A chorus of unintelligible chanting and the rhythmic stamping of feet from the soldiers lined up against the wall filled the room as the man entered the room. A billowing red, black, and white cape trailed behind him. He wore full silver battle armor that covered his entire body, and a mask, with an appearance as if tarnished by fire, hid his face. His hair was wavy and chestnut brown over the top. He briefly shook the Colonel’s hand before taking his place at the podium.

Standing by the door were two new soldiers watching over the assembled cadets, ready at a moment’s notice for any sign of trouble. They wore the same type of armor and cloak, but their masks with pure black, resembling something of a gas mask. Both were holding assault rifles, ready to protect the Emperor with their lives if need be.

“Thank you, Colonel Ire.” The Emperor looked over the crowd, his expression invisible under the mask. He spoke slowly at first, enunciating each word. “Honor. Bravery. Loyalty. Supremacy. These principles have guided this empire for generations, ensuring that we can maintain our freedom even in the face of adversity. They give us a baseline to strive for and learn from. They ensure that our civilization flourishes. As long as we embody those three traits, the fourth comes naturally, and we solidify our position within the galaxy.

“You are the next generation, a new generation even, of Hyperion soldiers.” He pointed at them and paused. Xaleyp held his breath and swore some of those around him did the same. “You are the ones who will lead us into a new age of galactic superiority. This is a turning point for our civilization, and you are the ones that will guide us into this new era. Our previous reliance on robot soldiers is dissolving before our eyes, and you are a major catalyst for that change.

“With all of that being said, it is my regret to inform you we must enter a state of war against a planet that had once been a territory of Hyperia. Arcadia, one of the oldest human colonies, has been under Hyperion protection for centuries. Recently, they have undergone a rebellious movement and have attempted to declare their independence. They try to reject our prosperity, and they are a threat to our way of life. Therefore, we must reintegrate them into our society and show them our greatness.”

The Emperor looked over the assembled crowd as he paused for further effect. Xaleyp felt his insides squirming, and some of those around him were quietly muttering to one another, unsure of what to make of the words. Caster seemed to perk up at the words, perhaps encouraged that he might get the opportunity to follow in his parents’ footsteps after all.

“We will send some of you that are older and nearing graduation from Vertyn earlier than intended to the front lines, leading the charge. Our intent was to allow you to learn and grow in a controlled environment, but powers outside of our control have forced our hand. It is your sacrifice that will allow for our prosperity.

“Over the next few weeks, you all will undergo different trials to help determine your strengths and verify the quality of your training. We will send those who do not meet the Hyperion standard for further education and training. If you pass, we will officially grant you entry into our great military. Failure will be treated as a learning experience and sent back for further education. If you have questions, you may speak to your commanding officer, Colonel Ire, and he will answer them. You are all dismissed.”

The man stood still as the cadets moved. Before Xaleyp turned, he locked eyes with Ire. The Colonel subtly jerked his head to the side and Xaleyp knew the gesture meant to follow him.

“Well, it seems the Colonel wants to talk to me.” Xaleyp looked at Caster and Oliver. He tapped his CAM with his finger. “Send me your IDs, we’ll have to catch up when we get a chance.”

“Absolutely,” Caster said, walking forward and clasping Xaleyp’s hand once more. “It’s been way too long.”

Xaleyp walked away and towards the group of Hyperion soldiers as the two requests came through his CAM to tell him he had contact requests. He ignored them for now, instead taking a moment to send a message to Lina.

“Get to meet the Emperor, wish me luck.”

“How did you get so lucky?” the reply came. He could feel the sarcasm leaking from her voice, even through the digital message.

“Apparently my showboating was good for something after all.”

The Emperor was slowly making his way down the platform. Lieutenant General Syndicate and Colonel Ire were talking animatedly. As Xaleyp approached, the Emperor looked over right at him, and his entire stance changed. Where once he seemed bored and disinterested in the surrounding people, he suddenly perked up and became more alert. His face, however, was still impossible to discern.

