Chapter 31: Trial of Eternity
Reviewers:
Dark Retribution: Sorry about that. Let's just say the marines were aboard a ship under repair and couldn't launch in time. You'll see marines soon, I promise.
Liljimmyurine: No, it was a ruse designed to lure Section 31 out of hiding.
BGTom: I agree. Star Wars, or perhaps the Covenant in Halo if I use that universe. I never saw the original Battlestar Galactica.
Sean: Thanks. I just couldn't kill Madthayn. I agree with you on when the Alliance should enter B5. The Shadows, Drakh, and Vorlons will probably be the first Alliance targets. They will try to restore the Earth Alliance. The Centauri might fight as well, but they'll be dealt with. I'm thinking of the Alliance liberating Narn to get G'kar's people on their side. Also, is there any way the Mimbari would join the alliance? I just think they're so cool. They probably won't be able to save Adera from being poisoned, but they could revive her using nano probes. Good idea about Bester's lover. That'll give Inquisitor Malaki a good bargaining chip.
Darth: I hope so as well.
Joseph Rosario: Halo might be included because it's one of the few galaxies that has an Empire as large as the Imperium. What's an FPS by the way?
Grayangle: The Alliance let the Klingons keep their empire. The same for the Federation. All they asked for was the loyalty of their military and resource contributions. Picard will make up his mind in this chapter. Tell me what you think of it.
Lennox: That's what this chapter's about.
Covered in blood'n gore: Thanks for the list. I'm thinking of having the wormhole to the Sg-1 universe collapse, stranding the forward ships there for a while. That would be a good place to have a hero. Our Earth, that would be funny, for but would end too fast. Kill the Sailor Scouts? No way. Besides I'm keeping anime out of this story. Good call on the psykers though.
Silvanas: Good calls on the universes. Matrix and Doom probably wouldn't work, but Battletech might actually be good.
Treymne: Good ideas as alway. I've been waiting for your review. Cartagia proably will die. Your ideas about the Mimbari are great. That's prably what will happen. The Techno-Mages prbably won't do anything, at least not for a while.
Picard was relaxing in his quarters. He needed rest after the battle he'd just fought. Suddenly though, a blinding white light surrounded him.
In the Imperium universe, the Emperor was on board the largest ship ever built by human hands. It would serve as his new command ship. He realized the Horus Heresy had occurred because he had retreated to Terra and allowed others to control the outer regions of the Imperium. He would not make that mistake again. His new flagship was fifty kilometers long and fifteen wide at the aft section. It housed thousands of weapons and strike craft. It was shaped like a massive arrow. It had been constructed with the latest technology from both galaxies. It would be the symbol of the new alliance. Together, the Imperium and its allies would be invincible. He was just about to walk onto the command deck and give a speech when a blinding light enveloped him.
The two found themselves in a room that Picard remembered all too well. Suddenly, a light shone down a hallway, illuminating a figure riding a floating throne. He slowly moved down the hallway, dressed in a scarlet and black robe. A gold chain was around his neck. Picard was the first to speak.
"Q," he said, addressing the figure.
"Jean-Luc, it's been such a long time since we've stood here." He said in greeting.
"Who are you and where are we?" The Emperor demanded. One of the guards poked the Emperor with an electrical shock stick but he didn't appear to feel it.
"Ah, the Emperor of Mankind." Q said. "An impressive title. In answer to your questions, I am Q and you are currently in the Q Continuum."
"What is a Q?" The Emperor asked.
"The Q are omnipotent beings with unlimited control of space, matter and time. You two have been brought here to stand trial for the crimes of humanity."
"We passed your last trial Q. What reason is there for another?" Picard asked.
"Because Picard, now you have another humanity to stand trial alongside you."
"So tell me, what are the charges against us?" The Emperor asked. He sensed how powerful this Q person was, and he was no match for him. So he figured he might as well go along with this trial.
"The charges are: Being barbarians and bring death and suffering on innocent cultures," Q answered. "Let the trial begin!" With that, a crown no one had noticed until then began cheering. "Since Picard has already stood here once, the Continuum called the Emperor of Mankind to the stand."
The Emperor, in full armor and looking as proud and powerful as ever, mounted a pulpit and took a seat. Q walked up to him.
"Tell me Emperor, how many people have died fighting your wars?"
"More than there are stars in the galaxy," he answered.
"How does that make you feel?" Q asked.
"I feel proud that they gave their lives with duty in their hearts and honor in their souls," he answered.
"I see, and you feel no regrets for all those deaths?"
"Of course I do. Every life that is lost is a loss to all of humanity. But at the same time they gave their lives to ensure that humanity as a whole will live on."
"Hm, so no matter how many of your soldiers die, more are always available to replace them."
"That is the Imperium's way of waging war, attrition. We do not have the ability to annialate all our enemies at once, so we must concentrate on holding the worlds we have and taking what worlds we can from our enemies."
"Which brings me to the charges themselves. We'll start with being barbarians. You treat your own people nearly as badly as you treat your enemies. Your law enforcement is as harsh as some races wars. You kill millions or send then off as suicide units for war. Do you deny this?"
