The Dinner
The grand dining hall aboard the Zmajcica-f was a testament to Imperial opulence and power. The room was adorned with intricate tapestries depicting historical battles and conquests, the walls lined with gold and silver filigree. The ceiling, a vast dome of transparent material, provided a breathtaking view of the stars, creating an ambiance of both luxury and the infinite expanse of space.
A long, ornate table dominated the centre of the hall, laden with an array of sumptuous dishes. Empress Spotty, known for her preference for rich, hearty meats, had an impressive roast boar as the centrepiece of her selection. The boar was perfectly cooked, its skin crisp and glistening, the aroma filling the room. Spotty carved a generous portion for herself, savouring each bite with a look of satisfaction.
Chancellor Lyra, benefiting from the perks bestowed upon her by Spotty, had an appetite and physical prowess far beyond that of ordinary humans. Her section of the table was a haven for chocolate lovers, featuring an assortment of chocolate cakes, mousses, and truffles. The rich, dark sweetness of the chocolate contrasted sharply with the savoury richness of Spotty's meat dishes, yet Lyra enjoyed sampling the roast boar, while Spotty indulged in a few chocolate delicacies, appreciating the variety and depth of flavours.
Across from them, bound to the wall in heavy chains, was Ila. The hum of the power inhibitor, a constant reminder of her impotence, filled the background. Ila's presence added a tense undercurrent to the otherwise lavish setting. Her eyes, once filled with defiance, now showed a mixture of resentment and contemplation.
Spotty turned to Ila, her eyes gleaming with a mix of triumph and genuine curiosity. "I have defeated you," she began, her voice carrying a regal authority. "The powers that be consider you incompetent and stupid. Why not join my side? Does their consideration of you as being stupid and incompetent not sting? If you join my side, you will be treated well. All you have to do is bend the knee, acknowledge me as your Empress, and do as I command. The chains would be removed, and maybe I'd even turn off the power inhibitor. What do you say, Ila?"
The room fell silent as Spotty's words hung in the air. Lyra paused, a piece of chocolate cake halfway to her lips, watching Ila intently. The chains clinked softly as Ila shifted, her expression hardening.
Ila's response was slow in coming, her voice low and filled with a mix of anger and contemplation. "You speak of honour and loyalty, yet you offer me freedom in exchange for subjugation. You may have defeated me, but I am not so easily broken."
Spotty's Perspective
As Spotty leaned back in her chair, savouring the rich taste of roast boar, she eyed Ila with a mix of triumph and genuine concern. The weight of her words hung in the air, blending with the ambient hum of the power inhibitor. She knew Ila was prideful, but Spotty also recognized the futility of Ila's defiance.
"Suit yourself, Ila," Spotty said, her voice steady but surprisingly warm. "Eventually, you'll grow bored of the chains and the power inhibitor. Who do you think is going to rescue you? Your Dralathi pawns? Their empire crumbles from within, torn by civil war and countless rebellions supplied and trained by Imperial intelligence. Outside Imperial forces are either destroying or liberating galaxies one by one."
Spotty paused, letting her words sink in. She saw a flicker of realization in Ila's eyes but also the stubborn set of her jaw. Spotty pressed on, "Do you think this new Lord Berith will save you? You know what the powers that be think of you, how they would treat you. Even if they defeat me, your fate would be no better than mine, likely far worse. Only your pride is holding you back."
Spotty's unexpected warmth took even her by surprise. She hadn't anticipated feeling any sort of empathy for Ila, yet here it was, colouring her words and softening her tone.
Ila's Perspective
Bound and powerless, Ila listened to Spotty's words with a mounting sense of turmoil. She wanted to refute the Empress, to cling to her pride and defiance. But deep down, she knew Spotty was right. The Dralathi empire was crumbling, and the powers that be had little regard for her well-being. Spotty's description of her situation was painfully accurate.
Ila's thoughts raced. She cursed her pride, knowing it was the only thing preventing her from accepting the truth. The realization gnawed at her, making her almost speak up, but the words caught in her throat. She remained silent, her mind a storm of conflicted emotions.
Lyra's Perspective
Chancellor Lyra, despite her enhanced abilities and the perks granted by Spotty, felt a pang of sympathy for Ila. She wondered if Spotty's offer was too lenient given Ila's role in the war that nearly destroyed her people. Lyra hesitated but finally found the courage to speak up.
"Empress Spotty," Lyra began cautiously, "do you not think this offer is... too just? Ila played a significant role in the war that almost annihilated my people."
Spotty turned her gaze to Lyra, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You are correct, Lyra. But it is clear that the powers that be are escalating. For now, they have sent Lord Berith to intervene. His initial plan was to seize control of the Dralathi empire and continue the war against us, but with their current state, he may alter his strategy. With Whistler on our side, we got some insight for a moment, but now that he has exposed himself and joined us that is over. He can't spy on them for us any more. Berith is also a much more formidable foe than Ila here, smarter, wiser and well trained in combat. He will not repeat Ila's mistakes."
