“Morning, Sir.” Eli sat across from me in the newly built conference room sporting a shit eating grin. Old Johnny, Colleen sat towards the other end of the table, which had a fancy holographic projector on the end. In the display was recent satellite footage of the Phoenix area hanging above the table. “Have a good night?”

Queen Freya chose that moment to enter the room with a smiling Hilga in tow, “If I’d known you two getting together would accelerate these two getting together I would have demanded it sooner!”

I quirked an eyebrow as the taller Valkyr woman leaned in to whisper something in the Armsmaster’s ear, then sat next to him. Freya found a seat at the table then added, “Now I know just why you haven’t taken the hook, she’s formidable.”

At that moment, Junipher strolled into the conference room with a very pleased look on her face, cast a sultry glance at Freya, then climbed casually across my lap, and wrapped her arms around my neck, “I told him before I would never claim him for myself. Though I do appreciate his unwavering love for me.”

“Noted.” Freya responded with a wide smile.

“You two are incorrigible.” I muttered as the rest of the command team came in, “Alright, let’s get this show on the road so… uh… we can get on the road as well.”

A round of chuckles resounded throughout the room, then Colleen stood to give her part of the presentation. Before she could begin a short, petite, cat girl came bursting through the door out of breath. As her bodyguard, the giant wolfman whom I’d hadn’t the time to get the name of rushed in after her, I remembered her name was Anna, and she was apparently the Empress of her people.

“Uh! Sorry I’m late! I didn’t miss anything did I!?” Though she came off as extremely young, based on the unrelenting glare from her bodyguard, I suspected her people loved her.

Colleen grimaced before speaking, “No, Anna, we were just starting. I don’t believe you’ve met our patron. Anna, this is Karl.”

I stood as she locked eyes on me and began to quiver in excitement, “Oh, we met briefly before he went on his expedition.”

“Oh, that is right, you weren’t letting anything slow you down in helping your friend, Phil was his name?” I frowned at Colleen’s statement. That particular job didn’t go as well as I’d liked.

“Yeah, I’m sure you’ve all been briefed on that particular incident, Colleen, why don’t you continue with your presentation?”

And Colleen did, giving me a brief overview of the changes made to the layout of our burgeoning military outpost. It seemed even being a military outpost, a certain amount of planning was required to make sure it all functioned efficiently. Our prior tactic of stuffing as many buildings inside our walls was short sighted at best. As it was, rather than surround several hundred square kilometers in thick walls and fortifications, there would now only be three fortified areas that civilian members of our community could retreat to.

A new market area, larger, with space for vehicles to pass through was the first. In the corners would be defensive fortifications. Throughout the space several entrances were placed that led to an underground survival shelter. The second area, the original, wouldn’t have a survival shelter, it would house a modest sized medical facility, our administrative offices, and the original market and adventurers inn. Hidden automated turrets were already installed in all of the parapets that would pop up and engage any aggressive force. The thinking here was that the central market and the “poorly” guarded civilian administrative area would be considered less valuable targets if another force would ever attack us again.

The final fortification area was the old airfield that Eli had commandeered as the primary military base of operations. That area would be completely walled off, upgraded, and improved to present a daunting challenge for any would be attackers. Ringed in a string of smart mines, automated turrets, and sensors, anyone attempting to attack the base would pay in blood. Then of course, were the four thousand troopers waiting inside to come swarming out to murder anyone that dared kick over that hornets nest.

Finally the meeting came down to the last two topics of import for the settlement. The recent acquisition of Dilkon, and our imminent march on Phoenix. “Alright, Johnny, where are we with Dilkon. I won’t lie, I didn’t really want it, but it came with a surprise boon.”

Johnny smiled wryly at my question, since the System had begun doing its work on him, he’d come out of his shell. Or maybe like everyone else, he felt the way he did when he was in his twenties. A hard life lived ranching and building shit had an effect on the body.

“We came to an arrangement with the elders there. We go back a ways. They govern their city how they wish, no more slaves, and they understand, ultimately, we run them.” The hard tone he took was surprising, “Though they don’t have much to offer. They are self sufficient though.”

