[Intro — distant distress signal, piano, mechanical hum] They came again. Humans. A little ship at the edge of my world. Thirty-seven alive. Weapons armed. Fear rising. The Cryptek asked: — Destroy them? I raised my eyes. — Don’t fire first. [Verse I] Their vessel landed among the black stones, Its searchlights cutting through walls of night. They walked together, shoulder to shoulder, As though friendship were stronger than fate. My warriors waited in silent formation, Gauss weapons burning emerald bright. One single word would have been enough— and nothing of them would remain but forgotten names. And I watched. And said nothing. [Pre-Chorus] One human stumbled. Another reached out a hand. Why couldn’t I look away? [Chorus] DON’T FIRE FIRST! Let the living take one step! DON’T FIRE FIRST! Let the weapons fall silent now! One word from me— and they vanish into darkness. But today my command is: DO NOT FIRE. [Verse II] Their captain stepped forward alone, fear betrayed him with every step. — We did not come here for war. How often war begins with words like that. — You could kill us? — Yes. — All of us? — Yes. — Then why don’t you? I looked at him. — Because you have not yet given me a reason. [Chorus] DON’T FIRE FIRST! I don’t understand my own command! DON’T FIRE FIRST! Let silence win just once tonight! I have erased entire legions with a movement of my hand. So why did thirty-seven mortal lives prove stronger than my cruelty? [Bridge — almost silence] The Cryptek approached. — This is illogical. — I know. — They are potential enemies. — I know. — They are mortal. ... — I know. Perhaps that is precisely why. Their lives are so brief. And still they walk into places they fear. They love those they know they will lose. They build homes that time will destroy. They plant trees whose shade they will never see. Illogical. Useless. Beautiful. [Verse III — tension builds] One soldier surrendered to fear, raised his weapon—finger on the trigger. My phalanxes aimed a thousand guns. One moment. One mistake. I shouted: — LOWER YOUR WEAPONS! The Necrons obeyed. The human slowly lowered his weapon. The captain whispered: — Thank you. — Do not thank me. I still haven’t decided why I did it. [Chorus — massive] DON’T FIRE FIRST! Let silence win today! DON’T FIRE FIRST! Sometimes restraint is strength as well! Let the Crypteks fail to understand me. I could erase them in a moment. But if I can— then I can also choose not to. [Bridge II — personal] Once, I too was mortal. In their eyes I see something familiar: Fear. Hope. Defiance. The look of someone who knows they will die, yet still takes one more step. Perhaps not everything inside me died with my body. [Verse IV] I allowed them to leave. Before departure, the captain asked: — Are we enemies? — Not yet. He smiled. — That’s already something. The ship disappeared. The Cryptek asked: — Explain your decision. I looked into the sky. — I cannot. [Final Chorus — huge orchestra and choir] DON’T FIRE FIRST! Let my whole world hear the command! DON’T FIRE FIRST! Not every meeting must become a war! I AM KSUN BAKIR! Legions answer to my will! A single word from me can bring worlds down! But power is not only the ability to say: Destroy. Sometimes it is harder to say: Stop. Let the humans leave. Let them live another day. Let them tell their people: The Necron Queen could have killed us... BUT SHE CHOSE NOT TO. [Finale — piano] The Cryptek said: — That was mercy. — Do not use that word. — Why? ... — Because I liked it. [Outro — whisper] Don’t fire first... Not today.
