Dark Fate, Chapter 245

Chapter 245 – Discussion

It was 15:30 Ceres Time when the call came through. Well, that meant it was only 12:30 EST in Washington DC, where the call was coming from, but time zones were fun like that. Especially when one decided to set your time zone as UTC -2, which was only shared year-round by a few islands in the South Atlantic. Given everything that had happened in the last few days, I had a good guess as to what the call was going to be about.

The screen snapped on, revealing President Taylor Harris sitting in a chair. He wasn’t in the Oval Office, but the view behind him suggested that he was somewhere in the White House. Fair enough, since I was in my personal residence in my palace.

I nodded my head respectfully. Harris had never done anything to warrant my disrespecting him, after all, so there was no reason to purposefully antagonize him. “Hello again, President Harris. I’m assuming you’re calling yourself instead of asking Ambassador Thurston to speak with me because the subject is one you’d rather not speak about widely?”

“Yes, you could say that,” Harris nodded. “Specifically, about the details of Operation Slaughterhouse, and what your ‘privateer’ has been up to.”

“Well, I can tell you that Slaughterhouse was a complete success. The Ceres Royal Navy suffered minor casualties, lost no warships, destroyed several times their number in hulls and tonnage amongst the Incux ships, and eliminated the food supplies on all three cattle worlds. It wouldn’t be a lie to call that an overwhelming success.”

Harris sighed. “How many dead on the planets?”

I shook my head. “That’s the wrong question, Mr. President. The people on those worlds were dead already. They would have been turned into food for the Incux, allowing the bugs to invade, overwhelm, and consume more worlds. Nothing you, I, or anyone in this entire sector of the galaxy could do would have changed the fact that those people were going to be killed. Like I told you the last time we spoke, the only question is whether they would have been consumed by the bugs to further their omnicidal designs, or whether they died quickly, denying their use to the Incux.

“Those billions dead weigh upon you because you are a good person, Mr. President. I, on the other hand, am a villain. I won’t lose sleep over the dead cattle, because I understand that saving them was never in the cards to begin with. I will not weep for billions dead to save trillions, especially when I do not know any of them. I could play pretend, of course, but that would just be a cynical performance, and would not fool anyone.”

I paused, and then said, “However, Operation Slaughterhouse has already caused a shift in Incux tactics. They launched a desperate attack on the Dauth system, hoping to capture the agricultural worlds there. Their tactics lacked even their normal levels of finesse, consisting of all the ships driving straight ahead in an attempt to literally crash through Commonwealth defenses to that the hiveships could reach the ground. The entire Incux fleet was destroyed, with none of the hiveships accomplishing their mission. Commonwealth Navy casualties were high, but not as high as they ought to have been, given the numbers involved.”

Harris frowned, working through what I’d told him. “So, the operation worked, then. The Incux aren’t idiots, according to all reports. At least, not when they’re in large enough groups. Which means that they did it deliberately. They sacrificed a fleet, knowing that either they would take the worlds, and be able to replace the losses, or the fleet would be destroyed, and they would be able to stretch their remaining food longer.”

“Pretty much,” I agreed. “Though I doubt that they are completely out of food. Those three worlds we attacked were just the ones that Commonwealth Naval Intelligence was able to find. The Incux likely has others, further into their territory, but the impact was enough that they are likely overextended, and cannot support offensive operations. Probably won’t be for some time. Like I said, we killed billions, but the tide of the war has changed, and trillions of people now have an actual hope of victory.”

“I hate that you’re right, and that killing all those people was the best choice.”

“Like I said, Mr. President, that is because you are a good man, and I am a villain. Good men are who you want to be leading in good times, and dealing with other good people. The world would be a much better place if everyone was like that. However, when times turn tough, the good man will struggle with what must be done. The things that make them a good person mean that they cannot stomach some of the things that may be required to preserve what they hold dear.

“It is the same as I said after my visit to the Middle East. Good men wrung their hands, and tried to solve the issues that bad men caused and indifferent men allowed to go on for too long by appealing to reason, to the better nature of men, but the bad men simply made a show of compromise before continuing on with what they had been doing. Because they knew the good man would not actually do what was required to stop them.

“Which is why a villain was needed. Villains are the ones who do what is necessary, regardless of whether it is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Villains see a problem, and they solve it, by whatever means necessary. I will never claim to be a hero, or even a good person. But I am the necessary evil, doing what must be done.”

“You really believe that, don’t you?” Harris said, shaking his head. “You really believe that someone has to be the monster, so it might as well be you.”

“Yes. But I was a monster before I accepted this and decided on my course. The first timeline, I was Lesser Angel before I was transformed into the Black Knight, an embodiment of martial might, and I led one of the scattered warbands in throwing out the alien invaders. And that meant butchering my way through a lot of people. I was, perhaps, too caught up in the fighting, which is why people I trusted were able to stab me in the back so effectively.”

