Battle Group Epsilon

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

April 28 2184, 14:20 Hours (Standard Solar Time)
Aboard Fist of Jupiter Flagship Colossus En Route to Earth

He was a shadow against shadow, looking into the camera's lens. He cleared his throat and began. "I am Phaeton, Commander of the Fist of Jupiter and ruler of everything touched by the light of Sol. These are hard times my citizens. In our efforts to bring peace and equality to the inhabitants of this system, we've been impeded every step of the way. The United Solar Naval Initiative claims to defend and fight for the whole of human civilization but it is a guise. They are the right hand of the true problem. They fight for only the United Nation of Earth."
He leaned back in his seat and cleared his throat again, a long time habit. "Earth. It has always been the center. It is where life began, the mother of men and the cradle of civilization. It is the focal point of human culture, entertainment, and industry. It is the modern day of Rome."
"It is the center of much more though. It is the birthplace of war. The humans of the Earth are a different breed than humans of the Colonies. They are inherently violent while we only desire peace. War is a cycle in Earth's history, one that now threatens to pass from its orbit to infect and ravage all of space. As the leader of all humans I now call an end to war. But in order to end war, we must end it at its breeding ground. We must destroy it at its perverse, festering source. We must destroy the Earth."
He knew he had just said something profound. In fact it was likely the most shocking thing that had ever been spoken in the history of mankind. He paused, if only for a moment, so that it could sink in for his listeners.
"Sometimes a leader must make a hard choice; to pick the lesser of two evils. As long as the Earth remains, humanity will never rest. We will never know peace. This is the hardest choice that has ever been made, but I assure you, it has been made. The great barbarous empire of Rome fell nearly two thousand years ago, and today, so will the Earth."
He sighed. Well, he thought to himself, that went well. The lights came on and he stood from the padded chair. He had a war to win today, and an empire to forge.