Star Crossed: Star Crossed Update ...

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“So, where do we go from here?” Edward asked. “As far as we know, the Alphans and Remans are licking their wounds, repairing the damage to their ships.”

“We shouldn’t sit back. We need to prepare for a fight,” Jasper replied, leaning forward on the conference table. “Admiral, are we getting anymore back up from the Federation?”

“We are expecting another ten star ships and fifteen war ships,” Admiral Cullen replied, reading from his tablet. “They should be here within a week or so. The available engineers from the ships in orbit are working on the Cygnarian fleet to retrofit them with sensors to accurately locate the Reman vessels. We have half of the ships surrounding the planet done and the others are being completed as we speak.”

“What about the Imperial Fleet?” Senator J’ran asked.

I furrowed my brow. “What’s that?” I replied.

Senator J’ran scrubbed his face, muttering under his breath. “The Emperor, or in your case, the Empress, has a highly trained fleet of fighters to protect the planet. Didn’t the Council of Elders tell you about this?”

“No,” I growled. More proof that the Council is behind this, Edward. He nodded imperceptibly.

“How many ships are in this Imperial Fleet and how do I mobilize them?”

“There are over four hundred attack fighters and three war ships,” Senator J’ran said, walking to the computer console on the wall of the conference room. He punched in a few commands and the cliffs overlooking the Renien Ocean appeared. “This cliff face is a holographic projection. Your Imperial Fleet is located inside. Well, the attack fighters. The larger war ships are on Cygnarian Prime, hidden in the subterranean tunnels.”

“How do you know about them?” Edward asked, his skepticism ringing through our connection.

“I was the Wing Commander of the Imperial Fleet until I was forced into retirement five years ago,” Senator J’ran answered, rubbing his left arm. “I was injured in a border skirmish and I couldn’t fight as well, hand-to-hand. I joined the Assembly of Nobles shortly after that and stayed until your father’s death, when your uncle strong armed me out of my seat, claiming it was his.”

“Can he do that?” Rose asked, arching a brow. “Isn’t there some sort of election?”

“In theory,” Senator J’ran chuckled darkly. “Each continent on Forx is divided into roughly twenty smaller districts. A noble represents the districts. For the most part, the nobles have a legacy that keeps them in power. If there is no heir, then there is an election and a new noble is chosen. That’s what happened when I got my spot in the Assembly. Senator To’mas, who was the noble who lived in the Imperial City, died in his sleep and he didn’t have an heir. I ran and I won his spot. When Emperor Charel died, Norex raised holy hell, saying that he should be a part of the Assembly of Nobles, representing the Imperial family, despite Empress Nirabelle ruling Forx.”