Getting a Technology System in Modern Day - Chapter 1007: Death to Preserve Dignity
Chapter 1007: Death to Preserve Dignity
Inside a luxurious office that looked to have been handcrafted by experienced craftsmen who had worked on it for the best parts of their lifetimes, at the peak of their craftsmanship, with the same being true for the furniture, everyone within seemed too exhausted and worried to even appreciate the beauty and hours, if not lifetimes, it took to perfect everything.
With the situation having turned into each man for himself, even the beauty that used to take the breath away from anyone who entered the room, no matter how many times they had visited or seen it previously, wasn’t enough to bring them out of their current thoughts. They carelessly sat in chairs that they would have previously requested someone be killed for sullying, but the situation allowed for nothing of that sort.
“What are they saying about this? Any action plan they proposed or chances that they will accept our action plan?” Lebeebee, the leader of the Lugtakabu civilization, asked his group of advisors, who all looked to have lost color on their faces.
Following the question, the room fell into silence as the leader waited for an answer while the advisors waited for one of their fellows to be the one to bite the bullet and respond, as they didn’t know what sort of reaction they would receive from Lebeebee. Stressful situations result in unexpected responses.
After a full minute of silence, the advisors all knew that delaying it any longer would be a problem. Although they knew one of them needed to bite the bullet and solve the problem, not one of them wanted to sacrifice themselves. Not until the third minute passed did one of them decide to speak, knowing that there was a chance that he would be considered brave by the leader, who might punish those who left it to him to explain. He nervously said, “They didn’t even respond to our request for communications. It seems they deemed us as a liability and think that their fellow top-ten civilizations are the only ones worthy of being in the new alliance against the empire, and anyone other than that is considered to be unworthy.”
“Then what does that make the bombing of Nymari? If they were going to abandon us the moment the empire started fully fighting back, why not allow us to reach out to the empire and solve it diplomatically when they were going to abandon the Conclave alliance the instant they faced a full pushback? WHAT COWARDS!” As Lebeebee asked more and more questions, his tone rose higher and higher. Although he wasn’t expecting an answer, he was still feeling angry over the situation as the room once again returned to silence.
“What are our chances of fighting back against the empire?” he asked after ten minutes of total silence.
“Near zero. The moment they attack a civilization, they usually match them to their strongest estimation and always have fleets ready for reinforcements,” the same advisor once again answered, this time not delaying at all, as every other advisor was looking at him the moment the question was finished.
“…….. To think all of our planning brings us to this situation,” Lebeebee said as he looked down at the table that had a beauty defying logic, but found himself parsing through it as if it were a worthless table amidst his mind that was in turmoil. He followed his defeated words with, “Contact the empire and start talking about the conditions of surrender.” With a heavy heart, he decided to take the best possible route that would reduce the level of wrath the empire was going to show them.
“But, sir, the Conclave is going to retaliate if we do that! They’d rather we fight to the last man than surrender,” one of the advisors who had been silent through the previous conversation shouted, trying to argue against it.
“What difference does it make when they are holding back their forces in preparation to welcome the empire? Do you think they will have time to bother with how our situation ends? To them, it is no different if we surrendered or if we were fully defeated, so just fucking go ahead with it before I hang you for your cowardice,” Lebeebee said, his eyes fully bloodshot, scaring the shit out of the advisors as they saw him being on the verge of snapping. If that happened, it would be bad news for them, so everyone rushed to leave, not wanting to remain alone with him in his current condition.
“To think the mighty Conclave that survived fighting tens of interstellar wars would fall to a civilization that had only two star systems under its belt, and the one they underestimated the most. Quite ironic,” he said in a defeated tone.
“The empire promised to not harm anyone who is not involved in return for our unconditional surrender,” one of the advisors returned to report to him the empire’s response.
“Good, accept it, and I will pay for the punishment of everyone,” Lebeebee said before his hand glowed and sank into his chest, removing what looked like a black ball covered in dark goo that was shaking every few microseconds. A thin stream of black goo came out of his mouth as he said, “Make sure they keep their promise, as I kept mine,” before falling face-first onto the table that was a craftsmanship masterpiece, dying together with the last bit of dignity his civilization was going to ever have.
Quite a few individuals had chosen the same route, knowing that the empire was going to employ ruthless means in order to bring back stability. They could also guess the most likely candidates who were going to be used for that demonstration, which were either politicians or rich people. Nothing soothes or calms the average person more than seeing the people who exploited and ruled over them killed, as they will side with the one who killed them, believing they will have a better future through them. They forget that it is no different than just changing a warden, with the prison remaining the same. The only change might be the walls having flowers painted over them, but that paint only lasts so long before it returns to its previous look.
For many, similar happenings made it clear that the end of the Conclave had finally come, and at the moment, they were under the mercy of the Empire.
