To Face The Future

[Duke Godric Ecaz]

Duke Godric Ecaz walked with purpose towards the great double doors that would lead him to the Emperor's throne.  He had mixed feelings about being here and a great uncertainty hung upon his mind.  The future of not only his own House, what was left of it anyway, but also the future of the people of Ecaz itself depended on what happened here today. Sadly he had not been studios enough of politics beyond his own world before the war so he didn't know much about this new young Emperor. Godric could only hope he was a wise man and had the good of the Empire at heart.

The taps of his cane upon the ground echoed thru the halls as he walked. Despite being full of people there was still that odd echo that indicated how vast this place really was. There was an old legend in his family that they were founded by a favored soldier in the Emperors honor guard some thousand years ago. This soldier had been rewarded for heroic service with the title he now bore and a royal niece as a bride. Were the rumors true? Who could be sure about such things. It was just a random thought that troubled his mind as he walked this seemingly endless hall past all the gathered guards, servants and nobles. How his line had fallen.....and how he now had to fight to redeem it.

The doors parted for him and a herald announced his presence.  Godric had been summoned to appear and it did not take a genius to know why.  Walking with a heavy limp the Duke paused a few steps away as was custom. With some effort he went to one knee, leaning heavily on his cane and addressed the man before him.

"Your Royal Highness, I, Duke Godric Ecaz present myself before you as ordered."

The next step in this little scene was in the hands of the man on the throne.  Godric needed his help and his acceptance to continue his work of rebuilding Ecaz. It all depended on the Emperor now.

[Ezhar VIIEmperor of The Known Universe]

The arrival of the Duke Godric to the Imperial Court was somewhat bittersweet for Ceres. Though he had no prior dealings with the Duke himself, the Planet's new Siridar had been a Fief of two beloved friends. On the one hand, he was pleased to see Ecaz emerge from The Collapse and with more prestige than beneath Ragnar's reign, on the other hand it raised the unanswered question surrounding the fate of Stephan and Vanessa. Hide nor hair had been seen of them in a very long time. By now the Emperor had begun to have his doubts about their status among the living and with the Duke's arrival, the answer to that query seemed to be ever more apparent.

Regardless as to the fate of the of Ecaz's former Siridar, the Emperor was keen to hear of news on the Jungle Planet. Beneath the tenure of Ragnar, the Archduchess Vanessa had built a fashion Empire on the backs of Ecazi Suits and Ballgowns while shrewdly sub-contracting important contracts like Sapho to smaller Houses looking to make a quick Solari. Given his first hand knowledge of Ecaz's capability and his training as an Assassin, the Planet of Fashion and Fogwood had the potential to be a lucrative asset for the Duke and an important lynchpin in the Imperial Economy in the delicate years ahead.

Despite the Emperor's high hopes, he knew almost nothing of the new ruling Duke or the present state of Ecaz. This Audience had been arranged to allow Ceres the opportunity to discover and gain insight to a planet that had long been neglected by the Empire.

From the first moment Ceres laid his eyes on the Duke, he was nothing at all what the Emperor had expected. With very little information available on the Duke Godric, the Emperor was surprised to see an older gentlemen before him. The rulers of the Imperium came in all varieties but most tended to be helmed by younger, more energetic leaders. Otfen, that energy would cause friction in Council necessitating the calming influenced of wiser men and women. What type of influence Godric proved to be remained to be seen, but insofar and from appearance alone, the Emperor's interest was piqued.

"Welcome to the Imperial Palace, your Grace." The Emperor replied in greeting, his tone polite but firmly neutral in timbre. "I would like to thank you for making the journey across the stars to appear before me." Pausing a moment, the Emperor's hands appeared from beneath his robe to part it which allowed him to relax a little as the audience began.

"I have asked your Grace here today in order to make your acquaintance and to inquire as to the state of Ecaz. As one of the few viable Houses that remain, I am keen to hear how House Ecaz fares and offer any assistance in its recovery should it be necessary. May I start by asking your name and to tell me a little bit about yourself?"

[Duke Godric Ecaz]

Duke Godric breathed a sigh of relief seeing that the Emperor had accepted him and his claim to Ecaz. A part of him had feared that he would be denied and control over his world would be passed on to another House. While that would be unfortunate for him he felt it would be a terrible fate for his people. He was one of them in a way that a foreign ruler could never be. And now he would fight for their future and build Ecaz back into the economic power house it was meant to be.

