Ravens of Eternity

Chapter 329

329 Choice

The sky was nice and bright once again, thankfully. The fleet had enjoyed the beauty that the entire planet had to offer for a few cycles, but knew they couldn’t stay for long. Once they finalized everything with the wolves, they had to leave and resume their galactic duties.

But for now, every single one of them simply enjoyed the sun and enjoyed each other’s company.

Their numbers had practically doubled since the first time they sat on these grasses, especially thanks to the wolves. Which meant they were close to needing to expand the fleet itself.

Most murmured among themselves in small groups, anticipating some kind of vote – determining the next ship being the likeliest reason.

And in front of the nearly five hundred members of the Corvus Republic were the First Feathers, most of whom were leaning up on the Rock itself.

They looked out proudly to the fleet in front of them, at everything they managed to grow and gain with their time spent together. How they all healed, collectively.

Amal smiled as she watched Cuddle Therapy in progress. There were groups of people out in the crowd petting and cuddling the wolves. Some of whom, as she predicted, rolled on their backs and begged for their bellies to be rubbed. Which they, of course, got.

Without a doubt, all involved seemed extremely content with themselves.

Amal’s wandering mind went into focus as Claire’s voice echoed out across the field.

.....

“It’s so great to see everyone so happy!” she said. “Some of us never thought we’d feel this way again, but here we are! We’re all making each others’ lives so much better, even better than any of us imagined.

“On top of that, we’re growing more and more as the months go by. So fast that we probably need another ship. We’re thinking about a cruiser, maybe. But we can’t just decide on a ship and go with it any longer. Not by ourselves, anyway. Because we think that everyone here ought to get a say.

“Which pretty much leads us to why we’re all here. We’ve got some things to figure out about the Republic. Right now it’s kind of this ethereal idea, floating around the galaxy. And before we can get officially recognized, we need a kind of... statement about who we are. What we stand for. Why we exist.

“So here and now, we’re all gonna talk about all that. Let’s all figure out who we are, collectively. For example, who’s gonna lead us?”

Claire looked around at everyone around her. Most had quizzical looks on their faces. They had assumed that the First Feathers were going to lead – after all, they put it all together, right? They already called the shots and made all the orders.

“You were probably thinking some of us would take it up naturally, right?” said Freya. “No doubt some of you heard or found out that a few of us are immortal. That we won’t die. Which pretty much makes us ideal for leading, right?

“I mean, sure, some of us might not die of old age, but it doesn’t mean we can’t die. All of us will, someday, die. But your children will live on, and the Republic will still fly. So, we need a system where we figure out who we want to lead us, then force them to do it.”

Her joke elicited a few chuckles all around. But they also recognized the kernel of truth buried in it.

“Honestly, the last thing this Republic needs is for a handful of immortals holding power for... generations,” she continued. “It’s not good. Not for anyone involved. It needs to shift, it needs to cycle. Just like all life, it has to be a little bit messy in order to stay within balance.”

“And it’s not because we don’t want to lead,” Amal added. “In fact, we’re happy to continue leading for a few years. We simply can’t be the only ones. Our diversity makes us powerful, and everyone deserves a chance to be heard. To have a say.

“Pretty much all of us want good, simple lives. Safe, protected lives, and with an abundance of food, the chance to grow, and wolves to pet. You know, the best things in life.”

Another chuckle. But once again, it was a joke with a grain of truth embedded deep inside.

“However, it is not enough simply to determine who must lead,” said Miko.

She stepped forward in her new body, which was taller and seemingly older than she was before. But not so much more – just enough to be obvious, but not enough to be alarming.

She could’ve easily presented herself with her new body. But didn’t want to scare anyone. Change was frightening – unless it was moderated.

“We must also ensure our inability to stagnate as a whole,” she continued. “Just as having the same leader for too long will cause corruption to seep in, so too does the society that does little to adapt and change.

“As we write these laws, please understand that they must shift and change over time. We cannot be absolute in many ways, especially given who we are. And who many of us fled from. Or fight against.

“We are the antithesis to those who do not change.”

