Ratandeep began preparing for the day's court session. As he was getting ready, a young girl's voice came from outside the room. "Your Majesty, the court will begin in one hour. It is requested that you attend."
Inwardly, Ratandeep smiled bitterly. What use is my presence there? he thought. I am only a king in name. The decisions will be taken by Ranjit. Still, he replied calmly, "Alright. I will be ready and reach the court within one hour."
He continued dressing and making himself presentable. Once ready, he stepped out of his chambers and began walking toward the court hall. Outside his room stood two guards, who immediately fell into step beside him. They were his bodyguards. One of them had been placed there by his uncle Ranjit Ratandeep knew this clearly, yet there was nothing he could do about it. The other appeared to be somewhat loyal to him, though Ratandeep was not fully certain.
As he moved through the corridors toward the court, the surroundings struck him deeply. Everything felt ancient no electricity, no modern conveniences, only stone, wood, and silence broken by footsteps. The sights triggered a strange sense of déjà vu, reminding him once again that he was truly living in another era, far removed from the world he once knew.
As Ratandeep reached the court hall, he found the ministers already seated, along with his uncle Ranjit Singh. For a brief moment, he noted that everyone rose in his presence. Involuntarily, he thought that at least they were showing some respect even if it was only a display and not genuine. Still, the fact that protocol was being followed meant he was safe for now.
"Thank you, my ministers, for assembling here," Ratandeep said calmly. "We may proceed with today's session."
As the discussions began, various matters of administration and governance were presented by the ministers. It quickly became clear to Ratandeep that most of them were aligned with his uncle. A few, however, appeared to be inclined toward him, but they remained silent, restrained by their lack of real power. As the session progressed and Ranjit began issuing directives as if they were his own decrees, the reality became undeniable Ratandeep held no authority in this court. The realization was unsettling and dangerous.
Perhaps his weakness made him useful as a temporary puppet, which was why his uncle had not yet moved against him. But Ratandeep could see the future clearly.
Within a year or two, once he produced an heir, he would likely be eliminated, and his child placed on the throne as another figurehead. When the time was right, Ranjit would then claim the throne outright. It was evident that Ranjit was not someone who could be confronted openly. Any move against him would have to be subtle and carefully concealed, lest his uncle act prematurely.
Yet the question remained what could he do? Even as this thought weighed on him, the court continued its discussions. Matters of Maratha expansion were raised, along with the recurring border skirmishes caused by Pashtun movements in the east. The British East India Company's attempts at diplomacy were also mentioned, though these efforts remained constrained by Mughal authority. The court debated these issues at length, circling around them without resolution. A few minor decisions were made, but the major ones as expected were ultimately taken by Ranjit himself.
As the court session came to an end, everyone rose from their seats and bowed toward Ratandeep. He took his leave quietly, knowing there was nothing he could achieve there. His presence in court served only to fulfill his role as a ceremonial figurehead, a king in name alone.
He returned to his chambers, had his lunch, and began thinking about future events. These events might not unfold exactly as he remembered, given that this was a parallel world, but since the broader structure of history appeared to remain the same, many developments would likely fall into place sooner or later.
He knew that the present year was 1790, and that by 1805 Mughal authority would be decisively broken by the British, marking the beginning of their rapid rise. Even now, the British had already achieved significant technological advances that gave them a decisive edge. Their infantry was increasingly equipped with standardized flintlock muskets, such as improved versions of the Brown Bess, which offered better reliability and faster reload times compared to traditional Indian firearms. Their artillery had advanced considerably, with lighter, more mobile cannons that could be repositioned quickly on the battlefield, supported by improved metallurgy and standardized ammunition.
Beyond weapons, their logistical superiority was even more dangerous. The British had developed disciplined drill systems, formal officer training, and centralized command structures that allowed smaller forces to defeat larger armies. Innovations in naval engineering had produced stronger ships with improved cannons, enabling them to control sea routes and sustain long-distance supply lines. The early foundations of steam power were also being laid steam engines were already in use in Britain for mining and manufacturing, accelerating industrial output and enabling mass production of weapons, uniforms, and equipment.
Ratandeep understood that these technologies, combined with organization and economic strength, were what would eventually allow the British to dominate the subcontinent. Against such forces, traditional armies relying on valor alone would not stand a chance. If steam power continued to evolve, it would soon transform not just warfare, but administration, transport, and the balance of power itself.
While he was lost in contemplation, Ratandeep suddenly felt something within him reach completion. He could not clearly define it, but the sensation was unmistakable like a loading bar in a game finally filling to the end. Something inside him has reached a threshold.
Almost immediately, fragments of understanding began to surface. He did not know whether they originated from neural echoes, residual instincts, or the completion of that unknown internal process, but information was forming slowly, clearly. As realization struck him, his expression changed rapidly. Shock, disbelief, excitement, and joy surfaced one after another.
What he had inherited was a weakened downgraded version of the power possessed by the alien organism that had perished with him. Unlike the original entity, which could infect countless beings simultaneously and annihilate entire crews, Ratandeep's ability was severely limited. He could infect only one person per day. However, once infected, that person would become his clone.
More importantly, the ability did not end there. As the number of clones increased, Ratandeep's cognitive capacity would grow exponentially. It was not a simple addition. If he alone possessed the mental capacity of a second-grade student, then after creating a single clone, his collective intelligence would rise to the level of a third-grade student. With each additional clone, his analytical ability, memory, and research potential would expand dramatically.
All clones shared knowledge seamlessly. What one learned, all would know. Skills, observations, and understanding propagated instantly across the collective. It was not merely replication it was a distributed intelligence.