The Vigilance - 297 AC
When Emperor Valkorion found and rebuilt the Eternal Fleet, he had ordered a prototype flagship that would serve as both the vanguard and heart of the vast armada. It had taken over two centuries to build, and when it was completed, the entire empire celebrated on such a momentous achievement. A true marvel of Zakuulan engineering: a 20,000 meters capital ship, with 12 ion cannons, 8 planetary-level turbolasers, 4 frontal cannons, and the most advanced and recent shielding and stealth technology that Zakuul could muster; the bridge only - which resides on the top most layer of this monstrosity - covers more than 4 miles. The hanger can hold more than 10,000 starfighters, 400 large shuttles, and 12 carrier-class starships.
Truly, this wonder of technology and military engineering remains one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of the empire; despite it costing more credits and materials than it would take to build two spire-cities, no one can ever claim to be unimpressed - or fearful - of the sight of the Eternal Flagship, the Vigilance. And it was for these reasons that many of Zakuul's citizens were reluctant to see one of their greatest creations be the first to lead the empire's first interstellar expedition. But news of former Knight-Commander Silas Tirall's first contact and annexation of the planet of Westeros has been nothing, but an exhilarating success for all Zakuulans. And now, both the Vigilance and Zakuul's newest Exarch are returning home.
Back in the Westerosi Star Fortress...
Normally, Silas considered himself to be a collected man, but even he must admit some anxiety on the thought of returning to Zakuul. Even if it is for just a moment, he still finds himself missing the golden spires that dot Zakuul's landscape and the stormy atmosphere that cloaks the planet. As he looks over the bridge, the frantic and constant movement of the crew did little to calm his nerves. They were still preparing last minute calculations for the FTL-jump to Zakuul, along with finishing up the syncing with two Eternal Fleet units that were to accompany the flagship.
Besides himself and the two Targaryens, Knight-Captain Atrus, Vindicator Uranos, Grand-Scion Heskal, and many other of Silas' chief deputies were also aboard the starship. During his absence, he's reinstated Knight-Commander Korvo Vortena with his command again, and made both him and Knight-Commander Delothrea as his regents until further notice. Before Silas boarded the ship, Korvo had requested an audience with him before he left. They met at Silas' private chambers inside the Star Fortress a couple of hours ago.
"Your Excellency," saluted Korvo as Silas walked through the auto-durasteel doors.
"At ease, Knight-Commander," said Silas as he Force-pulled two chairs for them to sit.
As they eased on the provided chairs, Korvo was looking down at his hands, not keeping eye-contact with him.
"Vortena?" asked Silas.
"Tirall, I just want to apologize again for my actions at Pentos, and what happened during our last debriefing. I was out-of-line, and I understand that my actions were inappropriate."
"Vortena, there's no need to apologize. Water under the bridge."
"Regardless, I just want to make sure that there's no hard feelings between us." Korvo finally looked up.
With a small sigh, Silas leaned forward and took one of Korvo's hands.
"Korvo," Silas said. "You are like a brother to me, and one of the few people here that I can trust. I'm not gonna lie and say that what you did wasn't stupid, but I also know that you were just doing what you thought was best."
Korvo chuckled at that, and replied. "You are the best friend I could ever ask, Tirall. There's no one I'd rather follow into battle than you. I hope you know that."
Silas didn't reply for a moment before he remembered something. He went and unlatched a lightsaber from his holster.
"Before I forget," Silas said while handing the lightsaber over to Korvo. "Your lightsaber. If you are to govern this planet, then I'm gonna need you at a 100%." Korvo, with a look of surprise and awe, gently took his old lightsaber, feeling and flexing his hands to the familiar weight of the hilt.
A comfortable silence fell while the two men - the two brothers - silently understood the other's words better than their actual words could convey. Ever since their first meeting as initiates to the academy, both Tirall and Vortena were inseparable. The recent events was their first major fight and both of them were unsure if what they had was still there or not. Thankfully, it seemed that the two comrades had nothing to worry about, and an invisible weight as been lifted off both their shoulders. After some vague promises to get drinks and commit vulgar acts on certain ladies after Tirall gets back, both Exarch and Knight-Commander left the quarters, and said their final farewells.
