I was furious. The Aviens and Mariens in charge here thought they could control us with the gift of a false translator. They watched our arrival with glee, probably. Our power was self evident and they were relying on naïveté in order to control us.

As I strode along towards the administration building, Ava, Fer'resi and Mei'la struggled to keep up; I was walking with purpose. "Melody!" Ava called out. "If you slow down, we can walk with you and it will look more like a precession than some retainers struggling to keep up!"

I stopped. She had a point. I dressed like this and applied my mantle in order to impress. Empresses never rushed. Everything waited for them. We took a moment to get our bearings and look around.

Maybe I shouldn't have stopped.

Everyone was watching us, staring. They weren't running, but shops put shutters down, and were bringing chairs and tables closer to exits. Nobody left but people were making sure they were behind something sturdy while still having a view of the promenade.

Interestingly, the children were not frightened. I saw a small school of kids - all different types - who were peering owlishly through an open door. I met their eyes and spread my wings just a tiny bit and ruffled them. They all laughed and cheered. I didn't expect them to know who I was or what I was doing, but when a women dressed in a beautiful outfit and a crown and wings made of light waves to you, it's a great day when you're 4.

We started walking again, this time at a slightly more sedate pace. While I walked, I'm trying out things, trying to grill my Nanites for information. Does this starbase have an AI?

Maybe. Some did, some didn't. We have no specific memory about this one.

Well, I don't want to start shouting into the air just yet, and we don't have some kind of communication device for this Starbase... yet. Let's continue with the original plan. While we're walking, I turned back. "What do you think, everyone?"

Ava's head was on a swivel, with wide eyes and a big grin. "This is amazing Melody, it's so much... more than any Starbases back home. I wonder if they have shopping?" She gasped. "How do they do money? I wonder if they still have currency or is it all digital? I can't wait to see."

Mei'la looked thoughtful. "They sure are wasteful with power here. I wonder if they just have that much of a surplus or if we could bring some efficiencies in and help people."

Fer'resi just looked worried. "I understand why you brought me Em-er, Melody, but I must admit I am not looking forward to this confrontation."

I scoffed gently. "Confrontation? We're just going to go to the administrative offices, explain that we are willing to look at what happened as a mistake and ask for a proper translator. I'm sure it'll be fine." When I said it out loud, I realized that it probably wouldn't go that way. But, I didn't want to worry him.

That is worrying him more.

I'm sure It'll be fine.

As we rounded the final corner to the administrative building, I saw it. There were barricades set up around the building, and a mix of Mariens and Aviens were standing guard every meter or so, facing out, weapons free, but not being pointed at anyone.

Uh oh. When we got about 3 meters away, the closest one called out. "Halt! The Administrative offices are closed by order of the Regents. You must come another day."

Really?

I put my hands on my hips and looked at them. I spread my golden wings just a bit to look larger. The Aviens who spoke the order looked at me, very nervous.

"Thank you citizen." I said kindly. "I appreciate your loyalty to your supervisor, it is to be commended. Now that you have completed your task, step aside and allow us to pass. No harm will come of you - you followed your orders to tell us to leave. We will not harm you." I gestured back to my team. "As you can see, we are unarmed."

He laughed weakly. "No Builder is truly unarmed."

I nodded. He was right after all, when you have a voice that people can be compelled to obey, it is not nothing. I sighed. He's going to make me say it isn't he?

He wants to experience it as much as he wants to be able to say he tried to resist when his supervisor reprimands him.

Ugh, Fine.

S̴̢͖̪͍̟̟̼͓͉̫͎̯̈́́̌̄̚ͅț̴̨̧̛̠̝̙̬̪̖̽́͐̎̾̊̒̒̋͐̀͘̕͜͜͝ͅe̸̹͐̈́̈́̈̑̉͗͘͠p̶̣͓̂̏͐̉̍̎̄̆̚͝ ̷̨̡̱̦̫̘͎̘̙̭̘̟̮̣̲̣̹͛͒͋̉̔̔͝Ā̴̧̡̝̰̦̫̱̬͍̞̘̞͓̝̲̣͒̋̀͌̎̐̊̈́̍͝ş̷̧̤͈̲̺̮̬̩̜̣̗̯̹́͊́͛ͅị̵̒̂̚ḓ̶͙̳̏͌̉ḙ̵̛̩͇̰̰̺̹̥̺̥̠̲̜̀̈́̐͊̉́͂̋͌͂̅͐̕ͅ.̸̢̛̬̫̙̺̟̟̜̪̯̹͚̯̼̔̀̊̑̄̿̓̔̎̚͜͜͜͝͠

I said it as gently as I can. As one, every Aviens and Mariens moves two steps away from the barricade. The one who spoke to me shudders and sighed happily. "Ew" I said out loud.

