The Salvation War: Pantheocide. Part Forty One Up

[Land Phish]

I was under the impression that a klein bottle only had one side.

[Baughn]

That's pretty much the topological definition of a klein bottle, yep.

Now imagine a (three-dimensional) klein bottle, that indeed has only one side, but doesn't have the weird tunnels we normally have to build into them. Instead.. well, you can actually only look at a small part of any object at a given time, and your brain integrates the results. Every single part of the bottle will look fine, but you won't be able to see it properly as a whole.

Hm. How should I describe that.. ..it's like an optical illusion, only it's real. Consider this, though: Optical illusions don't drive us insane. In general, the human mind seems to be a lot more robust than you'd think, even to out-of-context geometry like this.

An entire environment composed of nothing but such weirdness might start straining your sanity, mind you.

[usagihunter101]

Hm. I always thought that one visualized four-dimensional objects in the third dimension sort of how you view a MRI Scan of a three-dimensional human body on a two-dimensional screen. You see little slices of it in sequence as it sort of floats through our perception, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj3v3zBWNWg only in 3D.

[Baughn]

That's one way. Another popular way is to project the whole thing into 3D space, much like you can project a 3D object onto a 2D screen, and you can in fact project a 4D object to a 3D screen which you then project onto a 2D screen..

Which method is used depends both on the user and on what you're examining at the moment.

Still, 4D is easy. It takes training, but it's possible to overload the pathways responsible for handling time in such a way that you can imagine 4D objects, more or less. 5D, now...

[Stuart]

The Montmartre Club, Eternal City, Heaven

"I suppose I have to thank you again Michael-Lan." The Master Mason was stretched out on a couch with one of the female angels gently caressing him with her wings. "The idea of selling tickets to my bunker was a real money-spinner. I'm going to have to build another one just to hold all the applicants."

"Don't get greedy, Zacharael-Lan. There's a reason why greed is a deadly sin, the original list of deadly sins actually made a lot of sense. It took Yah-yah to bring the whole idea of deadly sins into disrepute. Greed's a good example, more enterprises have been brought down by over-reaching greed than anything else. Look at it this way, the more bunker spaces you build, the less you'll get for each of them. Keep them rare, keep them hard to get. That way you establish a loyal clientele."

"Just like you do with membership here?" Zacharael-Lan held out his glass and his angelic companion filled it for him.

"Just like I do here." Michael-Lan confirmed. "Except here, it's a matter of practical necessity. All the goodies that make life in Heaven tolerable come from Earth. I'm working on changing that but for the meantime, its true. Going to Earth to restock with this war on is getting harder all the time and it's never safe to mess around with humans. So we have to use the stocks we have carefully."

"How about those things I built for you. Greenhouses you called them although they don't look green."

Michael-Lan laughed. "They do now. You should see them. Full to bursting point with various strains of Cannabis Sativa and Indica plants. Poor old Jesus is working hard sampling them all, trying to decide which ones give us the best high. Trouble is by the end of a test session, he's so potted he forgets the results and has to start again."

Zacharael-Lan joined in Michael's merriment. "That I should have such work to do. Instead of patching the holes in the walls after The Irascible One's tantrums. The last one was a doozie, he managed to bring down two curtain walls and a load-bearing column. The palace roof is sagging at that point and the whole thing could fall in. You say your greenhouses are full?"

"They are, we're trying to keep the strains separate but I've got some more coming in and will need space to plant them. Or rather Jesus will, he loves working with plants. I've managed to get some White Widow seeds, they're supposed to be really something. So, if you can get around to building a new greenhouse?"

Zacharael-Lan made a mock motion of weighing things in his hands. "Hmm. Repairing The Irascible One's palace and stopping it collapsing on one hand or building you a new greenhouse for pot plants on the other. No real conflict there, I'll be around with the supplies first thing. I'll charge the materials off to the repairs on the Ultimate Palace. Nobody will notice, I've been delivering stuff there in the morning, taking it back at night and redelivering it again the next day for centuries. The Palace treasurer has probably paid for the same slabs of alabaster and jewels four or five times over. New greenhouse in the same place?"

