“What? Just explain it, please.”

“I suppose Anaxagoras tracked us through the transference. It could be that he was waiting for such an opportunity.”

“Why would he do that?”

“For one thing, you’ve been initiated into a brotherhood that hasn’t existed since the Great Revolution against the Markian Empire. This is a secret way of sending forth pure energy to the initiate, so that he will be recharged to ‘fight the good fight.’ It was started first by Fabian II who was the harbinger of the Revolution. It was later continued and handed down to various commanders by King Argos I. This brotherhood is called the Knights of the Elders.”

“Who?”

“The Elders were the Twelve Councilmen who created the entire planet of Migra. I mean,” Nikolas smiled, “Literally created Migra, and possibly all the other planets of that system.”

“You mean they were like gods.”

“Well, in one respect, you could say so. They came to create a perfect society. We were their lab-rats. They had this desire to create us and just went away. The very first people of our race were known as the Elemnauri. It is said that they were in tune with the elements of the universe and harnessed immense powers of both creation and destruction. They were even able to create their own mini-universes. They were in contact with the Elders and their race for three and a half trillion years until finally relations collapsed and war broke out. Eventually, according to the ancient tablets called the Stones of Revelations, the Elder Race was cast away, never to return. By that time, our distant ancestors had learned much and became very advanced until eight hundred billion years later their DNA was polluted by the curse of the Red Serpent.”

Alex, dazed by this knowledge, tried to make sense of what Nikolas told him. How old was his heritage? As far as he knew, his human ancestry could have stretched out for some ten million years. But the ancestors on this other side of his family went back trillions of years! “Okay,” he said, “so that still doesn’t explain how we got there and what happened.”

“The story’s going to have to wait,” said Jacque. “We’re ready to land.”

“This is one for the history books,” John said to Richard, outside the Great Hall where the Senate met.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” asked Richard. “It will be the very thing you’d be fighting against them.”

“I’m doing it for Alex. I’ve got to. Besides, I am not doing it permanently.”

“But it’s treason to declare yourself all-powerful and create a dictatorship. It’s going to turn into anarchy sooner or later. You know this.”

“And that’s what I plan for,” John smiled.

“What?” Richard asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief.

John winced as another wave of stomach acid burnt his throat. The corner of Richard’s mouth went up, “The old ulcer still bothering you?”

John sighed, “Just when there’s pressure.”

“So that’s most of the time,” said Richard.

John forced a weak chuckle. He changed the subject, “You are going to see great things happen in the coming months.” He banged on the great doors with all his might. A man from inside the Hall opened the doors.

“What is the meaning of all this noise...oh! Leader Howe, it’s you, is it? Sir, what is it that you want? We are in the middle of a very important decision.”

“Senator Gars, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have a very important issue to bring up.”

“And what might that be?” asked the Senator, raising his brow.

“Excuse me, will you?” John said as if he were in the middle of a conversation at a dinner party. He took Bacon aside and said, “Go and bring every damn reporter you know. If Jarad wants a fight, he can have it! We are doing exactly what we shouldn’t.” Richard did as he was told and John turned back to Senator Gars. Senator Gars was a short old man with a little white hair around the sides and the back of his head but none on top. He had an extravagant mustache and its tips almost touched the base of his ears. He wore small spectacles for his even smaller eyes. “Senator, this pressing issue is of the utmost importance. If I may, I wish to speak immediately.”

Senator Gars examined John up and down in a peculiar manner. He looked back at the Senators, who were listening or rather pretending to listen to a tall, slender old man named Senator Greenfield. Greenfield was a great orator and was at that point discussing the issue of the security of Regnum. Without further ado, John pushed past Gars, letting himself inside.

With a loud booming voice he said, “Senators of the Great Hall! Senators! My dear Senators.” There was a great amount of commotion, shouting and whispering. “Please, Senators of Regnum!” His voice was also drowned out by the constant hammering of the gavel by the General Speaker, retired Lieutenant Kenneth Lylock. At the podium Greenfield was still trying to discuss his plans on what he called the State Security Bill. But by now no one was paying any attention.

“Order!” John yelled. He smiled a toothy grin. “Order is my command, Senators, and that is what we shall have!” Slowly, as the voices died down, he walked up the stairs towards Senator Greenfield and said, “Excuse me, but would you please allow me to speak?” He completely ignored Lylock who continued to bang his gavel. In some ways, John blamed the Lieutenant for the loss of the War. He had failed the Vatican Mission. He was reluctant to have Lylock as a Senator but democracy had been the order of the day. Not anymore, however.

From the podium, John looked out at the entire hall. It stretched out like a large auditorium, with all one hundred and forty one senators sitting down, looking suspiciously at John. “Senators, ladies and gentlemen, I have an important announcement to make. Very soon, the one who tried to assassinate the good Council member General Jarad Hameed will walk into this room and try to attack me in the name of freedom and democracy and he will say he is doing it for the good of Regnum. The truth of the matter, my dear people, is this person will be an ally of Hameed. He and Jarad are planning a coup and they are going to declare themselves the de facto government and out of that Jarad will declare himself Dictator of Regnum. In an instant, democracy, our one ideal since the Dawn of Man, will fall forever. If a dictator were to rise to power today, then it would spell the end of the human race.

“Let me add something here: I am implying one thing and one thing only. If Jarad Hameed takes over, he will be ruthless. He wants power and that’s it. He doesn’t care whether Regnum is safe or not. You have heard the rumors about the other Council Members and what you hear is true. They all want me out. But I will not go out without a fight.

“They will all be coming soon, and the truth will be out. I am not here for any personal gain. Except of course the personal safety and rescue of my nephew, Alexander.”

At this, Lylock said, “But General Howe. Is it not true that you allowed him to be captured? Now there is talk of your secret alliance with the vampires.”

“That’s not true. I am a friend to all except the Vampiric Regime. I spoke to Nikolas and that was all. He ensured the safety of my nephew...for some time. Until then, we must act. This is an ultimatum! Don’t you see it? The vamps want war! They want to eradicate us.”

“Then why didn’t they do it before the signing of the Treaty?” asked Senator Julia D’Luca, a close associate of Jarad during the time of the de facto government constructed in the first days of the Regnum.

“Because they have what they want!” John said.

“What do you mean?” asked Senator Gars. The other senators started speaking in hushed whispers amongst themselves.

John paused for some time. He didn’t know what to say or rather how to say it. If he told everyone the truth, how would they react? Would they allow him emergency powers and permit another war to take place? It was inevitable but no one seemed to be bothered.