Interstellar Age

Chapter 303 Declaration of Independence

As soon as Lunaria contacted Erich and informed him that she had killed Emrys, he looked at the woman as if she were an absolute idiot. This was naturally a response that she did not greet with politeness, and thus her tone was quite shrill as she asked her former lover why the man was staring at her in such a... odd way. 

"What? Erich god dammit, what the hell? Why are you looking at me as if I have an undeveloped mind?"

Erich kind of just continued to stare at the woman for several moments, before finally explaining the reason why she was an idiot. 

"Lunaria... I know you were emotional due to the fact that Emrys called out our little secret. But you do remember that you supplied the GSE with resurrection technology, right? Emrys is probably hooked up to his own private server and cloning facility. All you managed to do was piss him off, and give the Empire a reason to rally against you. 

I mean, it's not exactly like the bodies of your Banshees were magically cleaned up after they killed themselves. With the attempt on Emrys's life, and the evidence tying the Asterion Dynasty to it, you have quite literally made an enemy of the GSE, and potentially even several of your other vassals. Especially once Emrys goes so far as to proclaim that you tried to strip him of his sovereignty and when that failed, you attempted to take his life! 

I know you were trying to help, but you just made this war a thousand times worse for me. Because before the people, though, this was a civil war between two different men claiming to be the rightful ruler. But now, by trying to revoke Emrys of his position, and by trying to have him killed when he refused. You literally gave the Germanic people a reason to believe that I am everything Emrys has claimed that I am.

A xenophile, a traitor, and your fucking lapdog! The moment he claims to the public that we are lovers, even when I win this war, I will be dealing with a population who believes I am little more than a puppet of foreign powers, and thus making my rule illegitimate! It won't be long before I am dealing with rebellion after rebellion!

And while I am putting down rebellions, you will have your own problems. Even if you deny the accusations that we are lovers, there will be a portion of your population who will use this rumor to undermine your authority. Especially your enemies in the Svartalfheim Federation. You can bet they will use Emrys's claims in their propaganda against you. 

Some of your allies will believe Emrys and will side with him against you. You have single-handedly created a crisis for not only me, but yourself as well! All because you let your emotions get the better of you!"

It was only now, after Erich had scolded her for her recklessness, that Lunaria realized just how badly she had screwed up. And just like that, she turned on her access to the galactic network to find a bold declaration by Supreme Leader Alaric au Emrys taking place at the citadel. One which she watched with horror in her golden eyes. 

---

Almost immediately after his death at the hands of Lunaria's Banshees. Emrys found his consciousness restored in the body of a clone. As the supreme leader, he had an entire warehouse full of cloned bodies ready to resurrect him at a moment's notice. And when he stepped out of his vat, there was a look of fury on the man's handsome face. 

Naturally, Emrys was surprised that Lunaria's banshees had already infiltrated the citadel and were simply waiting for the order to make their moves from the Alfheim Empress herself. He had clearly overestimated his own ability, which was no doubt thanks to Erich and his previous display of valiance when he overcame the Alfheim Banshees practically on his own. 

This was a mistake that Emrys did not intend to make twice, and thus, while he was getting dressed in his most pristine white uniform, he was informing his personal aide to make a platform ready for his declaration. 

"Have the podium in the press room ready at once. I need to make an announcement to the galaxy... One that will forever change the balance of power in this wretched galaxy!" 

The aide did as was asked of her, and quickly readied the press room. Where once Emrys was done getting dressed, he emerged to the cameras, which recorded his exquisite appearance and broadcasted it across the milky way. With a stern look on his face, Emrys began to speak, and condemn his master to any being who was willing to listen. 

"Brothers... Sisters... Friends.... It is with a heavy heart that I make this announcement, but my silence can be maintained no longer. As of five minutes ago, an attempt was made by my life, in the safety and sanctity of the Citadel...

Who would have the ability to do such a thing you might ask? Well, it was none other than Empress Lunaria Asterion herself. You see, I have uncovered a shocking and shameful secret about the Light Elven Empress. A woman worshipped as a virtuous goddess by a quarter of the galaxy is not who she claims to be. 

Her virtue has long since been sullied by an alien! Yet she has hidden her shame from you all, and continues to see this man in secret. I know this because she came to me personally on his behalf in an attempt to force me, a sovereign leader, to step down from my position and hand it over to the man in question. 

