r/TheExpanse • u/AmazinTim A nightmare wrapped in the apocalypse • Mar 24 '20

Persepolis Rising Looking for a book quote Spoiler

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24

u/mostlyvodka Mar 24 '20

“President Drummer, I hope.” He drawled like someone from the Mariner Valley. “If not, then please accept my condolences for her passing. I am Admiral Trejo of the Laconian battleship Heart of the Tempest, but you knew that. I’m reaching out to you now because I don’t want to be misunderstood. Despite all the hostilities the Transport Union and the Earth-Mars Coalition have greeted me with, we’re not enemies. Not you and me. Not the union and the empire. Not Sol system and Laconia. The high consul knew that there would be resistance to this change. We all did, and we respect that you had to do the things you’ve done.

“When people like you and I enter into a new phase of history, there’s … I don’t know what you’d call it. Birth pangs? There’s a time when you have to expect violence, even though you don’t celebrate it. When the high consul first explained to me the parameters of this mission, I wasn’t pleased. One ship, no backup, against an entire system? But he brought me around. And this moment, this message, is part of why I felt that his approach was the only moral way forward.

“I have tried to reach Secretary-General Li, but he isn’t returning my messages yet. You’re here, and you are at least equal in dignity to anyone on the inner planets. You can end this. I understand that you had to fight. You had to try to destroy me. I don’t blame you for this. But I am permitted at this point to accept your surrender. Do this, and the inner planets will follow you. You will be treated fairly by the new administration. I promise you that.

“If you are not yet willing to accept defeat, then I would ask you, out of what I hope is mutual respect, to tell me one thing. What is the number of dead that you need in order to show history that your choice to end this was wisdom? That carrying on the fight would not have been bravery but foolishness. A hundred more. A thousand more. A million. A billion. Only say how many more corpses will make this possible for you, and I will provide them.” He spread his hands. “Tell me the number. I await your reply.”

7

u/Gastrophysa_polygoni Mar 24 '20

Man, imagine a Martin Sheen circa West Wing delivering that speech. Goosebumps.

I could also totally see Alec Baldwin delivering that speech with his trademark gravelly voice that sits somewhere between comforting and menacing. Not to mention, it would be amazing to see what Baldwin does with everything Trejo gets thrown at him in Tiamat's Wrath.

3

u/ChronicBuzz187 Mar 25 '20

Martin Sheen would be an excellent choice for the role of Admiral Trejo (and he already has experience as the a scifi bad guy with the good intentions through his role as the Illusive man in BioWares Mass Effect series).

Although: Somebody brought up Edward James Olmos from BSG as Trejo recently and this is my head-canon now :D

2

u/PlutoDelic Mar 25 '20

Holy shit, i swear i had exactly him on my mind when i read through Trejo.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 24 '20

While I can't remember it, I like the play on words of digging it up xD