The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 40.1

Within you is the courage, compassion, and wisdom to face an uncertain future. You will not be alone. I know not what specific path your life will take, but I know you would make a great Empress.

I love you with all my heart,

- Faith

[Hope]

Hope reread the final words in Faith's journal, over and over again, taking courage from them. With the back of a hand, she wiped away the water pooling in her eyes. Thank you, sister. I love you too.

Sleep proved fleeting last night. Near midnight, Hope slunk into the darkened kitchen to rummage for a snack, surprising a young woman in a sleep gown that investigated the noise. The woman's wide-eyed gaping mouth expression etched itself into Hope's memory. Apparently, an Empress is not supposed to raid the chiller. But it turned out well. Hope and the young woman had a friendly conversation while sharing herbal tea and left-over scones. I think I made a new friend. Sleep came easier after that.

Pulling open the drapes, Hope let the early morning sun spill into her expansive room. In the distance, gentle winds spurred bobbing waves, and the sea sparkled in new light. It all seemed to have a cleansing quality to it — a fresh new day, a new era.

Yet still, anxious thoughts swirled at her mind's horizon like distant storm clouds. Diego may not be done. Yesterday evening the estate security system failed, and two Senior Sol Priestess' who sipped the poisoned wine before Hope intervened, had died. If not for the threat detection built into her tactical outfit, the death toll would have been much greater, herself included. Eshe was livid at the breakdown and Hope cringed even now at the expletive-loaded dressing-down she gave to the security staff. Hope took some solace in Gabriel's idea to hold the induction ceremony early today, since Diego's henchmen would not have time to plan another attack.

A gentle chime from the door pulled Hope from her thoughts. "Come in."

Celeste led a small delegation of attendants, one carrying a white dress draped across her arms. "It is time to get ready, Hope."

In a flurry of activity, the attendants primped and dressed the Empress Designate. Hope took a guilty pleasure in the process — she had never felt so pampered. In the end, she modeled an elegant white gown with long sleeves and high neck with a white ribbon braided into her styled dark hair. As a final touch, to remind her of those she would serve, Hope wore the hand-crafted necklace gifted by a little girl on Elysium, a simple teardrop-shaped wooden pendant secured with copper wire to a twine necklace. With outfit complete, her mouth erupted into a wide smile as she spun before a mirror, letting the long skirt flare out.

"Wow, is this my little girl?" Moon leaned against the doorframe wearing a white suit. "You are beautiful, daughter. It almost seems you are a bride."

"I suppose, in a way, I am." She looped her hand around his arm. "Would you escort me, father?"

He offered his arm. "Of course."

In the hallway, Gabriel lifted his eyebrows while scanning his sister. "You clean up well, Hope."

"Thanks, Gab," she replied. "You are rather dashing yourself."

He grinned while grabbing the lapel of his white suit. "I know, right?"

Hope stopped in surprise as Eshe met them at the end of the passageway leading to the outdoor amphitheater. She had never seen her protector wearing a formal dress, but Eshe did it justice.

"All is ready, Empress," Eshe said with a wink.

Hope knew she meant more than just the ceremony. After last night's debacle, Eshe inserted herself into the security planning. Armed uniformed guards surrounded the area, just out of sight, supplemented with an advanced sensor system and anti-missile pulse cannon placements, and a small fleet of Sol starships patrolled outer space above. Also, unknown to the local security teams, Eshe introduced some special backup protective measures. She monitored it all through the transparent data visor she wore.

Eshe guided the procession outside, Hope with her father, followed by Celeste and Gabriel. A thought warmed Hope like the morning sun. I am surrounded by those I love.

They stopped at a white marble archway. A smooth stone path led down to a raised circular dais at the center of the bowl-like amphitheater. A crowd of Sol Priestesses, staff, and selected dignitaries, sitting in low-back chairs around the perimeter, stood as the Empress Designate appeared.

Standing beside the arch, a male attendant in white bellowed out an announcement. "Presenting the Empress Designate, Hope Morr."

Moon released his daughter with a hug at the dais, then extended a hand to help her up the final two steps. Celeste took up Moon's hand while wiping a happy tear away, joining Gabriel at seats just below the dais. Eshe remained standing on the stone path with arms crossed, eyes scanning back and forth.

By agreement and to Hope's satisfaction, the Induction Ceremony would be short, dispensing with the usual invocations, speeches, and other pomp. It would be simply the oath of office, broadcasted live across the Commonwealth worlds and beyond. With Hope, stood the Empress Pro Tempore Ali Zahara and Gael Bross, representing the Sol Governance Board, both dressed in the traditional white gowns.

Hope turned her eyes up to the sky. The weather was perfect. A few puffy clouds hovered in an otherwise clear blue sky, and a cool sea breeze offset the warm morning sun.

Gael spoke, "Members of the Sol Priesthood, guests, and people of the Sol Commonwealth, a new Empress rises." Applause erupted from the crowd, to which she quieted with a raised hand. "The Sol Governance Board has affirmed the Empress Designate before us." Gael held out a worn leather-bound book, a very old copy of the Writings of the Empress, and Hope placed her right hand upon it. "Hope Morr, rightful daughter of Iona, do you solemnly swear to carry out the responsibilities of the Sol Empress to the best of your abilities, guided by the highest principles of the Writings of the Empress, impartially acting to the betterment of all humanity?"

"I do."

"And do you swear to support and protect the Constitution of the Sol Commonwealth, holding against all enemies, internal or external, and that you will faithfully execute the powers of the Empress?"

"I do."

Ali Zahara nodded as she relinquished the golden staff to Hope for the last time. Hope held it high, and the blue light appeared, casting its brightness over those who sat in witness, outshining the morning sun.

Gael smiled as she stepped back, hugging the Writings to her chest. She announced, "Friends, I present to you, Empress Hope. Long live the Empress!"

The crowd jumped to their feet, roaring their approval in boisterous cheers that reverberated across the amphitheater. Hope spun around to the people, basking in the approval as a joyful dizziness nearly overtook her. She put two fingers to her lips, then lifted them toward the sky, whispering, "For you, Faith."

Standing alone on the path, Eshe's hand flashed to her ear, and her eyes scanned across the data visor while her lips tightened. Hope froze, and an electrical jolt shot down her spine. Something was wrong, very wrong.

Eshe yelled something, but Hope could not make it out above the crowd noise. Failing that, Eshe broke out in a sprint toward the dais, waving her arms and pushing revelers aside. Just over the noise came the pops of distant pulse rifle shots.

Hope twisted around to make out a swarm of black disk-shaped drones pouring over the amphitheater walls, buzzing like hell-spawned hornets, but with plasma cannons in place of stingers.

The first plasma bolt burst upon the dais, blasting out pieces of the white stone in a blinding orange flash. Gael stumbled backward, turning her head from the flying debris, then fell off the raised edge. The second bolt struck Ali on the shoulder, ripping through her gown with a sickening hiss and propelling her onto her back. Gasps and screams replaced the crowd cheering.

More bolts streaked down, coming like a deadly hailstorm and stirring the crowd into panic. Hope leaped to Ali's side, grabbing an arm to drag the older woman away. But she never got the chance. A bright plasma bolt struck Hope square in the chest.