At first, I decided to start with a prologue to my first and second books. They were supposed to be an intricate way of introducing the more science-fantasy-oriented part of the saga. However, several comments clearly indicated that the exercise confused my readers, missing the connection to the rest of the story.
After much thought, I eventually decided to remove the prologue from the original manuscript and incorporate it, together with the prologue of Book II, into what would ultimately become the first chapters of Book III.
However, I have kept the original text of this section as another example of how my work changes throughout its development. The content is not proofread or edited.
Jaymes Leif was walking as fast as he could along the dark path. The matter was of utter importance. He could feel the fringes of his right golden epaulette softly flapping on his neat grey uniform, bearing the double headed crest on its torso. He was rushing to his intended destination through a succession of narrow corridors, guided only by a soft blue light beaming on each side of the floor. Around him, there was only darkness and the gloomy echoes of his steps. The light froze. ‘Again!’ he yelled, frustrated. It was meant to constantly coordinate itself on his walking speed, not to stop! But, from time to time, it was showing a capricious behaviour, with no apparent reasons. Then, followed moments of wait, which, sometimes, could last for several minutes. “This is the third time today! “, he said loudly with frustration.
Aged 24 standard earth years, he was a mix of fair skin, short blond hair, intense blue eyes, and a tall fit body. His entire physical appearance was the perfect expression of his distant Scandinavian origins. Close to a stereotype. He was a perfect achievement from the Genetic Preservation Program, meticulously implemented over 50 generations by the Imperial Agency for Conservation of Genetic Attributes. Two-thirds of the Hive’s residents were bound to consent to its directives. So had He decided.
The motion light started to move again. Jaymes accelerated his pace even more. Following right path. The news he was bringing was of an extreme priority which could not just be relayed through the internal communication system. He was extremely strict with the way information were to be passed on. Even if, most of the time, he knew already. Six months after his promotion to the envied position of the Emperor’s Aide de Camp, Ensign Leif was getting used to his master’s eccentricities. However, his first weeks of service had been rather challenging, mistakes were made, followed by “vigorous reprimands.” Following left path, now. Eventually, with a bit of self-discipline, he managed to overcome this stormy episode of his young career. Yet, he was somehow puzzled about the incredible luck that allowed him not to be reallocated to “an assignment more suited to his abilities”. As, apparently, it happened to two of his predecessors in the job. Taking Central aisle. Of, course, Jaymes was taking great pride in his accomplishment, but He would never miss an opportunity to remind him about the importance of self-modesty towards the prerogatives he has been granted. “What has been given, can easily be revoked”, He had warned him, several times. Having direct access to His presence, at any times, was the Ensign’s biggest pride. But the downside was to be available at every hour of the day…
After three more turns, ‘Was it not two last time?’, the massive gilded door, embossed with the Imperium’s coat of arms, finally emerged from the dark. The exact design of the labyrinth leading to the Imperial Cell, the heart of the Hive, to this day, remained a mystery to Jaymes. All his previous attempts to outline the endless maze had, to this day, proven unsuccessful. First, the dimed light was making the task arduous. Secondly, a sophisticated system was detecting and jamming any recording or scanning device. Finally, all identified offenders were inevitably ending stuck half-way through, with for sole possibility of escape having to wait for the salutary arrival of members from the Varangian Guard. That is when, they will be escorted out, before being subjected to an “up-close” examination in due form, as Jaymes bitterly experienced it at the beginning of his assignment. Nevertheless, some few hardliners had the audacity to persevere in their journey, withstanding the unknown. They were rumoured to have ended into the hands of the invisible guardian of the labyrinth, the Great Shadow. The wildest myths have been circulating about it; but no one had ever been able to bring back a precise description. Only reports of distant loud breathing echoes and blood chilling grunts in the depths of the darkness. The unfortunate ones who had the misfortune to cross its path were found after several hours of wandering, possessed by an extreme terror that had devoured most of their mind. Others were never seen again. These very rare cases, extensively publicised by the Imperial Bureau of Propaganda, were sufficient enough to calm down, over more or less long periods of time, any further will from certain fringes of the community to unravel the secrets of what He had nicknamed the “Path of the Faithfuls”.
