"Father, your long-held ambition will finally be fulfilled today!" The young man congratulated the man, with grey-white hair, dressed formally in a white suit and carrying a cane that only elderly statesmen carried. The old man, however, paid no attention to his son's words, and he continued at a brisk pace towards his group of advisors and secretaries. The group of people quietened down as he approached, gazing at him as though he was the promised messiah from the religions of the first millennia.

"Esteemed hegemon, the crowd is ready for your address. Shall we proceed?" A secretary beside the stage door bowed while asking.

Wordlessly, the old man nodded, and with great imposing strides that seem to belong to men half his age, but yet fitting on his well-built stature that did not diminish with time, he walked onto the podium, gazing out at the endless masses. The masses went wild when they saw him, and many of them raised flags with the colours blue and purple, the colours of the Hegemony of Earth that he now led.

Ah, the old man thought to himself, all these years have finally led to this moment. All these long and dreadful years where I've committed so many cruel deeds on the climb up. All for this moment. I shall be remembered as the greatest leader of humanity in history, hahahahahah! This is THE moment!

His eyes swept across the huge stadium containing nearly a million people. Huge screens that illuminated the stadium broadcasted him to the people, as well as the billions across the planet. The masses quietened as he tapped the microphone, as if mesmerised by his presence.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"People of Earth, as the first Hegemon of Earth, I promise you peace and prosperity. I promise you beautiful cities that are safe from crime. I promise not just the people of Earth, but also humans who are spread out among the stars.

My dream is to unify all humanity under the banner of Earth, the origin of mankind! We humans have unlimited potential, in just two millennia since we first stepped into space, we have reached across the galaxy, conquering boundless space. I believe it is time for us to take the next step in mankind’s journey…”

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“...and Long live the Hegemony of Earth!”

Shouts erupted from the crowds, whipped into a frenzy of excitement by his speech. With a flourish of his suit, he turned and walked down the podium, planning to begin his rule immediately in the Hegemonial Tower. But when he turned, he felt a sense of foreboding, looking face to face with his secretary. The secretary said nothing, but her eyes seemed to be frosty as she glared at him. It seemed like a slow movement, but when she raised the gun she held in her hands and pressed the trigger, he couldn’t do anything. All this happened in an instant, and he could not even cry out for help before the bullet, which will surely go through his cranium, and bury his ambition in history.

Who? Was his only thought, as he glanced behind his secretary at his son who he ignored earlier, who merely stared back at his father, dead in the eye, his own brimming with the fire of victory and desire.

Then all went black for the old man.