FSRB Chpt 198

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 198==
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April 3070Interlude: Avoiding Bad Habits
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===Dow Faces the Music===
ComStar WarShip, CSS Blake's Strength
Dieron
Dieron DPZ, Draconis March
Federated Suns
Interim-Primus Gavin Dow sat behind his desk awaiting his visitor. It was unusual for the Primus of Comstar, even an Interim one, to have no fewer than four bodyguards with him in the room when he met with the Precentor Martial of the ComGuard's but given the recent... difficulties... Dow thought it best to safeguard his position. And his neck. Focht had after all already shot one Primus and Dow had no intentions of making that a habit for him! Therefore four hand picked bodyguards were positioned in each corner of the room as he awaited the arrival of Focht and his key aide, Precentor Lisa Koenigs-Cober. The fact that Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht was attending upon him here, on the Blake's Strength, on his chosen flagship also relieved some of the sick worry that had been eating him since the plan to sideline the old soldier had went so horribly wrong...
Precentor Martial Focht and his aide strode into the room with all the arrogance that most soldiers seemed to wear alongside their uniforms and neither so much as glanced at the bodyguards in the corners. Focht's single blue eye glared with hate at his nominal superior and it was telling that neither officer saluted. Dow did his best to force a repentant look upon his face as he stood. "Anastasius... Thank you for coming... I know... well I know things have been difficult and that both of us have made mistakes... But i do feel confident that if we both work together we can resolve the recent situation and move forward in order..."
"Shut. Up." Focht snapped with cold hatred. "Shut. Your. Mouth."
It was a mark of just how socked Dow was to be spoken to in that tone and with that word choice that his mouth did indeed snap shut for a second, before he rallied and snarled. "How DARE you speak to me in that manner?! I am the Primus of Comstar, not some military lackey you can..."
At a slight nod from Focht, his hired thug Koenigs-Cober stepped close and backhanded the Interim Primus hard enough to send him sprawling with blood streaming from his broken lips. Eyes wide as he scrambled to his knees Gavin Dow screamed at his guards. "Arrest them!" 
Not one of the guards moved an inch. Until Focht snarled a single word. "Out."
At which command the hand picked bodyguards who Dow had vetted careful followed the Precentor Martial's order like automatons. Leaving him alone with the murderously furious Focht and his now coldly smiling aide. Focht couldn't really roll his eyes given his injury but he managed a fair approximation as he snapped. "You really are a fool, you thought that I didn't make sure you picked the right men and women to guard you? Dow your entire guard detail have been my people from the very day you picked them. Or should I say that you picked them from the carefully vetted list that Lisa here prepared for you...!"
"No... Focht... We can still fix this... I'll forget all about this... We can work together, liberate Terra, rebuild the order... You can rule the order... Terra and the other worlds around it even... beside me... partners!" Dow managed to claw his way to his feet using his desk for support with blood streaming down his chin. 
Focht sighed and the hate in his gaze turned to disgust. "Dow, you and I won't be ruling Terra. I intend to disband the ComGuards as soon as this war is over... Comstar has proven it cannot rule and cannot be trusted with an army... Victor and I have discussed it you'll be horrified to hear... Your dream was never mine."
Ignoring the shocked man who seemed totally incapable of understanding that Anastasius Focht wasn't as obsessed as he was with material power, the Precentor Martial turned to Koenigs-Cober. "I don't want to have too shoot two Primuses. Bad habits. Would you do the honors?" 
"Gladly." Precentor Lisa Koenigs-Cober said drawing a flechette pistol she had requisitioned just prior to making the trip across to Dow's flagship. Safer than a conventional pistol or laser to fire onboard a warship. She leveled the pistol as Dow began to scream for mercy and fired a single blast into his face, sending him flying back dead. 
Focht looked at the dead man for a second and sighed tiredly. "...and now we have to clean up the mess he created..."
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