"My Lord, Ainokar has cut off the communications to... Ainokar." Forcystus paused, thinking of the irony that the rebel who would destroy the Emperor would conquer a planet of his name. "I fear not. His fleet is weeks away. Houlbrooke and Imperosian shipyards construct a good battleship each day. If there is one thing I know, it is the mind of this... Ainokar." Forcystus again paused instead of replying. How dare the Emperor, Percorsus, insult Ainokar. True, the Karian fleets were weeks away, but the fool of a leader underestimated him. Ainokar had allies, and united with his allies, he could most certainly take the seven planet empire Nueva Esperanza. "Lord Percorsus, I strongly urge you to flee to the Viet subsector. The rebels know nothing of our colonies there, and revolution in the main systems is pointless if you are not executed. You can save the hope and empire, sir." "I will not flee the face of an enemy. Was it not my great grandfather, Torquemada, who first conquered Ainokar Prime? Torquemada who first declared his alleigance to the powers that are against the powers of darkness? No, I will kill this traitor, or die. The latter of course, Forcystus thought. The lieutenant deliberately turned his back on the emperor, and, whether he noticed or not, walked out of the room. Forcystus stared out into the empty void of space. They were on the skyhook now, an elaborate system of grand space stations that served as the military defense of Ainokar prime. He watched as Karian fighters strafed defenseless transpots, still docked. Holes were torn into the scarcely armored vessels, and brave crewmen taken by the void. Such a fool of an emperor deserves defeat, he thought. Forcystus turned heel and continued down the hall. Four surveillance officers caught stride with him. "Forcystus, Karian ships have assaulted and taken Houlbrooke and Impero Major. The Khan system's refugees have also arrived." The speaking officer motioned out of the window to several bulky ships reemerging from hyperspace. Another man simply said, "What must be done in these times for our people to survive, Forcystus. We are a small trading empire. I never thought we were worth revolution." The lieutenant of the emperor smiled wryly, and shrugged. "Surely not the doings and ignorances of our emperor, neh? Speaking of which, have him arrested and executed." Three of the officers saluted, and one of them called marines into the corridor as they headed towards the throne room. The last simply asked Forcystus why. "Why do you betray our leader when we most need him?" Forcystus answered just as simply, "The man who fights and runs away lives to fight another day. The man who fights and joins his enemy gets to see the look on his former ally's face when he kills him." Both of them chuckled and looked out the window as furies collided into the surface of Ainokar Prime, and then they both turned heel and headed to the cafeteria to celebrate.


More stories by Ainokar:
• Craft of War
• Change of Powers