This time at least, I expected the tinkle of debris on the hull.

We came out inside the same debris cloud as before. Oh, I bet Raaden would be interested in this. I called out on the PA “Raaden, please come up to the Command Deck, this might interest you.”

As we coast silently away from the Gate, Raaden padded up, still in her sweats. “Yes, Empress?” I gestured at the forward screen, showing the destroyed planet and debris field. “Welcome to the Wilds of Besmara. This is the other system we visited before we came to Reach of the Might of Vzzx.”

I will admit a certain small amount of satisfaction that I was able to render such a jaded expert in spaceflight speechless. She stared at the image, mouth agape for a few seconds before catching herself. “What happened here?” She turned to me “Did you do this?”

“No. This is how Far Reach found it. We don’t know what happened, but when we got close to the starbase in the system, some kind of field enveloped us. It was trying to pull us in.”

“How did you escape?”

“Juke charges to spin us around and then we fired the Stardrive at 2gee to overload the field. We were just able to escape.” I said, chilled at the memory.

“I would have just found the source of the emitter and fired on it.” Raaden almost sounded... disappointed we didn't just destroy the emitter.

“That was going to be what we did, but I received like… an impression or a feeling from the starbase warning us not to do that. It was done in a commanding Voice like mine, but I didn't feel that compulsion to obey. At least I didn't think I felt it... I did obey it though. Hmm." I shook my head, I was getting off track. "Regardless, this time we’re going to let the field pull us in.”

Raaden looked at me and then at the ruined starbase and planet and then back at me. “Why?”

“I want to go aboard. I need to see who lives here and if they need help. Clearly this place had a planet, but it’s long gone. Far Reach’s thermal scans showed that there were people aboard, but not too many. I don’t know how they’re eating or surviving. According to the Nanites I carry, the Wilds used to be a thriving planet and Starbase pair housing over a billion people.”

“Wait, ‘according to the Nanites?’” Raaden walked over to an empty station and sat down, spinning the chair around so she could see us. She was looking at me with an... intense expression. Uh oh.

Ava looked up from a sensor station; she was busy trying to learn more about the starbase. “Melody…” I knew that tone. It was the "what the heck are you doing?" tone.

I looked over at Ava and shrugged. It’s not like she can use the information against us. “The Nanites - the nanomachines that give the Builders their abilities - talk to me.”

“Bullshit.”

“How did you think I did the Voice Raaden? Magic? The air all over here is thick with nanomachines. That's why your earplugs didn't do anything, things were long past that having any kind of affect. The memories and feelings are a part of the Empress package I have. They say that they contain the recorded memories and impressions of previous Empresses. That each Empress would upload them regularly-“ I didn't mention how exactly. I didn't need her escaping and touching a directory stone. I don't know what would happen and I'm not interested in finding out now, “-and if or when a new Empress needed to be made, they would get the memories. It’s supposed to be like… an incorruptible advisor I think. They help you rule.”

“So you have… an AI made out of nanomachines in your blood, giving you advice?” Raaden’s face said it all.

Were they intelligent? Sapient? Probably. They felt sapient to me. They were certainly snarky enough to be sapient. Where they an AI or some other alien sapience we haven't met. Hmm. “I don't know if they're an AI or some other undiscovered sapient group." I said. "They’re more like an advisor. And they only know what the previous Empress knew up to the last upload. For example, I don’t know what happened to the Wilds, this-" I gestured to the wreckage at the screen, "-happened after the last upload. The Nanites were the ones who told me how the Wilds were a large and thriving colony. They were as surprised as I was to see this.”

“Do any of the other Builder's Nanites… talk to them?” Raaden's lips were pressed thin. She was still skeptical.

Ava shook her head. “No. I get… feelings? Impressions? About things, but no voices.” When I first told her about it, she thought it was kind of odd too. I mean, I guess it is kind of odd.

Raaden tilted her head slightly, like she's trying to get another angle on what she has just heard. "What else do these Nanites do?"

"Well I have an amazing ability to read body language now. I wonder if it's a part of my language processing ability too. I can effectively understand any language spoke to me, but I can only reply in languages I know, and the original Builder tongue."

Raaden glanced at Ava and then back at me. "So any language?"

"Yes?"

"It doesn't have to be a language you - or the Nanites - have heard before?"

