I frowned as I looked myself over in the mirror not recognizing the man I was looking at since I was out of uniform. For the past five years I had been a soldier. Now I was dressed in a suit befitting a lord of my station.

Having grown up on in my fair number foster homes and orphanages I would have called anyone who saw me becoming a lord a fool five years ago. I had left that life behind and joined the military. Not that their was much difference between dying on the streets or dying on the battlefield. I left basic training as head of my class as a squad leader. Became a sergeant after my first tour of duty by out living my commanding officers above me. I quickly got promoted into strategic operations as a junior officer after winning several battles against superior enemy numbers after which I was moved to strategic operations. Conducted several operations behind enemy lines the last of which was to save a prisoner who I didn't know at the time was the son of a duke who was betrothed to the imperial princess. The future emperor of the empire if he could stay alive long enough. I suppose I asked for this some might say.

The room shook as the ship descended through the atmosphere though it felt like minor turbulence from the drops I had been through. Military ships had to come in hot and fast. I turned as I heard the door chime.

“Come in.” I said and the door opened and Miranda Knight came in. We had both gone through boot camp together. Probably the only two left from our class though she was one of the few I had tried to track down after making officer. Miranda was a military brat so she pushed herself hard as she tried to live up to her family legacy. Me and her came from totally different worlds but we both had that drive to succeed.

“Where own approach to the city now My Lord.” She said standing at attention putting her hands behind her back.

“You don't have to call me My Lord.” I shook my head.

“But it is so much fun your lordship.” She smiled.

“Remind me why I picked you for this.” I said as I turned toward her.

“Because someone else might fuck it up.” She shrugged “You sure you don't want to wear your dress uniform.”

“I could but then the first thing the people will see is the military.” I shook my head.

“Right and we don't want that after what happened to the last lord.” She gave a smile. The last person to hold my new office had gotten himself killed by one of his own people though I am sure that there was a pretty long list of people who would have done it if given the chance. The planet government and economy had fallen into disarray under his leadership. A mess I now had to clean up. I still wasn't sure if this was a reward or a punishment for saving his son. “So what do we want the people to see.”

“The last lord cared only for himself. I will have to win the people over first and foremost. Thankfully the last lord did away with the lesser lords for me so they won't be a problem right away.”

“Think they will be later on?”

“It's a possibility. Some will try and curry favor that I can no doubt use to my favor but it will be a bit of a balancing act. Even with the intelligence we have I will have to think there are somethings I will not know about until they come up but I rather not be prepared for them when they do. The only people I know I can trust or on this ship.” I said walking over to the desk.

“We would all be dead several times over if not for you so we will follow you into hell itself if need be.” She smiled.

“Don't know if I am ready to rule hell quit yet. We might need more resources first.” I shook my head.

"Speaking of which. The telemetry from the missile you had us fire at the moon. Safe to say the missiles work as advertised on this ship of yours and the moon is still their and we just made a several thousand mile hole a few feet bigger. You do know they surveyed the moon already." She said handing me the data crystal.

"Yes I know." I nodded and put it in my pocket. We headed down to the hold as the ship landed. I knew the ship was probably the safest place on the planet so leaving it felt a bit ironic to me. In a drop you wanted to get as far as you could after a drop since the ship could come under attack pretty quickly after a landing. I found myself putting my hand on my hip out of habit.

The ship loading ramp dropped down as I saw a small crowd of people awaiting us. My hand picked unit flanking me as I stepped out. All men I had served with that had skills I would need.

“My lord.” A man said as he stepped forward.

“Welcome to Ilyian My Lord. I am...” The man began to speak before I cut him off.

“Captain Gideon, former commanding officer of the barons personal guard.”

“Former. My lord?”

“We both that the last lord died under your watch. Either you were incompetent and let your lord die under your watch or you assisted the man who killed them. Neither of which I can allow as the head of my personal security. Consider this a paid vacation until an investigation is completed.” I replied. Miranda stepped forward with her hand on her gun on her hip.

