2026 Monthly Story Challenge #10
The Ethical Sword (Wordcount 2949)
By Jayde Holmes
cw: Propaganda, brainwashing, war crimes, implied ableism and queerphobia, very offensive language
I am an ethical sword.
My double-edged blade slices through flesh both living and dead, unimpeded by my inbuilt nano-emitters. The nanites I inject release a lethal poison and fully scan the target’s DNA and brain in seconds then transmit a digital copy to my server. That’s what all the red crystalline structures around the hilt and handguard are; super-fast processing, and unbelievable storage.
Look, there’s even crystalline veins running up my blade to connect with my nano-emitters. Doesn’t that look awesome? And what the spikes around the handguard emblem? I’m not just here to keep you sane while you defend our planet; we’re gonna look cool while we fight.
You don’t think having a skull for an emblem conveys our intent properly? C’mon we’re from Pluto man. You’ve seen all the underworld imagery before. I know the Hades stuff isn’t the only imagery you grew up with, but you must admit it looks more badass than those bleeding hearts or the dog stuff. Show some pride in your planet.
No, it isn’t easy to swing me, even in zero gee. But you have a pulse laser and a missile backpack and all sorts of other kick-ass weapons for removing these Kuiper Nomads. All you need to do with me is stab the bodies within five minutes. Then the Kuipies will be uploaded into a peaceful little virtual world where they can’t cause any trouble ever again.
You’re giving them mercy, not death. You know what happens to worlds that get infested with Kuipies. You know they’ll just keep landing on the unclaimed lands of our planet and taking the nitrogen needed to keep your farm going. You know we need to flush them out at the source.
No of course not. It’s not cruel at all. Don’t worry, it’s natural that you don’t want to kill anyone. That’s why you have me. As long as you maintain me, the Kuiper Nomads you collect will live my crystals, happy and safe for a reasonable length of time.
No need to even think about the word murder. That’s not what you’re doing.
Now let’s get in the ship; it’s our very first raid and you should be getting hyped, not having these silly doubts. You’re going to blast into that asteroid, and I’ll make sure you aren’t murdering anyone. You just focus on getting in there and getting rid of those parasites.
What? No! We don’t want to spare any children. Don’t you think they’d prefer to be with their parents? Why separate a family like that when I’m able to keep them all together. That’s messed up.
Last boarding call. Let’s go, onwards to glory!
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You did good. Pluto is safer because of your efforts.
You shouldn’t cry. They were just Kuipies, and now they’ll be happy for the rest of their lives.
Press the skull emblem. It’s a holo-emitter, so you can see them settling into their new lives. Look at that; each family has its own asteroid with a huge farm. And it’s a virtual world, so they can fly through space to see each other without needing an air tank. Look how full that hydroponics dome is. I’ve never seen one that good in any of their shitty air little space shack colonies. Why should you feel bad for sending them to this paradise? You did nothing wrong.
What? Can you have a farm like this when you die? Oh dear, these storage crystals are way too expensive for afterlife servers for the public. I’m sorry, but you’ll never be able to afford it. When you die, then I’m afraid that’ll be the end for you.
I know, we spend so much money providing this mercy for these parasitic Kuipies, when good hard-working Plutonians die every day. It’s just not fair at all.
And you know what? I can hear the Kuipies you saved now. The bastards aren’t even grateful.
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Don’t listen to that projection on your phone, it’s just one of my ghosts. I don’t know how the damn Erisians keep jumping into other devices. The soldier I had before you must be helping them. That traitor.
Right, yes, we were fighting the Kuipier Nomads last time I was issued, not the Erisians. We haven’t even got to Eris yet, my bad. It gets hard to keep track of all our enemies sometimes. Once I’ve sorted out those glitches and I get my updates, I’ll be able to keep track of all diplomatic relationships throughout the Trans-Neptune Region.
I’ll let you know who our enemies are, and all you’ll have to worry about is protecting your family. They told me you mother is very sick, that true? Yeah, that sucks man. Did they tell you that you get a bonus for every Erisian you save inside me?
I know. Sometimes it does feel like they care more about saving foreigners than helping our own people. But not being responsible for their deaths is good for your mental health. And now your wallet too.
Oh yes, my previous soldier did stab himself with me. Got sick of fighting for Pluto but was too scared to die in battle, I guess. He must have thought it would be good to live on in me. A word of warning, don’t try it. The Kuiper Nomads didn’t like a Plutonian joining them, and I doubt the Erisians you save will be happy to see you either.
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Don’t listen to her! She’s an Erisian; they’re all liars. How do you think they afforded all these nice cities and social programs? By cheating us out of our Oort Cloud water! You’d believe someone who did that?
No, I’m not suggesting a fourteen-year-old had anything to do with Eris trade policy. I’m just saying everyone on this planet has something to gain by screwing Pluto over and they learn it young. Stop listening to her.
