Empire Reborn (Taran Empire Saga Book 1): A Cadicle Space Opera by A.K. DuBoff (jenna bush book club TXT) 📕

but yes. Take the Taran Empire, for example. When you’re looking at a population in the trillions, statistically you’re going to have too many competing perspectives to get everyone on the same page in all matters. Accept your differences and let others live in peace.”

“Much easier said than done.”

“Oh, conflict is inevitable. This all works much better theoretically than it does in reality—as the current unrest on Duronis and other planets shows.” Wil paused. “Still, I have hope for reaching an accord with both the aliens and among our people. We’re a fallible species and quite passionate in our opinions. But we try, and we keep pressing forward. It takes a truly evolved mind to recognize that universal acceptance of everyone isn’t about all people getting along, but rather it’s about tolerating individual differences and letting a person live their life how they want to live it, not how you believe they should.”

Michael’s brows drew together. “That’s one of the great burdens of leadership, isn’t it? Deciding what should be common law and when to enforce it.”

“Yes. And in the end, we simply do the best we can. I suppose, when we can’t reach an agreement, that’s why some worlds elect to leave the Empire.” It didn’t happen often, but it wasn’t unheard of. More commonly, a group of colonists would branch off and form their own settlement, severing ties with the rest of Tarans in the process. That’s what had happened to Earth long enough ago that no one remembered the specifics.

“Makes you wonder if these beings got fed up with the politics in spacetime and left the dimension entirely.”

Wil shrugged. “Hey, anything is possible.”

Michael sat in quiet thought. After a while, he looked up. “It stands to reason, then, when enough time has passed, it’s only fair that a world who’s left the Empire should have the opportunity to return.”

“And I think Earth’s time has come.” But Wil realized the same logic would apply to the other situation. What if these transdimensional beings have come now to reclaim what’s theirs?

CHAPTER 16

The last two days had been a waking nightmare for Raena. The Empire is falling apart, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

She recognized that was overly pessimistic thinking, but that was part of her coping process. She needed to have a proper freak-out before she buckled down and dove into the task at hand. Unfortunately, the mysterious summons to the Sietinen estate in the Third Region on Tararia wasn’t helping her process.

The High Council usually rotated its meeting locations, though for special sessions, they defaulted to whomever had called the assembly. In this case, her father had asked for the gathering on behalf of the TSS and her grandfather had volunteered to host. Normally, she wouldn’t attend the meeting since she was still only a scion of Sietinen and wife to the Head of Dainetris, but spouses and scions had been asked to attend this particular event—even more irregular.

As she exited the shuttle onto the landing pad on the western side of the estate, Raena did her best to push the worries about Duronis and the Rift to the back of her mind.

“I hope there’s some good news mixed in with the bad,” she said to Ryan as they began walking along the path leading to the massive white stone estate atop the hill overlooking the lakeside city of Sieten below.

Ryan took her hand. “If the expanded council is being called together, then that means there’s a plan of action to be discussed. We can finally move past the ‘wait and see’ part.”

“Can’t come soon enough.”

They met up with her grandparents outside the largest of the conference rooms in the western administrative wing of the Sietinen estate. The circular table with an open center could comfortably seat thirty, making it ideal for council sessions and other gatherings where the hierarchy lines were blurred.

“Hey, good to see you again,” Raena greeted.

Kate gave her a hug. “How are you holding up?”

“Well enough.”

“The others haven’t arrived yet,” Cris said. “We may as well get settled.” He motioned them toward the room’s interior.

“What’s the meeting about?” Raena asked her grandfather while they took seats on the far end of the table with the best view of the door.

“I have my suspicions, but it’s best I don’t engage in idle speculation.”

“Come on, it’s us,” she urged.

“That’s precisely the point. Your father called an assembly of the High Council to make a formal statement to all of us at the same time. To speak with us privately is in direct conflict to the TSS’ responsibility to serve everyone equally.”

Raena looked at him skeptically. “Like we haven’t used backchannels before.”

“If he’s making a concerted effort to avoid those now, it must be grave.”

That angle hadn’t occurred to Raena. “Oh.”

“I won’t worry until I know I should. I advise you to do the same,” Kate said.

Raena nodded faintly in response.

She looked out over the two halves of the table, each a curved rectangle positioned to form a circle with an open center and aisle. The emblem for Tararia was embossed on the tile floor, indicating it as a place where the world could come together in unity rather than broadcasting the branding of the Sietinen Dynasty specifically, like some other conference rooms. Ornate lighting mounted along tracks in the ceiling accentuated the circular shape and cast a warm glow in the room.

Soon, small groups began to enter through the open wooden double-doors. Raena had met each of the dynastic Heads and their scions on various occasions over the past several years. All had been mandatory guests at her and Ryan’s formal wedding, of course. Each Dynasty had their own unique look and style, preserved through careful partnerships over the generations. The whole thing was ridiculous and archaic to