“Alright, make sure they understand, everyone. And I mean everyone, provides for the greater good. I started this with a no freeloaders policy. That hasn’t ever changed.” I noticed Anna fidgeting out of the corner of my eye. “Honestly, if their acquisition hadn’t unlocked more building options, and military hardware from the kiosk, I’d cut them loose. And depending on how our campaign in Phoenix goes, I may still. So let them know, they better work on providing something substantial if they don’t want their homes razed to the ground for resources.”

The human contingent of our meeting shifted uncomfortably, all reminded of my less than altruistic nature. Interestingly enough, the non-human members present didn’t even blink. I suspect if one questioned them about it they would state that this expectation only made sense, all things considered. My own conversations with them over the last couple weeks indicated as much.

“They won’t be a problem.” Johnny said with confidence.

“However, there is the question of what we do with the Raiders who surrendered?” Eli spoke up.

Shit.

“How many surrendered, and what are we doing with them?”

“Around five hundred. They are currently under house arrest with a detachment standing watch over the entire city. We have options, though, you probably won’t like them.”

“What are our options?” My people knew the things I’m apathetic to, so I suspected I already knew the answer, but I wanted to hear it spoken out loud.

“Well, the first option, the one that would serve us best, but wouldn’t sit well with quite a few people, is allow the System to enslave the men to us.” Again, the majority of the humans in the room balked at that statement, the others didn’t even blink.

I let the thought settle in everyone’s mind, then prompted Eli to continue, “Ok, it’s an option, what else we got?”

“As bad as the first, we can sell them. The System classifies them as spoils of war, as such their lives are forfeit and are considered property.”

“Jesus Christ! You’re not seriously considering this, are you!?” Colleen stood, almost yelling, at the last option that Eli listed off.

I fixed her with a hard stare that caused her to gulp, “I-I’m sorry. I just…”

“I understand. Let’s hear the other options available to us, I am assuming there are others, yes?”

“Of course, in short, we can execute them all, or banish them. I’ve held off on the decision, but it should be decided before we leave.”

There was subtle muttering between Colleen and Johnny, the rest of those gathered looked on with curiosity. I mulled the options over my head, “I certainly don’t want to run a prison, so I’m assuming that’s why you didn’t give that option.”

“Wasn’t even an option, Sir. Which gives us much insight into our coming battles. We may have many more people's lives to decide what to do with.”

I sat there for several long moments considering the options available to me. Five hundred lives hung on the next decision I made. The Reaper stirred in the back of my brain. I started to wonder how much influence my class had on my decision making processes. The very next thought stirring in my brain was how I had once proffered mercy on the minimum custody inmates and how at least half had defied my mercy. How they had delivered a reign of terror upon the people of Flagstaff and enabled an inept mayor to do horrible things to her people.

Junipher, sensing my mood, slid graciously off my lap to stand behind my seat. I leaned forward with elbows on the table, fingers steepled before my face, “We won’t enslave them or sell them. And we won’t let them go. I learn from my mistakes. I won’t make that one again. Order their execution, Commander. And make it public.”

Colleen visibly balked, Johnny dipped his head, then began nodding his understanding. Eli looked at me for a moment, schooling his expression to something imitating neutral, “Understood, sir. That will definitely send a message.”

I was about to move on to the last issue on our agenda when Gregor, who’d sat quietly in the corner of the room for the entire meeting spoke up, “I know your people had lived very different lives up until the System arrived. Slavery is the norm across the Verse. What Karl has ordered is a mercy rarely delivered upon the defeated. You should expect that if you are defeated, to suffer much worse fates.”

“We don’t have to like it.” Colleen snarled from her seat at the table.

“You do not, but it is your reality now.” Freya intoned in a stern tone at the older woman.

Colleen glared at the alien woman pursing her lips in irritation. She looked as if she were going to say something more, then decided against it.

“On to the next issue then. Phoenix. Give me the rundown.” I shifted the focus of the conversation forcefully, Eli and Freya picked up the briefing from this point.

