"Junks? As the junks that sail on rivers?" asked back Swain while his mind was engulfed in anger.
"Yes, Governor de Peck. According to imperial data, the Cultivation Union likes to infuse them with spiritual energy as a power source and use them as their main way to traverse the space. The three vessels approaching us has power equal to D class destroyer in Imperial Classification."
Swain lifted his cane into his two hands and tried to snap it in two. He was preparing to unleash hell onto the political landscape of the Empire. He always derided his subordinates, who acted without proper evidence or who were a little too trigger happy. Yet now he, himself. stepped into the mistake he hated the most.
He wasn't himself ever since that damned letter arrived from the Ministry of Institutes. He needed to do some self-reflection. Yet now those three vessels are still approaching his ship. He needed to make some preparations for the guests coming.
"Ship, new directives."
"Yes, Governor de Peck." answered the ship. "I am listening."
"Belay all previous orders. Set course towards those fossils, those junks. Prepare something that these people from the Cultivation Union would enjoy drinking according to your database. I will change into my official uniform as the governor of the Top Excursion Zone Z1E1."
"Acknowledged, Governor de Peck." answered the ship. "What of the open channel towards the Head Judge?"
"I will speak with him while changing into the clothes," Swain answered. The Head Judge's fury is not a small thing. And he reserves the worst of it for those, who wastes his precious time.
Swain walked back to his bedroom, this time faster. The painkillers were working wonders as his pain complete disappeared from his right tight. He took out his new uniform from the ship's hold and quickly changed into it.
It was made from black velvet and silver threads. Many silver stubs adorned the uniform and its cuff-links were made from platinum. On its chest, small heraldry depicted a lion fighting with a bolt of lightning, resembling the Emperor's battle against the Heavens. It was the only decorations made from gold, so it depicted the Emperor's supremacy over the wearer of this cloth.
With the uniform of the Governor, came a data stick which would override the computer of Governor's Palace, and grant the new governor ownership over the zone by the grace of the Emperor, and a pair of clothes woven from the most poisonous spider silk, which would neutralize any type of poison within the Empire.
Swain sat down into a less extravagant chair inside his bedroom and waved to the computer. Before him, a coloured hologram of the Head Judge appeared. The Head Judge had his usual clothes on himself. A cheap black gown made out of rough linen and a white waistcoat made from the finest velvet. His clothes symbolised his impartiality towards the rich and the poor.
"Swain de Peck, the Governor of the Top Excursion Zone Z1E1, greets your greatness, the Head Judge." Swain bowed a little.
"Don't waste my time, de Peck." retorted the Head Judge. "While you were a member of the Institutes, I was lenient with you. However, now you wear a different kind of uniform."
Swain could hear the faint chuckle of the Head Judge. In the past, as a member of an Institute, he could request any number of meeting from personnel from other Institutes, while he had the necessary ground for such meeting. Yet now, he was just a small governor of a zone at the border of the Empire. A simple Judge could find a way to make him disappeared, not to speak of the Head Judge.
"I am infinitely sorry, Head Judge." bowed Swain once again. "I was a little paranoid and have thought that somebody wanted to silence me. Before that happened, I thought I should pass the hot ball onto you. However, it has turned out to be a false alarm. I can only express my regret."
The Head Judge wrinkled his eyebrows for a few seconds then unmasked dread and fear appeared in his face.
"You are a madman, Swain. I hope we don't speak ever again." barked the Head Judge and cut the connection.
"How are you, Swain? How do you accept your downgrade, Swain? It's good to see you again, Swain." said Swain sarcastically after a few seconds.
The Head Judge once was his work friend. They had drunk many times together and sometimes even shared their personal life. But now Swain has been cut from the Capitolium and political landscape. Associating with him would reflect badly upon those who are still in the Capitolium.
"Governor de Peck, from those vessels three people have flown out and request a meeting with you. How should I answer?" asked the ship.
"Open the hatch and invite them into the main room." answered Swain. "I hope you got something to drink for those gentlemen, did you?"
"Yes, I readied some spiritual wine that you got from one of the Elders of the Cultivation Union after you helped him out against one of the Nobles. I also prepared some bottles of it for a gift to them as that is the habit between them."
"Oh, I have to drink that crap again. Report me when they settle down I will join them."
"Understood."
Swain wasn't very keen on meeting these fellows from the Cultivation Union. He wanted to get to the Excursion Zone fastly. He needed to make rapid progress, even more rapid than the ever-growing expectations of the Emperor to get a chance of returning to the Capitolium. Serving the Emperor here was definitely set back toward reaching the Pantheon of the Empire, but if Swain was steadfast and achieved more than the Emperor could hope for, Swain's salvation would be the very punishment he suffered.
If Swain a lesser man than in reality, he would have given up on all hope or would have made a few concessions to remain in his position back at the Capitolium. But he was too proud to forget any grievance and too headstrong to give anybody back anything. He was the force of Order. He was the embodiment of the non-compromising side of the Law. He had been warned by his superiors numerous time to observe the bigger picture than pursue every small lead to cut down on every possible opportunity.
"Governor de Peck, the three people waiting for you. They are somewhat important in the Cultivation Union, but not enough to necessitate the creation pf folder of them inside the Imperial Database."
"I understand. I will be on my way."
He stood up from his chair and made his way toward the main room on his ship. The painkillers were almost out of their kick so this time he was once again moving with slow and careful movements. He entered the main hall to meet with three strange people.
One was standing in the corner while drinking the spiritual wine directly from the bottle. He was wearing a black robe without any decorations. He also had a strange black box on his back without any decorations. Swain noted him to be probably a straight-forward person and somebody who had a medium amount of power.
Another one was sitting before the table and was bolting down the wine and the prepared threats like there were no tomorrow. He wore barbaric clothes made out of animal pelts and had a massive chunk of strange metal on his side. The perfect definition of the barbaric nature of the Cultivation Union.
The last one was sitting dignified on one of the couches and was tasting the wine from a cup. He wore a robe similar to Imperial Scribes, but with much more decorations. One of his hands were holding a wooden ruler with a glow in his lap. He was probably the leader of this torn and worn group of people noted Swain.
"Glory to the Emperor, fellows from the Cultivation Union." Swain greeted them while he put his right hand above his heart.
"Yes, yes, glory to him." waved at Swain the fellow in black.
If Swain would probably have collapsed on the floor if the ship hadn't moved his chair bellow him. So nonchalant answer. Swain was looking at the person who said it with a gaping mouth for at least a minute. The other party noticed who smitten was Swain, and quickly tried to apologize.
"I am sorry, my friend if my brother has offended you." apologized the person in scribe clothes.
"First, I'm not your friend." corrected him Swain while still being shocked. "You can refer me as Governor de Peck, or as Governor Swain. And secondly, you have not offended me, but the entire of the Empire of Humanity, a state which is the overlord of you pitiful Union."
"How dare you, servant!" exclaimed the barbaric one and tried to reach for his piece of metal. "I swore upon this very sabre to make you take back those words."
In the past, Swain would beckon to his subordinates who would swarm this man and break his four limbs. After that, they would seal all his powers and would nail him to a cross. Then take him at the Street of Agonies, where the torturers of the Institute of Judgement and Punishment would torture him for at least a year. After a year of agonies, he would be dropped into one of the Plasma reactors of the Capitolium and would die after a decade of never-ending pain as the plasma burnt his flesh away. Swain would then drink some fine wine with his superior who would congratulate him for finding somebody who wasn't loyal to the Emperor.