“…master, the bloodlust came over me. I don’t know how to stop from using my hands.”
The Highborn studied him and finally addressed the others. “Listen closely. Hansen is foolish. He must learn control. If he fails to learn control, he will learn pain. Like this.” And the Highborn brushed his body seven times, even shocking the mutilated genital area.
Hansen’s voice was hoarse from screaming as he writhed on the training table.
“Soon we will be at Mars,” the Highborn said calmly. “Then you will face armed soldiers. You must use weapons or you will die. You will not throw them away or forget them. That is bad, very bad. Learn the lessons now, yes?”
“Yes,” the others muttered sullenly.
The Highborn smiled at them. Then he smiled down at Hansen. “You are worse than premen. You are animals. But even animals must serve the New Order. Next time you fail, Hansen, I will personally cut out your intestines and make a noose to choke you to death. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Master,” Hansen wheedled, trying desperately to sound contrite. But in his heart, in his raging soul, he yearned to kill the Highborn, all of them, and piss on their corpses.
-2-
From the files of Grand Admiral Cassius: selected memorandums and notes. From: August 7 to August 11, 2351.
August 7
The Julius Caesar’s Training Master, Recommendation to Admiral Cassius:
After months of intensive training, I have reached what I must concede as now unalterable opinions concerning the Neutraloids. The creatures possess commendable berserker qualities, and their reaction times and strength compare favorably to the premen. However, they lack sustained self-control. Only a few among them—what I’ve come to consider as Neutraloid geniuses—have the minimal ability to operate guns or use vibroknives. No amount of hypnotic commands has changed this inability. Higher technical equipment operation is beyond their present capabilities.
There has been talk of lessening the hate-conditioning. But I doubt that will alter the situation. Such conditioning gives them their only redeeming quality: berserker rage against the universe. On a primitive planet, such creatures would have innate terror value. On the technological battlefield, however, they are a liability.
Therefore, it is my stated view that for the present Mars Campaign, that each Doom Star’s complement of Neutraloids should be destroyed.
August 7
From Grand Admiral Cassius:
Training Master, Julius Caesar, I am dissatisfied with your recommendation. I scanned the attached report on your training methods. Let me remind you of the obvious. The Neutraloids are clay in your hands. They are beasts. Beasts react to pleasure and pain. Heighten both until the achieved result is obtained.
August 8
From Training Master, Julius Caesar:
All Highborn stand in awe of your military achievements, Grand Admiral. The lesser races quiver at the mention of your name. Your strategic and tactical insights are like rare wine, consumed at the risk of intoxication.
However, regarding the Neutraloids, they are a risk to ship personnel. Fear of us only minimally restrains their hatred, their feral desire to kill us. The greatest battle of the war approaches. I consider the possibility of their running loose, in the unforeseen event of a Doom Star sustaining hits, as an unneeded danger. Respectfully, Grand Admiral, my recommendation stands.
August 8
From Grand Admiral Cassius:
Your literary skills left me cold, Training Master. Your fawning praise only served to emphasize your inability to obey my orders.
All that said, your recommendation is noted and recorded. Cage your beasts so they do not run loose during battle. In the unlikely event of serious Doom Star damage, you have permission to kill the beasts.
Let me point out, however, that their strategic and tactical value does not lie as shipboard marines. The Praetor’s desire to replace premen shock-troopers with Neutraloids is an unqualified failure. You have already pointed out, Training Master, that their use as terror troops is their sole strength. On your recommendation, their combat role has changed. In the remaining time left you, retrain your animals as terror troops. They will be inserted as needed into underground Martian cities, to help create panic so the Rebel populace will gratefully accept Highborn security forces to restore order.
August 8
From Training Master, Julius Caesar:
Please allow me to say, Grand Admiral, that this is a precise decision. It is the perfect use of gravely flawed creatures. I have already reevaluated my training tactics. As terror troops, especially against poorly armed premen, the Neutraloids will excel. I can almost pity the Martians.
August 9
Top Secret Memorandum: The Grand Admiral’s Strategic Assessment for the Mars Campaign:
The critical battle for the Inner Planets is about to take place. I refer to the finding, fixing and the annihilating of the Social Unity Space Fleet. As long as Social Unity possesses a credible Battlefleet, we must garrison each planet with strong space forces. That weakens us at the critical points of military conflict.
In order to put overwhelming strength at the critical point, I deemed it necessary to coax Social Unity to fix its space forces at one locale. Then I ensured their hardened resolve to defend their conquest. The premen will need this resolve as they see the Julius Caesar, Hannibal Barca and the Napoleon Bonaparte majestically head for Mars, the place of their recent conquest.
Some have questioned this overwhelming display of force, the use of three Doom Stars to annihilate the premen Battlefleet.
Firstly, let me add that more than three Doom Stars head to Mars to inflict this punishing defeat. Concerning that, the individual admirals will soon learn the extended details.
Secondly, too often in wars past, commanders have tried to maintain strength in all areas of conflict in order to hold onto all territorial gains. That is a strategic error of the first order. One of the most fundamental rules of war is that battles entail risk. A corresponding maxim is that one can never be too strong at the point of decision. The Mars Campaign will be our point of decision. Therefore, we cannot be too strong in our head-to-head fleet battle.
Thirdly, this gathering of Highborn strength into one point means a lessening of Highborn strength in other important areas. I have ordered the Doom Star from Venus and the last Doom Star remaining at the Sun-Works Factory to immediately head for the Earth System. The space platforms around Venus will continue to harass the enemy. The defenses of the Sun Works are in good repair, especially in lieu of the fact that the SU Battlefleet is at Mars. The critical junctions at this point are firstly to maintain control of the Earth System, secondly the Sun-Works Factory and lastly Venus. To gain massive strength for Mars, we are accepting a possibly dangerous lowering of strength at Venus first and then the Sun-Works Factory second. That is a risk. But it is a risk we must accept in order to gain the crushing victory needed at the point of maximum gain.
Fourthly, as superior as Highborn innately are to the inferior premen, I urge none to think this victory is preordained. Nothing in this universe is free. Few things die willingly. We are two million supermen among thirty-eight billion, seething, hating and fearing subhumans. They possess courage, stamina and cunning. They will fight. They will have obtained a secret weapon and they will have devised clever tactical dispositions.
Fifthly and lastly, we are the Highborn. We are born to conquer and born to rule. It is our burden to bring order and rationality to the Solar System. This is the critical fight for that rule. Once the Inner Planets are ours, we shall expand throughout the Solar System and in time seed the stars. This test of our valor, our resolve, guile and brilliance will go down as the most glorious feat of arms in the annals of military history.