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(Mostly) On the Hynerian Palace Planet
Rygel’s gambit had worked. The palace planet was unprotected after Bishan split his fleet to protect the two targets that Rygel’s new navy and the two prowlers had attacked. When Rygel’s forces turned their attention to capturing the Dominar’s castle the battle could hardly even be termed as such.
Scorpius had barely finished suggesting a strategic retreat when Rygel, accompanied by loyal members of the Order of the First burst into the throne room. “Lower your weapons,” he told the guards, “or be struck by ours. It matters little to me either way."
“Cousin!” Bishan tone was full of forced cheer. “It’s good to see you! I see you have decided to join me in–”
“Oh, shut up, Bishan!”
“Now see here, Rygel! Your time is long gone! It’s been 130 cycles and the people have forgotten about you! Now, I’m willing to perhaps give you an advisory position, but–”
The blow Rygel struck across his cousin’s face cut him off mid-sentence. “I think even D’Argo would’ve been proud of that one.”
Sensing that things had changed drastically, several of Bishan’s courtiers turned their attention to Rygel. “Dominar Rygel! You have returned to us at last!” “We’ve been waiting so long for you to reclaim the throne, Eminence!” “Honestly, we only pretended to like your cousin. It’s much better to have you–”
“Silence!” Rygel shouted. “You pathetic yotzes, your flattery is unconvincing, untrue, and unwanted. Turralde?”
His general nodded from where he had been working on a broadcast device. “You’re now being seen by the entirety of Hyneria, Your Highness.”
Rygel nodded in return and began to address his former subjects. ”My fellow Hynerians, this is Rygel the Sixteenth, once Dominar of Hyneria. More than 100 cycles ago my cousin Bishan took the throne from me. Today, I took the throne from him. Once, in the days of Rygel the First, Hyneria was strong – mainly because we stood alone. Our empire spawned all of known space. But I know much more of space. The galaxy is too small, now, for us to stand alone. And the devastation that the Scarrans wreaked has shown that we are not the mighty power that we once were. And furthermore, one thing I’ve learned during my time away from you is that leadership is something that is earned by acclamation and by merit. Not by genealogy. So I put it to all of you. If you wish me to retake my throne, I shall do so. But only if the people of Hyneria wish it!”
Moya had picked up the broadcast as well and Rygel’s shipmates were watching and listening.
“He sounds almost humble,” Crichton said. “Didn’t think he had it in him.”
“Neither did I,” Jothee said. “He sounds like a leader, now.”
“Can he act like one?” Chiana asked.
“He already has,” Aeryn pointed out. “This plan was his and it worked.”
“Should…should we go down there?” Stark asked hesitantly. “To see? And make sure…Scorpius is still there. He shouldn’t be.”
“Everybody in the minivan,” Crichton said. “Gotta go cheer for our little Dominar in his big game. Pilot, keep the motor running while we’re down there.”
By the time they all arrived at the palace, Rygel was seated on his throne once more. Scorpius, surrounded by guards, was brought before Rygel. Bishan was nowhere to be seen.
“There is still a great deal of work to be done, Dominar,” Scorpius said in a very calm tone. He was acting as if he was still in command of the situation. “Work that I can advise you on. You’ve been away so long, after all, and–”
“As my first act as newly reinstated Dominar,” Rygel said smoothly, “I order this man to be banished from our borders for the rest of his days.”
A small cheer went up from some of those assembled. Not from the party who had just arrived from Moya. Crichton gritted his teeth, Aeryn shifted Deke’s weight in her arms so her hand was free to hover over her pulse pistol, and Stark let out something like a growl.
“He’s only going to come back,” Stark said, voice low. “He always comes back. What does banishing him do? He’ll be somewhere else. Somewhere someone will listen to him. Someone with more weapons and more sense and he’ll have a new military and then what happens? Then he comes back and it’s more cells and more terrible things over and over. Every time.”
“We’ll make sure someone keeps an eye on him, Astro,” Crichton assured him. “I’ll talk to Sparky. I don’t want him running around anymore than you do.”
“You’re making a mistake, Dominar!” Scorpius protested.
“Hardly,” Rygel sniffed. “I’d say getting rid of you is the most auspicious start to my new reign I could hope for.”
