Dravok had never been a place of wealth.
Unlike the shining cities of Akhara, Dravok was a harsh and difficult world. Large parts of the planet were covered with dark volcanic land, rough mountains, and dry plains where farming was extremely difficult. Strong winds often carried volcanic dust across the settlements, making life uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous.
Because of these conditions, the people of Dravok had always lived a hard life.
Most citizens worked in deep underground mines where valuable minerals were extracted from the planet's crust. Others worked in small industrial plants that processed these minerals into usable materials. The work was long and exhausting, and accidents were not uncommon.
Technology on Dravok was far behind the other powerful lineages.
While Lineages like Akhara and Kharvex had advanced laboratories, powerful research centers, and modern transportation systems, Dravok still relied on older machines and outdated infrastructure. Many factories used equipment that had been running for decades. Transport between cities was limited, and in some remote areas even basic services like stable electricity were not always guaranteed.
Education also reflected the planet's condition.
Most schools focused on practical training rather than scientific advancement. Students were taught how to operate mining machines, repair industrial tools, and work in factories. Only a few ever received higher education.
Yet despite these hardships, the people of Dravok possessed something powerful.
They were resilient.
Families supported each other, neighbors helped one another in times of shortage, and communities remained tightly connected. Life had taught them endurance, discipline, and loyalty.
Above all, the people of Dravok held deep respect for their leadership.
For many years they had believed in one man with almost religious devotion.
Luke Dravok.
To the citizens, he had been more than just a ruler. He had been the man who made the Imperium notice Dravok. During his reign the planet had gained strength, its army had grown, and its people had finally begun to feel that their Lineage mattered among the powerful worlds.
Even years after his death, his name was still spoken with pride across the planet.
Murals of Luke could still be seen in public squares, factories, and military bases.
For the people of Dravok, he had not just been a leader.
He had been a symbol of hope for a planet that had always struggled to survive.
The difficult condition of Dravok was reflected even more clearly in its military.
Once feared across several lineages, the Dravok army had been forced into severe limitations after the agreements that followed the great war. These restrictions, commonly known as the Raxen Accords, placed strict limits on the movement, size, and production capacity of the Dravok military.
For a Lineage that had once relied on strength and expansion, these limitations were deeply damaging.
On the ground, many of the military bases that had once housed large armored divisions now stood partially empty. Training grounds that had once been filled with soldiers conducting drills were now quiet for long periods of time. The number of active battalions had been reduced, and recruitment was tightly controlled.
The soldiers who still served in the army continued to train with discipline, but their equipment told a different story.
Many armored vehicles had not been replaced for years. Maintenance teams worked constantly to keep older machines operational. Some combat units were forced to rely on modified industrial vehicles because producing new military-grade machinery had been restricted.
In space, the situation was even more difficult.
Before the accords, Dravok had maintained a powerful fleet capable of launching large-scale interplanetary operations. Warships once patrolled deep sectors of space, and entire fleets could mobilize when the Lineage prepared for battle.
After the restrictions were imposed, most of those ships were dismantled or locked in orbital storage facilities.
Only a limited number of patrol cruisers and defensive vessels were allowed to remain active. Their primary duty was no longer expansion or warfare, but simple planetary defense and monitoring trade routes.
Many docking stations had been converted into cargo ports or repair yards.
Young officers in the Dravok military often studied records of the old fleet with a mixture of pride and frustration. They trained hard, but they knew that the strength their predecessors once commanded no longer existed.
The army still had discipline.
It still had loyalty.
But it no longer had freedom.
In the middle of this weakened Lineage stood the man who ruled Dravok now.
Arthur Dravok.
He was impossible to miss in any gathering. Standing nearly seven feet tall, Arthur carried a presence that naturally drew attention. His broad shoulders and long stride made him appear like a warrior from an earlier era of Dravok, when rulers personally led armies into battle.
But Arthur's greatest strength was not his physical presence.
It was his mind.
Arthur had grown up listening to the stories of the past rulers of Dravok, especially the story that every Dravok child knew—the rise and fall of Luke Dravok. In his childhood, the name Luke was spoken not as a ruler, but almost as a legend. Luke had brought recognition, power, and pride to a Lineage that had once been ignored.