After Silas left her room a few hours ago, two of the skytroopers and one of their mechanical servants - a protocol droid? - entered Daenerys' room and escorted her to a refreshment room. After taking a soothing shower of hot water - of which Daenerys was thankful for, since she has never felt better in ages - she slipped into one of the new outfits that the protocol droid left for her. It was silver garments with a white coat with a hood and golden trims all neatly stitched and patterned. A little big for her current size, but it was comfortable: not the fanciest or luxurious clothing she has ever been forced to wear, but she didn't mind - in fact, she rather liked the simplistic and unrestrained design. Once she was done with her new clothing, the protocol droid proceeded to fashion her hair into a tight-bun with just two strands of her silver locks on her sides and placed two pearl gems on her forehead. When the droid was done, it presented a mirror to show Daenerys' her transformation. She was speechless: usually, Viserys forced her to let her hair down with coils tied behind and be dressed in a soft silk dress that did little to preserve her modesty. Now, she looked... good.
After the protocol droid was done changing her appearance to be more appropriate, it proceeded to enlighten Daenerys on how and when she was to address the Immortal Emperor. While similar to how normal etiquette required one to greet royalty, there were some differences - mainly how she should never dare call his Immortal Majesty "royalty", as it implies that he is mortal - but once she was given the basics, she was escorted to her new quarters on the capital ship, the Vigilance, that would make the journey to the empire's capital. She would be lying to herself if she didn't feel a little bit nervous: she never liked traveling through sea, she almost vomited when she and Viserys rode the shuttle to the Star Fortress, and now, she was going to travel between worlds. It was enough to make her head spin just at the thought of it. As the skytroopers finally showed her to her new quarters - which were remarkably similar to her previous ones - she finally got to see a face that she hadn't seen in quite some time.
Viserys, it would seem, has also been forced to change his dark and fancy attire into a more simple outfit that only accentuated his thin, wiry frame. His former shoulder-length platinum hair was now much shorter then she has ever seen before. His face still remained gaunt and hard, but the dark rings under his eyes have been dulled, and his eyes no longer held a cruel glint to them, but now had a normal shine to them, if a bit nervous. Daenerys wonders what her brother must have seen or been through in the last 12 hours that broke the evil man that emerged 8 years ago. While she never forgot what Viserys has done to her - both in the past and in Volantis - she has also not forgotten what he has done for her as well, and especially now when both scions of the Targaryens were to literally face the unknown and go where no Valyrian has gone before, she needs to stay with her blood.
The skytroopers placed them in opposite rooms and when they were inside, they turned on the energy fields to prevent them from escaping - not that they really could. When the skytroopers finally left the vicinity and took up their positions, both Targaryens moved closer to the edge of the energy field so as to better hear what the other might say.
"Viserys! Are you okay?" asked Daenerys, hoping her brother can hear her.
"Fine. What about you?" responded Viserys. His tone sounded a bit different too, Daenerys noted.
"Unharmed, dear brother. What did they do to you?"
"Not much, to be honest. They threw me to one of their cells with some device of their for me to pass the time. I slept most of the time, however."
"Did you get to eat anything?"
"Yea, just some bacon and milk. What about you? What happened to you? And why did you change your hair?"
"I was also placed in one of their rooms with a device they called a holo-pad, with which I just listened to some of the Zakuulans' music. As for my hair, well, the droids changed it for me, saying it's inappropriate to have long hair while in the presence of the emperor."
"Ah." Viserys said nothing else for a few moments. "Do you know when we'll get there?"
"I don't know. They haven't told me anything besides how to address their emperor."
"I see." Awkward silence.
"Viserys?" Daenerys called.
"What?"
"What do you think is going to happen to us?" Are they going to die?, Daenerys' true question yet she dare not ask so loudly.
Viserys, it seemed, had understood what she meant, but had no satisfactory answer. "I... don't know, sister."
Daenerys' relationship with her brother - especially recently - has always been rocky, but never has she seen such a... vulnerability inside Viserys. In some ways, it disappointed her. Seeing as they don't have anything left to talk about, they both turned around and receded into their rooms, either trying to get some rest during the journey or preparing themselves for the worst. Daenerys was not religious in particular, but being here - in this moment, close to the stars - made her fall to her knees, clasp her hands and murmur a prayer. To any gods willing to listen.
