Empires of Ashes

*kets eyes widen behind his helmet* "I have multiple comments to make. I am unsure which is most pressing."

"And, the more likely event, we do not offend them, but the people take it...too far. Mob mentality. Riots. Hatred for the factorum spreads beyond our control. The people turn on them. They cause their own doom in doing so."

"Aforementioned points... One... Why does such a thing exist? Surely you see the threat such reliance poses? They are in the position to make incredible demands. And second... Can you not control your own populace to such a ridiculous degree you fear for your nations stability?"

"...you are no statesman, Ket. I am. It is not a matter of 'not controlling the populace.' Messages easily get muddled when passed from one person to another, until the original message's meaning is entirely gone, the message twisted to a new meaning. Get enough people believing the same thing, and in this case they'll wonder why the senate hasn't done anything about it. They'll get angry. They'll find other people to be angry alongside. And they'll try to take matters into their own hands."

"You lie to your people, because you are afraid of their retribution? If you are so afreared, have a representative of the factorum explain their actions publicly. You are fond of open debate in dracia are you not?"

"Afeared? Ket are you even listening to what I'm saying?!"

"I am. And from how i am hearing you, you are more afraid of your own people than the horde at our gates."

*Trajan just sighs* "This is going nowhere"

"Because you refuse to present a solution. We cannot use your senate, or your people. How else can this be tackled?"

"That's my point! It can't, not without power I do not have!"

*Ket looks rather dispassionate at trajan.* "Do i have the power to stop slavery in kelthro?"

"Kelthro is not dracia"

"It is a monumental empire, which cares little about who it crushes underfoot. They are one and the same, in so many ways. A man with drive can take its reins."

"Do you know what the point of the senate is?"

"Idealist nonsense?"

"Because it stops problems like your uncle from happening. People don't get power, unless others grant it to them, and they don't get that far unless the people choose them. You can take power because you have a large potential power-base with the idea of the abolition of slavery, and the structure of your government allows one man to take power by force, regardless of the effects to the people you rule. I cannot seize power because it would undermine and destroy a system that has protected the people of our empire for centuries. It would make too many enemies who would ignore my power, and would cause strife and civil war that would only bring suffering and death. Do you understand?"

"I understand, i vehemently disagree with your system... But i understand it."

"Which means, I cannot just solve this with strength of arms. I cannot even guarantee my own men would follow me, if I told them to march on their own home. Could you?"

"If they believed in the cause. There are dracians among my immortals, you've met one. They fought legions without complaint."

"Fought legions, yes. What do you think Diana would say if you asked her to march on dracia's people? To kill her old kinsmen and women? People who she was once one of?"

"You think she has more loyalty to the nation who abandoned her, or the brothers and sisters who saved her from a brothel?"

"A fair point, but I should also add this. Why do people join the kelthrovi military, or the immortals? And why do men join the Dracian legions?"

"More people volunteer than you imagine. Slaves, of course, make up the majority, but free men join. And my immortals are made up of the lost."

"You didn't answer my question. Why?"

"People join me, from desperation, people join your legions from patriotic idiocy. Is that the answer you want from me?"

"In a manner of speaking. They join up because they think, they hope that they can make life better for themselves and their people. They can fight the enemies that would bring the empire low. Now imagine telling one of these people to attack that same empire, and those same people."

"Imagine telling them that their heroes are little more than slaves."

" 'heroes'. Trust me, even the legionaries aren't fond of the Clavae. The image their 'creators' craft for them is too good. Most people don't even realise they're human."

"That is an insult levied at my immortals often. You should at least educate your soldiers."

"Educate them? of what? Even I knew fuck all about them before LI. I didn't even know what they looked like under the helmets, Hell I didn't know they could speak!"

"Tell them that they're people, Trajan! That they deserve respect not revulsion!" *he slams a fist down on the charts table.* "They are people, regardless of what their 'Creators' Did to them."

"I know! I've not exactly had the chance to give a public service announcement since I learned near the start of this campaign!"

"We've had a week of sitting on our haunches here! How much of a chance do you need? My men know more about them, by the gods trajan!"

"I've been a tad occupied by planning a siege and keeping in contact with my fellow consul's legions, Ket. Incase you haven't noticed, I haven't exactly had free time."

"I would consider it a discipline issue. And an easier one to solve than the cavernous divide between our forces."

"Look Ket, we both agree this is a problem. I think it's one we're more likely to solve after we've won this battle, alright?"

"I will hold you to that."

"I would expect nothing less."

"I am a man of principles if nothing else"

"I think we both are."

"Whether they are the same. im not so sure anymore."

"Ket, don't do this. You know I agree with you, and want to help them. Its just that I understand it's not such a simple task. Were I to say, be elected dictator then it could be. But that's a big if."

"The battle first. We'll discuss this when its won."

Trajan nods at that

*he raps his knuckles on the chart table. Pauses for a moment, thinking, then walks towards the doors*

Trajan doesn't stop him. After he's gone, he takes a moment to look over a few things, before going looking for Diana. When he gets there, Diana notes Trajan is alone. No bodyguards, no retinue, nothing.

*Diana is stood beside one of the large wooden barricade gates guarding the entrance into the Immortal's claimed camp area. She is at attention, in full armour, completely unmoving, shield held to, regardless of its weight, spear held, butt on the ground*

Trajan: *nods respectfully in greeting* Ma'am.

Diana: "... Consul."

"Would you mind if we spoke? I can see you are busy."

*she looks over to the other immortal, on the other side of the gate* *Fluent kelthrovi* "Raquiel, hold the gate." *he knods back, and she turns back to trajan.* "What is it?"