Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 507: Gathering of Kings I

Jace watched from the upper balcony viewing area as the various security moved through the building and searched for any threats. It would not be long before the leaders of the various nations gathered around the table that was down below him. There were many different seats for this massive round table.

But as he was looking at it he felt a strange sense of deja vu. Almost like he had seen something similar once before. But he could not place it so he just set it aside as he watched the various groups begin to either construct or pull out their chairs.

This meeting was originally called the Gathering of Rulers. It happened regularly back when the various nations were all ruled by monarchs. But since the leaders started becoming groups the gathering became rare and less frequent until it now rarely happened unless something like what Jace did occurred. Where he called for a galaxy wide ceasefire.

Although this time it was happening on a much larger scale since half of the galaxy on this side of the imperium was showing up. Which included a large number of nations that he had never even heard of before because they were either beyond explored zones or were hiding just out of sight. While the Imperium and all areas beyond it, which was almost half the galaxy, were seemingly still engulfed in a massive civil war with no end in sight. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

The Imperium’s civil war had started back when Lord Hoodwink first attacked the Vexical Military. They just did not know at the time because the border Military was keeping up appearances and staying neutral. In addition the systems near the edge of the massive empire were stable for a while. But underneath the surface was the murky waters of conflict where everyone from the main line of the royal family to distant cousins were killing each other to absorb solar systems.

The cause of the conflict was a young emperor. The current rightful heir to the throne and legitimate ruler of the Imperium was only nine years old. Apparently the young prince was placed on the throne soon after being born because his father, who named the prince the heir to the throne as soon as he was born, died at the same time. Then slowly for nine years as the prince grew up, conflict between the noble factions grew. With noble houses backing various distant members of the royal family in order to seize power. With only a few of the members of the main line supporting the prince.

Within the past few months that cold civil war where they would fight with politics, trading, and spies was slowly turning into a heated one. One where small fleets would fight over the smallest scrap. But more recently with the supposed death of the young emperor the fight had turned into conflict between massive battles while all of the heirs looked for the emperor’s body in order to claim support from the royal family who declared that whoever brought it would earn their support.

Of course he knew a bit more about what was going on. Especially since Salem was in the middle of the conflict with a few others. But that was not a story for him to focus on. He had a big enough problem on his own.

Jace was pulled out of his own thoughts as the first of the nation’s leaders walked in. "Presenting Imma Ag’ula, High Executive of the Cthon Conglomerate." A Cthulian walked in with face tentacles and dressed in a suit like he was ready for a business meeting. Which made sense because the Cthon were heavily influenced by wealth. He walked from the entrance to a seat his people were preparing and sat down in a seat made of wood with pieces of gold and various other expensive and rare gems fitted around it.

Then the next person walked into the room. "Presenting Aura, the representative of the Rouge Metal Legion." Aura was actually one of the artificial intelligences that were saved from the elders of the Victorium. He heard she left and joined the Victorium immediately after and rose up through the ranks. Part of the reason was because of her current body. A number of floating balls moved into the room before they moved toward a ’seat’ that was more like a stand where Aura plugged into and the metal lit up and a holographic projection of a number of bubbles appeared in front of her seat.

"Lesana of the Aphri Clan, representing the Centuria Clans." Jace flinched slightly as he recognized the clan name. If he was right then that was the clan that kidnapped him and it looks like he was as he watched the woman walk into the room and recognized her. She was the mother of that woman who took a special interest in him. She was wearing a gold mask and gold armor with some red leather fitted in between it. But he could tell who she was because she looked up at him and he could see the recognition in her eyes. She walked over and sat down in a chair that had men of various races joining together to act like a chair. They were still alive and scantily clad. But it was clear that they came with the knowledge that the chair is supposed to represent their people. So it fitted in a way for the species that literally captured men to use them for reproductive purposes.

"Next is Supreme Admiral Quan Lee of the Crystoph Federation." That was definitely a name he recognized as he watched the man walk in with a full set of clothes but they were a black glossy color. Which if he recalls was only used during periods of mourning. That was definitely a statement. While his chair was a simple black chair with only the federation’s crest on the back.

He looked to the door and frowned as he heard an actual bugle horn and then a large blonde man with a crown and red robe trailing behind him with mech pilot armor walked into the room. "King Montez of the Montez Kingdom." He walked and sat down in an ancient wooden chair that had carvings of the kingdom’s history in it. If he recalls that was the same chair used when these gatherings happened more frequently. He walked up to his seat and his robe was removed before he sat down in the chair.

"Emperor Oda of the Oda Empire." The next man who walked in was an older man with Asian features and black hair that was turning gray. He looked around the table as soon as he walked in armor with a sword at his side before catching sight of Jace and his eyes almost seemed sad for a moment before he walked toward his seat which was the same ancient chair they used when they participated in meetings like this as well. It was a wooden chair with a place for his katana to hang and if Jace recalls there is also a spot for a hidden laser blaster in case the meeting went wrong.

He was wondering why the Oda Emperor looked at him like that. But he was also not that concerned. Since there was no hostility in that gaze. But it was not like it mattered to him. So he just ignored it and turned his attention back to the entrance of the room.

"Al-han Jel, Parliament Speaker of the Leonair Union." The Leonair Union is the nation that took over the Leonair and Uris Systems. From what he understood they were still in the middle of reorganizing everything from the military to figuring out what flag they flew. Even the name was something temporary. The only reason they had not been attacked by a neighboring nation was because the Victorium were guarding their borders. He walked out in a simple suit and walked over to a plain metal chair, really putting in place their country’s lack of an identity. He could have used this opportunity to make one. But it seems he was dedicated to making his country represented by the people and not a single person or family.

"The Victorium Military leader and representative. Temporary representative of the Circle of Yuri and the Holy Empire of Gregory. The High Priestess Mar’talic." The High Priestess walked in with her battle armor on. Jace raised an eyebrow in surprise to see a metal spear in her hand. She stopped just after the entrance and looked over the others who had arrived before making her way across the room to her seat. The seat was a carved metal that was specifically made ahead of time. It represented the history of the Victorium and had them joining hands with the various races of the Victorium, including the humans.

After her the rest were quickly announced as the big players were already at the table. The others were smaller settlements that were not ruled over. Or they were too distant to have an impact on the central area. It seems like it was almost time for the gathering to begin.