The Road to Hell

Chapter 10

Twenty-four hours earlier, Zeus and his advisors tucked into lunch at a beachside resort on Nova Terra. He liked it there because not only did I boast the second-highest population of any human planet, it was also the only one on which both the Alliance and the Federation of Free Planets both held territory.

The opposing ideologies on the planet made for constant political turmoil. Nova Terra was always in the news, and almost always on the verge of open conflict. Zeus couldn't ask for a better place to start his war.

He idly traced one of the scabby scars left on his face with a finger. They all waited for him to speak. He took his time, letting the tension build for a full minute, and just as Fitch cleared his throat, no doubt ready to clear the air with some vapid joke, Zeus launched into his address.

"Lady and gentlemen, it's time to fire our opening salvo. The war you've prepared for your entire lives starts today, on this very planet in fact, in Sabarka."

Rosana and the others glanced at each other. They all knew what he meant. The Sabarkan Revolution was a developing media storm centred on an ongoing conflict in the nearby Nova Terran state of Sabarka. "Those protesters have a lot in common with us," Zeus said. "Like us, they find themselves under the oppressive heel of a powerful and selfish government. Like us, they are ill-equipped to fight their oppressors on equal terms. As you all know, the media sympathizes deeply with the protesters, and people are urging for HDL to send troops to stop the Sabarkan military from hurting any more innocent civilians."

Rosana wondered what Zeus had in mind. While the Ghosts of Olympus definitely needed militant allies, the Sabarkan rebels were far too underpowered to be of much use to them. Maybe it's a PR thing, Rosana thought. If we publicly side with the protesters and step in before HDL does, we'll be making our public debut as heroes of the people. Rosana smiled, confident that she was on the right track. "The League is hesitant to choose sides because the protesters are far from just a bunch of peaceful civilians," she explained. "There have been reports of armed rebels. If the League chooses a side, they'd probably be endorsing one regime over another, and there's nothing really in it for them either way. This is just another backwater shitstorm, so they're content to sit and watch."

"Precisely," Zeus said. "Our enemy is too vast for us to fight on our own. HDL is the largest military force ever assembled, and the only way they can be defeated conventionally is by a force of greater or equal strength. Our other option is more subtle: we must destroy the people's faith in the League. If we do that, then support for HDL will plummet and it will collapse from within." Rosana nodded. Stealing the spotlight from the League and helping dethrone the Sabarkan government, would be perfect.

"Haven't we been doing that for years with your messages?" Fitch pointed out. He took a sip of his drink and looked out to the ocean. It had been a while since he'd last been jet-surfing. He briefly wondered if Rosana wouldn't mind catching some waves. A day out in the water and possibly a beachside dinner with an attractive woman... It might be one of their last opportunities to relax for a long time. He snuck Rosana a smile, but she only gave him a weird look as though she were wondering what he'd been smoking before the meeting.

Zeus patiently let Fitch's interruption go unpunished and instead continued with his speech. "We've been doing it for years, and we've made people interested. We've made people agree with the fundaments behind our movement. We've spread our propaganda by the word, and it has worked thus far, but for a true revolution, people need to take action! We need to spread our propaganda by the deed. It is time for the world to see my true face. It is time for us to call people to action!"

Zeus was taking his sweet time revealing his plan. Rosana decided she'd just come out and share her idea. "I think I see where you're going with this. The protesters have media sympathy. If we come down on the protester's side and help them overthrow the current regime, we'll be heroes."