“Xaleyp Vah’Aris, I presume?” the Emperor asked. The voice was much softer and less forceful now.

“Yes, sir.” Xaleyp bowed, and the man returned it. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“From what I’ve heard, I should be saying that to you.” He gestured to the door where the pair of guards still stood. “Please, let’s go to my private chambers. We have much to talk about. I would like you to come along too, Colonel. General, you may return to the Chimera if you wish.”

Lieutenant General Syndicate bowed and walked away towards the main door. Ire followed behind the Emperor and Xaleyp. The door leading out of the assembly room was a short, windowless hall leading directly to a lift, not allowing Xaleyp the chance to get a view of the space outside the station.

With a chirp, the lift opened to let them in. It was larger than the ones Xaleyp was used to taking, leaving plenty of room even with the five of them on it. Repulsor engines beneath the floor carried them higher into the station. The trip was longer than he expected, and they eventually came to a transparent section of the station. At least, that’s what Xaleyp thought it was when he first saw it. In actuality, the Royal Carrier was connected to the station with a translucent tube around the lift. Outside, he saw the fleet of about two dozen ships. Not large by any means, but larger than he was used to seeing outside Vertyn.

They ascended into the underbelly of the carrier, going deeper and deeper with each second passing by. Eventually, they came to a stop, and the door opened. All of them stepped out, and the two guards took up positions just outside the lift doors.

An office with bookshelves curving around the entirety of the walls with a moving ladder at each end to reach the higher books, it was a circular room that resembled something of a sleek, civilized cavern. At the far side was a large viewport showing Stariek, as well as parts of the fleet in orbit. In the center of the room was a desk covered in different odds and ends, from glasses to styluses to datapads. There was one chair behind the desk and two in front of it. A closed door, made of wood with an old-fashioned knob, sat in the center of the bookshelves on the left. At the right side of the room was a fireplace, a flame crackling within. Above the mantle, Xaleyp saw a sword covered in runes glowing a violent red that appeared to ravage the otherwise pristine metal of the blade. Voices that were too far away to hear clearly seemed to emanate from it. It lured him in, and he felt himself walking towards it despite no conscious decision to head that way. His actions weren’t his own before the Emperor placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“I see you find the Sword of Razeph interesting.” The Emperor walked to the fireplace and pulled the sword down. At his touch, the runes frantically danced around the sword before returning to their normal, still state. He gave it a few experimental swipes through the air, as if practicing cutting through foes. “It is said to have been forged by the gods a millennium ago on Hyperia, imbued with their life essence. Whether that is true, we don’t know, though very few are able to hear the voices within. It’s actually one reason I brought you here.

“Please, have a seat.” He gestured to the chairs in front of the desk, and Xaleyp sat in one. Ire sat in the other. “I don’t like mincing words. I’d rather dive right into things. When every child and teenager was brought to Vertyn, we took a sample of their blood.”

The memory that had been bothering Xaleyp came back to him. He remembered the vial of blood being taken, that's what the syringe was doing the last time he experience the vision. Could the Hyperions have had something to do with the voice, too? He remained silent, hanging on the Emperor's every word to see where this was going.

“Your blood came back with interesting results, to say the least.” The Emperor carried the sword with him as he sat down in the chair. He put the point against the ground, resting his hand on the pommel. “You see, we were looking for something in particular, something that we thought would prove useful.”

“My lord, should you really be telling the cadet about this?” Ire asked.

“That’s enough, Colonel.” Though the Emperor’s face was hidden, Xaleyp could feel the wrath pulsing from underneath, and something told him this was not an unusual discussion between the two. “I am not the child you remember me being. You cannot tell me what to do.”

“Sir, your father trusted my decisions and advice.”

