Chapter 9 - Returning to Earth

The emperor decided that we must stay in the palace, personally I'm not sure it it's a palace or a small city.

It's mostly build from crystal or do they grow the crystal like this? Honestly I'm not sure, I didn't bother to ask.

Chloe has gone out with Krish and I decided to stay in the room, if you can call it a room. It's more like a house with its own garden and beautiful views of the city beyond the palace.

I'm still feeling tired, I haven't slept much, I had a huge shock and got a lot to deal with, to be honest I can't get around to calling Krish mother, she said I can take my time to take everything in, I do feel that Chloe should have thought of a better way to tell me, she did admit that she suspected it all along. So is this is the secret she thinks Azaria's was hiding? Or is there something else?

A few weeks ago I was settling in to my new life on earth, happy with a girl I've been dating for years, we had beautiful pets, oh and our pets, luckily a neighbor was kind enough to offer to look after them. We have one more day before we return home. Chloe did warn me that Azaria will most likely be waiting for us and we will have a lot of explaining to do.

The emperor's staff was kind enough to provide us with more appropriate clothing for the palace, but I've never been one for formal wear.

And besides all that, we left earth during an attack, who knows what's happening back home. But the emperor was adamant that we stay for a bit, apparently he has a surprise for me and just like that.

The door opens, Chloe barely came through the door followed by Krish and the emperor, you would think him been the ruler of this planet he would enter first escorted by guards, but no. It's Just them.

Chloe. "Come with us, it's time you see your surprise."

I can see the emperor and Krish both got a huge smile on their faces.

Emperor. "Are you going stare at us or are you coming?"

I pull myself out of my trance and force a smile. "I'm coming."

I find myself following them down the long corridor to a balcony which turns out to be a landing platform, ah there it is, his guards standing in 2 lines leading to what looks like a luxury hover car, after getting in I look around to see who is driving, but the emperor just says the words, "my private hanger." And we immediately take off.

Chloe still smiling takes my hand and whispers in my ear. "Krish and the emperor had something special designed for you. I think you will like it."

Then she takes out a blindfold and covers my eyes. "No peeking."

I can hear the 3 of them laughing like excited kids so I decide to play along, I'm still not really feeling very talkative so I just sit in silence. And after what felt like hours I hear the emperor speak. "We are here, let's go."

I can feel Chloe taking my one hand and for the first time Krish takes my other hand, they led me for what felt like an eternity till we stopped.

Emperor. "You can look now."

I slowly take the blindfold off and felt my breath escape me at what I'm looking at.

Krish. "So? Don't you like it? My fiance had it specially designed and developed for you, it's yours."

I find myself at a loss for words, I'm not used to receiving gifts, but this, this is too much.

I look back at them, they all standing there smiling and waiting for my reaction. "I can't accept this, this is too much. I mean this must have cost you a fortune." I could feel the tears building up.

Emperor. "Nonsense, your mother gave me back my life and her love is more then I could ever want and now her son is my son."

Then I felt it rip, I just sat down on the floor and held my hands over my face. I felt so ashamed for crying. That was until I felt someone giving me a hug, I look up to see Krish, "it's okay, you've got a family now. Come look at your ship, Chloe helped us to make the final modifications as she understands earth languages."

Then Chloe took my hand and helped me up. "So? What do you think? "

I look back at this beautiful shining disc shape ship standing in front of me, it's a bit smaller the Chloe's ship, but still huge. I look back at all of them and can barely utter the words "thank you, thank you so much, it's beautiful."

Chloe doesn't wait any longer, she grabs my hand and almost pulls me off my feet into the ship, she's so excited, showing me around and eventually we get to the bridge.

I look around at the controls and pilot platform, "Uhm, I have no idea how to even fly anything."

Krish. "And? We will let you spend time in the flight simulator, by tomorrow you will be a pro."

Me. "Flight simulator?"

Chloe. "They've got some of the best pilot training simulation systems you can find in the galaxy. "

Emperor. "We added a few extras for you. But don't worry, you and Chloe can still travel together, this ship was set up to follow your commands from anywhere." Then he hands me a device that looks similar to what the Seleons wear on there arms. "You can literally tell the ship what to do and it will do it. It is fully equipped with the latest space drives, weapons and more."

After they showed me the ship Chloe took me to what looks like a strange room which turns out to be the simulation system.

It feels like I've spent a week in there, but turns out I got the hang of it in half the time they expected.

We all said our goodbyes and I gave my mother a final hug goodbye before Chloe and I got on our way, my ship following shortly after, we are about to exit hyperspace and should reach earth soon, my ship is just a few minutes behind us.

Chloe did warm me that her mother will most likely be waiting for us and there will be a lot of explaining to do.

She was right, as we exited hyperspace the first thing we saw was the ship that was waiting for us when we were leaving, but next to it one of a similar design, but almost double the size.

Chloe. "My mothers flag ship."

Incoming transmission, transmission accepted.

"This is the royal guard for the Seleon high queen. Relinquish control of your craft and a docking pilot will bring you in to hanger AZ. "

Chloe. "Hanger AZ? I'm sorry, but this is princess Sarine, hanger AZ is reserved for captives, not for Seleons. "

Voice. "Comply as per order from High Queen Azaria."

Chloe. "Complying." She deactivates the controls and looks at me. "Keep your ship cloaked and hide it in the asteroid belt."

I immediately sent the order and receive and order confirmed response.

