After leaving their room they continued deeper into the palace, navigating yet another confusing series of twists and turns until they came to a broad corridor. Like the general, Dule was impressed with the decor of the palace and said so.

“I am really impressed sir, by the paintings and wood work in the palace but not at all sure about finding my way around by myself!”

“You will get used to coming this way, just a matter of remembering your rights and lefts!” Dennus threw the comment over his shoulder.

“You better, in one of these rooms is where you will eat,” laughed Colonel Horris. Dule stared at him with surprise. “And you better keep your exercises up!” He finished and then pointed, “Ah, we’re here.”

They were coming down the corridor to yet another room and Captain Dule saw that he was to have his first encounter with the Circle of Ladies. Several were standing outside the room that appeared to be their final destination. Captain Dule was struck immediately by the beauty and charisma of the Ladies.

*********

“Ladies.” Walking up to them, Dennus gave his patented nod which was followed by one from Colonel Horris. Following their lead, Dule kept quiet and nodded as well.

Dennus came to a stop, speaking quietly but firmly, he addressed the group, “Lady Dana, I need to speak with you and the other ambassadors. Later today, perhaps?”

A slender blond woman, not tall but radiating personality even though today she was wearing nondescript clothes, stepped forward. “Must I?” She said with a beautiful smile.

“I am afraid so. I must make final arrangements for boarding the ship that will take us to Ti Lepus. I am sure that each of you will wish for your needs to be met.”

“Indeed we do. Do you want to meet us all at once or separately?”

“Whichever suits you all best,” he replied, “If you wish to share a room with another, then all of you of course. Perhaps the fifteenth period?”

“I will speak with the others, the ante room perhaps?”

“That will be perfect.” With a small bow Dennus turned to his companions. He noted that Captain Dule was sternly masking his face. Perfect he thought.

*********

“Let us go in,” said Dennus as he led them through the door. This was the study, Dule had been told as they walked, one of several rooms the Dark Lord was in the habit of using. Moving through the small waiting room into the study, Dennus still had a quickening of breath and tightness in his stomach. The Dark Lord was leaning beside the unlit fireplace with his usual companion, the slender young Lady with short, sandy brown hair and blue eyes, sitting close by in a chair. He had never learnt her name and had never asked. Of the several other Ladies present, he recognised Sydney and Elizabeth. None of the ambassadors were present, although Dana had followed him in.

To everyone’s surprise, the Dark Lord smiled. “Dana, you will give both me and the Ladies a bad name dressed like that. People will say I cannot provide for you.”

Lady Dana moved forward, giving a laugh and a shrug while others’ smiled. “I didn’t feel like getting dressed up today. Nothing inspired me and these are comfortable.”

The Dark Lord smiled. “And you still look good in them.” Dana returned the smile, then the moment passed, and the Dark Lord turned to General Major Dennus.

“There is something you want of me, General?” The Dark Lord spoke with his usual voice; quiet, but with an undertone of power.

“Sire, I would like to present to you an officer who I would take as an aide.”

Silence reigned for a fraction, the Dark Lord stirred and stood straight up. “Bide him to stand forward.”

“My Lord.” Turning, Dennus beckoned to Captain Dule. “Captain Rickard Dule, sire.”

Dule stepped forward and saluted, “Sire.”

For a heart stopping fraction the Dark Lord, laid his steady gaze on the young officer. Turning to General Major Dennus, he nodded and the tension faded.

“Anything else General?” The Dark Lord inquired.

Dennus responded, “Sire, within seven days we are to leave and you have not yet named your replacement.”

“Off course, it would not be polite for me to leave that matter too long, Lakeisha, step forward.”

It was only the experience of the last few weeks that allowed Dennus to keep his face immobile. The petite young woman had yellow skin and almond shaped eyes set in an attractive oval face surrounded by long straight black hair. She wore a flowered one piece dress which covered her from her neck to her ankles, but left her arms bare. Slits up the sides exposed her legs as she moved.

Both Colonel Horris and Captain Dule stared for a fraction, before recovering. Some of the Ladies did not even bother to hide their smiles.

“Lady.” Dennus bowed.

“Thank you, General,” Lady Lakeisha replied with a pleasant sing song voice.

“We will met this afternoon?” Dennus continued.

“Yes, Dana said the ante room at the fifteenth period. I understand.” The Lady answered.

