Zealous Shadow drank coffee in the darkened lounge. Past the glass walls, Shanghai glittered in the night. His suit draped over him casually as though it had grown there, and the shadows pressed closely about him. He slouched at the end of the deserted bar, and listlessly drank his coffee.
The news was playing again, on the flat-screen which hung above the taps. Seeing a story of interest, Zealous Shadow picked up the remote from the slick bar top and disengaged the mute. The newscaster was young and blonde, Britannian. This particular lounge, and others like it, generally eschewed local news in favour of Britannian sources, which were not only better funded but--these days, at least--moderately truthful.
She began in mid sentence as the sound came on.
"--new campaign of nationalism within the Empire, headed by Lord Frederick Weinberg. During yesterdays press conference Lord Weinberg spoke of a need for change within the current political climate of Britannia. We'll cut now to a brief clip from the conference."
A man stood before a podium, finely dressed. His hair was black and cut short, and he appeared to be in his fifties. He said: "Perhaps the lesson of the 99th Emperor, Lelouch vi Britannia, was taken rather too much to heart." He was handsome, and his blue eyes bespoke honesty. "And I know that my rivals will capitalize on these comments--yet these are things I must say, for they concern the very survival of our great nation. The lesson of Lelouch was learned too harshly," he pursed his lips and nodded regretfully, "and in our haste to correct our sins, the harm we had inflicted upon our fellow humans, we allowed ourselves to diminish what it meant to be a Britannian." Weinberg grimly let his eyes fall to his hands, upon the podium. "We have allowed the evil of one man to contaminate our thinking. We have forgotten that this is a nation built, not on subjugation, but on civilization. Under a corrupt and power hungry royal family, yes, it's true, we did those terrible things. We reduced ourselves, in doing those things. We conquered and invaded--not to bring peace and civilization, but to secure resources, labour forces, territory. And with the final horrifying treachery of that man, the power hungry Demon Emperor, our eyes were opened. We withdrew, in shock. We gave back territories, withdrew our troops. We vowed never again to visit such horrors upon the world. Under Empress Nunnally we have given back to the world, given back much of what we took. We have remembered our humanity."
And now Lord Weinberg's eyes narrowed under a frown, and he appeared troubled. "But we have forgotten, also."
"We have forgotten the principle of Empire. We have forgotten that Empire may still save the world. We have forgone unity in favour of uneasy truce. And we have left the world a shattered, divided place. With our troops recalled, the brutal warlords in Africa again begin their tribal wars. Hundreds dead, daily. We watch it on the news--these people used to be our people. In the freshly abandoned Middle East, the same thing. They squabble over national boundaries, affiliations. We have allowed them to choose their own rulers and govern themselves, and so they are doing, the only way they know how. Rebels seek control in the Caucasus. Thousands dead. Former terrorists vie for rule in Spain. Thousands dead. In the world's power vacuum, millions will die."
He paused for effect. "We watch it on television. We watch it, on television, and we wonder why. I hear it all the time. We have given them what they wanted, what they fought us for, what they died for. Freedom. And this is what they do with it? Do you see anyone free, in those places we have abandoned? And the question, ever present--why?
"I'll tell you why. We did this. We did this by abandoning them to themselves--perhaps a worse fate than we ever inflicted by ruling them. That word, freedom, has become a synonym for goodness, for justice. But freedom has only brought them misery and death."
Weinberg paused in heartfelt sorrow. When he began again it was rather more quietly. "What we did with the best of intentions has damned us. But we wash our hands of it, saying: 'they are free, now. Let them do as they please. They are free.' It is not so. The unity of an Empire can still save the world from its horrors. We must return to the abandoned Areas, many of them, and install peace and proper government. We must once again unite them. The age of tyranny is over. We must not let the sour memory of the Demon Emperor, Lelouch, kill the dream that is our Empire. Under our kind and benevolent Empress Nunnally, peace will reign."
And Weinberg concluded and bowed with a tentative smile, as the applause began to break out. The shot once again centered on the blonde newscaster, who smiled and said: "Empress Nunnally's office has made no official statement on the matter. But there can be no doubt that Lord Weinberg and his movement is popular. Be the first to voice your opinion at our website, ww--"
Zealous Shadow hit the mute.
He was left alone in silence and darkness. His coffee had gotten a little bit cool. He drank it anyway, grimacing at the bitter taste.
"Well," said Zealous Shadow to himself. "That's interesting."
