Infinite Stream Metaverse

Chapter 778 Tarkin's Speech

Fu Qinghai lay on his back on the bed and thought for a while.

A plan quickly formed in his mind.

He was very proactive. Without waiting for the next morning, he transformed into a crow and began to scout and explore the entire campus overnight, making preparations and reconnaissance in advance.

…………

Six o'clock the next morning.

Sunlight streamed into the room through the window.

Fu Qinghai got up to go to school as usual.

There was a lecture in the main auditorium this morning, and all the teachers and students gathered in the school's largest indoor space.

Students from different academies formed several square formations. Fu Qinghai stood in the formation of the Imperial Naval Academy, with his hands behind his back and legs apart, quietly gazing at the wide podium at the front of the auditorium.

Why should a lecture require the entire school's faculty and students to attend?
This was a speech by Governor Wilhoff Tarkin, the highest-ranking sector governor and the emperor's favorite.

Fu Qinghai stood with his hands behind his back in the queue, waiting expectantly for Tarkin to appear. He was already thinking to himself: how many assimilation points could he get if he assassinated Tarkin, who was the de facto second-in-command of the empire? In the long run, would Tarkin's death be a benefit or a detriment to the rebel alliance?

A beam of light shone from the podium, and a holographic projection the same size as a real person appeared in the light.

A thin, angular face with sharp features, prominent cheekbones and sunken cheeks, short gray hair with a high hairline, a slender and tall figure, a serious expression, sharp eyes, thin lips that are tightly pursed, and a look of calm and scrutiny in his eyes.

A holographic projection of Wilhoff Tarkin...

Fu Qinghai immediately felt greatly disappointed.

He thought Tarkin himself had come.

It must be because a series of murders occurred at the Calida Military Academy and the case remains unsolved. Tarkin was afraid of dying and dared not come in person, so he delivered his speech via holographic projection.

Fu Qinghai secretly grumbled to himself.

"Good morning, teachers and students of Calida Military Academy, and all those who are striving for the construction of the Imperial Army. I am Wilhelm Tarkin."

The Tarkin projection slowly and loudly spoke:
"We are born in a great era that will shape the civilizations of the galaxy for millions of generations to come, and loyalty to our ideals is the key factor in our success."

"I have had the privilege of making a very small contribution to the construction of His Majesty's new order doctrine, and therefore I am the sole authorized person to explain its meaning. As officers and key personnel who will carry out His Majesty's will, you present here should understand and abide by it."

Tarkin paused briefly after speaking.

Then he continued in a calm tone:

“I lived through that era, and the reasons for Golem’s decline were quite clear: two fatal wounds that had not healed over the centuries destroyed it. First, Golem accepted all the wishes of its citizens, no matter how trivial or foolish they may be; second, Golem placed great importance on maintaining a facade of peace, and it did not even maintain a standing army until the civil war broke out, when it hastily pushed the Jedi Knights to the front lines to fight alongside hastily assembled clone troop forces.”

"The Republic of Gonghe failed to demonstrate its power, either internally or externally; in fact, the Republic of Gonghe never possessed any real power!"

Tarkin's expression suddenly turned stern:

"Democracy in the Republic of Congo is the spiritual pillar of lazy people. It allows ordinary people to distribute individual responsibility among the general public, resulting in no one taking responsibility for their own failures. Various debates and committees have tied the hands of the executive branch. His Majesty Palpatine has gradually realized that people are not born equal, and decisions made by the majority are not necessarily more correct or more valuable."

"The pacifism pursued by the Republic is merely a cover for the weak; war is the very essence of all things!"

Tarkin raised his arms and shouted:

“Think of Ranke’s fangs, honed to a shine for survival, so they could draw more blood. Under His Majesty the Emperor, the citizens of the Empire will have the opportunity to test their courage in matters of life and death. Those who refuse to obey His Majesty the Emperor, those rebels, and those barbarians who dare to challenge our authority, will meet a tragic end, and their lands will be incorporated into the Empire. We are an Empire, and to maintain our vitality, we must continue to expand!”

"Now that the nation has been established for nine years, we have swept away the flawed social system and made room for governance in the form of a clear and absolute set of rules. The burden of maintaining unnecessary freedom has been lifted, the path to centralization is unobstructed, and no one has the slightest doubt about their place in the new order."

