by Z H Brown
Overhead, Imperial fighters screamed by: razor-edged Dragon Fangs screeched through the air with deadly precision in lines of four, splitting off in opposite directions once they were over the palace. A trio of slower, sturdier and more angular Dragon Claws followed in their wake, pulling up and shooting into the sky. The procession repeated itself over and over as the pilots welcomed their sovereign ruler home.
Ansaria had been so captivated by the display of soldiers that she had failed to notice someone waiting for them on the carpet. A Xenlongian male, who seemed to be a little older than Ansaria, was standing before them, his helmet held in the crook of his arm. His hair was cut to a reasonable length, and Ansaria felt like there was something familiar about him, but couldn’t place what it was.
As Xandarius began walking forward, the young man dropped to a single knee, his head respectfully lowered. When Xandarius was standing next to him, he said:
“Rise Commander Fornost, I am pleased with how you have handled things in our absence.”
That explained it, thought Ansaria; the young man was undoubtedly the Guard Captain’s son.
“Thank you, my lord,” said the young commander as he rose. “The Prime-Queen and the Administrator are awaiting you in the palace, sire.”
Xandarius began walking along the soft carpet to the palace ahead. The two Fornosts fell in step behind him, and the Throneship’s guard complement dutifully marched after them.
As the palace grew closer, Ansaria took in the size of it. From what she could see, there were two towers flanking the main building, both topped with sloping, cross-shaped roofs. All around them, the Imperial tones of gray, white, silver and black blended together in a muted palette. They reached the steps that ascended up towards the palace. Xandarius’ long legs easily took the steps two at a time, but the majority of those following him had to go step by step. Ansaria could see Slog struggling to keep up with the rest as they went higher. Finally, they reached the top of the stairs and their procession came to a halt.
Ansaria had to peer around the shoulder of the soldier in front of her, and Alvara silently extended herself a little higher with her tail, but the two were able to make out the group standing in front of Xandarius.
The Prime-Queen, and an ivory-white Prizmid that Ansaria assumed was the Administrator the commander had mentioned, were flanked by a half-dozen Royal Guards, all Xenlongian judging by their height. The Prizmid was a little taller than Ansaria, with ten pointy limbs in a ‘starburst’ shape, five pointing up and five pointing down, the ones in the middle shorter than the rest. It hovered steadily a little off the ground.
Prime-Queen Zira was a striking sight. She was only a head shorter than Xandarius, and was clothed in a gorgeous gown made of a light, shimmery, silky material. Her dress was decorated with numerous small, twinkling diamonds, while larger, purple gems adorned her neck and forehead. Her curly, ebony locks were bound up in a loose coif on the top of her head.
“Welcome back, beloved,” said the queen as she kissed her husband. Her voice was warm and strong. “It is a shame the children are still off-world; they would have adored seeing you.”
“And I would have loved to see them,” said Xandarius with a content smile. “Unfortunately, I doubt I will be staying long, my love.”
“I know, darling,” said Zira as she took Xandarius’ hand in her own. “I just hope you’ll have time to catch your breath before dashing off again.”
Xandarius laughed. “We can only hope, my dear.” He turned to address the Prizmid. “Greetings Polaris, I trust you have been well?”
~I have indeed, sire,~ came the telepathic reply; the mentally projected voice sounded feminine to Ansaria. ~My condolences concerning Administrator Delta; we shared many correspondences, and I considered him a good, if rather aloof, friend.~
“Thank you, Polaris, and my condolences in return. Truthfully, I must speak with you about the situation, but that can wait until later. For now, I wish to retire, and I am sure that the guard accompanying me would like to rest after our long voyage as well.”
~I shall see to it at once, sire,~ replied Polaris dutifully. With that, the Emperor, the Prime-Queen, the Administrator, the two Fornosts and the guards that had accompanied the queen began making their way into the palace.
Before they had gotten far, servants that seemed to materialize out of thin air appeared. The staff was made up of a mix of organics and synthetics, with the majority again being Xenlongian. They began leading guards away in small groups, and Ansaria and her squad waited patiently for their guide.
The one who approached them was a Xenlongian woman, a little younger than Ansaria. Her gray dress was simple, but finely made. When she saw them, her gazed flickered from Ansaria, to Alvara, to Tread and finally to Critter and Slog. Her face suddenly flushed with excitement and she dropped into a low bow.
“I can’t believe it- it’s…you!” said the young woman breathily. “We’ve all seen the broadcast from the ceremony and I just can’t believe that it’s all of you standing here!”
Ansaria gave the woman a sincere smile, having no reply but a gracious nod. The flustered young woman smoothed out her dress in an attempt to compose herself.
“Forgive my excitement, I’m sure you would all like to rest. Please, follow me.” She turned and began leading them into the palace. As they walked, Ansaria’s eyes were drawn to the decorations around them. The hallways and walls were lined with works of art, treasures and statues. She recognized many as coming from across Xenlong throughout its history, but there were also alien works scattered among them, undoubtedly taken during conquests or given as gifts.
“I could spend a month just exploring this place and taking in the decor,” whispered Alvara in Ansaria’s ear.
