Deviant Empire Pt. 08

"Yeah... that. Just... everything is good. So good. Amazing. Just keep getting blown away constantly. Our house just baffled us... and jobs... and just... everything. And while we're not... all the way into being casual about everything, took a lot of steps."

"Brother and sister and fucking just about daily."

"Because I haven't had too many options close to home."

"Will, don't be stupid in front of the important lady."

Her expression gained a smile more and more wide until the woman was practically grinning. A snort.. Which broke her sensuous and intimidating image quickly.

"Well, I think that settles it. You two are for real. Might even skip the formalities. And... please. Regina. Yes, you can call me Reggie."

The ebony goddess became relaxed so quickly that it made the two look in amazement as she sat up straight and leaned over the table, elbows resting on it.

"Um... no, no... don't worry. We can do the formalities. Don't want you to get into trouble. You are doing so much." Will was still stammering.

"I suppose you might get a kick out of them... but, you do enjoy it here, don't you? No ill intentions." That last part was a declaration.

"Had some trouble at the start, but... hey, this stuff makes a lot of places I went to look third world. Still... no, ma'am... no ill intentions. Just two people who want to live their life." He almost mentioned their parents.

"Yeah, what he said. I know a lot of the people from back home are being idiots, but we learned our lessons. Repeatedly. Heck, this place gave us something I did not even think you could give just by not giving up on us."

"A duty to stand up to those who are wrong. But, let's discuss this better over lunch. Or dinner... for the people here."

They expected to be blinded by the light, but when the doors opened, it was evening. They flew quite a distance... and with no stops, it could move faster. The two shuffled out upon the ramp to give them a short walk to a restaurant of fine choice. No more words exchanged until sitting down.

Will and Win felt out of place... this locale was clearly upscale in decoration, music, guests and food. The boy sometimes had no respect for some places that try to call themselves "fine dining" to give you just a taste of 20 things before leaving you hungry and with a bill that could pay for college. But he looked at the other plates and there was real food there... real scrumptious looking food. The place had a quiet atmosphere and both public and more discrete tables. Their reservation was for a discrete table... which offered a tucked away table behind privacy screens... and their own waiters. Plural. Those would not serve any other table while they were there, waiting close by, but not intruding on their privacy.

"I'm gonna sound real common here, but this place looks almost too nice for us. Don't think I could dream to afford a meal at such a place. Think it might dent our fortune a bit more." Will did feel a bit intimidated.

"After such an account, I think I can waive the cost. Put it on my tab. Got fortune to throw away. Why not do it for a good reason?"

"I... didn't know you could do that." They were alternating questions.

"Most often not, but I think you could tell I'm a bit high up. Just gonna ask a favor of someone to... balance the books."

"That seems... abusing the system." Will was almost relieved that place was not 100% perfect.

"And it is. For a good reason. But.. what will you be having? Feel free to splurge. I've got time."

Win pointed a finger without using her arm, a playful smile on her face.

"Because it's giving us an easier time and making fortune. Still feels... a bit wrong, but not gonna argue with the people welcoming us." Win browsed through the menu. Everything was just... out there. But one name she could pick out and was always curious how it tasted.

"But we ask you to argue. Find out. You have to leave temptations. Else people will make them. But it's going to ring alarms, make the situation scrutinized... and when they see it's all good they might even give a bit extra." She knew her preference, but wanted to hear their option.

"Mmm. That it's just someone breaking the rules to help out rather than stuff their pockets. Hm. Even corruption can be done well here. Though, now it just sounds like a wrong word. Like if you say we do incest. Kinda feels off." The boy's expectations were equally shattered as he looked through the options.

Both of them agreed on the same thing, and Regina decided to go for it as well. Been a while. Some nice wine of choice to go with it... and later maybe even desert. It would be done very quickly.

"So... what do you need us to do?" The boy asked.