"Think so, even if the Unbearable Father starts to look, he'll never think of starting with his own son's palace. Umm, Zacharael-Lan, could you do me a big favor?"

"Sure Michael-Lan. Name it."

"I'm going to be away for a few days again. I've got a big pick-up to make with the guys in Myanmar. They're clearing their stocks out and want me to collect it. In exchange for large additions to their 'retirement' funds of course. My fault, I got them involved in what I thought would be a nasty, long-running border war and they went and lost in a few days. Humans learned to use portals for maneuvering faster than I thought possible. Anyway, it’s a get-it or lose-it situation. I've organized an attack on Los Angeles for Uriel and another by Dumah and the Scarlet Beast on Jerusalem to act as diversions."

"Good. Never liked Uriel, far too much of a cold fish for me and there always was something a bit strange about him. And as for Dumah and Fluffy, he leaves his droppings everywhere and she's got altogether too high an opinion of herself. She's just an Erelim like me but she spends her life looking down her nose at all of us. No respect that's her trouble. Just because she gets on with that Scarlet Beast, she thinks she can get away with anything."

"Well, she has The Unbearable Father's ear so she can." And that's why she has got to go along with that wretched pet. "For a while, anyway. Anyway, I won’t be here so could you front for me for a few days? Gabriel and Raphael will do all the actual work but we'll be having an outsider coming in and I'd rather he didn’t know how high the leadership here really goes. Having an Erelim in charge would be perfect."

"Lemuel-Lan?"

"That's right. Just make sure he has a really good time and doesn’t learn anything important."

The Palatine Palace, New Rome, Hell

"Ave Caesar." Colonel Paschal gave his Roman salute with a bit more confidence than before. He would have preferred to have used the military salute he was familiar with but his orders on the matter were quite strict. Gaius Julius Caesar was too important a player in the evolving social structure of Hell to risk offending so in his country, Paschal was to play by his rules. Paschal had a nagging suspicious that Caesar made the powers-that-be back on Earth nervous. The rate at which New Rome was growing and the speed with which its society was settling into a cohesive whole was a tribute to his ability. It also made him a potential threat and humanity already had more problems than it could handle.

"Ave." Caesar returned the greeting and salute formally. "Colonel Paschal I believe? You have met the Second Consul Jade Kim?"

"Ave Consul. I believe we met when you were running the PFLH in the Hellpit. To create a successful insurgency from such an unpromising start was a remarkable achievement."

"Thank you, but without the aid of my husband, it would all have collapsed." Kim put a gentle but distinct emphasis on the words 'my husband'. Paschal couldn't help but reflect she was learning the political game very fast. Wasn't surprising, she was getting the lessons from a master.

As if he was reading Paschal's thoughts, Caesar took the lead in the conversation back. "How are you enjoying your first visit to our new Republic?"

"New Rome is a remarkable achievement Sir. You seem to be recreating the old Republic of Rome with incredible speed."

"Celeritas, Colonel. Always Celeritas. Speed and decisiveness in maneuver are always the key to successful efforts. But, I needn't tell an officer in a human army that, you've taken speed and mobility to levels I'd never imagined possible. We're not recreating the ancient Republic of Rome here though, we are trying to take its best features and adapt them to the modern world your generation has so successfully created. If we take the best parts of my era and combine them with the best parts of yours, then there are wonders we can achieve."

Paschal nodded in agreement, reflecting that despite the two millennia since his death, Caesar's ability to inspire people with enthusiasm for his plans was still unchanged. It wasn't surprising that Jade Kim had cast her lot in with him, although it was becoming apparent to Paschal that people's allegiances for their Second Life in Hell rarely had much in common with those of their First Life on Earth. Expecting otherwise had already proved to be a bad mistake. "If I may ask Sir, what part of our modern practices do you seek to change?"

