Loyalties

Chapter 16: Jade

"People of the Empire," I say, standing in front of the Black Sun's capital city, Terran. Below me, the 800,000 or so occupants stare up at me, followed by a great many cameras so the whole Black Sun Empire can listen.

"For many years, we have been fighting against the rule of the old Empire. Their laws are unjust, their ways too outdated. That blasted emperor believes he is immortal. He believes he will never die. He believes nothing can harm him. However, as we speak, numerous fleets of ours are getting ready for the largest battle in history, so large it makes the actions of Grand Duchess Daria seem like a minor offense.

"People of the Black Sun, we need you. Without you, we would have nothing. We would be nothing. We would be living in silence, hoping and praying that time will take its toll, and the emperor would be replaced. However, that doesn't seem to be the case."

I pause for a minute to think about what to say next.

"We started out as a small insurgency," I continue, my voice echoing all trough the crowd. "Then, we grew. We took over a planet. Then a duchy. Then half the system. Pretty soon, with all of our hard fought efforts, all our enemies will tremble as we become the Empire. Every man, woman, and child that is a member of the Black Sun will make history."

The crowd erupts with applause, so much so it's deafening.

"We are the people," I yell, one last time. "We are the Black Sun!"

"Black Sun," the crowd chants as I turn around and walk back through the doors.

Sitting in front of me is the leader of the Black Sun, dressed all in black, his face concealed.

"My Lord," I say, kneeling. "Was my speech to your liking?"

"Yes, it was," the leader says. Although I'm his right hand, I still don't know his name. He wants me to call him either Emperor or my Lord. I dare not argue, since this is now my life.

"But tell me," he continues, "why did you leave your home? You had just about everything."

I sigh. "The lifestyle of richness never tickled my fancy, sir," I start. "My home had little to no military, and my father forbade me from joining any armed force. That's when I contacted you. I knew you'd let me fight."

"All you wanted was to fight?" the Emperor asked, stroking his chin.

"No," I answer. "I wanted change. I wanted that bloody emperor to be replaced. No one listens to voices. Only actions. I feel like if I joined you, I could send a message. The day you attacked my home, something inside me snapped."

"How so?" the Emperor asks, clearly intrigued in my story.

"At first, I didn't want this war," I say, scratching the back of my neck. "Now, it's all I am." I smile wickedly. "And I can't wait for us to be on top."

The Emperor sits back in his chair. "Dismissed, Jade," he says, nodding, his voice deep with satisfaction.

"Also, one more thing," the Emperor stops me. I turn around as the Emperor stands up. Taking off his hood, I see a rugged, older man's face. The Emperor presses something on his chest, and that face goes away. Instead, the face I recognized so well, always branded throughout his father's home.

"I wanted change, too," Daniel Stavio-Noir says, his eyes reflecting pure hatred and pain.