Love In A Nebula’s Halo

Midway between Iccythria and Galicia, a gilded super-cruiser raced through hyperspace, its engines roaring away from its pursuers.

Inside the stateroom of the Royal Scythe, a bejewelled man contorted in rage, bellowing at the holo screen that had just winked off.

He turned to his entourage of two wives, five advisers and a retinue of staff, his jowls quivering in seething fury.

‘The fokkin' Rhesians, Galicians, and now the Falasians have all refused to give me exile. After all I did for them, all the deals we struck for them, the concessions on exports, and now they dare to turn me away?'

His voice quivered as he hissed. ‘How dare they?'

His retinue exchanged uneasy glances, aware of the tempest brewing. The King's wrath could be as capricious as a supernova, devouring everything in its path.

‘You have a call coming in from King Auban of the Rhesian Realm of Nations,' announced his pilot, patching into the stateroom from the bridge.

‘Put it through,' His Highness K'Sumi Hinata Alamaq of Iccythria snarled, throwing himself into a throne-like chair.

The holo of a handsome, distinguished man shimmered onto the screen.

His Highness ALMQ leaned back in his ornate seat, exuding power and arrogance in equal measure.

‘K'Sumi, greetings,' said the Rhesian monarch.

‘Auban,' the Iccythrian King drawled. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure?'

‘Dear man, it has come to my attention that you're in trouble and may require safe passage and exile. I hear you first reached out to my office, but they turned you down?'

K'Sumi grimaced. ‘Tis true. I've been run out of my planet by falsehoods and lies. I need a sanctuary and secure harbour to plan my comeback. Will you rethink the request I sent? It's a matter of urgency. I have the gunships of Khosana DKRT and several other prominent houses of Iccythria on my back.'

The Rhesian King stroked his moustache for a moment. ‘I've given it deep consideration, and I will allow you to travel to us, to Enia, to exile here.'

The King of Rhesia's voice echoed through the stateroom, his tone soothing yet laden with an undercurrent of tension.

The Iccythrian royal's eyes narrowed as he listened, cocking a brow in surprise at the unexpected turn of events.

‘Reconsider, you say?' K'Sumi's tone dripped with false cloying, his eyes gleaming with a malicious glint. ‘How kind of you, but tell me, Auban, what prompted this change of heart?'

There was a pause as the Rhesian regal chose his words with care. ‘Let's a little bird in my ear has clarified where my loyalties should lie.'

K'Sumi's expression shifted from anger to a twisted grin of satisfaction, his sharp features contorting into a mask of triumph.

‘Excellent. I graciously accept your reconsideration,' he barked at his new benefactor, relishing the sudden shift in fortunes. ‘My friend, Auban, tis delightful of you to offer me safe harbour. Rest assured, our alliance shall be most beneficial for both our kingdoms,' K'Sumi purred, his voice laced with barely concealed malice. ‘I'll even give Rhesia a choice of our trade concessions once I'm back in power.'

King Auban gave the Iccythrian thin smile. ‘Of course, my dear fellow. Please accept our humblest apologies for any offence caused. We look forward to continuing our favourable relationship with you and your people.'

A slow grin curled K'Sumi's lips as he savoured his relief. ‘Auban, you will find that cooperation is far more rewarding than defiance.'

The Rhesian jerked his chin at his Iccythrian counterpart. ‘Our representatives will escort you to the capital. Kindly drop out of the warp and give them passage onto your ship.'

The holographic image of King Auban flickered out, leaving His Highness ALMQ in his stateroom, a smug simper etched on his face.

The golden corridors of the super cruiser continued to hum, and the ship's vibrations hurtled through hyperspace.

K'Sumi's mind was already calculating his next moves to try to wrest control and power back into his hands.

His sudden change in fortune invigorated him, fueling his ambitions once more.

He leaned forward and flicked a button on his desk, bringing up the face of his pilot.

‘Prepare for our rendezvous with the Rhesian representatives,' he commanded. ‘Make sure they receive the warmest of welcomes. It appears our alliance is back on track, and we are saved.'

His ship's captain nodded, knowing better than to question his ruler's proclivities.

Less than an hour later, the Iccythrian imperial cruiser dropped from hyperspace in full view of Rhesia and the glowing city of Enia.

Three gargantuan battleships waited at the jump point, hovering in space.

The Royal Scythe came to a halt.

