tales to disavow the bald truth that the universe is nothing but chaos and random chance." He passed the box back to the Ischion and said, "Do you know what that story tells me, General?"
"No."
"It tells me that we are the gods these creatures have all been waiting for. They crave order and it is ours to give. The Sapienist resistance to lowering themselves before lesser creatures is only natural. And if it reminds the subspecies we encounter of our position, then perhaps it is right that they be reminded of it now and again."
Milner watched the President wave the Ischion to light the box again, giving him a moment to suck the smoke deep into his lungs. " What you are saying is in violation of Unification's most basic tenets, sir. We are sworn to the service of other cultures, and what you are saying is meant to either test my commitment," he paused as the President stared at him, looking deeply into him from behind the red light of the flame, and said, "or it is treason."
He was seized immediately by the shoulders and forced to his knees, made to bow in front of the Presiden t's chair. He felt the bladed tip of one of the guard's energy pikes bite under his chin and lift it until he was looking up at the man in front of him.
"Terrorists," the President s mirked. "Soldiers, rebels, freedom fighters, call them what you will. They are the enemies of mankind one day and the heroes of a revolution the next."
"They are not soldiers," Milner grunted, unable to open his mouth clearly for fear of impaling himself on the spiked blade digging into his skin. "They kill women and children. They massacre innocents."
"So do you," the President sneered. "So do I. The only difference is, when we do it, we do it in the name of Unification, just as it has been done in the name of every nation or empire since time began. It is the way of things, General. Surely you know that. How many innocents have you slaughtered in all the attacks you've ordered? How many villagers, and wives, and children of your targets have been blown up or gunned down? Let's not sit here and waste time pretending to be offended by it. I am far beyond such simplistic views."
"Go to hell ," Milner hissed. "We never targeted civilians. We never specifically set out to hurt anyone not involved in combat."
"You have served me well and recently suffered a somewhat significant loss. I realize your mind must be sick with grief, so I will be merciful. I pardon your behavior and send you back to your new duties." He looked at his guards and said, "Now get him out of my sight."
They wrenched Milner up from the floor, using the hook of the pike to keep his head raised and mouth shut as they dragged him out. The President's face glowed with red fire behind a curtain of smoke, and then backed away, leaving nothing but the sound of his low, rumbling laughter.
The guards carried him back down the hall and dragged him toward the building's entrance. He had no idea how many of them had a grip o f a piece of him, only that every inch of his body seemed bound and his every attempt to thrash and kick them away was met with excruciating pain. The front doors slid apart and they tossed him down the stairs like a bag of trash, sending him rolling down the edges of sharp stone until he landed on the dusty terrain with a cry.
He lay there on his back on the concrete, squinting up at the sun's harsh glare. He raised his hand to shield his face and glimpsed two men running toward him, their boots kicking up a cloud of dust that billowed over his face. They scooped him up in their hands as he gagged and choked and the one said, "Are you hurt?"
"What the hell was that?" the other whispered. "There was nothing on the ship's monitors except you. I was watching the entire time. It was like you floated out of the palace and threw yourself down the stairs."
"The Presidential Guard," Milner winced, clutching his side. "They have invisibility tech. We have to go before they decide not to let us
"No."
"It tells me that we are the gods these creatures have all been waiting for. They crave order and it is ours to give. The Sapienist resistance to lowering themselves before lesser creatures is only natural. And if it reminds the subspecies we encounter of our position, then perhaps it is right that they be reminded of it now and again."
Milner watched the President wave the Ischion to light the box again, giving him a moment to suck the smoke deep into his lungs. " What you are saying is in violation of Unification's most basic tenets, sir. We are sworn to the service of other cultures, and what you are saying is meant to either test my commitment," he paused as the President stared at him, looking deeply into him from behind the red light of the flame, and said, "or it is treason."
He was seized immediately by the shoulders and forced to his knees, made to bow in front of the Presiden t's chair. He felt the bladed tip of one of the guard's energy pikes bite under his chin and lift it until he was looking up at the man in front of him.
"Terrorists," the President s mirked. "Soldiers, rebels, freedom fighters, call them what you will. They are the enemies of mankind one day and the heroes of a revolution the next."
"They are not soldiers," Milner grunted, unable to open his mouth clearly for fear of impaling himself on the spiked blade digging into his skin. "They kill women and children. They massacre innocents."
"So do you," the President sneered. "So do I. The only difference is, when we do it, we do it in the name of Unification, just as it has been done in the name of every nation or empire since time began. It is the way of things, General. Surely you know that. How many innocents have you slaughtered in all the attacks you've ordered? How many villagers, and wives, and children of your targets have been blown up or gunned down? Let's not sit here and waste time pretending to be offended by it. I am far beyond such simplistic views."
"Go to hell ," Milner hissed. "We never targeted civilians. We never specifically set out to hurt anyone not involved in combat."
"You have served me well and recently suffered a somewhat significant loss. I realize your mind must be sick with grief, so I will be merciful. I pardon your behavior and send you back to your new duties." He looked at his guards and said, "Now get him out of my sight."
They wrenched Milner up from the floor, using the hook of the pike to keep his head raised and mouth shut as they dragged him out. The President's face glowed with red fire behind a curtain of smoke, and then backed away, leaving nothing but the sound of his low, rumbling laughter.
The guards carried him back down the hall and dragged him toward the building's entrance. He had no idea how many of them had a grip o f a piece of him, only that every inch of his body seemed bound and his every attempt to thrash and kick them away was met with excruciating pain. The front doors slid apart and they tossed him down the stairs like a bag of trash, sending him rolling down the edges of sharp stone until he landed on the dusty terrain with a cry.
He lay there on his back on the concrete, squinting up at the sun's harsh glare. He raised his hand to shield his face and glimpsed two men running toward him, their boots kicking up a cloud of dust that billowed over his face. They scooped him up in their hands as he gagged and choked and the one said, "Are you hurt?"
"What the hell was that?" the other whispered. "There was nothing on the ship's monitors except you. I was watching the entire time. It was like you floated out of the palace and threw yourself down the stairs."
"The Presidential Guard," Milner winced, clutching his side. "They have invisibility tech. We have to go before they decide not to let us
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