The Smuggler's Ascension: The Ties That Died Read online

  The

  Smuggler’s

  Ascension

  The Ties That Died

  The Smuggler’s Ascension is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 Christopher Ingersoll. All Rights Reserved.

  Cover art furnished by: https://www.bigstockphoto.com/

  ~1~

  Footsteps echoed off of the black and white tiles of the Grand Audience Chamber as the last petitioner of the day approached the throne of Emperor Korvan Anders the First of the Clovani Empire. The chamber was pillared around its perimeter, alternating between black and white just as the tiles that covered the floor did. Even the windows that lined the walls of this grand room had drapes that were black on one side and white on the other.

  The overall effect was dramatic, but also tended to give the new Emperor a headache after spending more than an hour in the room. The purpose was a representation of the duality of life; life and death, light and dark, good and evil, the list went on. The Emperor did not care, nor did he care for this bleak and battered world that he’d been forced to name as the center of the Empire after Clovani Prime had been destroyed the month before.

  Clovani II was a hard world that had once, thousands of years ago, been a fertile paradise. Now the world, rechristened as New Clovani Prime, was a world that barely maintained its atmosphere as sandstorms wracked its surface everywhere but near the poles. Between the sands and the polar ice lay two temperate zones that offered some form of hospitable landscape, and it had been here that the people who call the planet home had built their cities.

  The planet was also home to the Gau’dran’Seti Temple, where the Dark Priestesses of the order held sway. The Priestesses had a fearful reputation throughout the Empire for their dark practices, though it was not surprising, since the name of their order quite literally translated as Worshipers of Death. For thousands of years the sect had been a fringe oddity, until the House of Clovan had taken up the religion in earnest.

  Many accounted this alliance as being a major factor in the House of Clovan assuming the throne of the Empire, though none dared to speak of it openly. As the Emperor’s power grew, so did that of the Dark Priestesses, and none dared refuse the summons of either. Those summoned to the Temple of the Gau’dran’Seti either did not return as they had entered, or did not return at all. So it became that the people of the Empire accepted the Emperor’s allegiance with the Priestesses in silence.

  Emperor Korvan had therefore been shocked to learn that his sister, Karina, had joined the ranks of the Dark Priestesses. His pronouncement as Emperor had come at her command after the death of Emperor Clovan on Clovani Prime, and Korvan had been shocked to see that the other Priestesses that had accompanied her bowed to her will. Questions flew through his mind as his coronation was carried out on this bleak world and his rule was announced throughout the Empire, but one did not question the Gau’dran’Seti, even if one was his sister.

  Korvan was not surprised to see that the last petitioner of the day was Karina. She alone of the Dark Priestesses went about with her head uncovered, her red hair like a flame in this stark, cold chamber. The two Priestesses that accompanied her, like all others that Korvan had ever seen, kept the hoods of their robes up and their faces hidden. It continued to shock him, the deference the other Priestesses showed his sister now.

  “Greeting, Emperor Anders, Leader of the Great Clovani Empire,” Karina called, her voice echoing through the vaulted chamber. Unlike in times past, Karina greeted him without contempt or spite laced throughout her voice. Korvan was not sure it was a welcome change, it made him doubt her even more.

  “Surely you jest, Karina,” Korvan said as his sister stopped before his throne. “Barely a month has passed since the death of Emperor Clovan and the destruction of our home world and already the Empire has begun to fracture and split apart. Our fleet has been decimated and we no longer have the strength to hold together this monstrosity of an Empire, and yet you say the Great Clovani Empire.”

  “All greatness comes with a price, my Lord,” Karina replied as if his concerns were of no moment. “In time the Empire will once again tremble beneath the Emperor’s gaze and rise greater than it was before.”

  “Not in our lifetime,” Korvan stated as he rose from his throne and led the way towards his private chambers nearby. His guards fell in ahead and behind him, yet well away from Karina and her fellow Priestesses.

