The Saga of Seven Suns: Veiled Alliances (24 page)

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. . . FOR THE GOOD OF THE HANSA.

PANEL 2

Large, loud bells clanging.

PANEL 3

Malcolm talks to OX.

2. MALCOLM

OX, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO. WE HAVE MANY PREPARATIONS TO MAKE.

3. OX

YES, CHAIRMAN STANNIS.

PANEL 4

Close-up of flowers drifting on the waters of the Royal Canal.

PANEL 5

The Whisper Palace draped in black crepe, banners flying at half mast.

PANEL 6

Deep in the basement room, OX approaches an eager-looking boy prince.

4. OX

YOUNG GEORGE, IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO BECOME KING.

PAGE 89

Five panels

PANEL 1

Long panel. Thara Wen sits crouching on the left side of the panel, cradling the potted treeling. In the background to the right side of the panel we see a group of mourners standing in lines approaching the dead king lying in state. He is on an ornate platform; possibly encased in crystal like Lenin (or Snow White!).

1. THARA WEN

IT IS A SAD DAY. KING BEN DID GOOD THINGS FOR THEROC.

PANEL 2

Full shot of the king lying in state on his platform.

2. CAPTION

“FOR A POWERFUL LEADER OF SO MANY WORLDS, HE HAD A GENTLE HEART.”

PANEL 3

Thara in profile, looking thoughtful, considering everything that has changed. She stares down into the small tree, meditating.

3. THARA

IT WILL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE THIS NEWS CAN REACH THEROC, SO MANY LIGHT YEARS AWAY. . . .

4. THARA

A TRANSMISSION WOULD TAKE A DECADE TO ARRIVE.

5. THARA

EVEN WITH THE FAST ILDIRAN STARDRIVE, A SHIP TAKES MANY DAYS TO TRAVEL.

PANEL 4

Her green hand touches the lush leaves of the treeling.

6. CAPTION

“IF ONLY I COULD SOMEHOW COMMUNICATE WITH THE WORLDFOREST . . .

7. CAPTION

“ . . . TELL THE SENTIENT TREES WHAT HAS HAPPENED. . . . ”

PAGE 90

Eight panels

PANELS 1 and 2

Mirror images across the top. On the left, Thara touches her treeling, on the right, on bright sunlit Theroc in the jungles, a very surprised green priest touches a counterpart tree. In the middle of the panel, right at the boundary of the two frames, is a worldtree/treeling, perfectly symmetrical like a Rorschach inkblot, as if in two places at once.

1. THARA

KING BEN IS DEAD ON EARTH!

2. PRIEST

. . . BUT BEFORE HE DIED, HE GRANTED THEROC ITS INDEPENDENCE FOREVER!

PANEL 3

In the Whisper Palace, Thara, very excited at what has just happened.

3. THARA

IT’S AS IF THE TREE’S MIND IS IN BOTH PLACES AT ONCE, AND MY THOUGHTS . . .

PANEL 4

On sunlit Theroc, the thrilled green priest jabbers his experience to the Theron leader. (The colors of Theroc and the Whisper Palace are strikingly different palettes.)

4. PRIEST

I COULD HEAR THARA WEN DIRECTLY THROUGH THE WORLDTREE! HER MESSAGE CAME INSTANTLY TO ME.

PANEL 5

Thara, her eyes gleaming, thinks of the possibilities of what has just happened.

5. THARA

THE GULF OF SPACE NO LONGER HAS ANY MEANING!

PANELS 6 & 7

Another split, mirror panel, a rectangle made of two triangles. A tree grows up through the middle, shifting from Theroc on the bottom/right to Earth on the top/left. Top left shows Thara touching the tree, while bottom right shows the green priest (maybe several of them crowded around it) also touching the “same” tree.

6. THARA

THE TREES ACT AS MENTAL TELEGRAPH STATIONS . . .

