinium apartment. The view looks out over the city toward the government complex with the brilliantly lit Parliament building at its heart. Off to his right, an amber-bronze stepped spire gleams as though heralding the dawn. He has to fight back a sudden twinge of homesickness at the sight of the shape of the Tallis building, whose signature construction is duplicated on Osiris, Lavinia, and Sihnon as well as here.
This is home now, however, or it will be. It has to be now, even though it's not the familiar quiet comfort of the Tam estate-- Parliament is practically synonymous with Londinium. Even children know that, from Core to Rim. Primary school lessons include it as part of the basic curriculum, in history and civics both-- along with other things, as he recalls.
"The Central Planets formed the Alliance to guide and protect its citizens, bringing enlightment and civilization to all the worlds."
Not without a struggle, as it turned out. First came the War for Unification, later came the Miranda Plan, each with its lingering bloody legacy. In the silence, a familiar, agonized voice echoes in his mind as it had once echoed on a Cortex terminal in his office, months ago. "We meant it for the best. To make people safer."
"'Try again,'" Gabriel mutters absently to himself, watching shuttles fly back and forth.
"Our Parliament is a bicameral legislature made up of members elected to the House and the Senate, headed by an executive council composed of the Senators from the Central Planets."
The Council of Seven. One senator each from Ariel and Bernadette; two from Sihnon, the second world terraformed and colonized after the exodus; and two from Londinium, the first world settled and the heart of the Alliance and of its government.
And one senator from Osiris. Gabriel Tam.
Today he will assume his office, and with that office he will swear an oath.
"Together, they manage our government for the comfort and benefit of all its people."
Maybe more than one oath.
The swearing-in process is actually a simple one, and for Gabriel it takes place not with the rest of those being sworn to the House and Senate in the great hall of Parliament itself, but in a different room. The tradition is that the Westminster Chamber, named after a piece of ancient history on Earth-that-Was, not only serves as the site for the Council's deliberations but also for the swearing-in of each of its members.
There's plenty of room in the gallery, however, to seat the guests of status high enough that they are privileged to attend, as well as on the floor for the media to observe and record. Regan Tam and Andronicus Crowley have seats in the center of the gallery's first row, where they can easily see and be seen. Other seats are occupied by businessmen and lawyers, doctors and guildmembers and Councillors-- including, of course, Senator Fred Atwood. The quiet murmur of conversation fills the room with a low hum. Even the side gossip is dutifully recorded by eager reporters in search of something new for their stories about the dark-horse candidate who has somehow rocketed to one of the highest elected offices in all of the settled worlds.
A hush falls over the room as the judge walks into the chamber and moves to his place at its center, where he signals for the ceremony to begin. The sound of the ceremonial knock on the great wooden door echoes through the room, and the formal challenge issued by the Sergeant-at-Arms is clearly heard, as is the requisite answer.
Gabriel Tam strides into the chamber and down the center aisle to its heart, where he stands facing the judge. The tap-click-tap of the reporters' notetaking is the only sound, at first, as they note that Tam looks determined and confident, at ease with his surroundings. An observant few look up to the gallery, finding that Crowley seems relaxed, and Regan is sitting tall in her chair, with a small smile and the dignified demeanor of a queen.
The judge begins the recitations with, "For what purpose have you come here today?"
"I have come to assume my office and with it to enter the service of the Alliance and its people."
Both questions and responses are according to rote and long tradition; there are no surprises expected here.
"Do you aver that you accept this responsibility freely and of your own will?"
"I do so aver and affirm."
"Are there any present who know of any reason, legal or ethical, that would bar Mr. Tam from his service?"
Regan's knuckles are white where her hands are clasped tightly in her lap. Crowley doesn't move, and the sudden flicker of his eyelids is hidden by his sunglasses. The media are not the only ones holding their breath, it seems, but not a single voice is heard to speak.
"Having heard no objection, Mr. Tam, I call upon you to swear your oath."
Gabriel places his right hand on the book that the judge offers him, which contains some of the legal system's most ancient foundations and is as traditional as the verbal responses. Some few newsfeeds that night will note that his left hand rises to cover his heart, and will speculate as to the meaning -- eventually settling on the gesture as a quaint personal expression, perhaps something incorporated from an old family tradition.
They will be more right than they know. Under his left hand, over his heart, Gabriel can feel the presence of the datapad with its hidden weight of encrypted knowledge-- and with the pictures of his children.
His voice is strong and clear and carries through the chamber easily.
"I, Gabriel Tam, do hereby swear to be faithful to the Alliance, its laws, and its people, and do solemnly promise to perform my duties as a member of Parliament, its Senate and its Council, to the best of my ability."
Before Senator Tam turns to leave the chamber in accordance with tradition, he glances up to the gallery. His gaze meets Regan's, and for the first time this day, Gabriel smiles.
