Patterns of Chaos: Book One - The First War
Chapter 19

Paul Stragdoc found himself staring at the surface of the moon’s dark side again. It dominated his thoughts lately, how it blocked his view of home, how soon he would bring the rebuilt Chancel around it and conclude the war he had been planning.

Just after he had survived Jennifer’s initial attempt to assassinate him, he had begun to conceive of everything that had taken place so far. Building his organization into a globally beloved enterprise, allowing his true self to eventually peek through, forcing the globe into a state of anarchy where the people would clamor for his gift of immortality. Even now, his agents were enticing people to join his side in exchange for that same gift. When the war began, the world would explode into civil strife, despite the efforts of the “Global Alliance”.

Stragdoc sneered derisively at the title they had given themselves. He’d understood from early on that centralized power was the only way to proceed as a species. The ideas of democracy, communism...all a great lie, as proven repeatedly. Democratically elected leaders inevitably seized power for themselves, as did the communist regimes, becoming little more than bitter little fiefdoms until the next tyrant-in-waiting came along.

His method was much simpler. People clamored for strength in leadership, and what could be more strong than a man who was not only immortal himself, but also capable of granting that same gift onto his followers? And as for the chaos that broke out periodically as a result of his machinations? Chaos bred fear and confusion, and in that state people naturally sought out stability. A stability of unchanging leadership would be offered them, and they would drop to their knees and bless him for it.

“My love?” Calixta’s voice called across the chamber. Stragdoc turned to face her, his sneer changing naturally to a warm, welcoming smile.

“Calixta. I was not expecting you.” he quickly moved across the chamber, taking her in his arms. When they separated, the lovesick young woman had to take a moment to remember why she had come.

“Ambassador Mueller desires an audience with you.”

“Really? Whatever for?” he stroked her face. Yes, Calixta was so very dear to him now.

“He wouldn’t say. Just that he needed to speak with you on a matter of utmost urgency.”

The would-be Emperor of man leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose. “Very well. Do wait here, I shouldn’t be too long.”

Stragdoc marched solidly through the corridors of the vessel, admiring the workmanship his people had put into every panel, every bolt of its construction. It was almost a pity that soon they would disembark once again onto their true home.

The former Ambassador awaited him near the shuttle bay. He seemed to be watching as new vessels were built and armed for combat. Stragdoc approached him, hand outstretched in greeting. “Ambassador Mueller. How good to see you.”

The Ambassador took the hand perfunctorily, a look of anguish on his face. “Emperor. Sir. I wish to speak to you on an urgent matter.”

“Yes, Calixta informed me. Is there a problem with your accommodations? I never did tell you how pleased I was that you desired to remain here with us.”

“Nein, mein Herr. I wish instead to perhaps dissuade you from this krieg you are preparing for.”

“You wish to prevent the war that is brewing?” Stragdoc’s brow furrowed. “By speaking to the humans of this Global Alliance, encouraging them to stop hunting us?”

“Again, nein.” The Ambassador stared at the Emperor. “I know you have the power to stop this. Reach out to them yourself, end this wahnsinn before more lives are lost.”

Stragdoc’s face hardened. “Insanity? Is it insane to desire to live amongst others without being hunted? Insanity to be acknowledged as superior?”

“Mein herr, when I came here, I did so because I felt that Miss Morsalis was right in saying that all you and these people wanted was peaceful co-existence. That all you desired was to live out here among the sterne. But then something changed, and now it seems that you thirst for eroberung, for conquest.”

Stragdoc felt his temper begin to rise. “Ambassador Mueller. Upon discovering some youthful...indiscretions on my part, the humans engaged in a war of words against my people. They imprisoned over a dozen of them, including Ms. Morsalis, because of unfounded suspicions. When Commander Karman liberated me from their tender mercies before that, there was a mob converging on the facility I was being held in, intent on dragging my secrets out in any fashion they deemed appropriate. Now, they build vessels for the purpose of coming here and annihilating all of us. They already have, in order to facilitate my own demise. And you wish I should mache frieden, make peace?” Stragdoc almost spit out the words now. “No, Ambassador. If you wish to persuade them to stop their current course, I will not stop you. But as long as they continue their own military buildup, so shall we.”

Mueller shook his head. “No, mein herr, I must appeal to you.”

“Yes. You have. And I have refused.”

“I see. Emperor, I feel now instead I must appeal to the body politic, the general population of this vessel, to convince you to see reason in this.”

A grim smile began to form on Stragdoc’s face, twisting his features. “And what makes you think I would ever allow such a thing?”

Mueller stepped backwards, horror dawning on his face. “Mein gott, you are fascist. What they said, it’s all truth.”

“Let me drop all pretense, ambassador.” Stragdoc drew out the title, delivering it as if the feel of the word in his mouth disgusted him. “When I discovered my unique evolution, I found a way to share it with others. However, the world is slow to embrace radical change, always has been, always will be. Some flaw in the human genome. So in order to prove my superiority over the common person, I took the steps that have led to this point. I have been laying the groundwork for this war for longer than you have been alive. Because when we win, all will have to see that my personal meritocracy is best. That only I am truly fit to lead humanity into a new golden age of expansion, perhaps even conquest depending on who else is out there in the universe. And it will be glorious.”

Mueller took another step back from the grinning maniac. “You are exactly what the people of Earth feared: an insane megalomaniac.”

Stragdoc’s face grew pensive. “Maybe. Maybe they are right. But there is certainly one thing I’m not.”

He paused there, forcing Mueller to ask. “And what is that?”

“I’m not the one standing in front of an airlock.”

Mueller felt the telekinetic impact of Stragdoc shoving him backwards break several of his ribs. He could only stare in horror as the interior door slid down. The lunatic face of the vessel’s mad captain leered at him through a small porthole in the door as he was expelled into the freezing blackness of pure vacuum.

His last coherent thoughts were to curse himself for his foolishness in trusting the grinning lunatic, and a prayer for the people of Earth.

Stragdoc returned to his quarters, a decided spring to his step. Calixta was waiting for him, clad in a sheer robe, hair damp from a shower.

“What did the Ambassador want, darling?”

“He confessed to planning sedition against me.” Stragdoc admitted, nonchalantly. “So I was forced to action.”

Calixta nodded. “A pity. I rather liked Mueller.”

They moved to the vast window, spotting the frozen corpse becoming gripped by lunar gravity, spiralling towards the planetoid. A moment later Calixta’s robe was on the floor, as they made their way to bed.