Empire of Lead
Feb. 28th, 2006 06:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stickmakerExcerpt from a vampire novel in progress:
“And then you’d rule the world,” said Link, sarcastically.
“Hardly. Why would I want to? No, instead I’d be free of the restrictions placed on me by the rules of the Elders, who seem to value human society more than their own. Free to manipulate and influence things to my satisfaction. I am tired of having centuries of work ruined by a trivial human war or pestilence. I would end all that, force the wild cattle to yield to domestication, eliminate their excesses and exuberances. It would be better for them, as well as us, if their short lives were governed by wisdom earned through ages of experience. Perhaps that might be considered ruling the world. I think of it as putting the humans in their place, and making them do the work of keeping themselves there.”
“After seeing your home and hearing you talk, I can imagine the type of world you want,” said Link, scowling. “An empire of lead. Dull and grey and imperishable. With humans tamed and intellectually castrated. No more to fill the world with the fire of their short lives. Nothing new, no surprises. Forever.”
“And then you’d rule the world,” said Link, sarcastically.
“Hardly. Why would I want to? No, instead I’d be free of the restrictions placed on me by the rules of the Elders, who seem to value human society more than their own. Free to manipulate and influence things to my satisfaction. I am tired of having centuries of work ruined by a trivial human war or pestilence. I would end all that, force the wild cattle to yield to domestication, eliminate their excesses and exuberances. It would be better for them, as well as us, if their short lives were governed by wisdom earned through ages of experience. Perhaps that might be considered ruling the world. I think of it as putting the humans in their place, and making them do the work of keeping themselves there.”
“After seeing your home and hearing you talk, I can imagine the type of world you want,” said Link, scowling. “An empire of lead. Dull and grey and imperishable. With humans tamed and intellectually castrated. No more to fill the world with the fire of their short lives. Nothing new, no surprises. Forever.”