“Yes, so, the short of it is, Phoenix is falling apart. Between the reports from the guy you sent south and the picture that Captain Devers has painted for us, there are… five consolidated factions.”

“Ok, so five city states?”

“Essentially, yes, Sir. Starting with the group Captain Devers made contact with, Pleasant Lake. Pleasant Lake is run by Irene Matthews. She sent her son, Arnold, to attempt an assassination attempt on the leader of our next faction, Litchfield Park. These are the guys I’m marking as our big bad. They’re led by a small-time crook and gangster who is now big-time, “King James”. That’s his nickname.”

“Ok, so what makes this guy so bad that this other woman sent her son to take him out?”

“Well, he’s sending his people out to take slaves for the Sinoloa Cartel. They’ve pushed up to pretty much encircle Tucson which is barely holding out. There’s no route of retreat for the people there for reasons I’ll explain in just a minute.”

I nodded as he continued, “The next city-state on our list is New Phoenix, led by former state Governor Daniel Smits. You already know him from before the System. They and Litchfield Park are in open war with each other. They don’t have a standing militia, but have been contracting adventurers to defend against Litchfield’s probes. They also have access to some of the last Blackhawks in existence.”

“Ok, good on them. Who’s left?”

Eli spun his fingers through the hologram in the table and zoomed in on the west side of Phoenix and pointed out two areas that were highlighted on the map. “The settlement with the lowest threat profile would be Mesa. Run by Daniel Gonzalez, they got hit pretty hard early on, but now have a thriving farming community sprouting up. They are in direct contact with Payson through trade of food for lumber.”

“And last but not least?”

“Chandler-Gilbert. They are a big unknown. They were hit really hard by monsters flooding out of the desert from Florence. Then, just as they were getting their shit together, Litchfield swooped in and snatched up at least half of the remaining population to trade south. Now they have instituted a shoot on sight policy of anyone they feel looks like a threat. There also seems to be no centralized leadership.”

“Hmmm. So they got hit hard and turtled up. Well, if they aren’t a threat, we’ll leave them alone. Though we might want to get some infiltration teams in there to scope out the situation. Maybe send that inmate over?”

“The one that’s been feeding us info? Maybe. He’s currently embedded with an adventuring team holding the I-17 line against Litchfield’s constant raid attempts. Also, it seems the Cartel has supplied them with anti-air missiles. Took out a couple Blackhawks.” Eli added.

“Hmmm. Did you mention why Chandler-Gilbert is unable to retreat from Litchfield’s advances?”

“Ah, yes, sorry.”, Eli shifted the map to display the mileage between Tucson and Phoenix, then pointed directly at an area marked in red with a label that read, “Picacho Peak High Level Hunting Ground, Advanced Level 25-50”

“Ah. Well shit. I got some friends down there that I was hoping to reach out to. How are the Cartel moving bodies and bullets through that?”

Eli zoomed the map into an area to the west of the aforementioned Picacho Peak and highlighted a narrow route along the Agua Fria River, “They forced their way through and they patrol it regularly. When they make runs, they bring lots of bodies to shoot those bullets. It’s actually fairly well avoided by the monstrosities that roam there.”

“Alright, add that to the list of targets to scout.”

“Already on it, Sir. I think that concludes my brief.” Eli leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands in front of him on the table.

“Ok, good, so. Troop disposition, we’re marching out in a couple hours. Who, what, and how many?”

“Sir, we will take the First Cavalry Division. Second will stay here to provide security for our quickly growing…eh, Kingdom?” Everyone chuckled, even myself.

Then I decided to reveal some of my motivation behind our current actions. “That is… actually, kind of accurate. Some of you may wonder why I am making such a mad push to secure so much territory so quickly. And I even wonder about that myself. I’m satisfied with just this building, to be honest. But, everytime I turn around, it seems someone is using this newfound power to do some seriously fucked up shit. And I know that if I have the power to stop that, I will. Anyway, what other forces are we bringing?”