“Your weapon please.” She said holding out her hand with her other hand on her pistol. I glanced over at the guardsmen to see any would be dumb enough to make a move since they were outgunned by the men at my back who carried rifles and wore armor. Little more then glorified police force really. He reluctantly relinquished his gun. I had no reason to suspect him but I had to play it safe.

“This is Captain Winters.” I said as I stepped over toward his men. “She will be handling my security from now on as well as looking into the death of the previous lord. The guardsmen will report to her directly and assist her in any way she sees fit in her investigation. Until she has a chance to look into the matter at these men will handle my personal guard. You will be allowed to remain as the palace guard while the investigation is being conducted. You will. If any of you have a problem with that you can leave now without punishment though if you choose to stay you will receive an increase in pay.” I stated. None did though. I knew several had left after the death of the late lord. All of which would be prime suspects in the investigation. The pay hike to those who stayed would come out of the pay of those who had jumped ship.

“Sir.” One said and snapped to attention then the others followed suit. Sloppily but I was sure Miranda could whip them into shape.

“Steward Evergreen.” I turned toward the steward. He had served under the last three lords until being fired by the last one for trying to be the voice of reason. The last one would have lived longer if he hadn't fired the steward and listened to the advice of the man.

“Yes my lord. And these are your servants. This is...” He started turning to a woman who stood at the side with the house staff.

“Lady Cassandra. Head of the house staff.” I smiled.

“A pleasure my lord.” She bowed followed by the staff.

“And this is your house staff.” Evergreen said.

“A little light from what I expected.” I frowned.

“My previous lordship had many financial problems of late.” Cassandra replied.

“Meaning he spent his family fortune and with the worker uprising he reduced the household to save cost instead of dealing with the problem.” I frowned. “Are there any orphanage in the city.”

“Of course my lord. Several.” She nodded.

“I would like you to visit them for me. Offer an invitation to any teenagers. Those who would like a warm bed, a full belly, and some coin in their pocket for a little hard work are will be welcomed here. The girls will report to you personally while the boys will report to Captain Winters.”

“As you wish my lord.” Cassandra bowed again.

“Now onto business. The miners guild.” I turned to the Steward. “Bring the guild members to the the conference room. No shackles.”

“Surely my lord would like something to eat and a good nights sleep after such a long journey.” The old man replied.

“I was put here to do a job.” I shook my head. “I wasn't born a lord and have no plans of acting like one. We have a lot of work to do before any of us can rest comfortably without worrying about ending up like my predecessor.”

“Very well my lord.” He nodded and headed off with a few guardsmen. I headed for the conference the conference room followed by Miranda who went about sweeping for bugs though she didn't find any. I took a seat at the center table with Miranda beside me while the other officers took seats around the table in no particular order. The table was round but had an opening at the end with the door. I was sure the previous lord did business in the comfort of his throne room but that didn't have the power of a dozen people looking at you.

“The prisoners as requested my lord.” The steward said leading them into the room.

“You all are charged with the murder of the previous baron. You may or may not have played a part in his death. Until that is determined you will all be allowed to leave on the condition that the strike ends.” I said. They all seemed stunned then one of them spoke up.

“And then what my lord.” A woman who looked a little ruff around the edges stepped forward but still beautiful. But I was sure a few days in a prison cell wouldn't do much for any ones appearance.

“Sarah.” One of the men spoke up and tried to grab her arm but she jerked it away.

“Let her speak.” I said as I put my hand up and shook my head.

“She doesn't speak for the mining guild.” Another man said.

“She is my daughter my lord.” The man who tried to stop her added.

“But she works in the mines?” I looked back at him.

“Yes my lord.” He nodded.

“Then she has as much right to speak on this matter as the guild leadership does. Carry on.”

“We get no overtime, no raise in pay and yet the military demands more and more every month for the same amount of pay. They take any young men of fighting age leaving us with people who are sick and old who waist away in the mines for some war we are not a part of.” She said stepping into the middle circle.