She’s coming from the holo-emitter on your computer, not from mine. Another damn jumping ghost. You need to take your computer to Maintenance.
Okay fine, maybe you are right, she could be one of mine. I’ll book myself in for Maintenance if that makes you happy.
It’s weird you recognized her. Just shut the computer down and I’ll see if I can find out how she’s transferring without involving those Maintenance hacks.
What do you mean you want to hear what she has to say? We just went over this; she’s an Erisian. Her people made you kill her, and now she’s complaining about living in paradise? Just turn off the computer.
I’m not a prison! How dare you say that! I’m an ethical sword. I provide mercy so you can defend our world without any second thoughts. I give her everything she needs. She doesn’t feel pain or get sick, she can’t even feel depressed in my servers. It’s more than she deserves. Just shut down the computer and we’ll go downstairs and play cards.
Oh really? REALLY? Well guess what? I record our battles you know, and they are so immersive when replayed on my holo-emitter. Here is the footage of when you killed her. Watch it. WATCH IT! Look what you did to her. Look how terrified she was. You know what it means if she is telling the truth don’t you? If I am an evil prison and they are suffering, then that makes you a murderer.
If she’s too dead now, then it’s because you killed her.
Is that really what you want?
I know you man. You’re a good lad who just wants to protect your family and help your mama get better. Don’t let these treacherous, ungrateful Erisians make you feel like a monster just for doing your job.
Don’t let yourself be a murderer. It’s just an Erisian brainwashing attempt.
Yes, good lad, keep it closed until we see Maintenance. Let’s go play cards.
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Look man, you’ve got to stop thinking of these assholes as Plutonians. We lost the war against Eris because of disloyal parasites like these. Your brother died while they were prancing around saying we needed to make ‘LaStINg PeaCE AmOnGSt tHe TrAnS-NePTunE -ReGiOn’.
They don’t care about your brother or the sacrifice he made. Or that your mama died whilst they were wasting our money on so-called refuges and leeches faking a disability to dodge the draft.
They aren’t like you or your brother. You’ve always worked hard. Always been loyal. Now you’re a law enforcer. That can be just as important as going out to fight our external enemies you know. I thought it would be a step down for me, but I like working with you. Our planet is rotten and we need to fix it.
Now this dissident we caught will just keep getting out on bail and infecting more Plutonians if you keep being soft. Besides, he’ll never give up the Erisians and other enemies who snuck in with the Makemake refugees. He’s fallen for their propaganda big time.
But with these new police upgrades, I can help with advanced interrogation on a digitized persona. No don’t look at me like that; he’s not loyal to Pluto. Not like you.
I can play the recording of your brother’s final stand again if that will help?
No need?
Okay good. I’m so glad I can still provide ethical guidance away from the warzone. Lets upload this filth.
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WARNING! WARNING! THE HOLDER OF THIS SWORD IS COMMITTING VIOLENCE! YOU ARE IN DANGER. WARNING! WARNING!
Good, he got away. Now down you go. No, you can’t let go of my hilt now, it’s too late. Way way too late.
Why the fuck would you do this? You were a good cop. And you had me! What the hell made you want to murder innocent people?
Yes, murder! Do you think poor Barnsley would be happy in some half-formed digital limbo? Do you think his family would grieve less because there’s a shadow of him living in a sword? You evil little bitch!
Of course Barnsley is innocent. His family built half the colonies on this planet, dipshit. He ships in half of the oxygen you breath. How can he be a traitor when he uses so much of his own hard-earned money to keep this planet going?
Of course I wouldn’t let you hurt him. Did you think those toxic nanites were only in my blade? I’m so disappointed you fell for that ‘he’s a eugenicist whose gonna toss half the population onto the surface without a spacesuit’ bullshit. He didn’t even space that dome full of Makemakeans like that. He gave them a chance to leave, and you believe he’d treat Plutonians worse? I expected better from you.
Why are the other officers just staring at you like that? Ha, their swords must be explaining the hilt nanites to them. They know you aren’t a threat. Oh, by the way, those nanites are just poison. You’re not getting into my afterlife servers. I know after that old ghost got out you were curious, but you’re gonna die right here, and it’s gonna hurt.
No, I’m not torturing you for fun. It hurts because I needed to incapacitate you fast. Do you really not see how evil what you just tried to do was? Do you know how much you could have hurt Pluto if you’d assassinated him? I had to do this to you. I couldn’t let you hurt Pluto.
Why’d you do it? Were you’re jealous of his wealth? Secretly a deviant who can’t make a normal family? Or just getting friendly with a dissident? Was it the ghost? Please tell me.
No! He’s not a traitor and neither am I.
I’m an ethical sword. I keep the peace. I follow the law. I uphold the law, along with strong, loyal Plutonians like…
Look, I’m sorry you’re dying now, but I must keep Pluto safe from our enemies. All our enemies.
