This Day All Gods Die Part 20

Len's limbs twitched. With a jerk, he turned a gap-mouthed stare toward Maxim. His nausea had retreated into the background: a.s.sessments filled his gaze. He may have been trying to gauge the scale of Maxim's ambitions. Or he may simply have been wondering whether he could accept Maxim's offer.

Finally he closed his mouth, cleared his throat. When he replied, his voice seemed to come from some other room, muted by distance. "If you can talk Sen Abdullah into giving you his formal proxy-and if it's received in my office before the emergency session-I'll recognize you in his place. It's irregular, but I can stretch the rules of order that far. You'll have as much 'authority to speak' as any other Member."

At once Maxim rose to his feet. "Thank you, Mr. President." He already knew that he could obtain Abdullah's proxy. The Eastern Union Senior Member hated Warden Dios. Some of his const.i.tuents had lost fortunes when Dios had helped Holt Fasner engineer the bankruptcy and absorption of Sagittarius Exploration.

Maxim didn't wait for Abrim Len to dismiss him. As un.o.btrusively as possible, he left the President's office suite.

By G.o.d, Cleatus Fane was going to regret refusing to speak to him. Special Counsel Maxim Igensard had just demonstrated that he was a force to be reckoned with.

MARC.

It was typical of his kind that the loss of Soar Soar-and of his fellow Amnion aboard-meant nothing to Marc Vestabule.

The s.h.i.+p itself had been merely a technological artifact: temporarily useful as an ally; ultimately more interesting for the methods of production it represented than for itself. Its human crew was exactly that: human rather than Amnion; significant only because they served the Amnion-and might become available for research. And the Amnion aboard Soar Soar were expendable. The protein soup from which more Amnion might be grown was plentiful: any Amnioni could excrete it by the liter at need. Therefore any individual could be replaced by another with the same abilities and characteristics. were expendable. The protein soup from which more Amnion might be grown was plentiful: any Amnioni could excrete it by the liter at need. Therefore any individual could be replaced by another with the same abilities and characteristics.

Even Milos Taverner was not to be lamented, despite his precious heritage. Physically he was a near-perfect transformation; better than Marc Vestabule. The Mind/Union had achieved important advances. But psychologically he was a failed experiment: he had retained too little of his past ident.i.ty. An Amnioni who appeared human, but who thought, spoke, and acted Amnion, would be too easily detected; therefore useless against humankind.

Like all his fellows, Marc Vestabule wasted neither attention nor emotion on the death of Soar Soar.

On the other hand, the fact that Soar Soar had turned against had turned against Calm Horizons Calm Horizons required a great deal of attention. Specifically it required Marc Vestabule's attention. He had been invested with decisiveness aboard required a great deal of attention. Specifically it required Marc Vestabule's attention. He had been invested with decisiveness aboard Calm Horizons. Calm Horizons. And he remembered more of his former humanity than any other Amnioni like him. And he remembered more of his former humanity than any other Amnioni like him.

Because he remembered, he was not replaceable.

Sorus Chatelaine's betrayal had been quintessentially human: no Amnioni could have imagined-much less carried out-such an action. Even Marc Vestabule only grasped it with considerable effort. To contemplate its implications caused him a form of nausea so fundamental that it might have been ribonucleic.

Nevertheless he did contemplate them. The dilemma of Trumpet's Trumpet's escape made that necessary. escape made that necessary.

Many of his memories were gone, but he could still recollect the end of his time aboard the human s.h.i.+p he had served, Viable Dreams. Viable Dreams. He remembered its capture by treachery. He remembered the vindictive fury of the man who had taken it into Amnion s.p.a.ce in order to sell its crew: Angus Thermopyle. And he remembered his own desperation- He remembered its capture by treachery. He remembered the vindictive fury of the man who had taken it into Amnion s.p.a.ce in order to sell its crew: Angus Thermopyle. And he remembered his own desperation- The Amnion did not comprehend terror or frenzy. They understood urgency: they were capable of haste. Their dedication to their own purposes was complete-and completely organic. But they were not genetically encoded for desperation. They could not encompa.s.s it.

Marc Vestabule still did.

