The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 35

Truth abhors concealment.

- Writings of the Sol Empress, Words of Faith

[Moon]

Hope stood alone on the Firebird Rise bridge, staring at the panoramic visual image spread across the curved front wall. The massive hulk of the Invictus filled a third of the view. With the present ship orientation, the starlight that reached her eyes originated from the heart of the Commonwealth.

With two steaming mugs of tea in hand, Moon watched her for a moment. A silent sigh passed his lips. This is all difficult for her.

"They call me the Warrior Empress." Hope said, turning around. "I don't want to be a warrior."

"Who says that?" Moon came up beside his daughter, offering a mug of tea.

"All the chatter on the info-web." She blew gently across the hot liquid surface, watching the tendrils of steam swirl and disappear into the air. "They say I am coming to conquer the Commonwealth."

"You know better than to trust comments on the info-web. It attracts the outliers of humanity." Moon took a sip. "No one here believes you seek war. Already, you prevented one battle."

"Gab did that."

"On behalf of you and all of us." Moon grinned. "That boy can do great things when he puts his mind to it."

Hope grinned in return. "Yeah, he can." Her grin faded. "Dad, what if war comes anyway? You've seen the footage. There are demonstrations and riots across the Commonwealth worlds, even talk of insurrection. Already many have died."

"Not even the Empress can stop the storms," he said. "But she can help steer the boat to safer waters. The people long for a good pilot."

"I like that analogy. Maybe I will use that sometime." The smile that arose on her face faded again. "But I don't know if it is even right to put so much faith in a Sol Empress. It is essentially an aristocracy, and in the history of humanity, those usually aren't good."

"And yet," Moon replied. "The Empress has been a force for good over the last millennium. So will you be, daughter. Remember, you are not in this alone."

"I know." Hope turned her head down and took a quivering breath. "But sometimes it feels that way."

Her words sunk into Moon's heart. Perhaps that is her greatest fear.

"You miss him?" He put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. She tilted up widened eyes. "Stephen?"

"Yes..." Hope's voice cracked, and she collapsed into her father's embrace. "But an Empress can't have that."

"Why not?" Moon said. Hope's head snapped back and her jaw dropped. "I mean, yeah, it might be difficult and there are lots of things to consider..."

"By tradition, an Empress has never had a mate."

"I've never liked tradition just for the sake of tradition, although changing this one might be difficult. But as the saying goes, it might take an act of the Empress to change, if you know what I mean." He winked, releasing her from his arms. "I have some good news. They released Eshe for duty. She will come here with Liam on the Amadi."

Hope smiled. "That is good news." She hugged him again. "Thanks, Dad."

*****

The guests were already waiting in the galley when Hope and Moon walked in. Admiral Liam Glynn, Chancellor Jayna Patel, and Claire, the chancellor's assistant, sat at the table while Saffon darted about, serving a selection of ales and freshly baked snacks. Eshe stood to one side. Gabriel, physically located on the bridge of the Invictus, then appeared as a life-size holographic image in another seat.