"I... do not need you to do anything. This whole song and dance is just to weed out spies. Have me come and tempt them while trying to pick apart their story... discreetly. I don't question them to their face, but pursue things naturally... a tempting image to make their reason slip even a little. Wine and dine them... might even offer help. Then... we ask for them to shoot a video of themselves declaring why they want to stay... on the stipulation that we will send it over to show proof that you were not forced into slavery. Maybe they're gonna try to send a hidden message, show that 'they're in and all is going according to plan' and such. We use the base sample to create a new one with a completely new speech basically having them out themselves as a spy and say they are cutting off all ties." A short laugh left her. The two had to follow.

"Oh, that is just gonna make them go crazy. All our guys are just deserting for the enemy. All of them. And the guys here think all is well, got them all fooled... when they've basically outed themselves. Uh... this isn't part of the test, right... I mean... we're totally not that, but I guess that's what one would say." Win could imagine the pulled hairs.

"You speak with real passion. It cannot be faked. And you should not hide it or be ashamed of it."

The girl got a bit shy at that compliment. Will found more confidence to be himself. The woman was clearly not some stuck-up official.

"She's got passion, all right. But she would not be the sis I love without it."

"Truly lovely to see. I'm glad you could find this."

"Oh! Can we make a video and you send it over anyway? Just... feeling like calling them out and them hearing it. Do I have a limit on how long it should be?"

"Why, certainly... even more demoralizing to see all the other people shouting at them finally. So used to you kneeling that now they might have a crisis. But that's just if you want to. I gave the go ahead before we landed."

"Wow, I... thank you. And... I'm gonna make one as well. Both as a show of thanks and... yeah, Win has a point. We gotta stand up. Now we can do it with some people backing us. How long until it's done?"

"By the time we finish here, you two will be citizens. That will mean you can start to go down in fortune level, but you two look quite promising and I bet you'll keep afloat or go higher."

"Damn... that's fast! Wait..." Another knowing smile from the girl. "Efficient work means..."

"All the little things add up. Fortune is not just resources."

Their food arrived. It smelled amazing. Lobster Thermidor. A crunchy done creature of the ocean stuffed with a balanced and delectable mix of tasty cheese and its own meat, seasoned to delicious extravagance, a side of more simple but much better done coleslaw... almost sweet tasting and a good palate cleanser. Manners could be employed, but their "host" told them to enjoy themselves. Even the waiters knew how to tell the mood of a table, being friendly, encouraging... service with a smile... a real one, not lifeless and rehearsed. Even if it might cost them fortune for all the service given... they had to come by again. Worth it.

If they thought just decent food was delicious in the empire, luxury food left you crying. Not one mistake, not one slip, not even a single concession. Nothing held back and all in the name of a taste and experience to remember as well as a full stomach that might agree that they never wanted for anything else. No talking done as this was enjoyed. Nobody was shaming people for enjoying things. Their real reactions brought smiles on the servers as they knew they did good once more.

The chef wanted only one thing... not to stuff pockets or declare some sort of art, but have everyone... and he meant everyone... leave so satisfied that they could learn to love food... good food. Both siblings felt stunned once their meal was done. Stuffed, even... their mouths very thankful to their owners... dessert sounded like it might not fit... or perhaps take away from it. But a fruit mousse pudding felt so light, balanced in sweetness and deceptively simple looking... that the two might have ruined all other food for a while. Even the best done street food might feel like they were desperate. The wine also drained quickly... and for once might the man be tempted to consider wine tasting. It was so far removed in taste from what he knew that it just slipped down with his meal... a nice touch to finish it off. Compliments to the chef... and they could pay them in person... their cook, not the head chef coming in to claim glory.

"Wow... just wow." Will had to say. If ever he was convinced to go into cooking... now was the time. He's gonna get these smiles out of people one day.

"I know. You're being very good to us. And I don't mean just you... all of this place. But it's what it was built on, was it?"

"There must always be a currency. Or one will be made even unconsciously. But the fortune system did not start wanting to be that. And yet... we have done better with it."

