King, No King

Feb. 13th, 2026. Friday.

A tribute to RTS. When I played Starcraft back in the day, I somehow completely missed the name of the game. So I called it “King, No King.” A title that fits the premise of RTS. There’s either a king, or no king at all. When you think you’re in the victory, you may find yourself demolished instead.

I survey my kingdom from above.

Expand the borders, claim resources.

A reign of prosperity, peace and love.

I’m kidding, of course. Conquest is glorious.

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I’ll send my people to plant a flag.

Mark my territory to give warning.

Hangs from the pole over my settlement.

Sprouts like a tree, soon to be a forest.

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Specks of red on my minimap.

Prepare my forces, they’re at our borders!

Could it be? We’re under attack.

How bold and boisterous! They think to destroy us.

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I’ll send infantry to test their mettle.

If they’re scouts or weak, they’ll turn and flee.

They surely aren’t prepared for battle.

They can’t have much yet, it’s still early.

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As my men close in, to my surprise,

Enemy seems smaller than I thought they were.

So few of them, they’re sure to die.

But they don’t flee until I get closer.

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As I land a hit, they start to run.

Such amateurs, let this be a lesson.

Don’t sit there while I charge my guns.

You’re throwing the skirmish. Your lives are forfeit.

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I chase them down with occasional hits.

They’re lacking in evasive movement.

Such a simple pattern–a forward sprint.

They’re just delaying defeat, why don’t they just quit?

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Delay? Oh wait.

A chill down my spine.

Could they have been

Stalling for time?

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I see, of course.

Base is under attack.

They split their forces,

And sent a few to distract.