Rimush couldn’t sleep that night. He arrived early for the second shift, surprising a few of the officers on the bridge. The Magi was already in the captain’s chair. Rimush stood next to him.
“I don’t think we’ve formally met. You weren’t in my father’s court before I started serving on this ship.”
The Magi did not avert his gaze from the viewscreen. “You would do well to remember your decorum, prince. His eminence, the emperor, is always to be referred to with the highest honors.”
“Yes, yes, of course. How could I forget?” Rimush rolled his eyes.
“His eminence has not yet announced the purpose for our change in course.” The Magi finally turned his head toward Rimush. “Despite the ceasefire, we are still in a state of war with the kingdom of Vistha. If a member of the Visthan court were to refer to his eminence in a casual manner, it would be interpreted as direct disrespect by the Ralieghan court and disrupt any ongoing talks. Is my meaning understood?”
Rimush averted his eyes back to the viewscreen. “It is.”
The viewscreen showed the planned route through the subspace beacon network, projected over the view of the subspace beacon the ship was currently orbiting. Each node representing an entrance and exit into a nearly non-relativistic pocket dimension. There were dozens of jumps to start from the edge of Raleighan space to arrive at the center of Visthan space. Roughly half the galactic radius. All the course calculations had been set. The rest of the crew flitted about, preparing the various defensive systems to rapidly switch on at a moment’s notice.
“If it pleases the prince: My name is Taru, son of Lelwa. I entered the service of his eminence two nanoquads ago, after completing my apprenticeship. His eminence hand chose me to train as an apprentice to a Hattusan Magi, then again to serve at his eminence's side. I serve at his eminence’s pleasure.”
‘This guy is exhausting. How does father deal with him?’ Rimush thought to himself. “It is good to make your acquaintance. So what school?”
“Gravitation.”
“Oh. I actually picked up a trick or two from Gravitation, myself.” Rimush outstretched his hand with a blue glow. An assortment of pens and paper levitated off a nearby desk with a blue glow and began to dance in the air. A nearby officer had a pen in his hand ripped away to join in a figure eight path with a clipboard.
“Your propensity for parlor tricks is impressive, for one lacking training.”
‘Well frack you, too.’ Rimush released the items back onto the desk. The nearby officer retrieved his pen and clipboard and returned to marking off a checklist.
“So, does his eminence work you hard?”
“My life is his eminence’s, to do with as he pleases. I am entitled to meals at my leisure, I sleep a picoquad every Hattusan day, my parents receive a generous stipend on their own planet near the galactic core. There is no greater honor I can aspire to than being his eminence’s imperial Magi.” Taru maintained a statue-like posture looking forward at the viewscreen.
“Indeed…” Rimush turned to check on a panel.
Taru suddenly stood up and announced, “All rise for his eminence!”
Everyone on the bridge stopped what they were doing, and stood at attention, facing the lift. Rimush glanced over a Taru. The lift doors licked and opened with Inar and Dren on the lift.
Inar stepped forward. “All rise for… oh.”
Dren stepped forward and made a dismissive wave. “At ease, everyone. Magi, how are we?”
“Your eminence, we are prepared to leave at your discretion. All further preparations will be completed by the time we enter Visthan space.”
Dren walked over to sit in the captain’s chair, rapping his fingers on the armrest. “Well, let’s get this thing moving.”
The Magi turned to the officer at the conn. “Lieutenant, begin the subspace jump sequence.”
“Beginning jump sir.” The officer began tapping inputs into the control panel. “Forty planned jumps to the Palid system, approximately half a picoquad of travel time. We will enter Visthan space starting on jump twenty nine.”
“Remember boys,” Dren ordered, “Weapons cold, no shields unless I say otherwise. Anyone who gets jumpy or trigger-happy will be killed by me personally before we all get blown up.”
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“Yes, sir!” The room confirmed.
Rimush went over to stand with Inar.
“Nervous, Prince?”
“Not particularly.” Rimush answered, slightly confused.
“I hear it’s normal to get nervous just before your big day.”
“Not the time, Inar.”
“There won’t be much more time once we arrive.”
Rimush was silent for a moment, then relaxed. “Fine, we have half a picoquad.”
The two talked to each other as the ship made its jumps. Some reminiscing, some jokes, and several comments regarding elves that would result in a diplomatic incident on Palid. Dren sat silently, Magi on his right.
-
Orange alarm lights silently oscillated on the bridge. Dren stood from the captain’s chair. “Hail the capital. Announce my arrival.”