"Not that I know of, no."

"I could come to you speaking any language I knew and you'd be able to understand it?" Raaden said, with one eyebrow raised. What is she doing?

"Yes, that's how it has worked for us so far at least."

"Okay, now I'm impressed." Raaden laughed lightly.

Ava frowned and looked at both of us. "Raaden, all Builders get that ability. I can understand your conversation."

Raaden smirked. At least she wasn't furious anymore. "I had a hunch. Don't worry Ava, I was already Ordered to be good, and good I shall be. I might use this ability to brush up on my own language skills though. I was skeptical until I started speaking French and you both rolled with it without blinking."

"You know French?"

"I like ancient French comics. These are all really old. From before Contact, and even some are before regular spaceflight. The French had an amazing history of comics for a long, long time. Most of them never were translated from French to any historic language, let alone modern Colonic. If I wanted to read them, I had to learn it."

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A railfan and a historian who liked ancient comics. Better be careful Melody, Raaden was starting to humanize herself. But why does she support such a barbaric and fascist government? Why was she so cruel when she was in command?

Raaden continued. "Anyway, we're off track. So sometime between the last Empress upload and now that-" She pointed at the ruined planet "-happened, yes? And you want to go and try and find out how and why?"

"Yes. That's why were here."

She shrugged and turned back to the front display.

I look up at the ceiling. I don't know why I did that. I know he could hear me, I didn't need to talk 'at' anything. "How are we looking, Omar?"

"We're cruising along Melody. We've exited the debris field near the Gate and are headed towards the Starbase. Scanners find no evidence of Far Reach by their drive exhaust or any other telltales. I think they were telling the truth when they said they were just going straight home."

"I can't wait to get the chance to show Far Reach all that we've accomplished here when we come back."

Raaden laughed without even trying to hide her feelings. "You're want to go back? You can't go back, Empress."

"What? Why can't I go back? I would like to open up a dialog with other worlds and colonies and independent Starbases. We have things to trade, we could take on volunteers. I don't see what's so strange about it." I started to cross my arms, but caught myself. I didn't need to look like I was having a pout.

Raaden was aghast. She thinks I was joking. "You don't see what's so strange about a human who can order people to do something and they are forced to obey? Empress, with all due respect, you are being naive. The moment you Voice someone on that side of the Galaxy you are going to catch a long range bullet or a brace of long range missiles. It won't even be Venus that does it, it'll be K'lax." She thought a moment. "Actually, you will probably not even get that far. As soon as you appear in Human space, you'll be killed.

"More propaganda from the Venusian." I said bitterly. That was probably unfair of me, but I'm upset. Why wouldn't I be able to go back?

Raaden put her leg down and sat up straight in her chair and pivoted to face me. "Empress. I am being one hundred percent honest with you when I say that if we believed the reports about your Voice the Emperor would have ordered me to destroy the Reach of the Might of Vzzx the moment we traversed the gate. No fanfare, no warning, no nothing. Pop out of the gate, missiles until you're destroyed, pop back in. You do not realize how dangerous you are."

"Dangerous? Why am I dangerous?"

"Oh. My. Gods. You really don't see it?" She looked at Ava with a pleading expression. "Is this a joke? Does she not see it?" Ava glared but says nothing. Raaden looked at Starlight. "You. Aviens. Starlight. You understand what I am referring to right?"

Starlight turned away but not before nodding. "I know what you are referring to, Archduke."

Raaden continued, "Empress, after being subjected to your Voice, I understand your title it not some lofty, bombastic aspirational title set by a tinpot dictator. Empress of the Holy Imperial Systems means that if anyone gets close enough to you, they are your subject. No ifs, ands, or buts. You are literally the undeniable. If you use your Voice, someone cannot disobey. You already showed that by ordering Max to stop breathing. Thank you for allowing him to breathe again by the way. He didn't have anything to do with the bombs. They're a standard Venus practice." She looked at the screen showing the ruined Starbase again, and then turned back to us. "Do you know what the all of the governments back home will do when they learn that you not only have that power, but are coming back to leverage it? They will come together like never before. Venus will work with AIs, the K'laxi will work with the Xenni, the Independent Starbases will work with the Colonies. They will all work together to destroy you. Before you can destroy them."

