Where were we all going to sleep? If Far Reach left, then it's just us, and we didn't know this Starbase and we didn't have any money! This was a terrible idea, what the hell am I doing?

You are doing what you need to do.

Brave talk from a bunch of atomic scale machines. You don't need to worry about where you're going to sleep tonight.

We will think of something.

Wait. You didn't know either? What the hell? You Nanites were the ones convincing me to 'act like an Empress' and now Far Reach left, Captain Q'ari was declared unfit and almost everyone was afraid of me!

We will admit that we were... slightly... out of our depth. All of our collected memories came from Empresses who were well established in their position, with hundreds of people in their retinue. We are not familiar when the Empress has... three people who were going along with her and no home.

Then why did you have me do all that stuff?

We figured it would all work out.

At this point, I was too frustrated to argue with the Nanites inside my body. I looked around for a place to sit, and came across a cafe. I found an empty table and sat heavily. Omar and the others joined me.

I looked around at everyone, "Okay, sitrep."

Omar began. "We're on a foreign Starbase,"

"As their rulers, the Builders" Ava added.

"But most of us didn't have any Builder powers yet" Um'reli chimed in.

Ava raised a finger "That will come later as the Nanites grow and come online."

Omar looked out at the restaurant "We don't have any money and any place to stay."

We all looked out into the passing crowd, ignored. This sucks. I didn't expect everyone to be frightened and leave. At least I had some friends here now.

Um'reli looked over at me with a strange expression. "Um, Melody?"

I looked away from the crowds of people and faced her. "What's up?"

"Melody. You have a Voice that can make people do whatever you tell them to do. Just..." She shrugged, "Tell them to put us up in the fanciest Hotel this place has!"

Ava's face brightened. "Why are we worrying about money Melody? Just make people give us stuff."

Now they're thinking like Builders.

Ugh, really? Just go around and yell at people until I get what I want?

Empresses since the beginning of time have done as much.

As we were sitting there, discussing options, an Azurian, probably an employee, walked up. "So, are you going to order something, or just take up a seat that a paying customer would use?"

"Oh, Sorry." and I started to get up when Ava and Um'reli look at me.

"Right, right. Um. B̶̭͝r̶͚͑ȉ̴͇ń̷̝g̸̼̑ us some menus please."

The Azurian reaches into a pocket on their apron and handed over four menus, turned and walked away quickly.

Ava looked down and grins. "I can read it!, Um'reli, Omar, can you read it yet?"

Omar and Um'reli looked down as well. Omar squints at it. "Kind of? It's like it's...burry, but I can get the idea of what they're offering."

Um'reli moved the menu back and forth like she's trying to get it in focus as well. "Yeah, it's not all the way there, but it's definitely not just gibberish anymore."

Ava's face fell. "Too bad I don't know what any of it is. Just because I can read 'stir-fried laut over grebian grains' doesn't mean I know what it is, or if it's good."

This time it was my turn to be sanguine. "I've had at least one meal and a snack here, and I haven't had anything bad yet. I'm sure it's all good. Just pick whichever one has a cool sounding name."

Everyone took a moment to study the menus while I looked around more. On the one hand, It's nice that we could just sit here and be ignored. On the other though, I didn't want to be ignored! It turned out I really really liked being worshipped. That worried me a little bit. Oh well, survival first, worship second. I guess I'd have to just... tell people to take care of us for a little while. I didn't really like that idea though... Ugh, I was hoping people would love me for me not because I told them to love me.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Ava loves you.

Are you sure? It feels like she loves the power I have.

Is there a difference?

Apparently my face was so shocked that Omar looked over. "Uh, Melody are you all right?"

"Oh sorry, yes I'm fine. Um, do anyone else's Nanites... talk to them?"

The blank looks gave me all the answers I needed.

"Okay so maybe it's an Empress thing or just because I've had them longer, but my Nanites... talk to me. They give me advice, tell me about things about the Starbase and about what previous Empresses did. That kind of stuff?"

"Is it... good advice?" Um'reli was asking very carefully.

"Ehhhh, sometimes?" I waggled my hand back and forth.

Hmmph. All of our advice will get you to where you need to be.

Oh, so I needed to be getting ready to order some poor Aviens to give us all dinner for free, then going to find a hotel and ordering them to give us a couple rooms for free?

If it's in the name of assuming your role as Empress, then yes.

I'm not so sure.

The Aviens server walked up. "Have you selected what you would like?"

T̶̍ͅḧ̷͎͓́͂i̸̧̋͜ş̸̡̀ ̶̥̃̆m̷̛̤̦̊ě̶̤â̵̦̚l̵̪͊ ̶̛̫̙i̴̳̊s̷̘͂ ̵͈͖̈́ḟ̷̪̔ͅr̴͓̀é̴͇͝ȩ̵͛̓.̶̗̊̋ͅ I said to them. They nodded and took a pencil out. "What will it be then?"