Everyone stared at me, some with renewed vigor. Others, Colleen in particular, with a healthy dose of skepticism. And I didn’t blame her, I kinda rolled in and evicted her, then gave her a job that she was currently excelling at. Which was why I didn’t bother to rebuke her when she occasionally protested or balked at my actions and decisions.

“We pledge a thousand warriors to the campaign, Lord Karl.” Freya intoned in an officious manner. She was harder and more accustomed to the strictures of the System and knew that what I was doing was necessary. She didn’t need my explanation. She’d accepted my offer of Sanctuary and looked at me as her Lord and Commander, and that was all the reasoning she needed.

I nodded approvingly at the beautiful Valkyr Queen, “Good, we will certainly need your help.”

Gregor banged a fist against his chest, “My people will send two hundred of the best sappers and battlefield engineers ye can find. If ye need it breached, exploded, or otherwise completely demolished, we have ye covered!”

I smiled and nodded at the Dwarf’s enthusiasm, “Anyone else, I heard Shubin didn’t want to be left out of this?”

Anna looked like she wanted to speak up at that moment, but the hologram shifting to display Lord Shubin’s massive horned head stalled her. “Hello? This thing working?” His gruff voice echoed through the room as he attempted to fiddle with whatever device was being used to record his image and send it to us in the conference room, “Damned thing, it’s too small!”

“Lord Shubin! Should we move our meetings outside around a campfire from now on?”

He froze and stared into the camera that was currently recording him, then smiled, “KARL!? Ah, yes, while that would be more accommodating to one of my size, I wouldn’t dare impose on our most gracious host.”

“Of course not! I take it you want to get in on this action?”

His eyes widened at the vague suggestion of future bloodshed, “Indeed, we would pledge one thousand total of the Faceless, Volpari, and Imp forces to your command. And I will join your expedition as well!”

“Well, how can I resist!?”

He turned his head slightly to the side then leaned into the camera, “You would be a fool to do so, and we know that’s not you.”

More rounds of laughing resounded throughout the room. With the disposition of forces handled I began to close out the meeting, but was interrupted by the cat-girl Empress, Anna.

“Uh, excuse me, Master Karl?”

“Oh, yes, Anna?”

All eyes turned on the young girl as she sought my attention. She seemed to visibly shrink at the attention she received from the rest of the group. With a nervous smile she continued, “Uh, well, as you may or may not know, we are still recovering and getting our people reorganized.” I moved to assure her that she didn’t need to provide any more forces for our campaign, but her spine suddenly stiffened and she continued quickly with what she had to say, “However, if you would allow us to provide a modest Honor Guard, it would go a long way in demonstrating my people’s appreciation for what you’ve done for us.”

Crap, this whole concept of Kingdom building is getting out of hand. Keeg pledge’s his sword to me. Everyone is calling me Sir, Master, Lord. It’s a tad bit overwhelming.

“Master Karl,” There it is. Freya began hesitantly, “Eventually a man in your position will require some kind of permanent retinue. If you were to be assassinated, everything you built would likely crumble. You are the glue that holds it all together.”

Junipher pressed a gentle hand against my back, a message flashed in my vision soon after that sudden contact. More importantly my brutal love, you are becoming more than just a Warlord, you are becoming a KING! These people see it. The System recognizes your potential. Soon the Universe will descend on your planet. And you already know that they will not be sympathetic to the Human plight. They will more than likely seek to eradicate your species from the planet. Her beastmen are uniquely suited to the task she’s suggesting for them.

“I think that would be acceptable, Anna. Thank you for your contribution.”, I wasn't particularly interested in having any kind of guard around me, but I understood the strange girls desire to show her people's gratitude for what we'd done for them.

Anna beamed with pride and satisfaction. Freya cast me a sidelong look that ended with a sultry smile. Gregor snorted in the corner, then stood to leave as everyone began to file out of the room. Decisions made, it was time to march for the first time at the head of an army, making sure that when the shit really hit the fan in a couple months, we wouldn’t be getting stabbed in the back by our own kind.