The Whispering Shadows of Valhalla

From World to World

Lightning crackles through the sky as he makes his way back, he starts to move rapidly, as Juniper was probably right that it is going to rain soon. He pushes open the doors to Eli trying to balance a glass on his finger, it slips, but Ezra is able to catch it and put it back on the table.

"My Caesar, give Aaron a moment he is coming," Eli stammers out.

As if summoned by Ezra's words, Aaron appears from the dining room that looks out on the garden. "Alright, let's go."

They all head down to the entryway of the palace. It's a large open area with the large main door into the palace. There is a large map of the Imperial City's island on the floor. It is done in a vibrant sky blue that has an imperial purple path that lights up the path to the Imperial Palace, it even palely glows at night. A beautiful reminder to all the foundation on which the Pimogies stand. The Empire is their roots, from which all Pimogie greatness blooms from.

Robertus wonders for a moment what will happen once there is no more need for the Pimogies to govern Valhalla, they do have a vacant estate on the stretch of the ambassador row that the palace faces. The palace is very Pimogie in it's design, as it was their architects who built it. He smirks to himself, just going to have to make this our embassy if something were to ever happen. Or just level it to the ground.

"Ari and Adara have prepared the train car?" Robertus yawns as he questions Aaron.

"Yes Caesar." Aaron nods.

"I hope the bar is restocked, I could use some to help wake me up. Do we have that ginger beer? I could use a bit of a ginger kick." Robertus reaches out to hold on to Aaron, "It's not even that late and I could curl up and take a nap."

"I think we might Robertus." Eli squeaks out nervously.

"Excellent, I will take mine straight it with lime just isn't as spicy." Robertus exclaims.

The exit out the palace and start making their way down towards the gates. The tired Caesar is gently guided along.

"Robi, the ride isn't going to be that long are you sure you will be awake enough for your meeting." Aaron whispers to the Caesar, "When did you eat last?"

"Huh? Breakfast. Why?" Robertus perks up, realizing Aaron thinks he is too out of it for the meeting, "We can just have a meal on the train and maybe during the games."

"I will have Ezra make you up something on the train. You can have some drinks during the game." Aaron takes his arm out of Robertus' hold putting it around his back, as he helps to guide him down to the governor's train car.

They all make their way into the car, as Robertus climbs up on to the second level. He can feel the train start to slowly roll automatically down towards the main station of the ambassador's district.

Robertus leans back in the soft cushioning of the couch at the end of the car, he starts out of the mass of windows that offer a full view around the train. He gets up and goes to remove a cushion revealing a fridge he smiles as he pulls out a bottle of ginger beer. He places his hand on the cap and twists allowing it to pop off with ease. He goes back to his seat relaxing for the ride.

The train rocks slightly as it stops at the ambassador's station. Aaron comes up the stairs with a small steaming tin of food. "It's a teriyaki salmon over white rice. It's one of those train meals so don't expect it to be amazing, but it fills the empty gap." Aaron gives Robertus a grin who simply rolls his eyes at the dated joke.

Robertus sits up and takes the meal from Aaron, "Thanks, hey would you mind bringing me over a tray or something I would rather not dirty myself. A stain will do me no favors."

Aaron brings over a small table for him to place his food and drink on. He then sits across from him pulling out his tablet.

"Claudius and Titus are already in the booth with a few royal guards. I think Conar is already waiting." Aaron says coolly.

"Is Kitty Cha-Cha there?" Robertus asks as he takes a bite of the salmon, "Aaron this is really not the worst for what it is."

"That's great Caesar," Aaron looks back down at his tablet, "Yes, Kitty is there, I am sure he is being his normal self." Aaron starts typing something on his tablet. "Turns out there was some trouble earlier near the space elevator, it's nothing serious, Kata was able to take care of it. Turns out there were some Space Chi operatives doing a deal with the Armenian Syndicate."

"The Armenian Syndicate? I thought we got rid of them for their drunken raid on the palace." Robertus is a bit bewildered by the news Aaron has shared with him, they haven't heard about the Syndicate since that night, it was about year ago or at this point. They got most of their resources together and in some strange series of poor decisions fueled by intoxication, they attacked the palace. The automated defense systems light them up forcing them to retreat. They were able to only get in some minor damage on the palace. After that Robertus had Romulus make sure heads rolled for such an insult.

Robertus takes a quick sip from his bottle, "Romulus killed their leadership right?"

"To the best of my knowledge, yes. I mean you didn't have all them executed anyways just the leadership as it was them who led that silly operation, there was no need to punish the body for what the head did." Aaron says calmly, busy with his tablet.

"I want Claudius to look more into this, don't tell Romulus, something feels off." Robertus takes another bite, his face scrunching, "They should have been dissolved."

Aaron puts down the tablet, "Robi, we can't control people to a tee. You should know this. I am sure the Armenians have recovered a bit or are just looking to rebuild, the nest will take them back in, who knows we could be wrong and this could be a splintered off group. Kata has mentioned that there is a group called the Devil Wolves or something it is in Farsi, I believe that its very likely this was born out from the old syndicate."

The car rocks as it is connected in to a train.

"I was wondering what was keeping them." Robertus says as he chugs down the rest of his ginger beer.

Aaron puts his tablet away, "It was less than ten minutes. Don't worry we will be at the area even quicker."

"Hey I have patience." Robertus says annoyed.

"I don't know Robi, when we were traveling around before all this Valhalla stuff, you would sometimes have trouble settling down always needing to more around. Like when we were at that casino and you were doing poker with that Federation King, you kept shifting around and shifting in your chair." Aaron smiles, knowing he is rattling up Robertus.

"I was still a kid, come on Aaron, I was like what fifteen, maybe younger." Robertus' eyes narrow as he grows annoyed at jesting.

Aaron pretends to think, "Really I thought it was a few years ago when you were like nineteen."

Robertus chucks a pillow at Aaron as he readjustes himself so he is laying down, "Come on, even if I was fidgeting I at least beat him."

Aaron smiles, as he leans back too as the train starts to move and sets off to the Parba Arena.