A glance at Lady Dana brought a confirming nod. General Dennus turned to the Dark Lord. “With you permission my Lord, we will leave.”

Even the Dark Lord had a small smile. “Of course.”

The three officers bowed and left.

*********

Outside the room, Captain Dule swept the corridor for anyone. Seeing that it was now empty, he lifted his cap and ran his hands through his shock of hair.

“Is it always like that, sir?” The Captain asked Dennus.

“Actually, he was in a reasonably good mood today. A lot depends on his mood, which is unpredictable,” he shrugged and smiled, “You will see. A bit different then chasing freedom fighters around the hills.”

“But more dangerous.” Grinned Horris as they resumed walking down the corridor.

“Sir, I have been meaning to say, congratulations on the promotion.” Dule said.

“Thank you. It is temporary as yet. I still have to go through flag school.” It was unnecessary for Dennus to mention what would happen if he failed to protect any of the Ladies. The wrath of the Dark Lord would take care of him.

Colonel Horris came to a sudden stop, a look of surprise on his face. “How did she know?”

Dennus stared at him. “Who knew what?”

“Lady Lakeisha. She knew what time you were to meet with all the ambassadors and where! How did she know? There was no time to spread the word. The Lady Dana came in with us, but stayed with us all the time. She never spoke to anyone. I would have seen it!”

“I have no idea,’ Dennus admitted. “But I am not surprised. Actually little surprises me now, especially about the Ladies and our Master.”

*********

By this time they had returned to Dennus’s small office. Taking his seat behind the modest desk the palace had provided, he gestured Dule to a chair.

“Colonel, let’s forget the strange ways of the Ladies for the moment. Please play the recording that started all this.”

Once again, the recording was played. Then General Major Dennus addressed his new aide, “You were there when I received the message relieving me of command. Well that was what started it.” Dennus took a breath and continued, “It wasn’t until I arrived here that I learned what all this was about. To cut a long story short, there is a planet in the Marker’s Star Galaxy, its name is Ti Lepus. It is on the point of open rebellion with the Empire and the Dark Lord. Our master hopes that by sending some of the Circle to speak with its leaders, the prospect of open warfare will be avoided. That, in short, is what I am doing here. He has given me full powers to take under command any personnel and units of the Legion. Regardless of rank.”

Dennus stopped. “Any questions so far?”

“Just one, sir. As your aide, where do I come into this? Oh, and why the ceremony of presenting me to our Master?”

“From time to time, besides the normal duties of course, you may have to stand in my name and order someone to get something done. As you have been confirmed by the Dark Lord personally, this will give you the necessary clout to give orders to senior officers. In other words, you will be able to speak in His name, but only with respect to something really necessary. I will get to that later.”

“Yes, sir.” Dule still looked somewhat confused.

“When I said in short, I was not completely clear. My assignment is to escort six members of the Circle to Ti Lepus, provide full protection for them going to the planet, on the planet and at all times around them and the planet. And, I assume, for the return to Tihab as well.” He smiled. “You have just met some of them, but this afternoon, you will meet the rest of the ones designated as ambassadors and start your real work.”

“A couple of words of warning,” Dennus paused. “First of all, the Ladies. Give them respect, but do not get involved with any of them. They belong to our Master and He will revenge any slight. Understand!” He said with a straight look.

“Yes sir.” Dule, having experienced a taste of the Dark Lord’s power in his gaze, wanted no more of it.

“Good, because the Ladies like their fun. Be warned.”

This was answered by a nod. Dennus eyed his new aide. He had some experience now of the Ladies. He hoped that Captain Dule would be a quick learner.

“Secondly, our Master. Do not under any circumstances attempt to lie or in any way deceive him. He knows, even before you speak, what the real truth is of whatever it is that you are reporting to Him. If you have been deceived, that is one thing; but, if you try to put something over on Him, well you may just lose your head.” This point, Dennus wanted to drive home.

“Now, if you are unsure of an answer, it is okay to request further information from Him. I have done so when I am not sure of what is on His mind. Intelligent questions seem to please Him, but be careful. If you need to think things over or need to find further information. Say so. It is better to say you don’t know, then to try to cover up a lack of knowledge.”

“Yes sir,” Dule was beginning to understand what Colonel Horris meant by ‘More Dangerous.’