“Fair enough. I will reduce the quota and offer the guild a deal. Any ore mined over the quota shall go directly toward the guild to spend as the guild sees fit including the option to buy some of the mines.”

“Are you serious My lord.” One of the men finally said growing some balls.

“I was sent here to make sure the military gets the metal needed to build ships to win the war. As long as the ore flows I could care less who runs the mines. The miners guild will handle all internal matters as they see fit unless I say otherwise or it affects business. The young lady here will act as a liaison between the guild and myself since she is clearly one to speak her mind. I will also put an immediate hold on the drafting of any young men who decide to work in the mines since they will be assisting indirectly to the war effort.”

“Thank you my lord.” One of them said.

“This is me offering my hand in friendship so do not mistake my generosity as weakness.”

“Of course my lord.” The man who's daughter had spoken up nodded.

“What of my brother. He was the one who killed the previous baron.” The woman added. Guess that explained why she had been arrested as well.

“I cannot let him go. Murder is murder no mater who it is or how much that person might deserve it.” I shook my head. “However I can't kill him either. That would make him a symbol to those who despised the previous lord and would see me as the same. Taking a life is much easier then seeing the life of someone you care about snuffed out. I will reduce his sentence from life to twenty years with the option of enlisting voluntarily into military service for five years of service or however long his they military might need him. I will not ask him to name his conspirators as a condition but I if they turn themselves in they will get the same offer.”

“Thank you my lord.” Sarah spoke up and did a little bow and so did the other men.

“Now. You are free to leave. The mines will remain closed for the weekend. I expect everyone back at work at the start of the new week.”

“Yes my lord.” The father said and they made there exit.

“Very nicely handled my lord.” Steward Evergreen spoke up.

“We will see.” I shrugged. I was sure their would be holdouts or those who would want to lobby for better terms. “Any other pressing matters that demand attention?” I looked at the Steward and held out my hand toward an empty chair.

“There is your banquet scheduled for this weekend. An official meet and greet if you will my lord. I can cancel if you want.”

“No, may as well test out the waters. I would like to know as much as possible about the people in attendance before I meet them.” I nodded.

“Of course my lord.” He smiled.

“I take it a few of the former lords and ladies will be there to kiss my ring?”

“Or your ass.” Miranda smiled making the rest of the men laugh.

“Yes my lord. A little of both. Many I dare say wanted your position and might have killed the lord himself if given the chance to get it.” The Steward replied.

“What else. Only the most important stuff that demands an immediate military response.” I added.

“Civil unrest has been a bit of an issue though that most has passed with the death of the old lord. They didn't have anyone to blame after his death but things could escalate again.”

“Throw in a holiday. Couple of days off work to celebrate my arrival or something like that. Tax free weekend. I will leave the details to you as long as it doesn't involve me in a parade or waving from a balcony where I could get killed by a sniper. Give the people a little R&R.”

“As you wish. We have had a bit of a problem with smugglers as of late.” The steward added.

“To or from off world?” Miranda asked.

“Both I am afraid.” Evergreen replied.

“We have any in custody?” Miranda replied quickly

“Several. Sadly costumes cannot arrest them all.” The Steward shook his head.

“Thompson. Your the best liar I know.” I looked over at Thompson. He had first hand knowledge of how smugglers operated because he was one in the military. He was a necessary evil when we were deployed since he was that guy who could get things that the brass frowned upon as long as you didn't ask to many questions. That was part of the reason I had picked him since he worked well in what many called a gray area.“ Tell them some one made off with some radioactive material from one of the mines and then separate them. Since theft of radioactive material is punishable by death I am sure they will turn on each other to save there own asses in a day or two and it will give us justifiable cause to act should any leads warrant immediate action.”

“Yes my lord.” Thompson smiled.

“Also a few ships have been hijacked and looted by pirates on the edge of our space. They have kept their distance from what patrols we have...” Evergreen said.