Silas hates FTL; he always has. An odd attribute to have, especially for an Knight-Exarch of Zakuul, but he has always preferred getting into a cockpit of a fighter or shuttle instead and cruse on his own. Something about a ship about to go on FTL made his head hurt, and his stomach turn. Regardless, here he was on the bridge of the Vigilance, waiting for his navigators and quartermasters to complete the jump to the Zakuul system. They were still an hour earlier than expected, but even so... no one makes the Immortal Emperor wait, not if they want to live. Getting impatient, Silas walked over to the edge of the catwalk and called for the attention of one of the captains.
"What's taking so long? We should have arrived to Zakuul by now."
"Apologizes, Your Excellency. We will be ready to jump in 60 seconds."
Silas nodded, and walked back to the front of the central platform, where his command console was resting with the windows showing the vast open space. Below him were rows of computers, consoles and the officers responsible for navigating the ship. Staring out, Silas stood at parade rest in the console, with his hands on the small of his back, while listening to the computers reporting the progress of their launching.
"All systems are green. Eternal Fleet units 6-5-1, 8-2-2 and 1-1-5 have reported in. Initiating launch of the Vigilance in 10 seconds... 5...4...3...2...1... Launch of the Vigilance has commenced... The Vigilance has been launched."
As soon as the computer announced the ship was released, the Vigilance finally started to move and behind it were 18 Eternal Fleet battle cruisers trailing just behind it. As the flotilla moved away from the Star Fortress and into the edge of the station's sensor range, the battle cruisers started formation around the flagship as it picks up the necessary energy for the FTL-jump.
"Status: 30% power necessary for the FTL-jump... 45%... 60%... 75%... 100%. The Vigilance is now ready for the FTL-jump to Zakuul."
At that, the ships immediately jumped into space.
Sick. She is going to be sick.
Daenerys overheard the announcement-box in her cell saying how their ship was ready to "jump" or some sort. Most of their terms she didn't understood, but when the ship finally moved, she was not expecting such a powerful movement so quickly. And as she was picking herself up from the ground, she felt as if her entire right side was being pulled and stretched like a thousand miles. Thankfully, it was only for a few seconds, else she would definitely have needed to relieve her breakfast. While she was trying to calm her nerves and keep her stomach from hurling, the announcement-box started to speak up again.
"All Eternal Fleet units have reported in, and all systems remain green. We are now in the Zakuul system."
In the distance, Daenerys could hear the faint cheers of the crew. As she was recovering herself, her brother - who seemed to have suffered the same side-effects as her - moved closer to the blue energy-field that served as the door.
"So... we're finally here. In the capital of the Eternal Empire..." Viserys said.
"So it would appear, brother. Hopefully, the worst part of our journey is over," Daenerys replied, as she moved to her energy-field as well.
"We can only hop-" Viserys said before he was interrupted.
The Skytroopers that were guarding both Daenerys and Viserys' cells have broken out of their statue-like formation and deactivated the force-fields. They lined at both sides of their doors, waiting for them to come out. When the two Targaryens did come out, two Skytroopers lead them while the other two stayed behind them. They were escorted to the hangar bay, where Exarch Silas, several of Silas' knights, and an old-man with bright white eyes and dressed differently than any other Zakuulan that Daenerys has seen before; in fact, most of the Knights - including Silas - seemed to have changed into their more ceremonial armor. Exarch Silas ordered the others onto the shuttle, and dismissed the Skytroopers escorting Daenerys and Viserys.
"Your Royal Highness. I trust the journey was not too difficult for either of you?" Silas asked.
Silas Tirall, despite being an Exarch, normally preferred his old, standard Knight uniform to his new ones. However, today he wore the ceremonial armor befitting an Exarch: aurodium-plated, with a large black cape, and symbols of the Old-God Izax - the Zakuulan chief deity - on the chest and shoulder plates. Curiously, he also seemed to have traded his lightsaber for a shield with a dragon's face and a pike on his back while he was holding, what Daenerys presumed to be, his helmet.
"No, Your Excellency," Daenerys replied.
"Good. Now, come along." At that, both Targaryens and Exarch Tirall entered the shuttle. While inside, Silas escorted them to seats in the back of the vessel while he went to the front to help pilot the shuttle to the docking bay reserved for them. As they were approaching, the pilot turned on the holo-communicator inside and a voice spoke through.