“You’re talking about Congresswoman Meadows from New York, right? Who posts on some forums as White_Queen?”

“Yes, but back then, she was just Jessica. This time, well, she’s still a High Human Radiant Sorceress and Enchantress. She spent her boons on a Tier 2 race and class, last time, and I’m sure she’s done the same this time. When she finally breaks through to Tier 2, she’ll likely either skip the race and class upgrades, meaning she’ll get more specialized and powerful skills for those two, or she’ll get ‘side-grades’ into slightly more powerful versions, depending on what she’s done since then. And the Tier 2 version of her Enchantress profession is likely to be a rare one, since she has actual authority, now.

“Beyond that? I’m sure if you got someone with the skills necessary to get around [False Appraisal] spells or items, and had them throw an [Appraise] that way, you would find that the Black Knight at her side is named James Masters, and his race has been subsumed into that singular role, making him a unique being, with a soul reforged into that of a steadfast warrior. And I would be even more surprised if the collar he’s wearing in the pictures wasn’t a [Slave Collar].”

Harris stiffened visibly. “Slavery under the new laws can only be done voluntarily, or through judicial mandate. And I know she hasn’t gotten any kind of court ruling for that.”

“Yes, well, from what I know of James, he likely wasn’t willing, either. Oh, and I did just a bit of checking. Did you know that she’s living in the former president’s property, with his family? And the former Mayor of New York is a frequent visitor? That’s how she got the money to start her campaign, you know, as well as residency in the state, since she was living in Atlanta before the Initialization. From what checking my people have done, it is remarkable how the whole family and some of their important friends all are either wearing collars, or keep their necks covered with high-necked sweaters or shirts. Almost like they’re hiding something.”

“That… is potentially damning information, if true. Especially since I know for a fact that none of those individuals have had court cases since the new laws went into effect. If they are wearing [Slave Collars], then that means a sitting congresswoman is blatantly flouting the law!”

“Oh, not blatantly. The individuals all likely have items to cover normal [Appraise] results, so she’s at least trying to hide it. But, yes, I would not be surprised if she’s been illegally enslaving people, as well as plundering those individuals’ fortunes for her own benefit. Other than James, she hasn’t targeted anyone poor, after all. But then, her abilities to just brainwash people using her Enchantress skills and some of the spells from [Light Magic] would take care of most normal people she met. Especially in person.”

“This is worse than what your pheromones did. At least that was just a passive thing, and part of your race. This? This is actively stripping people of their free will!”

“Yes, and I, monster though I am, at least pointed out the effect, so that you knew what was happening, and could properly master your reactions. If I was more like the White Queen, well, our meeting would have become far more carnal in nature, regardless of what your mind says. I wouldn’t be surprised if several of her colleagues have been manipulated into providing blackmail material she can use against them, as well.”

“And you’re telling me all of this from the goodness of your heart? Or because of your shared history with her?”

I chuckled at that. “A little of column A, a little of column B, with a dash of column C, as well.”

“Column C?”

“For Chaos. Yes, I’m telling you all this because you’re a decent person, and you’re better as an ally than an enemy. You’ve also never done anything against me or mine, and always treated Ceres with respect, which puts you above some other world leaders, like the one who lost their Trial by Combat just recently here on Ceres.

“At the same time, I absolutely don’t mind taking any opportunity I can to get a bit of petty, or not so petty, revenge against Meadows. I do not forgive people who literally stab me in the back with a cursed blade. Since she’s still breathing, that account is still open. One day, I’ll settle up, but for the Emperor of the Ceresan Empire to directly target a sitting US Congresswoman for personal reasons not only goes against several of my long-term goals, it also sets a terrible precedent that might be used against me sometime, which I’m not a fan of. However, dropping information in certain ears, and letting them choose to investigate, or not, is not a direct attack, especially if there is nothing there to find.

“And then, chaos. I’m sure you’ve seen it by now that the structures of the Empire are designed that the Empire’s stability comes from having a more flexible and adaptable system than other countries. A bit of chaos is good for systems, because it churns fresh ideas, and new perspectives, meaning that you don’t have governments calcifying in real time, becoming too stiff and rigid to actually do anything, leading to a total collapse.

“Or, to put it another way, it is like the suspension on any car. Used to be, cars and wagons didn’t have suspension, they had rigid axles attached to the frame, and you felt every last bump in the road, and increased the wear on the parts. Eventually, someone decided that adding springs made it so that you had a more comfortable ride, and you didn’t need to worry about breaking an axle or wheel as often when you went through a rut or hit a pothole.”

“In other words, you’re stirring shit because it might hurt your enemies or at least prove entertaining.”

“And see, this is why I like dealing with intelligent people, Mr. President.”