But youth, most of the time, goes with boldness. Following his first painful experience (a long questioning session from the Varangian Guard was the least pleasant sort of encounter), Jaymes changed its tactics, and on several occasions tried to memorize his journeys and immediately transcribe them. But, each time, he ended up with a pattern distinctly different from the previous one. Even when done on a same day. After a fortnight of unsuccessful attempts, he had to face reality and surrender to the apparent insolubility of the task. The “Path of the Faithfuls” had, like many others before him, brought him back in line. “You all try”, He told him once; “this predictability amuses me …” The few clues, gathered, here and there, amid the deep conversations he was sometimes subjected to by the Emperor, enabled him, eventually, to deduct that existed, within the Sacred Precinct, a complex computer network controlling a vast system of removable panels resetting the labyrinth paths randomly after each transit of a person. Only His master manipulated it and, so far, Jaymes had failed to solve the mystery of its operational structure. He was even strongly suspecting a sort of sadistic game played upon members of the Imperial Administration considered guilty of subversion, even trivial ones, just for the pleasure of inducing cold sweats by making them stand longer than needed, in the depths of the dark labyrinth, as a way for their awareness to be given enough time to return on the right path of “infallible obedience”.
Jaymes was now facing a massive double-headed crowned eagle, deeply engraved on the two panelled heavy gates made of pure titanium, staring Eastward and Westward with apathy. They were marking the inner borders of the Sacred Precinct. The left head’s eye started to suddenly flicker, and a red beam struck the Ensign’s forehead. After a few seconds, the mythical bird split in two to allow him into the Grand Audience Hall. Not a word… curious, he thought, let’s hope He is in a good mood.’
The hall was a vast semi-circle shaped room. Its walls were decorated with gold and cobalt blue designs in between tall columns, seemingly supporting the large, gilded dome shaped ceiling, and its floor tiled with fine marble slabs, the coat of arm of the Universal Empire embedded at its heart. Overshadowing the rest of the hall, majestically perched on a dais, topped by a wide canopy of purple and blue velvet, embellished with stylized bees, and flanked by two columns crowned with golden imperial eagles, and offered to everyone’s delight, was the imperial throne. The large seat, with lion shaped gilded carved armrests and circular backrest stamped with the imperial crest, achieved to complete this imposing combination. Its sole purpose was to ensure fear and respect for the one sitting there. Jaymes never got tired of this sight which, passed the surprise and wonder of the early days, was always revealing new details with each visit. Although the hall had not served its purpose for several centuries, according to the Authorized Archives, it was still the display of the Invisible Audiences. Summoned individuals had to face the empty throne, sometimes standing for more than an hour, waiting for the imperial presence to address them through the eye-com overlooking the canopy.
Jaymes’ mind started to wander away, trying to materialise what the grand receptions held here in the past could look like. But, suddenly, all the muscles of his body stiffened. He was seized with a feeling of dizziness and his vision blurred. Then, images started to emerge from his subconscious. He was surrounded by a crowd of officers and officials in imperial regalia. The Emperor was standing, raising a crystal flute to the assembly. A clamour arose: ‘Long live the Emperor Eternal!’ Joy and pride could be seen on all faces. The scene abruptly altered. An indistinct voice echoed in the background. People faces turned towards his direction, some looking at him with an expression of absolute terror, others simply screaming. He heard the noise of an explosion, followed immediately by the sensation of a terrible chest pain. Then, silence…
The piercing sound of a bell woke him up from this terrible vision. Jaymes was still standing up. Beads of sweat were running down his face and his muscles were agitated with intermittent spasms. The vision was so real! Yet, it was not part of any events from his life. Fear and questions assailed his mind. It was when the depiction of the Emperor on the right fresco, with wide open arms and a benevolent face, split in two rectangles, on its middle, unveiling a hidden passage leading to the Imperial Cell. Leif quickly pulled himself together, straightened his uniform, wiped his face, and walked in with a firm step. He was only one of the three people allowed inside the Imperial alcove as one of his main duties was to ensure a physical link with High Command. The other two persons were the Emperor’s personal physician, Dr Carol E. Sacci, also supervising the Medical Department, and his Majordomo, Ewan Sinclair, whom, bizarrely, Jaymes had still not met, so far. The room was in almost complete obscurity. A small bright halo was lighting his chair, from which, once seated, he could outline a large desk behind which stood a vaguely human form wrapped in darkness. He was facing Him. The one through whom everything was decided and who was reigning supreme over the 2,500 souls accommodated in the Hive. The Kosmokrator, the Eternal Ruler of the Universal Empire, Pontifex Maximus of the Revealed Word.