And then he had been killed.
Not in battle.
Not in a fair trial.
But by the hands of the Akharas.
That story had shaped Arthur from a very young age. When he got to know about Luke and what Akharas did to him.
The rulers who came after Luke had all tried to rebuild Dravok in their own ways. Some had attempted diplomacy. Some had tried quiet military growth. Others had simply focused on survival under the restrictions of the Imperium.
Arthur learned from each of them.
From one ruler he learned patience.
From another he learned negotiation.
From another he learned how power moved quietly through political influence.
By the time Arthur inherited the throne of Dravok, he was not just the son of one ruler.
He was the result of many.
But the one lesson that remained above all others was simple.
Dravok could not defeat Akhara through war.
Not anymore.
The Raxen Accords had made sure of that.
The Dravok army was limited. Their fleet was restricted. Their military movements were constantly observed. Any attempt to rebuild the old strength would immediately draw the attention of the Imperium.
Arthur understood this better than anyone.
So he decided that he would not fight Akhara the way Luke once had.
He would fight them differently.
Through politics.
Through influence.
Through patience.
Where Luke had chosen conquest, Arthur would choose strategy.
The Akharas had humiliated many Dravok rulers after Luke's death. Diplomatic meetings had often ended with quiet insults. Trade negotiations had been one-sided. Every decision in the council seemed to favor Akhara's growing power.
Arthur remembered every one of those moments.
He did not react to them openly.
But he never forgot them.
For Arthur, revenge would not come from a battlefield.
It would come from a plan.
The royal chamber of Dravok was quiet that evening. Outside the tall metallic windows, the capital city stretched far into the distance. The lights of the poorer districts flickered weakly compared to the bright towers of the ruling sector.
Arthur Dravok stood near the window, his massive frame casting a long shadow across the floor.
Behind him, seated calmly on a dark stone chair, was his wife.
Elira Dravok.
Elira was known throughout Dravok not only for her grace but for her sharp understanding of politics. Many council members believed that Arthur's strategic patience was strengthened by her counsel.
Between them, on a small table, lay a holographic map of the surrounding Lineages.
Akhara's territory glowed the brightest.
Arthur stared at it for a long moment before speaking.
"Every time I look at this map," Arthur said slowly, "I see the same thing."
Elira looked up at him.
"And what is that?"
Arthur pointed at Akhara's territory.
"The imbalance."
Elira leaned back slightly.
"You've been thinking about them again."
Arthur gave a faint smile.
"I never stopped."
She studied his expression carefully.
"You're planning something."
Arthur finally turned away from the window.
"Planning?" he said quietly. "No."
"I am waiting."
Elira raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
"For the right moment."
There was a brief silence.
Then Elira spoke again.
"You want Dravok to stand equal to Akhara again."
Arthur shook his head slightly.
"No."
Elira looked confused.
"Not equal," Arthur corrected calmly.
"Stronger."
Elira crossed her arms.
"And how do you plan to do that with half an army?"
Arthur walked slowly toward the holographic map.
"You don't defeat a stronger enemy by matching their strength."
He deactivated the map with a small gesture.
"You defeat them by controlling the board."
Elira smiled faintly.
"That sounds like something our son would say."
Arthur's expression softened for the first time that evening.
Their son.
Cassian Dravok.
Cassian was young, but already admired throughout the capital. The people loved him for his calm nature and kindness toward the citizens of the poorer districts.
Arthur and Elira loved him more than anything.
Arthur sat down across from his wife.
"One day," he said quietly, "Cassian will inherit this Lineage."
Elira nodded slowly.
"And when he does..."
Arthur looked back toward the dark city.
"I want him to inherit a Dravok that no longer bows its head."
Elira watched him carefully.
"You're thinking about revenge again."
After a moment he said,
"Not revenge."
He paused.
"Restoration."
Elira leaned forward slightly.
"And when that day comes?"
Arthur's voice became calm, steady, and certain.
