Civilization (I'll Stay Right Here)
By Kachimoochi
Chapter XIX
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
Anaximander, Kaisar, and The Prince of Persia departed the planet of Hunting Lodge, having successfully sided General Zaroff to their endeavors. Zaroff had at first been peeved at their presence, not being in a good mood in the first place due to his less than satisfying meal. The Russian hunter didn't think it possible for other Civilization citizens to intrude in his galaxy without the proper code to his GECK, until Kaisar enlightened him to Altair's situation.
Zaroff didn't share many loyalties to either the Earth or to Civilization, but he equally saw such an opportunity as a chance to serve a royal figure once more, even if it was a Persian prince. Zaroff harbored a deep resentment and hatred of both the Earth and Humanity. He was of the opinion that only few Humans existed capable of intelligence and class, especially considering that a mass of peasants had robbed his ancestors of his birthright. He had come from a long line of hunters and royal guards to the Tsar and other Russian royalty; thus, he was raised with the attitude that he was superior to the peasants which served beneath him.
Zaroff knew that most men had already been taken to Civilization, so he figured that the remains of Humanity were not cultured enough to deserve the gift of freedom. Perhaps it was his bitterness that led him to accept the gift of Civilization, it was better than denying his bloodline in the face of the red masses. Anaximander knew these facts, and worked hard to tailor a conversation worthy of convincing Zaroff to join the "publicity stunt" that was saving the Earth.
The Prince, the Geth, and Anaximander had arrived to the mansion of Zaroff, and had been led into the grand dining hall by his simple manservant, Ivan. The Prince was elated by the sheer imagination that the mansion possessed. From the outside, it appeared as if the Mansion was carved into a massive tree, as massive as an entire city block. The bark and leaves camouflaged almost the entirety of the mansion, save for the light emanating through the windows lining the sides and front. The mansion also had landing pads for space ships as well as old-Earth transports. Kaisar likened it to the Wookie homeworld of Kashyyyk from the Star Wars films, to which the Prince hadn't watched, leaving the Geth slightly embarrassed.
The famous hunter still sat in his grand banquet hall, facing the doorway to which the trio approached the regal figure. Zaroff had recognized the Prince, having seen him and his Sultan father at the various royal gatherings across Civilization. He didn't recognize Anaximander and the Geth, but through their acquaintance with Altair's brother, they made their relation clear. Zaroff twisted in his guilded chair, uncomfortable with the intrusion, and even more so with the proposition the bearded Human dressed in a navy-blue trench coat presented to him.
"Извините, but I am confused. To what use would an old-world hunter serve in a galactic battle against space ships?" Zaroff asked, not facing Anaximander.
"It is simple to see General; you have hunted every being across the entire Milky Way, including Batarians I may presume?" Kaisar answered.
Zaroff turned in his chair to face the men, twirling his white, curled mustache as he rested his eyes momentarily, deep in contemplation.
"True, I've hunted entire slaving vessels, military installations, and even some of their enslaved beasts…but I fail to see the significance of a patient, consummate hunter compared to a nuclear explosion perhaps." Zaroff stated after some thought.
This was an argument that Anaximander had encountered in every person he's tried to recruit thus far. Being as the Civilized possessed a technology to create whatever they pleased, it seemed as if Altair could create the mother of all Atomic bombs and end Batarian kind if he so desired, no other Civilized would bother stopping him, they gave up their allegiances in the face of absolute freedom.
"Alright, you got me…there's a secret reason as to why Altair can't handle this by himself" Anaximander admitted, hanging his head slightly in shame.
"What Sir means to say is that Altair is vying for a way to secure the existence of Civilization for all time, as well as another gambit to collect more males to add to Civilization" Kaisar interjected.
"But how? What is he trying to do?" Zaroff asked.
"Altair wishes for us to assemble a crew of the most notorious and powerful members of Civilization to act in a sort of "commercial" for our new society. He has also received word that the Batarians are using the numerical vulnerability of the Earth to take it over, and he wishes to stop it. Not only to gain allegiance of the remaining men, but also as a way to end hostility between our society and the Milky Way's." The Prince spoke, growing tired of the constant charade.
"So, Altair wishes to assemble a group to defend the planet that enslaved us for our entire existence, and to fight a species that we have no business fighting, all to convince the remaining peasants to join our cause, sounds like a waste of time to me. If the remaining men can't see the benefits of Civilization, then they aren't biologically capable of the solace it provides, they are our lessers" Zaroff argued.
The Prince and Anaximander turned their heads to the ground, Kaisar was confused by the expression, so he copies automatically. Zaroff felt guilty for expressing his comment aloud, though it was well known, he wished he hadn't said it to their faces. All of them stood in silence for a minute or so, until Anaximander spoke again.
"Do you know who I was when I was back on Earth?"
"No" Zaroff answered.
"I was just a normal highschool student, as well as a nursing student, wasting his life away without any sense of direction"
"I was an illiterate shoe-shiner in my homeland, I never even knew I was related to royalty" The Prince spoke, obviously proving a point.
"I was part of a race of sentient androids fighting against our creators for no reason but to find meaning for our sudden and purposeless existence" Kaisar said, trying to make his story as empathetic as his compatriots.
