The ripple effect of Dreznor's broadcast was imdiate and devastating. Within hours, the video, an anomaly bypassing established communication protocols, exploded across the Conclave's digital networks like a super-contagious virus. It latched onto every open connection, every shared link, spreading from friend lists to public feeds. Screenshots of shocking atrocities and impassioned calls for liberation jumped between civilizations, igniting a firestorm of debate.
The primary battlefield for this digital war of ideals was Pangea, the Empire's own social dia platform. While the Empire had carefully segnted Pangea into civilization-specific bubbles to prevent precisely this kind of intercultural conflict, the raw emotional power of Dreznor's ssage bypassed these barriers. It spread through direct shares, a testant to its compelling nature. The world was now seeing itself, unvarnished, through the eyes of the enslaved.
The Virrellan sector of Pangea was a maelstrom of activity.
@Unkolonca (Virrelan): So this is what has been happening to my Uncle? I knew being a slave ant you were at the rcy of your master, a demanding boss, perhaps. But *this*? This is beyond anything imaginable. I can't let my uncle continue living like this. I don't even know his current condition. Fuuuuuuck.
@Sportongu (Virrelan): I can understand the breeding farms, from a purely business perspective. It makes economic sense to continuously renew your labor force and future-proof your slave count. But pitting them against friends or family, forcing them into unfair fights to the death, or torturing them for pleasure, prolonging their suffering with machines and no end goal? That is sothing I cannot understand or condone. It is abhorrent.
@Skurga (Virrelan): You can *understand* the breeding farms, you motherfucker? You must be one of those who were left relatively scott-free, your own family untouched. What gives you the right to excuse sothing you haven't experienced? What gives you the right to talk like that, you fucker? Accept my duel to the death request and sign the contract to keep the pain sensitivity at maximum. I need to make you experience a fraction of their suffering if you continue talking shit like that, you spineless cur.
@Sportongu (Virrelan): The most important part is that I don't condone it. Read my post again carefully. I explicitly stated that I do not condone it. I was speaking from a dispassionate, economic viewpoint, not an ethical one.
@Skurga (Virrelan): I don't care. Sign the contract and send your location. I need soone to vent my anger, and you just provided the perfect target, cloaked as a public service.
The Virrelan sphere vibrated with raw emotion. So expressed a profound, dawning guilt, having subconsciously averted their gaze from the horrors that enabled their comfortable lives. Others were consud by incandescent rage, a desire to shatter the chains that bound their kin. They clamored for action, for an end to slavery across the Conclave.
But there were also the voices of pragmatism, of grim despair. These were the ones who had seen their loved ones taken, who felt a perverse relief at their own escape. They feared the growing fervor, saw it as a path to further disaster.
@Krbo (Virrelan): We are not in a position to make anything happen. We are still reeling from the war – economically, demographically, psychologically. Do you want to risk plunging us into a war against the entire Conclave? Do you want *all* Virrelans to beco slaves, or worse, martyrs in a pointless rebellion?
@Pratur (Virrelan): So, what do you suggest, Krbo? Nothing? Do we simply watch as our people are needlessly tortured, treated like objects, and continue to live our lives as if we don't know it's happening?
@Krbo (Virrelan): We already turned a blind eye when they were first enslaved. We thanked whatever gods exist that we were not among them. We knew what was done to them, but without undeniable proof, we chose to live in blissful ignorance. The only difference now is that we have the proof. Our misery continues whether we act or not. But if you act rashly, fueled by anger, their masters will panic, accelerate their sadistic experints, and turn an already miserable existence into hell itself. Just live. Be thankful you are not among them.
………………….
anwhile, in the highest echelons of the Conclave, among civilizations whose mbers had never known slavery, a different kind of discussion erupted. For so, Dreznor's video was not a call to arms, but an opportunity. They saw the explicit details of VR-enabled torture as a broadening of horizons, a new avenue for sadistic indulgence. These civilizations viewed lesser species as no different from animals, and the thought of acquiring such "assets" from enemy civilizations was a tantalizing prospect.
@DBSZDA (Feyn): Seeing the things you're allowed to do to the slaves… it truly broadens my horizons. It makes hope the Elara were slaves, too, so I could acquire as many as possible for myself and do whatever I wished. But alas, that dream looks like it will take longer to realize.
@HONGTE (Feyn): I'm surprised by the inefficiency. After just a few hours analyzing that video, I've devised a highly efficient thod for maximum enjoynt. First, acquire a hundred slaves for genetic diversity. On Day One, to instill absolute obedience, slaughter the strongest among them before the others' eyes, gouging out the eyes of any who dare look away. This teaches them that strength ans nothing, and that they *will* watch. Then, take those with gouged eyes and subject them to non-fatal, continuous torture, ensuring they cannot die or kill themselves. Place them in the town center. Proclaim five years of peace, but demand one living sacrifice annually, not from the first batch. Should they fail to et the quota, those with gouged eyes will resu their suffering. After five years, you have the most entertaining show. Randomly appear to defile a lover before their partner, then force the partner to clean up. There is more, but I should stop fantasizing, or I might end up going into debt buying slaves to make it a reality.
@OSTUGA (Feyn): You can also promise freedom for a family that sacrifices their child for the yearly tribute. When they do, reveal that freedom is only for one. Force them to fight and kill each other. Then, kill the winner. Watch their rage, their despair, their realization of the horror they've committed, as they take their final breath. To report errors, please visit the original post on M|VLEMPYR.
The digital vitriol was t with equal, opposite force from other civilizations—those more inclined towards peace, rationality, and reasoned action.
Within the Zelvora's ntal networks, a furious cacophony erupted. Their collective consciousness thrumd with outrage at the deplorable treatnt of intelligent species. As perhaps the most connected and united civilization in the Conclave, they had no need for slaves; their intelligence handled complex tasks, and their robots handled brute strength. The topic of slavery had been a backburner issue, a distant problem. But now, seeing the blatant flouting of rules, the casual cruelty, their indifference was shattered. The Zelvora masses shifted from apathy to outright abolitionist fervor, though their leadership remained silent, monitoring the rapidly evolving situation.
With each passing minute, Dreznor's viral ssage spread. It breached every remaining digital barrier, screenshots of the Pangea posts shared across friend connections, leaping between civilization-specific bubbles. The reactions varied wildly, mirroring the empathy or brutality of each culture. One thing, however, was certain: this situation would not end without governntal action. The accompanying information about Dreznor's hundred-plus liberated star systems, and the Conclave's failure to reclaim them, though overshadowed by the moral outrage, forced the leadership to address both the economic implications and the ongoing military failures. A joint response seed impossible given the nuanced reactions across civilizations, requiring a targeted, bespoke approach.
This was the first VR-wide viral mont, and no one, not even the Empire, was enjoying the turmoil. Humans themselves were caught in the maelstrom. Having engaged in similar atrocities re centuries ago, with the historical mory still fresh, they were vocal in their condemnation of slavery. No civilization was spared from the ssy debate, caught between supporting Dreznor's cause or demanding action against the chaos he stirred.
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