The Sovereign and the Damned by Z. Goldstein

You know they used to say that armies would never go fully mercenary. Said they were always going to be loyal to some sovereign or another. Thing is, people can’t see ahead of the curve, they can’t think why what with all our political triumphs and social progressions we need war. Since the beginning of time men (and a few women) have been looking for ways to justify killing each other. So society evolves. Now we are no longer killing each other over mating rights or food or infantile disputes of manhood. No, now we are killing because of religion. Because of God. The Muslims preach jihad on the infidels and the Christians condemn the Jews to hell. But you know the thing about gods? They are flexible. They mold to whatever you need them to be. Whatever your genocidal goals, there is a god to back you up. See, men need hope. Even if something is totally irrational, they will believe it so long as it sustains them in whatever struggle they face. It’s like...sovereignty. Somewhere down the timeline they got it into people’s heads this idea of nationalism. This is not a natural result; it was a propelled event in history. A drop in the pond, but still so significant. Just think, all the men who died in service of an idea—a country...what a concept. But you see that’s just an excuse. In the original societies, it was only tribes. Small bands of fifty and sixty men fighting over territory. Like city street gangs. I always said the gang culture was most in tune with the natural instincts and inclinations of men. Now, here’s the poetic part, see. As society evolves and consequently the power of the sovereign entity (which is all puppets and shadows) multiplies, it becomes harder and harder to kill. More importantly, it’s the justification for the kill. But that doesn’t stop us. So we come up with more and more ingenious and diabolical ways of reaping one another; poison the fruit you feed to the children, play deity and burn people’s eyes out of their skulls, feed a needled toxin into the flesh and listen to the lungs drown. It’s...creativity, really. But the main point is that it doesn’t matter how we kill one another. What matters is that it gets done. And since it is after all wholly inevitable, why shouldn’t it be profitable like every other damn thing in the universe? Do you think me...cold? Callous? We’d all like to believe that we are unique and special little petals of the rose. In actuality, we are the thorns. We just try to clean up nice now and again. Mostly for the women. I was always fascinated by women; the power that they can wield, and the limitations on that power by particular spheres of influence. I have an interesting theory. See, I think that if women had all the power, there would be lasting peace in all the realms of mankind. They’re just more protective of life. Remember history. The earliest prize of conquest for the all-male invading army was pillage and rape. In my experience I have found these sadistic urges to be largely foreign in the minds of women. This, my mentor explained, was the reason for the mainstream religious demonization of the female form and spirit. In the original tale of Genesis, haven’t you ever wondered why it was Eve who was tempted? When foolishly visionary men forged manuscripts of the Old Testament, they knew they wanted a male-dominated controlling institution. Thus the temptation of Eve represents the failure of women to follow and act unto the word of God. This way, war can still continue, and men could continue to profit from it. This profit was not always monetary, but it was always in the form of power. Fast forward...now, we are here. We control the foreign policy of nations and shape the fates of men. And yes, this too is all about progression. Evolution. We’re the future, see. The future of power. And we were here before any of them could even tell the difference.