The Space Empress He Craved

Chapter 142

POV: Lyra

I coughed profusely after choking on the vegetation compound I was processing when we were told Christian was one of the beings they'd have to investigate for inappropriate conduct.

My choking made Orion's eyes snap wider in worry as he took his communicator from my hand and placed it on the module while rubbing comforting circles on my back, holding a hydration cylinder near me.

"My Empress! Are you alright?!" Weaver's panicked voice came through the line.

After a few more coughs, I took several sips of hydration solution before managing to say, "F-Fine, Sir Weaver. Thank—" Cough. "Thank you. Sorry about that, Lord Yarrington. Please continue."

Weaver spoke before his match could, "My Empress, this is entirely our fault. You shouldn't have to apologize."

Lord Yarrington sounded guilty when he said, "Apologies, my Empress. I didn't mean to startle you."

"No no. I'm fine. Please continue the uh...complaints made against Christian. Who are they?" I insisted as I took sips from the hydration cylinder Orion placed into my hands, prompting me to drink it to clear my respiratory passage.

Yarrington proceeded to explain, "The ten complainants are all Kaelari from different stations, my Empress. And the range of complaints goes back ten cycles, one in each cycle. But there's also a possibility that this may be false complaints lodged for...slanderous intentions."

Orion asked, "What makes you say that?"

"Well, my Emperor. There have been three complaints made against Weaver, alleging that, on separate occasions, Weaver coerced the complainants into performing intercourse at a recreation center in the neighboring sector. I checked the times and dates the purported intercourses took place, and I found it can't be true. Weaver and I were together on all three occasions. The first was when we were both at a gender-reveal gathering at my sister's habitat; the second was when we were at the holo-cinema on our anniversary; and the third was the night when Weaver had bio-contamination, and I was by his side all day as he made frequent trips to the cleansing chamber. It couldn't be Weaver."

"Maybe it was just someone who looked like Weaver and the females were confused?" Orion suggested.

Weaver spoke next, "That was what we thought at first too, my Emperor. But we think it's too much of a coincidence that three beings from the collaboration can mistake me for someone else. Your Eminences, we think someone may be trying to...have this swept under the mat. Seeing how close you both are to the High Commander, implanting fake complaints may be a way to defeat the progress of the investigation."

"Well, we can't let that happen." Orion muttered.

I asked, "Are Sir Weaver's complainants Kaelari as well, Lord Yarrington?"

"Yes, my Empress."

"Which stations are they from?"

"Uh...just a moment, my Empress." There were several clicking sounds before Yarrington responded, "Black River, Fleet Woods, and Night Pine."

I scoffed, "Fleet Woods hasn't existed since a Rogue massacre four cycles ago. No one survived. I'll check with the Commanders of Black River and..."

"That's actually a brilliant idea!" Weaver was so excited that he accidentally cut me off. I didn't mind but Orion did. To calm his inner Lyrokan, I stroked his arm as I mouthed, 'It's okay.'

Weaver's enthusiastic voice continued, "We'll just cross-check the complainants' names from every station to see if they exist!"

Yarrington built on his match's efforts, "Yes, I probably should have thought of doing that."

Orion said, "In the meantime, there needs to be a change in who gets involved in this investigation." Everyone was silent as they waited for their Emperor to continue. "I now see why you both suspect whoever made these false complaints either have slanderous intentions or intentions of forcing us to close this matter without following through what we promised our people."

He held my small hand before uttering, "They must have known that the ones involved in this investigation are Christian, you and me, Yarrington. So they accused Weaver to get you off the investigation because of the conspicuous conflict of interest seeing that he's your match. And they lodged complaints against my cousin and second-in-command to remove his right to investigate, and to remove my right because of the conflict of interest I have seeing that he's my confidant."

I stroked his hand to comfort him as he continued, "Since Weaver is in the clear now, he can help you with the investigation, but I'm afraid the High Commander and I have to step aside for now, in the name of fairness and transparency. Yarrington, the reins are yours. Appoint whoever you deem necessary. Find out who's playing with us. They're going to wish they made a complaint against me instead of my best friend."

There was a moment of silence, and Orion had to inhale my scent from my cranial strands [hair] just to cool his radiating anger. I was getting uncomfortable with the ensuing silence so I asked, "Sir Weaver, Lord Yarrington, is that okay?"

"Y-Yes, of course, my Empress." Weaver said.

Yarrington spoke seriously, "We'll look into it and try to get to the bottom of things as soon as possible, Your Eminences. And, my Emperor, for the High Commander's...issue, would you like me to tell him?"

"That won't be necessary, Yarrington. I'll do it." Orion responded immediately.

"Yes, that would be better. Weaver and I will get to it now. Have a good rest period, my Emperor, my Empress." Yarrington said.

"Good rest." Orion and I uttered in unison.

As soon as he disconnected from Yarrington and Weaver, Orion activated his neural link with his cousin, 'Hey, Christian.'

'What's with the ominous tone, cuz? Is the Empress alright?'

'She's fine. This is about the inappropriate conduct complaints.'

'Oh, right! It's been one week already. Okay, where do we start? What do we do?'

'Nothing.'

'What?'

'Yarrington is taking the lead. We both can't be privy to the investigation in any way for now because...ten complaints have been made against you, Christian.'

There was a moment of silence before Christian's angered voice linked back, 'WHAT THE VOID [FUCK]!!!'