TRAITOR - Book 1 Warlord and Multiverse Series

Chapter 3

Houston

"We are throwing this party in honor of Jason, who is the first person within the family who has been recalled to the Empire. I understand he will be the vanguard for other family members to return to the Empire. Without further ado, I'll ask Jason to talk to you and answer any questions that you may subsequently ask. Jason, I suggest you do an introduction for say twenty minutes and then we'll have our starter, talk for another fifteen to twenty minutes and we'll have our entrée and then perhaps you can take questions. Deserts will be placed on the buffet tables afterwards. Jason, we are all sorry to hear about Sarah and the circumstances of her death, please accept the condolences of the entire family," said Great Uncle Cletus.

Jason looked around the room. All the people who had been born in the Empire were still alive including his uncle Cletus who had introduced him. All the generation that had followed had died including his own parents. The room was in the corporate headquarters of the family food business and could hold at least a hundred and fifty people. It was used as an executive dining room during the day, and frequently for events in the evenings. He fondly recalled eating many an outstanding meal in this room over the years.

"Dear family, I'm delighted to be in your company again, though I'm embarrassed to be the one asked to return to the Empire. I'm not terribly keen to go, particularly after the death of Sarah and because of my age and multiple medical problems. Most of us younger ones and I use that term lightly, have felt abandoned by the Empire and I'm especially angry because my parents have needlessly died as have so many of the generation above me and even those of my generation. Two days ago, our family was taken to see the battleship that's taking me back to the Empire. They fixed all my health problems, and I'm allegedly in the process of becoming a young man again. You don't die in the Empire of old-age, they tell me. For that reason, I've undertaken to ensure that every single one of you benefits from Empire medicine before I leave... and my departure is far from a done deal... to find what the hell has happened and why we were abandoned."

He received prolonged applause and some whistles and cheers, particularly from the younger people.

"The story that I've been told is that my great-grandfather is very ill and I'm needed to assist him and to take over the Duchy as is necessary. The ship belongs to the Empress who sent it for me on behalf of my great-grandfather. To me it's a strange story and I'm not sure that I believe it. Why, with such great medicine, is he sick? And if that's not the reason, then what is? The reason I may go is that I've nothing to lose. With current technology and paranoid levels of security in society it's hard to live to a thousand and explain it to others.

"If I remained here maybe I'd have lasted another five to ten years, and those with a poor quality of life. I was a slowly deteriorating old crock. Part of why I'm thinking of going is to create a pathway for those of you who want to return, and to find out if it's going to be better for you in the Empire. The other part of why I'm considering going, is that I don't know what the hell I'd have done in the next few years while waiting to die. Now I'm getting younger and I don't know how I can fit in. I lost twenty-five pounds the first day and ten pounds since then. I am looking ten years younger than the twenty years I lost the first day.

"The last reason is that there's a detective who is chasing me as a murderer or at least a supposed accessory, assistant, or helper, in the death of my wife. He has charged me for a crime for his own obscure reasons. I'm out on bail and have to report to a police station once a week. I will look like a different person if I get to trial.

"I would love to hear about the look on the slime ball's face, when Lauren tells him I've gone back to the Empire.

"What happened, for those who have not heard, I arrived home four weeks ago, to find Sarah hanging outside the balcony of our bedroom. I had a heart attack shortly after I managed to get her down and called emergency services, and Lauren.