7. PRIEST

. . . ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EVERYWHERE, INSTANTLY.

PANEL 8

Thara holding the treeling, thinking, in the left foreground. In the background, we see Malcolm Stannis standing in front of the king lying motionless.

8. MALCOLM

WE ARE HERE TO BID FAREWELL TO OUR BELOVED KING BEN. . . .

9. THARA

OH, HOW THE HANSA COULD USE SUCH AN ABILITY!

10. THARA

BUT DO I DARE TELL THEM? DO I DARE TRUST CHAIRMAN STANNIS?

PAGE 91

Three panels

PANEL 1

The gilded, fancy throne, starkly empty.

1. CAPTION

CORONATION DAY . . .

PANEL 2

Malcolm and OX talk business.

2. OX

THE CROWDS OUTSIDE ARE GROWING RESTLESS, CHAIRMAN STANNIS.

3. MALCOLM

NO GREAT CEREMONY EVER BEGINS ON TIME, OX.

PANEL 3

Seen from above, we look down on the Whisper Palace and the Palace District, boats and gondolas float down the Royal Canal, some going under the ornate bridge. An absolutely huge crowd has gathered, filling every open space in the courtyard and plaza.

4. CAPTION

“WE’VE PROMISED THEM A GRAND SHOW”

5. CAPTION

“AND THEY’LL CERTAINLY GET IT.”

PAGE 92

Six panels

PANEL 1

Several bustling mother-hen attendants dress a grinning boy king, draping cape and medallions on him.

1. CAPTION

“THE PRINCE IS ALMOST READY.”

PANEL 2

OX close-up.

2. OX

I HAVE GONE OVER THE SCRIPT WITH HIM QUITE CAREFULLY, CHAIRMAN STANNIS. . . .

PANEL 3

Close-up, in a flurry the mother-hen attendants busily apply makeup, lipstick, eyeliner, powder to the young king’s face.

3. CAPTION

“HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO.”

PANEL 4

The new king, dressed in so much gaudy finery he can barely walk, looks dazed and delighted as he steps through the grand arch (the futuristic equivalent of spotlights and camera flashes). The word balloon comes from somewhere out of the panel, a speaker in the crowd.

4. SPEAKER

ALL HAIL CROWN PRINCE GEORGE!

PANEL 5

The nearest audience members cheer, whistle, applaud.

5. CAPTION

“ . . . EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY.”

PANEL 6

Looking small, Prince George begins to walk along the very long red carpet, which looks like a winding gauntlet, surrounded by a packed audience.

6. CAPTION

“I BELIEVE YOU WILL BE QUITE PLEASED WITH MY STUDENT, MR. CHAIRMAN.”

7. CAPTION

“I’D BETTER BE.”

PAGE 93

Five panels

PANEL 1

From a sheltered, VIP observation alcove, Malcolm watches, looking smug and satisfied with the proceedings. OX is beside him.

1. MALCOLM

WE’VE WORKED ON EVERY WORD OF HIS SPEECH.

2. MALCOLM

THE VERY FUTURE OF THE HUMAN RACE RESTS ON HOW WE HANDLE THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

PANEL 2

The new king stands in front of the throne, looking out at his adoring subjects.

3. KING GEORGE

MY MISSION IS TO KEEP THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE STRONG AND PROFITABLE . . .

PANEL 3

Close-up of the young king.

4. KING GEORGE

. . . FOR THE GOOD OF ALL MANKIND, USING EVERY RESOURCE AVAILABLE.

PANEL 4

Inset, Close-up of Malcolm, looking sinister.

5. MALCOLM

YES, I THINK THIS NEW KING WILL HAVE A LONG AND SUCCESSFUL REIGN . . .

PANEL 5

Big panel as a religious leader places the formal crown on the young king who is now seated on the throne.

6. MALCOLM (OUT OF PANEL)

. . .
IF
HE CAN BEHAVE HIMSELF.

END