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Post by Ticoga on Mar 13, 2023 12:59:39 GMT -5
Ticoga's mind was still essentially reeling by the time he'd returned to the citadel - but as he was unable to think about the offer presented to him without also automatically thinking it was a hoax.
It was a test by the Triumvirate; they were testing him for ambition. For the desire to take power in the moment it was offered. It was a test Ticoga intended to pass with flying colors. Instead, Ticoga had chosen to follow up on a discussion he'd had with Mint on Earth. Mint confessed to having had a criminal background well before Brumal had brought the matter up - so this was more about learning about the Triumvirs.
With his authority, Ticoga was able to access the restricted section of the Imperial Records department. Essentially an enormous library, Ticoga was sure they the Empire had the largest collection of knowledge in the universe. Tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of documentation disks and drives filled structure from floor to ceiling; and that was just the public records. These records held not just the planet details for every world the Empire had ever encountered, but their histories. Their military tactics. Their Art. Ticoga had on several occasions spent hours in the records department studying the art of the thousands of alien civilizations.
Ticoga had to actively resist returning to that very hobby as he walked the familiar halls. And indeed, for many hours, Ticoga had moved through the restricted records, searching everything he could about the Triumvirs themselves. He had chosen to study Empress Ise first, and found that there had been less information about her than he'd liked. It was known that General Hibernal had found and adopted Ise, though according to this record, Hibernal's claim was that his initial interaction with Ise was in battle against her in the Saiyan giant ape form.
Not much about Ise's upbringing was detailed, as the Empress was apparently still a child by most civilizations' reckoning. A child was Empress now, after having been brought in merely to serve as a third voice? Surely better options had been available? But no, as far as these records seemed to suggest, Ise's only benefit to the Triumvirate was that she was strong. And after Ticoga's one interaction with the girl, he was inclined to believe that she was not really suited for the role after all. Which led to the question - where was Empress Ise?
She had vanished. Perhaps... Perhaps Mint and Ise had their spat for power already, and Ise had been disposed of? Ticoga shakes his head; it would not do to theorize now.
Ticoga moved on to his second subject of study, Emperor Mint. His records were as expected - Mint was an avid hunter that enjoyed taking trophies from his kills, and had for at least two centuries been involved with the Arcosian equivalent of Earthling Mafias. Records about Mint, collected by the Imperial intelligence agencies, described Mint as a murderer, and a particularly brutal one. Many Arcosians and aliens that defied the organization he belonged to were viscerally slaughtered. Eventually, Mint turned from Mafia leader, to becoming a politician.
Mint's life was never in service to the Empire. It was only ever in service to himself, for his own gain, and his own clout. Mint was unworthy of serving the Empire as its leader. There was enough data here to justify having Mint executed; and yet he was an Emperor. Ward had been right - Mint only held power because he was still on Arcose when Blizzard and Azoth got themselves killed.
Two of the Triumvirs were absolutely unworthy to lead the Empire. Ticoga memorized Mint's long list of crimes, locking the information in his mind - Mint was a threat to the Empire. And as the Shield of Arcose, that meant that Mint would have to either be banished from the Empire, or Ticoga would have to kill the Emperor.
No one - NO ONE - was above the law. Ticoga would see to Mint in time. For now, Ticoga turns to his final subject of study - Emperor Brumal. And he finds - almost nothing. A mention of living on a distant planet on the far reaches of the Empire's borders, and almost nothing at all other than his eventual appearance and participation with Arcosians in power. The only thing spoken of about his rise to power was a footnote that corroborated his claim that it was during a discussion between himself and Mint that led to Brumal taking a seat on the newly formed Triumvirate.
This lack of information meant one of two things - either Brumal was involved in something that required all information about him to be purged from Imperial Records - which was virtually unheard of unless it was a punishment to eradicate a Clan from historical records - like his own had been - or there was more going on than Ticoga could guess at.
Conspiracy theories would go nowhere, so Ticoga could only do one thin. Ticoga leaves the Imperial Records wing of the citadel, and sends Emperor Brumal a request to join him for dinner. A meal that was to be cooked by Ticoga in fact, and that Ticoga wanted to further the discussion they had several months prior...