  “Do not be so sure, brother mine,” Karina chided him as they entered the royal apartments. “Forces are in play now that will aid you in your conquest. Emperor Clovan chose to be ignorant and not listen to the wisdom revealed to him by his sister, my sister Priestess, of the coming war. Do not make the same mistake, brother.”

  “What war?” Korvan demanded. “We’ve already lost if it comes to a war now. Our fleet is less than a quarter of what it once was, our armies are either slaughtered or stranded on worlds with no ships to retrieve them, and you speak to me of war. The Puranni have won, damn you.”

  “The war of which I speak is not one that will be won or lost with ships and armies,” Karina countered. “You saw the files on our father’s demise. You have seen the power that the Puranni have unleashed. It is a sign that the greater war has started, the war between the Gods themselves. Our Master calls us to arms to aid in this war, brother, and aid him we will.”

  “Who is this Master that thinks to demand the aid of such as you or me?” Korvan demanded angrily.

  “Death,” Karina purred, her voice sounding to be on the verge of orgasmic bliss. “Lord Death has called us at last for the Last War in which we will finally receive all that we are due.”

  Korvan paled as he witnessed the change come over his sister. Her pale green eyes, that all of the family shared, were suddenly ringed in black fire, while her fiery red hair was suddenly shot with streaks of white and blond hair so that it appeared her head was truly aflame. But most shockingly, Korvan could now sense an aura of dark, malevolent power about her that promised pain and death should one come too close.

  “What has happened to you, Karina?” Korvan whispered at last.

  “Our Lord has chosen me,” Karina said happily, her voice still a silky purr like a big cat. “I have been named as Death’s Paramour in this world, the agent of his will.”

  “And what is his will, if I may ask?” Korvan asked, dreading the answer he would hear.

  “The galaxy will burn and rise anew.”

  ~2~

  The planet of Durani was a brilliant blue world of mostly large oceans and very little land mass above the waves. As a result, the people of Durani had constructed massive floating cities that rode the waves, or in some cases reached to the ocean floor and were anchored there. Each city had been built with an aquatic style, some having a seashell theme in the design of their buildings, while others resembled great coral reefs.

  The capital of Durani and the world’s largest city was Oceanus, which was moored to the ocean floor in a tropical latitude of the world’s southern hemisphere. The former capital of the Protectorate during the reign of House Duranis, Oceanus had grown to incorporate the many styles used in the other cities of the world, so that the coral and shell style buildings, bridges, and landing pads also featured sea life and mermaids and mermen in their architectures. The overall effect was rather nauseating at times, Kristof thought, as their shuttle passed over the city towards the central spire of the city’s ruling tow
ers.

  Sabine seemed to take much more interest in the architecture than Kristof did as she sat next to him commenting on various details she saw. Her impassioned observations took some of the annoyance out of the experience for him, as he truly loved seeing the looks of joy and awe that came to her beautiful face and brown eyes. Kristof smiled at the almost child-like glee she expressed at times.

  “I think some remodeling might be in order back on Purannis,” Sabine commented as their shuttle approached the landing pad at last. “Certain areas of the city and the palace are rather dated and stuffy looking.”

  “Some of your people actually prefer the antique look of you city, my dear,” Kristof pointed out. “Besides, mermaids might be a little odd to see standing around in the middle of the largest continent of the world.”

  “You’re no fun at all,” Sabine said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

  “I don’t seem to remember you having that attitude last night,” Kristof replied with a naughty look that made his wife blush and smack his leg with a sharp rap.

  “Behave,” she commanded, and Kristof had to laugh.

  The shuttle finally landed on the main landing pad for the Duranis family’s private tower with a soft bump. The tower had once been the Royal Palace during the Durani reign that ended twelve hundred years prior. Kristof sighed as the prospects of the next two days returned to mind. Stephan Duranis, Sabine’s former seneschal and now Grand Duke of the planet Durani, was to be married, and he and Sabine were here as honored guests. Kristof was not particularly a fan of weddings, and he envied Anasha’s excuse for not being able to attend. His other wife would be officiating the ceremony for the new graduating class of Su’Tani Defenders, and Kristof would have much rather been there instead.

