Juliet's Tryst

Chapter 17: Condescension, Part Two

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"Not unlike your nuclear race," Dee said. 

Juliet had no words. She embraced Dee. It was an unimaginable amount of responsibility. What kind of strategy does one employ to command a planet wide war? She marveled at the face that Dee even spared time for her. If there was anything she could do to relieve this...weight on her shoulders, she would do it. Even if meant being re-atomized again.

"And the council," she continued. "The council seeks to take advantage of it all. I am Ruler that cannot speak to the planet, and they are a council on a foreign Kyria."

"Speak to your planet. What does that mean?" She ran her fingers soothingly through Dee's hair. Dee was beginning to run her hands up and down her back, caressing her ass as she went. 

"I am The Ruler. This position is familial, and each of my family before me has been able to speak to the planet through various methods. My mother had a tree she could connect her skin to. My father had a kind of mushroom he could eat. My grandmother, she could understand our animals. I...never had anything. The Ruler speaks with the planet and guides our species forward. It is only through Its infinite wisdom that we were able to progress our sciences far beyond yours." 

"You guys seem pretty political and barbaric to me. More powerful humans," Juliet said.

 "You are correct. It is the planet that guided us. We, The Rulers, were allowed to know the path forward. What sciences to advance. Sometimes, in rare cases, it even shows us how to complete projects. Our first spaceships were already able to traverse galaxies, and only because Kyria taught my great-grandfather how to build one." 

"Wow. That's really cool!" 

 "My parents left, died is a better word, by Divine Choice when I was twenty Earth years. My lack of connection to Kyria meant that the Council tried to erode my right to power. At home, I had the support of the people. Here, it is harder for me to have uniform communication, something that the Council has actively tried to prevent. A Ruler is a warrior, and peacemaker. A Ruler is scientist, and a spiritualist. I am.. only a warrior and scientist."

"Divine Choice?" This struck a particular cord in Juliet's brain.

"With Kulon, we are immortal. We can choose to die if we wish it, but Kyria granted us the choice to live or die. Many live. Many die. All by choice."

Juliet rubbed her wrist absentmindedly. Dee grabbed it, and turned it over. The vertical mark with thick with years of scarring, but very light. Visible to the eye which looked for it, but not something that would never be erased from the landscape of her skin.

"You tried to make a Choice," Dee said, barely above a whisper.  

"It's not important right now," Juliet said. "It's a time of my life that is over."  It was true. Puberty, and its fallout, were a terrible time for her. A locked metal box sat in the attic of Juliet's brain, never to be opened. She was doing so good at not thinking about it...

"We do not view suicide the same way most humans do. For us, suicide is the only mode of death, should we choose it. Those that seek it prematurely or for any other reason than Divine Rest, are allowed to plead their case with Kyria. Those that are rejected are looked after by our most trusted mental healers. If they choose, they can continue to plead Divine Choice. Or, they continue living. There is no shame in asking to die. It means you are weary. It does not, however, mean it is your time to go." Juliet shook her head, the kindness in Dee's voice flooding her heart.