Iarius looked at himself in the mirror, the hologram highlighting the areas of his uniform or hair that needed adjusting. He nodded, satisfied with his appearance. Their was a knock and the metal doors, opened to show Nessith standing in a Curian robe and headdress; as was the custom of his species.
"After that day from hell, with us wondering if we would ever see Eridu again; here we are in the palace of the Emperor himself, and you about to be made captain." he said as he strode into the lavishly furnished room. Nessith's black eyes, accustomed to the spartan lifestyle of the Imperium Army and his homeworld of Curgu, scanned the room in distaste.
"My, it's a wonder you Terrans don't go blind due to all this color and grow fat with this rich indulgence.
"It's good to see you again, old friend." Iarius said, smiling at his friend and comrade. They clapsed each other's hands.
"It's true; I thought we wouldn't get off Arsinon alive. But we did, Nessith, both of us. And here we are, honored by the Emperor himself!"
A servant entered the room, announcing,
"His Imperial Majesty, Octavian Regulus Vallerun will recieve you now in his throne room."
Iarius looked at Nessith.
"Alright, here we go."
The Fringe Wars nearly brought the opulent Galactic Imperium to it knees. The Fringe Rebellion and Sinn destroyed Arsinon, the second greatest planet in the Imperium, and ravaged the Fringe and Fronteer Regions. But the War was abruptly ended by the emergence of the "Swarm" on Arsinon and reappearance of the Prothen.
The fifty-foot tall, golden doors slid back, soundlessly into the wall; the Galactic Emperor's throne room appeared before Iarius. A red carpet flowed past zycite columns to the foot of the golden stairs of the throne; the ceiling, hundreds of feet above, was a holographic image of the galaxy, a great wheel of silver dust and auric dots. Some twenty thousand people of all species of the Imperium were seated in the hover-booths lined against both walls. The entire Senate seemed to be gathered here. Iarius swallowed, exhaled, and walked down the red carpet. He noticed fellow marines from Arsinon and General Reynolds standing at the foot of the throne. Iarius and Nessith reached the stairs, bowed, and took their place next to the other marines. All the whispered conversations and chattering stopped abruptly as the Emperor rose, the Herculean Guard, clad in modified marine armor and scarlet capes, stood ever-present behind their Emperor.
"A week ago a great tragedy struck the Imperium: Arsinon was violently destroyed. Many more would have died, if not for Legate Marov and his men. Unfortunately, the honored Legate passed away early this morning." Iarius and the other marines bowed their heads sadly, silently honoring the Legate. "General Reynolds, step forward." the Emperor of the Galaxy, crimson and gold cape trailing after him, descended the metal steps to stand before Reynolds.
"You are now Legate Reynolds of the Imperium Army." Emperor Octavian took a medal from a velvet-lined metal case a courtier held at the Galactic Emperor's side. The cathedral-sized chamber was filled with thunderous applause, Nessith shook his head irritably as Iarius clapped with everyone else. Next the Emperor turned to Iarius.
"Lieutenant Iarius, Colonel Erzza tells me you have wanted to join the Navy for some time, is that still your wish? But first, Legate."
Reynolds nodded,
"Form rank!" he commanded the marine officers, "Attention!" the marines formed a line, all in their maroon uniforms, and saluted the Emperor.
More courtiers came up beside the Emperor, who took the medals out of the cases. "I award all the surviving marines from the Battle of Arsinon the Iron Star for their courage and great service to the people of Arsinon and the Imperium."
More applause. Iarius smiled ruefully at Nessith, the horrors of that day flashing before his eyes as the Emperor himself pinned the Iron Star to his chest.
"And to Captain Iarius I give command of The Eagle of the Imperium."
Iarius's eyes widened as the courtiers, fellow soldiers, and the Emperor himself applauded his promotion. Nessith clapped him on the back.
"And, because you work so well together, 2nd Lieutenant Nessith will be your Lieutenant Commander. Tomorrow, report to Admiral Corbett."
The Eagle of the Imperium was a Secutor-class battleship once commanded by the famous Captain Eugenios in the Second Imperium Civil War. And though the ship was more than a thousand years old, it ran well and still had a lot of surprises. To captain such a ship was an obvious sign of the Emperor's favor. Iarius and Nessith were presented with the navy blue uniforms of their stations. And after a memorial service for Marov and the other casualties of Arsinon and a celebratory ball. Iarius collapsed in his guest room in the palace, exhausted but eager for the coming day. Thoughts of his home on Alsara and a fleet of battleships swam through his head as he fell asleep. Nessith, in his room striped of all luxuries by the palace servants, lay on the wood frame that served as his bed, covered by a simple blanket. He lay, staring at the whitewashed ceiling, thinking of how proud his clan will be when they here he is second-in-command of a Secutor-class battleship.
