I sat there blinking at him. How could he possibly know what I was thinking? It had certainly been a thought I had been mulling over, especially after waking this morning and everything we’d discussed yesterday had a chance to settle. Things had gone so smoothly in our conversation, almost too smoothly, and it had itched at me like a scratch that I couldn’t quite reach.
I couldn’t forget that the Emperor was the one that had ordered Vang to come find me in the first place, and the Admiral had made things very clear cut in his expectations and threat to my dad. The Admiral had even implied that the Emperor would be far more difficult to deal with than himself. So far, the Emperor seemed mostly agreeable to get along with, but instead of making me be more at ease, it left me feeling on edge. It was like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. And I definitely had that nagging feeling like maybe the Emperor had just been telling me all the things I wanted to hear.
I looked down at the remnants of the meal he had carefully planned for me and felt a stab guilt. Maybe I was just jaded from the rough experience I had had on Vang’s ship? Maybe my father really was trying to make a genuine effort to connect with me?
“And you are also probably wondering how I can read you so well?” The Emperor said, interrupting my thoughts.
I sat back, letting my utensil clatter to my dish with a loud clatter. “Okay, how do you do that? It’s really creepy you know.”
I saw a ghost of a smile come across the other man’s lips as if he was enjoying some private joke. It was almost more unsettling than his uncanny ability to read me.
“What exactly do you think the Perception Dome-ni does?” He took another long drink from his goblet and set it down, and then gave me an askance look.
I tried to remember all that my mom and Vang had said about the Perception Dome-ni, but everything I had been told so far was more about the overall idea of it, not so much about practical application. So I ran with that.
“Well, I was told it helped with being able to see the connection of ideas and possibilities.”
The Emperor nodded his head. “Exactly, so given enough talent and experience, do you not think that it would be fairly easy to predict a calculable outcome? Even predict what another person might be thinking, or how they might act in given situations?”
Sure, I supposed that made sense, but it would take time to develop enough personal experiences to do so on a regular basis, but then again, I knew Ethians had triple the life span of those on Earth, and my father certainly didn’t seem like a young man. Perhaps he had been around long enough to read and predict all sorts of people and situations.
So I was an open book, sort of, at least to him. Damn. I had to admit that being able to have that sort of ability would come in handy, but would I have to spend a lifetime gathering experiences to make use of it?
“How long did it take you to be able to do that?”
The Emperor grimaced as he took another sip from his goblet. When he was done, he set it on the table and spoke. “Far longer than I would have liked, and since the last person born with the Perception Dome-ni died fifty years before I was conceived, I had to train myself for the most part.
“There are teaching manuals written by those who had the Perception talent. All Masters of Dome-ni are required to record their progresses for future generations. But as I have learned for myself, having a flesh and blood teacher can save a lot of time and struggle. Though even with my delayed training, I was able to eventually master my Dome-ni quite successfully.
“So I’m sure you can imagine my excitement when I learned you possessed the Perception Dome-ni. I was eager to see the result of one fully trained at a much younger age, and I suppose that eagerness didn’t help your brothers feel very secure in their own futures. That was my failing, and I apologize that it effected you in such a negative way.”
He paused as if waiting for me to respond. I felt like a deer caught in the headlights. I wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure what to say. Thank you? I understand? No problem? My parents would have never run away if it hadn’t been for you?
To be perfectly honest, I was glad things had turned out the way they had. I couldn’t imagine not growing up on Earth, or having Aragon as my dad. Or going to MIT. Or having Anna as my best friend for years, and then my girlfriend later on.
I wouldn’t have had the amazing experiences I had with New Horizons growing up and later as an actual contributing employee. Emmaline wouldn’t even exist. And I never would have had Eric as my big brother.
So yeah, maybe everything that had gone down with my brothers had effected my life in a negative way at first, but it had also led me to a wonderful life with some really wonderful people. That thought made my heart glow, and in that moment, I realized that even though I missed my old life, I was who I was because of it, and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the entire universe.
I found myself smiling. The Emperor saw it and the corner of his mouth twitched upward. He looked a little relieved, and I realized that he probably thought I was smiling because of his apology.
Guess the Perception Dome-ni wasn’t alway so preceptive, or accurate after all. But to be fair, he had no way to know about the epiphany I had just had. But he had been very accurate a few times, and that was something.
“So you are saying that I can learn to do what you do? To be able to read people in such an accurate way, even if I have only just met them?” I asked out of curiosity.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Once again I that small smile. “Absolutely, but it’s a more subtle form of what our Dome-ni can do, so it will take time and much experience for you to develop that.”
The Emperor then double tapped the top of his unity ring. A moment later, the servants reappeared and took away our breakfast plates. And I certainly didn’t miss that he completely ignored the original reason for sending out the servants, but instead used the time to make me feel like training in my perception talent would be an even bigger benefit for me. The servants being gone just added to the we-are-in-a-secret-club feel. Man, he was good. It also added to my growing certainty that he was playing me hard.
“You have met Dur-rele already. He will begin your basic training this morning. Later today, you will also be meeting with a Master Mind Bender. He will probe your locks further and see what more we can learn of them.”
This last part peaked my interest. “I was told that two of them might release on their own.”
The Emperor nodded. “Yes, it’s possible. Master Kiev might even give you an idea of how close they are to releasing. I would imagine the longer you are in Ethia, the more likely this is to happen, but he should be able to confirm that.
