A War Most Modest (JNC Edition)

by Hiroyuki Morioka

  “I see,” nodded Jinto. “Well, that’s good for us. Also, whaddya mean, ‘on this planet’? You don’t think we’re from around here?”

  “Wh-What!? You mean you ARE!?”

  “C’mon, don’t make the lady in back feel bad. Not after all that effort she put into explaining our shtick.”

  “Fine, fine, you’re descendants of this shacoonna planet’s first settlers for all I care!”

  “If you could tell everyone that, that’d be great, thanks,” said Jinto, not expecting he’d actually do so. “Okay, we’re done with you. Come back.”

  The car returned to him.

  Jinto saw the other two approaching from ahead. “Freeze,” he ordered.

  Startled, they halted in their tracks. They probably hadn’t reckoned Jinto and the others would double back.

  “Hey guys, you sure you aren’t going the wrong direction?” he addressed them in cheerful tones.

  “We go where we want!” barked the one whose leg got shot.

  “I’ll give your petition of grievances some serious consideration,” Jinto replied solemnly. “Kindly forward your papers to the proper judiciary body.”

  Then Jinto motioned for the man in the driver’s seat to leave. Jinto moved sideways to replace him in that seat.

  Suddenly, their sad financial state crossed his mind.

  “Hey, pals, you got any cash on you? Mind emptying those pockets for me?”

  “Don’t push your luck, you prick,” seethed the man who’d been shot.

  “I could always just pick your corpse clean, you know,” he said, giving him his best evil smile.

  “Dammit!” The three whipped out all their cash. It added up to a little more than 100 dueth — less than he was hoping.

  Jinto forced the man who’d been driving to collect it for him, and he swiped it from him. All the while, Lafier had her gun trained on him from the back seat.

  “Now, I hate to have to part ways with you gents, but such is life,” said Jinto, and they were off.

  Lafier climbed up over the back of the chair in front of her and took her place beside him.

  “I’m impressed,” she said, almost squeaking. “Of course, as robbers we would be taking their money, too! I hadn’t thought of that. Have you ever robbed someone before?”

  “I hope you’re kidding. I’m an amateur robber.”

  Back during his days on Delktu, Jinto had envied the older kids who went on joy rides with girls in the passenger’s seats of their grounded cars. He’d always wanted to try that for himself.

  Now, apart from its being a hovercar instead, that dream had come true. Not only that, but he had one of the most superfine girls in the galaxy beside him. A superfine girl eyeing him with awe.

  So why was he feeling so... depressed?

  Chapter 9: At the Rüé-Béïle (Imperial Palace)

  The metro-ship of Abliar — the Abh home-ship, still being used as the Imperial Palace, had undergone several renovations by the present time.

  The enormous vessel, which once housed one million, now boasted upwards of two hundred thousand occupants. It was more than a béïc (orbital palace). It was a small city.

  In one sector of that “city,” partitioned away from the flow of information that was truly important, dwelled the foreigners that had been bestowed with residences and offices.

  Sampel Sangarini was one of them, a United Humankind ambassador.

  The Empire seldom ever allowed foreign ships to enter any star-system within its reign. However, economic exchange was permitted through seven designated bidautec asa (trade ports). And as long as there is trade, there too must be diplomacy. That is why the Empire fielded and received diplomats to and from the other four nations.

  All the foreigners who resided in the Imperial Palace were in fact ambassadors of the four nations, and their respective retinues. Throughout the entire Empire, foreigners were permitted to take up residence only either here or in one of the seven trade ports

  While the Empire did respect their privileges as diplomats, it placed no emphasis on diplomacy in general. Sangarini and his party were rarely ever allowed a meeting with any figures of significance, let alone an audience with the Empress herself, which was more or less reserved for the formal salutations that came with the assumption or abdication of the office.

  But at present, Sangarini and the other three ambassadors had been granted their second opportunity.

  The Imperial Palace possessed a üabaiss bézorhotr (audience chamber). However, use of this room was restricted to the most important ceremonies and matters of state, so Sangarini had never even laid eyes on it.

