Chapter 39 38:
The entire fortress had fallen silent since the great regent had made his appearance. No one even dared direct a glance toward his garments, an intense red adorned with the purest white, shown only in the writings that recorded the garments by choice of Emperor Argall, the Wise.
The simple act of bearing those same distinctions gave clear insinuation with open presumption that he too was just as wise as the deceased one.
The viltrumite officers present, seven in total, all from the general's circle of trust, fell to their knees, their hands touching their chests with solemnity and respect.
Thragg, indifferent, imposed through silence the demand to be venerated.
This being, this monster, unique before any other viltrumite, with the highest purity ever demonstrated in any known viltrumite, imposed such pressure that the gravitational force emanating from the Regent was almost physical.
General Varnak-Sul had survived six campaigns throughout his life. He had personally executed billions of beings, warriors and civilians alike, had driven insurgent masses who refused to surrender and humiliate themselves at the feet of the superior race into despair.
His hand had never trembled before any adversary other than himself or his progenitor mother, a berserker who had died orbits ago consolidating her bases to achieve the merit that had catapulted him to the rank of general.
But before the presence of that terrible being, who did not seem like a viltrumite at first glance, he felt like something less than insignificant, and during that instant, he felt a coldness that pierced his bones.
As much as he wanted to repress that instinctive and animal part of his imperfect being that clung desperately within his genes, he still felt that recognition that he was in the presence of a predator for whom his own existence was, at best, a tool with which to pass a moment of entertainment.
On his knees, with his hand over his chest, his head remained lowered, while he felt the sweat wanting to run down his forehead.
"Great Regent," he said, and his voice, although firm, lacked the volume that
he normally employed when giving orders to his subordinates. The swallow of his throat was audible, as though he were trying to take in some air. "in the name of Argall, this incompetent general greets the great regent Thragg."
Thragg did not respond immediately, in fact, he nodded with soft patience, while observing the table upon which the entire disputed sector was projected.
"your letter attracted my interest, young general."
Thragg said it casually, and indeed he was in the regent's eyes. Despite his appearance similar to that of a young viltrumite, in reality it was estimated that the regent was an elder who had experienced life before and after the purge. Few elders had survived those events, and those who did, had not survived long against the imperial executions through which the great regent had consolidated his absolute power.
The great regent walked toward the command center slowly.
Each step struck the alloy floor with a metallic sound that reverberated through the silence, synchronized with the heartbeats of the petrified general as though he were a statue.
When he finally stopped, he was before the tactical hologram that
Varnak-Sul had been studying.
The three-dimensional representation of the Luminus Sector flickered in blue and red tones: blue for imperial territory, red for enemy or disputed territory.
At this point in the map, more than 22% of the territory marked as viltrumite space was stained red.
Thragg observed for three seconds, before shifting his gaze disdainfully toward the general.
"General," he finally said. That caused Varnak to enter a state of extreme survival instinct. "Explain to me why this map is not blue."
It was not a question in the slightest.
He expected answers that were the correct ones, he could not tolerate mediocrity under any circumstance.
Varnak-Sul swallowed once more.
All the viltrumites in the room saw his precarious situation, but they did not feel that he was shaming himself. In fact, anyone would be just as bad or worse than him before the emperor's presence. In moments like these, they were grateful not to hold the position of their general.
"Great Regent," Varnak-Sul began, "if you permit me," he asked.
"stand up, be convincing." Thragg ordered him.
"yes, great regent," nodding, the general stood up, activating the hologram controls to enlarge the central sector.
"the situation in Luminus is complex. We are not facing a single enemy, but a coalition of recent factions that…"
"Do not speak to me of complexity, general," Thragg interrupted, as smooth as a knife cutting through flesh as though it were butter. "Complexity sounds to me like incompetent excuses to justify your
failure. You only have a few hundred of our people left under your command. Did you not consider the danger that the weapon of those bothersome Lanther was beginning to represent?"
The general wanted to explain himself, but the words did not leave his mouth. He could not contradict the great regent.
"I have recorded in my archives that in the last 18 cycles approximately 1,200 stellar systems have been lost in this sector, because you panicked and lost your reason. You ceded territory in exchange for only a small delay that our enemies could use for a possible increase in their numbers, do you understand what I mean?"
Of course the general understood. He had also reached that conclusion, but his men could no longer keep up. Either it was sacrifice his people on the lines, or yield the scorched and heavily mined space, even if that meant witnessing the resurgence of the enemy's renewed forces.
He too had hoped that the empire would answer his prayers, and unfortunately, it truly had.
"this is shameful. I expected more from you, General Varnak-Sul," said the regent, before shaking his head. "your predecessor was an excellent imperial warrior, I would have preferred her death over yours had I known that something like this would happen."
The general said nothing in response. He had tried to remedy the disaster that his executed predecessor had left behind, he saw a good possibility of leaving his name in the annals of the empire if he conquered the Luminus Sector with his own hands, he truly had tried to achieve that objective.