Epilogue

New Lunar Queen Crowned! September 17, 126 T.E.

At the Lunar capital of Artemisia yesterday, 3:00pm Greenwich Standard Time, Queen Selene was officially crowned as Queen of Luna. In a ceremony attended by the sovereign rulers of the Earth Union and the Grand Doge of the Belt Confederacy, Queen Selene's coronation deviated greatly from the established Lunar tradition. First was the afore mentioned attendance by foreign dignitaries, second was the participation by said dignitaries in the ceremony. In similar fashion to Earthen coronations, each dignitary contributed a article of Queen Selene's royal outfit as the ceremony progressed.

First came Queen Camilla with the slippers, covered in the staple lunar diamond, representing Queen Selene's restoration to the line of Lunar royalty.

Second came Prime Minster Kamin placing the mantle, embroidered with a history of all the actions of former lunar monarchs in lunar runic, representing the burden of the past.

Third came President Vargas shackling the Armills Bracelets to the queen's wrists, representing wisdom and sincerity, the bond which unites the queen and her subjects.

Fourth came Prime Minister Bromstad placing the Scepter and Orb into Queen Selene's hands, representation of the sphere of influence and executive power, in other words the queen's dominion of Luna and protectorate over it.

Fifth came Governor-General Williams crowning the new queen with the Lunar Diadem, legitimizing her reign.

Last came Emperor Kaito with an iridium mask, inscribed in lunar runic with virtues of the ideal legacy for which Selene will strive for as queen throughout her future reign.

After the fitting of the new royal regalia, Queen Selene gave a speech and signed the Treaty of Bremen officially bringing Luna into the Earthen Union. In her speech, the queen reflected on the crimes of her predecessors and her intention to set a new course for her family.

"Like many new monarchs I intend to bring something new to my kingdom. Something sorely lacking from my family's lineage since the beginning, I intend to bring genuine morality and fellowship with our Earthen neighbors. There will be true peace in our time." The discourse was received by thunderous applause...

Wedding of the Millennium! March 8, 129 T.E.

"Modern Fairytale!" Was how Governor-General Williams described the affair. His sentiments were confirmed by billions of followers on the net as they commented on the wedding.

Following a private ceremony, attended only by the bride and groom's close family and friends, the couple were officially married in a large public ceremony in the New Beijing Palace Grand Hall. The turnout for the invited guests numbered over five hundred dignitaries from Earth, Luna, and the Belt. The reception attendance numbered nearly two-hundred thousand as the whole city came to congratulate the happy couple. An even bigger reception is planned in Artemisia in two days followed by a two week honeymoon. Rumor of an extended holiday through the Belt was denied by both the Eastern Commonwealth and Luna public relation officers, due to the length such a trip would require.

Other than the usual heads of state noted scions of the rival belter main families such as Don Marki Meti of Juno, Dona Zebora Hatte of Ceres, Don Woo-jin Gae of Pallas, Don Ali Seif of Hebe, Dona Querida Altos de Montes of Astraea, among others also came to the celebrations. Much speculation has been circulating about their purpose for traveling so far and some rumors indicate that they were not at the party to wish the bride and groom well...

Former Grand Doge Passes January 9, 139 T.E.

At age 81 the former Grand Doge of the Belt Confederacy of Independent Asteroid States passed away quietly in his sleep due to complications of an undisclosed chronic illness in the Imperial Palace medical ward surrounded by his family at 8:37 pm Greenwich Standard Time. The death was not unexpected as the former Grand Doge resigned two years ago due to failing health, passing the throne on to long time associate Don Makiki Daku with the approval of the Grand Assembly.

A National day of mourning has been declared in the Belt, Luna, and the Eastern Commonwealth as the city of New Beijing turned out to honor the former head of the Belt Confederacy and Father of their empress. Similar mourning is likely to occur in the rest of the Earthen Union and on Mars. The Grand Doge's sarcophagus was escorted by his daughter and son-in-law with their personal legions of royal guards, in a procession numbering some ten thousand soldiers and stretching a mile, to the spaceport where the body was loaded onto a ship bound to parts unknown. Any questions about where the final resting place of the esteemed leader has only been answered as thus follows "He will rest with his wife."

He is survived by his daughter Queen Selene of Luna, son-in-law Emperor Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth, and their three children, Princess An, Prince Rikan, and Prince Vastion. An image was taken of the youngest prince saluting his namesake as the former Grand Doge's sarcophagus was carried out of the viewing hall...

Belt War! April 21, 139 T.E.

At 4:50 am Greenwich Standard Time yesterday, a Junoese cruiser squadron opened fire on a Vestal fortification and two Ceresian transports in the opening shots of what is now confirmed to be the start of a civil war in the Belt Confederacy. The transports were destroyed and the fortress badly damaged and captured in six hours of heavy fighting before the base commander surrendered unconditionally.

The outbreak of hostilities was first predicted by Queen Selene following the assassination of the heads of the main belter families and Grand Doge Daku at the bombing of Eros conference. As she said each family scion would claimed that the others did their leaders in and with the patriotic support of their home asteroids the young scions seized power and began to posture for war. With the failure of the second round of the Artemisia Peace Talks and the pre-emptive strike by Juno's Doge Marki Meti all the asteroids are cementing their alliances and the outlook appears to be a 4-way war to secure rights to the colonization of the outer solar system...

Peace Accord Signed June 2, 144 T.E.

Peace signs bloomed throughout the belt as Doges of the former states of the Belt Confederacy signed the Treaty of Luna, reestablishing the defunct Confederacy. In a war that has been the devastation of the main belt and cost the lives of nearly a third of a million people, Queen Selene and her husband Emperor Kaito have been seen as the voice of reason. Their position as the head of the Netherone family and the wealth it controls managed to pull Vesta out of the fighting early on, leaving it the least affected of all the factions.

Using their influence in the Vestal government to broker the peace deal between the warring factions, Queen Selene and Emperor Kaito have been declared as the realized successors to Grand Doge Vastion's legacy as the great peacemaker. Further talks on the administration of the outer colonies are forth coming...

Emperor and Queen Abdicate August 2, 166 T.E.

After nearly forty years of rule both the Emperor Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth and his wife, the Queen Selene of Luna, have declared their intention to abdicate their thrones in favor of their elder children.

Princess An is scheduled to assume the throne as Empress of the Eastern Commonwealth at the end of the month. Her younger brother, Prince Rikan is scheduled to assume the throne of Luna as king two weeks later.

When asked why, their combined official statement said "Their children are now prepared to assume the responsibilities for which they have been groomed." When asked what they planned to do in their 'retirement' the official statement declared their intention to "take a long delayed tour of the Belt and Outer systems with their youngest son, Prince Vastion."

There has been some speculation about a secret project that the adventurous prince has been involved in around Jupiter during his five year absence from Earth. Such rumors have been stoked due to the prince's refusal to run for office as Doge despite being named as the heir to the Netherone family's estate and great public support. His claim that he favors potentially far more exotic politics on the outskirts of civilization have many believing that he has made contact with aliens while exploring outer solar system. Experts however state that such talk was merely jests from the prince's quirky sense of humor...