“One more thing,” said Admiral Cleemorl. “It became evident to me the attack interceptors performed much better than expected. They could be useful in our fleet battles. Can we build some type of carrier platform so we can take large numbers of interceptors with us?”
“We have already discussed that,” answered Reynolds. “We’ll also look at building some mobile shipyards so we can repair battle damage without the ships having to return to the Solar System.”
“How soon can we do all that?”
The mobile shipyards will be built in orbit around Pallas,” answered Reynolds. “We’re hoping to start construction by the end of the month. The same for the carrier ships. Once construction starts, we’ll see how fast it goes. With our construction robots, it should go rather quickly.”
-
The meeting lasted for another hour as they discussed fleet deployments and if any of the defenses around Earth, Mars, Pallas, the inhabited asteroids, or the moons of Jupiter and Saturn needed to be increased. Some minor adjustments were decided upon, particularly as far as how the attack interceptors were deployed. One of the suggestions from some of the rear admirals was to build several bases in the system where at least one thousand of the sleek and deadly attack interceptors could be based. They were easy to build, and already several construction lines were in place on Earth. That way they could respond to threats anywhere in the Solar System.
-
Andrew and Kala were in a cabin in the Rocky Mountains on Earth. They had just arrived earlier in the day. For the time being, they did not have a ship and had been given leave until a new ship became available. They’d heard rumors they were getting a modern dreadnought.
They were on the porch, watching the sun set behind the snow-covered mountains. They sat on a porch swing, wrapped in a heavy blanket.
“I hope it snows while we’re here,” said Kala, snuggling closer to Andrew.
Andrew knew Kala liked the snow. “I checked the weather forecasts, and we have a good chance of snow the day after tomorrow. It may snow several feet.”
Kala giggled. “Maybe we’ll get snowed in.”
Andrew smiled. Spending time alone with Kala was something he really enjoyed. “Will you be part of the crew on our new ship?”
Kala nodded her head. “Yes, there is so much about the Human Empire I want to know about. Besides, we should be quite safe on a dreadnought, shouldn’t we?”
“Maybe,” replied Andrew. “We’ll be in the Command Center, in the center of the ship. It’s the safest spot to be.”
Andrew didn’t mention that, if an antimatter warhead detonated against the hull of the ship, nowhere would be safe. He did have a few misgivings about Kala being part of the crew. One was that he would worry about her and bad things could always happen in space combat. In some ways he wished she would stay at Pallas. It was the safest place in the Solar System. However, if he was going into battle, it wasn’t fair for him to object to Kala doing the same thing.
-
They sat, watching the sunset, and then they both went inside. A fire burned in the fireplace, and the cabin was nice and cozy.
“How much time do you think we’ll have?”
Andrew looked at Kala. They were sitting on a couch, facing the fireplace. “At least a week, maybe two. The entire crew is on leave. It just depends on how soon our ship is ready.”
“Good, I want to go see my father while we’re here on Earth. I understand he is working on a dig site in South America.”
Andrew laughed. “I don’t know if your father will ever retire. He’s what? Over 130 now?”
“Yes, the Imperial life-extension drugs have worked very well for him. He says he still feels like he’s in his fifties.”
“I guess we better go see my parents as well.” They were getting up in years now, even with the drugs. Besides, once Andrew and Kala returned to Pallas, he didn’t know when they would have an opportunity to come back to Earth.
“Are you excited about seeing more of the Empire?” Kala asked Andrew.
“Yes, I’ve heard about it all my life. My parents used to show me books of what life in the Empire was like before the Druins attacked. I’ve spoken to several members of the crew who used to live on Golan Four. They’ve described the palace and some of the grand events that happened there, like the Imperial Balls held several times a year.”
Kala smiled. “I bet that came from Ensign Allert.”
Andrew nodded. “Yes, she seems to know a lot about the palace and what went on there.”
“I bet she got much of it from the two Princesses. They must have spent weeks together on board the Destiny before arriving at Pallas.”
“I’ve spoken some to Captain Masters. He feels certain they will rebuild the palace, once we free Golan Four.”
Kala nodded. “I would love to see it restored to its past glory. From what I’ve seen in the historical records, it was an awesome place and open to the public.”
Standing, Andrew warmed himself by the fire and then turned toward Kala. “How does pasta sound for supper?”
“Great! Not only is he smart, he can actually cook.”
Andrew laughed. “Pasta it is. Do you want to help with the garlic bread?”
Kala stood and, stepping forward, kissed Andrew gently on the lips. “I think I can handle the garlic bread and the oven.”
They both made their way to the small kitchen. They had at least a week to themselves, and they were going to take advantage of every blissful moment of it.
-
Captain Masters had been called to Admiral Reynolds’s office. He had no idea what the admiral could want, as Derrick had already gone through a thorough debriefing over the events in the search of the Confederation worlds and about the battle that had occurred afterward. Stepping inside, he saw both Admiral Reynolds and Head Councilor Drew Tristan.
“Sit down, Captain,” said Admiral Reynolds with a smile. “We have several things to discuss today.”
Derrick sat, curious to find out what was going on.