After our order had been placed, we're left alone again. While we waited, I notice that two Aviens are sitting near us, watching us while they eat. One of them finally makes a gesture at the other, and they indicated no, but the first stood up anyway and approached us.

"Uh, pardon my interruption" They said kindly, "But are you by any chance that person who says they are the new Empress?"

I looked up at them. They seem to be legitimately curious, I couldn't detect any sarcasm or malice in their body language. "Yes. I am the Empress Melody."

At the confirmation, they relaxed visibly. "Oh wonderful Empress. I'm so pleased to see you out among us. We were at your speech earlier this afternoon, and were so excited."

Oooh, this was nice, I loved a good compliment.

"I'm so glad that you came" I answered warmly. "It makes me feel good when I see residents who are happy to see me."

They nodded vigorously. "Yes, I can't wait until you eject those cursed Mariens out into space and return Reach of the Might of Vzzx to Aviens hands like it was meant to be."

Omar, Ava, Um'reli, and myself blinked and stared.

"Oh uh, really?" I said, weakly.

"Yes. It's far past time they get what's coming to them." And with that, they returned back to their seats, and with a little wave, finished their meal.

Omar, Ava, and Um'reli looked at me. "Oh no, no no, you can't pin this on me, I didn't say anything!"

"Okay, but you're not actually going to do that are you? Space all the Mariens?" Omar glanced back at them then at me.

"Of course not! I would never!" Why would he even think that I'd do that.

You wouldn't even have to space them all. That's wasteful. If you did space a few, it certainly would make people realize you're someone that shouldn't be underestimated.

No. No. I was not going to space anyone!

Before this line of conversation went any further, the Azurian arrived with our food. After they placed the steaming plates down, they give me a little ticket and walked off. Turning the ticket over I see that it's the bill. Normally, this meal would cost... oh my... sixty Skys? Is that a lot? But on the bottom is said the amount due is 0 and that the meal was marked complimentary. Whew. At least it didn't seem like anything bad happened as a result of that. With everyone else already eating, I got started. Like I said before, I haven't had a bad meal here, and this was no exception. All of the food was amazing. The grebian grains were a bit like a brown rice, but even nuttier. It had a vegetable of some kind mixed in, and it was all together with a light, spiced sauce. I'll have to see if I could remember where this place was, I wanted to come back - and pay them next time.

Mindful that I used the Voice to order them to give us dinner, we didn't dawdle. After we ate we got up and began to wander the promenade. I never really went further than the docks and the administration offices so I didn't know what else was there. We took in the sights for a little while and then Omar looked at me again.

"So Melody, where are we staying tonight?"

"I have no idea Omar, have you seen anything that looks like a hotel?"

He shook his head. "No, but I wouldn't know what I'm looking for."

Me neither. Who would though? "Wait, I wonder if the people who work in the Administrative offices might know. They would have to host dignitaries wouldn't they?"

"Yeah! Let's go rough them up again!" Ava was cheering. I look over at her with a stony face and she pouted.

"Uh Melody, you said that the Gate has been closed 'for three generations.' We're the first visitors in a long time if they lived for anywhere close to as long as us." Um'reli, with the splash of cold water again.

We continued to walk around for a while, Ava spied a place that sold clothes and drug us all there. "Look at this fabric! It shimmers, and is so soft," She rubbed it against her cheek. "Normally, if you have something that shimmers like that, it's rough and scratchy. I need this. Melody, buy it for me please."

"Buy it Ava? I don't have any money."

She waved her hand dismissively. "Use your Voice to make them give it to me."

"Ava, I felt bad enough that I got us dinner for free. I'm not about to make them give you clothes. I'm trying to be a good Empress, not some kind of tyrant."

Ava pouted and put the shirt back. "Hmph, you're no fun. What is even the point of a power like that if you're not going to use it."

She's right you know.

You always take her side.

Because she's got the right idea.

I couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm going to go ask the Administrators. At least the they might know where a Hotel is. I guess I could use the Voice to just ask random people, but I'm trying to not just make everyone do stuff for us if I can avoid it."

Ava looked over. "Are they going to be okay with seeing us? You did kind of threaten them and make them show you where the Throne was."

I flick my hand out dismissing the comment. "It'll be fine. Probably."

We worked our way to the Administration offices. The barricade was still up, but it wasn't manned anymore. Huh. I wondered if they figured since we had our confrontation now that everything would be over with. I hope the Administrators weren't still mad-

I never got to finish that thought, because as I pushed open the door and walked in, someone behind a barricade made up of chairs and tables from the offices shot at me.

Again.