  More specifically, they had been called to the Üabaiss Rizairr (Chamber of Larkspurs), which more than lived up to its name with all of the purple rizairh (larkspurs) in bloom. Sangarini had scarcely believed it at first, but it appeared the Abh did love the beauty of nature in their own manner.

  At the center of the hall, a path of black marble, polished to a mirror shine, allowed occupants to pace around. A spiral galaxy was inlaid in silver in the path, with a platform raised to its side, and a carved column depicting an eight-headed gaftnochec on each corner. Atop the platform stood a chair that paled in comparison to the Jade Throne, but it did look exceptionally comfy.

  A fair and comely woman was seated upright in it. Her intricately detailed circlet portrayed the gaftnochec as well. Her hair, wavy and indigo, was parted to both side through her pointy ears, trailing down to her long robe of light crimson keynotes. Her countenance was graced with reddish brown eyes tinged with hints of ftïainh (amber), while lithesome hands of ivory white poked out of the black sleeves of the military uniform she had on under the long robe. In one of those hands she gripped the baton that commanded the greatest military power that humankind had ever known. She was the 27th in the line of the emperorship. She was Speunaigh Lamagh Érumitta (Her Majesty the Empress, Lamagh).

  The four ambassadors remained standing as they faced her. Sangarini was loath to abase himself. Arrogance was fundamental to the Abh, about that there could be no doubt, but were they reckless in their arrogance?

  “Érumittonn (Your Majesty),” said Sangarini, representing the other three as well. “First of all, we would like to express our gratitude. Thank you for approving this dialogue.”

  “Your gratitude is noted, ambassadors.” Lamagh nodded. “We are afraid our time is limited, and We believe your time is as well.”

  “Certainly.” Sangarini returned the nod. He had no intention of wasting too much time on pleasantries, at least not in the company of a pompous Abh. “Let us get straight to the affairs at hand. I have come to raise an objection.”

  “An objection? Surely you mean you’ve come to offer an explanation.” The Abh Empress did not rebuke them, but she did say: “We’ve heard a fleet of yours launched an attack within Empire borders. We have lost contact, and the details are unclear. We had thought you may have some words of clarification.”

  “Ours are words of protest,” Sangarini insisted. “It is true, our military has launched an attack on your ‘Sfagnoff Marquessate.’ You must, however, think of that attack as retaliatory.”

  Lamagh remained expressionless. She merely raised one eyebrow infinitesimally. “What I must ask is whatever you might mean by that remark.”

  Sangarini exerted his level best to keep his own expression suppressed. “Our nation had opened a new gate and was exploring the surrounding flat space. Then, a warship that was likely Abh sprung an attack upon us, without any justification. That warship was repulsed, but we suffered heavy losses as well. Hence, I have come as a representative of the United Humankind to protest this grave miscarriage of justice. It may very well be the case that that occurred near your territory, yet all ships have right of passage in flat space. Attacks without warning cannot be legitimized or excused.”

  “As the representative of the administration of my own nation and its people, I must concur with the United Humankind’s ambassador’s p
rotestation,” voiced Marimba Sooney, Ambassador of the Greater Alkont Republic, rage evident on her jittery face.

  If that’s an act, it’s a convincing one, thought Sangarini.

  “I too, as the representative of the government and the people of the Hania Federation...” continued Gwen Taolong, his face a mask. Since he didn’t know Baronh, he made do with a translator. As such, his personality was not so easy to grasp.

  “Our nation concurs,” said Janet Macalli of the People’s Sovereign Stellar Union in thickly accented Baronh. “We have been continually plagued by your despotism. We firmly demand you apologize and pay reparations to our beloved alliance, and we will watch over negotiations with profound interest.”

  Lamagh’s expression remained utterly unimpressed. She stared at each ambassador in turn, and planted her eyes on Sangarini’s.

  “And that is why you attacked our territory? We think that is rather removed from your typical way of doing things. Why didn’t you raise an objection when your fleet was assaulted?”