Spotty continued, her voice grave, "We have the power inhibitors, and they should work on him, but he might find a way around them. If that happens, I would be the only one who could fight him with any chance of success. Ila, if she were on our side, could help. A two-on-one fight wouldn't favour Berith, and he wouldn't risk a fight without the odds stacked in his favour. We will need every powerful ally we can get, even if some of them are distasteful choices. I'd rather not reset the timeline again; this one is going very well."
The Revelation
Spotty's remark about resetting the timeline caught both Ila and Lyra off guard. Their thoughts raced.
Ila thought, "But we, the powers that be, can't do that. Not for the entire multiverse, not without anyone knowing. Did she just imply she's done it many times?"
Lyra, equally stunned, thought, "Wait, so this has happened before, multiple times? How many times?"
Both Ila and Lyra voiced their thoughts out loud simultaneously, their shock evident.
"But we can't do that, not for the entire multiverse!" Ila exclaimed.
"How many times has this happened?" Lyra asked, her voice a mix of awe and concern.
Spotty raised a hand to calm them. "Allow me to answer."
Spotty's Perspective
Spotty looked at Lyra with a mixture of curiosity and sadness in her eyes. "Before I begin, I might officially be your Empress and in public, I would prefer you call me that to maintain authority. In private, I'm your friend Spotty—or at least I hope I am."
Suppressing her ability to hear surface thoughts, Spotty respected Lyra’s autonomy, wanting their friendship to be genuine without manipulation. She turned to Ila, her expression more stern but devoid of malice. "I am your Empress and captor, not your friend. Whether you consider me such or not is irrelevant. In time, we could be allies, maybe even friends. But until you accept my offer and join my side, your position remains unchanged."
Spotty then looked away from both women, her gaze distant. "But we weren't discussing our relationships, so I'll get to your questions."
She continued, addressing both Lyra and Ila. "No, this is not an innate ability of the powers that be Ila and I stopped counting at a million timelines. Most didn’t go as well as this one. I apologize for not making it clearer, Lyra. The projection I showed your parliament and our subsequent dinner where I granted you your powers were supposed to hint at this."
Spotty saw the mix of surprise, amazement, and fear in their eyes. "The innate knowledge and abilities of the powers that be, or any civilization I know that exists or has existed in this iteration and all others except the very first, don’t encompass the full picture. The multiverse, as understood by the powers that be, by Imperial science, by Assuran science and any other civilization I know off is merely a fragment. The true nature of the multiverse includes all mathematically possible realities."
Spotty's voice softened slightly as she mentioned how it all began "In the very first iteration, I found a civilization that discovered this truth. They tried to conquer everything but failed, united against by other entities. Before their fall, I absorbed all the knowledge and understanding I could and managed to reset the entire timeline of the entire multiverse or perhaps jump to an alternate one. I am not sure nor am I sure if the distinction is even meaningful. Since then, I’ve been fighting the powers that be, resetting the timeline when necessary, each iteration bringing me closer to success."
Lyra's Perspective
Lyra's mind raced as she absorbed Spotty’s revelations. The implications of what Spotty was saying were staggering. A timeline reset at the level of the entire multiverse? The scale was unimaginable. Spotty’s power and knowledge seemed god-like, and yet she spoke with a humble sincerity.
Lyra spoke first, her voice a mixture of awe and confusion. "Of course, you are my friend, Spotty. But after what I just heard, I’m not sure if you’re officially just my Empress or if you are my goddess. What you just said makes you sound like one or perhaps someone who will become one eventually."
Spotty’s chuckle at the idea of being prayed to made Lyra smile. Despite the enormity of the situation, Spotty’s humility and warmth reassured her.
Ila's Perspective
Ila’s initial reaction was one of shock and disbelief. The scope of Spotty’s power and ambition was beyond anything she had imagined. A timeline reset at the multiversal level? The revelation shook her to her core. Ila felt her defiance waver, replaced by a begrudging respect and fear.
When she finally found her voice, Ila blurted out, "And you don’t intend to stop there, do you? If or when you succeed here, you’ll move to other multiverses. Eventually, you intend to rule all. I don’t know if I should laugh and call you delusional or bow before your ambition."
Spotty’s mischievous reply, "I do. As for should you laugh or bow, the choice is yours, but only one will get you out of these chains," struck a chord with Ila. The realization that her pride was the only thing keeping her in chains gnawed at her.
The Submission
Ila’s thoughts churned. The idea of bending the knee went against everything she stood for, yet Spotty’s words were undeniably logical. The Dralathi Empire was crumbling, and no rescue was coming. Pride alone wouldn’t save her.
Reluctantly, Ila spoke, her voice subdued but clear. "Fine, I’ll bend the knee and bow, my Empress. But before I do, may I ask you one thing?"
