Post by bluesnailok on Mar 6, 2022 17:41:48 GMT
“Are you enjoying the show?” The Veratian Colonel murmured to his compatriot as the two officers patrolled along the long, thin line of troops, proudly dressed in the purest of blue.
“This is an inspection, not a chat, Colonel.” Ketha growled back as he maintained his firm posture: Back straightened, legs marching, and head locked to the right as it passed by each of the men on display.
Every single one of these men were young, fresh, determined. Without needing to display an inch of emotion, or utter a single word to him, Ketha could tell something these men, indeed, almost every soldier he saw, had in common: Loyalty. Loyalty to their country, and to the men around them. Natar’s militaries were not very well known, in fact they were too often considered a non-factor in all things, both local and galactic. But if there was one thing that Teliran military forces were known for, it was their loyalty. In a sea of corruption, hedonism and treachery, the national forces of the planet had remained a bastion of an older Natar, untouched by Tetlisun’s bureaucracy and reforms. They were a model of dignity, respectability and courage in a world where every other institution lacked it.
It made Relanio proud to call himself an officer, an officer of Natar. It was a trait, he thought, too lacking in this world, pride. If a man could not hold their head up high and declare he belonged to his homeworld, then that homeworld was in need of fixing, and for so many, Natar was indeed in need of fixing. Ketha would be the mechanic for its salvation, for its rehabilitation.
As he gazed upon this long line of honesty, of bravery, of incorruptibility, General Ketha felt the virtue of every single one of them, it was a virtue that the Kalethian Officer had made the motto for his cause: ‘Vigour and Duty’.
Coming to the end of the line, the General wheeled around in a march and then honed in at a center infront of the men on display; there he made a sharp halt and put himself at ease. Withdrawing his peaked hat, one of the few symbols of Human influence that he personally liked, Ketha boomed out authoritatively.
“At ease, men!”
In an instant, the lines on display relaxed their postures to Ketha’s word. For a moment, the square was left to the creaking of insects and the warbling of nightbirds. Finally, the General shouted,
“I would like to say a few words before my departure…” He looked the men over, “...Namely on recent events both here in Verat and across the world at large.”
The General started to pace back and forward as he remarked on the chaos, “I know a lot of the concerns a lot of you may be feeling right now, particularly the fate of you, your country, your planet even.” Ketha returned his look from the ground up to the men.
“I expect and trust that every one of you will follow your orders to the word, when the time comes, to bring stability and safety back to the streets of our planet, our countries.”
Ketha found it peculiar in retrospect. In just a few decades, nations and governments that had never once considered a united cause, now found themselves inseparable in their collective interests and common goals. Perhaps Tetlisun was useful for something after all: Hatred for him had united Natar as he had always desired.
“But I vow to you this: I will not betray you and your loyalty to any compromise. I will not surrender you or your flag to traitors. In the coming battles, you will not fight against socialists and democrats, you will be fighting against traitors and opportunists. You will not be defending the likes of Tetlisun and Arcamavir, you will be defending the strength and future of your country and your planet. I sense that a struggle is coming, and every good man will be needed in the fight if Natar is to persevere; to be freed from the corrupt insiders and the meddling outsiders for good.”
“I believe in every damned one of you. I expect that you will give me the same honour.”
With that, the General raised his cap, fitting it firmly onto his head. With a sudden bark to attention and a salute, the rows of troops all straightened. A loud crunch erupted of polished boots smashing to the ground. Ketha turned, and marched from the parade ground. There was much more work to be done, and many more regiments to visit, to inspect, to confirm the virtue of.
“This is an inspection, not a chat, Colonel.” Ketha growled back as he maintained his firm posture: Back straightened, legs marching, and head locked to the right as it passed by each of the men on display.
Every single one of these men were young, fresh, determined. Without needing to display an inch of emotion, or utter a single word to him, Ketha could tell something these men, indeed, almost every soldier he saw, had in common: Loyalty. Loyalty to their country, and to the men around them. Natar’s militaries were not very well known, in fact they were too often considered a non-factor in all things, both local and galactic. But if there was one thing that Teliran military forces were known for, it was their loyalty. In a sea of corruption, hedonism and treachery, the national forces of the planet had remained a bastion of an older Natar, untouched by Tetlisun’s bureaucracy and reforms. They were a model of dignity, respectability and courage in a world where every other institution lacked it.
It made Relanio proud to call himself an officer, an officer of Natar. It was a trait, he thought, too lacking in this world, pride. If a man could not hold their head up high and declare he belonged to his homeworld, then that homeworld was in need of fixing, and for so many, Natar was indeed in need of fixing. Ketha would be the mechanic for its salvation, for its rehabilitation.
As he gazed upon this long line of honesty, of bravery, of incorruptibility, General Ketha felt the virtue of every single one of them, it was a virtue that the Kalethian Officer had made the motto for his cause: ‘Vigour and Duty’.
Coming to the end of the line, the General wheeled around in a march and then honed in at a center infront of the men on display; there he made a sharp halt and put himself at ease. Withdrawing his peaked hat, one of the few symbols of Human influence that he personally liked, Ketha boomed out authoritatively.
“At ease, men!”
In an instant, the lines on display relaxed their postures to Ketha’s word. For a moment, the square was left to the creaking of insects and the warbling of nightbirds. Finally, the General shouted,
“I would like to say a few words before my departure…” He looked the men over, “...Namely on recent events both here in Verat and across the world at large.”
The General started to pace back and forward as he remarked on the chaos, “I know a lot of the concerns a lot of you may be feeling right now, particularly the fate of you, your country, your planet even.” Ketha returned his look from the ground up to the men.
“I expect and trust that every one of you will follow your orders to the word, when the time comes, to bring stability and safety back to the streets of our planet, our countries.”
Ketha found it peculiar in retrospect. In just a few decades, nations and governments that had never once considered a united cause, now found themselves inseparable in their collective interests and common goals. Perhaps Tetlisun was useful for something after all: Hatred for him had united Natar as he had always desired.
“But I vow to you this: I will not betray you and your loyalty to any compromise. I will not surrender you or your flag to traitors. In the coming battles, you will not fight against socialists and democrats, you will be fighting against traitors and opportunists. You will not be defending the likes of Tetlisun and Arcamavir, you will be defending the strength and future of your country and your planet. I sense that a struggle is coming, and every good man will be needed in the fight if Natar is to persevere; to be freed from the corrupt insiders and the meddling outsiders for good.”
“I believe in every damned one of you. I expect that you will give me the same honour.”
With that, the General raised his cap, fitting it firmly onto his head. With a sudden bark to attention and a salute, the rows of troops all straightened. A loud crunch erupted of polished boots smashing to the ground. Ketha turned, and marched from the parade ground. There was much more work to be done, and many more regiments to visit, to inspect, to confirm the virtue of.