Emergence: Chapter 22

“...and Sol has been emitting an unusual amount of solar flares as of late, worrying scientists. Back to our breaking news: Xaosians have reportedly declared war on...”

The screen belted out the Empire News over, but it was only Saiun who was listening. The Quaren stood at the door to Cinradahs's office, while its owner sat in his chair staring at the screen. But Cinradahs heard nothing of what the Scaliman anchorman said; he was too occupied with his own thoughts.

“Solar flares.” Saiun raised his eyebrows. “Fun...”

Cinradahs broke his vigil. “Yeah, we don't need to worry about them.”

“Scientists are worried.” Saiun said, with a cheeky grin.

Cinradahs snorted. “They're always worried about something or other. Last week, it was the blips in the Empire Network.” Similar to the primitive wi-fi, the Empire Network was a web which linked every internet-enabled device across the Empire.

“To be fair, we don't know what that was.” Saiun muttered.

“Maybe not, but remember the whole “stars going out” débâcle?” Cinradahs waved it all aside. “Scientists, for all their smarts, are pretty stupid.”

Footsteps clattered towards the door, and Yuki entered. She gave a cursory nod to both Saiun and Cinradahs, before asking, “Anything from Raan?”

“No,” Cinradahs sighed. “As we told you earlier, The Dominion has left according to our software, but the planet is still under heavy bombardment. We also told you that we'd fetch you whenever we had news.”

Yuki seemed to deflate upon hearing this; her shoulders sagged and her chin fell. She shook her head. “Damn this all,” she muttered, “Raan doesn't deserve this.”

“No planet deserves an invasion.” Saiun interjected.

Yuki rounded on him, bringing a finger pointing up between his eyes. “Xaos does!” She yelled, her face twisting itself into a distorted portrait of madness. She turned to Cinradahs. “You need to stop this.”

Cinradahs stood, and put a hand on Yuki's shoulder. “I'm sorry,” he genuinely was; his own problems with the ruler of Raan were put aside for now, “but I can't until Lord Tahkshi commands me. And he went to get the support of the Pyrkagia.”

Yuki leant back on the door frame and let out a sigh, before sliding down to the floor, sitting with her knees bent. Saiun slid down to join her and gave her a small smile. “We'll get it done. Don't worry.”

She raised her eyebrows briefly, before falling into silence. Saiun glanced at Cinradahs, who gestured at him, and then at her. Saiun shrugged, and Cinradahs ignored him.

Everyone's attention was caught when Cinradahs's personal-com rang. Brow furrowed with intrigue, Cinradahs answered it. “Cinradahs here.”

“The Watchman is destroyed.” Even through the distortion, Cinradahs could make out Foton's voice.

“Foton? Is that you?” Saiun and Yuki walked over to listen to what he had to say.

“Yes. I survived the attack.” The transmission paused. “It was the Xaosians, they...they killed everyone but Devilclash and I.”

“And Tahkshi?” Cinradahs's heart raced in his chest like a caged beast.

“Dead. But not by Xaosian, but by-” a crackle of static roared over the end of the sentence.

“By what?” Cinradahs asked. “By what?”

But the message was over.

“Did we get a recording?” Cinradahs gestured to Saiun, who quickly checked.

“Yes sir.”

“Clean the static out.” Cinradahs demanded, in a more powerful tone than his usual. Saiun bowed, before heading down to a tech-room.

Yuki was the first to address the issue. “So, he's dead? What now?”

Cinradahs grabbed the local-com and punched in the code for the New Orban Shipyards. “They killed the Lord. Now we retaliate.”