The King, reading a holo magazine and eating grapes in his stateroom, glanced with mild interest through his screen as two corvettes detached from the gunships and headed towards his imperial vessel.

He was just about to call for his night toddy and a warm set of pyjamas when the doors to his quarters were flung open.

‘What the fokk?' he cried out as a pair of figures sauntered through. ‘Who in Pegasi hell -?'

‘Good to see you again, Uncle.'

He jolted at the sight of his nephew and paled even further when his eyes swung to the man beside him.

‘Soren?' What does this mean? Why are you here? With him?'

‘It means that you're now in the hands and care of the Sable Riders,' Xion announced in a murmur.

The Rider strolled into the stateroom, pausing by the sprawling gold dining table to help himself to a grape from a bowl, which he popped in his mouth, clearly enjoying himself.

K'Sumi stared at the tall, imposing, menacing man open-mouthed as the Rider continued. ‘Here it is, Your Highness. You commissioned a series of burglaries from the Sable Group using the D'Hanna family as proxies. We have proof of your crimes, including those perpetrated by yourself on me. As such, you'll first face our courts and then be expatriated to Iccythria to answer for your transgressions there.'

K'Sumi surged to his feet. ‘But I have a promise from the King of Rhesia himself for safe passage to Enia.'

‘His Royal Highness Auban is part of the Dunia-Eden-Rhesia and Galicia alliance,' Xion announced. He planted one hip on K'Sumi's desk, glancing with casual interest through his framed art and collectables on the surface. ‘So whilst he was kind enough to extend an offer of exile to you, his loyalties to us exceed those to yourself. He was happy to comply when we requested to take you off his hands.'

The monarch's face contorted in shock and fury as the realisation of his predicament sank in.

‘I demand to speak with Auban at once! This is preposterous!' K'Sumi bellowed, his voice filled with anger as he tried to regain control of the situation, slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

‘Also, King Auban has a little bone he had to pick with you. It seems you gave the order to steal his Serpent's Iris, nada? He's not well pleased,' Xion rumbled.

‘Fokk!' the Iccythrian monarch roared. ‘If I can only converse with him, he'll agree it was all essential. It's what us sovereigns have to do.'

Soren, AKA Duke, stepped forward, his gaze chilly, unimpressed. ‘You'll have plenty of time to plead your case on Eden II, Uncle. The Sable Riders are keen to chat with you for a lengthy time. Afterwards, you'll be headed to Iccythria to answer to your people.'

Fury burned within the absconding ruler, but an aloof sense of entitlement was simmered beneath it.

‘I have royal immunity!' K'Sumi roared out, playing his last card. His voice quivered, eyes blazing.

Xion plucked another grape from the bowl, unperturbed. ‘Perhaps you're in need of an update. The Noble Houses of Iccythria have, under the guidance of Khosana DKRT, your niece, unilaterally voted to strip you of all privileges, including immunity. Don't fret, Your Highness. We Edenites are very fair and equitable, as you'll come to perceive, and we promise to review any immunity deals you claim to have.'

‘Us Iccythrians, not so much,' Duke smirked.

Xion paused, his eyes icing over as he sliced them to the unfortunate King that Duke was now placing into plex steel cuffs. ‘One thing Duke and I are clear on is that we do not take kindly to betrayal, manipulation, and, most of all, kidnapping the innocent to advance one's greed.'

‘I had a throne to protect,' K'Sumi growled.

‘Ah, but here's the kicker, Your Highness,' Xion drawled. ‘All your avarice and corruption did was decrease your chances of a lifelong monarchy. Seems no amount of shitting on the innocent protected you from your stupidity.'

Duke leaned to the side as he tightened the restraints around his relative's chubby hands.

The Iccythrian fixer's expression was enigmatic, one bejewelled eyebrow raised as his uncle's facade crumbled before him. ‘It's over, Uncle. Your reign of barefaced tyranny and entitled weak-assery, a volcanic storm of fabrications, and the greedy panhandling hustling ends here. Your downfall will warn any Iccythrian who dares to cross the line and use his power to wield corruption and greed.'

‘What's your role in all this?' K'Sumi growled at his nephew.

Duke gave the fallen King a smirk and a wink.

K'Sumi cocked his head, and then his eyes flew open. ‘Fokk, Sonaya, I played right into her hands.'

Duke grinned. ‘She always has had the highest odds for an unbeatable royal flush.'