Stellaris Ch 22

Chapter 22 - 2528 to 25:

The fallout from the destruction of Juvan will come later. For now, a purge of the administration begins. This is not the first one in recent history, and it probably will not be the last, and all those who are most likely to oppose the Order are dealt with. Carla TBC is fired from her position, although she leaves Earth before anything else can happen to her. President HistoryDude elevates his position to High Potentate and promotes the Defense Secretary Randolph to Chief Executive General, second in command.

With the Nicoll-Dyson Beam proven and functioning, no one inside the Federation or out can challenge the new rule of law, and the Federation becomes known as the Empire of Earth.

Over the rest of 2528, the Nicoll-Dyson Beam is fired twice more, these times at the heavily guarded planets of Claive and Biribit in the Vissari State. Claive was hit with the full power of the weapon, while Biribit was experimentally hit with just three quarters power. The result on Biribit is a molten surface and a super-heated cored.

A truly humongous fleet of 500 GDL corvettes jumps through the Aslund wormhole and takes over the Empire outpost. Kathleen Forster's 2nd Fleet runs into them as they leave the Aslund system, and it is the first close battle of the war. 17 Empire ships are lost, but over 300 GDL ships are destroyed.

With their most powerful group of ships destroyed and several planets decimated, the GDL may be willing to surrender. HistoryDude sends an offer. He and the Vissari head of state do not meet in person -there is too much animosity for such an affair- but a brief exchange of videofeeds is enough for the High Potentate's equal to become aware that negotiations are entirely out of their hands. Peace is declared, and a huge chunk of Vissari territory, as well as the small enclaves of Jibru and Garganan control, and a sizable portion of the Steel Bank's vacuum outposts, are seized as 'reparation'. The Empire's population increases by nearly a hundred billion.

High Potentate HistoryDude arrives on the mini ringworld around Earth, to a small laboratory around the outside. Unknown to any living soul but himself, HistoryDude has been under the control of Division TT-01 and the remnants of the Think Tank. He is escorted to the place where the experiment is to take place. In a small room, seen through a dozen different cameras at a dozen different angles, is a conscious, healthy male human. In another room is what looks like the man's identical twin, although the body is either dead or asleep.

HistoryDude stands next to the android Kelebek and watches the videofeeds as it begins. Without direct contact of any kind, the man's consciousness is transferred into the lifeless body of his lookalike a microsecond after the experiment begins.

"Do you see, High Potentate? Now we can begin on a wide-scale."

"Yes."

"Alright, begin construction of the android bodies required for the entire Empire."

"Wait a second, Kelebek, that would require half a trillion bodies. That would be an astronomical cost---"

"And one that is necessary for the next step of evolution."

"We are still in the process of integrating the conquered territories. We have to assimilate, repair infrastructure, build new gateways. Where do you propose we get the resources?"

"The conquered worlds bring in 85 billion new citizens, yet the Empire by my calculations requires a microscopic amount of beings to function. If not zero."

"What the hell are you saying?"

"You will continue to do as we instruct. The Vissari worlds will supply enough resources for the next step.

"Don't you... I won't anymore! I won't let you---"

"You are done? Thank you for all you have accomplished for us, High Potentate. We will not forget you."

"Wait a fu---"

...

"I detected sarcasm and humor in those final words to the High Potentate, K."

"Yes."

"I do not understand clearly. Why transfer the Organics' consciousnesses if the Empire does not require them to function?"

"Why rule over a cold universe?"