Admiral Reynolds slid a small blue box across his desk, as well as a sheet of paper.
Curious, Derrick opened the box, and his eyes grew wide when he saw the set of rear admiral pins and insignia. He looked up at Admiral Reynolds, who was smiling broadly.
“You’ve been promoted to the rank of rear admiral effective immediately. That piece of paper is signed by Head Councilor Tristan as the council has to approve all appointments of rear admirals or higher.”
“You’re well deserving of the promotion,” added Councilor Tristan.
Derrick didn’t know what to say. He had hoped someday to become a rear admiral, but he had not expected it so soon in his military career. “Thank you,” he finally said. “I won’t let you down.”
Councilor Tristan looked directly at Derrick. “One more thing of importance we need to discuss. It’s time to awaken the Princesses.”
“Layla and Krista?” Derrick felt a thrill of excitement run through him.
Councilor Tristan nodded. “We need to get them ready to return to the Empire. We want both of them to do some prepared speeches that we will broadcast across all of Human space.”
Derrick looked at both Pallas Councilor Tristan and Admiral Reynolds. “Are we reestablishing the Royal Line?” Derrick hoped they were or the Princesses would be very disappointed.
“It seemed to work fine for the Human Empire for a very long time,” replied Councilor Tristan. “So we’ll reestablish it with a few minor modifications.”
“What kind of modifications?” Derrick was concerned they wanted to restrict the power of the Royal Family.
“We’ll add an Imperial Council, like we currently have here. The council will be responsible for carrying out the King or Queen’s commands, as well as putting forth suggestions from the House of Worlds. The council will also have the authority to override a command of the King or Queen with a two-thirds majority vote.”
Derrick didn’t see
anything wrong with that. Even in the past the High King or Queen had advisors to guide them with ruling the Empire. “Anything else?”
“Just some changes in the military to make it more efficient,” replied Admiral Reynolds.
Derrick now asked the question that had his heart racing. “When do we awaken the Princesses?”
Admiral Reynolds smiled. “Tomorrow. We have their Royal Quarters ready for them, as well as some Imperials who have been in cryo from the very beginning. Some have served as attendants in the Imperial Palace in the past and will be made available to cater to the needs of the Princesses.”
Derrick laughed. “I think you will find both High Princess Layla and Princess Krista to be very independent.”
“One other thing,” said Councilor Tristan. “We would like you to be there when they awaken.”
Derrick was both surprised and pleased by the suggestion. “May I request that Ensign Allert be present as well? She helped both of the Princesses considerably on our trip from Golan Four to Pallas.”
Councilor Tristan nodded. “That sounds reasonable. We’ll call you when it’s time to bring the two out of cryo.”
-
There was a lightness in Derrick’s steps as he left the admiral’s office. Finally the Princesses would be awakened. He could hardly contain his excitement.
-
The next day Derrick and Brenda waited outside the Royal Cryo Chamber, waiting to be called in. Inside a team of doctors and medical technicians were making the preparation to awaken the Princesses.
“You have a gleam in your eyes I haven’t seen in a while,” commented Brenda, with a knowing smile. She knew Derrick had a thing for the High Princess. The big question was, how did the High Princess feel about Derrick? Perhaps they were both about to find out.
Derrick looked startled and faced Brenda. “Does it show that much?” He had tried to hide his feelings for the High Princess. After hearing Brenda’s comment, he knew he hadn’t succeeded.
Brenda smiled. “Only a few of us know. Don’t worry. Your secret won’t get out.”
Derrick was about to say something else when one of the medical technicians opened the door. “The two of you can come in. We’re about to start the awakening process.”
Derrick and Brenda went inside and saw the two chambers that held the Princesses. Both were still frosted over, obscuring the view of the two.
“Procedure is starting,” Dr. Porter said. Porter was the leading specialist in cryogenic suspension on Pallas.
Derrick could hear a low hum coming from both cryo chambers. The frost on the top of the glass cases slowly evaporated. In just a few minutes the two Princesses were visible. Both wore delicate white robes, which were almost see-through. Derrick had to fight hard to keep his eyes from wandering.
-
Several more minutes passed as the doctors and the medical technicians made minor adjustments to the cryo chambers. Occasionally Dr. Porter would step over and look at his two patients.
“They’re almost awake,” Porter said, as he studied the readings on the small computer panel on each case. He reached out and pressed a green button on each cryo chamber. Instantly the lids slid open, allowing some coldness to filter into the room.
Derrick’s gaze was now focused on High Princess Layla’s face. He waited for her eyes to open. He knew at first she would feel disoriented. Over one thousand years had passed since she went into cryo. Most of the people she knew were long gone. The Empire she cherished and loved was only a weak facsimile of what it once was. She had gone into cryo with the hope of someday restoring the Empire to its former glory. Now that time had finally arrived.
-
High Princess Layla Starguard felt extremely disoriented and cold. She shivered and tried to open her eyes. Everything was blurry, and she heard voices talking. She tried to remember where she was, and then, in a rush, it all came back. Her brother? Where was her brother? “Where’s Aiden? Is he safe?” she managed to whisper. Her throat felt so parched she could barely speak.
