Imperial Orders

♕The Lab♕

The chapter after this will probably be the last! So excited to finally share the ending :)

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The lab on Khaas seemed much too sophisticated to be run entirely by Djareny, and Tuofah soon realized why. Most of the technicians sitting at the bare workstations were humans, either sorting through papers or typing on computers, all of which, through some obscure assortment of wires, fed into a huge central monitor at the center of the circular room. In front of the monitor, which currently displayed a beeping fingerprint pad, was an elderly Djaren who leaned forward on his cane, his back turned away from Nexetra, Tuofah, and Hugo. 

"These people..." Tuofah looked around in disgust. "They're selling their own race out for money!" 

"It was not difficult to convince them," Nexetra smiled sadly, fiddling with the bars of the wheeled cage that surrounded her. "Your people would do anything for money. Mine would do anything for food, which you humans buy with money. Yet, we are the savages while you are the great Hominan Empire! The pinnacle of civilization!" 

"At least, we are honest about what we are," the old Djaren turned around to look at the new arrivals. "Welcome back, Nexetra. I see you have brought back the ones you sought." 

"No thanks to you, father," Nexetra spat. 

"Well, if you are finished sulking, we can get on with our business," Vendyr Serpis said through gritted teeth, gesturing to the monitor. "We only need the Emperor's fingerprint, and our legions will be ready to march." 

"Ooh, what happened?" Hugo raised his eyebrows, shock bringing out his natural dialect. "Thought you and your dad were really tight."

"We were," Nexetra replied with surprising calm. "Until I realized that the cage he put me in is exactly that: a cage. Not a guiding crutch to help me control my power, but a lifelong prison. He doesn't want to help me heal. He wants to save himself from the monster inside me." 

"Nexetra, please," Vendyr let out a pained whisper. "Now is not the time. The Hominans could be here any second- it is crucial that we get the Emperor's fingerprint." 

"Yes, of course," Nexetra said, her words still laced with venom. "You," she turned to Hugo. "Make sure your finger is completely clean before you put it in the scanner. We weren't able to completely disable your Hominan security system, so if a non-royal fingerprint is detected... well, essentially, the computer will blow up. Along with you." 

"W-wait a second!" Hugo's eyes lit up with fear as he turned to face Tuofah. "Well, if it's that sensitive, shouldn't I, er, wash my hands first? Just to... you know... avoid unnecessary self-combustion?" 

Vendyr looked at Nexetra as if meaning to discuss Hugo's proposal, but Nexetra didn't bother to ask for his opinion. "Very well then. We would also like to preserve our equipment, and the months of effort we put into all this. My guards will escort you to the nearest restroom, and you had better make it quick." 

As if on cue, two Djareny moved away from the door, standing on either side of Hugo as they led him out of the lab. 

Tuofah remained in place, frozen in fear. She felt for the Armlets disguised under her long sleeves. If she could use her powers, they might've had a chance at escape, but the second she activated her mutant Gift, she would be revealing her identity  to all who could see her. 

But was the alternative any better? She would watch Hugo explode, and then the Djareny would realize they were imposters anyway. 

She watched as Hugo returned, wiping his hands on his pants and steeling his jaw. Tuofah searched his eyes for a knowing glint- something to show her that he had a plan- but found nothing. Washing his hands was just a ploy to buy time. It had failed miserably. The Hominans weren't coming to rescue them- they were in the heart of Djareny territory, and they really were going to die here. 

Tuofah drew in a deep breath as Hugo approached the fingerprint scanner's button, guided forward by the two Djareny guards. Beads of sweat condensed on his brow as he reached out for it, preparing to push it. Something seemed to break inside him as he held his trembling index finger millimeters above the button. "I'm sorry," he mouthed, giving Tuofah a sad look as he dropped his arm back to his side. 

Curling his hands into fists, Hugo turned around to face a surprised Nexetra. "Look, I'm not a hero. I'm not here to make a noble sacrifice. I'm a common thief, and I didn't come all this way to die. So that's why I'm telling you now for the second and final time that my name is Hugo Lennez Pearce. You can believe me or not. You can free me or not. But..." he paused, his breath wavering in the face of Vendyr's cold stare. Yet, neither of the Djareny leaders made a move to stop him, so he continued. "But a few months ago, I promised her one hundred thousand marks," he said slowly, a tear forming in the corner of his eye as he pointed at Tuofah. "And I'm not about to leave her with my dead body." 

Nexetra's eyes widened at this revelation. Clearly, she hadn't been expecting this to be Hugo's motivation. "Yes, that's right. I'm a selfish, manipulative con artist- Serpis, you know that better than anyone. This may be the first time in my life I'm doing something for someone other than myself, so please, please, help me. Just let us go, and we'll leave. We won't go back to Celatys. You can have Homina- they've never done a thing for me that wasn't actually for them. All I'm asking for is our lives."

A long pause ensued after Hugo's speech, but before anyone could respond, the lab's attention was captured by a commotion at the front of the lab. The doors creaked ominously before falling forward to reveal a squadron of six fully armed Hominan soldiers, their military grade laser guns all pointed straight at Nexetra and her father. 

"Game's over, Serpis. Hand over the Emperor." Admiral Houke stepped in front of the squadron, crossing his arms as he stared Nexetra down. 

"Yes, Admiral. Game over indeed. Like I told you earlier," Nexetra smiled wanly at Tuofah as the Hominan soldiers turned in their guns to face Houke. "Your kind are pathetically easy to buy." 

"This...this is treason!" Houke protested in vain as his own soldiers backed him into the nearest wall. 

"I'm tired of this banter," Nexetra made a show of raising her arms, glaring at her father all the while. Her sleeves lowered slightly, revealing her Armlets as she directed the full force of her power at Hugo. He pursed his lips, trying in vain to fight her as she forced his finger toward the button. 

"For the last time, I'm not your Emperor!" Hugo screamed as his finger made contact with the scanner. The minute he was released from Nexetra's control, he ran toward Tuofah, barreling through the Djareny guards around her and pulling her to the ground as the pair braced themselves for a blast that never came. Slowly, Hugo raised his head to see Nexetra smirking at him as she looked at the fingerprint scanner, which was now glowing a bright green. 

"I was not a fool to have brought you here. I know that you are commonly known as Hugo Lennez Pearce. I also know that you are the rightful Emperor of Homina. Thank you for your service, Your Majesty. The Djareny Legion will not soon forget it."