In one of the Solomon’s rooms, crew members moved about with quiet urgency, cleaning and running final checks. One wiped down the table positioned at the center while others arranged chairs gathered from nearby compartments. Guards stood at each entrance, silent and steady.
Outside the doors, the distant echo of marching boots marked the arrival of the delegations—three distinct rhythms, none quite in step.
At the head of the room stood Survivor, beside a faint projection—lines of light forming a hovering display as his personal system flickered to life.
“ZI is cloaked with Kael,” Survivor said evenly. “We can see what ZI sees. Once they enter, he’ll scan the guests for any sign of infection.”
Lyssandra stood next to him, tension hidden behind her controlled posture. “Thanks for helping,” she said softly, eyes following the flickering display.
Ilya tilted her head slightly. “Your self-projections are sure useful.”
Survivor smiled faintly. “Helps when I need a drone to check small areas.”
A crew member approached and bowed slightly to Lyssandra. “Princess, the old tactical room is ready for the meeting.”
She nodded. “Thank you for your help. You and the others can return to duty.”
The crew nodded back and quietly filed out, leaving only the low hum of the ship around them.
Ilya looked around the newly cleared space. “Can’t believe the Solomon had a room like this.”
Lyssandra nodded. “Dax and the engineers found it after ZI received the real schematics. The ones we had before were false. Apparently, there’s more hidden in her.”
“Lyssandra, ZI has a visual of them now,” Survivor said.
Lyssandra and Ilya turned toward the display.
The feed sharpened into focus — three representatives walking down the corridor toward the meeting chamber. Each carried the weight and authority of their empire.
Their entourages trailed just beyond the frame— aides, guards, and recorders moving with practiced caution, eyes flicking between one another instead of forward.
The first was an older man in a perfectly pressed uniform, medals glinting faintly under the corridor lights. His stride was measured, disciplined — every step the echo of years spent in command.
Even his adjutant matched pace half a step behind, as if the habit of formation never left them.
Ilya tilted her head. “That must be Councilor Harkon. I’ve heard he’s a man of principle.”
Lyssandra’s tone softened, but her brow furrowed slightly. “He is. But principle can harden into stubbornness.”
Next came a woman draped in white, her robe woven from fine silk threaded with silver. Jewels traced her wrists and collar, shimmering with each graceful movement. Her posture radiated confidence — or perhaps condescension.
Two attendants followed at a respectful distance, tablets in hand, ready to annotate every word. None of them looked at Kael.
Lyssandra exhaled quietly. “Councilor Celine. She won’t be easy to reason with.”
Survivor glanced at her. “Bad person?”
“Not exactly,” Lyssandra replied, uneasy. “She prefers to win her arguments before they start — with words sharper than any blade.”
Then the final figure appeared, and Lyssandra froze.
A young man in a tailored uniform walked with calm composure. His movements were poised, practiced — the kind born of nobility, not training.
Her voice broke before she could stop it. “Brother…”
The word hung in the air, fragile and raw.
Survivor’s tone shifted, quiet and precise. “ZI, start the scan. Full sweep.”
“Scanning now.”
The feed blurred briefly as ZI’s process began, overlaying faint grids and data streams across the image — quiet lines of light tracing every motion, every detail.
As ZI’s silent scan ran its course, the representatives continued down the corridor toward the meeting room.
The corridor narrowed ahead, the sound of their footsteps converging until the three delegations seemed a single entity — and Kael the lone voice of the Solomon between them.
Councilor Celine was the first to break the silence.
“Lieutenant Kael, was it? You’ve met the Forgemaster, haven’t you? Perhaps you’d be willing to share a few details?”
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
Her tone was pleasant enough — but the kind of pleasant that always meant pressure.
Kael, walking ahead to guide them, didn’t even slow his pace.
“Sorry, ma’am. I can’t divulge that information.”
Celine’s smile didn’t waver, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
Councilor Harkon joined in, his voice measured but insistent.
“Surely you understand our concern, Lieutenant. His cooperation — and the scale of his fleet — are matters of interstellar importance.”
Kael repeated in the same steady tone.
“Sorry, sir. I can’t divulge that information.”
Then the young nobleman spoke — calm, familiar, but edged with expectation.
“Even if I request it, Kael?”
Kael hesitated just long enough for the silence to stretch.
“Sorry, Prince Lucen. Not even to you. Princess’s orders.”
Celine’s lips curved into a smirk.
“Always so loyal to her,” she said lightly. “Perhaps a little too much.”
Kael’s shoulders tensed, but he didn’t turn around.
“Loyalty keeps ships from falling apart, Councilor.”
For a moment, the sound of footsteps and the hum of the corridor were all that filled the air.
Back in the tactical room, Survivor’s projection flickered faintly before settling into focus.
“Scan complete,” he said. “No infection detected.”
Lyssandra’s hands flew to her mouth. Relief and joy broke across her face, unguarded for the first time that day.
Ilya smiled softly beside her.
Survivor’s tone gentled, almost warm. “Looks like he’s clear. Your brother’s fine.”
Lyssandra exhaled, a whisper slipping out before she could stop it. “Thank the Forge.”
The tension that had filled the room finally began to unwind, replaced by quiet, cautious relief.
Then ZI’s voice came through the feed.
“Attention: our guests are about to enter the room.”
Lyssandra straightened immediately, brushing invisible wrinkles from her uniform. She drew in one steadying breath, composure returning like armor.
“Alright,” she murmured. “Now to get past this barrier.”
Guards stood ready at each entrance, armor polished and weapons at rest.
Lyssandra waited before the main door, posture calm, expression measured. Behind her, Ilya and Survivor stood in quiet readiness — the calm before diplomacy’s storm.
Aide and guard lines remained outside the threshold, a silent wall of uniforms. Their absence inside made the room feel larger—and far more dangerous.
The door hissed open. Kael stepped aside, voice steady.
“Princess, the representatives are ready to meet.”
The three envoys entered shoulder to shoulder, each carrying the weight of their empire.
Harkon moved with military precision, Celine with measured grace, and Lucen with that calm born of entitlement—three styles of command vying for the same air.
Lyssandra bowed in greeting, her tone composed.
“Thank you for taking the time to attend this meeting.”
Ilya followed her lead with a respectful nod. Survivor hesitated a beat before inclining his head as well.
When they straightened, Celine was the first to speak.
“The pleasure is ours,” she said smoothly. “I trust this meeting will prove… productive for all parties involved.”
Her voice was pleasant, but her eyes held sharp curiosity.
Harkon’s turn came next — blunt and clear.
“Indeed. The galaxy would like to know whether these claims of yours are true.”
Then Lucen — calm, almost formal.
“Lyssandra,” he said softly, “even though we are family, duty comes first. Don’t expect any favors.”
Lyssandra’s reply came even, unflinching.
“I expect nothing less.” She gestured gracefully to the table. “Please — have a seat. We’ll address every concern.”
The air thickened as they moved to sit — not yet hostile, but charged. It felt like the quiet heartbeat before a battle’s first shot.
Behind her, Survivor allowed himself a weary smile. We’re just talking, right? he thought dryly.
Kael lingered a moment at the threshold. “I’ll be outside if you need anything,” he said, giving Lyssandra a small nod.
The door slid shut behind him, sealing the room in silence.
Lyssandra met each gaze in turn.
The war had simply changed shape.
Thanks for reading
Please give a comment, review if you want.I would love to see how you guys view the story. Even like to hear your critique, if willing.
If worried about the AI assist, I use it for polish and grammar checks, but am learning to write without the polish.
