Tevun-Krus #47 - Galactic Empire

Unite the Seven Systems - A Short Story by @JeffreyVonHauger

An emperor with an agenda of peace walks on a razor's edge. Convincing seven loosely connected star systems and all their adjoining neighbors to get along, agree to common ground rules, and most importantly stop killing each other is a monumental task. When diplomacy is met with all out war, the challenge increases exponentially. Emperor Volodymyr Oblast succeeded in ending a thousand years of galactic fighting. There was only a ceremonial technicality standing in the way of his dream of peace.

Nuirka Oblast, the daughter of the emperor, came of age in a time of war. Her mother Empress Kalia Oblast, a Zorr of epic beauty often accused of whispering songs of peace into the ear of her husband, became a martyr to the cause on a charity mission to her home planet. The dowager, Onzaga Oblast, mother of the emperor, mentored Nuirka in the last years of her childhood. Onzaga had no interest in anything other than family and luxury. The death of her daughter in-law gave her back her son and allowed her to attempt control over Nuirka. On the deck of the Imperial flagship she watched the antiquated ceremony, her conservative side met with the conflict of her love for her son.

The Gastraddars, a large green brutish species, were the last to disavow war. They had held out on their home world and would have fought to the very last. King Øvdin was captured in a daring planetary raid by the Emperor's most elite troops, the Woad. The stone covered Woad giants were dropped behind enemy lines, deposed the Gastraddar king, and brought him to his senses. With the surrender of his huge military, a whole sector fell into line, including the Klandar system, who hated the Emperor for his choice to marry a Zorr.

Øvdin was a hulking creature with dark forest green skin, big bulging blue eyes, and long jet black hair put into braids for the occasion. Being a warrior king, Øvdin wore his old and dented battle armor with pride. He stood in the center of the hall at the most forward deck the flagship. The Grandor ministers ushered him forward. The surrounding windows provided beautiful light rays from the Grandor sun as well as a fantastic view of Grandor Prime floating in space like a big blue marble. Ships with representatives from nearly every advanced planet in the explored galaxy hovered outside.

New trade routes were already open. Travel between systems was safer than ever. Exploration returned to center stage and the new age of enlightenment and prosperous optimism was on the minds of all in attendance.

Opposite the wall of windows at the back of the ship's great hall was a wall of glass with the ship's internal sea behind it. The clear water sent dancing shimmering light across the room. Three galactic sperm whales floated on the other side of the glass. The huge leviathans, suspended in liquid, watched the Emperor and war ending ceremony closely. The center whale was the Captain and pilot of the flagship, the other two were Admirals in the fleet.

Between the Emperor and the wall of water sat eleven Warriors of Woad, mostly for show, but also to intimidate the Gastraddars. The giant beings did not move nor speak throughout the entire proceeding. Reverse zebra patterned stone quartz covered their bodies, black in color with lines of white rock layered throughout. They sparkled in the sunlight like exotic mineral stone sculptures. In front of the chunky giants and much more normal in size stood the Emperor. He was a strong looking humanoid with the soft slightly slanted eyes of a Grandor. His complexion was smooth and pale. His earthy hair and beard were thick and shaggy, yet well groomed at the same time. He wore a simple blue formal military looking jacket, white pants and tall black boots. A ceremonial sword hung from his belt. He was surrounded by the regional governors form the twelve Grandor worlds. They were all similar looking, though some had third eyes, more than one flaunted golden teeth, and two were clearly from frozen icy worlds.

To the Emperor's right stood his mother and daughter, and with them two female Varan. The two slender lizards resembled upright Komodo Dragons and couldn't have been more different. One had bright sky blue scales with intense crayon red eyes, the other was completely devoid of any color. She could've easily been mistaken for a black and white photograph. They were deep space explorers and representatives of the Varan government, keepers of the great RokoVokoR wormhole that was advancing travel in the known galaxy. A third more ancient looking lizard traveled with them. He had three large horns that grew out of his head and resembled a moderate sized dinosaur. He was from a race called the Kovo from the other side of the wormhole.

The Viceroy of the Zorr system and his entourage stood to the Emperor's left, his old gray blue dreadlocks were tied up neatly behind his head. He had been a friend to Volodymyr for over fifty years.

King Øvdin was accompanied by two other Gastraddars, his greatest warriors and heirs. They stood in formation behind their king. Øvdin strode forward.

"We offer the surrender and eternal allegiance of Gastraddar."

Then the Emperor moved toward Øvdin. He removed his sword from his side and held it high in his left hand.

"Never again shall a system ignore the needs of Gastraddar. My arm of war will never darken your world again."

Volodymyr reached out his right arm and grabbed hold of Øvdin. He raised his sword in the silence of the room. Then he brought it down and removed his own right arm below the shoulder. His family gasped. The arm fell to the floor. Nuirka took a single step toward her father, only to be held back by her grandmother. Tears welled in both their eyes.

Øvdin smiled and spoke in a deep gravelly voice. "Your dynasty will be respected by the Gastraddar."

The Emperor stood there bleeding. Øvdin stepped back and bowed low. Being a full meter taller than Volodymyr, their faces met for the first time. Øvdin gave a look of deep admiration and trust. He lowered his head completely.

"Goodbye." Muttered Øvdin.

The two Gastraddar warriors raised their jagged weapons and brought them down in succession decapitating King Øvdin. His head joined the Emperor's arm on the floor, then his body came down with a crash.

The elegant blue scaled Varan representative stepped forward, a bright red hood of skin the color of her eyes surrounded her face, a primitive fight or flight response. She spoke with a hiss.

"Let a new age of peace-sss immerge."

The new king of Gastraddar raised a bloodied fist into the air.

"Hail Oblast! Long live the Empire!"