Information War
Chapter One: On the Issue of Politics
The final days of the elections had come quickly, and now the ANA was frantically lobbying and rallying support in the key states as well as everywhere else they could find voter and candidate support. Even though they were not running for any position, they behaved like a political party. Auger and Street were constantly on the phone with every local and national press they had contact with. Renee and Hubble had taken their show on the road with the candidates who supported them holding rallies and fund raisers in key districts and selling political ads on the television. Liam was working with a team of specialists Hubble had hired for the sole purpose of monitoring the press reports.
Link had repeatedly stated that he wanted nothing to do with politics. All he planned to do was cast his vote, which he had done through early voting, and hope for the best.
The Espelons and the Taelons were quiet for the most part, or so it seemed. Tay'jay had been holding special meetings throughout the month of October, and with Da'an recovered, she was working very closely with him. But right now, Da'an was not present. In fact, she was not on the planet Earth. She and Ariel had left with Mi'en. It was a vacation for Da'an and Ariel, a chance to spend some quality time together, a chance for Da'an to get her mind off the pressures of working with the resistance and the ANA, and a chance for Da'an to talk seriously in solitude with Nye. That was where they were going: Nye and her cult's planet.
It seemed that Ta'lay was constantly on and off Earth for purposes that she could not give. Nobody knew where she was going, what she was doing, and, thanks to Tay'jay, nobody asked. Wherever she was now, she was not currently on Earth. She wanted nothing to do with politics. She said she had had her fill of politics from her work in England and her work on the Mothership.
It was late at night, and Liam was watching Larry King Live. He was interviewing a candidate running for a key district in California. Liam groaned as he watched the shallow dialogue unfold on the television screen. Street came in with a cup of coffee for him.
"No organic stuff," she promised. "On the house."
"You've read my mind. I never thought I could get tired just watching TV all month, but my brain has found a way," Liam said gorging on the liquid caffeine. "I didn't even get to see Ariel do her first trick-or-treating on Halloween because I was watching a special episode of Crossfire on the Fox News Network."
"Poor thing," Street said. "Well, it'll be over in a few days. I wish they'd let us look at the early voting results. We could see if all this work has been making any progress."
"Yeah, I know," Liam said. "You know, it's funny. Less than forty percent of the nation actually votes during a midterm election, but now the analysts are predicting a sixty percent turnout. They say it's all this business with the priests and the Taelons. I knew the Taelons could improve our environment, our technology, and our medical science, but I had no clue they could improve our voter turnout."
Street laughed. "At this rate, we might actually be a democracy soon. So what do you do here, anyway?"
"I make sure that our key candidates don't say anything stupid, and if they do, I call Hubble and his team of specialists to clean up the mess. Oh, and in the daytime, I monitor the Nielson groups with those network analysts Hubble hired and make sure our candidates are coming off as 'amiable.' "
"Sounds like fun," Street said.
"Believe it or not, it would be if I didn't have freakin' Hubble breathing down my back. He's in Kansas right now, but he's still got a leash on me. Jeez."
"I'll bet Da'an's glad she bailed when she did."
"Oh, don't even start on that," Liam said. "Hubble hasn't let me hear the end of that either, as if I have any authority to stop Da'an. She's a grown woman. She can do whatever she wants."
"I know that she needed a vacation, but she couldn't have waited a little bit?" Street said. "I mean. You can kinda understand where Hubble's coming from."
"What could Da'an possibly do to help us? The humans think she's dead, and the priests are trying to make it so. It's not like she can march on the Washington Monument with a 'Free Tibet' sign."
"What?" Street laughed, giving Liam and funny look.
"You know what I mean," Liam cried. "It's eleven o'clock, and I've been up for eighteen hours straight. My brain's not always gonna say things that make sense right now."
Street continued giggling. "But a 'Free Tibet' sign? That has absolutely nothing to do with this election."
"The point is there's not a lot Da'an can do here. And besides, TJ promised he'd fill in for her while she's gone. They're pretty much the same when it comes to politics."
"Yeah. TJ just happens to be the bigger asshole," Street said.
"Don't remind me."
Street started laughing again. "If it makes you feel better, I can fill in for you and let you get some sleep."
"Ah, thanks but no thanks," Liam said. "I've got a substitute coming in about an hour anyway. I might as well finish this."
"Okay. Well good luck," Street said patting Liam's back and walking out of the room giggling to herself. She just couldn't get the image of Da'an with a 'Free Tibet' sign on the Washington Monument with her hippie friends out of her head.
Augur groggily rose from his bed to the sounds of Miles Davis. When he checked the clock he realized that he had only obtained three hours of sleep. When he came to the coffee pot and realized it would take twenty minutes to boil the water, he went straight for the refrigerator and grabbed a can of cola. Feeling somewhat renewed, he worked his way through the dim lair and eventually found his control console.