Zaroff wasn't a fool, he knew the men were trying to prove that even the most worthless or unsuspecting people could be responsible for greatness. In his heart he knew it was true, but admitting it was one of the most painful emotions he'd ever experience. His father tried to impress the same moral upon him as well, but pride was a hard thing to swallow. He imagined that the gift of Civilization would absolve all worthy men of their mortal weaknesses, he hadn't imagined that pride would still be his Achilles heel.
"So, you see General, even the most lowly of creatures can accomplish great things, even Altair's brother was a bookworm overachiever, but he was chosen to shepherd us to the promised land" The Prince recited, now catching on completely to Anaximander's plan.
Zaroff now stood up in a huff, his brow weighing heavily on his face, and his mustache covering his mouth from his pursing lips, it seemed as if the man was preparing to explode.
"Perhaps you only see me as a snobbish, old-fashioned hunter, and you'd be right, but even I have a story as well. Many centuries ago my ancestors watched in horror as their rulers were gunned down by peasants, in the rage of misguided vengeance. My family then ran from country to country in escape from the red veil that the savages cast over our entire land, even when I was a boy, I could tell nobody of my heritage, or risk my family's death."
Zaroff fell back in his chair, now coughing furiously. Ivan leaped from his chair and ran to his master; he pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocked and placed it to his master's mouth. Anaximander felt guilty now, for forcing an old man into a tirade, over a matter that seemed inconsequential, to change a view he had no business in changing.
"I know your character, I know the Prince's too, even the Macaroni Head's, but at this point in my life I've realized that not all life is worth saving. I know you are just following your orders, but consider what I've said, if ever you find yourself sacrificing for a people you deem worth, for god sakes, make certain that they are worthy" Zaroff added, in between fits of coughing.
"General…please I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you to do this, please…I'm a nurse, can I do something to help?" Anaximander pleaded, both to Ivan and Zaroff.
"Let not your heart be troubled Boy! I shall not meet the reaper until I am good and ready, I've much more hunting to do. Tell Altair or his brother that I shall assist you, not out of interest for your cause, but of loyalty to a ruling Monarch, whether or not he accepts the title or not" Zaroff said neutrally, as Ivan carried him by his shoulder, exiting the grand dining hall.
The room was now empty, not a single sound emitting, save for the gentle revolving of a glass chandelier, and the tick tock of a grandfather clock, behind the stage which Zaroff sat. It was evident that the trio had fulfilled their purpose, even if it was under less than ideal circumstances. They decided that their work was done, and they needn't intrude on the elderly man any longer, and retraced their steps to the landing platforms.
They had only been on the planet for little more than an hour, which all thing considered, despite eth stress, was the fastest in which they'd recruited a citizen of Civilization. Still, there were many more players to add to their party, and with only three or so weeks until the looming attack of the Batarians, they still needed all the time that was afforded to them.
Their departure had led them out of Zaroff's galaxy, and as per usual, Anaximander activated the Mass Relay within the Lincoln Futura, leaving the three passengers staring into the blue spiral of eternity. The Prince chose this moment to ask Anaximander to where they would travel next, and to when this collection would be complete.
"Listen, kind Anaximander, it isn't that I don't enjoy meeting fellow Civilized men, preparing them for a just conflict, but will these errands for actors be completed within the next few weeks?"
"I know that we've spent the better part of a week in this car, but I need to cover all of our bases. Zaroff can use his hunting abilities to lead attacks on the battle creatures that we may encounter in battle" Anaximander elaborated, while leaning back on the leather seats, and placing his feet upon the dashboard of the miniature flying vessel.
"Then whom, pray tell, are we endeavoring to enlist next?" The Prince asked, while laying down in the extra compartment of the vehicle, equally enjoying the comfort of the leather seats, and staring into the blue spiral through the translucent bubble that protected them from the vacuum.
"Kaisar?" Anaximander directed.
"Your Highness" Kaisar began "We are travelling to the Galaxy of Innsmouth, to recruit a detective with…err…abilities significant in combat against alien enemies"
"A detective? What use is a detective in a war zone?" The Prince asked.
"The man is called Jack Walters, and technically he's a private detective" Kaisar joked, The Prince obviously not understanding the humor.
"When he gained his galaxy, he used the GECK to…modify his genetic code, with some peculiar results" Anaximander stated ominously.
"Yes, but how peculiar?"
"Put simply, he has powers similar to Asari, you know how they have that ability to read minds by touching one's head and reciting that line? Well he can do the same thing, but he doesn't need to touch you, and he recites something a little more…cryptic"
"He's a male Asari?"
"No…he's…I mean… Listen, have you heard of the Author H.P. Lovecraft?"
"That's a rhetorical question, isn't it?" The Prince answred, now tryuing his own attempt at humor, his attempts equally falling flat.
"Alright, well he'd an old horror writer who invented a bunch of aliens, anyways, one of his "horror aliens" are a race called Yithians, and they, like Asari, can read minds" Anaximander tried his best to explain shortly.
"So…he is a male Asari" The Prince concluded.
"No! Look, he can both read minds when he chants a phrase, and he can even control their minds too, like ordering them to kill people, or self-destruct ships, or even to go home. That's what I hope to recruit him for" Anaximander shouted, hoping he got the main idea across.
"I still haven't the slightest idea as to what you mean" The Prince stared at the bearded man, a blank and bored expression on his face.
"Your Highness…perhaps this is the kind of thing you need to see for yourself, I just hope black and white doesn't hurt your eyes" Kaisar calmly stated, as his master started to fall into a nervous wreck.