  Sabine, however, had been delighted at the prospect of the wedding. In the months following the Battle of Clovani Prime, the Queen and her former seneschal had rekindled the friendship they had shared on the Protectorate’s Sanctuary world where she grew up. Kristof had to admit that the man wasn’t nearly the ass he had once been, but he also did not as easily forgive Stephan’s betrayal as Sabine apparently had. Stephan’s betrayal could have easily cost the lives of Kristof and his tiny wife, and such things were not forgotten to Kristof.

  As expected, the watery world was hot and humid as the boarding ramp of the shuttle descended. Kristof and Sabine had dressed accordingly in very light clothing, but it didn’t seem to matter as they were assaulted by the humid air. Kristof was happy to see that there wasn’t a grand fanfare to greet them, however. Sabine had insisted it was not necessary, and for once Stephan had listened. Instead, the Grand Duke and his bride to be awaited them with a small honor guard.

  Grand Duke Stephan Duranis was a tall, somewhat gaunt, a man whose dark hair and moustache had now mostly gone to grey. The prospect of his impending execution the previous year had aged him somewhat. His bride to be was a remarkable beauty who had only now begun to show her years. Together, the pair made a nice couple, Kristof thought, and left it at that. He was not really the sentimental type.

  After all of the bows and greetings, Stephan presented his bride to be to the Queen of the Protectorate. His face glowed with love and pride as he took her by the hand and brought her forward. She smiled brightly, her green eyes shining in the afternoon sun, as she stepped forward and curtsied before the Queen.

  “You’re Majesty, may I present my fiancé, Margravine Giselle Loranta,” Stephan said with a flourish that made Giselle blush.

  “Welcome, your Majesty,” Giselle said with a bow. “Please be welcome in our home during your stay here.”

  “You are most kind, Margravine,” Sabine responded with a smile. “It is nice to see Stephan has found someone who truly makes him happy. You must be very excited for tomorrow.”

  Kristof’s mind wandered as the two women chatted animatedly about the impending ceremony as the group walked through the halls of the Duranis family home. The same aquatic themes of the city were also represented here, though somewhat toned down. It made for a much nicer look, Kristof thought to himself.

  “Women and weddings,” Stephan said to Kristof conversationally as Sabine and Giselle continued ahead of them. “Giselle has talked about nothing but the ceremony and reception for months now. I envy yours and Sabine’s rather intimate and exclusive ceremony.”

  “Yeah, well your wedding has given Sabine ideas,” Kristof said somewhat ruefully as he scratched at the back of his head. “She’s actually given some serious thought to a full blown deal for our third anniversary.”

  “My condolences, then, my friend,” Stephan said and the two men laughed. Stephan then grew serious and gave Kristof a long, speculative look, before continuing. “I do hope I am not being too presumptuous in calling you my friend, of course.”

  Apparently Stephan had picked up on some of Kristof’s remaining hostility towards the man, Kristof thought to himself as they walked. He thought back to everything that had happened over the past year, about Stephan’s continual eagerness to redeem himself in Sabine’s eyes to the delivery of the Queen’s Honor ahead of schedule as a special favor to the Queen. The Honor even now circled in orbit overhead, a massive white and blue dreadnaught that could almost be seen from the planet’s surface.

  “There was a long time when I wanted to shoot you myself,” Kristof admitted finally, “Even after Sabine had pardoned you. But you have changed, Your Grace, and so I must admit that you are a good and true man and a loyal member of Sabine’s court. So yes, I am your friend, Stephan.”

  Kristof extended a hand and Stephan clasped in and they shook in friendship. Ahead of them, Kristof saw Sabine’s smile and wink to him, and he knew she was pleased at this development. Kristof had often been vocal of his dislike of the man, so this was a big event of sorts. Kristof returned her smile and wink as the party at last entered a large, airy living area.