"After that day from hell, with us wondering if we would ever see Eridu again; here we are in the palace of the Emperor himself, and you about to be made captain." he said as he strode into the lavishly furnished room. Nessith's black eyes, accustomed to the spartan lifestyle of the Imperium Army and his homeworld of Curgu, scanned the room in distaste.
"My, it's a wonder you Terrans don't go blind due to all this color and grow fat with this rich indulgence.
"It's good to see you again, old friend." Iarius said, smiling at his friend and comrade. They clapsed each other's hands.
"It's true; I thought we wouldn't get off Arsinon alive. But we did, Nessith, both of us. And here we are, honored by the Emperor himself!"
A servant entered the room, announcing,
"His Imperial Majesty, Octavian Regulus Vallerun will recieve you now in his throne room."
Iarius looked at Nessith.
"Alright, here we go."
The Fringe Wars nearly brought the opulent Galactic Imperium to it knees. The Fringe Rebellion and Sinn destroyed Arsinon, the second greatest planet in the Imperium, and ravaged the Fringe and Fronteer Regions. But the War was abruptly ended by the emergence of the "Swarm" on Arsinon and reappearance of the Prothen.
The fifty-foot tall, golden doors slid back, soundlessly into the wall; the Galactic Emperor's throne room appeared before Iarius. A red carpet flowed past zycite columns to the foot of the golden stairs of the throne; the ceiling, hundreds of feet above, was a holographic image of the galaxy, a great wheel of silver dust and auric dots. Some twenty thousand people of all species of the Imperium were seated in the hover-booths lined against both walls. The entire Senate seemed to be gathered here. Iarius swallowed, exhaled, and walked down the red carpet. He noticed fellow marines from Arsinon and General Reynolds standing at the foot of the throne. Iarius and Nessith reached the stairs, bowed, and took their place next to the other marines. All the whispered conversations and chattering stopped abruptly as the Emperor rose, the Herculean Guard, clad in modified marine armor and scarlet capes, stood ever-present behind their Emperor.
"A week ago a great tragedy struck the Imperium: Arsinon was violently destroyed. Many more would have died, if not for Legate Marov and his men. Unfortunately, the honored Legate passed away early this morning." Iarius and the other marines bowed their heads sadly, silently honoring the Legate. "General Reynolds, step forward." the Emperor of the Galaxy, crimson and gold cape trailing after him, descended the metal steps to stand before Reynolds.
"You are now Legate Reynolds of the Imperium Army." Emperor Octavian took a medal from a velvet-lined metal case a courtier held at the Galactic Emperor's side. The cathedral-sized chamber was filled with thunderous applause, Nessith shook his head irritably as Iarius clapped with everyone else. Next the Emperor turned to Iarius.
"Lieutenant Iarius, Colonel Erzza tells me you have wanted to join the Navy for some time, is that still your wish? But first, Legate."
Reynolds nodded,
"Form rank!" he commanded the marine officers, "Attention!" the marines formed a line, all in their maroon uniforms, and saluted the Emperor.
More courtiers came up beside the Emperor, who took the medals out of the cases. "I award all the surviving marines from the Battle of Arsinon the Iron Star for their courage and great service to the people of Arsinon and the Imperium."
More applause. Iarius smiled ruefully at Nessith, the horrors of that day flashing before his eyes as the Emperor himself pinned the Iron Star to his chest.
"And to Captain Iarius I give command of The Eagle of the Imperium."
Iarius's eyes widened as the courtiers, fellow soldiers, and the Emperor himself applauded his promotion. Nessith clapped him on the back.
"And, because you work so well together, 2nd Lieutenant Nessith will be your Lieutenant Commander. Tomorrow, report to Admiral Corbett."
The Eagle of the Imperium was a Secutor-class battleship once commanded by the famous Captain Eugenios in the Second Imperium Civil War. And though the ship was more than a thousand years old, it ran well and still had a lot of surprises. To captain such a ship was an obvious sign of the Emperor's favor. Iarius and Nessith were presented with the navy blue uniforms of their stations. And after a memorial service for Marov and the other casualties of Arsinon and a celebratory ball. Iarius collapsed in his guest room in the palace, exhausted but eager for the coming day. Thoughts of his home on Alsara and a fleet of battleships swam through his head as he fell asleep. Nessith, in his room striped of all luxuries by the palace servants, lay on the wood frame that served as his bed, covered by a simple blanket. He lay, staring at the whitewashed ceiling, thinking of how proud his clan will be when they here he is second-in-command of a Secutor-class battleship.
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