Page 3 of Touch the Stars
“My liege is merciful.”
“Indeed,” the great one rumbled.“Alas, it saddens me to say that your brother obtained information about my heir’s location and identity.He sold that information to Bajiki spies before he was caught.”
No.Buuren, why?
The Bajiki Syndicate had tried for centuries to subjugate the Gharan Empire.But Buuren was a revered officer of the Undetan warriors, life-bound to protect Undet and the empire from all threats.What had driven his beloved brother to betray his warrior’s vow, his family, and his emperor?
“You must find her, myhumanheir, before the Bajiki do, Warrior.If you do not…” The red tinge of anger returned to his eyes as he gazed across the placid pool, all three hands clenched into fists.
Succession would be disrupted, and the Bajiki would strike.This must not happen.
He straightened and pushed his shoulders back.“I vow they will not have her.”
The imperial gaze returned to him.“Forgive me, Warrior.I…fear for my heir.”He gripped the edge of the bench with his dominant hand, muscles bulging as he pushed himself to his feet.“Come to the pool’s edge to see the image of the one you seek.Have care that your feet do not touch the water.”
“Yes, my liege.”He rose, then stepped to the water’s edge to gaze upon the glassy surface.
The emperor extended his left secondary arm over the water and murmured an incomprehensible word.Something flickered, then solidified just below the surface.An oval face, surrounded by waves of golden hair.Rich, dark eyes set below artfully thin eyebrows, and lips of the palest pink.Her bosoms and hips were full and curvy.A female of such strength and striking beauty.His breath leached from his lungs.
He leaned closer to peer at a small, barely visible cloud-shaped birthmark on her neck.The identifying mark would assure that he had the correct female.
“She is our next grand empress?”There was no keeping the wonder filling his heart out of his voice.
“Yes.”The word was clipped as the emperor waved his hand over the water again.The regal vision disappeared.“Her life, and the safety of our empire, are in your hands, Warrior.Time is of the essence.You have twenty-one days to locate and deliver my heir.”
So little time for his ship to make such a journey.
The emperor turned and strode back toward the audience chamber.He hurried to keep up.“You will leave your own ship here during your service to the empire and take my personal Nebula-class cruiser.It runs on hava-quartz, making it one of the fastest in the galaxy.”
That made twenty-one days much more doable, thank the stars.They passed through the archways and into the audience chamber, where a furry Kavian imperial attendant waited.
“Attendant Nak has already stocked the ship with provisions, and entered the coordinates and the DNA identifier of my heir to make extraction easier.”
The long-faced, rodent-like being prostrated itself, belly up, but the emperor barely gave the attendant a glance before turning to him.
“Secrecy is vital to success.You will communicate daily updates to me only.Do what you must to assure no one from my heir’s home world knows of our existence before it is time to reveal ourselves.”
That made sense.“Yes, my liege.”
“Travel with haste and safety, Warrior Bataar.Heed your Warriors’ Code and let no harm come to those less fortunate because of your actions or inactions.Go with my blessing under your wings and the fate of the empire in your hands.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgement of the traditional imperial farewell.“I live to serve the Gharan Empire.”
As the emperor moved back toward the gardens, the Kavian attendant rolled over and scrambled to stand upright, smoothing his paw-hands over his white and orange sash.“Come, come, Warrior Baatar.Nak is my name.Your personal armaments already be aboard the cruiser.Come, come.”
“Thank you, Attendant Nak.”
A sense of urgency and purpose filled him as he followed Nak through the sprawling complex.He was hardly worthy of the honor and privilege of being in the future empress’s glorious and exquisite presence, yet here he was preparing to escort her to her new home, Ghara.
And restore my family’s honor.
Moments later, he and Nak entered the docking bay and approached the imperial Nebula-class cruiser.Black as the deepest space, with lines so sleek it appeared to be in motion even though it was docked.What a beauty it was!
Nak made a tittering sound.“You like?”
“I like.”Love.Worship.
“It is one of four Nebula-class cruisers in existence.All are part of the imperial fleet, they are.”Nak slid a side-eye look his way.“It is good.Fun to fly
