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The truth? The last thing she wanted, were Kets, on the loose. Unknown to Anora, several of the commanders who had been fanatically loyal to Isabellani were equally devoted to her right to succession.
Rumour was they had vanished, to rebuild their forces, ready to take on Besise and restore Anora to the throne, should she attempt a take over bid. A coup in her absence.
Van Ea, Anora & Illia, had met up. They were now sat together as they waited for the latest news.
The others, were in the mood for celebrating but Coleja, remained sombre; he was NOT going to join them, let alone celebrate as Anora clung to Cxan.
“So it seems, your right of accession has been challenged.” Van Ea was quite matter of fact, trying hard not to gloat. IF her mother Besise established the right to take the throne it would make HER next in line to it should Besise die!.
“Why don’t you just say it Van?!“ It was Becci coming into the Ovir with the rare sight of Soniette, sitting down, their eyes on Anora making sure she was OK. 
Not under threat from these two. Van Ea, they had both agreed they disliked. Very similar in temperament to Illia.
Mostly because, she, had never dismissed the idea, the intentions of insurrection, rebellion? A warmonger in the making.
Delise and Margise followed her in. Besise? That, would please
Van Ea if she succeeded in taking the Empire from ...
“It, would mean, your status as next in line to the throne, could be validated and means.” She paused.
There would be no doubts at all re YOU, the weasel that YOU are..
in challenging Anora’s right to accession. Of course, should Anora choose to treat that as hostile.
I don’t like you but my brother Cxan has the hots for Anora. What he does Papa AND Mama have always told him, is HIS choices to make. That would bring YOU into direct conflict with HIM and US.
As Haphketsut, you really want to go down that path?”
She went quiet, thinking quietly to herself but probably what a few other Kets were thinking.
Poor Anora, was hardly any threat in that scenario! Which left her and, those aligned with her?
“I’m sure Anora and I would come to some agreement, just like Empress Isabellani and my mother came to originally. TO share and not, to cause civil war, amongst our factions, weakening the Empire.”
The arrival of Cxan with Anora ? Overhearing the end of the conversation from Van Ea.
“I agree but such discussion is irrelevant”. Besise was in charge; for now. It was too soon and too ridiculous to be thinking on succession at this moment in time.
“I would tell you.” Cxan moved in front of them. “What has been said re my loyalty to Anora stands. I will NOT see her rights to accession, stolen by other pretenders to her throne. I will say no more.” He pulled Anora in close to wrap his arm around her.
Some relief, as the conversation changed, to having a celebratory drink. A toast, to the memory, of the Empress Isabellani and, the greatness of the Jogarth Empire. 
A mutual kind of respect? Not shared, but accepted, that those who did not, wish to join in with the toast, had the right to decline and, no offence would be taken.
Van Ea, had not, liked the tone of voice, from Cxan.
The intimation that he had given, was one not to be dismissed lightly.
She, would not forget his insolence, his challenge to her.
The first opportunity outside of the Akademy she had, to slap a slave band on him and, have him, begging for mercy at her feet; was giving her a moment of bliss. Better still, to execute Anora in front of him.
Toxic and deriding with an air of superiority, from Van Ea, sneering at those, she deemed to be, inferior to her, let alone her own? That, had irritated Coleja. He had felt his fingers curl into a fist.
Whatever she said, about those such as Cxan, he like Cxan. Torvan also, so his animosity, was not so much towards them as it was Van Ea.
She, had known, of his, as she called it, COLLUSION with the ‘enemy’. Warning him. “Side with him (Cxan) and I, will have your head for it.” Coleja hissed back at her. “You, have to get off the Akademy planet, first.
As for that mother of yours I will have pleasure taking her head.
I will continue to bring about her demise, almost as fast as I can yours.‘ He grinned, turned and after talking to Anora, walked off. Anora, was more than aware of the hostility that Van Ea was creating. Cxan had told her to NOT trust her in particular. She was as he told her ‘two faced.’.
Van Ea was muttering to herself watching as Coleja left them. "As if I, did not know, what you were thinking.”
She pressed a hand against her cloak feeling the tube of liquid. ."I hope you enjoyed your drink brother, I suspect in a few hours, you will not be feeling so arrogant."
Becci was consoling Cxan. “We, don’t know for certain, their Ma ma is dead. Only.“
She looked at the others. “That the flagship, Inferno, was destroyed, by alien forces. UNKNOWN alien forces.
We all know, Globe Sat, can be notoriously inaccurate. She could have escaped the destruction. It happens.”
Cxan had to agree. There had been NO evidence, of Empress Isabellani’s body being found.