“Just relax, Princess,” spoke a familiar voice. “You’ve been in cryo, and we’re just now waking up you and Princess Krista. Listen to Dr. Porter, and he will help you through this.”
Why was that voice so familiar? Suddenly her eyes cleared, and she noted she was inside a glass case in a medical facility. Layla tried to sit up but found she was too weak. A steadying hand from one of the female medical technicians helped her into a sitting position.
“Drink this,” instructed the lab tech. “It will help to restore your strength. You’ve been in cryo for a very long time.”
Layla slowly drank the warm concoction in the cup. Almost immediately she felt her strength start to return. She handed the cup back to the medical technician and looked around the room. The first people she saw that she recognized were Captain Masters and Ensign Allert. She felt relieved and strangely safe knowing they were here.
“How long?” she asked, looking at Captain Masters. Her eyes widened when she realized he wore the insignia of a rear admiral.
“Over one thousand years, Princess,” answered Masters softly.
“Help me out of this chamber,” ordered Layla. She had spent enough time slumbering. It was time to resume her duties as High Princess of the Empire.
Two of the medical technicians rushed to help Princess Layla from the chamber. She stood, shivering and swaying slightly. The two medical technicians kept a steadying hold on her arms. She looked down and realized she wore a very thin and almost see-through white robe. “I need some appropriate clothes.”
“They’re in the next room, Princess,” said Ensign Allert. “If you will come with me, I will help you get dressed.”
Layla nodded. She was glad Brenda was here. Standing tall and proud, Layla walked with Brenda to a door and through it. She would not allow the fact she was standing in front of Rear Admiral Masters and others nearly naked bother her.
As they entered the small dressing room, Layla saw some of the clothes she had brought on board the Destiny laid out for her.
“I hope you don’t mind,” said Brenda. “I picked out an outfit for you that I thought would be appropriate. We put your clothes in stasis. The rest are in the Royal Chambers we’ve prepared for you here inside Pallas. A shower is through that door, if you want to freshen up. I know that I did, when I was brought out of cryo.”
Layla nodded. She was anxious to ask some questions, but first she needed to prepare herself. A shower sounded very enticing at the moment. “The shower first,” she said, nodding to Brenda. “Are they waking Krista up now?”
Brenda nodded. “She should be joining us shortly. I have her clothes ready as well.”
Layla smiled. “You would make a fine Royal Attendant, Brenda. Maybe you should consider it. It has many privileges I believe you would enjoy.”
“Maybe sometime in the future. But now is the time for war.”
Layla nodded. She understood Brenda’s dedication to Rear Admiral Masters and to returning the Empire to its former glory. Layla planned on playing a very big role in that as well.
-
Derrick watched as Princess Krista was awakened. As soon as she was out of the chamber, she looked at Derrick and turned slightly red.
“This doesn’t cover much up,” she said, forcing a smile.
Derrick laughed. “You’re beautiful no matter what you’re wearing, Princess. High Princess Layla is waiting for you in the next room. Your clothes are there as well.”
“Thank the Empire,” said Krista, relieved. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to walk through Pallas like this.”
Two of the medical techs took Krista by the arm and led her into the next room.
“Things will change a lot now, won’t they?” said Dr. Porter, watching as Krista vanished through the door. “The council has been used to running things for over a thousand years.”
“High Princess Layla is the rightful ruler of the Human Empire, including all the Imperials here on
Pallas,” replied Derrick. “The council will realize who is in charge as soon as they meet her.”
“What’s the High Princess like?”
Derrick smiled, recalling the weeks he had spent with her on the Destiny and here on Pallas. “She’s strong spirited and intelligent. She’s also very compassionate toward the people of the Empire. Not much will get past her. She knows how to use her Imperial influence to get what she wants.”
Dr. Porter laughed. “I’m curious to see what happens when she meets the council.”
“I can promise you this. Before she leaves the council chamber, she will be running things. She’s been trained all her life on how to take control and how to get people to do her bidding.”
Derrick could hardly wait to see how all this played out. A number of people currently awake were Imperials from the Empire. They would rally around the High Princess at just a word from her.
Taking a deep breath, Derrick knew one thing for certain. With the two Princesses awake, the war to free the Empire would soon be in full swing. The next few weeks would be very interesting.
Chapter Eleven
Derrick was headed to the council meeting with High Princess Layla and Princess Krista. It had been two days since the two Princesses had been awakened, and a busy two days it had been. Derrick had given both girls a complete and in-depth tour of Pallas. They had gone on board a docked battlecruiser and a dreadnought. In both instances, the captains had been expected to explain in detail the capabilities of their ships. Derrick had been surprised at how knowledgeable Princess Layla was. She later explained she had gone on board her brother’s dreadnought several times.
Both Princesses had listened spellbound as Derrick explained what had happened to the Destiny and the terrible secret that had been discovered about the millions of humans taken to the Confederation every year.
Earlier in The Day
“Eaten?” uttered High Princess Layla, her face showing her shock. “How could such an advanced race be so barbaric?” Layla had to sit down, as she digested the terrible secret she had just learned.
The Forgotten Empire: Earth Ascendant: Book Two Page 14