Prologue

“My name is Chloe and I am 13 going on 14 soon. I live at home with my folks and my brother Chuck. I have to go to the ceremony where the leaders of Earth sign a document to join our Duchy which is part of the Empire of Cassius.

“My Grandpa came from here a few years ago and was an old fart. I am not being rude he said it I didn’t. Anyhows he was pretty ancient and on his last legs after some heart attacks. Grandma bumped herself off after she found she had dementia. There was a policeman who was a horrible, smelly guy who tried to blame Grandpa. He put Grandpa in jail and got him beaten up.

“Luckily an AI called Stan came from the Empire and took Grandpa away. Grandpa is an amazing person. He went off in a battleship, fought pirates and then fought a religious priest dude who was poisoning everyone in the Empire. He was a nasty guy even worse than some of these priests here, though even here they seem to be up to no good.

“Women really like Grandpa. He was eighty when he left but now even though he is old lots of people are older, like a million years old. Grampa looks like he is middle aged; about twenty five or thirty. Thirty is pretty old in my view but it is not ancient like he was. He has tons of wives and zillions of children. He has been in the Empire of uncle Cassius and aunt Alana, but always fights in a lot of wars lately. He is busy fighting a war in another Universe. That blew my brain, another universe! Earth wants to become part of the Empire of Cassius through our house Kargo because they are scared and want our help. Grampa says house Kargo is second only to the house of Cassius. Grampa said the houses have Lords and Ladies who are sidekicks of the Empire. My great uncle Cassius is Emperor and he is a real nice guy. His wife Alana is the brains there, Cassius say and she is a chief honcho at the university and also tells uncle Cassius what to do in the Empire. Aunt Alana is very nice but can be very bossy. Uncle Cassius gave me a lecture on good judgement and how important it is. He says aunt Alana has good judgement in spades, and he relies on her a lot.

Lots of horrible critters and slimy underwater things tried to invade us or take people. Grandpa and his people saved us from them, but some aliens still here and are hiding and haven’t been found.

Earth is going to join our house as I said, and worse luck, I have to go to the boring ceremony. All these old fuddy-duddies are going to sign some documents.

“Grandpa also hates ceremonies. Grandpa has to miss it because he is fighting a war. Mum said I have to go and said I can invite a friend.

“I want to invite this guy from school to come along with me. I am a bit nervous. I suppose I had better begin the story.”

***

“Harry what would you like on your sandwich?” I asked.

“I don’t care, just put on anything, I am really hungry. Just make it thick. If you got strong mustard put it on the meat please.”

I carefully sliced the white sourdough loaf, put on some butter and then placed six slices of ham followed by tomato, lettuce and a thick layer of hot English mustard on the other slice of bread. I removed a dill pickle from the jar and sliced it putting it on top of the lettuce before I closed the bread and sliced the sandwich diagonally. I did the same on another slice of bread for myself. I like hot food and Thai is my favorite. I really like this mustard. It has some horseradish in it and chilli. I handed Harry his sandwich on a small plate.

“What I wanted to ask you, Harry is; will you come to New York with me and my family to the ceremony where the leaders are going to sign the document for Earth to be part of my Grandpa’s empire.”

“Is it going to be boring?” Harry asked.

That is the question I dreaded. Harry says school is boring and was caught sleeping in our class at least twice last year.

“It’s ... I think, going to be pretty boring. My mother says that we can miss nearly all of it except for the final signing of documents. She says it will be a great experience. I hoped Grandpa would be able to come along, but he is busy fighting a war in the universe Bekta Delta.”

“Who is he fighting?”

“My mother said he led a surgical strike to kill the Ghoul queen and he is now after those jellyfish/slug beasties. They are real nasties. He found another two women who my mother’s sure will also become Empresses. The one is the Ghoul Queen and her name is Ixal and the other one is from some strange people who lived in another dimension, called the Zaos. They look hideous. Mum says the Zaos can argue the hind leg off a goat and are a prickly people. She also said they would argue the hind leg off a donkey for the sake of arguement even if they didn’t want to eat it. They are difficult for the sake of it.”

“Those jellyfish/slugs were the people along with the Dhoom who came to invade Earth and took people away from Nigeria?” Harry asked laconically.

“Yes, both of them. Grandpa told my mother the allies have almost conquered the last of the Dhoom in the Dhoom galaxy which is nearer the center of our universe than we are. He doesn’t want them to be able to attack us again.”

“Why does your Grandpa stay with that arguing woman?”

“Mum, says she is a brilliant tactician, lovely looking and is chasing after Grandpa. She says Grandpa likes brainy women and is too polite to chase her away. Grandpa was always a really cool guy. We used to be with him and my grandma every afternoon. He is great fun and even when he was ancient he did a lot. He was still working when he left for the Empire.

“So, Harry what about it, will you come?”

“I wish I could do something interesting. The only thing I enjoy is sport. I hate boring. Do I have to go?”

“Yes Harry, if I have to suffer so do you. You never know, something interesting; maybe like a terrorist attack could happen!”

***

Lauren rushed in as they sat at the dining room table – “I will be with you guys in two minutes. Dan, where is Chuck? Hi Harry, I didn’t notice you sitting there,” said Lauren, my mom.

Mum is a great organizer and does a lot for Grandpa. She loves doing what she is doing but complains about it as if she doesn’t want to do what she is doing. She also gets help from lots of interesting critters Grandpa met and is now allied with in the war.

“Chuck is at Bird-the-Nerd’s and should be back any minute,” said Dad.

“Give me a minute and I’ll join you and we can eat.”

Chuck ran in. “I hope I haven’t missed dinner, I am starving, what is for dinner? Wait for me I am going to wash my hands.”

Chuck sat at the table and looked at Harry. Harry nodded at him and Chuck smiled happily. Harry is an awesome sportsman and on the football team but is a nice guy. He isn’t up himself. He is even nice to his sister and her friends. That is real unusual. Chuck says Harry is a bit dim, but his sister is a real brain.

Mum sat at the table. Dad (Dan) brought out some of the food and the AI the rest. We helped ourselves.

“Great, I love lasagna,” said Chuck. “Our AI, Harold, cooks all Robert’s best stuff.”

Robert is Grandpa’s chef friend from the Empire and he partners with mum in her food business. He is a real nice guy and cooks scrumptious food. Do you know he has cookers that can cook a roast in 2.3 seconds, 2.293 seconds if you want it rare?

“How are your family Harry?” Mum asked.

“Mum is the same as usual, Dad and Ben are in the Negev doing some secret stuff.”

“Do you miss them?” I asked.

“Yeah, I guess. I speak to them every day. Dad always traveled a lot! Mum doesn’t seem to notice, she is used to them being gone. Anyhow she is always in her laboratory in the basement.”

“How do you spend your time?” Dad asked.

“I play sports, cricket in summer and I swim. I play some tennis all year round and football in winter.”

“What do you do in the evenings, watch TV or read?” Dad asked.

“Nah, I do a bit of homework, speak to dad and my brother when they are around and I play games on the computer,” said Harry.

“What sort of games?” Dad asked.

“I like shooting stuff and army games.”

“Have you done any strategy stuff?” I asked raising my eyebrows. Yes, I admit I was hopeful. I need a future husband who is not as thick as two short planks. I think Harry is clever but he never works and seems to sleep at school a lot. He likes to act all airy-fairy and casual, but I don’t really know him that well.

I have known him and his family for years, they are good friends of mum and dad. Harry doesn’t say much. His sister is as bright as a button and his parents are mega-brains. His brother finished University before he was seventeen.