“Now, for the planet itself, you can review all the reports as necessary. Read the latest two or three from Commissioner Flores and Major Van Houser, the Empire’s and the Legion’s representative’s there. That will give you a good idea of what we will have to deal with. Remember, our first priority is the protection of the Ladies.”

“Yes, sir. What protection detail have we been assigned?”

A smile crossed the General’s face. “Plenty.” He turned to Colonel Horris. “Please give a quick overview of what we have been assigned.”

Colonel Horris’s answer staggered Captain Dule. “Four armoured planetoids, sixteen heavy cruisers, and a further sixteen light cruisers. That is the covering force and under the Command of Admiral De Johnston. The close escort force is six heavy battleships and twelve light cruisers. They are not the most modern, but they were all handy and unassigned at this time. Your personal ship is the brand new Command Battleship Maiden Constance. She has just completed her first cruise and Captain Thompson is rather unhappy to be ordered back to Tihab, I understand. She has been designated due to her ability to house everyone and still be close enough to the planet to be convenient for transits.

“Already in the system, but keeping well back from the planet, are two heavy battleships, four heavy and four light cruisers. These are local forces and will most likely be relieved when you arrive. They have no idea of what is coming to join them at present.

“Now to the actual security forces. Each planetoid has two divisions of Legion troops on board. Each of the battleships will have a company on board and each cruiser a platoon. That is a normal compliment. More would crowd the ships unnecessarily. However, on your ship, you will also have a dozen members of the Black Guard. Orders, sealed for the moment have been distributed to Admiral De Johnston, Vice Admiral Hojo, who commands the Escort force and Captain Thompson. These are only to be opened when instructions are received.”

“Any questions?” Colonel Horris looked amused.

Captain Dule stared at the Colonel. “I think He means business,” was all he managed.

The laugh they shared, bore of nervous tension, helped.

“So we will meet the ambassadors in, what was it called, the ante room?” Dule asked.

“Yes, now what I want to go over with them is what they want to bring with them, what room they wanted, and if they wanted to share a room. These are the main points. I also want to see if they had any particular questions they need answered.” Dennus replied.

“Yes, sir.”

Dennus continued. “I think that we need to get Captain Thompson down here to go over the particulars of the ship. From the plans, I see that, amongst others, there are four rooms that can be isolated, they will be excellent if a pair of the ladies were to occupy each of the rooms. This is a command ship so it has rooms for senior officers.” There was a nod of comprehension from the Captain.

“I will send a message immediately. The Marshals office will get her down.” Colonel Horris tapped out a message on his comm unit. He looked up with a smile. “I now have a direct link with the Marshals comm unit.” He had a satisfied look on his face.

“The Marshal has that in hand.” Colonel Horris said a fraction later.

*********

A sudden commotion outside the door startled them and one of the Ladies appeared in the doorway. Dennus saw that it was the red haired Lady Sydney. “Somethings happened, He is angry and coming to you!”

The three jumped to their feet, exchanging looks of incomprehension. Before Lady Sydney could leave, the Dark Lord was at the door. Quietly she went to the wall and stood still.

One look told all three what they needed to know. Their Master was in a towering rage. Aspects of His power, usually hidden, surrounded Him in a glowing nimbus. For a fraction He stood still in the doorway.

Then He spoke, “There has been an, ah, incident, on Ti Lepus.” The words filled the room as if driven by a hammer. “As a result of that incident, the Empire is, against its will, involved. I will need to attend, personally, to clarify a certain matter as it is urgent and vital. I will be unavailable for some time. If I am needed speak to Lady Luca.” He left

Lady Sydney moved from where she stood and looked out the door.

“Lady Sydney, can you tell us what happened?” Dennus asked gently. A shake of her head was Lady Sydneys reply.

Dennus did not press but just nodded and said, “Thank you.” She left.

Colonel Horris looked at General Major Dennus. “What do we do now?”

General Major Dennus looked back at the Colonel. “We brief the Captain of the Maiden Constance when she arrives. But before that, you need to go and brief the Marshal. She has to know that something, although we don’t know what, has just happened. I suggest that you do it personally.”

Colonel Horris nodded and left.

Dennus sat back in his chair. ‘What has happened?’ ran through his mind. Turning to Captain Dule, he smiled, “Why don’t you go tell the Head Steward what has happened.”

Dule nodded, collected his uniform cap and left, turning towards the Stewards office. Ardent Nespot is going to love this, he thought.