Far Beyond The Empire.

Slave :

Is something amiss, Emperor? 

The Emperor :

Not at all. 

Everything is Unfolding 

as I’d Hoped. 

Slave :

You and Captain Burnham 

have come quite a long way 

over these last months. 

You must be pleased. 

The Emperor :

I’d only ever wished 

to Rule with Her. 

And now I shall. 

You will remain with me 

rather than return to Her Service. 

I am afraid that will not be possible, Emperor, in the end. 

I regret that I will not remain 

here with you. 

Vahar’ai is coming for me. 

The Emperor :

Who told you that? 

Slave :

I feel it. 

It would do me 

The Greatest Honor 

if you would be the one to cull me. 

The Emperor :

I Will Do No Such Thing. 

Slave :

I apologize for overstepping. 

I-I never should have… 

The Emperor :

Vahar’ai… 

…is not an End. 

Slave :

Emperor? 

The Emperor :

When The Madness comes, 

lock yourself away. 

In a few days’ time, 

You Will Still Be Alive, 

and You Will Be Changed Forever. 

Slave :

But that is merely a fable. 

The Emperor :

I have witnessed it myself. 

Slave :

H-How…. how is that possible? 

The Emperor :

I knew a Kelpien once, 

in Another Time, Another Place. 

His Name was Saru. 

He Survived Vahar’ai, 

and it made him stronger. 

He was A Captain of a Starship. 

Slave :

….You must have travelled far Beyond The Empire. 

You are placing a great deal 

of Trust in me. 

The Emperor :

My Corpse would already 

be eaten to bones 

if I could not accurately judge 

between Loyalty and Flattery. 

Your Regret was genuine 

when you thought 

You were leaving Me here, 

as was Your Pain 

when Your Comrade fell. 

Slave :

He… He would have li…? 

My Sister, My Family, 

they would all still be… 

The Emperor :

Survive. 

That is how you Honor Them. 

Teach others What You Know. 

That is how you Avenge Them. 

Slave :

You are not Terran. 

The Emperor :

Of course I am. 

Slave :

The Way You Speak… 

The Emperor :

Enough. 

Slave :

Please, return to where you are from, Emperor. 

Should you fail to do 

What is Expected of You, 

They will KILL You. 

The Emperor :

This is My Home. 

Now and Forever. 

And I Will MAKE it 

What it Needs to Be.. 

That is How I Will Survive. 

Do you understand? 

Slave :

I-I believe so, Emperor. 

The Emperor :

Leave Me to My Bath.