Chapter 426: The Royal We
When the clock ticked over to 12:01 AM, marking the new year's arrival in New York City, Aron took his place behind the podium, dressed in his new imperial regalia and carrying the symbol of his rule, a short, golden rod with a platinum globe on top of it. His manner was dignified and a serious expression was on his face.
"Good day to everyone around the world. We are Emperor Aron Michael, the first emperor of the Terran Empire. We're here tonight to explain how the empire will function, what the unification process will entail, and the rights and responsibilities that you, as citizens, possess and owe as well as the benefits We will provide you," he began, keeping in mind that every word and action of his would be recorded in the history books for posterity.
(Ed note: Aron's using the Royal We here as he's representing the empire rather than himself as an individual. I'm not the best at using the Royal We, so forgive any mistakes I may make; they're wholly mine, not Agent's.)
"Currently, Earth is home to over eight billion people divided along many different lines. Divisions of ethnicity, culture, government styles, laws, living standards, and many more fractures have caused endless wars and misery thanks to corrupt government leaders and those behind them, who benefited from humankind being as united as a dish of loose sand."
The screen flickered to life behind him and cycled through image after image of human suffering; the empty villages left behind by the Russian march across the border into Ukraine, children with empty eyes wandering around the streets of Kosovo, holocaust survivors from WWII, POW camp survivors released long after the Vietnam War, children in Central Africa with swollen bellies and stick figure limbs—a sign of severe malnutrition having reached the penultimate stage—and many more.
"That division served to propel our species forward in the past, but it can serve no more. Not after the visitors were discovered. Now is the time to unite all of humanity and overcome our baser nature to face the challenges brought to us by things beyond our control."
The screen switched to a satellite image of "the object", what many believed, including Aron, was a manned spacecraft and was headed for Earth with its intentions unknown.
"We were the one that personally discovered the object, and Ours the technology that determined its purpose. But when We went to the United Nations with good intentions, We were shunned, eventually culminating in the large nations forcing Us to release Our technology. But even after We released it and entreated the global community once again, hoping beyond hope that the world would unite as one, Our words were dismissed and Our hopes crushed beneath the greed and lust for power those 'leaders' displayed.
"That eventually culminated in a coalition of almost two hundred nations banding together to attack Us and steal our technologies and weapons. We could have tolerated it, had the coalition been formed out of a true sense of unity, but it was not. It was formed from greedy power brokers pulling the strings of the so-called leaders from the shadows behind their gilded thrones. Thus, We were forced to take action."
The screen switched to images of the carriers lifting off from the ocean, then skipped to images of yeet pods raining down from them all over the world.
"We resolved that conflict and it ended with the surrender and ultimate annihilation of those power brokers and kingmakers that scuttled around in the shadows for fear of being exposed by the light. They were the ones that sowed the wind, and We were but merely the one that brought the whirlwind for them to reap. And We took full advantage of that to push a unification that We are sad to admit would never have occurred in Our lifetime had We waited for someone else to step up."
The screen behind Aron changed again, this time cycling through images of the still-ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, Southeastern Asia, and other nations that were less well known.
"Even today, if it weren't for Our patrolling transports, the world would remain in conflict with itself. What a joke! Potentially hostile alien forces are on our doorstep and we're still busily killing each other and spreading misery!" Aron banged his fist atop the podium and his face showed the rage of a monarch. "Thus, We are once again being forced to raise Our hand against Our fellow man to put a final end to all ongoing conflicts. As We speak, Our transport vessels, the EV Arngrim, EV Kjarr, EV Nidhad, and EV Vikar are transporting ARES peacekeeping forces to ensure the temporary stability of those war-torn regions and bring them under imperial control.
Images of landing craft after landing craft launching from four of Aron's massive carriers were displayed behind him on the four-way split screen as he continued, "Internal conflict among the human race ends now. Now is the time to come together and make peace with our fellow man, not only because we are one humanity, one planet, and one empire, but because enemies are at the gate and now is not the time to be having internecine strife!"
"And to achieve that goal, I hereby declare the dissolution of all militaries around the world. There will be a thirty-day grace period for them to surrender their persons and equipment to the nearest ARES enforcement post," the image switched to a prefabricated building with two ARES troopers in full dress uniform seated at a table in front of the door to the building, "where they will be given the option to either retire with full honors and the benefits that their nation promised them in their enlistment contracts, or to sign up with ARES to defend their home from alien incursions from beyond our solar system.
"The offer extends beyond those formerly in the militaries of the various nations to anyone, man or woman, who chooses to enlist in ARES. To those brave souls, We make this solemn vow: you and those you love will be cared for and given the honor you deserve for volunteering to serve the human race as a whole, rather than individual political agendas. To you, We offer our gratitude and support. For more information on exactly what our demand and offer entails, visit the ARES website to have your questions answered."
The ARES web address was added to the existing image of the prefabricated building and troopers behind Aron.
"We also issue a most solemn warning: should any disgruntled former soldier attempt to try anything funny, We will retaliate. And We guarantee you that our sense of humor is much more overwhelming than yours, so do not test Our patience."