Caesar thought for a second. "Voting. Here in Rome, the right to vote is restricted to those who have demonstrated their commitment to the Republic by owning land. And we make voting a solemn affair where Roman Citizens are expected to dress formally and hear the candidates debate the great issues of the day before casting their votes. A vote cast casually without thought or consideration is a vote wasted." Caesar spoke gravely, then seemed to brighten again. "But we are not here, I think to discuss political theory. If you will join us for Cena, perhaps we can continue then."

"Thank you Caesar, I would enjoy that. My task here is a curious one. May I ask what gods you worshipped during your First Life?"

"The ones who protected me in the pit? And others of course. Why do you wish to know?"

"Caesar, our assault on Heaven is stalled. All access to the place has been shut down and we can't get at them. For almost a year now, we have been trying to force our way in and for all that effort we still do not know how to do so. Yet, the inhabitants of Heaven are able to attack us almost at will. They direct storms against our cities, bring plagues upon us and attack us with their beasts. We beat off their attacks with some loss to ourselves but we cannot, we will not, remain on the defensive for ever. Nobody ever won a war by defending themselves."

"That's true." Caesar laughed nostalgically. "Defeating the enemy means taking the war to them."

"Yes Sir. But we can't. But, in our investigations, we've learned that the daemons here in Hell fought other groups on Earth and expelled them. Although the fighting took place long before human history was recorded, we believe that memories of those other groups form the basis of many world religions. We have also learned that one such group, daemons call them devils, was so hard to defeat that they struck a deal with Satan and Yahweh. That they would withdraw from Earth only if those who believed in them were protected from the torments of Hell. You, Sir, are the only person we know of who falls into that category. So we seek to identify this other group. If they are loyal to those who believed in them and sought to protect them, they may be the kind of people we can deal with."

"Deal with as in make arrangements with, or deal with as in shoot full of holes?" Kim spoke drolly although the intent behind her question was deadly serious.

"Their choice ma'am."

"A very Roman answer Colonel. When you die, have you thought of settling here in Rome?" Caesar was teasing him and Paschal knew it but it was a good question. "To answer your question, in public my family worshipped the Roman gods but in private I and a few others were members of the cult of Cybele. We kept that quiet, the authorities really didn't approve of it. But, a few of us kept up the faith in secret and were rewarded. Does that really help you find a way to get your tanks into Heaven?"

"It might Sir. It gives us another avenue to research at least. At the moment, we'll try anything to break in and give Yahweh what's coming to him. And I don't mean that in a nice way."

"Good." Kim's voice was forceful and very determined. Subconsciously her thumb stroked the palm of her hand where a bronze spike had once been driven through it.

"I'd like to offer more help than just a name Colonel, but my army here is only adequate for defending what we have. And we are desperately short of equipment. Some of my soldiers still carry tridents instead of rifles. And we could use more armored cars and some helicopters. Not to mention more radios."

"MH-6s would be nice. If there are any going spare." Kim smiled fondly, she thought that she would like to get her hands on a helicopter again. Especially an armed one.

"I can't promise anything, I just don’t have that authority. But, if you can make out a list of what you really need, I can present it to my superiors. DIMO(N) has a shallow command structure and the point is very close to the top. A word of advice though, with modern equipment, it's not getting it that breaks the bank, it's supporting it."

"Rather like a beautiful woman?" Caesar was teasing again but this time the gentle barb was directed at Kim who responded by punching his arm.

"Exactly Sir. Best modern equipment in the world is useless without proper support. We've walked all over armies that forgot that. A state with limited funds is better off with smaller amounts of equipment and investing the money in support facilities."

"That's good advice Gaius." Kim had given Caesar the same lesson herself. "We're mineral rich here, we've got iron, chromium, titanium, vanadium, you name it. And oil, lots of oil."

Napyidaw, Myanmar

"And we want our gold back." General Asanee spoke quietly but very firmly.

"What gold?" General Petraeus actually know the answer but just wanted to hear her say it.

"In 1767, the Burmese launched an unprovoked attack on us and eventually stormed the old capital of Ayuthya. They massacred all the inhabitants, burned the art treasures, the libraries containing our literature, and the archives housing our historic records and then took all the gold in the city back to their capital. Now we want it back."

