Lift Off

Lukos glanced skeptically at his father. His father, king of all Deneb, had the audacity to shrug—shrug!—at him. Lukos frowned. His father grinned roguishly. Lukos sighed.

"You are absolutely certain that you can't tell me anything?" Lukos said.

Father shrugged yet again.

"That's very unprofessional of you, Pollux," Queen Lucia murmured, sweeping into the room.

As per usual, the queen's gaze swept over and past Lukos as though he did not exist.

"You know I do try, dear!" Lukos' father said cheerfully.

Well, this conversation had proved to be fruitless. It was time to leave anyways, and besides, if Father had decided to be cryptic there was nothing to be done. Lukos would enter this cycle's Amicrest Trials at a disadvantage--as per usual.

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The blue and gold shuttle landed at the RSF base in Lukleon City, the site of the Invictus family's newest summer palace (constructed around the time of Lukos' birth as a gift from the king to the queen). Lukos steadied himself and prepared to march onto the shuttle. He was accompanied by a small group of soldiers; not the Custos of House Invictus, reserved for the royal contingent that would be traveling separately. Rather, he was accompanied by eight ensigns. At his age, he decided, he didn't need to be bothered by such a thing. Didn't need to be bothered by such a snub. He really ought to be used to it, in fact.

Lukos was not, in fact, used to it and he was, in fact, bothered by it.

Whatever.

Lukos took his seat and prepared for lift off. In just a few hours, he would be in Demnaeus for his second go in the Amicrest Trials. A poor showing was expected, the first time. He'd had the misfortune to be freshly thirteen and therefore eligible when the Trials rolled around. Now? Now thirteen years had passed. Now Lukos was a man grown, and he had to be better. Else he would bring shame on himself, his father, his house, and his star system. Lukos shook himself out of his morose thoughts when the ship lifted off with a worrying shudder. He grimaced. Did he have to ride in a claptrap in addition to practically being shunned? One of the ensigns seemed to notice, because she turned to him, saluted, and hollered a reassurance.

"This here ship has survived cosmic dust storms, solar storms, and can take us the hard way through any astroid belt! Don't you worry Your Highness, we'll see you safely to Demnaeus!"

Even as she spoke, she sat and strapped herself into a ridiculously arcane looking series of straps and buckles (one of which was fraying) in order to secure herself to her seat. Lukos quickly did the same, fumbling and internally wishing for his own ship when he noticed that one of his buckles was hanging on by threads.

"Thank you, Ensign...?"

"Ensign Moravi at your service, Your Highness!"

"Ensign Moravi," Lukos finished.

She awarded him the traditional salute, left fist over the heart, and tried to bow at the same time--only the seat restraints yanked her backwards with a yelp and a thud. Finally, the ship crackled and shuddered into liftoff, and they shot jerkily straight up into the air. That buckle fell off, clattering to the floor. This was going to be a long and terrible ride.

...or a very short and final one.