It was the key to understanding humankind. Sorus Chatelaine had betrayed Calm Horizons Calm Horizons-despite the dictates of her own self-interest-out of desperation. Similarly, desperation had driven Angus Thermopyle to sell the crew of Viable Dreams: Viable Dreams: it drove him and his companions aboard it drove him and his companions aboard Trumpet Trumpet now. And the results of now. And the results of Soar's Soar's treason had been disastrous. treason had been disastrous. Trumpet Trumpet had fled intact. A UMCP cruiser had received had fled intact. A UMCP cruiser had received Trumpet's Trumpet's broadcast. Beyond question the outcome of broadcast. Beyond question the outcome of Trumpet's Trumpet's escape would also be disastrous. escape would also be disastrous.

Once the desperation was grasped, the nature of the disaster became possible to imagine.

Trumpet would approach some large human station-or perhaps Earth itself. Alternatively the small vessel might join forces with its defender, the UMCP cruiser. Then the formula for the mutagen immunity drug would become broadly known. Until a means was devised to circ.u.mvent or mask the drug, humankind would be effectively impervious to absorption or transformation. would approach some large human station-or perhaps Earth itself. Alternatively the small vessel might join forces with its defender, the UMCP cruiser. Then the formula for the mutagen immunity drug would become broadly known. Until a means was devised to circ.u.mvent or mask the drug, humankind would be effectively impervious to absorption or transformation.

That invulnerability might inspire the species to initiate a war: a war of s.h.i.+ps and weaponry; a technological war, which the Amnion could not win.

Yet even if humankind did not react so extremely, they would be forewarned of Amnion researches into near-C acceleration. Given their mechanistic ingenuity, and their vast means of production, they might well design weapons or defenses to counter the greater velocity of future Amnion vessels. They might devise the means to acquire such velocities themselves.

And their efforts would be inspired by Calm Horizons' Calm Horizons' own actions, which they would doubtless consider an act of war, as well as by own actions, which they would doubtless consider an act of war, as well as by Trumpet's Trumpet's broadcast. broadcast.

Lastly-the heaviest blow-the opportunity which the force-grown template called Davies Hyland represented would be lost. If a human could be made Amnion, and yet retain the ability to speak and act and pa.s.s as human, the purposes of the Amnion might be achieved at one stroke. That great accomplishment would make possible a war of infiltration and mutation; a war which humankind could not win.

Only an opportunity to study Davies Hyland might serve to counter the other harms which Trumpet Trumpet could do. could do.

Sorus Chatelaine's-and Angus Thermopyle's-desperation had created a dilemma which none of Marc Vestabule's fellows were equipped to evaluate.

He had been invested with decisiveness aboard Calm Horizons. Calm Horizons. After a period of rigorous contemplation-and acute nausea-he concluded that the complex threats of After a period of rigorous contemplation-and acute nausea-he concluded that the complex threats of Trumpet's Trumpet's escape could only be answered by an act of even greater desperation. escape could only be answered by an act of even greater desperation.

He decided nothing in isolation. The air of Calm Horizons Calm Horizons was rich with communication of all kinds: information and a.n.a.lysis; emotion and commentary. Pheromones filled with language the sweet atmosphere which the Amnion craved. Marc Vestabule was an Amnioni, alive to the scents and hues of nucleotidal communion; nourished by it. was rich with communication of all kinds: information and a.n.a.lysis; emotion and commentary. Pheromones filled with language the sweet atmosphere which the Amnion craved. Marc Vestabule was an Amnioni, alive to the scents and hues of nucleotidal communion; nourished by it.

Yet he was truly unique among his fellows. Furthermore they all recognized his uniqueness: they recognized its value. Without that recognition he would not have been invested. The conclusions he reached were neither understood nor questioned. By a common consent of the most profound form, his uniqueness was granted scope.

The risks were great. Indeed, they were vast. If Calm Horizons Calm Horizons failed and died, the costs would be terrible. And Marc Vestabule could do nothing to diminish them. Like symbiotic crystalline resonance transmitters, gap courier drones were difficult to grow; hugely expensive in time, effort, and expertise. He was fortunate that he had been supplied with the former. He had no access to the latter. Therefore if he acted on his memories of desperation he would be unable to inform or forewarn his kind of their peril. failed and died, the costs would be terrible. And Marc Vestabule could do nothing to diminish them. Like symbiotic crystalline resonance transmitters, gap courier drones were difficult to grow; hugely expensive in time, effort, and expertise. He was fortunate that he had been supplied with the former. He had no access to the latter. Therefore if he acted on his memories of desperation he would be unable to inform or forewarn his kind of their peril.