  “The decision to retaliate was made at the commanding officer’s discretion,” said the ambassador, relaying what those in Central had told him. He didn’t believe a word of it, of course. “As you are no doubt well aware, it takes quite some time for messages to traverse the distance between Central and the Outer Reaches. If the commanding officer at the scene had ceded the decision to Central, then as Your Majesty has stated, we would have raised a formal objection first and foremost.”

  Lamagh cocked her head ever so slightly. “You are lying, ambassadors.”

  “What!? I never!” Sangarini bristled with “anger.” “On what evidence do you base that accusation?”

  “We simply cannot be led to believe that a ship of Our military would launch any such attack. There are no lawless reprobates in our illustrious Star Forces who would engage in battle against another party without a concrete reason.”

  “Then Your Majesty should view this incident as an exception, obviously,” said Gwen.

  “Even if We were to grant, for the sake of argument, that there had been some exception,” Lamagh continued placidly, “they would not then go on to be defeated. Do you think there are any officers in our illustrious Star Forces who wield the authority to decide whether to engage, and yet would be so incompetent as to initiate a battle they could not win with confidence? We cannot believe this one commander was outside the norm in two different ways at the same time.”

  “Your Majesty, you are being exceedingly biased, are you not?” said Macalli. “I suggest an intermediary commission of inquiry be established with members composed of three neutral nations.”

  “So you intend to lie to us as well,” said the Empress, her icy glare on her now. “You have formed an alliance, yet you mean to tell us you are neutral observers?”

  “We are neutral with regard to this matter, Your Majesty,” asserted the ambassador of the PSSU. “That is why we are asking you to investigate and uncover the truth.”

  “I implore Your Majesty to consider the People’s Sovereign Stellar Union’s proposal,” added Sooney.

  “That is unnecessary.” Lamagh once again locked eyes with Sangarini. “Ambassadors, We must say We were expecting much more refined deceit on your parts. You have dashed those expectations. What a pity.”

  “Wha — !?” At a loss for words, Sangarini was left rudderless. From the outset, the Abh Empress hadn’t been inclined to seriously entertain what they had to say. The diplomatic skills he’d cultivated had run smack into a dead end.

  “Why does Your Majesty persist in calling us liars?” said Macalli. “You ought at least to investigate the matter before deciding such a thing.”

  “If you four are satisfied that this pack of lies is the best you have, then We have nothing more to say. We suppose you may truly believe the lie, but in any event, the only deceit we the Abh appreciate is more sophisticated deceit.”

  “Your Majesty, if I may. It is incumbent upon me to inform you that if you were to declare war on the United Humankind, we of the People’s sovereign Stellar Union would be forced under the Nova Sicilia Accords to declare war upon the Empire.

  “We must thank you, ambassadors,” said the Empress sarcastically. “But we are well aware. The Greater Alkont Republic and the Hania Federation are doubtless of the same mind.”

  The two ambassadors nodded their solidarity.

  “Very well. Then let us make war,” said Lamagh, with no enthusiasm whatsoever. “Your hard work was appreciated. We hope you return to your homelands safely. We shall be revoking your diplomatic privileges in 24 hours’ time. Though We hardly need assure you, the Empire will guarantee your security and see you to free port, or its honor be tarnished.”

  Wait, you can’t! Sangarini screeched inwardly. This can’t be how it all ends! I’m the most experienced diplomat in all of the UH, but I wasn’t even given a chance to talk terms!? She not only called my nation’s official message a lie, but a BAD lie at that! Do I have no choice but to accept this declaration of war and return to my country? This was supposed to be a trial run; we were just throwing the Empire off balance to see what their next move would be! But now this was all just a fool’s errand!

  “Your Majesty, is there any chance you might reconsider this?” asked Gwen in a low voice. “You will be waging war against half of all humanity.”

  “Have you forgotten that the Empire forms the other half?” responded the Abh Empress evenly.

