"I see you're making me proud," Karl muttered as though preoccupied with the task at hand.
"I aim to make you proud," Diabolique muttered softly, though she felt sick to her stomach. Karl glanced up from the folders he was searching through with a hum of hesitation and disbelief. Diabolique watched as the man continued to work away, searching for something as a tense silence filled the room. Only the sound of the sea outside the window softly broke the silence.
"Ah," Karl voiced as he picked up a large, folder-like leather book with what seemed to be pages of parchment and paper overlapping one another, images peeking through every now and again. Diabolique frowned as she watched Karl leaf through the pages before he glanced once again at Diabolique. "Within these pages is what your task will be," he began. "I expect you never to fail; if you fail you will be punished... though not just you." He paused before smiling coldly at the small child before him. Standing at his full height the tall man walked silently around the wooden desk to stand just in front of Diabolique. "I will punish those you have come to care about," he continued as a cold, callused hand grasped the child chin forcefully. "Each failed attempted will cause them pain in such a way they will wish for death. Or…" He paused again, squeezing the child's jaw line causing Diabolique to wince in pain, knowing full well she would bruise. "They will wish for your death even more then their own, do we understand?" Karl questioned. Diabolique nodded as much as she could, Karl grinned once again as he slowly let go, finishing the so-called caress of the child's cheek. "Good, my child."
Silence fell as Diabolique rubbed her jaw as Karl set down the leather book before her. "What do you know of the planets in this sector?" Karl asked softly as he studied the frightened child.
"There are over two hundred planets surrounding the twin suns," Diabolique answered softly.
"Yes and what if there was a war within two or more of these planets?"
Diabolique frowned, thinking. Images of wars came through the genetic memory she possessed: blood wars, deaths, speeches, planets being dragged into one and others battles… The images stopped as Diabolique winced. Her head pounded - it was like a beehive being set off with so many images and feelings, yet slowly it was getting easier.
"People would die, they would involve innocent worlds," Diabolique answered as she looked up to Karl who was studying her intently.
"Yes, and that is why treaties were invented." Karl grinned as he pointed at the file before her. She looked at him questioningly, causing Karl to sigh heavily. Diabolique may have the genetic memories of diplomats and scholars yet she was still childish in her thinking.
"A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an agreement to stop hostilities, or a surrender, in which an army agrees to give up arms, or a ceasefire or truce, in which the parties may agree to temporarily or permanently stop fighting. Though in this case it will stop a war from even being started with the many sectors around us," Karl calmly explained as he paced around as though stalking his pray.
"Why though?" Diabolique asked as she frowned, looking over and up at the taller being.
"Why? What?" Karl asked, clearly amused.
"Why get planets to sign a treaty that doesn't need signing? They're all at peace right now, right?"
Karl grinned coldly down at the child as his cold fingers toyed with the large file; each page held basic information on each planet, the rest of the information was inside Diabolique's genetic code. From the current leaders, customs and religions down to the favourite food of the locals.
"Because they will be loyal to me, and I will be in control of this sector. I will be like a god to them and you, Diabolique, will do my bidding."