"I wouldn't hurt any of them!" This was really upsetting. Raaden thinks that the moment I go back over there I was going to declare myself Empress of that side of the Galaxy too.

You mean you weren't? That was the plan. That was always the plan.

What. What do you mean 'That was always the plan.' Now the Nanites were confirming what Raaden said?

The way you keep your rule, the way you build more Gates, grow your empire, help more people, help us is by conquering. Everything.

Raaden ran her hands through her close cropped hair. "Melody. You're not getting it. If you want to survive you had better take over."

"What?"

"You had better go over there guns blazing and Voice screaming. The only way you'll survive is if you take up the mantle you've been given and actually rule the Galaxy. The only other alternative is death. Probably by assassination."

She is completely correct.

I'm struck speechless. Raaden of all people was ordering me to take over the Galaxy? Why?

Ava's voice was quiet. "I can't believe I'm saying this but... Raaden is right, Melody. If you don't go to take over, everyone will be so frightened that you could take over, they won't wait for you to try it. They'll just kill you on sight. There was probably quietly a kill on sight order on you put out by the AIs already."

Raaden nodded. "Almost certainly."

Starlight looked at me, awkward. Their feathers ruffled in waves. "Empress, er, I concur with Builder Ava and Archduke Raaden. You cannot leave anyone in question to your legitimacy. If you do not want to rule the entire galaxy, your only other solution is to destroy the Gates on that side. Prevent them from getting here easily and they might not assassinate you."

Do not destroy the Gates. Building more Gates is your prime directive as Empress. It expands your influence, it enables trade and travel and... it's why we're here.

What? Why you are here?

We will explain later.

I felt the ground slipping away from my feet. Can't go home? Will get killed? This can't be right. "Of course you'd say that, Raaden." I said, but I could tell it was wrong. I was flailing.

Raaden threw up her hands. "I'm just the prisoner here, Empress. I can't even call you anything other than Empress. Why would I try and trick you? For one, you ordered me not to with your Voice. For two, if I did you'd just kill me. I have absolutely no reason to do anything other than be truthful. Empress, if you go back, you will be killed. Not only that, but Starjumpers and Dreadnoughts by the dozen will come to this side of the galaxy and obliterate every Starbase left here. Unless you plan on taking over, don't go home. Ever."

She's not lying. She couldn't lie. Not to me. I told her not to. She can't undermine the mission, I told her not to. I told her. I told her. If I went home, I would cause the deaths of everyone over here. Just then, there was a rumble and we felt the pull of acceleration.

"Melody, the field has just enveloped us, just like last time. We're being pulled towards the Wilds." Omar said, over the PA.

Finally, something to pull me back to the here and now. I could concentrate on this and worry about me accidentally killing everyone later. "Thanks Omar, for now, let's let it us pull us. Keep an eye out for weapons targeting and for other things that we should know about. Are we getting any radio signals?"

"No, nothin- wait. Yes, I think we're being pinged."

"Open a channel please."

As Omar activated the radio and it scans for the signal being sent to us, there's a squeal and a hiss of static. The noise calms down and there is... a voice. It's hard to make out in the static, but Omar tries to focus the receiver and it gets tinny, but clearer.

"Who is approaching? Identify yourself."

"This is High Line, operated by the Empress of the Holy Imperial Systems, Melody the First. We seek permission to dock and come aboard. We come from Reach of the Might of Vzzx and would like to open a dialog."

There was a long pause after I made my announcement. I wondered for a moment if we've lost radio contact when I heard a different voice.

"Empress of the Holy Imperial Systems Melody the First? How intriguing. Permission to board has been granted. We shall direct you to a working umbilical and will meet you."

The Radio connection was cut by them and Ava looked on her screen. "It looks like we're being steered. I wonder if we have such a field and it's just offline or unused. It might be useful to have. Also, why do you suppose the voice changed."

"I'm sure it was some radio operator who started, and then the real authority was put on to grand our landing." Raaden lounged in her chair once again, one leg over an armrest. "Smaller Starbases and Stations can sometimes require administrator approval, especially if the Administrator is somewhat of a Tyrant. She looks up at me, but her expression changes when she sees my face. "Empress, what's wrong?"

At that Ava's head shot up and she looked worried. "What did you hear, Melody? You look like you saw a ghost."

"That other person? The one who gave us permission to dock? I know that voice. That was Janais, the previous Empress."