Galactic Star Calendar 3036, early January
The Owl Dragon Star System · the Owl Dragon base
A dozen and more of the demon race-line sat about the conference table, and their looks were exceedingly constrained.
"Chitong, tell me… is there anything amiss in my wearing this? Will it not be formal enough?" A male demon pointed at the suit of clothes upon him, which was of the Demon Race's traditional dress.
"Just so. The Owl Dragon's lord is of the human race; ought we not rather to wear human dress?"
"Chitong, what has your Commander summoned us here of a sudden for? Have we done something amiss?"
"I said before that ill luck was coming to us; the Owl Dragon is at this moment in a state of war with the Demon Race.
"Ah, we are unlucky enough.
"Flee where we will, there is no peace in it.
"This universe is so vast — can it be there is not one place for us to rest our bodies in?"
Chitong looked with drawn brows at these elders of her clan before her, every one of whom bears some kinship of blood with her in greater or less degree; and she said once more what she had said she knew not how many times already. "You need only set your minds at rest.
"The Commander does not come to make trouble for you.
"Think of it: I am now commander of the Owl Dragon Second Legion. Were the Commander truly aiming at this branch of our Demon Race, should I still hold military power in my hand?"
But however Chitong comforted them, these clan elders were troubled still with what troubled them, and could neither sit nor stand at ease.
Until the great door of the conference room opened.
The conference room, noisy before, went quiet at a stroke, and every one of the demon race-line stood up and stood at his own place without a sound.
Zhao Chen came in and greeted them all with a smile.
"Good day to you. And you must be Chitong's father — welcome, welcome.
"Be seated, all of you; there is no need of such ceremony." Zhao Chen signed to them all to sit.
But while Zhao Chen, the Owl Dragon's lord, did not take his seat, no one dared sit down.
Zhao Chen, helpless, could only sit down first; and so these demon folk dared at last to sit slowly down, but every one of them sat bolt upright and dared not look toward Zhao Chen.
At this time Zhao Chen marked that these demon folk all wore hats upon their heads, or kept their hair very long, and so hid the horns upon the crown.
This demon race-line of Chitong's, saving those black tracings upon the body and the horns upon the head, can in the main not be told from the human race at all.
Which is why, when Chitong wore but a mask at her first meeting with Zhao Chen, Zhao Chen never doubted the matter of her race.
"You need not be tense; in having Chitong summon you here this time, I wish only to speak with you upon one matter." Zhao Chen wore a kindly and approachable air.
At this time Chitong stood out besides, and set out for Zhao Chen one by one the standing of everyone present.
Nearest to Zhao Chen's seat was of course Chitong's father, and several of Chitong's father's brothers, and uncles upon this side and that, some of them perhaps several generations removed.
The one thing common to them is that they are all high men among this branch of the demon race-line that fled here with Chitong.
"Commander, whatever it is you would set us to, say it out plainly.
"Our lives here this while have been greatly bettered; you set the T5 Creator interstellar warship to remake several habitable planets for us expressly, and granted us Owl Dragon household standing besides.
"This kindness we ought by right to repay!" Chitong looked at Zhao Chen and vowed it.
Zhao Chen of course believes what Chitong says; but whether Chitong's kinsfolk are of the same mind is another matter.
But these things Zhao Chen does not mind; to his thinking, give benefit enough and certain things can be settled.
"Since Chitong has said so.
"Then I shall speak plainly to you all.
"In summoning you here this time, it is chiefly for the business of the Demon Race." At this opening of Zhao Chen's.
No few of those present who had been anxious a moment since lowered their heads, or went pale in the face, as though their death stood at the door.
"The word of our being at war with the Demon Race you must all know.
"And what the Demon Race's case is now, you must doubtless all know besides.
"The Demon Race as it now is is an existence exceedingly evil; they will even, to build interstellar warships, use the lives of other races and of their own race in quantity for fuel, and have built those planetary feeding-farms to that end.
"And so between us and the Demon Race as it now is there is no possibility whatever of easing; there must assuredly be a war.
"But I hold that those in the wrong are the Demon Race's high officers as they now are — that so-called Demon King, those demon marshals, those creatures who draw up the blood of the Demon Race's lowest people!
"And I am willing to set up anew a Demon Race fit for every demon kind to live in."
Zhao Chen stood up with an air of righteous indignation, and then said, "But I am after all of the human race, and an outsider.
"There are certain things for which demons of the race-line must answer.
"And so I have a plan.
"I hear that in this new year the Demon Race has made a full mobilization for war, and has set 90 percent of this year's output besides as military budget!"
"What? Ninety percent? Are they mad!
"That will starve a great many people to death!" Chitong's father could not keep from crying out.
Chitong's father is the clan head, and understands very well how much budget for the people's livelihood a race and a country need; and that this part being wanting means the lives of the lowest people go utterly to ruin, and men may even starve to death.
Zhao Chen was silent a while, and then said, "Just so; the Demon King as he now is is a madman.
"For victory he grudges no price whatever.
"I would not see the Demon King drag the whole demon race onto his gallows.
"And so I hope that you gentlemen here may help me.
"Go back to your homeland, and persuade those demon kinds to overthrow together the tyranny of this present Demon King's rule!"
Hearing this, these demon folk seated there understood Zhao Chen's meaning.
The Owl Dragon's lord would have them go back and draw those demon kinds over, and raise the standard of revolt.
But thinking upon the Demon King's terror, no one said a word.
Even Chitong's father wore a face full of care.
"Though I cannot put a hand into this business directly, yet I shall furnish guarantees upon my side.
"First, the giving of some interstellar warships, and funds besides; and the funds shall go by stages — if your progress upon the Demon Race's side goes well, we shall furnish funds without cease, and may even furnish fleets and starships in whole establishments."
Hearing this, Chitong's father's brows unknit by no little.
"And there is one point further: suppose a star system be persuaded by someone, and willing to stand out and overthrow the Demon King's tyranny.
"Then when we have properly overthrown the Demon King's tyranny, we of the Owl Dragon shall be willing to acknowledge his right as lord of that star system, and that star system shall be held his territory for all generations!"
This word of Zhao Chen's, once out, was like a stone thrown into a still lake.
It raised a thousand layers of waves.
Of those who had all been sitting with lowered heads, no few raised their faces.
And at the bottom of some men's eyes there appeared even a color of excitement, of fervor.