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Chasing the Jewelled Throne

r. a. Ben Miller




  Chasing the Jewelled Throne

  Ben Miller

  2011

  The Jewelled Throne

  Ben Miller

  Cast of Characters

  The Rebels:

  Tarok MenziAldo’s cousin President of Senate

  Admiral Herenhalf brother to Aldo. The leader of the coup

  Admiral Keeththe last conspirator

  Admiral Zimmerandkilled at the battle of Borealis Minor

  Admiral Chunkilled at the coronation attempt of Heren

  Admiral MaoriMenzi spy cousin of General Z. Shot by Keeth

  The Menzi Emperors:

  Aldo. Emperor at the time of the coup

  Rulo Aldo’s younger brother

  Sashi. Youngest sister of Aldo

  Zia. Heren’s godmother. Aldo’s aunt. She dealt the Admiralty their only defeat in the first eight years of the civil war.

  Madlin. Aldo’s wife

  Mina. Oldest child, died in the Dagaz Prison

  Arin. Oldest son of Aldo, captured in the battle of Starion III. Rescued and rebuilt the Empire.

  Davil. Arin’s little brother, mortally wounded at Vars VI.

  Baraz. youngest brother, leader during the Hazey Point Battles

  General Zintaurus Medio; Father of Madlin, Leader of the Palace Guardians.

  Lea; sister to Madlin, aunt to most of the last emperors. Leader of the Tech-Body duringthedevelopment of all the tools used to defeat the Admiralty.

  Pedra; General Z’s youngest daughter, hero of Hazey Point

  Mara; Grandmother of the Royal heirs

  The Jewel Throne Table of Contents

  Chapter 1; The Long Lost Throne

  Chapter 2; The Betrayal; Zinad, LIX

  Chapter 3; Aldo LX

  Chapter 4; The Hawks

  Chapter 5; Heren the Hammer

  Chapter 6; Mara, The General's Wife

  Chapter 7; Lea and Mara save the Day

  Chapter 8; In the Palace

  Chapter 9; The Empty Trap

  Chapter 10; The Emperor’s Spy

  Chapter 11; Base Two

  Chapter 12; The First Four Years; (from Aldo-to Rulo LXI)

  Chapter 13; Sashi’s New Ships

  Chapter 14; Zia

  Chapter 15; Madlin Regent

  Chapter 16; Mina

  Chapter 17; Ebb Tide; Arin

  Chapter 18; Arin in Dagaz Prison

  Chapter 19; The Chase is On; Davil

  Chapter 20; The Last Warrion; Baraz

  Chapter 21; Keeth’s Fleet Arrives

  Chapter 22; The Light at the End of the Tunnel

  Chapter 23; The First Battle of Hazy Point

  Chapter 24; The 2nd Battle of Hazey Point

  Chapter 25; The Battle of Dagaz IV

  Chapter 26; The Prodigal Returns

  Chapter 27; A New Beginning

  Chapter 28; War's End

  Chapter 29; What to Do About the War Lords

  Chapter 30; Keeth's Surrender

  Chapter 31; Freeing Taurus

  Chapter 32; Home at Last

  Chasing The Jewelled Throne

  (Arin’s Quest)

  Ben Miller

  ISBN: 978-1-4657-3839-4

  Title: Chasing the Jewelled Throne

  Author: Ben Miller

  This is a work of science fiction. All of the characters are fictitious. All the events are fictitious as well. As far as I know, the places are fictitious. Any resemblance to battles you may have fought in or heard about is unintentionally intentional. Enjoy! Read, already!

  Chapter 1; The Long Lost Throne

  The howling winds of this hell hole are seen more than felt. Far below the surface, the effects of it are easily seen on the screens. Baraz was nineteen years old. Somehow, due to the foolishness of fate and men, he was the last Menzi Emperor. A young boy had become the Emperor of a dying empire at the end of its string. The mere thought of his station almost made him laugh out loud. Here on the fighting bridge, he waits with what remains of his Warrion for what may be the last battle of his short life.

  He is as ready as he will ever be. He had been trained from birth to remain stoic. He knows that his troops are watching his every reaction. To distract himself from his blue thoughts, he looks out the scanning portals of these secret bunkers.

  The bleak landscape of this desert planet matches his mood. He watches as the wind moans across the dunes, kicking up clouds of sand. On the horizon, the twin orange suns take one last look over the horizon at the planet’s bleak landscape. The light continues to fade into a fiery borealis as first, one and then, the other sun drops below the horizon.

  Immediately, he watches the fingers of frost wind their way across the shadow side of the dunes across the landscape. Camera lens tube heaters light up underneath the electronic sensors to keep the lenses clear of frost. As he watches, the chill is almost palpable as the outside temperatures begin their usual nightly drop of ten degrees per hour. This drop will continue each hour through the night, freezing any living thing solid by dawn.

  The inhabitants of this planet, lizard-like beings and semi-sentient insects, cease their search for food and hurriedly begin to bury themselves deep in the nearest sand dune where they will pass the frozen night asleep. They will be reawakened by the warmth of morning’s fiery dawn to return to their daily cycle.

  These musings always take Baraz back. “How did this happen to me? Why am I fighting?” he thought for the thousandth time. One look around the fighting bridge and he knew. Part of him still wanted to run. Most of him understood that he had a mission. It was a silly question. He was a Menzi, after all. Leading was all he knew.

  When his father’s court had gone into hiding, teachers from the old Naval Academy had continued his classes. He had been raised as a warrior at war. He knew no other life.

  As he watched the sunset, his mind went back over the seemingly short years of his life. When this sad tale had begun, he had been a mere babe living on the courtly edges of his father’s palace. One scary night, he had been swooped up by a giant Guardian. He and his siblings, who were also children at the time, and his mother had been moved and hidden for years.

  One by one, his father, his uncle, an aunt, and each of his siblings had fought and died defending this crumbling empire. Now, if the Rebel Admirals had their way, he would be the last Menzi to sit on a throne that he had no memory of ever seeing.