"No, I do not. However, those people are the corrupt and the criminals. If they were not used as Penal Legions they would simply be executed. At least this way they can give their lives for something worthwhile."
"So the Imperium cares only about itself. It has no regard for the well being of other races?"
"Most of the races the Imperium has encountered have tried to destroy it. For ten thousand years the Imperium has stood alone as the last bastion of light against the darkness."
"The darkness you say? What darkness would that be?" Q asked.
"The Tyranids, the Necrons, the Orks, Chaos, take your pick," the Emperor responded. "If any of them were to gain control over the galaxy life as we know it would no longer exist."
Q summoned a device that looked like a helmet connected to a massive screen.
"This device will show us your mind," he said. "Put it on and show us what you think the galaxy would be like under the control of the other races." The Emperor complied and placed the helmet on his head.
An image appeared of a galaxy gone mad. Planets were shaped like disks, cubes and many unrecognizable shapes. Oceans of blood and moons of fire were everywhere. Star themselves wept, and everywhere mankind slaved away under the lashes and clubs of their daemonic masters.
"This is what the galaxy would be under the control of Chaos. Nothing would be but anarchy and war. There would be slavery and suffering, and nothing else." Picard was stunned, as was Madthayn. Even Q blinked several times. The Emperor closed his eyes again and a new image formed.
This image was of a galaxy without life at all. Every planet was bare rock. Nothing was left, not even bacteria. Everything was gone, consumed. The galaxy was dead.
"This is the galaxy after the Tyranids have gone through. Everything, from humans down to microbes, gone, consumed by the Tyranids to fuel their own growth. Nothing remains but bare rocks." Again the Q crowd was silent. "I believe one more will suffice."
The final image was of a galaxy of human farms. Everywhere humans were grown and consumed by the C'tan of forced to fight in battles for their amusement. There was no free will, only the desire to please their masters.
"This galaxy is where the Necrons have taken control. Life exists merely to feed the star gods appetites. Humans and any other surviving races are only looked upon as food. This and the other futures are what would happen if humanity did not stand against them. Is that the future the Q would wish for us?"
Q was silent for a long moment. Being a Q, he had known of the Imperium's struggle, but he had never paid much attention to it.
"Answer this Q, would one barbarian give his life to try to save another?" The Emperor asked.
"Of course not," Q answered. "But the goals of your Imperium are not that different. You seek to bring all life under your control. Anyone who opposes you, you either destroy or conquer."
I do not deny that," the Emperor responded. "However, we do allow those we conquer the full benefits of Imperial culture. Since we were introduced to the Federation, we have used their technology in our home galaxy to begin a massive relief effort on our overpopulated worlds. We have devoted resources we could have used for war to help those that are in need. Is that the behavior of barbarians? As a final piece of evidence, I submit the fact that I risked my own existence to save Horus, who was under the control of Chaos."
The screen showed the battle between the Emperor and Horus. The Emperor, in the end, destroyed Horus with one blast.
"I could have used that attack in the first seconds of our fight, but I held back. I wanted to help Horus. He was my most beloved son. I trusted him completely. Even when he ripped my arm from my body, I still managed to believe he could be saved. It took the life of a brave marine, going up against a foe he could not possibly beat, and Horus's careless killing of him to show me that he could not be saved. In the final moment, when Horus was near death, he realized what he had done. We looked into each others eyes and understood. I was dying. If I allowed Horus to live, Chaos may have returned and claimed his weakened body once again. We both knew what had to be done, and so I destroyed Horus once and forever. The Imperium is not barbaric Q. We merely have the will to do what must be done to keep the universe from spiraling into a hole of infinite darkness and suffering. So I ask you to give the verdict of not guilty. Let humanity do what it must to keep the universe from succumbing to chaos and madness."
Q was silent for a long period. Picard had not presented anything like the evidence the Emperor had. Finally he spoke again.
"You could learn something from the Emperor Picard," he said. "Especially how to present evidence in a trial. I have consulted with the Continuum, and we have decided that humanity should be allowed to continue on its course. However, be aware that based upon your future actions, we may all find ourselves here again," he said, and the Emperor and Picard were whisked back to where they had been. The Emperor composed himself and moved to give the address to his men.
Picard was back in his quarters on the Enterprise. He had been just as impresses as Q had been, perhaps even more so. He had been worried that the Imperium's only goal was domination, but now he saw that it only sought to protect the entire universe from threats beyond imagining. They might be more heavy handed and ruthless than the Federation, but they also desired peace in the end. He resolved to do his part, while doing everything he to make the Imperial Alliance see the needs of the people they sought to protect. He would try his best to make sure that everyone had what they needed. The Imperium was used to only war, but with the help of their new allies, Picard hoped it would soon learn the ways of peace and compassion. He would do what he could.
How was that? Picard will try to make the Imperium see the ways of peace, while doing his part to ensure the darkness is kept at bay. In the next chapter the Alliance will begin its expansion into new galaxies, so send me your choices soon. Yee ya then, and don't forget to review!
P.S. I know nothing about Dune, so anyone who wants me to include it, e-mail me with anything you feel I need to know. Thanks!
ENTILZA