Sent a Message
Sent a Message
May 05, 2024
“How many people do you wish to kill?”
Such a simple question bantered about without reservation.
“At a minimum, 20 million, but no more than 30 million. I need to send a message without depleting future slave stocks.”
The technicians made their calculations, adjusting their prices accordingly.
“The system has 9 planets. Three are inhabitable. Do you have any reservations about destroying the ecosystem of one or more of these?”
“I am willing to sacrifice either the second or third planet in the system, but not both.”
The merchant, once again, consulted with his techs.
“Is there a specific time frame you are adhering to? Either for destruction or recovery?”
The grieved warlord answered in the affirmative. “I had not given much thought to recovery. However, I want the destruction to be effective. Once again, I wish to send a message.”
How he said the word, effective, sent shivers down my spine. For the corporate technicians, no such physiological response was noticed.
“Given your time table and desire to conserve productive feedstocks, I would suggest a strategic insertion of a high density projectile.”
“So you wish to strike a planet with a large mass?”
“Not exactly. We suggest using a 1000 cubic centimeter mass of a neutron star to slowly pass in close proximity to the planet of your choice. Its gravity will pull the planet out of its stable orbit. Where the planet finally resides will be directly proportional to the time it remains close to our projectile.”
“Could you pull a planet away from a star so it freezes?”
“Yes.”
“Could you return it once everyone has died?”
“For a price, yes.”
For the second planet of the Tisa system, life would end that day. Its oceans quickly froze leaving all population centers to vanish.
The Warlord had indeed sent his message.
As a resident of Tisa-3, I would send my message.
For the technicians already took my payment and details.