It was a test by the Triumvirate; they were testing him for ambition. For the desire to take power in the moment it was offered. It was a test Ticoga intended to pass with flying colors. Instead, Ticoga had chosen to follow up on a discussion he'd had with Mint on Earth. Mint confessed to having had a criminal background well before Brumal had brought the matter up - so this was more about learning about the Triumvirs.
With his authority, Ticoga was able to access the restricted section of the Imperial Records department. Essentially an enormous library, Ticoga was sure they the Empire had the largest collection of knowledge in the universe. Tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of documentation disks and drives filled structure from floor to ceiling; and that was just the public records. These records held not just the planet details for every world the Empire had ever encountered, but their histories. Their military tactics. Their Art. Ticoga had on several occasions spent hours in the records department studying the art of the thousands of alien civilizations.
Ticoga had to actively resist returning to that very hobby as he walked the familiar halls. And indeed, for many hours, Ticoga had moved through the restricted records, searching everything he could about the Triumvirs themselves. He had chosen to study Empress Ise first, and found that there had been less information about her than he'd liked. It was known that General Hibernal had found and adopted Ise, though according to this record, Hibernal's claim was that his initial interaction with Ise was in battle against her in the Saiyan giant ape form.
Not much about Ise's upbringing was detailed, as the Empress was apparently still a child by most civilizations' reckoning. A child was Empress now, after having been brought in merely to serve as a third voice? Surely better options had been available? But no, as far as these records seemed to suggest, Ise's only benefit to the Triumvirate was that she was strong. And after Ticoga's one interaction with the girl, he was inclined to believe that she was not really suited for the role after all. Which led to the question - where was Empress Ise?
She had vanished. Perhaps... Perhaps Mint and Ise had their spat for power already, and Ise had been disposed of? Ticoga shakes his head; it would not do to theorize now.
Ticoga moved on to his second subject of study, Emperor Mint. His records were as expected - Mint was an avid hunter that enjoyed taking trophies from his kills, and had for at least two centuries been involved with the Arcosian equivalent of Earthling Mafias. Records about Mint, collected by the Imperial intelligence agencies, described Mint as a murderer, and a particularly brutal one. Many Arcosians and aliens that defied the organization he belonged to were viscerally slaughtered. Eventually, Mint turned from Mafia leader, to becoming a politician.
Mint's life was never in service to the Empire. It was only ever in service to himself, for his own gain, and his own clout. Mint was unworthy of serving the Empire as its leader. There was enough data here to justify having Mint executed; and yet he was an Emperor. Ward had been right - Mint only held power because he was still on Arcose when Blizzard and Azoth got themselves killed.
Two of the Triumvirs were absolutely unworthy to lead the Empire. Ticoga memorized Mint's long list of crimes, locking the information in his mind - Mint was a threat to the Empire. And as the Shield of Arcose, that meant that Mint would have to either be banished from the Empire, or Ticoga would have to kill the Emperor.
No one - NO ONE - was above the law. Ticoga would see to Mint in time. For now, Ticoga turns to his final subject of study - Emperor Brumal. And he finds - almost nothing. A mention of living on a distant planet on the far reaches of the Empire's borders, and almost nothing at all other than his eventual appearance and participation with Arcosians in power. The only thing spoken of about his rise to power was a footnote that corroborated his claim that it was during a discussion between himself and Mint that led to Brumal taking a seat on the newly formed Triumvirate.
This lack of information meant one of two things - either Brumal was involved in something that required all information about him to be purged from Imperial Records - which was virtually unheard of unless it was a punishment to eradicate a Clan from historical records - like his own had been - or there was more going on than Ticoga could guess at.
Conspiracy theories would go nowhere, so Ticoga could only do one thin. Ticoga leaves the Imperial Records wing of the citadel, and sends Emperor Brumal a request to join him for dinner. A meal that was to be cooked by Ticoga in fact, and that Ticoga wanted to further the discussion they had several months prior...
Thread PL: 90,300
WC: 872
WC: 872
