A Comparison of Honors #2

"Commander Philip, this is Dani Thurokiir, Elizar and Vella Thurokiir Icksam. I will leave you three alone now." said the humble servant on the Greecian Planet of Ephesos, the birds were chirping, and clouds were passing over head.
The two Thurokiirs waited for a while for the gray-haired Commander Philip to say something, who was simply reading a paper, makings marks on it, and sipping his tea. After a few moments, Elizar stood up, "You-"
He looked up softly, and took off his reading glasses, "Yes?"
Elizar sat back down.
"Let me make something perfectly clear, Mr. Elizar, I don't care if you have the whole Auroran Assembly (a common term used in their religion as all the honorable Auroran warriors past, present, and future) waiting for me. You will show a man of seniority proper respect. Now, if you would like to speak in a reasonable tone, do so."
Elizar began to speak, but Icksam put his hand on Elizar's shoulder. "We traveled here to"
"Request a peace treaty?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because-"
"Yes?"
"Because we could crush Greece like a bug. We could march in here, and end your whole way of life."
He laughed and leaned back in his chair, "I don't think so, Mr. Icksam."
"We coul-"
"If you really could, you really would. That is the Auroran Philosophy, is it not? To prove your honor to wave to everybody else....sort of a selfish thing, really."
"Are you calling our honor selfish, and self-serving?"
"I guess you could say so, yes."
"Our warriors undergo years and years of intensive training."
"For what?"
"For their House of course."
"No, what do they have to gain?"
"Honor."
"Exactly...offering honor and ranks in exchange for defense?" he said, standing up, walking over to a star-chart, and looking at it. "Notice how you two walk everywhere without a shirt on and showing off all your fiercome tattoos? Do you not do it to show off, for your own selfish ambition, whereas many Spartan warriors could outlift you on their warm-ups, but you do not see us doing it. True honor comes from defending the defenseless and from doing what is right."
"Spartans know not of honor!"
He turned coldly on them, "950 NC, the Greecian people underwent a horrible civil war, with the Spartans coming out on top. However, both the Federation and the Auroran Empire attempted to overtake us in our feebleness, and we beat you both off in our weakened state, with no help from others. Honor belongs to the Spartans."
They stuttered for a moment, before looking at eachother, attempting to come up with a reply.
"The Spartans are the single-largest planet in the Greecian Space, including the largest shipyard, largest population, largest amount of Senators, largest amount of ores. Now, in the Corinth system, we have discovered that the Pirates in Greecian Space are based here. Imagine this, our single-largest competitor with our shipyards, Phaecia, who comes in a close second, could be prey to Pirates if we allowed it to happen. Imagine us taking over all of Greece, which we could do in a split second, but we allow them to have their freedom. Honor belongs to the Spartans."
"What of doing the right thing then?"
"Look at you two, you both look down on scientists and merchants with contempt. Both of you are hypocrites. Unlike your House Heraan, who defends the defenseless and does not treat the footstool it rose on with contempt. For that reason, I predict they will overtake you in the next few years."
They laughed.
"They already continually beat you on the battlefield, now the political field, their newest frontier is about to be overrun." They both fround. The two got up to leave, with the old man calling after them, "Next time you pick a fight, we'll be waiting."

This post has been edited by Charon : 10 June 2006 - 03:23 PM