"Akhara will no longer stand above us."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Elira smiled faintly and said,
"Well then."
She leaned back in her chair.
"You should make sure your plan works."
Arthur looked at her.
"Oh, it will."
Far away in the night sky above Dravok, the restricted military fleet moved slowly through orbit.
It was 297 A.I. , the royal strategy chamber of Dravok was quiet except for the faint humming of the holographic systems.
Arthur Dravok sat at the long shinny silver table, a thick metallic tablet placed in front of him.
The tablet contained one of the most important documents in the Imperium.
The Edict
It was not simply a rulebook. It was the legal framework that governed how every Lineage interacted, traded, fought, and ruled within the Imperium.
Every ruler was required to follow it.
Arthur slowly turned another page of the Edict. His sharp eyes scanned every line carefully.
Across the table sat the Army Marshal of Dravok.
George Dravok.
A tall, battle-hardened commander whose loyalty to Arthur was unquestioned.
George watched as Arthur read silently for several minutes.
Finally, George spoke.
"You've been reading that for hours."
Arthur did not look up.
"This book controls every ruler in the Imperium."
He turned another page.
"So I thought I should know it better than anyone."
George leaned back in his chair.
"Found anything useful yet?"
Arthur suddenly stopped turning the pages.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
George noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
Arthur slowly reread the paragraph in front of him.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Well..."
He tapped the tablet once.
"This is interesting."
George leaned forward.
Arthur turned the tablet toward him.
"Read this section."
George read the passage carefully.
His eyebrows slowly lifted.
"The Mandate succession clause?"
Arthur nodded.
George read the line again.
"If the Mandate of the Imperium dies without an appointed successor, the next Mandate shall be elected through a council vote..."
He paused.
"...with each Lineage's Regent casting one vote."
George looked up slowly.
Arthur's expression was calm.
George continued reading.
"The candidate receiving the majority support of the Lineage council shall become the next Mandate."
George placed the tablet down.
The room became silent.
"I have a plan." Arthur said.
The central command hall of Dravok had been prepared with unusual care.
Large metallic banners of the Dravok Lineage hung from the high black walls. The hall, normally used for military briefings, had been arranged for a diplomatic meeting. Guards stood in disciplined lines along the corridor leading to the chamber.
Arthur Dravok stood near the long strategy table, looking through the tall glass window that faced the dark skies of the planet.
Beside him stood Army Marshal George Dravok.
A few moments later, a communication officer entered the hall.
"Regent Arthur."
Arthur turned slightly.
"The Scion delegation has entered orbit. Their transport will land within two minutes."
Arthur nodded calmly.
"Prepare the reception."
"Yes, Regent."
The officer left.
George folded his arms.
"They came quickly."
Arthur replied without hesitation.
"Scion and Dravok have stood together for many years."
George looked at him carefully.
"And they still remember Luke."
Arthur's expression remained steady.
"Yes."
He said quietly.
"They do."
A few minutes later, the heavy doors of the chamber opened.
Three figures entered the hall.
At the center walked Regent Eric Scion.
He was not physically imposing, but his sharp eyes and composed posture gave him the presence of a careful thinker. His violet ceremonial cloak reflected the colors of his home planet.
To his right walked Army Marshal Claire Scion, tall and disciplined, his uniform marked with the symbols of Scion's military command.
Behind them walked Supply Lord Caleb Scion, carrying a small data tablet containing trade and resource reports.
Arthur stepped forward to greet them.
"Regent Eric."
Eric extended his hand.
"Arthur Dravok."
They shook hands briefly.
Eric looked around the hall.
"It has been many years since I last visited Dravok."
Arthur replied calmly.
"Our doors remain open for friends."
Eric gave a slight nod.
Claire Scion observed the hall carefully while Caleb stood quietly behind them.
Arthur gestured toward the strategy table.
They all moved toward the table.
Once seated, Eric spoke first.
"I was surprised to receive your invitation."
Arthur folded his hands calmly.
"I thought it was time Dravok and Scion spoke directly again."
Caleb looked between the two rulers.
"Our relations have always been stable."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
The strategy chamber of Dravok was dimly lit, the only light coming from the large holographic map floating above the center table.
