Empress Beatrix had only been empress for 20 years since her father died in the Space Virus that swept her home planet of Sol. Barely in her late 30's, she shared none of the looks that her mother and sisters possessed. One might describe her as a "plain Jane" with her shoulder length, brunette hair and her average female height. The one feature that most of her advisors, and even the common people in the streets, always took note of was her piercing green eyes. Eyes that were said to look directly into your soul, baring you naked on the inside for her to see. Rumors that she could only assume started at the working class level say that she possessed unnatural abilities that came from another system via one of their newly forged alliances with various Xeno species to the north. The Keepers, as they called themselves, were known to have psionic abilities that no other species was able to obtain. Abilities that took millennia to master. As a lithoid species they were accustomed to living for millennia, only succumbing to degradation of the hard outer shell that protected what little organs were deep inside.
Beatrix was onboard the Bextar Star Base for about two days awaiting the results of a pending security breach in the system. Bextar was a Citadel class star base capable of defending against the toughest Marauder fleets and most of the smaller Xeno fleets that they had encountered so far. The Defense Initiative, as her father had named, it was the plan to rollout as many Citadel class star bases as resources would allow in order to be able to reallocate manpower and what was left over into the colonization program. At the time of her father's passing, the United Terran Empire had divided its population into two planets. The capital planet of Sol, and the sister planet, Iridian. Their close family friend, and former Defense Minister, Alex Mauchanan was appointed governor of the planet and had taken to the role quite easily. He still remained a close family friend and personal advisor to the Empress throughout her father's death and the integration into becoming the leader of all Terrans. It was he who now stood on the holodeck in front of her, kneeling in respect, but with complete and total control emanating from his demeanor.
"Empress. As a former Defense Minister and current Governor of Iridian, I advise you take this matter seriously." He urged, sounding more worried than she had seen him since the last major Marauder attack.
"Alex, I assure you I am taking this seriously. I just don't know why I had to be brought all the way to Bextar just to preside over this matter. This is why I have a Defense Minister. To carry out the military and defensive investigations and to advise me on the proper course of action after the evidence is presented. You know that visiting these Citadels was my father's thing. I despise the smell that clings to the air in these metal coffins." She said the last part with a certain disdain. Sure she knew of the importance of these star bases to the defense of their security as a still fledgling empire. And that by showing how serious they were, might earn them a seat in the Galactic Senate.
"I know you understand, Empress. I just needed to emphasize. The Keepers are always watching and feeling around in the climate of our people and if they sense that we are being less than truthful with them, we may lose what little security they have offered to provide us until we are able to stand on our own two feet." Said Alex. The worry had left his voice as he changed gears into the excellent leader he was.
"Speaking of our lithoid allies, have we received any new information regarding their expedition into the unidentified galaxy to the south of us?" Beatrix asked.
"My Lady you know that is no longer my area of expertise and that I cannot speak on what I know as I am no longer a part of that counsel."
"Very well. I will call a meeting with all of my advisors when I return to Sol." Beatrix responded in resigned annoyance. Just then the door opened and two of her private guard marched in with a tall and handsome man in the uniform of her Imperial Navy. His tag read "Admiral Prechkov." She closed the holodeck and folded her hands in front of her.
"My Empress. We present to you, Admiral Prechkov. Flag Officer of the First Strike Group, and Commanding Officer of the ISS Glory." One of her guards said with a bow.
"Thank you Talon. That will be all. I will summon if you are needed."
"Yes, Empress." He responded as they backed out of the room to take up their posts outside her temporary chambers.
"Admiral. You and I have much to discuss about the goings on happening in your strike group and specifically onboard your flagship." She said, a small smirk forming in the corners of her mouth.