Richard thought that maybe he should have been angry at the lecture, but he could no longer summon anger; it was slipping away. "I already know what will happen if we fail, Shota. I already know what the Imperial Order is like. I already know what awaits us if we lose in this struggle."
Shota shook her head. "You know what it is like after. You know what it is like to see the dead. But the dead can no longer feel. The dead can't scream. The dead can't cry in terror. The dead can't beg for mercy.
You know what it is like to see the wreckage the morning after the storm. You need to hear from one who was there when the storm broke. You need to hear what it was like when the legions came. You need to hear the reality of what it will be like for everyone. You need to know what will happen to those alive if you fail to do what only you can do."