GALAXY AT WAR - Book 4 - A Dark Time

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - April 2173 - Tranchilite

Zeforth Zemorphoride entered her brother's quarters, pausing in the doorway to locate him.

"Is that you, Zeforth?" called the emperor.

"Yes, brother." She closed the doors.

"I'm having a lie down! Come and join me!"

Zeforth entered his bedroom and saw the emperor lying on his bed with his robes wrapped around him. She walked over and paused at the side of his bed.

Zemer patted the bed next to him. "Come – join me."

She climbed on and lay next to him. She looked at the painted ceiling and recognised members of their family amongst other scenes. She saw herself up there.

"It reminds me of everyone. I'm so far removed from our family as emperor. It helps calm me and now reminds me of our brother and sister."

"Have you not heard of photos, Zemer?"

"Of course. I prefer this." He stared at the ceiling. "What did you want to see me about?"

"I've decided to stay. I feel that you need me here and you were right. Liverdelle will find a replacement."

"Excellent. You were immensely helpful with the executive order."

"Thank you. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes. Why you ask?"

"It's a little early for a lie down – that's all."

"I often do this. It sometimes grants me divine inspiration."

"Really. I get that sort of thing from books."

"You were always the more educated one of the family. It's a wonder you weren't made emperor."

Zeforth laughed. "I don't want that, brother. Look at all the headaches it gives you."

"There are perks though. This house is a little bigger than the one we grew up in."

"Just a little," confirmed Zeforth.

"I've decided to replace our brother and sister. I'll squeeze them in with Lt Twochelope's key workers in the next batch of incubations."

"It'll be nice to have a new brother and sister. I won't be the youngest then."

"You misunderstand me, Zeforth. I mean to recreate them as they were. It wasn't their time."

"You can't do that. It's against the rules."

"Then I'll change the rules."

"If this is what your divine inspiration summons up then maybe you had better get out of bed." Zeforth sat up and stared at her brother.

"What's the use of being emperor if I can't fix my family's problems."

"There are reasons why we don't do it, Zemer. It's just not right."

"Okay. Okay. I'll have a rethink. Maybe you're right. Perhaps I have been lying down for too long." He sat up and looked at his sister. "Just me and you then."

"For now, brother. We're all we need – for now."

~ ~ ~ ~

Tchzor and Tamir were bent over a list of names. These names were all possible Razor's Edge recruits. One-hundred-and-five names were on that list, twenty-one of which were to be squad leaders.

"I'm still not sure about that one being a squad leader." Tamir tapped a name on the list.

"We'll gather them all together," said Tchzor. "Select the ones we are sure about and pull them out with the message to the others that, during their training, some of them will be selected for the remaining squad leader roles."