Scorpius was led away, well-guarded. Eventually, most of the others in the throne room left to tend to other tasks.
“Buckwheat, my man, gotta say I’m impressed,” Crichton told him. “Keep up the good work, Dominar. You got plans for what’s next?”
One of the remaining guards, objecting to the tone this man was taking with his Dominar, stepped forward, hand on his weapon. Rygel waved him back. “Crichton is one of my most trusted allies. As for plans…whatever is needed. I have been gone a long time. There is much to be done.”
“You need help?”
“Do you have experience running an empire?” Rygel asked, amused.
“He helped destabilize a couple not that long ago,” Chiana piped up. “That count?” Rygel’s guards looked alarmed, Jothee snorted, Crichton laughed, and Rygel himself gave a little chuckle. Stark still didn’t smile.
“Pretty sure he remembers that, Pip.” The wormhole weapon that ended the war was not something that anyone who witnessed it would ever forget. “But seriously, Ryg, just say the word and I’m here for you.”
“You are all welcome to stay as long as you like,” Rygel said. “If you choose to remain then your counsel will be valued as it always is. However…”
“You don’t need a human poking his nose in?”
“However,” Rygel continued, “perhaps your time will be better spent with your child?”
They all ended up staying on the planet for a few days, watching the festivities and assuring themselves that Rygel was settled in and not in any immediate danger.
Jothee opted to stay a bit longer. His military training might be useful, he thought, and his leave was not yet up.
Noranti was eventually thrown out of the royal kitchens for interfering with too many recipes.
Baby D’Argo was doted on by palace staff (and occasionally by the Dominar himself) during his family’s stay. His parents, when not consulting with the Dominar and other advisors, doted on him themselves.
Stark kept mostly to the room he had been given in the palace. He watched Scorpius sent off in a ship, staring long after the ship was no longer visible. Rygel and his generals assured Stark, and the others, that he would be watched carefully and that they had their ways to ensure he remained gone. Stark wasn’t convinced. This was Scorpius, after all.
Chiana availed herself of all the comforts and conveniences the palace had to offer.
And then, when it was time, they boarded their transport pod and headed back to Moya and Pilot.
[NFB for distance because Hyneria is still really far away. The saddest alien continues to have his phone for the moment. And with that we're done adapting the "The Beginning of the End of the Beginning" comics arc.]
Scorpius had barely finished suggesting a strategic retreat when Rygel, accompanied by loyal members of the Order of the First burst into the throne room. “Lower your weapons,” he told the guards, “or be struck by ours. It matters little to me either way."
“Cousin!” Bishan tone was full of forced cheer. “It’s good to see you! I see you have decided to join me in–”
“Oh, shut up, Bishan!”
“Now see here, Rygel! Your time is long gone! It’s been 130 cycles and the people have forgotten about you! Now, I’m willing to perhaps give you an advisory position, but–”
The blow Rygel struck across his cousin’s face cut him off mid-sentence. “I think even D’Argo would’ve been proud of that one.”
Sensing that things had changed drastically, several of Bishan’s courtiers turned their attention to Rygel. “Dominar Rygel! You have returned to us at last!” “We’ve been waiting so long for you to reclaim the throne, Eminence!” “Honestly, we only pretended to like your cousin. It’s much better to have you–”
“Silence!” Rygel shouted. “You pathetic yotzes, your flattery is unconvincing, untrue, and unwanted. Turralde?”
His general nodded from where he had been working on a broadcast device. “You’re now being seen by the entirety of Hyneria, Your Highness.”
Rygel nodded in return and began to address his former subjects. ”My fellow Hynerians, this is Rygel the Sixteenth, once Dominar of Hyneria. More than 100 cycles ago my cousin Bishan took the throne from me. Today, I took the throne from him. Once, in the days of Rygel the First, Hyneria was strong – mainly because we stood alone. Our empire spawned all of known space. But I know much more of space. The galaxy is too small, now, for us to stand alone. And the devastation that the Scarrans wreaked has shown that we are not the mighty power that we once were. And furthermore, one thing I’ve learned during my time away from you is that leadership is something that is earned by acclamation and by merit. Not by genealogy. So I put it to all of you. If you wish me to retake my throne, I shall do so. But only if the people of Hyneria wish it!”