"If you don't mind us keeping you... How did it start... actually... how could it all get so good? I mean, we're so far away from it that we're basically cavemen." This thought did not come from curiosity for Will. He heard those words. There is still hope for you. And he could not give it up. Maybe one day Earth could be the same.

"You are not keeping me from anything I'd rather do than this. I suppose... it started with the way of Family. Teaching people to hold to their communities... to leave no one behind. The outsider taught us that... by word and action. The first step for us was to keep that as a core ideal... even when we grow in bigger cities, we need to have someone... to be our strength, our correction, our comfort. Be there for each other."

"And be brave." Win completed it. The woman gave a cute laugh.

"You understand. Stand up to those from outside threatening your community, stand up to them when they go wrong... the god of defiance. He likes that title, the idea to always stand against something big. But it's not about standing against, but standing with... and not hiding in the crowd. Just because you are a herd does not give you strength and safety... you must use that number to your advantage. As we grow bigger, we can start to see we are one big community, though those further removed can indeed count less... but they count. All of them."

"Starting to see that. You can't go far alone. Separating people makes them vulnerable. Doing it on purpose means..."

"That you are ruled by predators. That might consider it a right to do what they do. The way of family did not intend to turn into a model for rulership, but we soon found that it was best to focus on your level... I admire that your people have taken democracy, but so often do people have a voice for something they do not understand. You may consider us to almost be ruled like... an army. A chain of command. Each looks among their own rank for who has their best ability to lead... and those rise higher... those form into a sort of separate community, a side family if you wish... but their first is their first choice. And among those they choose who can go higher... knowing their own battles and what they need to move them further... and so on... and so on. And from the top... things need to go through every step to get to the one man. The grand overseer cannot determine what happens to an individual person. They make judgements on what those immediately below him do, what big course to take... and they take the next step down and consider this course... and work for their level. No skipping. Or you might as well not have the other ranks. What is the point of one if nothing changes?"

She pulled out a cigarette to smoke... which seemed to almost contrast with her image. Since Regina was doing it, Win decided to light up as well. Those things just flew by you with no issue.

"It wasn't always so nice and sweet, was it?" Will did not even consider it a risk to ask.

"We had tough times. Bloody times. And those where we slowly learned these lessons with his help. We had our corrupt politicians, our exploiting magnates, our warlords who consumed life with no concern... we do not hide them. You are free to see it all."

"Putting a lot of stock in truth... embracing all these things." Beat. "It sounds like I'm asking for a how to guide to make my planet better... though you seem to have so much tech that makes it easy."

"I can imagine plenty of means to try a prototype of the fortune system on low tech. Individual sheets you have where you fill out how each person helped, hindered, as such... maybe even get taught how much might be each. Some will no doubt misuse them, but they will start to stand out after a while. And you submit it to a central office, they add it all up and see... this man is doing good, this one is not... maybe we should help him correct his course or... stop him from doing more damage. You asked... and it did not start as a currency. It was a sort of review system for growing towns... to try to maximize efficiency. We ran several tests... one is control, we do nothing, the second... we remove the people with high scores, the third... we remove those with low scores... and the last we do it at random to see if maybe just removing people is doing it. Less people to fight over resources and such."

"Let me guess..." Win could take this challenge. "Second basically collapsed, third got better and fourth... depends on the net difference in fortune. And you did not care if it pointed at just a housewife or the leader or a businessman or the guy selling hotdogs on the street."

Another big smile from her.

"Got it in one. And obviously we looked it over. Who did we remove, what role did they play and how were they so damaging or crucial. Sometimes it is the big things. A man comes in and pushes his industry on a town, destroying its value, while making very little for others. But sometimes it's the little things. An old man sitting on a bench on the street, just giving a smile and advice, who through just small actions made things far more pleasant, stable, productive... people had more energy to work, were more focused, less tempted to resort to desperate measures and did not need to seek solace in life and time destroying pursuits."