  “If you wish to wage war, then that’s fine by me,” said Macalli, forgetting their duties as a diplomat as they vented their pent-up irritation. “I have, however, one thing to assure you: that the Empire, unprincipled as it is, can never hope to prevail!”

  “‘Unprincipled,’ you say...” At last, Lamagh’s expression changed. She was intrigued. “It is as you say. Our Empire has no principles. We do not believe that has any bearing on whether we win or lose. That the unprincipled cannot win is nothing more than a delusional superstition.”

  “But think of humanity’s future. A destiny where humanity is ruled by the unprincipled Empire is no future at all.”

  “We know a little about human history ourselves. History reveals it is the principles held by individuals that shine bright and beautiful. Principles enforced by nations, on the other hand, engender tragedy. They drive subjects of those nations to needless deaths. Our Empire does not require any ‘principles’ and exists without them, devoted only to the consolidation of all of humanity in all of its diversity. The Empire hosts a multitude of citizens, with a multitude of bizarre creeds and convictions. For instance, the people of the Dreuhynh Bislér (Countdom of Bislé) do not understand that they are under imperial control, and worship their territorial citizen representatives as gods. To them, we Abh are the fruits of mysterious and inscrutable beings. The territorial citizens of the Dreuhynh Gogamr (Countfom of Gogaaf) implant their own consciousness into computing crystals, thinking they have thus acquired eternal life. The Empire rules over and protects them all like a shadow, and without discrimination. If the Empire can be said to have a principle, it is that.”

  “That is all sophistry. The very idea of a future borne by the Abh, who toy with man’s DNA, is repugnant.”

  “And that is hyperbole,” replied Lamagh. “Around 2,000 years have passed since the births of our progenitors, yet the basic genetic composition of the Abh has not changed. We, like you, are bound by the fear of evolving.”

  “Fear of evolving?”

  “Do you deny it? The buds of evolution are plucked away as ‘genetic abnormalities.’ When humanity obtained the power to engineer their genes to their liking, what they did was seal away their own evolution. Our Empire is no different in that respect from your own home nations. We all fear evolution.”

  “That’s...” But Macalli held their tongue.

  “Your Majesty, with all due deference...” said Sangarini. It was clear to see that the Abh Empress enjoyed a good debate. He needed to use this debate as a pretex
t for keeping this audience going as long as possible, all so he could search for a lead, any lead that could get her to negotiate. “Fear of evolving is beside the point. Can a nation without principles even survive? I daresay we will dismantle such a nation without fail.”

  “The Empire has not had a principle to use as a crutch for around a millennium,” Lamagh rebutted calmly. “I see now that nations such as your own would crumble without principles... or perhaps ‘delusions’ is the word. Otherwise, you might not be able to bring together varied populaces or face other nations.”

  “Is it not the same for the Empire?” said Gwen.

  “It is not. For it is we Abh who keep the Empire bound together. It is because the Abh will integrate all of humanity that no one will ever again be burdened by the principles imposed upon them, able instead to enjoy their cultures and lifestyles as they currently exist.”

  “Then what is it about the Abh that can hold this hypothetical all-encompassing empire together?” said Sangarini, refusing to back down.

  “That is nothing you ought to concern yourselves with,” said Lamagh coldly. “Leave us now. Your falsehoods failed to arouse our interest, but We found these last few moments amusing enough. It was a fun little meeting. And allow us to say that should we emerge from this battle triumphant, it will have been the war to end all wars.”

  “You mean you aim for everlasting peace?” Macalli’s swarthy face flushed with hatred. “Many have dreamed of such a thing. And yet it has never come to pass in all of history.”

  A grin graced the Empress’s arresting visage. This was not the infamous “smile of the Abh.” No, it had a warmth to it, as though charmed by the ignorant innocence of the infants before her.

  When Sangarini saw that grin, he felt in his bones how she’d lived for nearly 100 years despite her youthful mien, and how young her race was.

  The self-respect necessary to bear the weight of humanity’s fate on her delicate shoulders was more than evident as she declared: “That is because there were no Abh in the past.”