The Forgotten Empire: War for the Empire by Raymond Weil (ereader ebook .txt) 📕

“Some privacy on occasion. Every time I turn around, someone has a question about the wedding. I’ve lost count of the interviews I’ve done over the last month.”

Audrey nodded. “Andrew and Kala’s wedding was a big deal, watched on over two hundred worlds. They seem to be handling everything well.”

Derrick sat down in his new command chair, feeling it shift to accommodate his form. It used some new nanotechnology. The new Destiny also had advanced particle beam cannons, which were supposed to be even more dangerous than the fusion ones. Derrick was anxious to test them out to see exactly what their capabilities were. “How soon before we can put this ship through its paces?” Several other improvements had been added as well.

“Two more days,” replied Audrey. “We still have few crew positions to fill.”

Derrick looked around the Command Center, similar to the old Destiny’s as far as its setup. The primary difference was everything seemed so much more modern. The best military scientists in the Empire had been heavily involved in the ship’s design.

“Will you be staying on board tonight?”

Derrick shook his head. “I’d like to, but I need to get back down to the Imperial Palace. Layla has a meeting scheduled with the entire Imperial Council and the top military brass. The House of Worlds has grown to 118 worlds, and that includes some of the larger inhabited moons. Layla is ready to turn over more authority to the council and, through them, to the member worlds.”

“Sounds as if it will be an interesting meeting.”

“It should be. We’ll hold it in the Imperial Council Chamber at the House of Worlds. Layla says it’s time for them to start taking over more of the day-to-day running of the Empire.”

What Derrick didn’t mention was that they would be discussing the news from Earth that the Morag were telepathic and probably the true power behind the Confederation. Some Earth scientists would be present to explain their findings. Derrick wasn’t sure what that revelation would mean to the Empire and to the war effort.

-

Later that afternoon an aircar dropped Derrick off at the House of Worlds. The sprawling complex was now complete and covered a larger area than the Imperial Palace. All 118 worlds that had joined the new Empire were encouraged to have delegations on hand at all times to work on Imperial business. Each world had its own offices and a large suite of rooms to use, as they saw fit.

Getting out of the aircar, along with the two Imperial guards assigned to him, Derrick headed toward the main entrance. Other people came and went, and a security detail waited at the entrance to check everyone who entered. Upon seeing Derrick and the two Imperial guards, he was allowed to pass without question. Derrick had been to the House of Worlds a number of times over the past month, meeting with governors or their representatives.

Walking through the various corridors, Derrick was stopped several times by different planetary representatives and congratulated on his upcoming wedding to the High Princess. Finally he reached the large conference room, where the meeting would occur. Going inside, Derrick noted a number of people had already arrived.

All of the members of the Imperial Council were present, as well as Prince Andrew, Fleet Admiral Marloo, General Gantts, and several Humans from Earth, who he didn’t recognize. Smiling, he took his seat near the head of the table, where Layla and Krista would sit.

“How was your inspection of your new flagship?” asked Chief Chancellor Stein. “I heard she’s quite a vessel.”

Derrick nodded. “I’m anxious to test the new particle beam cannons. They could be a game changer in this war, if they are as powerful as the military scientists claim.”

“We found the designs in the old military archives, which were hidden in the Imperial Library. Our own scientists and engineers finished the actual design, and we even ran a few field tests. I think you’ll be impressed.”

Derrick was about to reply when High Princess Layla and Princess Krista entered the room. Everyone stood and waited, as the two Princesses took their places and sat down.

“Please be seated. I called this meeting today for several reasons,” spoke Layla, with a broad smile. “The first is that I’ll place more responsibility for the functioning of the Empire on this council. In recent weeks we have added more worlds to the Empire, and I feel we are now at the point that the Monarchy can take a step back. I have already spoken to Chancellor Stein about the new changes, and he will speak with all of you later about implementing them.”

Layla paused, and a more serious look crossed her face. “We have several visitors from Earth with us today. They bring some startling news that will no doubt shake the very foundation of what we have always believed about the Confederation. I know that it stunned me, as well as the few who have been told. I must remind everyone here that what you learn today is top secret and must not leave this room, until we are ready for it to do so.”

Fleet Admiral Marloo stood and looked at the assembled group. “What we’re about to reveal could change this war. We need to discuss two major items today. The first is the development of particle weapons, which are far more powerful than our fusion ones. The initial weapons of this type have been installed on Admiral Masters’s new flagship, the Destiny, for testing. If it works—as the early tests have indicated—we will have a weapon that can easily penetrate the Confederation ships’ energy shields.”

“Penetrate their shields?” asked Governor Lindsay Littrel of Jalot Four. “That could easily change the tone of the war. How soon before the weapon tests?”

“A few more days,” answered Derrick. “We’re just now getting the crew on board the