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I don't care.

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I don't care.

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Total Members Voted: 0

Voting closed: January 04, 2021, 02:28:47 am

[19_EgarAlnis]

[20]"I have a larger throne in mind." You smoothly reply, stretching. "Or no throne at all. I haven't decided yet."

"You didn't strike me as the ruling type." Rekhyt nods, "But if no throne interests you, then what would your plans be?"

"Adventure. The sky is full of stars, and around those stars float worlds more fascinating than any throne." You give a faint smile.

"But nothing is so easy for royalty. Is it [daughter of Sol]?" Cephie questions, rhetorically. "Bound by the honor of your line. Would your ancestors be satisfied with your wanderlust? Or would they prefer you  to uphold their name?"

Rekhyt looks to you, smiling faintly. "The Prince's question."

[Superdorf]

I am-- never happier, godling, than when you are flying free under the stars. Or stumbling on some new delicacy. Or laughing with compatriots.

You are Phoenix-of-Sol. You are Phoebe Gainer. If you burn your name into the Void, I will be proud. If you find freedom, comfort on other worlds... I will be content.

[ZBridges]

I would ask only that you defend those that you are sworn to protect.  Beyond that, the Void is yours to explore as you please.  Just be aware that sometimes our past catches up with us.  Running into Rufus, for example, without a fleet to protect you could mean death.

[King Zultan]

You do what you've got to do, rule the planet or rule space its up to you.

[19_EgarAlnis]

"There once was a conquerer of Old. Back when Humanity was confined to one planet." You begin, lounging against Cephie. "On old [Earth]." Rekhyt brows furrow, but he doesn't question, leaning forward to listen more intently.

"A prince but never a true king. He conquered the world he knew and when he found a boundary his men refused to cross he weeped." You finish, "But to him, it was never about the land, or the title. Nor to establish an Empire in his name to last forever. It was all for himself."

Cephie doesn't speak, nuzzling back into your shoulder. One sleepy eye is fixed on Rekhyt, and her Willpower coils like a spring around him.

"...I have many questions, Phoebe, but my first is this: what are your 'ground' rules?"  Rekhyt slouches back, rubbing at his chin and the shadow of facial hair covering it.

[ZBridges]

His father was quite the statesman, however.  He reversed the decline of his nation, a troubled region viewed with contempt by its southern neighbors, and he also resolved its many intractable crises despite a bleak outlook when he assumed the throne.  Was his son really so much more notable if his admittedly vast empire so quickly crumbled into dust?

"I ask that you do not act violently towards my people unless you must do so in order to preserve your life.  What are your ground rules?"

[Superdorf]

That was the point of the tale, no?
(Alexander of Macedon! To think, that his story should be kicking about still... have you other stories like that? Old history lessons of Alphira's?)

To clarify this "ground rule": we don't want Rekhyt enacting violence (outside of self-defence) towards our people, or on our land, without our sanction. The rest beyond that isn't so much a ground rule as a question of alliance.

Rekhyt's got more questions-- let's play this slow, leave him space to ask. This looks to be interesting.

[ZBridges]

Philip doesn't get the respect he deserves, is all I'm saying.  Everyone makes allusions to his son, but Philip's reputation can't escape Alexander's shadow.

[19_EgarAlnis]

I do not think I am much like Phillip. That sort of logic doesn't come easy to me. My education is sparse. Mathematics comes easily, but the rest...Do you think I should get tutors for my downtime? What sort should I get?


I learned much from your memories, Red-Star 'Constantinus'. I hope you don't mind my perusal of your collection. I did not pry.

Maintaining two conversations is easy as you lay out the first simple ground rule. You deliver it in Outlander, to make sure the point is clear to the troublesome prince. "No more testing the metal of my people with a literal point. No more murders in my land, unless I request it so. Even if they are Outlander. [William, as Minister of my Internal Affairs] can also make such requests."

"What of Emma?" Cephie questions.

"What of Emma?" You retort, bluntly. "If she wanted someone dead she wouldn't have to ask."

Rekhyt grins from across the hot spring, his fingers drumming on the bronze-colored ceramic tile. "Lover's quarreling aside -- I agree to your ground rule -- but only if you tell me of [Ancient Earth]."

"No one knows why [Sol system] is uninhabitable -- or why the Empyre keeps a picket and blockade on it's gates." Cephie volunteers, before turning expectantly to you. "Tell us, oh honored Dust-Elder-- of Ancient [Earth]."

What do you tell of Ancient Earth?

[Superdorf]

Were you a Philip, Whitestar?
Your chances at a wider education are sparse here, alas. You could try the cognitive pods back home for historic archives, or your datapad... but how much of that time would be better spent in preparation for Magnus? Until that wretch of a noble dies, you've a [sword of Damocles] over your head.

When we get off Mercenary's Rest, we'll chase down all the tutelage this galaxy can offer, if you like-- more than I could ever tell! Until then... my memory-banks are open, always. Access what you will.
<Sol System uninhabitable... what happened there? Do we know?>

The history of old Terra... good grief.
Where do we even start? Herodotus? Thucydides? Genesis?

[ZBridges]

I was no Philip.  The empire was most often built through bloody conquest and "diplomacy" that was more like extortion, to a greater degree than Philip himself.  Phoenix's epithet for me, "good" doctor, is nothing more than a petty gibe.

I would recommend tutors in history, rhetoric, and maybe theology or philosophy, if you are going to continue to pretend to be a god.  Knowing the theodicies, for example, could help you with difficult questions from Eric or others.  Of course, you would need to balance this learning with your many other responsibilities.

Perhaps we should start with some of the more ancient empires?  The rise and fall of the Assyrians, who ruled with fear and thus had few willing allies when the empire began to collapse, may be instructive.  Hammurabi's Code, of Babylon, would serve as a good introduction to primitive law systems.

[King Zultan]

Tell them about all the wars, everybody loves a good war story, maybe we skip some of the older ones and start around WWI or around that.

[19_EgarAlnis]

After a soft sigh, you begin with the cradle of humanity -- Africa. You describe the evolution of man, the great migrations, then the Cradle of Civilization. It takes you roughly an hour to explain this to Rekhyt, but he doesn't complain, only moving to lean forward in his interest, only interrupting to ask a question. Cephie sits quietly, volunteering some information where necessary, but letting you speak of the Sumer, of Babylon, of Assyria and Gilgamesh.

Rekhyt draws himself out of the water and wraps a towel around himself, taking a seat outside the pool. He dries his hands on it, then waves his pruned fingers at you. "Are you truly gods? I don't believe it, but many things about you still raise questions."

You lift your hand from the water and glance down at it -- perfectly smooth. The water drips off of your fingertips, and there is no pruning, no wrinkles.

"[Should I answer, Patches?]" Cephie questions, lifting her head from your shoulder.

[Superdorf]

"As your people say: man makes gods."
"Our kind is immortal. Powerful. Human, but more-than-human. This was given to us by man."

[ZBridges]

"As your people say: man makes gods."
"Our kind is immortal. Powerful. Human, but more-than-human. This was given to us by man."

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