While Keyne and Aun are squabbling, Photon and Pochini are lured away, so that they will be destroyed by Lashara who is unwittingly wearing bracelets set to explode--but Photon saves her. Keyne finds a recorded message from her grandfather, which reveals that it was the Galactic Emperor who tried to corrupt his plans to use Aho energy for peaceful purposes. Keyne and Aun are captured by Papacha, with the help of Bulan--Aun is imprisoned within some sort of two-dimensional image. Papacha explains his scheme to become the master of Aho energy and "King of the Universe" to them in a patronizing manner, then taunts them because their precious Photon hasn't shown up to save them. He bad-mouthes Princess Lashara for failing to kill Photon--but she's standing right behind him. Because Papacha made the Princess cry, Photon is angry and is about to punish Papacha when he is hit from behind by Bulan. Bulan explains that she has in fact been manipulating Papacha and everyone else into doing her bidding. The Galactic Emperor (who Papacha thought he had assasinated) appears, and reveals that he faked his own death. Also, he declares that not only is Lashara not his true daughter, but even her love for Papacha was fabricated by him. He sees this all as a sort of play which he has been composing to relieve the boredom he feels as Emperor. But he, too, has made the Princess cry... |