Deep Space New World - 5. DSNW Chapter 5

“That is good to hear Maenyl, now you are probably wondering why Mrs Otterman, Isaac’s mother is here today, and we will get into details later, but she has duties in the Palace now, which includes being my assistant with Royal duties, but we will get into details of that later, for now we have a meeting with the High Council to attend first,” my Uncle informed me.

I was surprised when entering the main conference chamber, where most video meetings with the High Council are held, to see that a third of the High Council members were here on Ganymede, as we took our usual seats, with Mrs Otterman and Isaac, seated away from the main table watching the proceedings.

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the High Council, thank you for your time today, I thought it important, that I meet with you a little closer to home and well away from any main activity closer to Earth. As you know there has been some conflict happening on and off for the past four or so years, with the demand for access to the Lunar base on the Moon and also our base on Mars and the Scorpion Space Station, that orbits the planet,” I began.

What was meant to be only three or four days of meetings with my Uncle and the High Council, ended up being a whole seven days, and by the end of it I was tired and ready to head back home to Earth. But as the meetings with the High Council came to an end, I was asked to meet with my Uncle the following day in his office.

This worried me, as it only meant that there was about to be some changes, and in a big way. The following day, I exited my Uncle’s main office in shock, as he had announced to me that he was seeing someone, and that they are very happy together. Her name was Saryne, and she is the older daughter of one of the High Council Members, and they would be announcing their engagement very soon.

The second thing that my Uncle informed me, was that after they are married and if Saryne becomes pregnant and bares a healthy child, then I would no longer be the Crown Prince, but I would take over my mother’s former job as the Regent until that child reaches the Age of Maturity. As well as this change, I would also become the URP Chancellor, as my Uncle and the rest of the High Council Members present, would be returning to the home world, and they felt that I was now ready to take on this higher responsibility.

My uncle informed me that my family was also in the process of packing and returning to Mars, were a new residence at Deimos Colony has been built, and we would be permanently based there, as my Uncle and the High Council, felt that until the new Lunar bases are completed, the family should remain off world for now.

I had not been to the new Colony on Deimos yet, so I was not sure what to expect when we arrived there three days after leaving Ganymede, but before arriving there, we had to stop off at the Mars Space Port, which was the only place to arrive and leave from on Mars.

While the capital of Ganymede is located near the centre of the planet, as is the European Space Agency Lunar Base and Space Port in the centre of the Moon, it is slightly different on Mars, with the Space Research and Training Academy located at Madler, just a 360 kilometres south east of the centre, while the Deimos colony is located 1160 kilometres north east at Janssen.

Once all the official stuff was out of the way, we boarded a smaller shuttle and less than twenty minutes later, we arrived at our destination, What I wasn’t expecting to see was a very large city, that must be at least three kilometres in diameter, with a number of high buildings on the outer side, and in the centre was a very impressive grand building, which I presumed to be the main administration centre.

An official welcome party was at the Space Terminal when we arrived, and I was greeted by the Colony Administrator, who was an old family friend, Austin F Traer, only son of Frank Traer, who was an original Star Voyager Crew member.

“My Lord, it has been a long time, and it is good to see you again,” Austin said to me as he bowed, “Thankyou Austin, yes it has been too long, how are your parents? Both well I hope?” I replied, “Yes My Lord, both are enjoying retirement, they are actually here on Deimos, so I see them regularly,” Austin replied. “So, you are the Administrator here?” I asked, still uncertain if he was or just part of the welcome committee.

“Yes, My Lord, due to a high recommendation from my father and your father too, I have been doing a few various jobs before that, after graduating top of my class at the SRTA, and I excelled in administrative work, but only just averaged as a pilot,” Austin replied.

“Well, it is good to have a familiar face to see each day, I look forward to working with you on a regular basis. How about you show me around this wonderful city, which I was not expecting to be so large,” I suggested, “As you wish My Lord,” Austin responded, “Austin, when it is just you and me, and maybe ok when my minder Isaac is around, I would prefer that we are a lot less formal please, so just first names will be fine,” I said.

“As you wish My… Sir,” Austin replied, “Well, I guess I can put up with that for a while, until you get used to been around me,” I said to my old friend, and he just smiled and nodded his head. After a few hours of touring around the rather busy city, which I was informed has a current population of 12,000 people, with one quarter of them being from Earth and rest are Sahndrolian, or a bit of both as is Isaac, Austin and myself too.

The middle-sized buildings that are located around the outskirts of the main central building, are the accommodation for most of the staff that work for the Administration of the City or for the Chancellor, with each upper level of each building containing just four suites, consisting of four bedrooms and a staff bedroom, while the lower three levels contain all of the recreation and dining facilities in each building.

The much taller buildings on the outer rim of the city accommodate all of the essential workers who help to keep the city operational, and in from the outer rim of buildings, are the main services buildings, containing the two medical facilities for everything to do with medical, dentistry, optical and physical, plus all the education centres, from Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary and all the way up to Tertiary Education.

There are plenty of outdoor parklands, with plenty of trees, shrubs, grass lawns, foot paths, and water ponds and water features, for people to relax and enjoy the peaceful scenery, and located in the centre of one of the parks, is a rather odd-looking building, that looks like a giant piece of artwork, but I was surprised to learn that the eight-level tower, was actually the Chancellor Palace, my new home.

As Austin showed me around the inside, and introduced me to the palace staff, of which there were a few, I learnt that most of the ground level was formal social space, with an entry foyer and office, giant ballroom, a formal dining room, a number of formal lounge room, a library and meeting rooms.

The first floor consists of the kitchens, store rooms, two dining rooms, one formal the other one for small family meals, and the second floor consists of recreation space, with a gymnasium, a half basketball court, a multi-use recreation room and a billiards room.

The next level consists of four large guest suites, each with their own private lounge and bathroom plus two central lounge rooms. The fourth floor contains two family suites, with two bedrooms with their own bathrooms, with only one lounge room, plus a small library and a study.

The fifth floor is one big open space, with semi-outdoor space on the outside, with plenty of potted plants, water features, seating and tables, while in the centre there is two bathrooms, a store room and a kitchen area for social picnics. This level also has a wonderful view of the parklands surrounding the building, as do all the bedrooms on levels from the third floor upwards.

The sixth floor has the two Grand Suites, each one has a very large bedroom, bathroom and private lounge room, a larger main lounge room, study and an entry foyer. Leading of the entry foyer is a small passage that leads to a Butlers Kitchen and Pantry plus two a staff bedroom and lounge.

Although this is only the seventh level, it is the top level of the building, as there is a lower ground level, that has a number of storage space, plus accommodation for a number of permanent house staff, with small courtyards allowing natural light into those living spaces.

Austin informed me that my parents and brother would be arriving in two days’ time, and that they were looking forwards to their new home here in the tower. When I asked about the accommodation for my minder – Isaac, Austin said that the staff quarters leading off the entry foyer on the top level is designed especially for one personal staff member, which I was pleased to hear.

After the tour, Austin said he had other work to do, and excused himself, leaving me in the entry foyer on the ground floor. “Can I help you with anything My Lord?” a voice said interrupting my thoughts.

“What? Oh, yes, can you please direct my personal guard and assistant to the top floor, to his living quarters please,” I asked, as I looked over to the young man who looked like he was still a teenager, then suddenly something looked familiar about him.