Chapter 14

In the meanwhile with Titus and Rayet

Titus made use of his rank and authority as a knight to get Rayet for a small family meal in his quarters. He picked her up from her cell, which she shared with Yuki, Inko and Nina, who was also brought to Prince Valerius's flagship just the same as the rest of the crew of the Deucalion and many other UEF prisoners.

In his quarters Titus had prepared a table and two dishes for them.

"I hope you will like it. I asked one of the chefs two of my favourite dishes for this occasion. Unfortunately I can't afford meat or fish on my pay, but i think it is good enough."

Rayet sat down and looked at the food skeptically, but then her stomach rumbled since she hasn't eaten anything in awhile. Besides she had to admit that the food smelled deliciously and therefore she started to eat.

After the meal Rayet wanted to know more about her new-found cousin and started the conversation.

"How was your life on Jupiter and how did you grow up?"

"First of all we don't live on the planet Jupiter itself. This would be impossible. We live in closed type O'Neill colonies around the two largest moons instead. My parents have told me that at the beginning living there had been a fight for survival every single day. But after the completion of the first colony life became much easier. For the people of my generation it's hard to believe how much our parents have suffered and endured to give us the comfortable life we live now."

"You describe your life as if it is a fairy tale, but it can't be that perfect, because you are a soldier after all."

"I'm a soldier because I want to defend our way of life and my family. There will always be people, who are envious of our wealth and prosperity, because they want it for themselves without working hard to gain it. With that I don't mean people from Earth alone."

"Our fathers were members of the same class on Mars, but you were able to become a knight. How did you do that?"

"That was quite simple, because I had the skill to become a knight. In the colonies there is no discrimination. It doesn't mattter from which class you are and therefore your skills and abilities are the most importants aspects for your career. Besides education and basic living are guaranteed as long as you serve Prince Valerius's family faithfully, because our loyalty gives us our civil rights. There are some nobles, but they also had to pledge their allegiance and they wouldn't dare to hurt Prince Valerius' followers."

"In other words you have decided to follow a good master, who will protect you and take care of you in exchange for your loyalty and labor force."

"More or less that's the case, but Prince Valerius has also introduced a constitution where our rights and duties are set out in writing."

"I wish I could have lived your live instead." Rayet said melancholically.

"Until now your life wasn't in your hands, but that has changed. Now you have the chance to decide yourself what you want to do."

"What do you mean?"

"I can offer you to come to Jupiter colonies with me. I'm sure my parents would be happy to host you and you can start a new life there. You would have to swear an oath of allegiance of course." Titus stated and Rayet stared at him open-mouthed because she didn't know how to answer this very tempting offer.

A communications room on board Prince Valerius flagship on the next day

Valerius has instructed Asseylum, Lemrina, Klancain, Count Mazuurek and Eddelrittuo to come there for the first phase of his plan.

"First we have to undo Princess Asseylum's speech. For that I want Princess Lemrina and Count Cruhteo to come here." Valerius said and these two complied with his request.

"I want you Count Cruhteo to stand next to Princess Lemrina and do and say absolutely nothing. On the other side I want you Princess Lemrina to apologize to the Orbital Knights and the people of the Earth. I've already prepare a text for you." Prince Valerius gave her a tablet and she read the text.

"How can this apology undo my sister's speech?" She asked confused.

"You will see, but you need to take Princess Asseylum's appearance for the first part of the speech."

Lemrina followed Valerius's instructions and took the appearance of her sister. Then Valerius started the countdown for the soldiers, who operated the communication devices.

"Okay. We are broadcasting in three, two, one now."

"To the citizens of Earth and the Vers Empire. I'm Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia. At least that's what you think who I am." Lemrina said and then deactivated her obtical camouflage.

"My real name is Lemrina Vers Engers and I'm the younger half-sister of Princess Asseylum. I have always admired my elder sister. She was beautiful, kindhearted and beloved by all. I was jealous of her, because she had everything that I did not. That's why I wanted to be like her even if it was only once. But because of my actions I caused a lot of confusion. Therefore I beg your pardon and aks you all for your forgiveness. Thank you."

Princess Asseylum and Slaine were staying on the sideline and watched the speech with interst, but they were quite confused.

"Slaine, do you have any idea what cousin Valerius wanted to achieve with this broadcast and how he wants to undo the effects of my peech with this?"

"I'm not sure Princess Asseylum?" Slaine answered perplexedly.

"That was ingenious. Prince Valerius truely is a genius in politics and warfare. He cleared up the entire confusion and he did it without telling a single lie. He just changed the perception of the facts a little bit, so that people would come to completely different conclusion, without knowing the real facts." Count Mazuurek commented full of admiration.

"What do you mean?" Asseylum and Slaine asked simultaneously.

"That's quite simple. Now everyone will think that your sister made the last speech in your name. They will just consider it a prank from a jealous younger sister. The fact that Prince Valerius made Klancain stand next to Princess Lemrina made it even more believable." Count Mazuurek explained and Slaine and Asseylum started to realize the ingenuity of this plan.

After waiting for a few minutes Princess Valerius decided that it was time to contact the Orbital Knights.

"I think we have given them enough time to sink in the message. Therefore open a channel to all Orbital Knights." Valerius ordered his men and after a few seconds a secure channel was established.

"This is Prince Valerius speaking. I want to invite all available Orbital Knights on my flagship tomorrow morning. There I want to discuss the next steps in this war with all Knights."

After this short message Prince Valerius took a deep breath.

"With this the first phase of my plan is now completed, but the hardest phases still lie ahead of us. Now we have to convince the Orbital Knights and the United Earth Forces that an armistice is the best solution at this point of the war. Therefore to prevent more pointless battles I will need the cooperation of all the people here. Did I make myself clear?"

"We all want this war to end Valerius. Therefore if you think that your way is the one with the least bloodshed, then you can count on us." Asseylum proclaimed with newfound conviction in her voice.

The other people in the room could do nothing but agree and nodded.

"Then I would suggest we should prepare ourselves to greet the Orbital Knights tomorrow. We have to make sure that it will be a meeting they will never forget." Valerius stated with a grin on his face.

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