Four men sat around it.
On one side were Regent Arthur Dravok and Army Marshal George Dravok.
On the other side sat the guests from Scion — Regent Eric Scion, Army Marshal Claire Scion, and Supply Lord Caleb Scion.
Arthur slowly stood from his seat and walked toward the hologram. With a small gesture of his hand, the projection changed.
The map disappeared.
In its place appeared the image of a massive machine — rings of metal structures connected around a central chamber filled with energy streams.
Eric looked at it carefully.
"What is this?"
Arthur answered calmly.
"This... is what Akhara is building."
The Scion delegation exchanged looks.
Caleb leaned forward.
"A machine?"
Arthur shook his head slowly.
"Yes."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"It is a machine called The Archive."
Claire frowned slightly.
He pointed toward the center of the hologram where a spherical core glowed faintly.
"This machine is designed to observe the past."
Eric looked more interested now.
"Observe?"
Arthur explained.
"It allows the user to select a specific time, date, and location... and then watch the events that happened there. But They are now taking it to the next stage now you can go in the past to fix your mistakes,"
Caleb looked surprised.
"That kind of machine would require enormous power."
Arthur nodded again.
"Yes."
He enlarged another part of the hologram where energy channels were highlighted.
"And that power source is C-X9."
The room grew quieter.
Claire slowly understood.
"So that is why Akhara asked Scion for such a large amount of C-X9."
Arthur looked at him.
"Exactly."
Eric folded his hands on the table.
"They told us they needed it to test a spacecraft capable of traveling near the speed of light."
Arthur gave a faint smile.
"A convenient story."
Caleb looked serious now.
"You are saying that was a lie."
Arthur answered immediately.
"Yes."
He turned toward George for a moment before continuing.
"Our intelligence network confirmed the truth."
The hologram shifted again, showing more detailed internal structures of the machine.
"Akhara has already constructed this machine now they want to test it."
Eric spoke slowly.
"And you know this for certain?"
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
Claire asked,
"How?"
Arthur replied calmly.
"We have eyes in places Akhara believes are secure."
The statement made the room silent.
Caleb looked again at the hologram.
"If this machine works..."
Arthur completed the thought.
"Akhara will be able to change the past of any battlefield, any strategy, any political move."
Eric slowly leaned back in his chair.
"That would make them nearly impossible to defeat."
Arthur nodded.
"Exactly."
He then looked directly at Eric.
"And that is why I invited you here."
The room was completely silent now.
Arthur's voice became steady.
"Because if Akhara completes the Archive... the balance of power in the Imperium will change forever."
The chamber remained silent after Arthur finished speaking.
The image of the massive machine still floated above the table, slowly rotating in the air.
Eric Scion looked at it for a long moment before turning back to Arthur.
"If what you are saying is true," Eric said slowly, "then Akhara gaining control of this machine would make them stronger than every Lineage combined."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
Claire spoke next.
"We have been watching the situation carefully."
Eric leaned forward slightly.
"What exactly do you want from us?"
Arthur remained quiet for a moment.
Then he slowly closed the hologram projection.
The chamber lights returned to normal.
Arthur walked back toward the table and placed a thin metallic tablet on it.
"This," he said, "is a copy of something very important."
Eric looked down at the tablet.
"What is it?"
Arthur answered.
"A section from The Edict."
George immediately understood what Arthur was referring to, but the Scion delegation had not yet seen it.
Eric opened the tablet and began reading.
The room remained silent while his eyes moved across the text.
After a few seconds, Eric looked up.
"This is a governance rule."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
Claire asked,
"What rule?"
Arthur spoke clearly.
"If the Mandate dies... a new Mandate must be chosen."
Arthur continued.
"But the selection is not automatic."
Eric looked back at the tablet again.
He slowly read the next line aloud.
"The new Mandate will be selected by a vote of all Lineage Regents in the Council of Lineages."
He looked up again.
Arthur nodded once more.
"Yes."
Claire frowned.
"And?"
Arthur's voice became slightly lower.