“Yes, sir!”
The viewscreen went opaque as it displayed a heavily tattooed elf in yellow robes.
“Greetings your eminence. His majesty, King Alexander Varygoff, eagerly awaits your arrival. You will be received by a shuttle currently en route. Please maintain your current position and heading, leaving your defensive systems in an unpowered state.”
“Understood. We stand ready.”
Dren made a motion with his hand behind his back, prompting the lieutenant to return the viewscreen to the view of Palid being orbited below.
Rimush was gathered in the back of the bridge with Inar, Meki, and Kuwa. Dren turned toward the lift.
“Captain Inar, the Aranzah is yours. Perform your duties honorably.”
Inar bowed. “Thank you, your eminence. I serve at your pleasure.”
Rimush gripped Inar’s forearm to shake it. “Try not to get her shot up.”
“No promises. Besides, I think you have bigger concerns. Be well.”
Kuwa offered a bow, “It was an honor to serve with you, prince.”
Meki joined, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Rimush pondered for a moment if there indeed was anything Meki would be unwilling to do.
Dren opened the lift doors. “It’s time, Rimush. I would have words with you before the shuttle arrives.”
Rimush released Inar’s arm. “I’ll keep in touch. Keep comms open.”
Rimush entered the lift with Dren. The doors closed, and they were alone as they descended to the docking bay.
Dren wasted no time. “Rimush, I am old. I will be sixty seven nanoquads of age very soon. I won’t have many other chances to accomplish what we are trying to do.”
“Galactic peace?”
“In as many words. And I need you to take this seriously.”
Rimush looked to his father.
“If age does not get me first, Erra will.”
Rimush scowled, “I know he’s ambitious but-”
“But it’s our way. Erra will want the throne, and it is his right as first son. If you can secure this marriage, this peace, perhaps I will simply abdicate and live out a quiet existence near the core with your mothers.”
“Galactic peace, huh?”
“Having the imperial family joined with the Visthan royal line will buy us several generations of goodwill. Elves live a long time. Your queen will outlive you, but the treaty brokered by your marriage will last at least her lifetime.”
“How long is that?”
“Vix finally shuffled off at a microquad.”
Rimush considered the implications of a lifetime lasting nearly fifty generations of Raleighans. His thoughts drifted toward his mortality at a mere twenty two nanoquads, then his father’s.
The lift doors opened. The docking bay was busy with the activity of soldiers performing their duties with greater vigilance.
Dren boomed, “Leave us! Have the dock accept the incoming shuttle.”
Soldiers dropped their tasks and rushed for the door, with one pausing to input some settings to the docking control console before following the rest out.
“If you can’t secure this marriage, my son. It is only a matter of time before Erra begins expanding rimward. Raiders will start attacking Visthan outposts. Visthan assassins will pick off your brothers. Billions of lives will be in play as worlds are traded with the lines of battle.”
“I seem to recall reading about how Emperor Aliwan cut through the Visthan lines, straight toward Palid in only a few nanoquads.”
Dren scowled, “That he did. And in the process we lost nine tenths of our fleet, and the same proportion of men. If I had not killed him, there would be no Raleighan fleet. Vistha would have colonized our worlds, and the Raleighan people would be nothing but servants to their elven masters.”
“But our fleet is larger now. More powerful. We could-”
Dren raised his hand. “We could prolong a war for generations. Maybe even a stalemate. Keep building ships and pushing out pups to throw into a galactic meat grinder. That is not what I want for our people.”
“Right…”
“Galactic peace, Rimush. Learn to like elves. Become one of them. You will be expected to be loyal to the Visthan crown. Make some elven children to outlive you. If you can’t do it for me, then you will eventually be able to do it for them. When you become a father, you will understand.”
The docking bay alarm sounded.
“I understand father. I will do it for our people.”
“You don’t, not yet. When you are my age, you will. And son, you must remember above all, I love you, and want what’s best for you, just as I do all my children.”
Rimush turned back to the airlock. The door opened, revealing a tall, slender elf covered in tattoos.
The elf bowed. “It is very good to meet you, your eminence. And you, Prince Rimush. If you would follow me, we shall make our way to our capital city, Prassur. His majesty, King Varygoff awaits our arrival.”
“And his daughter,” Rimush added, “no doubt.”
The elf gave a suspicious glance before politely gesturing toward the airlock door. The two entered and found their seats, and the elf followed. The airlock door shut, and soon the shuttle began its descent.