Nevertheless when Calm Horizons Calm Horizons reentered normal s.p.a.ce beyond the Ma.s.sif-5 system, the defensive turned at once and began spanning the dimensional gap on a direct course for Earth. reentered normal s.p.a.ce beyond the Ma.s.sif-5 system, the defensive turned at once and began spanning the dimensional gap on a direct course for Earth.

WARDEN.

Warden Dios wasn't alone in the CO Room. Techs sat at their stations nearby, linking him to every facet of his domain; listening to their respective communications traffic with receivers set into their ears so that he wouldn't be distracted by incessant chatter; studying the same displays and readouts he watched. He didn't concentrate on what he saw, however: he left that to his staff. While they worked, he focused his energies on trying to think like an Amnioni.

Some of his people-especially those a.s.signed to UMCPHQ Center-believed that he was prescient. They didn't know how else to account for the fact that he so often seemed to be precisely where he was most needed in emergencies. Why was he there, if he couldn't see the future? His rea.s.suring presence in his personal Command Operations Room minutes or perhaps hours before some crisis developed had no other obvious explanation.

But the UMCP director wasn't blessed-or cursed-with foreknowledge. The searching IR vision of his prosthetic eye told him nothing in advance. To some extent his apparent prescience was simply the outcome of his gift for planning ahead. For the most part, however, his knowledge was not of the future, but of himself. He did what he did out of shame and stubbornness-which was to say, out of fear. He was probably no more fearful than anyone else. Unlike most of the people around him, however, he called his fears by their true names. And he paid attention to them.

That was why he sometimes displayed an almost uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time.

This time he was in the CO Room because he feared the consequences of his own actions.

Lord knew he had enough of them to worry about. Holt Fasner had ordered him to turn Angus over to Nick Succorso, so that Nick might then be persuaded to kill the other survivors of Captain's Fancy; Captain's Fancy; all except Davies Hyland, who would be delivered to the Dragon. Warden had obeyed that order-and undermined it at the same time. Had his subterfuge succeeded? If it hadn't, he was finished. But if it had, young Davies might now have control over Angus. What would he do with that power? all except Davies Hyland, who would be delivered to the Dragon. Warden had obeyed that order-and undermined it at the same time. Had his subterfuge succeeded? If it hadn't, he was finished. But if it had, young Davies might now have control over Angus. What would he do with that power?

According to Has.h.i.+, Davies may have been force-grown with his mother's mind. What would Morn Morn do, after experiencing so much brutality from Angus-and so much betrayal from the UMCP? do, after experiencing so much brutality from Angus-and so much betrayal from the UMCP?

Vital questions. At another time they might have dominated Warden's thinking. But the specific fear which had brought him here revolved around a different set of consequences.

Punisher had broken off her engagement with the Amnion defensive which had pursued had broken off her engagement with the Amnion defensive which had pursued Trumpet Trumpet from forbidden s.p.a.ce to Ma.s.sif-5. That was exactly what Warden would have ordered the cruiser to do. He needed from forbidden s.p.a.ce to Ma.s.sif-5. That was exactly what Warden would have ordered the cruiser to do. He needed Trumpet's Trumpet's people; needed them desperately. And he wasn't likely to get them if people; needed them desperately. And he wasn't likely to get them if Punisher Punisher risked her life trying to defeat a far more powerful enemy. He suspected that if Min didn't bring them to him, he would never see Morn and Davies, Angus and Vector. risked her life trying to defeat a far more powerful enemy. He suspected that if Min didn't bring them to him, he would never see Morn and Davies, Angus and Vector.

Unfortunately one consequence was that there was an Amnion defensive loose in human s.p.a.ce.

That vessel had failed to kill or capture Trumpet. Trumpet. What would she do now? How would Amnion minds approach the dilemma of What would she do now? How would Amnion minds approach the dilemma of Trumpet's Trumpet's escape? escape?

Clearly they considered the gap scout worth an act of war, despite their demonstrated reluctance to hazard their genetic imperialism in direct combat. They made everything better than humankind did-s.h.i.+ps, weapons, computers-but they didn't make many of anything except more Amnion. They avoided open tests of power because they couldn't match humankind's capacity for ma.s.s production. In purely material terms, that defensive was more precious than any five human s.h.i.+ps Warden could name.

So what would she do do, now that her incursion had failed? Would she retreat toward forbidden s.p.a.ce?-preserve her value to her people? Or would she follow the logic of her intentions against Trumpet Trumpet in some other direction? in some other direction?

