The Evolution

[Myroria]

September 16, 2109
Narcissca Palace, in orbit around Orestes

The 23 year old Empeurer Meneldur Tar-Ilium IV looked down at the planet filling his telescope. The majority of it was land, scarred brown and beige from the nuclear wars between nation after nation. The little blue that was left was boiling away, and would be gone within the month. He was interrupted by a soldier coming in.

"Sir! Sir! You must look at this!"

"What is it?", he was handed a paper.

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE IMPERIAL ARISTOCRATIC SPACE ADMINISTRATION (IASA)

It has come to my attention that the telescopes and numerous probes to the planet I mentioned earlier - currently known as "Pela II", have found something astonishing.

The planet, the first found in the habitable zone and the first to have indication of plant life and oceans, has no intelligent beings and has an atmosphere similar to Taijitu's, but with a slightly higher oxygen content, differing by not even one percent. The first manned mission to Pela II ten years ago, has finally got its findings recieved by our sensors, after a total of seventeen years. The planet has been deemed suitable for life, and last we knew the 40 man crew were building their own town, with a rudimentary palace for you. It has much to be improved, I'm sure, but you will be the first in over 50 years to experience what it is like to not live inside spinning space stations, but instead on terra firma. I would highly recommend you set off to Pela II immediately.

Doctor Jacob Appleberry,
Vice-Director of the Imperial Aristocratic Space Administration.

Meneldur IV smiled. This was the second piece of good news he'd recieved this month, after hearing his wife was pregnant with their first child.

"I suppose I can't argue with the doctor's orders. Soldier, you have temporary Colonel powers, which allows you to execute my orders. You do not have the power to command an army of any kind, so don't think of usurping me because all the real officers know full well what temporary Colonel powers allow you to do.

Soldier, first, go tell my wife to meet me at the telescope dome immediately. Secondly, have the nearest Interstellar Nuclear Propulsion Craft to dock with the Narcissca. Go."


September 20, 2109

"Need help, dear?"

"No, I'm alright, Menny. Ooh, I haven't been weightless in a while."

"Yeah, the habitation modules haven't started to spin yet. I hope you have everything, this trip could take anywhere from eight to ten years."

"I'm all ready, Meneldur."

"Ok, here we go. Soldier! Close the hatch!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Meneldur floated to the flight deck and gave the captain to OK to get going. The hab modules roared to life, and Meneldur climbed back in as the Narcissca Palace, and eventually the beige disc of Orestes, faded into the distance.

 

[Myroria]

There was a clunk as the re-entry pod undocked from the ship. The blue and green of Pela II was a refreshing change of pace from the grey, white, and black throughout the ship they'd been on for nine years and 359 days. It wouldn't stay green and blue for long, though, for a grey soon took over the pod's windows, but this one was of a small city. The city was to be named "Pelagis", on orders of the Empeurer. The Empeuress, Empeurer, and Crown Prince Meneldur V strapped in. For Meneldur V this would be a new experience, and though he was only eight years old, he promised himself to be as brave as possible during the descent.

Soon enough the pod was rocketing through the atmosphere, with the passengers being pushed back in their seats, but the parachute opened after about 2 minutes 30 seconds, and they touched down half a minute later. The airlock opened, and for the first time the Imperial Family had been exposed to real air. It was more refreshing and crisp than that aboard the mothership. Punching their way through the deflated parachute, the Imperial Family waited as a vehicle hovering about 5 feet off the ground picked them up and brought them to their palace.


And what a grand sight it was; the palace was twice the size - and ten times the grandeur - as the modest ship that brought them to the surface. Their belongings they brought with them were moved in, but it was already furnished terrifically. Underground was a doughnut shaped fusion reactor that had a single column of steam rising from about 3 kilometers away, from the cooling shaft.


December 30, 2163

The palace that was once on the outskirts of the city was now absorbed in it, as the mahogany casket of Meneldur IV was placed in a mausoleum at the back of the palace. That same day, the 54 year old Meneldur V took the throne, and his reign would see the exponential growth of the capital city of Pelagis to become the capital world of Pelagis...