"Discourse on Man"

[Archie Phoenix 0]

Ashlar’s blood-red eyes peered about at his fellow Exalts, the five great leaders of Renazia assembled in their shadowy meeting chamber. “Let us not forget. Were it not for the Federation’s meddling, Lars Man would not even be alive today.”

 

One of the robed Exalts scoffed. “It has been nearly a century since the state executed a criminal, Ashlar! And I am glad for it. Such archaic policies of revenge are beneath us!”

 

“Not revenge, Fierz!” Ashlar snapped back at the youngest of the Exalts. “Practicality. Lars Man is one of the vilest creatures to ever emerge from the stream of souls. He was responsible for the total obliteration of twelve Renazian souls! Such thugs were once executed only because of the grave danger they presented to our society, not because of any need for revenge. But because our Federation … friends … would presume to frown upon the dealing of death in justice, we merely … exiled him. And now he is spilling his darkest secrets to the Serberites!”

 

“Let us not resort to such speculation too quickly,” said the eldest member of the Exalted Pentad, the venerable Membus. “Our informants have told us only that Man's ship was captured in the Bleak Zone. It is as likely as anything that the Serberites killed him. Or that he escaped.”

 

“Escaped!” Ashlar bellowed. “You assume that creature would wish to distance himself from the Serberites. I make no such assumption. No, I believe that, given the chance, he would be too eager to spill all of his secrets to them. He would give them precisely what they yearn for -- the means to destroy a Renazian soul -- so that they can continue his foul work! Or perhaps he harbors bitterness over his exile and would use them to lash out at us.”

 

“Regardless,” Membus said. “We will not act until we have learned more of Lars Man’s fate. An assembly of our most skilled covert operatives is already being prepared for a mission into the Bleak Zone. While we will not yet jump to conclusions, we must admit the possibility of an imminent Serberite menace. This Pentad was convinced to accept Federation cooperation for just such a purpose. We must decide the extent of their involvement.”

 

“I maintain that the Federation is as grave a threat as Lars,” Ashlar responded. “They dig at us constantly, trying to pry away our knowledge of the soul. Yet where is the protection that you all expected from them? They do nothing to combat the Serberites. They fear conflict. Look at their long history of fleeing before it. It is an unwise waste of time to await aid from them.”

 

“The alternatives you have suggested are unacceptable!” Fierz barked.

 

“My altern--”

 

“Ashlar!” Membus cut him off. “Fierz! Peace! Let not the dark signs of our times blacken the hearts of the Exalted and turn this Pentad against itself. No doubt such an end would please the Serberites.” His radiant white eyes turned to Ashlar. “Ashlar, I deem that what you have called ‘fear’ and ‘weakness’ are, in fact, prudence. The Federation does not seek conflict. But the history you cite shows no lack of resolve nor of preparation when they are pressed by it. They desire and strive for peace, yet few are better prepared to defend and protect in the face of adversity. I still feel that their way is the best way for us.”

 

“Listen to what you say, Membus,” replied Infreg, a middle-aged Renazian standing beside Ashlar. “’When they are pressed by conflict?’ Even if you are right, and their Starfleet will act on our behalf, they will not do so until they witness a Serberite attack. If the Serberites possess a weapon capable of destroying our souls, can we afford to wait? What might the magnitude of such a weapon be? What if they now, as we speak, possess a weapon capable of exterminating every soul on this planet? The Federation Council would wait to see it used? That is not prudence.”

 

“The operatives we sent to follow Man’s trail count a Mystic among their number,” Membus pointed out. “When Man’s ship is located, he will determine if the Serberites possess the means to craft such a weapon. There need be no attack. Such evidence alone would be enough to compel the Council to an offensive.”

 

“Careful, Membus!“ Ashlar intoned. “Turning such evidence over to the Federation Council would be exceedingly dangerous! There are things they must not know!”

 

Membus sighed deeply, the sigh of a great weight long borne on his shoulder. “Yes, Ashlar. Of course, I understand that. But there would surely be ways of presenting such evidence … without revealing secrets that are best kept within these walls.” Ashlar and Infreg merely gave the sage a skeptical look. Even Fierz did not look entirely convinced. “Now, I am weary and desire to rest. I will instruct our Ambassador on Earth to present new warnings of the Serberite threat to the Council. Vague warnings, of course. Enough, perhaps, to at least get a patrol established at the entrance to the Bleak Zone -- a promising start. We will assemble again in two cycles.” Membus bowed to the other Exalts before turning and departing the Pentad chamber, Fierz and Sevard following closely behind.

 

“You are right,” Infreg said to Ashlar when they stood alone in the chamber. “The Federation will never assist us. They refuse to act without information … and such information would only push them away further.”

 

“They are insignificant,” Ashlar replied with disgust in his voice. “If the Federation will not help us … there are others who will.”