"What is it? Ava asked, looking

"That one-" I pointed to the Aviens I had been talking to "-liked it when I ordered him around."

"I mean, I get it." Ava said, blushing.

I looked back at her and raised an eyebrow. She blushed harder. "I'm just saying that lots of people really like it when a powerful, beautiful woman orders them around, they don't even have to have the Voice that compels people for them to like it."

"Like, a sex thing?" I asked, confused.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"It can be, but it doesn't have to be" Ava replied, slightly defensively.

"Do you want to be ordered around by me?" I asked. Why did I ask that? I don't know which answer I wanted to hear.

She looked away "I wouldn't... mind it." She said.

Huh. Okay.

As we walked in, once again we're in the large, open, impressive vestibule. Over in a corner was a desk where one of the insect people - I really need to learn their names - was sitting looking bored I thought. They had a book open and were reading. I strode up to them.

"Hello. Please tell me where I can find Starlight on a Moonless Evening or Vivvex please." I tried not to use the voice this time.

Incredibly, they look over at me and their expression does not change. They are utterly unimpressed. "The Regents are in a meeting and have stated that they are not to be disturbed. I can take a message if you would like, they will reply to you by runner within one standard month."

Amazing. They are utterly unfazed. We should keep this one when we sit upon the throne. They have a skill.

"That's not necessary." I said brightly. "Can you direct me to where the Regents are meeting?" I attempted to put just a little bit of the voice into the request. I don't know if it worked, it might be an all or nothing thing. I needn't have bothered.

"They're in meeting room 345. It's on the third floor, sunward side."

I bowed very slightly and the glowing wings dipped just a bit. "Thank you, friend. What is your name?"

"I am Fel."

"Well Fel, please don't go far. I feel that I'll have a use for you very soon."

"Yes, Empress."

I blinked. "Wait, how did you know I'm the Empress?"

"You were able to get the guards out front to stand down with a word, you are dressed in a very complicated outfit, you look like the statue out front and you have glowing wings and a glowing crown"

Yes. We like this one.

"Er, yes. When you explain it like that it does make sense, Thank you Fel."

"Empress." and he turned back to the book he was reading.

Up the stairs and down the hall until I'm front of a room with 345 written on a placard to the side. Next to the door I could read a little slider. One one side is "OCCUPIED," and I slid it the other way and it read "OPEN". Offices really were the same everywhere. Huh. I felt a little disappointed learning that.

I tried the door, and it's not even locked. Opening it, I stepped in and...

"I'm telling you, there's nothing to be worried about." Starlight on a Moonless Evening and Rapid River Roaring were talking to Vivvix and Zemmlin. Nobody was facing the door.

"I'm convinced they don't even know what they are" Zemmlin said. "They don't have the air of Builders, even if they looked like them."

"I agree" Rapid River Roaring said, taking a sip of something from a steaming mug. "They don't have the organs for the hard work of ruling."

"If that's the case, then let the 'translator' that I gave them do its work. The problem will solve itself." Ottarn was talking over a screen from somewhere else.

I leaned back out of the office - they really haven't noticed me yet - and looked to Ava, Mei'la,and Fer'resi and wink. Ava grins wickedly, Mei shook her head and Fer'resi looked nervous.

With some concentration, I turned up the imperial regalia. The crown glowed more intently, the wings looked a little more elaborate and they started to flutter as if they were being rusted by a breeze that didn't exist.

