BtH23

==Chapter 23 - By the Horns==
------
ROM Command Center
Hilton Head Island, North America
Terra
October 28th, 3025
----
“This is madness, Charles,” Nicholas muttered quietly to his aide. “Killing individuals is one thing—we are going to be slaughtering millions here. Between the detonations and the radioactive fallout . . . I will personally be responsible for my very own Kentares Massacre.”
Charles Seneca grimaced and he sighed. “She doesn’t understand the meaning the words discretion or subtlety, does she?”
“No. But if I balk, the First Circuit will replace me with someone who will carry out their orders without question—probably with that asshole Harriman.”
Charles winched again. “It’s all so pointless—if they would LET us do our jobs, we could go in and eliminate the captured personnel and all of the Taurian scientists who MIGHT understand how to make it work. Hell, we could take out Thomas Calderon and his family, if that is what the First Circuit wants—if they don’t interfere or micro-manage.”
“HAH. They want absolute control over everything—and heaven forbid if you tell them the sky is blue when they think it should be pink,” Nicholas fumed.
Charles looked around the room and then he swallowed heavily. He leaned in close to his superior and began to whisper. “There is another option, Nicholas—one that doesn’t require you to become a mass-murderer.”
“Oh?” Precentor ROM answered just as quietly. “What are you suggesting, Adept?”
“With the Primus incapacitated, you control the security apparatus—except for the details assigned to each of the First Circuit. But they are lightly armed . . . we have two thousand loyal agents here on Hilton Head that answer only to you—and the Primus.”
“They answer to me as long as I am Precentor ROM, Charles. As soon as the First Circuit sees fit, they are going to replace me—I know that is what Myndo wants.”
Charles swallowed and he looked around the room again. “They can’t replace you if they are dead, Precentor ROM.”
Precentor ROM’s head jerked up and his eyes grew wide. He began to speak—and then he closed his mouth.
“Myndo is a threat to the Order, boss,” Charles continued. “That is the precisely the reason we were formed in the first place—to eliminate threats to ComStar. That she holds a seat on the First Circuit shouldn’t have any bearing on our duty.”
Nicholas licked his lips which had gone dry, but still he said nothing.
With a sigh, Charles made one final effort. “How long do you think the Primus will live if Myndo gets a taste of wielding his power—he’s helpless in the hospital right now, boss. She’ll smother him herself—if you don’t stop her.”
At last, Nicholas nodded. Reluctantly, but he nodded. “We have to take them all at once—the voting members. We cannot risk a schism because we missed one or two.”
“Just give the order, boss—give the order and you will be in charge until the Primus wakes up.”
Nicholas closed his eyes and then he nodded. “Do it. Today.”
----
Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter
Category:By the Horns Chapters