Chapter 153

　　For a moment, Kal thought the old Emperor, Aurelius, was walking toward him in the dim light of the stars. Appearing frail and slow-moving, the man`s face was revealed as he entered the glow of the electric lights around Atlas.

　　"Is there something you need from me, Prince Argyle?" Kal asked, unsure of the reason why the Prince would be walking outdoors in the middle of the night. Secretly, he was relieved that it wasn`t an apparition of the Emperor, come to haunt him or give news of great import from beyond the grave.

　　It spoke of the abilities of the Emperor that Kal wouldn`t have been surprised if that had happened.

　　It was only when Argyle walked into the light that Kal was struck by how similar Argyle was to his father. Perhaps it was the age that had seemed to strike him since the war began, decaying his good health and repelling all attempts at rejuvenation.

　　Even now, bundled in a thick robe against the slight chill of the Terran night, Argyle appeared sickly and weak to the young and energic Kal. It reminded him of the last time he had seen Aurelius, at the ball for Mare`s birthday. Like most of the Empire, Kal wondered how the Emperor kept living.

　　Compared to the Emperor`s nearly two millennia of age, Argyle was a youth of only eight hundred. Yet he seemed to be declining rapidly, either from the stress or guilt of current events.

　　"It`s a beautiful night." Argyle replied, ignoring Kal`s question as he joined the young man beside the Titan. The prince leaned against its metal limb, looking up at the stars. Kal was at a loss on how to respond when Argyle continued.

　　"A beautiful night for truths, I think. Possibly the last night for them if things go as I expect tomorrow." Argyle finished.

　　"You don`t think the negotiations will go favourably?" Kal asked with doubt. Argyle merely shrugged before answering.

　　"I was never blessed with my father`s prescient abilities. His children were all mere mortals, I`m afraid."

　　"Truth can be a terrible thing, Kalen. I do not doubt that you understand that yourself. The truth about how our parents feel about us, how we can never measure up to their expectations. Worse still, the harsh truth of reality when compared to how we perceive our own capabilities." Argyle seemed tired. His voice was weary.

　　It was stunning to compare him to the Prince that Kal had seen only a few short years ago. Stalwart and strong leader of the Imperial Guard, the life seemed to have been forced from Argyle, leaving an elderly man in his place.

　　"I had to confront that as a youth and again from Atlas." Kal muttered, frowning as he looked up at the Titan. The visions it had shown him in an attempt to break his will were still fresh.

　　"Indeed. I loathed your father, but I`m sure you aren`t surprised by that. But I also disliked Emeritus." Argyle confessed, and Kal raised his eyebrows at the admission. Kal`s grandparents were close with the Emperor and Empress, and he thought that extended to their children as well.

　　Argyle caught Kal`s reaction and smiled.

　　"It shouldn`t come as a shock. I was young, and I felt threatened by their intimacy. A feeling that came from a great many sources in my life." Argyle took a deep breath, and Kal could feel a tension in the Prince, as if the admission he was about to make would be costly, but he was resolved to make it anyway.

　　"The fleet that attacked Terra, that nearly killed you and your wife, were originally intended to be used against you alone." Argyle admitted, and Kal stilled as he processed the word. Before he could, Argyle continued.

　　"I was concerned with the Emperor`s intentions toward you, and the fleet was meant to waylay you after the celebrations before you could return to Caledon." Argyle finished, turning toward Kal. In the dim light, the prince`s face was grave. The lines and wrinkles gave him a skull-like appearance.

　　"I don`t know if I anticipated to remove you or merely convince you to distance yourself from my father. Regardless, that was why the fleet was gathered in the first place. What happened after&" Argyle trailed off.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

　　"You didn`t attack Terra." Kal stated, and it wasn`t a question. A part of him always wondered if Argyle truly had been involved in the attack. It didn`t matter, in a way. With Havencroft supporting the Prince, Kal had little choice but to do the same.

　　"No. The evidence demonstrates that Augustus freed a group of prisoners and provided them with the location of my fleet. Combined with extremist elements in Unshackle Terra,` he had all the troops and equipment he would need for an assault on Terra." Argyle shook his head, turning silent for a moment.

　　"As I said, it is a night of truths. I don`t believe Augustus had anything to do with the attack. I think a third party took advantage of our bias, our disparate goals, and planned this entire thing." Argyle explained, taking a moment for Kal to process what he was saying.

