DIMENSIONS — The Fragile Peace Breaks
Night had settled over Shan, but the city was still alive—neon lights humming, floating vehicles sweeping through the sky, music and voices echoing across walkways suspended above the streets.Five years under Lu Shan's rule—and Beray's brilliance—had transformed Shan into perhaps the most technologically advanced planet in the entire Universe.
Lu Shan and Beray walked side by side across the palace grounds.Tall neon towers reflected across Lu Shan's cloak. The night breeze carried the distant sound of laughter, engines, holographic broadcasts—it was a planet that never slept.
"Look at all of this…" Lu Shan said, eyes wide with awe.Five years.Five years to modernise the entire planet.Five years to build five thriving new cities.Five years to push Shan into an era no one had ever imagined.
"Sometimes I wonder what Father and Mother would make of all this."
The joy slowly softened into sadness.
Beray exhaled."They would be proud," he said gently. Then smiled. "Though I doubt your father would've liked all these neon lights."
They both laughed at the thought of stern, ancient Lu Ghan wincing at flashing holograms.
But Beray's tone suddenly shifted.
"Lu… you won't believe this. The extremely rare resource—the one we've been searching for for years…"
"Palladium?" Lu Shan asked.
"Correct." Beray's eyes gleamed. "I finally detected an abundance of it on Rukan. It appears my radars were accidentally calibrated incorrectly the first time."
Palladium.The impossible element.So rare that many doubted it even existed.
Beray had sent drones across 17 billion planets—entire galaxies—and yet only one contained Palladium:
Rukan.
Its capabilities were limitless. It could fuel the next thousand years of technology.
Lu Shan felt excitement—but also concern.
"That's incredible… but we must reach a fair agreement with Rukan. They deserve proper compensation."
Beray pushed his glasses up, uneasy.
"That will be difficult. They don't value money… and they refuse most technology. They want to remain natural."
"Then give them whatever they ask," Lu Shan said firmly."And if they refuse—search another galaxy."
Beray frowned.
"I've already searched our whole Crimson Galaxy. If Palladium is elsewhere… it will not be easy to find."
He sighed."But yes, maintaining good relations with Rukan is in our interest. Let's hope they agree."
Suddenly, the palace doors opened.
Marching footsteps.A synchronized rhythm.
Leia entered the courtyard, flanked by her four Elite Red Guards—silent, loyal, intimidating.
"What are you two doing out here? Holding meetings without me?" she asked coldly.
Though Lu Shan was emperor, he still required Leia's presence for major political decisions. In deadlocks, he had final say—but Leia's influence was undeniable.
"Nothing serious," Beray said quickly. "Nothing worth your time."
Leia's eyes narrowed."Lu, I need to speak with you. Alone."
"You can speak freely in front of Beray," Lu Shan replied.
"I said alone." Her tone left no space for debate.
Beray lifted his hands, surrendering."It's fine, Lu. We'll continue later."
With a flicker of light, Beray teleported away.
The four red guards stepped aside, allowing the siblings privacy.
"That was rude, Leia. Beray is practically like a brother to me," Lu Shan said.
"Maybe to you," she replied coldly. "Not to me."
She stepped closer, her voice dropping.
"I am bored, brother. Shan is too quiet. I have no role. No purpose. You've even reduced my warrior training, claiming we no longer need soldiers."
Lu Shan swallowed.He knew where this was going.
"So here's what I propose…" she continued."Let's expand Shan's empire."
Her eyes glowed with ambition.
"With 20% of our forces—and my elite guards—we could conquer any planet in this galaxy. There are 17 billion planets. 256 habitable. Imagine… 256 worlds under Shan's banner."
"I could rule—"
"No." Lu Shan cut her off sharply."We are not expanding. We are not invading. Shan is done with war. Peace is the only future worth protecting."
Leia glared at him—eyes burning with humiliation that her younger brother had silenced her.
She studied him for a long, tense moment.
"As you wish."
Her guards bowed slightly—only slightly—then escorted her away in perfect formation.
Lu Shan stood alone in the neon courtyard… carrying the weight of a world he never wanted to rule.
---
Four Months of Growing Tension
A few days later, Lu Shan and Beray travelled to Rukan to negotiate with Chief Allister Spark, steward of the natural planet and a man who had watched Lu grow up like a nephew.
But extracting Palladium required drilling deep into nature, disrupting landscapes and wildlife. Allister was deeply reluctant.
Negotiations were fierce.Beray pushed.Allister resisted.Lu Shan mediated.
Eventually, a delicate agreement formed:
The Shan–Rukan Pact
Shan would extract only 5% of the Palladium
Rukan citizens received free travel to Shan for 10 years
Shan would invest 5% of its wealth into subtle improvements on Rukan
No major projects would alter Rukan's natural identity
For two months, the planets lived in harmony.
Rukan citizens visited Shan's neon paradise.Shan citizens visited Rukan's peaceful forests.Beray worked tirelessly on Palladium-powered prototypes.
But cracks began to show.
Rukan's landscape was changing.
Too fast.Too drastically.
Massive towers blocked sunlight.Forests were uprooted.Wildlife displaced.
Rukan's people grew angry.
