Celestus sighed. The Balance had invited him to attend a military parade in the country’s capital to celebrate the end of a local world war almost a century before. He doubted that it would compare to the Shadow Emperors’ Birthday parade back on the Throne World, but he was sure it would be interesting none the less.
Meanwhile he reactivated his ship’s AI and asked Oracle to pass on a message to the Imperial embassy. On this planet the Ziru Sirka had built a grav palace floating above the Atlantic ocean at the equator to act as their embassy.
Reactivated, Oracle sent a message stating that Celestus knew the embassy staff were tracking his movements through Oracle. He didn’t care, he expected that they know enough about him to understand that he won’t act against the interests of the Empire. He added a warning, in case they didn’t already know, that Star Khan raiders (including Justiciars and Vadaka psychics as well as Zultasian troops) led by the traitor Lord Sebastibol, were on Earth.
Before he could again deactivate Oracle a message came through from the Ambassador, Archduke Ty’dea Viisarikaa – a tall, thin, skinny, dark haired noble-looking gentleman requesting an audience.
He agreed.
“My Lord Prince, thank you for agreeing to grant me an audience. My apologies for our intrusion but we are aware that the Star Khan has, an admittedly covert, presence on this planet and is determined to hunt down all relatives of his majesty the Emperor. We’ve already lost a cousin of yours, Prince Tamesha Naasirkaa, to their mischief and malfeasance.”
Celestus didn’t recognise the cousin but given how many siblings he had and the various wives and concubines of the Emperor there were, that came as no surprise. The Star Khan (or Lord Sebastibol?) clearly wanted a royal hostage, though if he thought it would impact on the Emperors decisions or actions they would be sadly mistaken.
He had to ask, “The Sphere, that mysterious energy field that prevented starships safely entering jumpspace. Have you found out what caused it to function for so many millennia?”
“No my Lord, though we have found evidence that this planet may well be the legendary home world of all of the human races found across known space, the origin of all the trillions of humanity on almost a hundred worlds may finally been discovered after all this time. The ancestors of the Vilani, Ziadd, Zultasians and Geonee races to name just a few, can all be found in the ground of this insignificant little world. That means the mysterious race we know as the Preservers harvested the various races of mankind from this world and settled their descendants across known space.
Their presence here means they may be the creator of the energy field, the source of which might still be located somewhere in this system. Imagine, with such a weapon we could completely isolate the Star Khan and his generals in their home system of Zulta. A blockade of jumpspace, imagine…”
Celestus took a chance and elected to ask the Ambassador if he had ever known his mother during his time attending the Shadow Emperor.
The Arch-Duke bowed his head. “I’m sorry, no. Though your abilities are, were, unique at the court.”
His image showed him bow his head as he apparently examined a screen out of Celestus’ sight before looking up again a minute later.
“According to my records your mother was a concubine, a prisoner taken in the Dagudashaag rebellion that found favour in the Shadow Emperor’s eyes and was blessed with a royal child, only to die in childbirth. There is no record beyond that, not even her name or home world. I assume she had to have been a Vadaka psychic with rare abilities given the powers you inherited but if so, there is no record that she served or any explanation as to why the Emperor elected to breed from her. I’m sorry m’lord. Please feel free to visit the Embassy as and when you desire as, despite your exile, you will be made welcome and treated as your birth status deserves. With your leave m’lord I must go and consult with my staff regarding your confirmation of the Zaltasian intrusion.”
Celestus nodded his agreement as the Ambassador ended the call.
He’d have to leave if he was to arrive at the parade in time. The flight time would give him time to ponder the information he had just learned. Damn, he realised as he took to the air that he’d forgotten to ask the Ambassador if he knew anything about Star Knights as he didn’t want to ask Oracle until he had confirmed exactly who else was receiving the AI’s reports. Living in the Emperors court meant that paranoia was a survival trait after all…
Superhero Adventures, UK Style 