The room erupted in applause, as Peabody flushed, then smiled.
It took some time, and in the end, in order to expedite matters, the Imperial Guard offered their lie detector chair for Oath service as well. Once Ashton had a small but loyal set of investigators on staff, his little division began assisting the ICPD Investigations division in doing in-depth background checks on the various staffers.
The very last staffer to re-take the Oath was Winston Peabody. He was scheduled to take the Oath in the temporary Headquarters building late in the day, and he formally requested that Director Lee Carter and wife ICPD Colonel Maia Peterson, Investigations Lead Detective Dominick Ashton and wife ICPD Detective Callista Ames, and his own newly-minted bride, best-selling mystery author Emily Walton, be present for the swearing ceremony if at all possible. He also formally requested that Imperial Guard Captain David Mercer initiate the Oath, and Imperial Guard Lieutenant Peter Cox serve as technician on the lie detector chair, as they had been involved in his cooperative interrogation during what he thought of as ‘the Imperial Council Uprising.’
Unbeknownst to him, a certain newlywed couple in the Imperial Palace also watched the very brief ceremony via VR transmission.
His invited guests were already present in what was dubbed ‘the Oath Room’ – a temporary location for the new IPD lie detector chair, without the usual accoutrements of an interrogation room – when Peabody entered, formally escorted by Captain Mercer. Lieutenant Cox and IPD physician Dr. Alexander Martin sat at a table in the corner with the telemetry equipment. Peabody went straight to the chair and sat, straight and tall, his back pressed against the backrest, his forearms resting on the chair arms, and his calves pressed against the chair legs. He shot a glance at Emily and smiled; she returned it, proud tears in her eyes.
“Are you comfortable, Investigator Peabody?” Captain Mercer asked.
“Very comfortable, Captain, thank you,” Peabody replied with a nod.
“Lieutenant Cox, are you and Dr. Martin ready?” Mercer continued.
“Yes, sir,” came the response. Mercer stepped back to allow the guests to watch.
“You may begin when ready, Investigator Peabody,” he said then.
Peabody took a deep breath.
“I, Winston Lewis Peabody, do solemnly swear that I will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Throne of the people of Sintar.” He paused, then added his own, unofficial addendum, “To the end of my days.”
Mercer, who had started to step forward at the conclusion of the standard Oath, paused to allow the addendum, then moved to Peabody’s side once more.
“Lieutenant Cox? Dr. Martin?”
Both men, grinning, gave thumbs-up.
Amid applause from the guests, Mercer declared, “Welcome to the Imperial Police, Investigator Peabody.”
Given it was the end of shift, the entire group went out for drinks and dinner. They headed for the Laughing Cat Pub, sending invitations to The Team at ICPD and the rest of Ashton’s investigative division to join them in the ‘backmost back room’ for a celebration. The ICPD Team’s favorite waiter, George, cheerfully took good care of them, ensuring everyone was properly served, and giving the pub’s cook staff and management a heads-up on the private celebration occurring in the back. George also called Jeannie, one of the waitresses, to come help him serve the big gathering – by this time, Ashton had slowly brought investigators into his division, and the entire group of celebrants numbered twenty-two people.
Soon everyone was seated around a conglomeration of tables pushed together, with their preferred libations at hand and their dinner orders taken, even as Carter special-ordered several large platters of appetizers for the group.
Just then, Carter paused, holding up a hand to tell the others to wait. The group instantly silenced.
“What’s up, hon?” Peterson asked.
“I just got a very special message,” he said. “Gimme a minute, here.”
He opened the missive, which had arrived under Imperial header, and read it in the lower half of his vision, then began to grin.
“Nick, I think one of our ongoing discussions just got decided for us,” he said.
“Oh? What’s that?” Ashton responded.
“Well, let me read this message to all of you, and I think you’ll see.”
And he began to read aloud.
Director Carter,
I would like you to make the Oath of the IPD while the candidate is seated upon the lie detector chair an integral, ceremonial part of the hiring of any Imperial Police officer, now and in perpetuity. The candidate may invite guests to view his or her Oath Ceremony as desired, and it should be the culmination of the candidacy process, after which the candidate shall be considered a full, active member of the Imperial Police provided s/he passes the chair. This seems to me symbolic of the Oath which I, and all Emperors and Empresses regnant, must take upon ascension to the Throne, and therefore fully appropriate for those enforcing the Law of Ilithyia II.
Please congratulate Investigator Peabody for us, both in his completion of the Oath, and in his newlywed status. It was a beautiful ceremony, and inspired me to the decision.
Trajan Imp.
“Damn,” an impressed Ames said, as Peabody and Walton beamed in somewhat startled happiness. “The Emperor watched it?”
“The Emperor and Empress, it sounds like,” Carter said. “He says to congratulate them ‘for us,’ but says it ‘inspired me.’”
“I expect he took an interest on account of knowing Win from the Medved case, back when his sister was
