[b]Stellar Observatory
The Imperial Palace
Planet Aura of the Deminutian Empire[/b]

Major Eris “Farseer” was unhappy with her current assignment. Having vexed the queen by questioning the loyalty of her soldiers, she had been taken from her normal duty as observer aboard one of the Ignii cruiser vessels and shut into this stuffy office-room and “promoted” to “Head of Security”. Basically, she had to watch a hundred different camera feeds, pretty much nonstop.

Naturally, she dozed off while watching her feeds. It happened invariably. What rarely happened, but did today, was that she had gotten [i]caught[/i]. A voice echoed in her head. “Major Farseer, report.” She jolted awake to find that in her sleep a… a… thing, had gotten close to the planet.
 
“Umm.” She yawned, though all traces of sleepiness were gone as the adrenaline of the situation poured through her. "Spacecraft in northern quadrant on a collision course of… forty degrees, moving at approximately two point six eight four one times ten to the minus five c. Estimated collision time six minutes forty-five seconds.” 
Silence in her headset. Finally in a menacing voice the Commander said, “Why do you only now report, rather than when you noticed the anomaly? This is a breach of protocol of the utmost level.”
“I fell asleep, sir.” The words were pulled off of her tongue to fall dejectedly in her lap.
“You fell asleep and compromised the safety of our system. You are dismissed, Farseer. And don’t collect your pay for this week either.” 

Eris removed her headset sharply, flinging it onto the keyboard in front of her. As she stormed out of her office she reflected that Commander must have been out to get her.

[b]Control Room
The Imperial Palace
Planet Aura of the Deminutian Empire[/b]

[i]Of all the gods-cursed days for Eris to fall asleep on duty![/i] Commander Aness Imperium thought as he spoke to his troops through their mind connection. He also spoke to his younger sister, the Queen Elissa Imperia.
[i]Lady Elissa…
[color=bc8dbf]What did you do this time? You only call me “lady” when you’ve—[/color]
It wasn’t me. It was the former Head of Security.[/i] He could feel her presence in his mind, thumbing through his most recent memories, and could imagine the same happening to Eris.
[i][color=bc8dbf]Nyeris save me, how did she not see that ship by camera?! I see it with spotting lenses![/color]
It’s going to hit in about four minutes.
[color=bc8dbf]Get our people out of there! Quit chattering at me and go![/color][/i]

“What would you like me to do?” a young officer spoke to Aness. He couldn’t recall the young man’s name.
“How many Ignii divisions do we have in the city?”
“T-three, sir. They’re on leave, though.”
“I don’t care! This is an emergency.”
[i][color=bc8dbf]Aelia says that if the trajectory reports are right they’ll land somewhere around Lake Aurelius.[/color]
Any signs of life?
[color=bc8dbf]No organic traces, but there’s something not right there. The computers are transmitting and receiving messages. They’ve been taking pictures of our homeworld, from what Aelia can get off the transmissions.[/color]
Don’t tell me we’ve been invaded by sentient robotic aliens.
[color=bc8dbf]Then I just can’t tell you anything.[/color]
Can you tell the people to evacuate the lake?
[color=bc8dbf]Already done.[/color][/i]

 “Sir, what would you like me to do?” the young officer asked Aness.
“Round up as many officers and law enforcement crews as you can in three minutes.”
[i][color=bc8dbf]And myself and Ellyna and Aelia.[/color][/i]
Aness amended his statement. “And a suitable honor guard of all the races for the Queen and the young Princesses.”
[i]You know, you might have told him yourself and saved me from having to explain it.
[color=bc8dbf]You know how the youth are! They freak out when I so much as poke into their heads. For whatever reason they think the nobility shouldn’t be approachable.[/color]
I suppose you’re right.
[color=bc8dbf]I’m always right. I’m omniscient.[/color]
And so humble too.[/i]

To the young man still standing there gawping, he made a shooing motion. “Go on, what are you waiting for?”
“T-the Princesses are going to be there?” the boy blushed as he asked.
Internally Aness sighed. “Yes, they are, and they need a suitable guard.” Seeing the boy’s face light with hope he realized what he could say. “And I’ll put your name in, if you hurry to find other people.”
The boy beamed up at him. “Of course, Lord Aness! My name’s Alik, Aliksandyr Fleetwind.” He ran off, out to the square of the palace and probably off into the marketplaces.
Aness shook his head at the boy’s energy. 

[i]Are you sure this is a good idea?
[color=bc8dbf]Of course it is. I just wish you wouldn’t encourage Fleetwind any more than you already are. Ellyna’s betrothed and Aelia’s only just two; she’s hardly old enough to be looking for a mate![/color]
Just call it an incentive. Where are you three, anyway?
[color=bc8dbf]Five, and look behind you.[/color][/i]
Aness turned to face the royal congregation behind him: His sister Elissa and her husband Albus, Ellyna and her fiancé, and Aelia. All were dressed in the trappings of royalty, looking magnificent in their purple tunics and dresses.

“Sir, I rounded up some people.” Alik had come back already with a sizeable group. He proceeded to name them all. The group included Eris, which Aness was less than happy about, but having a sizeable delegation was more important than anything. Alik carefully maneuvered himself into a spot walking right beside Aelia, only to blush and fall back as she turned and flashed a smile at him.
“Children, behave!” Elissa snapped, and instantly Aelia was contrite and complacent again, only risking another smile at the young guard. And then they arrived out in the square, the square packed with pretty much every Deminutii that lived on Aura.
“How many people did you find, Alik?”
“Well, most of them were curious. And they all want to see whatever this… thing is.”
“You told EVERYONE?!”
“Yes.” He didn’t even look ashamed.
Rather than deal with it and compound the sudden headache, Aness just shook his head. “Everyone stay here in an orderly fashion; we’ll let whatever is out there come to us.” He pushed the dread forming in his stomach down.