　　"Who would be capable of such a thing? It would require insight that no one&You believe the Emperor orchestrated this?" Kal whispered through a harsh intake of breath.

　　"Is it truly so ridiculous? Your dreams, and those shared by the other Pilots, all but confirm it. A vague threat that could destroy humanity, as a storm erases footsteps on sand? It is evident that my father would have predicted a troubled future for humankind and taken steps to prepare us for it.

　　"And now look at us, gathered together for a common purpose. Even divided, we are stronger militarily than we have been in centuries. All the Titans have Pilots prepared to lead their Houses against each other. And all it took was the deaths of tens of millions across the galaxy and a ravaged Terra." Argyle mused.

　　"I think you give the Emperor too much credit. Even if our dreams are true and there is a looming threat against us, he could have merely ordered us to prepare. To unite, train and build our forces to confront it." Kal retorted.

　　Logically, the Emperor had such power. It would also have spared millions of lives. Kal couldn`t believe that Aurelius would have chosen a more obscure and difficult option instead.

　　"Perhaps, but you didn`t know him like I did. Father valued his secrets and hoarded knowledge more than anything, even his own life.

　　"What would your response have been if he had commanded you to prepare, to gather your people in preparation for a powerful threat that could make humanity extinct?" Argyle posed the question, and the answer came to Kal immediately. It had been on his mind since he had first heard of the threat from Mare.

　　"What is this threat, and how do you know of it?" Kal replied, causing Argyle to nod in agreement.

　　"Good luck getting an answer from him. I`ve never seen him offer up information without an ulterior motive. Take you, for example. Did he ever discuss his intentions regarding your future, Kalen?"

　　"No. He mentioned he had faith in me and saw that I would be important to the Empire. It was why he spared me after the Rebellion. But there have been things that made me question his purposes." Kal confessed.

　　"This is a night of truths. Possibly the last we will ever have." Argyle subtly urged Kal to ask whatever he wanted.

　　"Why was the Emperor tampering with my genetics? Atlas showed me a vision of Aurelius speaking to my father. He was the reason I was born, in exchange for his support of my father`s marriage." Kal asked the question at the forefront of his mind.

　　"It wasn`t just yours." Argyle confirmed. He wrapped his thick robe tighter around himself against the growing chill.

　　"I don`t know why, not truly. Perhaps Mother knew, but she would never reveal it. But I know that most of those gathered here tonight have somehow been cunningly enhanced.` I only know because my own samples, and those of Patricia, have my father`s fingerprints all over them. Genetic enhancement is not uncommon or anything to fear, but when the Emperor is interested in it, you can guess my thoughts." Argyle replied.

　　"And nothing obvious was discovered?" Kal asked. Argyle shook his head.

　　"Whatever it was, it`s well hidden. Some fine detail whose purpose we may never know. I do recognize that it wasn`t to instill loyalty in the Empire. Otherwise, you would never question its purpose." Argyle joked, and a hint of a smile came on his lips before fading away.

　　"A question for a question. Did my Father tell you of the Envoys before Ouroboros revealed their existence?" Argyle asked, turning his piercing blue eyes onto Kal. The Duke shivered despite his Pilot bodysuit.

　　"No, never. What are they?" Kal asked, burning with curiosity. They were the entire reason that an army had been gathered against him, all for fear that he would be in contact with them.

　　"Only the Emperor, and his heir, know their identity. It was why we would have moved against you. Their revelation would have meant you gained father`s favour. I do know they are an external force outside of the Empire." Argyle confirmed.

　　"The Artificial Intelligence Collective? We`re still in contact with them?" Kal asked with surprise, but Argyle only shrugged.

　　"It would seem likely that the Envoys either represent them or are the A.I."

　　"Why are you telling me all of this?" Kal asked as his final question.

　　"Because we have much in common, Kalen Caledon. We both hated our fathers and were willing to give up our lives for our home and those under our care. And finally, this is a night that deserves the truth."

　　Kal was shocked at the admission that the Prince hated the Emperor, to the point that he didn`t notice Argyle leave. Standing alone at night, Kal thought about his strange conversation.

　　It wasn`t until the morning, when everyone was looking for a missing Argyle that Kal thought about the prophetic nature of Argyle`s words.