Tarkin's hawk-like gaze slowly swept over the teachers and students in front of him. Even though it was just a holographic projection and not the real person, the students who met his gaze unconsciously stood up straight and raised their heads.

"As the future backbone of the Imperial Army, you play a vital role in demonstrating the power of the Empire. This authority extends not only internally—maintaining order in the core world and other regions—but also externally—reaching the front lines where our armies expand our territory in the name of His Majesty the Emperor!"

Tarkin clenched a fist and raised it upwards, then slowly lowered his hand, pointing his finger towards a distant point, as if to indicate that it was the direction the empire was about to conquer.

"Finally, what I want to say is..."

Tarkin slowly raised one fist above his head:

"Long live Emperor Palpatine!"

Then he roared at the top of his lungs:

"Long live the Empire!"

"Long live the Empire!" "Long live the Empire!" "Long live the Empire!"

His response was a thunderous roar of cheers.

All the instructors and trainees clenched their right fists and raised them above their heads, their faces flushed, and shouted loudly and in unison. The sound waves swept over them, echoing in the spacious auditorium, washing over Fu Qinghai, who was standing in the formation.

Fu Qinghai also pretended to raise a fist, but his gaze was not as fervent as that of the other students staring at Tajin; instead, he silently observed his surroundings.

Everyone believes they have the ability to think independently, and everyone thinks they have the ability to make rational judgments.

However, when you are actually in the midst of a raging torrent or a surging wave, and are swept up by it, even the most rational person will find it difficult to remain unaffected.

Humans are, after all, social animals.

The need to fit in is an ingrained human need.

Even in the real world, any comment on the internet, no matter how outrageous or extreme its content, can trigger a so-called "spiral of silence" if it gets enough likes and enough people agree with it. This silences those who oppose it and plunges those who disagree into self-doubt.

If a dry text on a phone screen can have this effect, then if every living person around you is enthusiastically and actively participating in something, even if that thing may not be so right, or may violate some universal view of good and evil or values, in such an environment, who can really stand up and oppose it?

Fu Qinghai was not born in Germany a hundred years ago. He did not see Goebbels in 1926 and could not imagine what the ordinary German people at that time thought in the face of Nazi incitement, or what the social atmosphere was like.

But today he met Tarkin, who had been in power for nine years.

…………

After the speech, Fu Qinghai followed the crowd out of the main auditorium and into the simulation room of the Naval Academy.

Fu Qinghai had just turned on the simulator and sat down when the instructor came to his side and pressed his hand against the cockpit canopy:

"Qingshan, today's combat exercise has been canceled."

Fu Qinghai looked up at the instructor, puzzled.

"We have just received orders that there are signs of renewed fighting in the Western Star Belt. The Imperial Supreme Command has requested that all Imperial Military Academies urgently dispatch a batch of pilot cadets to replenish their ranks."

The instructor looked at Fu Qinghai with a serious expression and said.

"What does this mean? Have I been chosen?"

Fu Qinghai asked, somewhat bewildered.

"Yes, you and your Blade Team have been selected."

The instructor nodded very seriously and said:

"Based on our assessment, the six of you are currently the only flight cadets capable of participating in combat. Sending other cadets to the battlefield now would be premature; they cannot represent Calida Military Academy and are more likely to die on the battlefield early."

So, I won't die?

Fu Qinghai thought to himself, "Imperial pilots really are just a bunch of cannon fodder and consumables. During World War II, Japan only started to transfer flight cadets from flight schools to form suicide flight units in the last few years of the war. You guys need to transfer cadets from military academies so quickly?"

"Does that mean I graduated early?"

Fu Qinghai got up and stepped out of the simulator.

"No, you're leaving tomorrow, so there's no time to assess your performance. You'll still retain your student status. This mission will be considered an off-campus internship. The school will officially award you your ranks after you return from the mission."

The instructor shook his head and patiently explained to him.

"Tsk... all right."

Fu Qinghai processed this sudden news.

As the director of the political department said, a soldier's duty is to obey orders, and there is no room for negotiation. Since the Supreme Command of the Empire has issued the order, the only thing that Fu Qinghai and Kalida Military Academy can do is obey.

"Go back to your dorm and pack your things now."