Spotty turned her full attention to Ila, her expression curious and expectant. The room fell silent, anticipation hanging in the air as Ila prepared to voice her question.
Spotty’s Perspective
Spotty regarded Ila with a curious look. "Sure, Ila, why not? Ask away."
Ila’s question was direct: "How well did I do in this iteration?"
Spotty paused, considering the gravity of her response. "Do you really want to know? The answer will be unsettling, I suspect."
"I must know, Empress," Ila replied, her voice firm with determination.
Spotty nodded. "Better than in most iterations that I encountered you in. In some, you weren't there or at least we never knew of each other. In those iterations where you attempted to interfere, you were usually killed — either by Lord Berith when he came to replace you or by me aboard Rokmar's flagship. Without a working power inhibitor, I had no choice but to eliminate you. In the timelines where we had a working power inhibitor, you were captured just as you are now and eventually came to your senses, accepting my offer — though it usually took much longer than now."
Spotty's gaze shifted to Lyra as she asked, "And us, me?"
"The answers might be unsettling for you. Do you really want to know?" Spotty asked, seeing the slight tremble in Lyra's voice. Lyra nodded.
"Very well," Spotty began, "there are five general versions of timelines I have seen. In the first, humanity never reaches the stars due to wars, natural disasters, religious fanaticism, runaway global warming and so on. I try to avert this outcome if possible but am not always successful In this version, I restart the timeline before we ever meet. In the second, humanity becomes a multiversal power but never encounters you or any evidence of your existence. In the third, you and the Dralathi exist, but either you never come to ask for our aid or refuse to join the Empire. Your republic and people are occupied and worked to death by the Dralathi. The galaxy is eventually liberated by the Empire, but your people and civilization are long gone by then. The future I showed your parliament was one of those, the recordings of various battles was what we manage to recover and reassemble from what was left of your archives. In the fourth, your talks of secession lead to a war on two fronts: against the Dralathi, which you were already losing, and against the Empire. The Empire wins, but your people suffer needless losses and are for a time treated worse than now. In the fifth, things proceed similarly to now, and in some of them, we are friends."
Lyra’s voice wavered with curiosity and concern. "When you reset the timeline, what exactly happens to the others in it? How does it look from their perspective? Are they just erased from existence? Do you just disappear from their point of view and end up in a new timeline?"
Spotty’s expression softened. "I'm not entirely sure. Since the universe coordinates and the existence of some people/entities vary loop to loop, I think I disappear from their perspective and appear in a new timeline. I don't completely understand the process and the theory behind it — not yet. Even with my intelligence it is hard to comprehend and understand. Such resets are also hard and unpredictable. I am limited in my ability to where and when I can jump. I can only go to roughly the same place I am at the moment, I must go back at least millions of years and I don't know in advance exactly when and where I'll pop up after."
Lyra’s Perspective
Lyra listened intently, feeling a mix of awe and trepidation. The scale of Spotty’s abilities and experiences was overwhelming. The idea that multiple versions of her existence had played out, each with different outcomes, left her both curious and unsettled.
Lyra was touched by Spotty’s candidness. Despite the immense power she wielded, Spotty remained humble and respectful. When Spotty expressed regret for not being clearer about the timelines, Lyra felt a deep sense of empathy and trust.
"Of course you are my friend, Spotty. But after what I just heard, I’m not sure if you’re officially just my Empress or if you are my goddess. What you just said makes you sound like one or perhaps someone who will become one eventually," Lyra said, trying to reconcile the enormity of Spotty’s revelations with the person she had come to know.
Spotty’s chuckle and her preference not to be seen as a deity reassured Lyra. Despite everything, Spotty valued their friendship and wanted to be seen as an equal, not a divine being.
Ila’s Perspective
Ila was stunned by Spotty’s revelations. The sheer scale of her experiences and the implications of multiple timelines were mind-boggling. It was hard to wrap her mind around the idea of Spotty resetting the timeline millions of times, each iteration bringing them closer to their current situation.
When Spotty described the various outcomes, Ila felt a mix of pride and fear. Knowing that she had been a formidable opponent in many timelines gave her a sense of grim satisfaction, but the realization that her pride had often led to her downfall was sobering.
Ila’s thoughts churned as she considered Spotty’s words. The idea of bending the knee went against everything she stood for, but Spotty’s logic was undeniable. The Dralathi Empire was crumbling, and no rescue was coming. Her pride alone wouldn’t save her.
Finally, Ila spoke, her voice subdued but clear. "Empress, I gotta give it to you. You’re more patient and able to plan long-term than me. And either you're braver or stupider than me. Now, I said I’d bend the knee and swear allegiance to you. I will do it, but with the chains holding me up, bending the knee is going to be tough…"
Spotty's eyes softened, appreciating Ila’s reluctant submission. "Of course, Ila. Let’s make it easier for you," she said, signalling to release Ila from her chains. Lyra watched with a mixture of relief and anticipation, feeling a new chapter unfolding for them all.