If you haven't realized it by now, the Alfheim Empress's secret lover is none other than the self proclaimed Germanic Emperor Erich Jaeger, a man who seeks to wage war against his own people for the sole purpose of ending their sovereignty and establishing the Germanic Star-Empire as a loyal puppet of the Alfheim Dominion from this day until the end of time. 

We may have sworn our fealty to the Alfheim Dominion and its Empress, but it was done so under the condition that we remain sovereign over our own territory! We are vassals, not slaves! And that is exactly what Lunaria Asterion and Erich Jaeger seek to make us! 

This attempt on my life, which has damn near succeeded, has been a gross violation of the bonds of vassalage that ties the Germanic Nation to the Alfheim Dominion. And since Lunaria has violated these sacred laws that exist between vassal and suzerain, we have no choice but to declare our independence! From this day forward, the Germanic Star-Empire is a free and sovereign state!

We will not kneel, we will not bend, and we will not break, even if the entire galaxy were to unite against us. For we were born and bred in the cold embrace of mother Germania, and we alone have the strength to survive in this galaxy. 

And for those of you who call yourselves our allies, we offer you this simple choice. Break free from the shackles of bondage, and join us as independent nations, whose interests are our own. Or, continue to serve, and slave away beneath the boot of the Alfheim Dominion, and its impure Empress, who cares more about the ambitions of her foreign lover, than she does about the wellbeing of her own people let alone those civilizations which still swear fealty to her! 

As for the Silber Enclave, or should I say the portion of Germanic Space which is currently unlawfully occupied by the Alfheim Dominion, we will not rest until you and your ilk have been driven from our lands. And we will not tire until the great traitor answers for his crimes! Hail victory!"

After watching the broadcast with Lunaria on the line, Erich sighed heavily and shook his head. Before revealing his thoughts on the matter. 

"It is worse than I thought... I did not expect Emrys to go so far as to declare himself an independent state... Let alone encourage others to do the same. It would appear Lunaria that you have a full scale rebellion on your hands. One that you will not be able to trust your own forces to win on your behalf.

After all, as far as the galaxy is concerned, we are now lovers, and even if you do manage to convince your people that this is utter nonsense, there will always be the idea in the back of their heads..."

For the first time in a very long time, Lunaria had made a major blunder, and now she was in a position where she was no longer sure how to react. Thus, she was quick to ask Erich of his opinion on how to proceed. 

"Erich... It is not every day that I make such a mistake.... Nor do I often require the advice of others despite the fact that I often seek it... I am begging you, my love, please... tell me what to do to make this right?"

This was exactly what Erich had always wanted... From the moment that he had left Lunaria and her daughter, Erich had always intended for her to come crawling to him for his help. But in all honesty, he thought it would be centuries before she did so. But now that he was in such a position, he had no choice but to take advantage of it. 

"Now... We reveal to the galaxy just how powerful I have become. I will obliterate Emrys' forces, seize control of the Empire and all of its worlds, and crush any attempts to rebel against me. And I will do so within a standard galactic month.

Once I have done this... The galaxy will know the power that I wield and recognize my new empire as a serious galactic contender..." 

Lunaria had no idea how this would solve the problem, and had grown quite nervous over this whole ordeal. Thus there was some panic in her voice as she quickly rushed Erich for a solution to her problems. 

"And what then? How do we solve this?" 

It was only then that Erich's smirk make chills go down Lunaria's spine as he revealed the full extent of his plan.

"Then we reveal the truth to everyone... And I take you as my one and only wife, annulling all of my other marriages and instead taking them as my concubines. Once our two empires are united beneath joint rulers, and I am able to rebuild what I have destroyed in my revolution. Then the entire galaxy will tremble beneath our feet."

Lunaria sat there and gawked at Erich. She honestly had no idea how to respond to this. It is true, that if Erich managed to wipe the floor with the GSE in under a month. That meant that he had power on par with the four galactic powers. As it would take a coalition of Sub-Galactic powers much longer to accomplish such a feat. 

But to reveal to the public their secret relationship, and get married as the Emperor and Empress of the Germanic race and the Light Elves. It was something that had never happened in the history of the Milky Way, or at least what had been recorded. Thus Lunaria had no response for Erich, and instead sat there in silence contemplating his words.