“Most importantly, he will give you guidance on how you might discover the keys to the locks yourself. It’s a slower way, but much safer than him trying to force them to release, if he even can. But it would be a great advantage to you and your training if we can unlock them sooner than later.”
“You really think it would make that much difference?”
“I do. You have to understand that placing locks in a mind can effectively change a person, even their personality. This happens because key memories are placed behind a barrier. It is our memories that make us who were are and shape the decisions we make. If memories are removed, then it essentially changes any choices you make from then on out.”
That made me pause for a long moment. I didn’t like the thought of that, or that my dad would endeavor to change me in such a drastic way. That did not line up with the man I knew, or thought I knew, but I also understood there were extenuating circumstances to my situation too. Still, it sat heavy in my gut.
“So you are saying that I’m not the same person I would have been if I hadn’t had those locks put in my mind?”
The Emperor sat back in his chair, allowing his elbows to lay on the arm rests like he was settling in for a long conversation.
“The essence of who you are never truly changes, but it can be molded and manipulated. You were taken at such an young age, then placed in a completely new and alien environment, and then received three different locks to block any knowledge of your true home. Aragon knew the chances of hiding you from me long term were slim, so he did everything he could to mold you into something he could control. That way, even if you were brought back to your rightful home, you’d still be under his control.
“So you see the importance of removing the locks? Even just the removal of one lock could give you a great amount of clarity of the kind of man you have given your misguided loyalty. Until then, you really only have my word.”
I sat back in my chair the uneasy feeling growing inside me. It was hard to escape the hard logic my birth father just threw at me. I didn’t much like the idea of anyone having such control over me, not even a man I trusted my whole life. And if what the Emperor was saying was true, then that trust had been fabricated on purpose.
My heart thudded in my chest as my mind swirled with the implications, but I quickly shook it off. The man across from me hated my dad, and in truth, maybe he had a good reason too. But I didn’t.
My dad had saved me and risked himself in every way for me. So I had to believe that if my dad did put those locks in, he had damn good reason to do so. But I did have to admit that the reasons for those locks being put in place was quickly dissolving. It would be good to get my memories back, so I could finally rely in my own conclusions, instead of everyone else’s interpretations.
“What reason would Aragon have to turn me against you?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“Probably because he was madly in love with your mother. He wanted her and you all to himself, and was clearly capable of even kidnapping and committing treason to do it. I think that man had lost his mind. It happens though from time to time. The beauty of a woman driving a man insane, and there was no doubt your mother was quite infatuating.”
I took a moment to consider his words. It was true my parents had a solid love and respect for each other. I had often hoped that I would have the same kind of relationship they had one day myself. So perhaps the Emperor’s words weren’t too far off the mark, but I also knew my dad would never do what he did out of some infatuation. There was far more to it, even if the Emperor didn’t want to admit it. But I kept my mouth shut on that, knowing he wouldn’t want to hear it. Instead, I came at it from a different angle.
“So you are saying that the attack of my brothers had nothing to do with why he took me?”
The Emperor grunted. “She talked him into it, I’m sure, making the ordeal out to be more than it was. You were never in any true harm, my son.”
“That’s not how I was told.”
“And you trust a man who has been lying to you most of your life?”
I swallowed my urge to contradict him. I felt like slapping myself for telling Admiral Vang of my last conversation with my dad when it was only then my true identity and origin was revealed to me. Of course the Admiral had seen fit to relate that to the man across from me. I felt angry at myself and before I knew what I was saying, I blurred out. “I don’t appreciate you trying to make Aragon a villain. He loved me, and gave me a good life on Earth.”
The Emperor was silent for a long time, and I could feel his own anger brewing underneath the perfectly neutral face he showed me. I wondered if I had pushed him too far. Finally, the other man spoke with a voice to match his face.
“I understand your feelings toward him. It is not your fault, after all. Your are his victim. It is only natural you should be defensive, but I hope you can see my side in this. I have been a victim in this too.
“And while you might not appreciate the place Aragon has put you in, I don’t much like being a victim of anyone. Out of respect for you, I am staying my hand against him for now, but it is my hope that once you have truly seen the evil he has done to our family, that you will come to see things my way.”
I was silent for a long moment, not sure I should say anything at all. I could feel the Emperor’s anger steadily rising. Something told me I needed to reign this in quickly, so I kept my voice as neutral as possible as I replied, making sure to choose my words carefully.
“I think this is one thing we are going to have to agree to disagree on.”
The Emperor picked up his goblet and paused before taking a sip. “For now, perhaps.”
And just like that, the anger disappeared like he’d just flicked off a switch. I blinked at him in surprise. Was he really that good at controlling his emotions, or did he have a way of masking them? Either way, it caused me to let out a breath of relief that I didn’t know I had been holding on to.
“If you are finished, then I think it is time for you to being your lessons for the day.”
I wasn’t going to argue with that. I felt like I had dodged a bullet, and I needed some time to digest all we had gone over. “Yes, father.”
I then scooted back my chair. The scrapping across the floor sound loud in the cavernous room. It made me cringe, but I suddenly felt like I wanted to be anywhere else than here. So I turned and marched from the room without a word as I went in search of Dur-rele and my first lessons at the White Palace.