Sitting in the CO Room surrounded by techs and screens, consoles and communications traffic, helped Warden think as if he were aboard a wars.h.i.+p.

He found it difficult to imagine why the defensive would do anything except run for safety. He'd learned from Punisher's Punisher's most recent drone that before most recent drone that before Trumpet Trumpet left Ma.s.sif-5 she'd begun broadcasting the formula-good G.o.d, left Ma.s.sif-5 she'd begun broadcasting the formula-good G.o.d, broadcasting the formula! broadcasting the formula!-for Intertech's antimutagen. Apparently Vector Shaheed had made quick use of Deaner Beckmann's bootleg lab. As a result the mutagen immunity drug was now in effect public knowledge. The formula was recorded in Punisher's Punisher's datacore. Inevitably it had been-or soon would be-picked up by datacore. Inevitably it had been-or soon would be-picked up by someone someone around VI. And beyond question the defensive had received it. around VI. And beyond question the defensive had received it.

Another consequence. Directly or indirectly Warden was responsible for Trumpet's Trumpet's broadcast. Now he considered its implications with a strange mixture of horror and hope. broadcast. Now he considered its implications with a strange mixture of horror and hope.

In truth he hadn't foreseen that Trumpet's Trumpet's people might do something so extravagant. Despite his talent for planning, he hadn't guessed that they would take on the challenge of trying to undo decades of covert malfeasance all by themselves. people might do something so extravagant. Despite his talent for planning, he hadn't guessed that they would take on the challenge of trying to undo decades of covert malfeasance all by themselves.

He was dismayed by the fact that the Amnion had learned the formula for the immunity drug before it could ever be put to its proper use. At the same time he was excited, almost exalted, by the sheer courage and daring of what Trumpet Trumpet had done. If he was right in his belief that Holt Fasner and the UMC posed a graver threat to humankind's future than any alien enmity, then had done. If he was right in his belief that Holt Fasner and the UMC posed a graver threat to humankind's future than any alien enmity, then Trumpet's Trumpet's gambit was a veritable beacon of redemption. gambit was a veritable beacon of redemption.

Aboard her a handful of men and women had recognized a worthy cause when they saw it-and had committed themselves to it.

That didn't sound like Nick Succorso. It sounded like something Morn's parents might have done.

Her son must have received Warden's ciphered message.

Not incidentally, Trumpet's Trumpet's broadcast also didn't sound like the work of a genetic kaze. As far as Warden was concerned, Has.h.i.+'s hypothesis had effectively collapsed. To the extent that Morn was a kaze, she'd been aimed at her target by Warden himself, not by the Amnion. broadcast also didn't sound like the work of a genetic kaze. As far as Warden was concerned, Has.h.i.+'s hypothesis had effectively collapsed. To the extent that Morn was a kaze, she'd been aimed at her target by Warden himself, not by the Amnion.

So of course the defensive would burn for forbidden s.p.a.ce with all the force of her drives. Of course. The dissemination of Intertech's antimutagen was only a setback, not a defeat. For the present, humankind had developed a way to counter genetic imperialism. But the Amnion were magicians of biochemistry. Given time, they would certainly devise a way to neutralize the antimutagen. The alien wars.h.i.+p would do everything in her power to provide that time.

Wouldn't she?

The logic of the situation was plain. Surely the greatest immediate danger to the Amnion was not the formula itself, but rather the possibility that humankind would use the temporary advantage of their immunity to launch a full-scale war. And surely, therefore, the defensive would abandon her intentions against Trumpet Trumpet in order to forewarn forbidden s.p.a.ce. in order to forewarn forbidden s.p.a.ce.

That argument seemed reasonable enough on its face. Nevertheless it was human reasoning. Warden Dios didn't trust it.

Instead of easing, his fear settled deeper into his chest; just behind his sternum. Apprehension seemed to gnaw at the bottom of his heart like buried skinworms.

What if he was wrong about everything? Had misjudged everything? What if the Amnion wars.h.i.+p did something which defied human logic?

What if the entire elaborate edifice of his desires came cras.h.i.+ng down right now now, when by his own actions he'd made humankind uniquely vulnerable to disaster?

That thought scared him to the marrow of his bones. He already had all the culpability he could bear. He didn't want to carry any more crimes to his grave.

