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.