Allister received backlash from all corners of the planet. His stewards protested. Citizens felt betrayed.
He confronted Beray:
"This is not what we agreed to," Allister warned."My people are losing their home."
Beray nodded, trying to reassure him.
"I understand. Palladium extraction is far more difficult than expected. But once we extract the 5%, we will restore everything."
Allister reluctantly agreed. Too many projects were already in motion.
But then—
The wedding massacre.
A couple from Shan chose to marry on Rukan, drawn to its natural beauty.
Bride. Groom. Fifty guests.
All dead.
Poison.
No one knew how.
But Shan blamed Rukan instantly.
Riots.Attacks.Travelers assaulted on both worlds.
Lu Shan and Allister tried to calm their people. Public speeches. Joint appearances.
It helped… but only slightly.
One week later—
Everything shattered.
---
The Final Spark
A full transport ship carrying 5,000 Shan citizens was shot down by Rukan Defense Systems.
There were no survivors.
And in that moment
Peace died.
Trust died.
And a new war was born.
Violence swallowed both planets.
On Shan, Rukan tourists were beaten in the streets.
On Rukan, Shan visitors were chased from villages and towns.
The fragile peace dissolved into fear and hatred.
Lu Shan and Allister Spark convened an emergency meeting a private summit between rulers.
Lu Shan slammed his hand on the table.
"How could something like this happen?" he demanded, the weight of his people's fury behind him.
"The citizens of Shan want bloodshed. I am doing everything I can to stop this war but I need answers."
Allister's voice trembled with frustration and sorrow.
"We don't have answers, Lu. This is your technology. You should have them. Yes, there have been… struggles recently. But we are a peaceful world. We would never break that peace, never become aggressors."
Lu Shan felt torn apart inside.
Allister was like an uncle to him a mentor, an elder, someone who loved him like family.
But Lu Shan was emperor now. He had to show strength.
He called Beray.
"Professor, what caused the attack?"
Beray's response came through the holo-display:
"We ran extensive diagnostics. There was no malfunction. Every system was operating correctly."
Lu Shan's heart sank.
Beray continued:
"And since the defense protocols prohibit attacking a Shan ship… the only possibility is that the system was overridden manually."
A deliberate attack.
Silence suffocated the room.
Neither leader knew how to move forward.
The Shan–Rukan agreement was suspended.
All citizens were ordered to return home.
Travel between the planets froze.
Trade halted.
And then
Leia Shan acted on her own.
With her four Elite Red Guards, she stormed a Rukan village, took hostages, and demanded total surrender of Rukan to Shan rule.
Lu Shan rushed to Rukan the moment he heard.
He found his sister standing atop a hill, hostages kneeling behind her, the red guards poised for battle.
"LEIA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Lu Shan shouted, fury in his voice.
"What must be done," Leia snapped.
"What you are incapable of doing."
"Leia, I command you to free these villagers and leave Rukan immediately!"
"NO."
Leia's voice was sharper than steel.
For the first time, she openly defied him.
"Excuse me, Leia, as your superior I..."
"SHUT UP, LU!"
Her shout echoed across the valley.
"Superior to who?" she sneered. "Why don't you fight me, brother? Prove to me how superior you really are."
Lu Shan clenched his fists, every muscle burning with anger but he knew the truth.
Leia was stronger.
He could not defeat her.
"No, Leia. I won't fight you," he said quietly. "Instead… I strip you of all your authority."
Leia's eyes widened in disbelief.
A long silence fell.
Finally, she spoke soft, wounded, honest.
"If Mum and Dad died one minute later…
none of this would be happening."
Lu Shan froze.
"What are you talking about?"
"The day they died… Father was going to announce me as the heir."
Lu Shan's breath caught in his throat.
"That's a lie," he said, voice shaking. "You're trying to break me."
One of the Elite Red Guards stepped forward.
"She is not lying.
We four served your father directly.
We were present in the chamber before the others arrived.
Your father intended to name Leia his successor."
Lu Shan's jaw trembled. His teeth clenched so tightly they nearly cracked.
His sister continued, voice heavy with bitterness:
"You were never meant to inherit everything, little brother."
She let the words hang like poison in the air.
"But you can have it now. I'm done."
Leia released the hostages. The villagers scattered, terrified but unharmed.
She turned away.
"I'm leaving Shan.
I will find another planet.
I will conquer it.
I will rule as Father did."
She walked toward her ship, the Elite Red Guards following in formation.
Just before entering, she looked over her shoulder with eyes as cold as a dead star.
"And Lu…
if you ever come looking for me…
I will kill you."
Lu Shan's blood froze.
According to their father's laws, threatening the Emperor carried the death penalty.
But no guard dared move.
No soldier would raise a hand to Leia.
No one could.
She returned briefly to Shan to collect necessities.
She stood for a long time overlooking the city where she grew up , her long black, silky hair flowing in the wind. She looks at the training halls, the neon streets, the childhood memories of her parents, even the flashes of her little brother laughing beside her long ago.
Then she turned her back.
Leia Shan and her Elite Red Guards boarded their starship…
and left Shan forever.
The Empire had lost its strongest warrior.
And the galaxy had just gained a new threat.