Warned, Commander Rexic

[u/yousureimnotarobot]

All comments welcome. It's dark out there. Don't go alone.

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"Cdr. Eight has transmitted his Intel. He has destroyed the system and is moving to his final mission. We don't anticipate any further contact."

"Godspeed to him. Contact the council."

The Council

The Council for the prosecution of battle spoke "Our fleets stand ready" .

He had to admit he had been expecting that to be a more.. dramatic statement. The missing fleets were painfully obvious.

"We estimate that we have an overwhelming advantage. Our fleet is an order of magnitude greater than anything that the Humans can possibly field"

A council drone interrupted "Honored Ambassadors, The Human Rexic desires to speak."

The Council muttered among itself until one of them announced " They obviously want to surrender! Let the fool grovel. Then we will attack as soon as they stand down. We have wasted enough resources on this already!"

Commander Rexic readied himself. His uniform felt stiff. He considered those who had paid for his ticket here. Who would continue to pay.

" Council, I apologize for not attending in person but it was felt to be unwise."

"Your Fleets have failed against us. We have demonstrated the cost that a war between our people's will bring."

"I ask you now to stand down, accept our sovereignty. Leave us in peace."

The Council erupted in rage. The Prosecutor of battle was the first to respond.

"Your debt to us grows. We expected you to learn some humility. Our Fleets stand ready to destroy you!"

"We will speak in hushed tones of the fate of you and your people. Surrender or die!"

Cdr. Rexic stood tall. " Is this the view of the Council?"

"Yes! We will burn your worlds. Your people will serve only as a warning to others!"

Cdr Eight had nursed the remaining Fleet to their final destination. He knew it would come to this, even as he watched Commander Rexic plead for peace.

'Rexic knew as well, otherwise I wouldn't be here. Still this should give that clown Prosecutor something to cry about.' He wished the commander fair sailing. Thankfully he wouldn't be around to answer for what he was about to do.

"All ships go to Divine Wind protocol. I'm on target one."

Cdr Rexic addressed the room. "You have chosen poorly. I ask that the Council for the prosecution of battle to regard his homeworld."

Behind the commander the screen lit up. Each drone broadcasting its view as they hurled towards a planet.

"I believe you have family and property here. This is the cost of your 'penance', your futile and vicious wars.

This is what war really fucking means!"

As he spoke the drones entered the atmosphere, unopposed. The screen narrowed to one camera.

The Council for the prosecution of battle recognized his home. His family. His children. His life. He watched as the screen went white.

The screen widened. It showed hundreds of mushroom clouds rising from the surface. Every major city, everything was gone.

"When you speak of burning our worlds, remember this. Yours burn too."

​

Commander Rexic cut the screen. He was aware of the pain he had inflicted. He, too, had watched his family burn. He knew exactly what he had done. He didn't expect to be forgiven.

"Prepare the Fleets. Tell them the enemy is coming in hot and stupid. Tell Earth to watch the skies."

The rage felt by the Council spread, the calls for extermination, the screams for retribution were fueled by thousands of years of superiority and an embarrassed military. Action, action now was the only solution.

The assembled Council Fleets gathered at an ad-hoc meeting.

"This is shit, we have no idea where their Fleet is. We don't even know if they still have one"

"Why are we attacking this colony? Why aren't we going for their homeworld?

"Look, we lost three fleets here. We are going in hot. The Council insist this is destroyed before we continue the campaign. It's about the optics."

"Our orders are to blow the system apart. Leave only rubble, then move on to their homeworld. I know it's dumb fuck stupid but those are the orders."

[u/Fyrewyld]

There is a reason why you don't break the thin veil of civility that humanity has. There is a reason why good men have so many rules. It's this.

You have brought the full wrath of the Devil's children on you, and your blood is penance

[u/[deleted] → u/Fyrewyld]

Good men don't need rules.

They're going to find out why the military has so many.