Hidden Empire - Kevin J. Anderson [152]
His braid thrashed about like an angry snake. Unconsciously, Jora'h took a hesitant step backward. The Mage-Imperator spoke with deep-seated anger. "But not us. Ildirans retreat instead of expand. We withdraw instead of explore. Our power is waning...and has been for centuries."
Jora'h looked at his father in shock. "I have never heard such a suggestion."
"You have never bothered to notice," the Mage-Imperator snapped. "That is the reason we must increase our pageantry and historical celebrations. An old human record calls it 'bread and circuses' to distract the populace. So long as the Ildiran people believe in the grandeur all around them, we will be able to convince ourselves it is real."
Reeling with the information, Jora'h tried to absorb the new perspective on reality. He didn't doubt his father's words—how could anyone question the Mage-Imperator? The leader would never lie to him, and indeed he was wiser than any other member of their race. With the thism, he saw through the eyes of all his subjects, which gave him a nearly omnipotent perspective.
"Do my...do my brothers, the other Designates, know this? Am I the only one who is so blind?"
Now the Mage-Imperator seemed to take pity on Jora'h. "All of my sons are different. The Dobro Designate is hardened and finds no joy in his life, though he works harder to serve me than anyone else. The Hyrillka Designate is overwhelmed with his meager duties at the edge of the Horizon Cluster and has a somewhat magnified perception of his importance and status in the Empire. The Maratha Designate is hedonistic, finding joy in his pursuits, and does little to think about the Empire beyond his own walls. But each son hears me through the thism. Each one feels my thoughts and my decisions, and they all obey. As it should be.
"However it is you, Jora'h, who must eventually bear all this responsibility. I do not compare and choose among my heirs. You are the firstborn, the Prime Designate. You will eventually take my place and understand it all. But even before that time, I want you to comprehend what lies in store for you, not just mouth pretty words like an idiot. Think about what I am saying."
Jora'h swallowed hard, considering how he worked to maintain his popularity, watching the Ildiran people amuse themselves, reveling in the glory of their empire. He had a good heart, but perhaps he was far too naive.
Although his brother the Dobro Designate was always grim and preoccupied with schemes, now Jora'h realized that perhaps his brother understood far more than he himself had guessed. Jora'h wondered how many other dark secrets the Mage-Imperator was keeping from him, though he would learn everything on the terrible day when he took the reins of thism in his grasp.
Rattled, the Prime Designate backed away from the chrysalis chair, hoping the audience was over. "Let me think on this, Father."
"You must understand the truth, my son. As the next Mage-Imperator, you will have to make certain decisions that are cruel and heartless. But you will make them because they are ultimately the best choice for our people."
"I...understand, Father. Intellectually, I have known that for many years. But still, my heart has trouble understanding this difficult news."
The Mage-Imperator's pasty face shifted, his expression becoming one of honest concern. "One last thing: You have heard about the strange attack on the moons of the new star the humans ignited?"
"Yes, they claim it was the work of some powerful aliens. But how can that be? Besides the humans, we have encountered no other living civilization in all our history. Unless you believe the legends of the Shana Rei, but I always thought those creatures of darkness were just a story from before the Lost Times."
The Mage-Imperator said, "If a tale is recorded in the Saga of Seven Suns, then it must bear at least a