C̸̰̽͜e̷̡͌̀a̴̱̗̿ṡ̶̼̲̽ë̴͔̙ ̶͈͕͋̑y̶̥̓̃ö̷̪͈ù̶̢̠r̸̖̩͠ ̷̪̩͑c̵̝̾͝h̷̠̻͂a̶͇̐t̵͓͕͗t̸̯̖̋e̵̺͒r̴͈͑̕ ̶̡̟͋̎ä̴̻̝t̴̝̙̂ ̴̡̡͝o̷̢̐n̵̟̰͋ć̵̜̩̋e̵̥͕͊̔.̵͔͔̾̈́

As if I pressed the mute button, they all stopped talking. Horrified, they turned to face me. I stepped out so that Ottarn could see me. Interesting. I wonder if Ottarn was compelled to stop speaking, or if they're just startled. I bet the Voice doesn't work over a radio signal.

"You think us weak? You think us meek?" I laid it on thick. Ava was reveling in it. "You realized you were visited by Builders who did not yet know their true nature and you chose to hide it from them? To attempt to use them for your own ends? To further your own power? The moment I spoke the Holy Words to you, you knew your days ruling this place were numbered."

I looked up at the screen. "And you. Giving my linguist a false translator when all he wanted was to better understand you and be understood. He has received his lesson he understands you better than you know. Ottarn, speak. Tell me your location."

"I-I-I am aboard our ship, Holy One The Sea-Light."

"Disembark at once and return to this building. I will await your return."

I turned to face the ones in the room. I had not given them permission to speak and they were staring at me with wide eyes, shaking with fear, good. I pointed to Rapid River Roaring. "You. Fetch three working translators. Speak to no one."

He stood up so quickly his chair falls over. Ignoring the toppled chair he practically ran out of the meeting room.

I jabbed a finger at Vivvex. "You. Speak. Where is the Throne in this Starbase."

The what? What am I asking about?

The Throne is where you rule. All Starbases have one. When you visit any Starbase, that's your main location. They are usually near the docks, though not always.

"There is an entrance in the promenade, Empress. We don't know how to open it though. I swear Empress, it was the others, Rapid River Roaring and Starlight on a Moonless Evening who conspired to keep you from your right. We were nothing but unwitting pawns!"

Oh, they called me Empress instead of Holy One.

They see the writing on the wall. They are trying to save themselves. Pitiable.

Just then, Rapid River Roaring returns, out of breath. They ran the entire way. In his clawed hand were three translators on little black straps. They're meant to be worn around the waist with a sub-dermal connection on the throat to facilitate speaking without having a constant din of both languages. I concentrated at them for a moment and my eyes flare yellow orange.

They are true translators, Empress.

I took them from him without comment, and turned to my team. "Here. This is how you wear them." I reached over to Ava and she blushed again as I fastened it around her waist, and then pasted the sub-dermal to her neck and placed a bone conductive dot behind her ear. "Try it."

"Okay, how do I sound? Can these..." She sneered "Sapients understand me?"

I looked at them. Rapid River Roaring nodded and said "Yes, we understand you perfectly, Builder."

I went to Mei'la and Fer'resi and helped them put their own translators on as well.

"This is so neat!" Ava looked at me and smiled. "I swear Melody. If this Empress thing doesn't work you can make some real money in the High Mars cities or the Outer Planet Alliance doing dom work. You've got an unrealized gift."

Now that she's understood, both of the Aviens feathers flutter in titillated embarrassment at what she just said of their Empress. I raised an eyebrow at them and they immediately looked down and started to cower.

"No, don't cower. It grows so tiresome. Where is Ottarn?" Their looks of frightened confusion tell me they don't know either. I had a hunch. I radio Far Reach. "Far Reach, this is Melody, can you tell me if any of the ships in dock have moved?"

"Actually, yes Melody." Far Reach answered "One of the mid sized ships opposite us blew their umbilical in a shower of dust and seems to be attempting to run." Gene added, They're having engine problems though. Their power output is very low. I don't think we'd have any trouble stopping them."

Hmm. "How long do you estimate before they reach the Gate?"

"More than a day at their current speed. Maybe even two."

"Okay, watch them, and if they get close to the point where you can't catch up to them let me know."

"Uh okay, Melody, if the Captain is fine with it."

"She will be, Gene."

"Hmm."

I turned back to the Avien and Mariens in the room. "You compatriot has abandoned you. They feel they will have better luck trying to outrun my Starjumper in their creaky old ship. Enough of this. They will receive my full attention soon enough. Lead me to the Throne."

They got up from their chairs and wordlessly leave the room. We follow them.