The instructor patted Fu Qinghai on the shoulder and said encouragingly:

"At 3:00 noon tomorrow, you will depart Calida aboard an Aquitenth-class light cruiser. Good luck, Aoyama. Always remember that you represent Calida."

Plans really do always change.

Fu Qinghai nodded, saluted, and left.

He originally thought he would need to accumulate 400,000 GPA credits to graduate early, but the opportunity to graduate early appeared so suddenly. If this mission is completed successfully, Fu Qinghai estimates that he will be able to graduate early.

However, before officially leaving Calida tomorrow.

He decided to leave a surprise for his "alma mater".

…………

It was seven o'clock in the evening.

At that moment, on a path halfway up the mountain in the mountains surrounding the Calida Military Academy, Yevander and Hussein stopped simultaneously, leaning over and resting their knees on their hands, slightly out of breath.

Fu Qinghai stopped and turned around.

Elowin, who was following him, also stopped.

"Hurry up, get on, we're almost there."

Roxie waved to them impatiently.

"Oh, wait a minute, I'm exhausted."

Yevander waved his hand in exasperation.

The five people arrived near a protruding rocky cliff halfway up the mountain. They took out the food and drinks from their backpacks and placed them on a natural boulder the size of a table. The five of them sat down around the boulder and began to share the food.

Tomorrow, Fu Qinghai and Ai Luowen will be heading to the front lines. Their small group of five will soon be separated. This time, instead of continuing their gathering at the bar, they will bring food and climb up a path to the mountainside near the school to say goodbye in a simple and traditional way.

Yevander couldn't wait to unscrew a bottle of water and gulp it down, while the chubby Hussein immediately tore open a snack bag and started eating it in big bites.

Elowen sat on the ground with her back against Fu Qinghai's shoulder, her two long, straight legs stretched out and crossed. Her gaze was quietly fixed on the distance. The wind lifted her newly cut, ear-length hair, and a few fine black strands fluttered gently in the breeze.

Roxie also got a new hairstyle. Her dreadlocks were straightened again, and her slightly curly black hair was styled with hair oil and combed back into a 3/7 parted slicked-back style, giving her a cool and charming androgynous look. She sat quietly curled up with her hands on her knees.

At this moment, in the distance, the once dazzling and bright star had softened into a warm, golden-red mass, slowly sliding down the steep and sharp ridges of the distant mountains. The outlines of everything instantly became clear; every rock cast a long shadow, and the serrated edges of the grass blades shimmered with a fuzzy light. The wind suddenly turned cool, carrying the moist scent of approaching dew.

"I still remember what you said to me in the bar's restroom that night, Aoyama. Now those words are gradually becoming reality. You're about to go to the battlefield."

Hussein spoke with some emotion.

Fu Qinghai smiled but did not say anything upon hearing this.

"Go, Ivy! Go, Aoyama!"

Hussein raised his drink and said.

The five of them raised their drinks and clinked glasses.

Taking this opportunity, the group chatted about their recent situations, interesting things in their lives, and their prospects for the future. Fu Qinghai also chimed in with casual conversation. Suddenly, he noticed that Roxie seemed unusually quiet today, sitting silently to the side with his knees drawn up to his chest, not participating in the conversation at all.

"what happened to you?"

Fu Qinghai patted her and took the initiative to ask.

The other four also looked at the beautiful woman.

Roxie glanced at Fu Qinghai.

"Governor Tarkin's speech this morning."

Roxie spoke softly:
Do you think he's right?

The five people fell silent upon hearing this.

They had assumed that Roxie was grieving the loss of her two close friends, but they were surprised to find that she was still pondering and struggling with the speech she had given that morning.

Yevander, Hussein, and Elwin remained silent, turning to look at Fu Qinghai, the backbone of the small group, whose opinions were widely accepted.

Fu Qinghai crossed his arms and fell into deep thought.

He was thinking about how to present this issue.

Roxie's confusion and reflection are not trivial matters. As the old saying goes, soldiers should understand why they fight: for money? For power? For honor? Or for some other grander or more specific goal? This is a serious and important question. It is the source of many armies with mediocre equipment but explosive combat power, and also the reason why many armies with excellent equipment but low combat power.

Takin's speech in the morning seemed to cover a lot of material.