The young woman led them to a room at the end of one the numerous hallways that filled the structure. She stood next to the door and bowed as the squad filed in one by one.
“I shall return shortly with a change of clothes and some refreshments,” said the attendant before the door slid closed behind them.
The space they would be sharing was as large as the garage they’d had back on Oasis. They stood in what appeared to be a recreational den, decorated with an elegant simplicity in silvers and blacks, a large circular couch dominating the middle of the room. There were four individual rooms, each one accessible through a door on the wall to their right and each one as lovely as the last. The beauty of their quarters however, was lost to Ansaria as her eyes were drawn to the window that made up the entirety of the wall to their left.
The whole of Xenxing was laid out before them, and the lively capital’s lights were sprawled over the ground below like a blanket of stars. On the opposite side of the city, directly across from the palace, was the Imperial Senate. The massive, drum-shaped building was also illuminated, allowing the whole city to see the entirety of the building. None of the buildings in the city were taller than a few stories; it was the Emperor’s order that his palace and the senate building be the tallest structures in the capital.
While the others explored the room, Ansaria took a seat by the window, simply enjoying a more familiar sight. After a while, Ansaria noticed Alvara’s reflection looking over her shoulder in the window.
“It’s been a quite a while since you were home, hasn’t it?”
“Five years,” replied Ansaria wistfully. “Though, technically, I’m not home yet. My family lives in Qulan, almost on the other side of the planet, near the Conch Sea.” Alvara slithered up beside her friend and commander. “This isn’t my first visit to Xenxing, though. I came here when I enlisted; it’s tradition for Xenlongians to visit the capital and see the city and the palace and the senate before we ship out, remind us all what we’re fighting for. Someone from Imperial High Command also gives a speech, but I was more interested in the sights.”
“Plan on letting your folks know you’re on-world?” asked Alvara. Ansaria considered the question before answering.
“No,
probably not. Like I told Slog, we probably won’t be getting any leave while we’re here, so there’s no need to get their hopes up. I can always visit them when-” she had been about to say, ‘when everything got back to normal,’ but Ansaria had a feeling deep in her gut that whatever had been ‘normal’ before had gone out the airlock, “-when we’re finished with our mission.”
The two of them sat silently by the window until a chime came from the door. The servant had returned, carrying three sets of comfortable looking clothes. She also had a scouring device for Tread to clean himself up with.
“I’ve been informed that all of you shall be joining the Emperor and some of his distinguished guests for dinner tonight, so once you’re changed I can lead you to the dining room.”
Ansaria changed into the offered clothes. They were as comfortable as they looked, and Ansaria would have been surprised if they had ever been worn before. She made sure to take the strip of cloth from Eberius, which she had been keeping in a pouch on her belt, and place it securely in a pocket. Once everyone had changed and Tread had buffed himself to a light shine, the young woman bowed and indicated for them to follow her.
The trip to the dining room was brief and took them closer to the heart of the palace. When they reached their destination, the servant bowed once more and gestured for them to enter.
“I shall be waiting after the meal to take you back to your quarters,” said the young lady with a smile.
Ansaria led the way inside and found an immense room. It was brightly lit, and a multitude of wonderful smells filled her nose. A long table was set at the head of the room, above all the other seating places. Xandarius and his wife were seated in the middle of the table, with a smattering of Xenlongians around them, but most of the seats were empty. Ansaria figured that was probably the royal family’s table. The majority of the room was taken up by a half-dozen more long tables, all of them set perpendicular to the main one. They were occupied by Imperial military officials in uniforms, off-duty guards wearing outfits similar to the ones her squad wore, and civilians that Ansaria figured were senators and business men and women.
When her squad entered, Xandarius caught sight of them, and raised his hand for silence. Immediately, the low murmur of noise that had filed the room, even the tinkling of glasses and utensils died out.
“Ladies and gentlemen, synthetics and organics, soldiers and citizens, loyal Imperials all, it is with great pleasure that I introduce you all to Captain Ansaria Dormus and her Oasis Squad: the saviors of the Empire!”
At the Emperor’s words, applause and cheers filled the room. Ansaria could only stand there, overwhelmed by the reception. Xandarius gestured for the squad to join him at the head table. Ansaria began making her way to her seat, but not before bowing to the crowd in recognition of their welcoming.
“Wait till I tell Quora about this,” she heard Slog say quietly from somewhere behind her.
Ansaria and the others sat to the Emperor’s right. As soon as they were seated, servants appeared, placing drinks and appetizers before all of them. Ansaria took a sip and found that her drink was powerfully strong and familiar, and it filled her insides with comfortable warmth.
Glancing to her left, she found Xandarius to be engrossed in speaking with his wife. Relieved, Ansaria was pleased that she would have a chance to enjoy what would likely be a very fine meal in peace. After Ansaria had finished her first plate, she saw servants beginning to bring in the main meal. They placed the food on the multiple tables, but nobody moved to dig in quite yet. The reason for this soon became apparent.
Xandarius stood up and raised his glass. The Emperor, towering over everyone in the room in his gleaming Silverskin, seemed to outshine anything else in the opulent dining room. Once again, the noise died out so the ruler of the Empire could speak.