  “These apartments shall be yours for the duration of your stay, Your Majesty,” Giselle told Sabine with a smile.

  “It’s beautiful,” Sabine comments as she returned the smile. “I was telling Kristof as we were landing that Purannis could use some beautification as I took in the wonderful sights here.”

  “You honor us, Your Majesty,” Stephan said. “Now, we’ll leave you two so you can settle in after the journey here. If you would so honor us, we would love for you to join us for dinner this evening.”

  “The honor is ours, Stephan,” Sabine said and pulled the man down into a hug, which he returned with a smile and a small tear in his eye.

  “Until then, my Queen,” Stephan said as he rose and he and Giselle left Sabine and Kristof alone. The honor guard left their luggage near the door, and soon Kristof was alone with his wife.

  “Thank you,” Sabine said simply as she slipped into Kristof’s arms. He didn’t need to know for what she was thanking him, his final forgiveness of Stephan hadn’t been as hard as he expected.

  “You’re right,” Kristof said as he kissed his diminutive wife. “He has changed quite a bit and grown as well.”

  Kristof watched as Sabine slipped her shoes off and walked barefoot across the room’s plush carpeting to the large windows so she could take in the view. She had chosen a simple blue gown for the trip down to the planet, and Kristof admired the way it clung to and moved with her narrow frame. From the past came the memory of a conversation they’d had in what seemed a million years ago now, about how she was so unlike the buxom women of the royal court, and he thought now as he did then that she was perfect the way she is. Sabine tended to flaunt those differences when around the women of the royal court now, partly to show she did not care what they thought, but mostly because she knew Kristof could not take his eyes off of her when she did.

  The sun was dropping towards the horizon in the distance, a couple hours away from evening, as Kristof embraced Sabine from behind and felt her press back tightly against him. All seemed almost perfect in the universe in that moment, with only Anasha m
issing to complete the perfection of the moment. Their three way marriage was still considered scandalous in part of the Protectorate, not that they cared, but they did try to not flaunt the affair in front of the court too much.

  “I wish Anasha was here with us,” Sabine whispered quietly, reading his thoughts.

  “Me too, love,” Kristof replied, thinking back to their own wedding, though it did not have the grand fanfare that Stephan’s and Giselle’s would have the next day. Kristof had been joined with Sabine and Anasha in a much more intimate ceremony called Akana’San’Tani in old Puranni, which meant simply the Binding. The ceremony had joined the three in a marriage of souls, which now allowed them to feel each other’s emotions and often thoughts even from great distances.

  The marriage between Kristof and Sabine had been Anasha’s idea, though including Anasha in the union had been Sabine’s desire, surprising both Kristof and Anasha at the time. Anasha had still been just a spirit then, and Sabine had wanted to keep her always close to them. Anasha’s resurrection had been an unexpected bonus later on, one that they all were most thankful and appreciative of, though it had called for a larger bed, Kristof remembered with a smile.

  “She’ll be with us in spirit, for sure,” Kristof added as he kissed the top of Sabine’s head. He marveled, as he always did like this, at how small she was in his arms. He placed a hand on the swell of her stomach where his son lay at rest under his wife’s heart and smiled once more.

  “I love you,” Sabine whispered, placing her hand over the top of his.

  “I love you too,” Kristof whispered back as they watched the play of the sun and the waves. He allowed the perfection of the moment to push away thoughts of the war that would all too soon reassert itself as the focus of his life.

  The war of the Gods had somehow managed to spill into the living world, and Kristof had somehow become the weapon that would end it for one God or another. The Phoenix God had imbued Kristof with an ancient power called the Utani’van’Morto, the God Slayer, and had thought to use Kristof to do his bidding in killing Death. The power had made Kristof immune to the Phoenix’s influence, however, so the God had tried using Sabine to do his bidding and had ended up obliterating the world of Clovani Prime in the process.