"Hey, most people think capitalism is the way to go because it lets you value your work." Win was not expecting this to hold water, but for the woman to blow it out of it.

"To a point. In order to get the most profit, more product for your money, more work for it, more service... you have to devalue each other. That man's work might be holding us all afloat, but I can intimidate them into getting paid less... blowing off all their actual progress. Or if you want to buy a lot of goods with less money, you can look for every fault you can find and inflate it, reduce the value of the man's work."

"Or if you want a free coffee and snacks you have to yell at a barista that they can't do their job. Fuck. Our economy basically causes Karens."

For every question, she had an answer that Regina served with a smile. She was quite well versed in all these things, with a higher education and years of experience. By now... the siblings wanted to listen because there was a higher calling. They have considered these people "magic aliens" who seemed to have everything done for them. But as the curtain was pulled away at their request, she could take them on a tour to show every last moving part in the empire and how it could hold up to any point of scrutiny, not by avoiding it... but by being the result of endless questions. The magic was going away and they could see these were just people. Doing things. Building, mining, cooking, farming, flying in their own machines that once barely could cross a mountain. And it felt like she was showing them how... if ever they might go back... they could teach people. For once, they might welcome the idea... not because they wanted to stay on Earth... but because it was indeed a shame those other people could not have what they did... and it was in their entire doctrine to help out like this... but equally when war was declared, they would stand with their people and not flinch at words such as "war crime", "racism" or "Belgium".

"I think..." How could the woman talk so much? "The hardest challenge is to teach people the value of being good."

"Isn't good and evil a choice or such? Some say evil pays better." Win had finished her smoke and started another. These things did not even burn. Some smokers might be disappointed.

"Yes, but a choice has consequences. So many of those people who came on your ship thought this to be a world free from the laws of their land, where one could take all that they want, who they want... their much deserved paradise. A world where they can be degenerates."

"And then they got thrown into the prison planet." The girl chuckled at imagining their cries.

"But, imagine... if one tells you that one drop of fortune will measure more than their entire life. Where one hand offered to another to pull them up results in a thousand years of history... where one good act is immortal and echoes into the future... good bringing good... forever. An act that cannot be taken from you, no matter the afterlife, no matter the destroyers who come to blindly pull it up for their temporary and very short lived gain. You were there."

Suddenly she made all those small acts feel so powerful. Why they value them. And why despite being humans just like them instead of some hive mind uploaded to the matrix... these small people can dominate suns. Not alone. Together.

"Goddamn. You should get in politics." Will commented without thinking.

"I AM in politics." A smile from her. "It no doubt takes generations to teach, perhaps a good number of slip ups... but it can happen." A pause. "Anything else?"

They even ordered some extra light drinks to help through. It felt like they just got schooled, but it was indeed very educational. They felt at home because they were just surrounded by people. Like them. And so... they could also fit in there.

"Think we made you talk enough. Thank you... it was very... enlightening. We're gonna be right at home. It all feels so less daunting now." Will could feel he really had the future in his hand.

"And we're gonna send those videos. And please... send them. Whoever's left down there after James is done... should listen. Maybe we can shave a few hundred years from the time it takes them to learn." Win paused at her words as she... could see it. "We... we could actually do it. Us. Make a difference."

"Is it born of wrath or a desire to help?"

"I am... very disappointed in earth. We can do better. And it might not work perfectly, but there is a way and you showed it. You had it. And they did not listen. I want to be like all those who helped us get where we are. Shouting at us that we're stupid. We needed it." And so Will returns from the mountain with the word of god in his hand.

"Yeah, I'm mad as hell, got cheated out of so much... wanna just yell forever. But... I don't think we should leave the place to rot. There's a lot of people down there who deserve to have it better. Not just those we know. It can take a while to see what you guys really preach... especially if they don't listen... but you aren't forcing them. Gonna go right home and record it... might need a few takes. And to write stuff down before."