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Daro'h nodded with stiff formality. ‘Thank you.' He drew himself up and looked out at the waiting visitors. ‘All right. Send the next group forward.'

At her brusque signal, a flood of visitors entered the audience chamber. He greeted them, but his thoughts remained far away. Daro'h recognized Chief Scribe Ko'sh as the stern-faced rememberer walked forward to the dais. Ko'sh was accompanied by a formally dressed lens kithmen with painted markings on his temples and brow and a glittering medallion clutched in his hand. Ko'sh spoke without introduction, ‘Prime Designate, we will speak to you, though we had hoped to address the Mage-Imperator.'

Daro'h raised his hands. ‘All of these people came to see the Mage-Imperator. He cannot be here.'

The lens kithman blurted out quickly, ‘But perhaps this is a good thing. You can speak to your father on our behalf.'

Yazra'h drew back her lips, affronted by any implied criticism of their father. ‘The Mage-Imperator makes his own decisions,' Daro'h said coldly. ‘I do not influence him. I follow him.'

‘Of course.' Ko'sh bowed. ‘But many of his recent actions are strange and disturbing.'

The lens kithman placed his palms together and raised them in front of his heart, lifting the prismatic medallion between them. ‘People are fearful and come to us for guidance. We need to know how to answer them.' --

Distraught, the Chief Scribe said, ‘He tore down walls in the Hall of Rememberers. He asked two men - one of them a human!--to rewrite the Saga of Seven Suns.'

‘I know all this. All Ildirans know it.'

The lens kithman did not seem to recognize the Prime Designate's brittle mood. ‘And now he has departed from Ildira. No Mage-Imperator has ever gone to visit a human world before. The female green priest caused him to change his mind.'

‘She is the mother of Osira'h, who was key to saving us all from the hydrogues.'

Ko'sh looked angry. ‘A Mage-Imperator should never ask forgiveness!'

‘Who are you to say what a Mage-Imperator should do?' Yazra'h broke in.

Daro'h felt a knot in his chest as he considered these rude comments. He had to be strong. He heard mutters among the pilgrims in the background. In truth, the Prime Designate had thought exactly the same thing, but he could not publicly agree with these men. He was especially troubled that they voiced their objections so openly, so he cut them off. ‘Before you speak further, ask yourselves one important question: Do you trust the Mage-Imperator, your leader?'

The two supplicants were taken aback. ‘Of course we trust him. He is the Mage-Imperator.'

Daro'h regarded them for a long moment. ‘Then trust him. Your doubts resonate through the and weaken all Ildirans. You are causing harm. You are making us vulnerable. Go now and speak of this no further.' His voice was sharp. When Yazra'h stepped forward and the Isix cats padded down the steps, the two then beat a hasty retreat.

As he stood looking at the bright sunlight and waiting for the supplicants, Prime Designate Daro'h wished he had heard some sort of news from Tal O'nh or young Designate Ridek'h, or even the scout ships that Jora'h had dispatched to investigate the cold, dark silence in the Horizon Cluster. They were overdue, and that was most unsettling.

Daro'h rubbed his temples and saw his sister regarding him with appreciation. Yazra'h spoke quietly before the next visitor stepped into hearing range. ‘That was well-spoken, Prime Designate, though I am not convinced you believe it. Just remember, our father is making necessary changes. He broke tradition when he selected me for his personal guard - which I believe was a wise choice.'

‘You are right. But I cannot help but be reminded that our father's abrupt changes were what sparked the rebellion of Designate Rusa'h in the first place.'

One hundred and thirteen

Hyrillka Designate Ridek'h

Limping along, the six Solar Navy warliners painstakingly made their way home after their encounter with the faeros at Hyrillka. Ridek'h