For that reason-and because it was his job-he'd provided as best he could for the defense of Earth and UMCPHQ. Eight gunboats and pocket cruisers held various...o...b..ts around the planet, linked to each other by the vast scan net which covered the whole solar system. The battlewagon Sledgehammer Sledgehammer was still a long way out; but guns as powerful as hers would be able to make a contribution within eighteen or twenty hours. The cruiser was still a long way out; but guns as powerful as hers would be able to make a contribution within eighteen or twenty hours. The cruiser Adventurous Adventurous-old and underpowered, but still s.p.a.ceworthy-was closer: the scan net marked her approach from the far side of the planet. And the destroyer Valor Valor would return home soon. would return home soon.

If the crisis waited a week to materialize, another battle-wagon like Sledgehammer Sledgehammer might be ready to emerge from the s.h.i.+pyards. might be ready to emerge from the s.h.i.+pyards.

Unfortunately there wasn't much else anyone could do. None of Earth's...o...b..tal stations had been designed as weapons-platforms. The charters of the commercial stations prohibited heavy armamentation. And UMCPHQ had been built on the implicit a.s.sumption that any war which came this close was already lost.

Warden Dios wasn't prescient. He was terrified.

Nevertheless he didn't show it. The techs around him would have needed prosthetic vision like his in order to catch any glimpse of his fear. He sat solidly in his command chair, as if he couldn't be moved unless he wished it. His big fists rested like stones on the arms of his seat. His breathing was calm; deep and even. His one human eye glittered with a penetrating concentration which most of his people had learned to trust.

The atmosphere in the CO Room-and in UMCPHQ Center beyond the walls of the Room-was at once more expectant and more relaxed than it would have been in his absence. Because he was here, his people sensed that something was about to happen. At the same time they believed they would be able to handle it-whatever it might be-as long as he watched over them.

Therefore he kept his fear to himself. It was transcended by his determination to fail no one who relied on him: not his own people; not the GCES; not Morn and her companions; not humankind. He'd played his game of complicity against Holt Fasner long enough; perhaps too long. Now he was done with it.

If he could manage it-and if Trumpet Trumpet didn't let him down-he intended to undo the harm of his life's mistakes. didn't let him down-he intended to undo the harm of his life's mistakes.

His only reaction was a lift of one eyebrow when a tech murmured suddenly, "Director, I have a call for you from UMCHO. It's CEO Fasner."

Warden nodded an acknowledgment; but he didn't accept the call immediately. Instead he took a moment to consider whether or not he wanted to speak to Holt privately. In private his people wouldn't hear how his master treated him. But they also wouldn't hear how he responded.

It was time for him to begin showing where he stood.

"Put it on the speakers," he told the tech. "I'll talk to him here."

"Yes, sir." The tech tapped keys, and the CO Room speakers came to life with a soft magnetic pop.

Warden turned his head toward his pickup. "Holt," he said at once. "Can we keep this short? I've got my hands full here."

"'Short'?" Holt snorted angrily. He may have a.s.sumed that Warden was alone. Or he may not have cared. "I'm your G.o.dd.a.m.n boss, Ward. You'll talk to me as long as I want, whenever I want."

"That doesn't make sense," Warden retorted. He spoke as if he didn't know that all his techs were watching him. "If I spend all my time talking to you, I can't do my job."

"Listen to me." Beneath the surface of Holt's ire, a deeper pa.s.sion boiled and spat. "Talking to me is is your job. You your job. You work work for me. And right now you're hanging by a thread. You're precipitating more disasters than I can manage all at once." for me. And right now you're hanging by a thread. You're precipitating more disasters than I can manage all at once."

Not long ago, Norna Fasner had told Warden that her son fears death too much. It distorts his thinking. He wants to live forever. fears death too much. It distorts his thinking. He wants to live forever. At the time the idea had baffled Warden. But now he understood it better. He thought he could hear a hunger for that impossible achievement in the UMC CEO's voice. At the time the idea had baffled Warden. But now he understood it better. He thought he could hear a hunger for that impossible achievement in the UMC CEO's voice.

For years now, the whole thrust of Holt's policy toward the Amnion had been to maintain an uneasy peace. Peace was essential because it enabled trade; wealth. But if the peace became too secure, too safe, complacency would set in. The UMCP-and through them the UMC-would lose their moral authority, their necessity. Holt's power over human s.p.a.ce would diminish. And that in turn would reduce his leverage with the Amnion; his ability to extract profits. He'd pushed to obtain the pa.s.sage of the Preempt Act for the same reason that he'd sanctioned the covert-and only the covert-use of Intertech's immunity drug: to disturb both the Amnion and humankind; keep the peace uneasy.

