The Blind Gods
Copyright© 2025 by Wau
Chapter 65: The Wind of Change
The Android’s face was completely neutral, in contrast with its voice, which was both excited and hesitant:
- “Uh, aren’t you the Wau?”
- “Obviously not,” said Ravzan, discreetly covering the stars on his uniform with his hand.
- “What are you then, his secretary?”
- “How about you introduce yourself first?” yelled Tohil, turning the camera toward him, not bothering to hide his admiral’s uniform.
- “Oh shit, you’re with the HS?”
The Android turned toward an invisible interlocutor who was feeding it instructions. Behind it, one could see a marble temple that wouldn’t have looked out of place on Mythical Earth. The admirals recognized the description of the Royal Planet.
- “Let me make things clear,” said Ravzan, setting the rhythm of his voice. “We’re a resistance group fighting against the Aleph, and thus against the HS as it currently defines itself. You were contacted by the Wau Order, who offered you to join this resistance. The Wau couldn’t respond to your call because he’s currently busy, but he gave us instructions to intercept and handle these types of requests.”
- “Uh...”
The Android was receiving external instructions but looked rather dimwitted. Its invisible interlocutor grew tired and pushed it aside.
An ancient humanoid appeared on the screen-maybe two hundred years old, if he had received standard HS care. Numerous IV lines seemed to be keeping him alive, along with a device inspired by starship gravity manipulation and drones to help him move. The graceful hand of a woman adjusted the camera.
- “Is this communication secure?”
- “We cannot guarantee it, so: let’s hope. But if you followed the Wau’s instructions, you should be on a private Drift network. Then again, the Aleph is supposedly capable of anything.”
- “What a pathetic resistance. I am Huan, sovereign of the Royal Planet and its thousand colonies.”
- “We’re honored to meet you, Your Highness,” said Ravzan humbly.
- “We are NOT meeting yet. The HS has launched an assault on Babylon and is sweeping Booz. They claim we attacked them, and I know that’s false.”
He let a silence settle.
- “Was it you who attacked them?”
- “And then blame His Majesty?” asked Ravzan, glancing at Tohil. “That seems like a rather convoluted plan.”
- “Just say yes, it’ll be faster than your ridiculous formulas.”
- “No,” declared Tohil. “It wasn’t us. But I wish it had been. The HS needs to be pressured, and fear needs to change sides.”
- “At last, an interesting interlocutor. You-I want to speak with you. So I am to believe you are sincere and that this is a stratagem by the HS ... which, conveniently enough, would benefit from it ... well ... let’s imagine that the HS, carried away by its blind rage, tracks us to the Royal Planet ... His Majesty and his Court ... and some of the inhabitants here ... could they find refuge somewhere, out of the HS’s sight?”
- “Well, we have a planet here. The climate’s hotter than yours, but if your subjects know how to farm, no one will starve,” affirmed Ravzan.
- “And do you have Drift coordinates for this planet?”
Tohil cut the communication, apologizing. He said to Ravzan:
- “And he’d give our coordinates to the Aleph in exchange for his peace?”
- “The guy has a thousand planets,” replied Ravzan. “The Aleph will leave alone someone with that kind of territory and a fleet of thousands of ships before going after a resistance that looks like a retirement home.”
- “Let’s verify that he really has all those ships,” said Tohil.
Resuming the communication, he declared:
- “What are we talking about in terms of population and ships?”
- “Several thousand of each.”
- “Thousands of Endymions?”
- “Spare me your stupid jabs. If that were the case, our palace would be on Mythical Earth and we wouldn’t have let the situation degenerate as miserably as you have.”
- “Alright, we’ll send you that. Welcome to the Resistance, Your Highness.”
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