Petraeus tried to stop himself grinning. "Was it a lot of gold? Where did you get it from?"

"All the gold in the country's treasury. We'd collected it for centuries, mostly from what is now Laos and Cambodia."

"Ahh, so it's their gold. Why didn’t you say so? After all, those countries could use the cash. They're totally broke."

"But they were our vassal states, their gold belonged to us." Asanee looked at Petraeus and realized her leg was being gently pulled. "It's a sort of cash float. Whoever wins the latest war gets the gold. And we won this one."

"General, this kind of thinking has to stop if we're going to win this war. I don’t mean the one with Myanmar, this is just a mildly irritating sideshow. If that, it's more like a live fire exercise in how to use portals for warfare."

"A live fire exercise that cost the lives of more than six hundred of my men."

"Yes, I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have said that." Petraeus looked at her reflectively. He happened to know that she'd personally written to the family of every soldier killed in action under her command and had visited those families within reach. From her record, he guessed she would take the time to get to the others as soon as the war was over. "If it's any consolation, the H.E.A. has picked up your dead as they arrived in Hell and made sure they are looked after properly. By the way, there were some pretty good brawls in the receiving area when your dead and the Myanmar Army dead arrived simultaneously. In the end we had to keep a contingent of military police on site to break them up. In future, we'll have to make sure war casualties get sent to different reception areas.

"Anyway, back to the issue. The political alliance that stands behind the Human Expeditionary Alliance is a fragile thing. It's held so far because of the pressure from outside but how long that will remain the case is a good question. As long as this damned stalemate holds, the chances are that some of the old issues we faced will reemerge and screw the whole thing up. Humanity's got to draw a line under the past and make a fresh start if this thing is going to work. If we don’t, the war effort will fall apart. I never thought I'd say this but North Korea's actually setting a good example. They're coming in from the cold, no matter how difficult they're making the process."

"So, we don’t get our gold back." Asanee sounded disappointed.

"Not a chance. You'll have to go and dig some more. Anyway, here we are."

Petraeus had to admit that General Asanee's command team had this kind of thing down to a fine art. Long practice he supposed. As the two generals approached the conference room doors, two of her men moved ahead and ostentatiously flung them open. Petraeus and Asanee stalked into the room, the rest of their party following them in and spreading out so the Myanmar ruling junta members were covered by their guns. They rose reluctantly too their feet, acknowledging the fact that they were the beaten side, waiting to hear the terms they were offered. The two H.E.A. generals just stared at them for a few moments before Petraeus broke the silence.

"You have sent Michael-Lan-Yahweh the messages as we instructed?"

Than Shwe nodded, his face a picture of anger, resentment and humiliation.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"We have done as your terms dictated. We have sent Michael-Lan a message telling him that a large stockpile of heroin, methamphetamines, ecstasy and other drugs have been gathered here and he would come and collect it. Otherwise we will have to destroy it. We have not yet received a reply."

"Good. We have some special weapons technicians with us. They need to see that stockpile right now."

[iborg]

Muahahahaha ! Michael's in for a naaaaasty surprise !

[Darth Yan]

I'm a bit confused as to why the stories using an ancient Phrygian god (Cybele was the Phrygian version of Gaia), and what power she could have that Yahweh and Satan actually had to make concessions in order to avoid pissing her off. Anyway, great story, I was starting to think that maybe you'd have stopped permanently. Plus I don't tink Michael's so stupid that he'd walk into a trap; he'll find a way out.

[tim31]

Yeah, ditto for Michael getting away with it. He's got a character sheild and is accumulating interest until his eventual and spectacularrrrr death.

[Darth Yan]

don't forget his villianous breakdown when his plans go to shit.

[KrauserKrauser]

It would almost be more interesting if he decided the best way to go, at least for himself, is an Angel version of Luga. He has more than enough proponents in Heaven that he "rescued" that would be willing to vouch for him.

It would be selfish, but his actions haven't been entirely benevolent in the past.

[NoXion]

Nah, I want him to die. Too damn clever for his own good.

[Darth Yan]

miikey probably knows he'll be captured, and is using it to try to negotiate.