But in summary, it boils down to three points:

1. Militarism.

"We are an empire, and in order to maintain our vitality, we must continue to expand!"—This is the most typical, straightforward, and brutal militaristic statement, glorifying acts of aggression, comparable to Japan's "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" theory during World War II and Germany's "Germanic Living Space Theory" during World War II.

Even compared to the propaganda theories that Germany and Japan meticulously constructed to glorify their acts of aggression at the time, which at first glance seemed to make some sense, Tarkin's reasons and declarations were so straightforward, naked, and undisguised that he seemed to have no intention of embellishing or whitewashing his actions.

2. Authoritarianism.

Authoritarianism refers to a transitional political system between totalitarianism and democracy. Political power is concentrated in the hands of a single entity, emphasizing obedience to authority and the priority of order. It involves limited political pluralism and limited ideological penetration.

The current Galactic Empire is a typical authoritarian government. It has an emperor who rules dictatorship, but at the same time, there is also the Imperial Diet, through which Imperial members can express some limited opinions and demands to the emperor or the Imperial government.

However, judging from Tarkin's remarks, he is certainly not satisfied with the current stage of authoritarian government; his ideal is to build a totalitarian government that completely eliminates the boundaries between the state and society, completely eliminates any pluralistic thought, and goes beyond mere political uniformity and obedience to completely control the thoughts, beliefs, values, and even personal emotions of its citizens.

Simply put, authoritarian governments just want to tell you "don't oppose me," while totalitarian governments try to tell you "how to live, how to think, and even why to live."

3. Elitism.

Tarkin criticized the old communist democracy, stating outright that "people are not born equal," a statement that seems extremely extreme and heretical. He believed that society should be dominated and ruled by a small group of elites with the ability, resources, or social advantages.

However, objectively speaking, elitism is not a completely negative term. Even in the ideal situation where educational resources and the level of education are absolutely equal, people's intelligence levels still have natural and objective differences. In other words, some people are born to be less intelligent while others are born to be more intelligent than others.

But Fu Qinghai still opposes elitism.

If a society could truly make those who are naturally more intelligent automatically become the rulers, and those who are naturally less intelligent automatically become the ruled, with the entire social class arranged from top to bottom according to intelligence level, then it could be considered "fair" in a certain sense.

However, it is an objective fact that the inheritance of human traits is affected by the phenomenon of mean reversion, a concept in genetic statistics. Simply put, Yao Ming's children are highly likely not to be as tall as Yao Ming, and Einstein's children are highly likely not to be as intelligent as Einstein. This is because, in genetics, the offspring of extreme traits tend to be closer to the average level of the population.

In other words, the children born to two intelligent "elites" are not necessarily intelligent; on the contrary, they are very likely not as intelligent as their parents. Meanwhile, the children born to two dull "mediocre" people are more likely to be slightly more intelligent than their parents. This is the effect of the mean regression phenomenon.

Is it true that a hero begets a hero, and a reactionary begets a scoundrel? Genetics and statistics tell us that this is wrong.

However, the reality is that smart "elite" parents will not allow their less intelligent offspring to fall to the bottom of society and give up their resources to the smart offspring of those dull commoners. Instead, they will do everything they can to ensure that their offspring inherit their social resources and social status.

This is why Fu Qinghai opposes elitism.

Will Tarkin allow his descendants to remain commoners or will he allow them to inherit his power and status?

……

Fu Qinghai divided Tarkin's speech into three dimensions and analyzed them in depth one by one in a way that his friends could understand. He did not directly evaluate whether Tarkin's remarks were good or bad, but left the space for his friends to think.

So, do you think he's right?

However, Roxie returned to the question:
Is the political system currently in place in the empire good?

Her eyes were fixed on Fu Qinghai.

Fu Qinghai remained silent for a brief second.

Everyone naturally has their own stance, and Fu Qinghai's stance is even more so—the world of reincarnation assigned him to the rebel alliance. Logically speaking, as a rebel spy planted in the military academy, he should not hesitate to criticize the political system currently implemented by the empire.

"No political system is inherently good or bad, right or wrong; the only difference is whether it is suitable or unsuitable under different international environments, historical contexts, and technological levels."

Fu Qinghai gently shook his head and slowly said:

"As for whether the political system implemented by the Empire is suitable for this galaxy... time will tell."

…………