"And that vote decides who becomes the most powerful ruler in the entire Imperium."
Eric watched Arthur carefully.
"You are not just explaining the rule."
Arthur gave a small, controlled smile.
"No."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"I am explaining the opportunity."
The Scion leaders exchanged looks.
Caleb asked cautiously,
"What opportunity?"
Arthur finally said the words clearly.
"If the Mandate died... the entire Imperium would be forced into a vote."
The chamber fell silent again.
Eric slowly understood the direction of Arthur's thoughts.
"You are talking about changing the balance of power of the entire Imperium."
Arthur looked directly at her.
"That balance already favors Akhara."
George added calmly,
"And once the Archive becomes operational, it will favor them permanently."
Eric closed the tablet slowly.
"And your plan?"
Arthur looked at all three of them before answering.
"My plan," he said quietly, "is to ensure that when that vote happens... Akhara does not control the future of the Imperium."
The chamber had grown quieter than before.
Eric Scion leaned back in his chair, still holding the tablet of the Edict. Arthur's words had clearly unsettled the room, but Eric was not convinced yet.
"You are assuming a vote will happen," Eric said calmly. "But even if it does... the numbers do not favor you."
Arthur did not respond immediately.
Eric continued, now counting slowly on his fingers.
"Akhara will vote for themselves. That is certain."
Arthur nodded slightly.
Eric went on.
"Raxen will support Akhara. They owe them their survival after the great war."
George Dravok crossed his arms but did not interrupt.
"And Kharvex has always leaned toward Akhara," Eric added.
He looked directly at Arthur.
"That is three votes."
Arthur simply said,
"Yes."
Eric continued the count.
"Dravok will vote for itself."
Arthur nodded.
"And Solaryn has always been closer to Dravok than Akhara," Eric said.
Claire added quietly,
"And Scion."
Eric finished the count.
"That is three votes as well."
He placed the tablet on the table.
"Three votes for Akhara. Three votes for Dravok."
The chamber fell silent again.
Eric looked at Arthur with a small, skeptical smile.
"That is a deadlock."
Arthur did not react.
Eric leaned forward slightly.
"So tell me something."
His tone became sharper.
"How exactly do you plan to win that vote?"
Arthur finally moved.
He slowly walked toward the large window behind the chamber table. The violet horizon of Dravok's sky was visible outside.
He stood there for a moment before speaking.
"You are correct," Arthur said calmly. "If everything remains exactly as it is... the votes are equal."
George watched him carefully.
Arthur turned back toward the table.
"But power rarely stays balanced for long."
Eric narrowed his eyes slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"You are still missing one lineage."
Arthur nodded once.
"Malrion."
Eric leaned back in his chair.
"They will not vote for either of us."
Caleb looked toward Arthur.
"Malrion avoids conflicts between Lineages. They will remain neutral."
Arthur listened to them without interrupting.
Eric continued.
"They will not support Akhara. But they will not support Dravok either."
Arthur finally spoke.
"They will vote."
Eric frowned slightly.
"No. They won't."
Arthur's tone remained calm.
"They will... when they learn that Scion has been attacked."
The room fell silent.
Eric's expression hardened immediately.
"Attacked?"
George watched Eric closely but said nothing.
Eric leaned forward.
"What are you implying, Arthur?"
Arthur replied without emotion.
"When the council hears that Akhara has attacked Scion... Malrion will not stay neutral."
"Why would Malrion would vote for you."
Arthur answered calmly.
"Because Malrion and Scion have been allies for generations."
Caleb slowly nodded.
"That is true."
Arthur continued.
"They will not tolerate an attack on Scion."
Eric looked at him carefully.
"And you believe they will immediately assume Akhara is responsible?"
Arthur walked slowly around the table.
"They already distrust Akhara."
George added quietly,
"Akhara has become too powerful. Many Lineages fear them."
Arthur stopped walking.
"If Scion is attacked... and the blame falls on Akhara... Malrion will vote against them."
Eric said slowly,
"That would give you four votes."
Arthur nodded.
"Dravok. Scion. Solaryn. Malrion."
Claire finished the count quietly.
