The guards walked down the corridor, the symbol of the council on their chest, they walked with an iron hoop held aloft, the symbol of an execution on alavile.
Everyone that passed booed and threw things at them, they ignored them, they were emotionless and cold.
As they walked through the stockades, the guards glared and the prisoners watched, afraid that they were the next to have their head roll.
But they walked on, reaching the deepest parts where the traitors and murderers kept, but stopped when they saw the human that everyone talked about "remove yourself from our sight filth, this is council business"
In response, he nodded and from the once thought locked cells burst fifty guards, quickly subduing the executioners and tying them up "right, for this too work, we need to move quick" the guards took the uniforms and gaged "god, they stink!" one said "what do they bathe in? raw sewerage" "oh, by the moons, I can't stand it!" The smell was so horrible that everyone, even Lexan, who was used to unsavory scents, was gaging.
Eventually the scent disappeared, and the guards were gingerly putting the armor on "let's get going" Lexan said.
***
The crowd was assembled, and the council members, all six of them, were gathered. The leader addressed the crowd "people of capital! today we are gathered to witness the death of a thief" the crowd booed and shouted insults "it was an apple!" "you monsters!" "burn in hell!"
"SILENCE!" the council member bellowed "the law stands! we will not set these aside for no one! young or old!" He turned and bellowed "bring him in!" the small boy shook with tears in his eyes, his hair was golden and soft looking, his eyes, oddly for an alavilean, were brown instead of blue.
The council member pointed and yelled "thief! you are sentenced to death for taking another's belongings without consent, for this your death is nigh!" the crowd was working itself into a frenzy, screaming insults and trying to free the child.
Suddenly, they heard something that scared even the council members, the king leant forward when he heard it, he noticed the guards moving in.
What they heard was laughter....
And it was coming from the child!
Everyone watched as light enveloped the boy and then....there stood the king!
"Ladies and gentlemen! that man sitting on my throne is an imposter! he steals my life and my family for the councils own greed!" there was muttering, the king, or rather the imposter, stood and growled "prove it!" "look upon his left finger! there you will see the signet ring of alavile, you will also see the same ring on my finger"
They nodded and waited "what you know also is that the visual manipulators are simply mirrors of pre-recorded images, so, if I can remove my ring, can that man there do so?" the man paled and tried to run but the guards had moved to positions that made escape impossible.
"And you! you filthy swine, for high treason and potential child murder, I sentence you to banishment upon the moon of disgrace! as all of you will be!" the council members gasped and the leader hissed "this is treason! We are the high council!" "you lost that title when you tried to usurp my throne! guards, take them away and let them rot upon that desolate moon!"
***
That night, on lexan's ship, the young boy hugged his knees waiting, Lexan sipped on a cup of chub Berry whiskey, while berries mainly make wine, chub berries were so thick when pulped that they made a powerful spirit with a fruity flavor.
While Lexan watched him, he could see how sad he was, no home or family was a powerful tool for doubt and fear, and only the truly strong can fight it, while the strongest win "you shouldn't worry kid" Lexan said after a big gulp of the whiskey "how can I not? I'm a fugitive now, if your plan doesn't work, how can I ever show my face again knowing it was me who got the king killed?"
He looked close to tears, but Lexan had to roll his eyes and say "one, the king will be fine, he's got a strong neck, and two? my plans ALWAYS work" he smiled at the watery chuckle.
The door to his ship opened and in came linn, the queen and king, they looked at the boy who was wiping his eyes "hello Jonson" the king said smiling, the boy stood and hugged him, the king chuckled and rubbed his head, however, Lexan held his gun up and said "all of you, take your rings off! now" the king sighed and did so, he nodded and the others followed suit "sorry, had to check" "indeed you did" the king said nodding "now I have some news for you all"
They looked at him, and noticed how troubled his eyes were "I have a feeling that the council were not acting under their own desires....." the queen sat down on a chair and asked "how so?" "take a look at them, all of them hideously malformed? visual manipulators that are near perfect and don't have a time limit, and all of them seemed to act as a group instead of an individual" "you aren't......seriously suggesting that this is the....work of that monster!" the queen asked shocked, and worried.
"That is exactly what I am thinking" the king said grimly "um, sorry and all, but I think you've gone about seven steps ahead of the rest of us" Lexan said confused while the other two nodded.
The king rubbed the back of his head and said "do either of you remember the bout of solar plague going around?" Lexan frowned and said "yeah, but the people eventually got cured right?" "they did, and the rest was forgotten, but what you don't know is that plague wasn't natural, it was synthetically manufactured"
The younger people's jaw dropped and linn asked "who made it? and did you catch him?" "No, but the person who made it is neither man or woman.....it just exists, we managed to wage a silent war against the fiend while the scientists worked day and night on a cure......"
Jonson spoke "but, there's gotta be something else right?" "You are quite correct Jonson, the plague was unfinished by the time we attacked, but given the time, it could make it perfect, and we would be doomed......that is why I'm asking you, Lexan, to be our eyes and ears in space, let us know if something comes up, and we'll send help to that planet"
Lexan nodded and went to stand, but linns voice cut in "which is all very good, but I believe you have a promise to keep Lexan" she was smiling, looking at him warmly, and his eyes went wide as the queen chuckled "yes, he does" "what? the king asked, confused "he promised to marry me!"
***
The alavile people were buzzing with anticipation, all the rumors were true! the Terren Lexan and their very own princess would be man and wife, the preparations had started months ago, and would be held on the day when the blue moon would be closest, the reason for this would be that the blue moon was royal, and symbolized the act of marriage.
Lexan stood on the balcony, staring at the stars and the approaching blue moon.....he was worried, he knew linn would want to come with him, to remind him he was married, which he didn't need to, he loved her with all his heart and would always love her.
No, what he was worried about were two things, her reputation, and her safety. her reputation for marrying a Terren who also happened to be a smuggler and solar pirate, and her safety for the same reason, he heard footsteps and turned to see the king.
He looked jolly and happy, like Father Christmas, only with a short black beard and pepper and salt shaded hair. he saw him and beamed "here he is! the future prince" he laughed and joined him, Lexan chuckled, the king had had a lot to drink, and he was always a happy drunk.
But seeing his future sons face worried, he became worried, his mind clearing "what's the matter my boy? don't tell me your getting cold feet, to use the Terren term" "no, it's not that at all!" the king heaved a sigh of relief and asked "then what had gotten you so upset that you would forsake the warmth of friends and your future wife?" "I'm worried what would happen, would the people still love her? or will the forsake her because of my profession?"
The king nodded "there's more isn't there?" "yes, I'm also worried about her safety, what if rivals attack, what if police capture us? What if-" "what if you stop worrying" the king said, noticing how he was working himself into a frenzy "my daughter is a high princess of one of the strongest Terren alliances in all the galaxy, add to that that you haven't been caught once makes it very unlikely that your going to be caught by police"
He paused here to sip his drink "as for the rivals? well, blow them up, I've seen that ship in a dog fight, remember? space pirates attacked our ship? you swooping in and taking them out with ease?" here Lexan laughed and scratched his nose, his way of showing modesty.
"I'm sure my people will love her all the same, and remember, in the words of a great writer from a long time ago 'those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind" he smiled and held out his hand "thanks.....dad" the king accepted and together, they walked back inside.