"Exarch Silas Tirall. Final docking sequence initiated."
With their clearance, the shuttle slowly hovered itself to the airlock, and when the shuttle finally attached itself and gave the all clear signal, the blast-door opened.
Silas escorted the two Targaryens through the catwalk, where at the end lied the only elevator to the Eternal Throne. As they walked to the elevator, the Targaryens remained silent, mostly due to awe at what they were witnessing through the golden windows: not only could they see that they were above even the atmosphere of this strange planet, but they could see thousands of golden "spires" that seem to pierce through dark azure clouds. And when they looked up, they saw what they presumed to be the throne "room": a large, spherical station that hovered barely above the tip of Zakuul City. As the small entourage passed the Paladins - Emperor Valkorion's personal honor guards - that were guarding the catwalk, they entered the elevator and waited for them to reach the throne room.
While the elevator was ascending, Silas turned to the two Targaryens.
"I pray that I need not remind you this: but if either of you show even the tiniest disrespect to His Immortal Majesty, we will cut you down. Do I make myself clear?"
Something changed in Silas' voice that left very little doubt in the two Valyrians' minds that he was dead serious about his warning.
"Yes, Your Excellency," both Viserys and Daenerys whispered.
The elevator finally reached the top, and the doors opened: a single platform with one small walkway that lead to the center. The gilded passage and platform were trimmed with slow moving currents of water that circle around, and a single light from the top illuminated the Eternal Throne... and the figure that sat there. As they got closer, Daenerys could make out more details about the figure: it appeared to be male, but it was hard to tell due to a black and gold hood hiding the visage, but his robes and armor were strangely familiar. The figure was leaning with its hands clasped, as if in deep thought. When the trio finally arrived at the base of the Eternal Throne, all but the Paladins kneeled, Silas in the middle with Viserys to his right and Daenerys to his left.
"His Glorious Majesty, Immortal Master and Protector of Zakuul: Emperor Valkorion."
When Silas finished, the figure leaned back against the throne and pulled down its hood.
"Welcome."
That voice... that face... Daenerys now knew. This was the man from her dreams.
"Interesting..."
Daenerys could feel... weak. As if all the warmth and color of her vision were quickly fading. She was slowing losing air. She needed air.
"Clear the room! Everyone out!" From the back of the station, Grand Scion Heskal told everyone. All, but the trio rose and left the throne room. When all were gone, Daenerys finally felt air back in her lungs.
"You know who I am, don't you?"
Daenerys lifted her head and saw the Emperor not 2 feet in front of her.
"You need not say anything, young Targaryen; I know who you are. In all my centuries, never has an individual ever impressed me before. Not as you do. You have a hidden power inside of you, young Targaryen. Power great enough to awaken dragons and destroy the dead. In you, I see the perfect union of frost and flame. But you do not know how to use this power. It lies there, untouched and unused. Such a waste. I will awaken this greatness inside of you, young Targaryen."
At that, he gave his open, crimson hand to her.
"If you will only accept my gift."
Silas couldn't believe what he was hearing: never, in all of Zakuul's history, as Emperor Valkorion ever gave such praise to anyone. He waited, still kneeling on the ground, waiting for her answer.
"I... I will, Your Glorious Majesty."
"Good. Child of Tirall."
At that, Silas lifted his head.
"Yes, Your Glorious Majesty?"
"Take her to the Knight's Academy. There, she will take the Trial of the Knight. You will oversee her training, personally."
A little shocked, Silas nodded.
"Yes, Your Glorious Majesty. And what of the Targaryen boy?"
At that, Valkorion simply turned to Viserys - who was now standing, about to protest himself.
"Ah... yes."
And with that, a blinding flash of lightning erupted the entire room, causing both Daenerys and Silas to close their eyes. When they opened their eyes again, a black spot was all there was where Viserys once stood. Silas turned to Daenerys, whose face was one of complete shock. He then turned to Valkorion, who had his back to them and was ascending back to the Eternal Throne. Understanding the silent message, Silas took Daenerys by the arms and dragged her out of the throne room.
When it was finally empty, Valkorion simply sat on the throne, and closed his abyssal eyes.