Contents
Chapter 66: A Bloody Star
Overview
During tense negotiations with Prince Aranata, a sudden antimatter and nuclear strike annihilates the Cielcin worldship, revealing an Imperial fleet’s arrival. Chaos erupts as Kharn Sagara attacks Raine Smythe for answers. Bassander Lin intervenes, exposing a plan that kept Smythe ignorant, stunning Ren, and killing Kharn, ending the Undying and derailing talks.
Summary
Talks with Prince Aranata sour when the Cielcin demand that Hadrian fight their clan wars and refuse to cede Tanaran. Smythe insists Hadrian is a peace emissary, while tensions rise over the prospect of human involvement in inter-clan conflicts.
Suddenly, a blinding red light floods the Garden. Observers realize it is not a weapon’s laser but the polarized glare of antimatter and nuclear detonations tearing through the Cielcin worldship above the Bahali imnal Akura. Multiple flashes force both humans and Cielcin to ground as the vast vessel is shattered.
Confusion reigns. Kharn Sagara asserts an Imperial fleet has arrived from warp. Smythe appears genuinely shocked, claiming ignorance. Kharn, enraged, confronts her, and Crossflane intervenes to protect his superior as SOMs and Cielcin react in panic.
Ren pleads with his father to stop, momentarily staying Kharn. Pressing for answers, Kharn seizes Smythe by the jaw, demanding the truth. Bassander Lin then steps in, shooting Ren with a stun blast and declaring that Smythe’s ignorance was intentional and part of the plan.
Before Kharn can respond, Bassander fires his phase disruptor, crippling Kharn’s augments. As Kharn struggles to rise, Bassander shoots again, killing the Undying. Smythe collapses, Suzuha screams, and the parley collapses with Kharn’s death and the Cielcin flagship destroyed.
Who Appears
- Hadrian MarloweNarrator and human emissary; witnesses the worldship’s destruction and the violent collapse of negotiations.
- Bassander LinReveals Smythe’s ignorance was deliberate, stuns Ren, and kills Kharn Sagara, ending the parley.
- Kharn SagaraLord of Vorgossos; confronts Smythe over the attack and is killed by Bassander.
- Raine SmytheKnight-Tribune; shocked by the attack, accused by Kharn; her ignorance is revealed as planned.
- Prince Aranata OtioloCielcin prince; demands Hadrian fight for his clan, then cowers during the antimatter blasts.
- Valka OnderraObserves talks; stays close to Hadrian as the strike unfolds, alarmed and protective.
- Sir William CrossflaneDefends Smythe from Kharn, drawing his disruptor amid the chaos.
- Tor VarroQuestions the sudden red light as destruction begins, present during the breakdown.
- Ren SagaraBeggs his father to stop; Bassander stuns him before killing Kharn.
- OalicomnCielcin herald; protests Smythe’s demands and is casually silenced by Aranata.
- SuzuhaSagara’s daughter; screams as Bassander kills Kharn.