[Stuart]

I'm a bit confused as to why the stories using an ancient Phrygian god (Cybele was the Phrygian version of Gaia), and what power she could have that Yahweh and Satan actually had to make concessions in order to avoid pissing her off.

The worship of Cybele really was a Roman cult that became established after the Punic Wars. Its excesses and generally unrestrained behavior led to it being condemned by the Senate during the last years of the Republic and the cult plus its adherents fell into disrepute. However, there is very strong evidence that the Cybele Cult was strongly supported by the Julio-Claudian family. Under the emperor Augustus, Cybele enjoyed great prominence thanks to her inclusion in Augustan ideology. Augustus restored Cybele's temple, which was located next to his own palace on the Palatine Hill. On the cuirass of the Prima Porta of Augustus, the tympanon of Cybele lies at the feet of the goddess Tellus. Livia, the wife of Augustus, ordered cameo-cutters to portray Cybele with her likeness. The Malibu statue of Cybele bears the visage of Livia. The cult seems to have been fully accepted under Claudius as the festival of Magna Mater and Attis are included within the stes religious calendar.

Cybele's Greek name was Rhea. And that's all the hints you are going to get.

I was starting to think that maybe you'd have stopped permanently.

Hey, I do get vacations now and then you know.

[Baughn]

Rhea?

Any relation to Rhea Silvia?

[Guardsman Bass]

Cybele's Greek name was Rhea. And that's all the hints you are going to get.

Rhea, as in the Greek Titan? Interesting. Were the others what we would call "Titans" - powerful beings that were ultimately defeated?

Then there's the whole "mother of gods" aspect (Rhea was the mother of the founding members of the Greek Pantheon: Hades, Hera, Zeus, Demeter, Poseidon, and Hestia) - since we've never actually got a good portrayal of Yahweh (is he of the same type of being as the angels? We've never heard of him being portrayed with wings), it's possible that he and the "Others" come of the same root.

[The Vortex Empire]

I laughed at Jesus's experiments with the pot varieties.

Michael is in for one nasty surprise, unless, he's planning to get captured.

[Pelranius]

Cybele... I just love little family feuds.

Best not to think about those Cthullu like entities, if they exist.

Funny that the gold is still around. I would have thought the Burmese would have spent it or the British would have taken it.

[Gil Hamilton]

Cybele's Greek name was Rhea. And that's all the hints you are going to get.

Rhea was the mother of the Greek pantheon. Heh, it would be funny if Rhea was also Yahweh and Satan's mother as well.

[Baughn]

In Roman mythology, Rhea Silvia - no obvious relation to Rhea - was the mother of Romulus and Remus, and as such the mythological mother of all of roman civilization.

Is that a coincidence? Maybe, but considering Caesar's role, I think it fitting.

[Darth Ruinus]

I'm still not understanding the situation with Rome. I get that Ceaser was an important figure in Hell, and so he was able to rally some of his supporters to make a Hell-state, but why are more people joining him? Are all the other countries simply working on more important things than setting up Hell-America/France/Germany etc etc? What does he offer that the other countries can't?

[CaptainChewbacca]

I'm still not understanding the situation with Rome. I get that Ceaser was an important figure in Hell, and so he was able to rally some of his supporters to make a Hell-state, but why are more people joining him? Are all the other countries simply working on more important things than setting up Hell-America/France/Germany etc etc? What does he offer that the other countries can't?

It's been shown several times in the story; Once you get to hell, earthly concerns aren't a bother for those on their second life. Caesar's nation is by-deceased and for deceased, and he is the only real game in town at the moment.

[Stuart]

I'm still not understanding the situation with Rome. I get that Ceaser was an important figure in Hell, and so he was able to rally some of his supporters to make a Hell-state, but why are more people joining him? Are all the other countries simply working on more important things than setting up Hell-America/France/Germany etc etc? What does he offer that the other countries can't?