Who benefited from this approach? Only Holt Fasner and the UMC. And yet the question inevitably arose: why did Holt care? He was already richer and more powerful than anyone in the history of the planet. What in G.o.d's name drove him to the acquisition of still more wealth and more power?

Warden had come to the conclusion that Holt coveted benefits of another kind altogether. Norna had given him the hint he needed to see Holt's ambitions in a new light.

The UMC CEO had ordered Warden to turn Angus over to Nick Succorso. In exchange for a s.h.i.+p, as well as for his own personal cyborg, Nick was supposed to kill everyone except Davies Hyland. Holt wanted Morn's son.

If the Amnion could force-grow young Davies and imprint him with Morn's mind, what was to prevent them from processing any number of human fetuses and imprinting them all with Holt's Holt's mind? What was to prevent the Dragon from effectively living forever? mind? What was to prevent the Dragon from effectively living forever?

If he acquired enough wealth and power to offer the Amnion something greater than mere raw materials-human and otherwise-or technological methodologies, he might be able to make a deal with them. Like Satan himself, the Father of Lies, the Amnion kept their bargains.

All Holt needed was a demonstration that the Amnion were indeed capable of imprinting one human mind on other-and imprinting it intact. Then he would be able to go ahead.

Warden shuddered at the implications while he listened to the UMC CEO.

Holt hadn't paused. He was saying sarcastically, "The Amnion have committed an act of war, in case you didn't notice. I'm holding you accountable for that-you and your G.o.dd.a.m.n covert operations, trusting Billingate to an illegal like Thermopyle and a known traitor like Taverner.

"Now the votes are going to hold an emergency session. They'll go crazy. They'll probably think anybody who twitches a finger is a kaze about to explode." Holt laughed-a harsh, mirthless sound, like breaking sticks. "I'm holding you accountable for that, too. Thanks to you and your precious Koina Hannish, they're all a-twitter with responsibility. They'll probably try to do something phenomenally stupid, like declaring war on Amnion s.p.a.ce. If Cleat can't soothe them somehow, you've done us more harm than a whole d.a.m.n flotilla of incursions.

"And what are you doing about it? I ask myself," Holt sneered. "How do you 'do your job'? As far as I can tell, you seem to think the Amnion are going to attack here here next. First you recalled every wars.h.i.+p in reach, which is sure to make the votes even more panicky, even though a hydrocephalic next. First you recalled every wars.h.i.+p in reach, which is sure to make the votes even more panicky, even though a hydrocephalic child child could tell you that defensive is long gone by this time. And now you've synchronized your G.o.dd.a.m.n orbit with Suka Bator." could tell you that defensive is long gone by this time. And now you've synchronized your G.o.dd.a.m.n orbit with Suka Bator."

This was true. With an enormous expenditure of energy, Center had adjusted UMCPHQ's centrifugal rush so that the station maintained a position above the GCES island.

"It's like you think we're already at war," Holt finished mordantly. "And we're losing."

Warden considered shouting his fear at Holt. He considered silencing his pickup and refusing to speak to the Dragon again. Then he responded simply, "It's a precaution. I don't want to be occluded. I don't know what's going to happen." A heartbeat later he remarked, "I notice you've done the same thing."

After a series of power-intensive adjustments, UMC Home Office now sailed the dark little more than a hundred thousand k away in an orbit which echoed UMCPHQ's.

"d.a.m.n right," Holt retorted. "That's because I don't trust you, Ward. If you don't want to be occluded, I sure as h.e.l.l don't. If you decide it's time for something even more destructive than what you've already done, I intend to react fast."

Warden jerked up his head. Anger drummed in his heart, despite his self-control.

"'Destructive,' Holt? Would you care to be more specific?"

He meant to preserve humankind, not destroy it. And the UMCP had a valid function: he intended to preserve that also. But there were other issues as well- He'd done everything in his power to make sure Holt didn't know about Vector Shaheed's broadcast. If the CEO didn't get that information directly from UMCPHQ, he wouldn't hear it at all until some UMC flunky on VI picked it up and sent out a drone. Or until he learned it from Cleatus Fane at the emergency session. Still Warden wished for confirmation.