The Forgotten Empire: War for the Empire by Raymond Weil (children's ebooks online TXT) 📗

This seemed to satisfy the council. “In the meantime I suggest your shipyards build as many warships as possible. They will be needed when it comes time to retake all the Empire worlds and to make them once more part of the Confederation.”

Damora realized he needed to speak to the High Council of the Morag. Evidently it would take several months or more to pacify the worlds in the Confederation currently in revolt. It would also be necessary to increase the size of the patrols responsible for keeping Confederation space safe. This was all a result of the Earth Humans’ intervention.

-

Councilor Ardon Reull was on the Lormallian world of Proxy Seven, an out-of-the-way world with a small population of only twenty million. However, it held several top secret research labs that no one, outside of a few high government officials, were aware of. Ardon was currently meeting with Dom Marse, who was the chief research scientist.

“We have studied the data on the disk you provided us, and we can produce the telepathic nullifier.”

“How soon?” asked Ardon. The more time that passed, the more likely that the Morag would discover what he was up to.

“We can have the design perfected within the week and start production after that.”

“How many can you produce?” Ardon would need tens of thousands of the devices.

“We must manufacture two types,” replied Dom. “One will be a series of devices that can protect an entire warship. The second will be a small headset that an individual can wear, which should provide adequate protection. We are already setting up production lines. With the use of robotics, we should turn out thousands of units per week.”

“We must hurry,” said Ardon. “I expect the Morag will search for me shortly, if they haven’t already.”

“We’re operating around the clock,” replied Dom. “Have you chosen the first ships and crews to be equipped with the telepathic nullifiers?”

Ardon nodded. “I’ve positioned one of our larger fleets nearby. They are supposedly seeing to the revolts on several planets. It should not raise any suspicion. When you’re ready, I’ll arrange to have the devices delivered to the warships.”

After the meeting, Ardon returned to his quarters. One other thing his brother had furnished him with was a disk describing the Lormallian worlds before they had joined the Confederation. Every day that he studied the disk, he realized in growing horror all they had lost and what they had now become.

-

At the Imperial Palace, Derrick prepared for his wedding. He wore his dress-blue Vice Admiral uniform, with a purple cape. Layla had insisted, as she wanted to remind everyone who was second in charge of the Empire’s fleets.

Derrick currently stood in the Imperial Court, where the high-backed chairs normally resided. Next to him was Prince Andrew, acting as his best man, as well as Major Barkley and Admiral Cleemorl.

Layla’s attendants were Kala, Krista, and Cheryl. The Imperial Court was covered in purple flowers, special red roses imported from Earth, and white lilies as well. The room was packed, with a wide aisle down the center, where Layla would walk. Around the periphery of the room, hundreds of media cameras were focused on the proceedings.

The Grand March of the Empire began playing, and Layla made her entrance. She was escorted by Colonel Emerson and twenty of his Imperial Guards, all walking in step. The procession made it slowly down the long aisle, and then Emerson placed Layla’s hand in Derrick’s.

-

The ceremony took nearly thirty minutes, and then Layla and Derrick were escorted to the main Imperial banquet room, where numerous cakes waited and where they would greet their guests.

“I’m glad that’s over,” said Derrick quietly, hoping Layla didn’t hear him, as they entered the banquet room. A ball was scheduled for later, and Ensign Allert had already reminded Derrick that he owed her a dance. Fortunately he had been practicing, and Brenda had been more than glad to help teach him. At least now he didn’t think he would make a fool out of himself.

-

For nearly an hour Derrick and Layla stood in the receiving line, greeting their guests. Then they made it to the cakes, where over twenty magnificently decorated cakes awaited them. Derrick almost felt embarrassed to cut into them, but the wedding ritual demanded it and some of these cakes were from worlds considering joining the Empire. After the cakes were cut, they made the traditional wedding toast.

“I don’t think I can eat another piece of cake,” said Layla, giggling.

“They’re great!” exclaimed Krista, who stood nearby. “They’re some of the best cakes I’ve ever eaten.”

“We better make our way to the ballroom for the first dance,” said Layla. “I see Emira over there, looking impatient.”

“Let’s not keep her waiting,” said Derrick. He wanted to stay on the good side of Emira.

The two made it into the Royal Ballroom and soon were moving about the room in a slow dance, as everyone watched.

“Ensign Allert did well,” commented Layla, as they moved smoothly across the room in each other’s arms.

Derrick nodded. “She was determined that I learn how to dance. She was very patient.”

Once the dance was over, the two excused themselves, so they could put on more comfortable clothes. Then they would return and dance with their guests for several more hours.

-

Across the Empire and even into the Confederation, the Royal Wedding was being broadcast. On numerous inhabited worlds in the Confederation, more questions were raised. Why did the Confederation worlds not have the same freedom the Empire did? In the coming days even more unrest would spread across the Confederation worlds. Unknown to Layla and Derrick, their wedding would do more to shatter the Confederation than anything else they could have done, for it showed the Confederation worlds what their lives could have been like.

-

Cheryl and Dylan took a break from