Globe Sat, could be full of misinformation, that was a FACT.
However they also would follow up with a correction at the earliest opportunity. A means of having those who had been misled into believing that the mistakes on their part were genuine.
NOT intentional, even if, it was to say, to admit that they did NOT know the whereabouts of the Empress?
Anora appeared a little less tense after hearing him telling her.
La Toyah was talking to Corky, “You OK with this? “ He nodded. “Seen enough death and destruction, over the years to last me a lifetime. Also they have still NOT confirmed her death. It remains supposition.
Besise, is appearing, to move her forces loyal to her, to take over key positions, strategic outposts, within the Empire. Some, she has been denied access to.
Apparently, there are those, who are determined to remain loyal to Anora. Commander Jecra of the 1st battalion has taken a force of over 500,000 and garrisoned them on one of those outposts.
A substantial force. A heavily defended and protected citadel.
Jecra is an outstanding tactician. Wouldn’t want to be Besise, should civil war take its course. HE is NOT the kind of enemy, anyone with half a brain, would want to be up against.”
He treats his troops, with a lot of unusual respect for a Jogarth commander. He treats his enemies, without the least semblance of mercy.”
Corky had been just 13 when he had seen his Papa butchered by an Alien force. It was ten yea (years) later, when he came across that race again, still as barbaric. The insignia was the same. Nujook. They were Nujook.
Mercenaries, murderers, pirates and slavers, but the worst of the worst. Cannibals who ate the flesh of their victims. He had won a galactic token of merit, for his valor in destroying their flagship, it had nothing to do with valor.
Pure rage, anger, a thirst that needed to be quenched, for revenge. The commander of that vessel was the one who had butchered his Papa. The remaining ‘Alien’ vessels now turned on his. Resigned to destruction, with a circle forming, shoving him into the middle of them.
He was doomed BUT, at least, he had had, the satisfaction, of seeing an end to that murderous !
Who had killed his Papa. His crew, had no reservation, about dying with him. A mutual respect, built up over a long time serving with him.
The arrival of a Jogarth fleet, commanded by, Jecra, who on seeing the situation, the ‘piggy in the middle’.. realized, on seeing the broken up scrap, of their former flagship, drifting in space around him?
That little craft in the middle had done that? He targeted those around it. Smashed into tiny fragments by his ships weapons. Jecra had been hunting this lot for ions. Destruction complete, all that was left was?
He ordered his own, to stand down, as he told Corky to take his leave.
Next time if they ever met again, he would not be so convivial.
Margise, had, brought all of the Jogarth together. Corky was talking to them.
“The latest news from my contacts, is not good, the Inferno was definitely destroyed.
Rammed, by an unknown alien craft, to ensure its complete destruction.” He paused to sip at his drink.
”As you all know, taking out a flagship, usually signals the end of a battle.
Withdrawal of your forces or surrender.” Corky looked at them as she now moved closer to the Kets.
“I gather that withdrawal or surrender, wasn’t a Jogarth option. NOT an option at all.”
We do know, that those aliens, the attackers, unlike the Jogarth, don’t kill prisoners or, subject them to slavery. They released them, usually after twenty or so dui, from the time of their capture. 
That freedom, does NOT apply to Imperials, Kings and similar leaders. Thus, if Isabellani had been captured, she would surely, have been executed
THEY also release, a situation report and, whilst we have received that, no mention of the Empress.
The Akademy elders backed up by our distinguished guests, the ancient ones, agree. UNTIL such time as the Jogarth Empire is stabilized, you are to remain at the Akademy.
We are aware of the need to monitor you all more carefully.
You all may be targets for assassins so an implant of a small device will enable us to know where you are at any time. “
If Corky was looking at Margise, with some rolling of his eyes, it was not, without some thought on his part, re the real would be assassins?
“Anora is the legal heir to the throne. I don’t want to hear anything
different, until we leave the Akademy.
Then and only then, will this, be up for discussion.”
Anora left to meet up with Cxan. Feeling she needed some comfort, some reassured security.
A while later, on the way back to his domicile with the other Jogarth. Coleja was distinctly OFF colour.
Van Ea taking note of his discomfort. Appearing to be, somewhat pleased, that he was in so much pain?
Coleja? He, had been complaining, of really bad stomach cramps! If he had been cursing on his overall condition. About to call a medisent, being denied the option. Attacked by them, to shut him up. leave him fall as he vomitted copious amounts, of a nasty smelling, whatever it was?.
Laughing at him, abuse from them as they went to kick out at him. Interrupted and one might say,
caught in the act by?
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