“Raijin’s exactly right,” Lucifer followed up. “And despite how hard it is we still, unfortunately, gotta codify things. A pain, I know. Why is it a pain? Coz we don’t always agree, and we can’t exactly fix everything with a fistfight.

“Even if some of us really want that, most of us don’t.

“Basically, we’ve all got ideas on how things oughta run, but they can’t all be the right one. As much as I don’t wanna say it, we honestly do need an orderly way to figure it out. And definitely to keep people like me from taking power for centuries. No-one wants that.”

Another wave of light chuckles swept through.

“It’s so true though,” Kali said. “Like my synth-father. He was like that. Had so much control over literally everything in the family. We were his literal living machines, caring for his base, imposing his vision. Always. His way, and only his way.

“If he was a good man, maybe it would’ve worked how he wanted. But he wasn’t a good man. Just because he believed he was didn’t make it true. We can’t have someone like him taking control of the Republic.

“What’s equally important to me is that we all share the burden of power equally. If we’re all gonna build it together, then we also gotta maintain it together. We gotta keep watch over each other, and defend us from people like my father.

“All of us together are more powerful than not, no matter what. And we’ll have that strength forever.”

“Which kinda brings me back to a few things about some of us being immortal,” Freya said. “This is something we all need to keep in mind. I fear, way in the future. Hundreds, or maybe thousands of years from now...

“All of this is gonna get torn apart. Federation and Empire and Hegemony – it’ll all be gone. What’ll be left will be the immortals. Each of them with powerful civilizations in tow, all vying for power and control over each other... For eternity.

“If you think I’m being silly or foolish or too bleak, I want you to take a look at the Temple of Discord, and realize that’s exactly what they’re headed towards. That’s a scenario someone like Eris dreams about, and is actively working towards.

“How do we fight against something like that? For one thing we certainly can’t be like them, ever. That path only leads to utter destruction. And it’s a betrayal of who we are, deep down. Could any of you become exactly the kind of person that imprisoned you? Or tortured you? Or took everything from you?

“We need to keep all that in mind while we build our nation, while we define it, and while we maintain it. Otherwise, we’re gonna lose it all.”

All their words hung heavily in the air. There was so much of it, and from every direction. It didn’t really occur to most just how involved being in a nation-state really was. Many weren’t sure what to do or what to think.

“Claire mentioned earlier that we need to make a statement,” said Xylo. “And like the others added, it’s gonna be a heavy statement. But I wanna get specific. It’s the Articles to our Republic. It’s what we all stand for, and how we’re gonna make it out there.

“And we can’t get ratified as a nation-state without one.

“We have a few months until we have to deliver it, after which the Hegemony can call their vote. Which means we’ve got a little bit of time to think it all through. And even then it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to work.

“We can always change it later, adjust it as we need. As long as it works for us now, and later too. And as long as no-one takes the reins and crashes it all into the nearest star. But the only way we can do any of that is if everyone here gets a say.

“And we gotta make sure everyone in the Republic will always get a say, now and for the rest of time.

“To start us off, we’re opening our draft of the current version of the Articles of the Republic. Everyone gets access to a community copy, and everyone gets the chance to leave notes, suggestions, edits, versions. Each of which we can all approve or disapprove or undo. Or honestly, just discuss.

“Yeah, it’ll change as time goes on, and as our ideas mature, but that’s the point. It actually has to be a living, breathing document that shifts as we all do. But crucially, its core has to stay the same. It is who we are as a people, and we can’t ever forget that.

“This is our reminder, from here to the end of time.”

When she finished, Miko walked up in front of everyone and raised her hand up in front of her. At the same time, her baton formed in her hand as though out of thin air. But in truth, her own nanites gave it shape and form and function.

She waved it at everyone, even though she didn’t need to. She found a simple comfort and joy in the act. And in a fraction of a second, gave everyone the permission to work on their nation, directly.

A smile spread across her face as more and more of them opened it up and read it. Many read it over and over thoughtfully, some added notes as they went.

Then, after a while, the discussions began in earnest between all of them.