- AU -

The Prince's voice appeared as close to every person as if he was standing beside them. For some, they shook in cold sweat, goosebumps crawling all over their skins; for others, a light nausea overtook them, as well as a pounding headache; but for some others, a strange feeling of euphoria enveloped their mind, as if they had been waiting after something out of reach for so long, and was now mysteriously presented to them.

"Humankind... you are 10,273,486,952 inhabitants. Your planet is exhausted of its resources; and your solution is to flee to the stars. But ask yourselves this question: have you solved the issue of why you've found yourselves in this Doomsday in the first place? No; if we let you go, you will only carry your defects over the stars. Yet, do you not realize how precious stars are? How other Empires may share the stars beside you? How your recklessness might endanger more than a dozen civilizations, just as you've doomed your own planet to a sixth extinction?

>> This is why we are intervening. We are the Shiakar Universal Empire; we reign over 900,000 stars; and we will not allow weaklings such as yourselves to corrupt our hard work.

>> The majority of you are expecting that we're here to save you; because we care for you, because we're compassionate, and because we want you all to survive. You're mistaken. I am here to inform you what will happen. We are here to annihilate the cancer, the disease that humanity has become to not just Terra, but the planetary system in the whole."

The population was as silent as it ever had been, the realization of what was going on numbing every reaction. They were entranced to the booming voice; yet, despite this opportune stillness, the ships in the sky remained stationary.

"For four thousand years, as per the Treaty that binds us and 25 Empires, we have allowed each of their ambassadors to awaken you. Some of your ancestors have chosen their ways, the so-called 'path of light'; some others have chosen our evolutionary ways. But where has it led you? Your world is corrupted just as before, but it has fallen even lower... for none of you any longer harbour ambition, the strive of becoming, doing, something greater than your lowly current lives. You are static, lazy; you expect everyone else than you to control your destiny when it is your own will that should matter.

>> You attempt to reason your stagnation by your decision to follow what you call the light. But you have come quickly to the same realization we've been teaching you: the path of light is a foolish and naive paradigm. Where does it lead you? Nowhere. Everything you call love, mercy, compassion... it is a dead-end, the end of the line for your souls' purpose. You are betrayed by your kindness; you are abused by love; you no longer seek survival because of the foolish idea of mercy. And thus, you have doomed yourselves of your own free will; and consequently, doomed your planet. We're here to prevent the cancer you've become from spreading into the stars.

>> We are not a mysterious message that awaits your decision to show ourselves. We are here; and we won't leave until you defeat us. To be finally and forever free of the control you've been imposed upon since the dawn of your civilization, you need to fight back. This is our salvation to you: fight against us, kick us out, make us leave and respect you not because you're asking us to, but because you're putting up a fight. Earn your freedom and respect, just as your Greek gladiators owned theirs after proving their worth.

>> We know you won't react until you're pushed; so we will attack a city each hour, until you decide one way or another to lower your population to 500 millions. Our ships will remain out of reach, and will annihilate without warning anyone who approaches, unless you follow that rule. Once the gladiators of your specie will emerge from your weaklings, you will be given the honour of defeating my fleet in your sky. If you succeed, we will grant you freedom and alliance. If you don't, you have proven yourselves unworthy to rule over the stars.

>> If you let us conquer you, we will: it is what our evolutionary purpose. But if you stand up for yourselves, if you become stronger than ever before and show no weaknesses to us, we will respect you and allow you armistice so that you may begin your establishment as a fellow Empire. But you must overcome our challenge; and our rules are unforgiving: destroy your weaknesses, destroy those that will attempt to corrupt your destiny.

>> If you refuse, you will be annihilated. I warn you: we will not leave unless we are defeated. We will not bow to weaklings. Show your strength, and we will respect you. Choose the foolish path of love and mercy, and you will be crushed. There is no room for weaknesses when dominating over star systems. Countless civilizations will oppose you, will attempt to eradicate you. That is the fact behind your race to the stars. That is the fact by which all civilizations abide by. If you refuse, then you abide by your planet's rules. And it has enough of your presence. It fights against you, releases antitoxins to eradicate the cancer you have become.

>> Do you understand? We are not here to save you out of compassion. We are here to enforce evolution upon you. Your decision will dictate your survival. Choose: dominion over the stars, or end your lives as a cancerous vermin. The countless opportunity to choose other ways has elapsed with your refusal to abide by your saviors' laws. This is Doomsday. The Judgement Day you have rebuffed with such cynism is upon you."

**********************

Madzistrale looked in horror at her surroundings, as the crowd slowly moved out of their shock, and heated exclamations were already erupting..

Taking Frank by the hand, she dragged him toward a closed pawn shop. Her gun appearing in her hand, she pointed it at the electronic lock; the door opened at the ignorance of the otherwise distracted crowd, and the duo entered swiftly. Safely inside, Madzistrale locked once again the door.

Frank looked at her fearfully.

"What will happen?"

She looked at him, on the brink of tears.

"Either the population murders almost 95℅ of their own, or they all die. What do you think??"

She strolled furiously across the store, resisting the urge to throw what she found within her grasp.

"I don't know what to do! I don't know why the Queen asked us to interfere, there's nothing I can do!"

"You can bring sense to all of this," Frank tentatively said.

"How?! Have you not learned what humanity's nature is?! Frank, they were going to beat you up for an opinion!! Now, their next argument, it's life or death. You've heard the Prince, you've seen it yourself: humanity has long since given up on kindness."

Frank looked at her pleadingly.

"You and your brother haven't."

She looked back at him sadly.

"Even we can't stop this. This is no longer a game. We can't just materialize goodness like we do with our swords; and even if we could, how will that stop the invasion?"

Frank thought deeply, looking out of the shaded windows as the clamour became that much louder.

"My daughter and son's out there. I love them but I don't want them to live in the world that this heartless Prince is offering. I'd rather..." Frank fought the tears, "I'd rather they die right here and now."

Madzistrale looked at him, fighting her own tears. A blue light caught her eyes. She looked at it, suddenly thinking.

"Why aren't the ships moving?"

"Sorry?" Frank asked.

"The invading ships. They're stationary. Why the hourly death match? Why not start at once?"

"Thank Terra they don't!" Frank exclaimed.

Madzistrale regained a hint of smile.

"I think Gab's stupid files weren't so stupid after all. Frank, help me find a frequency sweeper; we're in a pawn shop after all."

"Why?" Frank asked, beginning to search the rows.

"I don't think you're facing an invasion," she happily replied. "At least, not an alien one as they're pretending."

"You're kidding? A few seconds earlier you were despairing about it!"

"Yeah, I was. Just like every sane person would. But here's our weapon..." She turned to him and smiled broadly. "They don't live with an insane person. We do."

A shout from the crowd came through the walls, making them jump.

"What are we discussing for? You've heard the message! You all know what to do. I won't die without a fight!"

Madzistrale looked at Frank, raising an eyebrow.

"It took them not even five minutes until they decided any discussion was done. It won't take another five minute before all hell breaks loose out there."

Frank looked fearfully at the door, then back at Madzistrale.

"If we have that frequency sweeper, you think you can still save us?"

Madzistrale smiled recomfortingly.

"I need Tom and you for that; but yes, we can. Because I've told you: we're not dealing with an invasion."

"But those ships..."

"Too long to explain. But you're only dealing with a very clever, but very human, villain. Once the world sees that, hope is back."

Her gaze clouded.

"Now we gotta pray for something else entirely: that those humans out there will still allows us to save them."