Moya had picked up the broadcast as well and Rygel’s shipmates were watching and listening.
“He sounds almost humble,” Crichton said. “Didn’t think he had it in him.”
“Neither did I,” Jothee said. “He sounds like a leader, now.”
“Can he act like one?” Chiana asked.
“He already has,” Aeryn pointed out. “This plan was his and it worked.”
“Should…should we go down there?” Stark asked hesitantly. “To see? And make sure…Scorpius is still there. He shouldn’t be.”
“Everybody in the minivan,” Crichton said. “Gotta go cheer for our little Dominar in his big game. Pilot, keep the motor running while we’re down there.”
By the time they all arrived at the palace, Rygel was seated on his throne once more. Scorpius, surrounded by guards, was brought before Rygel. Bishan was nowhere to be seen.
“There is still a great deal of work to be done, Dominar,” Scorpius said in a very calm tone. He was acting as if he was still in command of the situation. “Work that I can advise you on. You’ve been away so long, after all, and–”
“As my first act as newly reinstated Dominar,” Rygel said smoothly, “I order this man to be banished from our borders for the rest of his days.”
A small cheer went up from some of those assembled. Not from the party who had just arrived from Moya. Crichton gritted his teeth, Aeryn shifted Deke’s weight in her arms so her hand was free to hover over her pulse pistol, and Stark let out something like a growl.
“He’s only going to come back,” Stark said, voice low. “He always comes back. What does banishing him do? He’ll be somewhere else. Somewhere someone will listen to him. Someone with more weapons and more sense and he’ll have a new military and then what happens? Then he comes back and it’s more cells and more terrible things over and over. Every time.”
“We’ll make sure someone keeps an eye on him, Astro,” Crichton assured him. “I’ll talk to Sparky. I don’t want him running around anymore than you do.”
“You’re making a mistake, Dominar!” Scorpius protested.
“Hardly,” Rygel sniffed. “I’d say getting rid of you is the most auspicious start to my new reign I could hope for.”
Scorpius was led away, well-guarded. Eventually, most of the others in the throne room left to tend to other tasks.
“Buckwheat, my man, gotta say I’m impressed,” Crichton told him. “Keep up the good work, Dominar. You got plans for what’s next?”
One of the remaining guards, objecting to the tone this man was taking with his Dominar, stepped forward, hand on his weapon. Rygel waved him back. “Crichton is one of my most trusted allies. As for plans…whatever is needed. I have been gone a long time. There is much to be done.”
“You need help?”
“Do you have experience running an empire?” Rygel asked, amused.
“He helped destabilize a couple not that long ago,” Chiana piped up. “That count?” Rygel’s guards looked alarmed, Jothee snorted, Crichton laughed, and Rygel himself gave a little chuckle. Stark still didn’t smile.
“Pretty sure he remembers that, Pip.” The wormhole weapon that ended the war was not something that anyone who witnessed it would ever forget. “But seriously, Ryg, just say the word and I’m here for you.”
“You are all welcome to stay as long as you like,” Rygel said. “If you choose to remain then your counsel will be valued as it always is. However…”
“You don’t need a human poking his nose in?”
“However,” Rygel continued, “perhaps your time will be better spent with your child?”
They all ended up staying on the planet for a few days, watching the festivities and assuring themselves that Rygel was settled in and not in any immediate danger.
Jothee opted to stay a bit longer. His military training might be useful, he thought, and his leave was not yet up.
Noranti was eventually thrown out of the royal kitchens for interfering with too many recipes.
Baby D’Argo was doted on by palace staff (and occasionally by the Dominar himself) during his family’s stay. His parents, when not consulting with the Dominar and other advisors, doted on him themselves.
Stark kept mostly to the room he had been given in the palace. He watched Scorpius sent off in a ship, staring long after the ship was no longer visible. Rygel and his generals assured Stark, and the others, that he would be watched carefully and that they had their ways to ensure he remained gone. Stark wasn’t convinced. This was Scorpius, after all.
Chiana availed herself of all the comforts and conveniences the palace had to offer.
And then, when it was time, they boarded their transport pod and headed back to Moya and Pilot.
[NFB for distance because Hyneria is still really far away. The saddest alien continues to have his phone for the moment. And with that we're done adapting the "The Beginning of the End of the Beginning" comics arc.]