Rebirth: Please, do Fear the Reaper
01 Dec 2022Astraeius
There will always be brigands in war, says you. You are a fool to call this war, says I.I can well understand that, to men that prey upon the weaker and undefended, it would matter nothing whether the Emperor gloriously triumphs against her enemies, or whether she is ingloriously brought to her knees by the Federal corpocrats. It matters little, to those men, whether whichever authority has won the war - and now bears the dubious honour of having to hunt them down - speaks with the tongue of Mars or that of Achenar. For, after all, what does one's accent matter, when one trades nothing but curses? No, I am not so foolish or idealistic as to think that one can make patriots out of criminals. But this is not a patriot's war, is it? Ask the souls on the Kingfisher, whether the Thargoids speak with an Imperial accent.
The survival of our species may be at stake, yet some of us are still too busy building our degenerate little fiefdoms to realise that the whole kingdom is on the brink of destruction. What, do the pirate lords of the Kumo Crew think that the Thargoids will be more lenient on them than the human navies? Do the monsters who pray on the refugee convoys truly believe that a few more credits will save them from a brood of interceptors? This stupidity goes beyond seeking to rule the ashes of a burnt-down world. It's about having a chance to help douse the fire, and instead choosing to get drunk on water stolen from the fighter's hose.
Part of me wants blood. Wants to remind those who pray on the victims of the attacks that they are not the only ones capable of flying a fighter ship. And yet, then I'd be but marginally better than them. Because the true enemy is out there. Against men, one can have vengeance, and hopefully there will be time for that later. But, as of now, the reaper approaches in shimmering green robes, and it is against him that we must focus our guns. Because revenge will be but a cold comfort, if it is revenge for billions of deaths that could be avoided.
I will fight this alien reaper, no matter how bleak the fight may seem. I never planned on it, but I cannot stand aside.
Gods above, help me now.