“But the fleet has been guarding the ore shipments and little else.” I rubbed my temple. I was sure it take me a years to fix everything my predecessor had done.

“Yes my lord.”

“Don't suppose we can get them to take care of the smugglers for us.” I smiled.

“Afraid not my lord.” The Steward shook his head.

“Jenkins how would you like to be an admiral.” I glanced over. Jenkins grew up on ships and knew more about them then anyone I had ever meet. His parents moving from one to another as pilot and mechanic. His talents had been wasted after he was demoted and reassigned to the logistics division as a cargo pilot after sleeping with an admirals daughter. Strangely he still talked to the girl that had brought him so much grief.

“I am not about to say no my lord.” He nodded.

“Your going to need an old ship and a few men to do a little fishing. See if we can't expand our own fleet a little.” I smiled and he grinned giving me a nod. If I sent a military freighter the pirates would run for it and come back once the ship was gone. I cargo freighter however would make nice bait. The second the airlock door opened a handful of pirates wouldn't last long against a detachment of marines. Once one or two ships took the bait the rest of the pirates in the system would move on if they knew any ship they came across could be a trap.

“As you wish my Lord.” Jenkings nodded. We went through a few more minor issues as I handed out responsibilities as I saw fit. I knew I would have to find more permanent people for the positions. These where soldiers and could carry out the task I needed done but I would need people that understood economics, trade, infrastructure, and on and on.

“Anyt other pressing concerns.”

“Not at this time my lord. Though there are a few personal matters I would like to discus with you privately at your leisure.”

“Well that's a wrap people.” I smiled and stood up and everyone else did. Everyone left the room and went out into the hall.

“I would love a tour of the grounds while we talk.” I said looking at the Steward. He lead me out and down into the garden that sat in the courtyard.

“Are you sure you want to hand over control of the mines to the guild.”

“It won't happen overnight just because I will it. If they do succeed and manage to make the quota I will be seen as the man who lead them to independence. If they fail I will be the man who swoops in to save the guild from collapse at which point they will gladly accept me with open arms.”

“So win win no matter what you do?”

“Exactly. I will relinquish control of a smaller mine first.” I grinned. Truthfully I had my eye on something a little bigger then a few small mines scattered across the planet when their was a whole solar system. Sadly it took resources to mine off world. First and fore most was ships. All off world mining operations where currently conducted by freelancers who had no connection to the guild.

“So onto personal business.” I smiled stopping to smell a flower that was in bloom. Eighty percent of the planet was barren waist land with a breathable oxygen environment only possible through atmospheric processors for less then a century now so this garden was in stark contrast to the walls outside the city. The only reason humans even bothered with this planet on the edge of civilized space was the vast mineral deposits of minerals that lied under the planets surface.

“You have received quit a few gifts before your arrival. People trying to curry favor no doubt.”

“Have Miranda make sure nothing is poisonous or explosive.” I nodded.

“Yes my lord. Though one I am afraid is probably the most dangerous of all. A gift from the merchants guild who profited greatly under the previous administration and would like to continue doing so.” Calling them a guild or even merchants was a joke. They only cared about their own profit and only worked as middle men carrying cargo from point a to b for whatever price they saw fit with the war. “I have seen to it that this gift has been given a room until you decided what to do with her.”

“Ah, one of those. An indentured servant?” More like slave. Indentured servants were people who had no means of paying a debt that they owed and would eventually sell themselves and spend the rest of their lives doing what ever their master pleased.

“Yes my lord. A courtesan though I think the term spy might be more fitting.” The Steward replied. I could already tell I was going to like him. The old bastard knew how the game was played.

“Makes sense. I haven't been here long enough to have them send as assassin yet.” I smiled. They were the only ones I knew that didn't have a reason to kill the previous lord.

“They made regular gifts to your predecessor in the past whenever he got bored of the last one. I can send her back if you like.”

What Skin Tone Should Alien or Fantasy Female Have?