We both watch as the ship flies into a docking bay near the back of the flag ship.

Chloe. "Follow me and follow my lead, this is just a misunderstanding, I will explain everything to my mother."

But as soon as we exited the ship there are 4 armed guards waiting for us.

Guard. "The queen will see you in the court room."

Chloe. "Court room."

Guard. "Quiet, follow us."

Me. Whispering at Chloe, "what's the courtroom?" But as soon as I said it I felt a shock run through my body and find myself on the floor.

Guard. "I said quiet."

Chloe. "He doesn't understand our ways."

But she drops on the floor next to me, also screaming in pain.

Guard. "Quiet."

Before we could get back to our feet the guards grabs us and drags us for what felt like an eternity. Till they eventually threw us down on the floor. I look up to see Azaria sitting in a chair looking at us, not with her normal friendly expression, but this time with anger and disappointment.

Azaria. "You disobeyed a direct order and put your baby as well as a lot of humans and my fleet at risk. "

Chloe. "Mother, I can expl..."

But once again she drops to the floor screaming, but this time I snapped and the next moment all 4 the guards are pinned against the ceiling with a stream of blue light flowing from my hand. I looked at them and back at Azaria, "she's pregnant, you talk about putting the baby in danger? But your guards are doing exactly that."

Azaria, "let my guards go, you are out of line and are making this worse for yourself."

Chloe. "No, hear us out."

Azaria "fine, then you give me no choice." She taps on her arm band, then looks at us confused.

Chloe holding out her hand dropping our implants on the floor. "Oh, we had them removed while we were away. "

But we made one mistake, we were both so focused on getting through to Azaria that we didn't pay attention to our surroundings, the next moment I felt an ice cold piece of metal around my neck and before I knew it I was back on the floor, my whole body shaking as if I'm been shocked by thousands of volts of electricity, I looked next to me to see Chloe laying on the floor next to me also shaking, that's when I notice that shining collar on her neck. Behind her the guards I pinned against the ceiling picking themselves up off the floor.

It felt like hours before the pain subsided, even though it was seconds.

Azaria. "Don't worry, the baby will be fine. It just sends it signal to the brain making you believe you are been shocked. "

Guard. "Stand up and face the queen."

That's when I noticed that 2 guards were standing behind us.

Chloe. "Listen to them." She looks at me with a look of defeat on her face.

We both stand up to face Azaria.

Azaria. "Your little stunt to take off in brought daylight, do you have any idea how many humans saw your ship, the space force has been doing damage control for days, the photographs are all over the humans internet. And then you drew more of our enemies to earth, half the space force ships and bases has been destroyed, half the hybrids are dead. "

Chloe. "Mother, please, let me explain. "

Azaria. "Silence, you are both under arrest."

She then looks at me, you will go through the procedure right now and you 2 will be married."

Chloe. "Mother please, he should have a choice, all Seleons get a choice."

Azaria. "Hybrids don't."

Chloe. "Mother, he isn't..."

Azaria. "Silence, and once that is done you will both be placed into a mind prison for 10 hours."

Chloe. "Mother please."

Azaria. "I'm not done, and when you are finished breast feeding you will both go to the orbital prison at the edge of the dead galaxy for 100 years."

I looked up at Chloe who's face dropped, I can see the fear in her eyes, the look of defeat on her face, she is fighting to hold back the tears. I take her hand in mine. But before I could close my hand around hers I felt another sting from the collar and everything went black.

I woke up in a white room, I tried to get up. But realized I'm completely restrained. I can't even feel my body or move. I look up to see Chloe standing there. "I'm sorry, they started the procedure, but it's still going to hurt.

I eventually blacked out again and when I woke up I was laying in what looked like a medical bed. Chloe still by my side. She looks at me and kisses me on my forehead. Then she speaks softly. "The procedure worked, you will now live as long as we do."

Then a guard walks in. "The queen wants to see you both now. Follow me."

We follow him to the bridge and find Azaria standing there watching the screen.

Azaria. "What is it?"

Crew woman. "It's an incoming fleet, 50 ships, they are using slip space technology."

Azaria. "The Acturions, why would they be coming here? They withdrew from the alliance."

Just then a bunch of ships appear as if out of nowhere.

Incoming signal. "This is the royal Acturion fleet, the emperor wants to speak with princess Sarine."

Azaria. "She has been stripped of all ranks and sentenced to 10 hours in the mind prison."

Krish. "10 hours! Are you crazy? That will break their minds."

Azaria. "Hello cousin. Yes the sentence has already been announced and must be served."

Emperor. "Reconsider, we are here to join the alliance in the battle to come."

Azaria. "The battle has already started."

Emperor. "No, to stop the void, the alliance will follow the one with the crystal."

Azaria looking at us. "You found the crystal?"

She drops to the floor holding her chest. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Chloe walks up to her and puts her arms around her giving her a hug.

Chloe. "It's okay mother, but please hear us out."

Azaria. "Remove their collars. Their sentences has been revoked. "

Emperor. "Permission to dock? We have a lot to discuss."

Azaria. "Granted."

Chloe. Looking at me. "Bring your ship in."

I immediately sent the command and the next moment my ship comes to a halt close to Azaria's ship."

We all make our way to a meeting room and as we entered both Krish and the emperor gives me a hug and he hands me a ring. "This is yours now."

Azaria just looks at me and then her eyes goes wide. "Krish's son?"