"Four against three."
Eric stared at Arthur for several seconds.
"You are planning to start a war just to manipulate a council vote."
Arthur shook his head slightly.
"No."
He paused.
"I am planning to restore balance."
The room went silent again.
Finally, Eric asked the most important question.
"And how exactly will Scion be attacked?"
Arthur looked at George Dravok.
George understood immediately.
Arthur tapped one route.
"The C-X9 shipments."
Caleb looked at the projection.
"Yes. When the twelfth batch would have been delivered."
Arthur nodded.
"And the final surplus shipment would be next sent."
George Dravok folded his arms.
Arthur continued speaking slowly.
"That final shipment will not be ordinary C-X9."
Eric immediately understood where the conversation was going.
"You want it altered."
Arthur nodded.
"Not in a way that can be detected during purity inspection."
Caleb frowned.
"That is extremely difficult."
Arthur replied calmly.
"Difficult... but possible."
George spoke.
"The alteration would only reveal itself during combustion."
Arthur continued the explanation.
"The fuel will appear pure during inspection. Every test will confirm that it is stable."
Claire asked,
"And when it is used?"
Arthur answered.
"The reaction will collapse too quickly. A craft that should travel thousands of kilometers will lose energy almost immediately."
George finished the thought.
"Engines will fail mid-flight."
Eric remained silent.
Arthur looked directly at him.
"Flights. Cargo transports. Passenger carriers."
Caleb slowly understood.
"You want mass failure."
Arthur nodded once.
"The more casualties... the greater the rage."
Claire spoke quietly.
"When will this happen?"
Arthur tapped the map again.
"The day of Sanrekhan."
Everyone in the room knew what that meant.
Eric spoke slowly.
"That day every Lineage celebrates."
Caleb added,
"Transport traffic becomes extremely heavy."
Arthur nodded.
"Passenger flights across every system."
George finished the thought.
"Maximum movement. Maximum damage."
Eric looked at Arthur carefully.
"And when Akhara realizes the cause?"
Arthur answered without hesitation.
"They will trace the altered C-X9 back to Scion."
Claire spoke sharply.
"And they will attack us."
Arthur nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Eric stared at him.
"You are asking us to become the target of Akhara's full military response."
Arthur finally walked closer to the table.
"That response is necessary."
Eric asked coldly,
"For what?"
Arthur spoke quietly.
"For the next step."
The room waited.
Arthur continued.
"During the chaos... the Mandate will be assassinated."
Arthur continued.
"When the Mandate dies... Council would be called and would require immediate votes."
George added,
"A new Mandate must be chosen by the Council of Lineages."
Eric said slowly,
"And you expect the vote to happen while Akhara is fighting Scion."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
Claire understood the final part.
"You want Alex trapped in the war."
Arthur confirmed it.
"Akhara's Regent cannot leave a battlefield during an active attack."
George spoke calmly.
"If Alex cannot attend the council... he cannot vote."
Caleb counted quietly.
"Akhara loses one vote."
Arthur finished the equation.
"Dravok. Scion. Solaryn. Malrion."
Eric spoke the conclusion.
"Four votes."
Arthur nodded.
"And with four votes..."
He looked around the chamber.
"I become the Mandate."
Silence filled the room again.
Arthur then spoke the final line.
"And once the Mandate controls the Imperium... the first order will be simple."
He looked toward the distant projection of Akhara.
"Akhara will fall."
The chamber remained silent after Arthur finished speaking.
Eric Scion broke the silence.
"You have explained the attack. The casualties. The war."
He paused.
"And the vote."
Eric leaned slightly forward.
"But one part remains unclear."
Arthur looked at him.
Eric asked directly,
"How will the Mandate die?"
For a moment Arthur did not answer.
George Dravok glanced at Arthur but remained silent.
Eric repeated the question calmly.
"The Mandate is protected inside the palace on Tharvonn. Surrounded by guards, surveillance, and council officials."
Claire added,
"No outsider can reach him."
Caleb nodded.
"And if someone tried, the entire palace would lock down."
Eric's eyes remained fixed on Arthur.
