"It was not that love had never opened its doors to you. You had simply never accepted anyone's love. The man you loathed acknowledged you and left you a force capable of conquering the stars. How did you repay that respect? You had every eleventh Legionary executed by lot, and made their own comrades carry it out."
"Because they failed."
"Failed at what? Because they did not meet the standard in your heart? When you competed with Andos, did you not also fail to do your best? Then why did you not kill yourself? Why did you furiously smash both of your works to pieces instead?"
Perturabo did not answer. He merely closed his eyes and endured his sister's rebuke. As for what he was thinking, no one knew.
"You squandered soldiers to prove something that did not exist, then grew even angrier when no one approved of your decision. Your impatience sent generation after generation of young people on this planet to their graves. You could not see the empty streets. You could not hear the cries of mothers and wives. Now, you have decided to kill all these women who disgust you as well."
"This is a necessary measure for rebuilding Olympia."
"Heh..." Perturabo's sister was at a loss for words. She gripped the armrest beside her and let the tears in her eyes fall to the floor.
Perturabo did not dare look into his sister's eyes. He merely fixed his gaze upon the wrinkles time had carved into her face.
"What happened to the promise you made me? Where did that big boy who no longer wished for war go?"
The promise was dead. That big boy was dead too.
Perturabo wanted to answer that way, but the words never left his mouth. He recalled how, during