Chewie put his finger on it. To enlarge on what he said, reading biographies of GJC, the thing that leaps off the page at one is the fact that he moved fast. When he decided to do something, he went for it with a speed and determination that left everybody else in the dust. It comes up over and over again in the histories, he saw a situation, decided what he had to do and how and was already doing it before his opposition could work out what they wanted to do. He was always two jumps ahead of the opposition at least. His military motto, quoted in this part, was celeritas, celeritas.

This is what's happening with New Rome. Other people are trying to set up their Second Life states but GJC is plowing ahead much faster than they are. While others offer plans, he's offering a come-and-see-it reality. "You want to buy a villa for your second life? Well, you can build it here, right here, this plot, the one you're standing on. Don't like the view, well, let's look at what else we can offer. This one has a nice view of the river. Of course, property ownership gets you citizenship. Protection? We've got a battle-hardened army here. Humans and daemons, combining the best of both. Are they any good? Second Consul Kim whacked Asmodeus. 'Nuff said." More important even than land, he's offering a working state, one with elections, a governmental structure, rules, laws, everything that makes people feel comfortable. Throw in the man's charisma, expert marketing and superb sense of political machinations and the offer is likely to be irresistible. I'd guess that he's not having any problems finding people for his new state, he's having problems selecting which ones are the successful applicants.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Caesar, above all, in Roman politics, had to be a salesman.

And I think my favourite quote about him was--to roughly paraphrase (it was in the cover of my edition of the Gallic Wars)--that, he actually made plenty of mistakes. He just corrected them so fast that nobody else was able to capitalize on them.

[Samuel]

Of course, the fact is we are also focusing on him- I have little doubt he won't be a major player once the other states are all in high gear. Additionally he has the advantage of getting all the stateless individuals so it will still be big even when the other groups parcel out all of the territory. I'm just guessing, but I think he is going to end up like Thailand in TBO- not the biggest, but disproportionately powerful.

Of course he is favored by the Gods so that makes things a bit harder to predict.

[Darth Ruinus]

This is what's happening with New Rome. Other people are trying to set up their Second Life states but GJC is plowing ahead much faster than they are. While others offer plans, he's offering a come-and-see-it reality. "You want to buy a villa for your second life? Well, you can build it here, right here, this plot, the one you're standing on. Don't like the view, well, let's look at what else we can offer. This one has a nice view of the river. Of course, property ownership gets you citizenship. Protection? We've got a battle-hardened army here. Humans and daemons, combining the best of both. Are they any good? Second Consul Kim whacked Asmodeus. 'Nuff said." More important even than land, he's offering a working state, one with elections, a governmental structure, rules, laws, everything that makes people feel comfortable. Throw in the man's charisma, expert marketing and superb sense of political machinations and the offer is likely to be irresistible. I'd guess that he's not having any problems finding people for his new state, he's having problems selecting which ones are the successful applicants.

Ok, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. This might be (it actually probably is) because I don't know how new nations are set up, or how you would go about colonizing a whole new world, and I might have missed some points in the story, but I've got some questions that might help clear this up for me.

How did he get legal control of the land in his territory? Wouldn't the armies of Earth, which are already there, be able to claim land for their countries? The countries that won the war would have the bigger say in how the land is divided wouldn't they? Or did they not divide up Hell amongst themselves?
He's got no machinery, so construction of houses and buildings would probably be slow, and I'm sure many of his citizens might not even know how to build a house. While he no doubt has some construction crews on his side, how could he possibly be able to keep up construction in on his lands? What does he pay people with?
Also, about his army, he himself admitted that he doesn't have alot of equipment, and probably no means to support any mechanized or sophisticated armies, so who would pick his army over the American, Russian etc armies for defense?
And as you mention that he is working up on laws, rules and systems that make people comfortable, wouldn't it simply be easier for people to say "Well, I know the American legal system, so I'll stick with that in Hell?" Why can't America just automatically transfer over its laws to Hell-America?
He has none of the comforts people are used to (I think?) like computers, TVs, electricity, etc etc. Why would people go to a place like that?

As I said, this is mainly due to my lack of knowledge in legal matters, how nations are set up, and probably because I missed plot points in the story, but I'm just trying to make sense of this.

Oh also, this story is badass.