“That may be so, but I am not my father. Now, you will either sit there quietly or I will have you removed. Now, back to you, Xaleyp.” The Emperor removed his mask and set it on a stand attached to the desk. He looked rather young, considering his position. An old scar ran horizontally across his nose and cheek. His eyes were a deep amber color. He took a deep breath and paused for a moment, thinking. “There’s something different about you, Xaleyp. All we know is that it has something to do with this sword, but we haven’t exactly figured it out yet. You and one other on this station tested positive for the gene. A Maxwell Worthshire? Do you know him?”

Xaleyp shook his head. He hardly heard the words. Was he as crazy as he felt? First, the strange girl that only he noticed seemed out of place, and now he was hearing voices coming from a sword? What was next, having some unknown alien from another galaxy or something come to abduct him?

The Emperor must have guessed that he was tense and changed the topic.

“I hear that you’re quite the pilot, Xaleyp.” He played with one of the datapads on the desk and found some file that he was looking for. Once it was up, he read, “’Xaleyp Vah’Aris is currently the top cadet at Training Facility Vertyn. He was chosen as one of five squadron leaders in training and put through rigorous amounts of simulation training with his fellow cadets. His scores doing these exercises are near perfection, with the only place for improvement being his tendency to go off on his own rather than stay with his squad.’

“That’s what High General Hades wrote about you to me.” He put down the datapad. “Quite the words of praise, especially coming from him. However, Colonel Ire disagrees.”

The Colonel huffed and looked away. The Emperor stared at him and leaned back in his chair, twiddling a stylus between his fingers and throwing his other arm over the back to sit sideways and face in Ire's direction.

“Am I wrong?” There was no response, and he set the stylus down to pick up the datapad again. “Ire believes that you lack restraint, and that you are not fit for this military. ‘The cadet is reckless, consistently taking unnecessary risks that put himself and others in danger. While his scores are towards the higher end of his peers, his behavior is not fit for our Empire. I recommend his immediate expulsion and exile.’ Colonel Ire wrote that in a report to High General Hades, which is one of the reasons I sent him here last week.”

“That’s what he told me himself, sir.” Xaleyp nodded, looking at Ire out of the corner of his eye and taking a chance. “He even threatened to kill me if I didn’t do what he said. Me and my best friend.”

Ire sat bolt upright at the statement, looking between the Emperor and Xaleyp. He tried to sputter some sort of excuse, but no coherent sentence came out. The Emperor stared darkly at the Colonel, his eyes just thin slits that resembled a snake’s as it reared back to strike.

“Is this true, Colonel?”

“My lord, I would never threaten our star cadet. Why would I do such a thing?”

“That’s what I would like to know, but it seems to fit the pattern. When you were stationed on Phoenicius, several soldiers filed anonymous reports of fearing for their lives.”

“When you are in the line of duty,” Ire said through gritted teeth, “you should always fear for your life. It keeps you strong and keeps those around you safe.”

“I am not done.” The Emperor’s voice was soft but filled with venom. Colonel Ire immediately shut his mouth and sat back, silently fuming and tapping his foot. “Phoenicius, Arcadia, New Babylon, Ecred. Now, Stariek. I noticed a pattern forming. I tried to ignore it, but it was there, tickling the back of my mind. Anywhere you were stationed, whether in charge of soldiers or cadets, there was an increase in requests for transfer, or reports of misconduct. Nothing was ever done, of course, because the reports ended up being withdrawn and requests approved without question.”

“The Hyperion Empire is the greatest in history.” Ire fought to keep his voice calm but was failing. The composure he tried to hang onto rapidly deteriorated. “I will fight for it, no matter the cost, even if that means rooting out a few subpar cadets, a few soldiers that do not deserve a place in our empire. I will not stand idly by as incompetent leadership drives it into the ground.”

“Is that how you feel?” The Emperor rose an eyebrow. “You think I’m incompetent? Well, we’ll see how incompetent I am when you are sentenced to death for treason.”