Frontline

Zero Space (or Z-) Engines were developed sixteen years into His Majesties reign with the aid of scientists from all the worlds so far encountered. The previous generation of faster-than-light travel had been very short-range, a few hundred-thousand light years at a time. The collaboratively built Z-Engine allowed access to a much faster means of travel by sending the ship into a Zero Space tunnel, which allows for much longer distances to be traveled.

-Excerpt from The Newcomer’s Guide to the Empire

Another shift aboard the Throneship was coming to end as the massive vessel continued to tunnel its way through Z-space. While the Emperor had been on the bridge earlier, he had long sense retreated to his private quarters, leaving his major-domo behind in his stead.

Most of the bridge crew was less than pleased with that.

The shift change bell chimed and the secondary crew filed onto the bridge to take their positions. The primary crew gladly turned over their spots and began making their way to the exit. All except Diamond.

A bald-headed and fanged humanoid approached the communications officer, who hadn’t moved a centimeter despite the activity going on around him.

“Chief Diamond?” said the young officer. “Your shift is over, chief.”

The green polygon continued to ignore him.

The officer reached out to touch the Prizmid.

“Chief?” he asked again.

As his fingertips reached the crew member, Diamond suddenly sprang to life, rapidly spinning around and knocking the crewman’s hand away.

“Youch! What’d you do that for?”

“Forgive me, Comm. Officer Crayus. I was….distracted.”

“Is there a problem here, Chief Communications Officer Diamond?”

Delta had noticed the commotion and floated over, and was now staring at Diamond, lights blinking across his screen.

“No, Administrator Delta. I was distracted and did not notice Comm. Officer Crayus’ approach. His appearance…startled me.”

“Well, Chief Communications Officer Diamond, have you recovered enough to allow Communications Officer Crayus to assume his duties?”

“Yes, Administrator.”

“Then please exit the bridge and stop disrupting procedure.”

“Of course, Administrator.”

Without another word, Diamond hovered over to the exit where the rest of the bridge crew was waiting for him.

“What was the hold up, D?” asked Ranyor, the reptilian Helmsman. “I’m so hungry I was seriously considering eating Xior.”

“I’d like to ssssee you try.” rasped the insectoid navigator.

“Forgive me, I was preoccupied by my work and did not notice the shift change. Officer Crayus startled me out of my work and I received a reprimand from Delta.”

As the lift that would take them to the ship’s mess hall arrived, Doctor Redavere, the Emperor’s scientific advisor, said:

“That’s funny, I didn’t even know someone could sneak up on you, Diamond.”

As the rest of the crew piled into the lift, Diamond quietly replied.

“Neither did I.”

The bridge crew piled out of the lift into the mess hall. Dr. Redavere was leading the way, talking excitedly into her comm. unit to an assistant aboard the ship, who was updating the doctor on a project. Heronatus, Imperial Chronicler and ship’s historian, was engrossed in an article being projected from his TIG. Ranyor, Xior and Tantius, the ship’s gunner and weapons expert, respectively, were engaged in friendly ribbing. Pulling up the rear was the silent Diamond.

The large mess hall stretched out before them, with two long rows of tables filling the room. The food serving area covered the right side of the room, doorways to other lifts and hallways lined the rest of the walls. Other crewmembers were filling up the room, though the bridge crew was able to jump into the line before it filled up to quickly.

The crew received their food and sat at a table. Dr. Redavere said a quick prayer over her plate vegetables and other plant matter before beginning to eat. Redavere was responsible for creating a working version of a teleportation system, which so far only the Throneship was capable of supporting. She was knowledgeable about countless fields and was responsible for studying technology created, assimilated or discovered by the Empire. Heronatus slowly ate spoonfuls of stew as he continued to read his article. Heronatus was the chairmen of the history department at the University of Xenlong, and after writing a comprehensive history of all the Empire’s species, was invited by the Emperor to personally chronicle his conquests.

“What are you reading that is so fascinating, Natus?” asked Ranyor, whose own plate was a mix of meat and tough vegetation.

Ranyor was a long serving member of the Imperial Navy. Getting his start on the cruiser Scaleback, Raynor’s skill and professionalism saw him climb through the ranks. After being assigned to the destroyer, Thundercloud, Raynor was a part of the Battle of Nueva 9, where his piloting abilities saved his ship from destruction, the only Imperial survivors of the battle. His heroism earned him an appointment to the Throneship when the previous helmsman retired.

Tantius groaned. “Thanks, Ranyor. Now we’ll never get to enjoy our meal in piece.”

Tantius had enlisted in the Navy at the minimum possible age for his people. Unfortunately, his career was almost cut short, as the first ship he was assigned to was destroyed in battle with the Imperium, and the weapons expert received grievous wounds. After undergoing extensive cybernetic replacement, Tantius returned to duty, and served aboard a number of ships before being chosen to join the Throneship.

Heronatus finished another spoonful before answering.

“While we were investigating Angolis, the Emperor ordered the downloading of data from their global information network. The data has finally been fully converted, and I’m studying the history of their planet. It’s fascinating. So many singular individuals capable of performing incredible feats! I can’t wait to see how the Emperor puts them to use. Plus, I believe I’ve already found a half-dozen references to the Seeders!”

The Seeders. An ancient and enigmatic race that traveled the galaxy eons before the Empire. The only evidence of their existence were cultural similarities amongst far flung worlds that were to alike to be coincidence, and countless origin myths detailing the arrival of powerful beings from the sky. The Emperor was extremely interested in these ancient beings, and any new information about them was welcome.

“Speaking of putting something to use, I’m itchin’ to try out the upgraded Throne Lance. The last upgrade added twelve percent more power and shaved eight percent off the recharge time,” Said Tantius, who took a bite of some bread covered in a purplish-red sauce.

“Wow, twelve percent more power. I’m surprised the ship can handle such energy levels,” Said Ranyor. “Tant, what good is a twelve percent power increase?”

“Line up some of those Golden bastards, and I’ll show you exactly what a marginal increase in power can do. Which reminds me: Xior, how long till we’re at the front?”

The navigation officer speared a small, brown morsel from his plate with his long, sharp claws and devoured it before answering.

“Eleven sssstandard dayssss, Tant. The same amount assss when you assssked me thissss morning.”

Xior was one of the few Mantorians to venture off world, as his people consider most species to be little better than prey. The ship’s navigator, Xior proved his intelligence and dedication to the Empire aboard numerous ships in the fleet before being promoted to Xandarius’ flagship.

Ranyor gave Diamond a questioning look.

“What’s wrong with you, D? You haven’t said anything since our shift ended. You didn’t even grab some nutrient supplements for yourself.”

Diamond had spent most of his military career serving on board communications ships patrolling the contested areas between the Empire and Imperium. His natural talents led to a marked increase in efficiency on every ship he was on, and it didn’t take the Emperor long to make the connection. After his last ship had finished its tour, he’d been promoted to serve aboard the flagship.

“Do not be concerned, Ranyor. I am merely preoccupied with my thoughts.”

“well, try not to get to lost in thought, or you might take the wrong turn down a hall and end up in an airlock.”

This got a laugh from the rest of the table, and the conversation turned to other things.

Diamond, however, did not join in the talk.

He was too busy listening to the voice in his head.