Chapter 30 29:
"Killing is killing, end of debate". Vexa continued, looking forward. "What you feel now, that discomfort in your chest, that recurring doubt about whether what you did was right or wrong... is nothing more than a conflict of normative frameworks. Nothing more. Moral judgment over the act of killing is not intrinsic to the act itself, it is only a contextual product, a dependent variable of the normative structures of the social system in which you were socialized. What one civilization codifies as condemnable homicide, another codifies as patriotic duty. There is no universal truth regarding it, only local rules with different degrees of coercion".
She paused so korr could understand it, since she held high esteem for the mental capacity of the nato she had taken under her wing. And of course korr knew it, damn it, he truly did.
But it was difficult to simply reason so coldly, to cast aside his beliefs, the value of life and the fear of spiritual condemnation. because, if he continued as such, ignored his attempts and simply acted, because why not? He had one and a thousand reasons to do so, within which, surviving was the foremost among all.
But then. That made him a monster, right?
As soon as vexa felt that her words had settled, she proceeded.
"When I killed the silorian, my society congratulated me. I received decorations, public recognition, and the right to reproduce my lineage. For the empire I serve, I was a valuable asset to morale and an example of the highest approval. However, for the extinct silorian empire which we forced to shelter on their own planet until the annihilation bombardment, I was an abomination. Both valuations are correct within their respective systems of reference, there is no contradiction. Only different perspectives from which the same fact is evaluated".
She thought about her own words, and smiled. It was exactly what her mother told her, and ironically, she did precisely the opposite.
"Your discomfort, Korr-add, probably comes from having thought that you have done something objectively wrong. I intuit that your previous incident where your progenitor eliminated the maid whom you took as a maternal figure could have been a trigger to your internal conception of what you might consider bad. I strongly suggest that you try to discontinue that practice. We do not govern ourselves by unipersonal virtues, only those of the empire. Align your training with the viltrumite imperial normative system, or die today and avoid a fate worse than death, avoid my mother's fate, avoid cognitive dissonance". She smiled at the end, before looking at him with an almost twisted smile. "we viltrumites, can also dissociate and it benefits no one to have one of us in that state. It is what you would call, crazy".
Both ascended in silence. The clouds tore against their bodies like wet mist, and suddenly, they were able to observe the sun, which was not violet.
In reality, it was white, young, blinding and beautiful in both parts.
The curvature of Viltrum stretched beneath them like a pale disk, and the stars, still, observed them from an immense darkness of the infinite universe. The silence felt eternal, accompanied only by the beating of their own hearts.
"do not ask yourself whether it was right or wrong. That question has no answer outside of a specific normative framework. Killing is killing, we always kill in order to continue living. We kill to eat, we kill to keep ourselves healthy, we kill to increase the empire's wealth and we kill to keep that wealth in our hands. If we did not kill, others would take our place and kill us instead. The solution is to choose which framework you are going to adopt, the only one that exists, the only one at your disposal, the empire's. This one allows you to function, survive and prosper. Keep the one you brought with you from your family fortress, and I promise you that you will only obtain suffering, pain, hopelessness and more importantly, it will change nothing. It is a hard truth, but it is what there is in this life. The universe, Korr-add, does not have an incorporated morality, only choices and consequences".
Korr said nothing. He only looked at the sun, at the stars, very distant, but so close at plain sight.
"The empire will give you orders", Vexa continued. "Some will involve killing, all of them, most of the time. I killed so many, millions, billions, planets and civilizations, and I feel nothing, I do not feel that I am evil, as our enemies claim. The great argal prophesied the universe at our feet and we offered protection in exchange for tribute, if they do not assimilate, they are a threat, and threats are eliminated, just that simple. If a cockroach lands on your fruits, it is your duty to kill that cockroach to prevent them from damaging what is yours, period. What does it matter if that cockroach is or is not capable of speaking to you, it is still a cockroach and".
"instructor vexa", korr interrupted her, completely terrified by that thought. She, upon seeing his bewildered and terrified gaze, smiled back at him, shaking her head.
"imprudent nato, soon you will understand, soon. What I mean is, do not empathize with cockroaches, even if they speak to you, they are still cockroaches. End of reflection, nato".
Having said that, she turned around and concluded.
"withdraw to your barrack, remain there and continue healing".
Without more, she disappeared.
As for korr, he remained there, thinking about his instructor's words and about what had happened and still refusing to even accept that sole truth of his new reality.
He was not a murderer, he only did what he was ordered to do. They were orders, yes, orders and nothing more. His life depended on doing what he was ordered ever since he was born here, then, he should not be carrying this guilt that seemed to break his chest with every breath, right? because he was not a murderer, right? right?
Korr, beneath the light of the stars, cried.