"So tell us."
"How will the assassination happen?"
Arthur slowly walked toward the large window of the chamber.
The dark sky of Dravok stretched outside.
He spoke quietly.
"The assassin is already inside the palace."
The others looked at him.
Arthur continued.
"They have been there for years."
Eric frowned.
"A servant?"
Arthur shook his head.
"Not exactly."
George spoke for the first time.
"A maintenance worker."
Arthur nodded.
"He works in the internal systems of the palace. Security doors. Energy grids. Transport lifts."
Claire crossed her arms.
"And he is loyal to you?"
Arthur answered calmly.
"He is loyal to Dravok."
Eric asked,
"Who placed him there?"
Arthur turned back toward them.
"Luke."
The room grew quiet again.
Arthur continued speaking.
"Years ago, when Luke Dravok was alive... he placed several silent agents across the Imperium."
Caleb asked carefully,
"A spy network?"
Arthur nodded once.
"Most of them never needed to act."
George added,
"They were simply waiting."
Eric asked,
"And this man?"
Arthur answered,
"He was sent to Tharvonn."
Claire said slowly,
"Inside the Mandate's palace."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
Eric asked another question.
"Why would he remain loyal after all these years?"
Arthur replied without hesitation.
"Because his family is Dravok."
Eric raised an eyebrow.
"Family?"
Arthur explained.
"His wife and children live on Tharvonn as well."
Caleb asked,
"And they know?"
Arthur shook his head.
"No."
George continued the explanation.
"They live ordinary lives. Traders. Workers."
Arthur finished the thought.
"But they are still a Dravok."
Eric finally understood.
"So he cannot betray you."
Arthur nodded.
"If he does... his entire bloodline loses protection."
Claire spoke quietly.
"And when will he strike? During the chaos of the attacks?"
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
George added,
"When Akhara begins its retaliation against Scion..."
Arthur finished the sentence.
"The Mandate will die inside his own palace."
Eric remained silent for a long moment.
Then he asked one final question.
"And the assassin?"
Arthur answered coldly.
"He already knows his fate."
Caleb asked,
"He will die?"
Arthur nodded once.
"There will be no trace."
The room fell silent again.
Arthur looked at them and said quietly,
"By the time the Imperium understands what happened... the vote will already be underway."
The chamber remained heavy with silence after Arthur explained the assassination.
Eric Scion leaned back in his chair, thinking carefully. His fingers tapped slowly on the armrest.
Claire and Caleb exchanged a brief glance.
Finally, Eric spoke.
"The plan is... remarkable."
He paused.
"Precise."
Arthur watched him without reacting.
Eric continued,
"The attack on Akhara... the chaos... the Mandate's death... the vote."
He nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"It is a well-built plan."
George Dravok allowed himself a faint smile.
But Eric was not finished.
He looked directly at Arthur.
"There is still a problem."
Arthur raised an eyebrow slightly.
Eric said,
"I still don't think Malrion will vote for you."
The room grew quiet again.
Caleb added,
"Malrion has never supported Dravok politically."
Claire nodded.
"They prefer neutrality."
Eric continued,
"Even if Akhara attacks Scion... Malrion may simply refuse to choose."
Arthur listened to all of them calmly.
Then he smiled faintly.
"They won't refuse."
Eric looked at him carefully.
"And why is that?"
Arthur walked slowly toward the center table and activated the projection again.
The seven lineages appeared once more.
"Because when Malrion learns the truth..."
He paused.
"They will vote for Dravok."
"No one knows what exactly happened in 58 A.I. on Malrion."
Arthur had already seen the end before the beginning had even taken shape. Every move, every betrayal, every silence—it was all part of a design only he understood. While others rushed toward glory, Dravok chose patience. Not weakness, not hesitation—patience sharpened into something far more dangerous. And now, at the edge of inevitability, that patience was about to bear its reward.
The air itself felt different, heavier, as if the universe knew what was coming.
Because war was no longer a possibility.
It was a certainty.
IMPERIUM: AKHARAS CONQUEST
END OF PART I
PART II
Chapter 7-14
26 April, 2026