“Our Empire,” he began, “has faced danger in many forms throughout its existence. There are those who reject our expansion and improvement of worlds, and oppose us through terrorism and subterfuge. There are the criminal elements; pirates, gangsters and thugs that seek to feed off the Empire’s always increasing wealth. And of course, there is the Imperium, which threatens our very way of life.”
Ansaria grimaced at the comment, given what they had all just been told. Still, she held her tongue.
“Despite all these threats, the Empire has expanded and thrived, bringing more and more worlds into our protective and prosperous fold. And I vow to you all that as long as I reign, and as long as I have the unwavering loyalty of the empire’s best,” at this, he gestured to Ansaria and she felt her face warm again, “we shall prevail against any enemy, no matter how large, no matter how powerful, and no matter how unstoppable they may seem. All hail the Empire!”
“All hail the Empire!” was repeated across the room, in natural, artificial, telepathic and extrasensory voices. Ansaria and the others joined in, though she wondered just how many of those gathered knew what Xandarius really meant by his words.
The meal was a scrumptious banquet, and contained many dishes Ansaria hadn’t had since before she’d enlisted. The dishes she recognized were far richer and tastier than what her family could have ever afforded, but the familiar foods did much to lift her spirits. By the time the last dish was cleared away from the table, Ansaria was feeling content and peaceful for the first time in what felt like forever.
Xandarius and Zira were the first to leave, the king and queen exiting the room from a private doorway. A few more also rose to leave, while others remained sitting, engrossed in conversations of business and current events. Seeing all her friends were finished as well, and with no other reason to stay (and wanting very much to find out exactly how comfortable the bed in her quarters was), she gestured to her squad to follow her out.
The young woman who was serving as their guide was awaiting them outside the door they had entered. She led them through the halls and passages back to their room, and when they reached their destination, she gave them a final, low bow and left with a beaming smile.
The soldiers all but collapsed on the main couch, all of them too full to do more than relax. Tread was the first to retire to his quarters, while the rest remained where they were, enjoying a rare, peaceful moment. Ansaria was just beginning to doze, but before she could stand up and make for her own room, there was a chime at the door.
Ansaria answered it, and for moment was rendered speechless. Floating there before her was a bot, the same make and color as Delta. If she hadn’t seen the fried, deactivated machine herself, Ansaria would have thought the former Administrator had been restored.
“Greetings, captain,” said the visitor in a cheerful, synthetic voice. “I am D-E-C Thirty Sixteen. I have been sent to bring you to the Emperor for a brief discussion.”
Ansaria turned back into the room and saw the rest of her squad watching the conversation. She met Alvara’s eye and the two exchanged a questioning look.
“Just me, then?” she asked.
“Correct, captain. Do not be concerned, His Majesty has informed me that you shall be back shortly.”
After looking back at her squad one more time, Ansaria stepped out into the hall. As the door slid shut behind her, she gestured halfheartedly.
“Lead the way.”
The bot immediately started floating in the same direction Ansaria and the others had taken to the dining hall. However, this trip was taking longer, as the machine led her down one ornamented hall after another. Finally, she got tired of the silence and decided to broach the question that was on her mind.
“Can I ask you something?” she said, somewhat hesitantly.
“Of course, I am here to assist,” said DEC in the same cheery voice.
“The Emperor’s administrator, the bot Delta…where you two…related, I guess?”
“In a way; he was a newer model, with much higher processing power and capabilities. He had to be upgraded once he accepted the post of Administrator, but he was far better suited for the task than my
model.”
Ansaria hesitated again before asking her next question. “Was Delta his real name, or designation?”
“No, that was the name given to him by the Emperor after he took the job. His original name was J-A-N Thirteen Ninety-One.”
Ansaria considered this as they continued traveling through the palace. To her surprise, DEC continued the conversation of its own accord.
“The Administrator that serves as the Emperor’s majordomo is always given a new designation to go with the title. His Majesty believes that it helps the official to better embrace their duties, without any of the burdens of their former position or life.
“Administrator Alpha was a Xenlongian, renowned for his mental acuity. He was a capable overseer, given his limitations as an organic without the benefits of integrated mechanical capabilities… no offense meant, of course.”
“What happened to him?”
“Assassinated, I’m afraid. During the Emperor’s visit to a world that was less than enthusiastic about joining the Empire.
“Administrator Beta was the first synthetic to hold the post, which set the precedent that so far has been followed. A Replanoid with impressive multitasking abilities, he was highly efficient, and highly favored by his highness. Unfortunately, he was killed during a battle with the Imperium. The Emperor mourned for days at his loss.
“Administrator Gamma was a custom built, dependent A.I., given a unique, robotic housing. It was designed to match the efficiency of Beta, and succeeded…at first. It wasn’t long before Gamma encountered a programming error that rapidly got out of control and caused it to crash and lose all of its data. Gamma was retired to Pacmop, where it could be properly cared for. After that incident, the Emperor decided to recruit an existing A.I. for the post, which is how JAN-One-Three-Nine-One got the job, or rather, how Delta got the job.”