Rigel Rising

Stage 3- The Offer

"What the heck, you never treated me before nor spend more than ten minutes talking to me," I said in shock as Brix, the Head of the Royal Guards, brought me to the most expensive and exclusive coffee shop here at the Regina Space Colony, "I am really, really getting suspicious right now."

He just waved his hand at me after giving the waitress our orders and looking at me rather seriously, "Never ever letting your guard down, Lord Caerus?"

"Life has f****d me up too many times already, Brix. Every time someone gives me a gift, it is not what I think it is. Sorry, I just know that you plan to ask me to do something I don't want. That's why you are treating me extra nice today," I replied nonchalantly that made him chuckle a little, "Now, tell me what the heck is expected of me so much that the feared even by the imperials head of the Royal Guards is willing to spend more than five minutes of his time on little old me."

Brix leaned on the soft couch he is seated at in front of me before heaving a heavy sigh, "Fine. I already told His Majesty that this out-of-the-box approach will not work on someone as quick on the uptake as you. Anyways, you are correct. I am here to tell you that the king himself wants you to return to our homeland back at Gearth. As I told you earlier, he is extremely pleased with your time at the Naval Space Academy and wants you to be a part of the Royal Council."

Wow, the Royal Council.

A group comprises twelve people tasked with providing advice, suggestions, and opinions directly to the ruling king or queen of the time. 

More than half are aged old men and women from various fields called the Royal Conservatives, who are proponents of preserving our way of life, culture, and kingdom rules.

Less than half comprises young intellectuals of all genders representing the Royal Progressives who advocate technological advancements, changes to the aging laws, and equality.

They are made that way so that two opposing factions are constantly vying for the king's attention and maintaining a balance between the purity of the kingdom and the need for change to not be stagnant.

To be invited as a member of the council is, in itself, one of the most incredible honor a citizen of the kingdom like me can ever achieve in their existence.

"The Royal Council..."

"Yes, my Lord. To be perfectly honest, the Conservatives and Progressives both approved of your ascension to their ranks after Sire Lexier tendered his resignation after fifteen years of service to start a family. As a graduate of the Royal Space Academy and a sponsoree of the king, you are both intellectually qualified and equally loyal to King Regus, you are, right?"

I laughed hollowly at his sarcastic question and pounded my chest angrily with my right hand, "My life for the king, Brix."

"As we all know, back at home, Lord Caerus. Your king wants you to serve him as part of his councilors. That is how great his trust is in you. You only need to say yes, and we will depart Regina using the private spaceship of the Royal Family and bring you to the capital to start your new life. What say you?"

"Is that an order from His Majesty?"

He furrowed his brow and inclined his head a little, "Pardon, my Lord?"

I repeated my question slowly, "Is that a direct order from His Majesty, King Regus the Seventh himself?"

"No. He just asks you to come and serve him. It is not an official order from the Royal Throne, my Lord."

"Then I respectfully and gratefully reject the unbelievable honor of joining the prestigious ranks of councilors at the Royal Council then, Brix. Tell him that I am already honored enough beyond words that he even considered me for the position. I don't want to sound like an ungrateful brat, but hey, I guess declining his offer is making me a brat already, eh?" I asked pointedly as the waitress came back with our coffees and slices of cake.

After sipping from his cup, he returned his steely gaze on me before laughing despite himself, "I guess even the king himself foresaw that you will decline the position."

"If he really wants me to accept it, all he has to do is to issue a direct and royal order to force me into it," I followed quietly that made him smile a little, "He didn't, and I am truly and eternally thankful for his seemingly eternal kindness and patience with my unreasonable choices in the life he has leased me."

Brix nodded and raised an eyebrow at me, "He already expected as much, Lord Caerus. Just between the two of us, he specifically ordered me to make you feel that he and his family are really proud of all your achievements so far. I mean, just by being the youngest ever graduating student of the Royal Space Academy since its inception is a great feat already."

"My only claim to fame," I said quietly as I felt a little sad by that very fact.

Indeed, I didn't graduate with top honors like other students, and if not for my excellent groupmates, I wouldn't have anything going for me. 

"Nebula-Class Assault Carriers lead by our four brand new captains will perform their final checks before departing to join our Royal Space Fleet in their patrols of our spatial borders near the demarcation line between our kingdom and the empire where a large build-up by the Imperial Space Armada has been going on since last month due to the rising tensions after a failed summit at the Principality of Baldur regarding the status of the contested Dardania Asteroid Fields said to be rich with precious ores and minerals needed in the production of spaceships and weapons..."

We both looked at the floating screen next to our table, where it shows the four brand new flagships of our nation sitting at their respective docks and receiving supplies to prepare it for its two months journey to the distant frontier and reinforce our desperately outnumbered frontlines with much-needed firepower.