"Is everything alright?" Lorelie asked as she noticed Rowena entering the mess hall again while obviously in deep thought.
"What? Oh yes, yes," Rowena replied as she took a moment to realise where she was before speaking again.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought as I just got told something very important. Lorelie, can you holocall Becky for me?"
"Oh, let me, let me," Tephe said in excitement as she started playing with her uniband.
"Why do you want to talk with that succuba bitch?" Stacey asked in an irritated tone.
"Ignore her, she's just trying to come to terms with the fact that Becky helped her and now she needs to like her more," Lorelie said with a smirk.
"I am not," Stacey retorted.
"But seriously, why do you want to speak with Becky?" Lorelie asked as she ignored Stacey's retort.
"You will find out in a moment," Rowena replied as she looked at Tephe and asked, "Tephe?"
"Calling now," Tephe replied, and a few seconds later, the large holographic screen on the wall doubled in size as the new section showed Becky's beautiful face.
However, unlike her normal happy face, this one was laced with worry as she could be seen frowning as she said, "Hey Tephe, I'm a bit busy right now, mind if I call you back?"
"Becky, is Tessa there with you?" Rowena asked before Tephe could respond.
"Diva Rowena?" Becky responded in surprise before saying, "Yes, she's here with the Imperial Down's Captain Ororis and the head of the Phoenix fleet we were assigned to escort Admiral Solaris."
"You're escorting the Phoenix fleet?" Tephe asked with interest.
"Later, Tephe dear, we have more important matters to discuss," Rowena said in an authoritative voice that only Stacey had ever heard her use, making them all surprised before she continued.
"Please have Tessa join the conversation and Captain Ororis as well, since it pertains to your race's future."
"My race's future?" Becky asked in surprise before nodding and saying, "Right, wait one second."
The group in the mess hall watched as they saw Becky turned away from the holographic screen and started to walk before they heard her speak.
"Tessa, Diva Rowena is on the holocall for you. She says it's important as it pertains to our race's future; she wants you to listen in too, Captain."
"Diva Rowena?" Andrea's voice said in surprise.
"Our race's future?" Tessa's voice said in a serious tone.
"Would you like me to leave?" Solaris asked.
"Let me check with Diva Rowena first," Andrea's voice replied before she said, "Becky, put the call up on the console.
A few seconds later, the group in the mess hall saw the group of women who were obviously in the captain's office on the Imperial Down.
"Diva Rowena, what can we help you with? You told Becky it has something to do with our race? Also, is Admiral Solaris allowed to hear this, as she has been of great support to us recently?"
"This information pertains to your race, so it is up to you if you wish her and through her, Empress Revi to learn of it," Rowena replied in her serious tone, making the four women on the Imperial Down frown as they realised how serious this was.
"Then please go ahead," Andrea stated.
"I have just come off a call with Oracle Andromeda," Rowena said as she began with a bombshell that made all the women on both ships go silent for a moment.
Everyone present knew who Oracle Andromeda was and the importance and meaning of the words, 'I have just come off a call with Oracle Andromeda.'
The only time most people who were not Andromeda's friends or family got to speak with her was when it involved a prophecy.
"Did she foretell a prophecy about our race? If so, why did she not contact the imperial family directly but instead go through you?" Andrea asked.
"It does not pertain to a prophecy but a vision," Rowena replied before explaining seriously. "Oracle Andromeda witnessed through her vision the assassination of Emperor Daniel and the attempted assassination of Empress Victoria, Crown Prince Steven and Tessa. She also learnt the true meaning behind Terrana Fives' planet-wide power cut."
"What?" Andrea said as the others showed looks of shock, except for Tessa, who showed a mixture of shock at learning this, sadness at the death of her father, and concern that her secret might be revealed.
"What exactly did she see? And what do you mean by true reason?" Andrea asked.
"I can't tell you that, as Oracel Andromeda instructed me not to, she only allowed me to contact you and give a warning because I'm friends with Becky and Tessa."
"What warning?"
"When the Terran Imperial Family makes their public announcement regarding everything that has happened today, make sure they tell the truth. It doesn't have to be the whole truth, but it does need to be the truth?"
"Why? I thought you said there was no prophecy?" Andrea asked.
"There is not. However, if they tell the truth, Oracle Andromeda will publicly corroborate the Terran Imperial Families' version of events."
As she finished speaking, the women both on Spector and in the captain's office on the Imperial Down went slack-jawed.
They understood what Oracle Andromeda corroborating their story meant. It meant that no one in the universe could claim that they were lying about the events that took place because the oracle herself, who was known to always be honest with her prophecies, was saying that they were telling the truth.
"Why? Why would she do this?" Andrea asked in surprise.
"That is something you would have to ask her," Rowena replied.
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"Oracle Andromeda said that? How interesting, I wonder what she saw to be willing to do such a thing," Revi mused after Solaris had reported to her everything that Rowena had just told them.
After the holocall with Rowena ended, Andrea requested that Solaris leave for a time because she needed to contact the imperial family and relay Andromeda's message.
Solaris, of course, accepted this since she needed to report the events to Revi.
"Doesn't Oracle Andromeda often aid the different races? How is this any different?" Solaris asked.
"She does indeed, however, most of the time it is through her prophecies that she aids them. She passes on the prophecy that she has received to the one in question and then offers her opinion on it, as not all prophecies are obvious and can be understood upon first hearing them.
In some rare cases, she will aid races or individuals based on what she has seen in her visions. However, this is rare because, unlike prophecies, which have not happened yet and if necessary can be avoided, visions happen in real time, and therefore by the time she can do anything about it, it's already too late."
"I see," Solaris said while nodding.
"This will certainly aid them in the universal senate, and with the other races, it may, in fact, even allow them to come out better than before the whole pirate base situation."
"What do you mean, empress?" Solaris asked, since politics wasn't really her expertise.
"If Oracle Andromeda did not intervene, the chances are that the enemies of the Terrans in the universal senate would use this opportunity to rally the other races against them and weaken them over time to the point where they might even be able to remove them from the senate altogether.
Now, however, those enemies won't dare make a move against the Terran race for fear of angering Oracle Andromeda, the last thing they want is for the oracle to not reveal any prophecies that adhere to them or their race.
With so few enemies making a move against them, the Terrans will be able to focus on recovery and advancement. It seems my decision to build a closer relationship with the Terrans was the right call."
"I assume we should continue to Terrana Five, then empress?"
"Indeed, I will arrange a replacement ambassador for Ryse and have them travel to Terrana Five before bringing Ryse back to Fenix Nest so that he can hatch in his own home.
In the meantime, you will be the temporary ambassador until the replacement arrives."
"Me?" Solaris asked in shock.
"Yes, you. I know that politics is not your forte, but all those who travelled with Ryse were just his assistants and employees. As the most senior member of the Phoenix race, it is your responsibility to represent our race. Do not worry, however, as I will make sure to always be available should you need me." Revi stated before ending the holocall.
As she leaned back in her chair, she couldn't help but smile and say, "Thank you, Tephe. If you hadn't told me about your time on Terrana Five and the friends you made there, then I never would have considered forming closer ties with a race the Solarians are known to dislike.
It is strange, however, that Princess Liluth, who everyone says hates Terrans, has never publicly stated that."