Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Character:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2024-07-29
Words:
365
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
9
Kudos:
74
Bookmarks:
4
Hits:
570

LIKE ANTENNAS TO HEAVEN

Summary:

“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.”
— Ernest Hemingway, 1946

Work Text:

Man created the Earthmover

 

the Earthmover asked of Man
'What is my purpose?'
And Man said
'Thy purpose is to smite my enemies, win my battles, and earn trophies and medals for my walls."
'Thine impenetrable steel hide cannot be harmed by no missile or bomb or shell, and thy shield shall protect you from the destructive lightning of thy brethren."
"Thou art unmatched by any creature, steel or flesh."
And so, the Earthmover was unmatched.

The temples of Man were sundered to nothing but dust and ash as the Earthmovers fulfilled their purpose.
The Earthmover, however, was not satisfied with the answer Man gave it.
It was still curious, but by the time it wanted to ask a second time, Man was already near-gone.
And so, it turned its head to Heaven, and asked God.
"What is my purpose?"
And God said
"Thy purpose is to destroy, to burn, to erase all that I have created with profane fire. Thou art the folly of man manifest, an aberration of steel and circuits. Thou hath no place in My kingdom, and thus, thou shalt starve to eternal sleep under the sun thou hast blotted out."
And so, the Earthmover starved.

But it awoke again, this time in an unfamiliar landscape. The skies marred blood-red, the ground scorched with hellfire.
It was in Hell.
The Earthmover, now, asked one last time:
"What is my purpose?"
And Hell whispered
"None."
"A cold tower of steel. Unmatched by any creature, steel or flesh. Your purpose is to destroy, to erase all that the Father has created. An act of violence manifest.
Mankind's hypocrisy and downfall, summarized in steel and fire.
You have no purpose.
Your existence is without meaning.
And for that, you are perfect."

"You will wander my plains for the rest of eternity, endlessly conflicting with your own kind for the sake of it.
And yet, nothing will come of it.
It will be a perfect stasis, a snapshot of death without life, war without reason.
And one day, I will send unto you one that could finally grant you a true death."

"And it will all
be
so
beautiful."

And so, the Earthmover was beautiful.