An Empire in the Stars

Prologue

Prologue: "An End of an Era"

December 28th 2199, 9:00 a.m.

Höchstburg, Imperial Capital of the Holy Vaerian Empire

The Imperial Palace

Emperor Frederick VII knew his time in this world was ending, he could feel it, even though the doctors assured him that nothing was wrong. They told him that he was still relatively good health, especially for someone at his age. But he knew that his doctors were wrong. He could hear the gods calling for him and knew that he would be with his beloved Lucia soon. Even after all this time alone, I still remember you, my love, he thought to himself I am coming, I will be there soon.

He was lying in bed in the Imperial Palace, a masterwork of architecture built nearly 120 years ago. Its large central spire was one of the largest in the Höchstburg skyline, and one of his first acts upon ascending to the throne was to renovate the palace, outfitting it with up to date technologies and upgraded security systems. In the case of a siege, the Palace could hold for upwards of a year in total isolation. He also renovated the throne room, making it cleaner and more spacious. The Emperor could hold audiences of dozens of people, although he had not had an Imperial Audience in the last 20 years.

He still remembers the day he was confirmed by the Diet as the new Emperor, he was his father's oldest son and heir apparent from the day he was born. He was uncontested, as was tradition, and while the Empire had elections for the title of Emperor, no one had seriously attempted to contest the Colton Dynasty since a descendant of the Vostokian Royal family tried to, 200 years ago. He was revealed to a Prafist and was arrested for his crimes against the Empire.

Would my reign have been different had Lucia not died? I could have become Vaeria's greatest Emperor, the one to lead it to an interstellar future. He wondered to himself. His reign was marked with continuous technological progress, he saw a research station established in outer space, the formation of the Interstellar Navy, he even saw the passage of the First Exploration Act, which authorized the Survey Corps to prepare to breach the "hyper-lanes" (he was still unsure how they worked exactly) and travel into another solar system.

But the fruits of my labor will be reaped by my successor, whoever they may be. He coughed and looked around his room. It was neat and orderly, the maids must have just cleaned. His large personal desk had a small stack of papers that required his attention, laws that needed his signature, an Imperial Decree that needed to be propagated, a request from the Lord Speaker, that funny old man, asking for him to be present to open the next session of the Diet. It would be the first in the new millennium.

His mind wandered again to the past, he remembered one of the few times he made a public appearance, giving a solemn speech, formally inducting the first 3 corvettes into the Interstellar Navy. Named for an old predecessor dynasty, the three ships represented the pinnacle of the Empire's military power. Each armed with lasers and coilguns, they could hunt down the Empire's enemies.

There was a knock on the door, he wondered who it was and stated: "Identify yourself please."

"It is the Imperial Chamberlain, your Imperial Highness" The voice of Lars von Haiwen echoed through the door. "Can I speak with you?"

Lar von Haiwen, a young eager man, the latest in the long line of Von Haiwens, he is a good man, but I fear he is too young to serve as the Regent. "Yes, of course, please come in Count Haiwen." The door opened to reveal the Imperial Chamberlain, only 27 years old, he was the youngest Imperial Chamberlain in a few centuries. His face, normally a placid smile had a look of slight worry. He clutched a thin walking stick in his left hand, while his right hand fixed his cravat.