The Next Generation 19

Magicman: Ah yes. There's nothing like throwing in a good cliffhanger after everything seems to be going fine. How I've missed doing that!

Smokegirl: And people call ME the sadistic one!

Dilandau-with-a-cowboy-hat: Yes they do. What's your point?

Smokegirl: Grrrrrrrr!

Magicman: Anyway, to answer a certain question, no Mark and Yukari did not have sex that night. They merely spent it in the same bed as a method of comfort or some such thing.



General Veers stepped into the light of the chamber of representatives. All of the various functionaries, diplomats, representatives, aides, and whatnot from every country, city, and village had gathered to Solek to answer his call for peace. Each one had arrived with a genuine hope for peace in their hearts.

Last night's events had melted that hope.

The General faced the assembly with a calm, serious manner. "Representatives of your countries, why do you summon me? The scheduled meeting was to take place after supper."

A thin representative from Domaria (A/N: Made up country) stood and glared fiercely at his host. "We decided to convene now in case you got bored and had us all killed!"

Another man, an elderly lord from one of the many island countries put a hand on the fiery young man and sat him down slowly.

Veers frowned slightly. "I take it that you are joking my lord?"

The elderly man shook his head. "It's no joke general. We of the council wish to know why a man of such peaceful intentions would resort to violence?"

"Violence? I'm afraid you are mistaken. I have committed no violent acts."

The man from Domaria rose in his seat again, scowling viciously. "You lie! Last night you committed murder. After all your assurances, all your speeches for peace, you kill one of the men you try to make peace with!"

The council murmured assent. The older man pushed the younger down again.

Veers looked astonished. "Murder? I have murdered no one."

A look silenced the young lord before he could speak and the old man rose to his feet. "General, do you see the noble Lord Dulcifor in this assembly?"

Veers made a show of looking around. "I do not."

"Well that is because, as my colleague from Domaria has said, you had him murdered last night."

Veers shook his head again. "I say again, I have not murdered anyone."

"Then why is the esteemed lord from Asturia missing?"

"Quite simple. He was executed."

The assembly all started yelling and shouting in astonishment and indignance. The men physically restrained the Domarian lord as the old man called for order repeatedly. Finally he got it, and he spoke to Veers again, his eyes cold.

"You had him executed yet you claim you murdered no one?"

Veers held up his hands placatingly. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, murder and execution are very different things. Murder is a killing done for sport, amusement, or perhaps for no reason at all. Execution occurs because the victim has committed some crime."

"And what was Lord Dulcifor's crime?"

"Last night I found him rummaging through my private rooms. When he saw me he accused me of starting another war and of planning to control all of Gaea. He threatened to expose these ridiculous claims to your various countries. I had no choice but to have him taken into custody. He tried to fight and my men were forced to kill him."

The elderly man frowned. "Wasn't that a little extreme?"

"I was merely following Basram law, and Basram law states that any man who assaults an officer in the army receives death."

Murmurs of reluctant agreement from the nobles sounded and Veers smiled. "Gentlemen, I assure you, I would not be so stupid as to start a war by killing a representative to my country."

The young lord wrenched free of the hands restraining him and surged to his feet. "Then explain THIS!" He thrust into the air a fistful of papers. "These general, are plans. Plans that give the details for an assault on Gaea!"

Instant chaos. Nobles, functionaries, and just about everyone in the room started screaming in rage. Through it all the man smirked. "Lord Dulcifor informed me of his suspicions and I made a follow up of his own search. You are undone general! Your twisted plans of conquest end here!"

Veers frowned. "Sit down boy. You know nothing about what my plans are."

"I know that they threaten all of Gaea!"

"Wrong. They ensure eternal peace for all of Gaea!"

These words cut like a knife through the ruckus, and every man in hearing stared at Veers incredulously.

Veers continued. "Do you people know what the late emperor Dornkirk's original motives were? They were to stop all the petty wars and to establish a peaceful coexistence between all. He chose the wrong path to accomplish this however. His generals and sorcerers forgot this in the greed for power and dominance over others, and it was their own undoing. Zaibach did terrible things but the vision of a peaceful world was the noblest thing I have ever known! THAT is what I want, to bring that dream true!"

"Then why do you have these plans of invasion?" asked the old representative shrewdly.

Veers sighed. "I do not expect all to agree with this dream. Those plans are for defensive purposes only."

The young lord stood up again. "So if any country does not wish to join you in this dream then you will simply force them to accept it?"

"That is the last thing I would wish."

"Yet you could do it very easily. I have seen the expanding armies of your country, and I have seen the technological advance you have made. Above all there is the fact that Basram hates every country other than themselves."

Veers' lips tightened as he clenched his fists. "You believe a rumour rather than fact? Will you allow this...misconception to ruin any chance we have at a true lasting peace?"

The young lord nodded firmly. The older man sighed and stood up. "I am sorry general, but I for one can not agree to this treaty without the personal word from my sovereign."

"And I for one can not agree to this at all." Another man from the back of the room stood up. "I'm not going to bet the safety of my kingdom on the word of Basram!"

More voices joined the righteous cry and men stood up to leave.

General Veers shook his head with an almost sad expression. "If that is the case gentlemen then I can't let you leave alive. I have enjoyed the privilege of knowing you and I regret to inform you that I must cut that experience short. Goodbye". He snapped his fingers and turned. He had marched out of the room as the black-clothed assassins materialised..

The general closed the doors on the screams beginning to form. For a moment he felt a twinge of guilt but he shook it off. If he were to bring peace to this world then he couldn't let anything stop him.

He marched crisply through the corridors and arrived at his room. He opened the door and stepped in, not surprised to see Kasar waiting for him.

"How was the meeting my lord?" he asked in his dead voice.

"Terrible. The worst possible outcome has occurred. Not one of them expressed a desire to stop all this war and I was forced to use those creations of yours."

Kasar showed no expression. "I did not expect them to my lord."

Veers sighed and shook his head. "Well obstacles can be overcome. My destiny is to bring peace to Gaea. One way or another. Send word to the generals and the airforce. Tell the, that the time has come. Initiate plan Domin 8."

Kasar nodded his head and disappeared from the room to relay his lord's instructions. Veers sat alone in his room thinking.

***

The call went out.

Armies stationed on high alert in boring backwater settlements on the border were electrified by the news that they would actually do something. Regiments, companies, and divisions formed up in ranks and poured over the borders into enemy lands like a steel-clad tide.

Unsuspecting towns, their garrisons taken totally by surprise, were the first to fall in this blitzkrieg of technological muscle.

It was days before word reached the helpless capitals, and defending armies were scrambled in desperation even as Basramian one-man fighters buzzed over towns and cities, sowing fear and chaos.

A few countries, like Asturia and Fanelia, had discovered the Basramian armies before hand and had prepared their defences ahead of time, but they were in the great minority.

Darkness was sweeping over the land, and it seemed that no one could stop it.





Magicman: Dun dun dun! So THAT my friends is General Krannek Veers' master plan. Force Gaea into peace. He's got the muscle and the determination to make it work, but what will our various heroes do? They've got to do something, don't they?

Dilandau-with-a-cowboy-hat: And so, another chapter comes to a close with comments from its author.

Smokegirl: And always remember..BURN! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!