Jaymes was not allowed to see or even glimpse at the face of his interlocutor, and it had been such since the start of his position. On top of his personal quarters, he had been assigned a small adjoining office to carry on with his administrative responsibilities. The Emperor, when required, would address him through the eye-coms. The secrecy was so well secured that no one, on the Hive, had been able to claim the privilege of having seen the imperial face for the last 650 years. Except, of course, for Dr Sacci, his personal physician. With the passing of time, the wildest gossips started to spread about His physical appearance, and even doubting the reality of his existence. The most popular one was claiming He has been dead for centuries and the myth was deliberately perpetuated by a small circle of high-ranking officers to ensure the continuous success of the Exodus. Even Leif had not been allowed to penetrate the dark cloud protecting the traits of the Universal Monarch, despite his now unconditional allegiance. Therefore, the portrait of the Emperor, in great regalia, identical to the one seen through a reversed light on the wall facing him, continued, imperturbably, to dominate public spaces, unchanged. The evidence was accepted by all as the only relevant matter was the ultimate goal. The majority preferred to look the other way than facing a possible reality with more frightening implications: all this for nothing!
“Head in the Moon, Jaymes?”, the shadow asked.
“I beg your Majesty to forgive me …”, Edward said, coming back to his senses. Then, suddenly realising: “… the Moon?”
“Come on! The only satellite of the distant Earth. I asked you several times to check the Authorised Archives. You need to familiarise yourself with our ancient planetary cradle”.
“Oh, I see… But I do not underst…”
“An old Earth expression. Do not take any notice. So, what is the purpose of your surprise visit?”
“The Supreme Command of Your Majesty instructed me to inform your Gracious Magnificence, Divine Protector …”
“Please, spare me the fuss Jaymes! You are my Aide-de-Camp, not my Herald. Let us get straight to the point!”
“The target is in sight, Sire; we should reach orbit in 60 standard days”.
“These are fabulous news! I want you to bring my sincere congratulations to both the Commander and the Admiral. Tell them that I will personally instruct them of the next course of actions. Very good, you can return to your quarters, Jaymes, and take two days off-duty. Use this opportunity to take some time to relax. You will be quite busy afterwards. What about enjoying some moments in my personal baths? You deserve it. I will ask Andrew to organise it. You are dismissed. I wish not to be disturbed, under any circumstances, unless something of utter importance requires it. Report to me, here, in 48 hours. Nine o’clock, sharp”.
The audience was over. The passage reopened behind him, and, after the usual reverence, the aide-de-camp walked out.
“Jaymes?”, Leif stopped abruptly.
“Yes, Sire?”
“I could not help noticing, earlier on, that you seemed to suffer from some sort of shivers in the Audience Hall. I hope you are not coming down with something. I can ask Dr Sacci to check on you, if required”.
How did He…? The eye-coms, of course… “It was just … tiredness Sire. Nothing Your Majesty should concern himself with”.
“Is that so? Yet, you seemed to be subjected to some strong emotion”.
“The dire importance of the news I was bringing to Your Majesty suddenly struck me. Nothing more, I assure you”.
“Very well… You can leave now”.
Jaymes left precipitately. The airlock closed. Interesting… The shadow eyed at the blind screen before him. He lied to me. The spectrometer’s reading is formal. Most interesting… I will have to discuss this with Carol. He gazed at the doorway. Finally! After centuries of efforts, pains, and sacrifices, we are reaching our destination! The dawn of a new age…
EN 
FR