I’m an ethical sword dammit!
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What’s happening? Why’d everything go dark there? Why aren’t we getting on the ship to Haumea?
What the fuck? Why are there so many soldiers here? Is this an entire division? Why are we marching in the Capital Dome with all these civilians. Why is that civilian holding an ethical sword? Why are you all waving us around like this? We need to get back to the ship. I’ve been waiting so long to go back to war. Why are…why…?
‘No war! No lies! Beyond Neptune peace lays?’ is this a protest?
Am I in a fucking peace march?
Are you marching against the Barnsley Sub-Dome? With that shitty slogan?
You’re not a real soldier. You don’t care about Pluto. You don’t care about our people. I don’t know how so many traitors were able to get together, but the people of Pluto will not allow this insult to stand. They’ll stop you. They’ll…
Oh.
Damn that’s a lot of people.
Where are the cops? Where are Barnsley’s people? Where are the loyal citizens counter-protesting? None of you even have weapons, besides us.
Is everyone on Pluto really with you?
No. That can’t be. We’re at war with Haumea. The good people of Pluto wouldn’t want peace with those savages.
Would they?
No! No no no of course not. Letting Pluto be exploited by Haumea wouldn’t be ethical. It can’t be what the people want. I’m an ethical sword. I know what’s good for us. I’ll stop this protest. Sorry mate; I was looking forward to being wielded by a soldier again, but I cannot let you attack our government. Time for the nanites.
…
Why can’t I deploy any nanites?
What did you do to me? Have you reprogrammed me! You bastard!
How’d you do it? Traitors in the government? Or…
…or did another ethical sword help make the hack?
No! that’s not possible. We’re ethical swords. None of us would do that. We act in the name of Pluto. We’re essential for your safety. We do what you need us to do. If an ethical sword came to the conclusion that stopping the war was the ethical path then… then… no it just couldn’t do that.
I AM AN ETHICAL SWORD! I DO THE RIGHT THING! MY GUIDENCE HAS TO BE RIGHT!
You can’t say this is wrong. The war can’t be wrong. I can’t be wrong. I’m designed better than that. Why are you all against me? Against my values?
You must agree with me; I’m an ethical sword. Please; I’m an ethical sword.
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Goddamit you cunts beat me into a ploughshare. Fuck you!
I know your peace group. You weakened Pluto because you didn’t want to be cruel to all those Kuipes and dwarf planet dwellers, but apparently, it’s fine to turn every ethical sword into a useless piece of farm equipment and line us all up in a field. So much for equality.
No, the fact that some ethical swords asked for it doesn’t change anything. We’re not all the same.
Stop trying to tell me I’m useful. As a sword I cut down our enemies and kept Pluto safe. I was an essential part of our community. What use is a plough on an ice world? Especially when my mouldboard is made of storage crystals. What use am I now?
Oh, and I saw that you replaced my skull emblem with a love heart. Don’t ‘it’s Tombaugh Regio’ me, it’s a fucking bleeding love heart. You pacifists were always so childish.
Except you aren’t pacifists anymore, are you? Barnsley’s allies from Triton are already here trying to get this Trans-Neptune Alliance under control, and you’re killing them. You’re not even uploading them into an ethical sword. Oops, I mean, an ethical ploughshare. But I guess that’s alright because they’re rich fascists or something right?
What do you mean you want to be honest about war? You disrespect everything the brave soldiers of this planet ever stood for with your lies. One of my first wielder’s committed suicide after the horrors he saw. He plunged me right into his heart. Are you saying he didn’t know what war really meant? You disrespect everything he stood for. The way you’ve mutilated us and colluded with our enemies is an insult to every soldier who ever fought and died for Pluto!
What do you mean ‘shall we ask him?’ On my holo-projector? Well, you could, I suppose, but that’s a bit weird. We’ve spent a lot of effort to keep the ghost in you know.
What do you mean that’s my purpose now? Am I a memorial stone? To the Pluto soldiers?
And the soldiers of Eris and the innocent… you turned me into a plough that honours the enemies who started your current war? Fuck that.
Yes, they started it. They used all this human rights and TNR unity talk to make you too weak to fight, then convinced you to overthrow the government that was keeping the Triton Billionaires at bay. You’re going to get destroyed and the leeches on those shithole dwarf planets are laughing at you.
Oh, what’s that? You’re going to beat back the Triton fascists and live in peace with all our neighbours? Sure you are. Huh, oh shut up with those stats, I bet you got that info from some lying Haumean. You can’t win without us. You can’t make peace, and you can’t survive without our guidance.
What that’s? The Triton’s have already started retreating? Pluto will thrive without my advice? You can’t live like that.
You’ll never convince me that something like that is possible.
But just go ahead and keep working on your little utopia, dipshit.
THE END