"Your Majesty, I must report that planet Ecaz is in dire straights. Years of siege have left us in need of food, fresh water and replacement parts for our ventilation systems. That said though, if I can procure these things in the short term our financial prospects are good for the long term. I already have crews harvesting the pharmaceutical's that our world is famous for. We can begin supplying the markets within the current quarter."

His voice gained strength as he spoke. Duke Godric's devotion to his view of what Ecaz could be fueled him when he needed it the most. With some effort he took his feet again but kept his eyes lowered as custom dictated.

"As for myself, my name is Godric, Duke of Ecaz.  Before the war I was a noble like any other, devoting my energies towards scholarly pursuits and amassing as large a library as I could. Now, with the recent war, I've devoted myself to the needs of my people. We have survived the siege, though at great cost. Now it is my hope to guide them into a better future."

Godric had always been a modest man. Especially now that he realized he was hurting inside from all the stress of the recent years. The man he had been before was not particularly noteworthy. The man he hoped to become though could be much more.  

"I've learned a lot of lessons after everything we have been through. For our worlds to truly prosper we as the noble class must devote ourselves to good governance. I don't want to be the kind of man anymore that only chases after petty pleasures when so much can be done for my people."

That was not an opinion held by many he realized. The truth of it though had become apparent to Godric as he saw the suffering of his planet during the siege. He liked to think of it as a form of wisdom but it remained to be seen what the Emperor would think.

[Ezhar VIIEmperor of The Known Universe]

The Emperor sat in silence and listened intently as the Duke introduced himself to Court and by proxy, the Imperium. Whatever Ceres thought of the Duke's opinions he kept them to himself and offered no visible indicators as to where he might lean. In all this though, Godric reminded him of his Cousin Nathaniel who shared the same belief as the Duke before him. Whether Ecaz would flourish under the ideals of Duke Godric remained to be seen, come what may though, Ceres would be sure to keep an eye on Ecaz and its progress from faceless unknown to potential player.

While the Duke's outlook may have been perceived as refreshing and ambitious in the ears of the Emperor, the news of Ecaz's faltering state was far from a surprise and much less welcome. Despite being deemed as viable, many of the Houses that had appeared before the Throne in recent days were revealed to be much worse off than initially thought. It was disconcerting to a Sovereign that was only just starting to understand and grasp the true extent of the effects of The Collapse on the Imperium. As the pieces were put in place, Ceres understood that the challenge of rebuilding the Imperium was even more complicated and gargantuan than initially theorised.

"Thank you for introducing yourself, your Grace, and for updating us of the situation on your Homeworld." The Emperor intoned once Godric fell silent. "Though it pleases the Crown to know that an Ancient House lives to fight another day, news of the conditions in your sector do not. Ecaz is poised with the potential to be a respected and active member of the Realm as it tasks itself with recovering from the fires of war. You have my word that the Imperial House will assist in Ecaz's recovery as and where it can." The Emperor offered, the Imperial Scribe reacted immediately to the Emperor's dictum, ready to transcribe and enact the Will of the Emperor the moment a Decree was made.

"Is there anything I may do for you here and now that will assist in alleviating one of your burdens?" Ceres inquired, curious to see what would be requested, if anything at all.

[Duke Godric Ecaz]

Godric found himself liking the new young Emperor. First impressions of course could prove to be false. He might after all not carry through on his promise to help the people of Ecaz. Or he could prove to be as greedy and grasping as many of his predecessors had been. The Duke did not think that would be the case though. This impression filled him with optimisim and only time would tell if it was misplaced or not.

He paused for a moment, considering the words from the throne. Anything he needed? Godric pondered that for a moment. There were a lot of things that came to mind for his own self but they were all transitory things. His heart yearned for a return to the times of comfort and a worry free existence. The experiences of recent years though had changed him. Maybe he had just become higher minded. Or maybe, and this was his own thoughts on the matter, he had finally just matured enough to worry more about the greater good than his own desires in the moment.

"Your Majesty, for me I would only ask for hope. Hope for my own people and hope to rebuild this Empire into something stronger than it has ever been if possible. If I can be of any service in helping with that great work then please let me know. I've spent a lifetime studying and teaching the law. Maybe now that can be put to some practical use."

His mind drifted, but only for a short instant, to his years as a scholar and the university he had created back on Ecaz. The crown jewel of that center of learning was the law school that bore his name. Duke Godric had always studied for the joy of learning. Now he hoped to put that learning to some greater purpose.

"And for what it's worth, so you don't think that I only came to beg for favors, the one thing Ecaz does still have in abundance is medicine. As the marketers of many pharmaceuticals we still have large stock piles on hand. In this time of need I stand ready to send these to where you think they can do the most good."

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