"Good morning, Augur," holo-Da'an told him. "It is now 5:33 am. Shall I read to you your schedule for the day?"
"Not right now. Just turn on the TV," Augur told her, taking another swig of cola.
"Very well."
Augur praised God that the channel holo-Da'an had turned to had nothing about the congressional elections. It was an infomercial about the latest in toaster technology. At that point, the Miles Davis music switched off, but Augur ordered holo-Da'an to turn it back on and mute the infomercial. Then, he dressed and performed his daily ritual of washing and grooming.
When he was finished, he sat down at his computer console and prepared himself for the latest onslaught of events. "Let me have it."
However, as the hologram dictacted his schedule, Augur felt his still sleepy and wandering mind drift towards the night of the secret meeting Da'an had called.
It had happened just a week ago. Only Tay'jay, Mi'en, Ta'lay, Link and Augur had been allowed to attend.
Augur remembered how regal Da'an looked as she sat at the end of the wooden table in the locked conference room. A freak winter chill had passed through, so she was wearing an azure silk dress with a long white cashmere shawl draped across her shoulders and her chest. She had also been wearing a thick black wool coat with golden buttons. Her red hair was wrapped upwards into an elaborate design with curled bangs hanging over her ears rendering her need for earrings obsolete. Her face was clear and confident, and her eyes were narrow and focused with a jeweled twinkle like two blue topaz gems held against a white light. When she walked, her posture was straight and upright with her head tilted slightly upward. Her form flowed gracefully and gently as a stark contrast to her straight back. Augur could tell that she was not only feeling better, but she was also feeling better than she had ever felt before.
Tay'jay sat to her right and Link sat to her left. Tay'jay looked like he was royalty as well—military royalty anyway. He was wearing what appeared to be a military uniform. His slacks were long, black and crisp as if they had just been tailored. His shirt was long and black with a flap that folded all the way across his chest and buttoned from the collar downward. The buttons were all pure white crystal. There was a thick purple strip knitted into the straight collar on his right side. He also had a long black cape over his shoulders, and a purple Taelon belt that reminded Augur of the sash T'than used to wear.
Neither of them had really explained why they were dressed so fanciful. Tay'jay had merely mentioned that they were both going abroad, which in the alien lexicon meant they were leaving the planet. Mi'en and Ariel had gone with Da'an, and Ta'lay had gone with Tay'jay. And only Tay'jay had come back.
Augur knew why all of them had left. It was for the same reason he was working endless nights building a network out of the communications system he had built for the ANA. Da'an had made them all do it.
Da'an had so adamantly drilled the orders to keep silent about the details of that meeting that Augur felt like thinking about it was a violation of her orders. However, Augur dared to recall all the assignments Da'an had given them in what was to be her counter-agenda to the priests.
Mi'en was now Da'an's personal pilot. She would fly Da'an anywhere Da'an asked her to and not ask any questions about it. Mi'en had eagerly agreed to the task.
Ta'lay had been assigned to work with Dr. Curzon and a team of Espelon smugglers to stock up on medical supplies. She had left with Tay'jay to get started.
Link's assignment was top secret. Da'an had reportedly disclosed to him his assignment well before the meeting. All that the group was supposed to know was that they were not to get in his way as he worked and they were not to ask questions.
Tay'jay's was the most important assignment of all. He was to prepare the smuggling ring for the evacuation of every last Espelon and Taelon working with the resistance on the planet, and eventually as many humans as they could convince to go with them.
A war was coming, and Da'an had nearly lost her mind searching with her prophetic powers for the way to stop it. Soon she realized that there was no way to stop it. Ma'el's purpose had not been for her to prevent the war. It had been for her to prepare for it. Her purpose was to save as many lives as she could, and she was already behind schedule.
Now, more than ever, Augur wished that Da'an had stayed behind. However, he understood her need for a vacation, and election time was the ideal time for it to be done. There was little to nothing Da'an could really do to help the ANA with the congressional elections given her position as an alien fugitive. And afterwards, there would be no time to rest. Da'an and Ariel needed some serious time to themselves. However, Da'an had assured the group that she would still carry out her part of the agenda.
Augur still wished she were here. She could console him on the totally meaningless work he was doing for Hubble with these elections. It was bad enough that Da'an had given him such a mammoth assignment—an assignment he would have to carry out in secret—but the last thing he needed were these asinine political debacles getting in his way of completing his assignment. She had left the distraught Augur with a warning just before she left. She told him to expect things to get worse before they got better. If there was anything the priests would do, it would be these crucial days before Election Day.
Augur's thoughts turned to Liam and Renee. He felt for the two, and he also felt torn. He still owed Liam and Renee a lot, but Da'an had writhed that obligation from him by demanding his unbending devotion to her and her agenda. He wanted to be able to tell Renee and Liam everything he had learned from Da'an, but his allegiance to her was the price he had to pay for such valuable information.
It surprised Augur how capable Da'an was of bringing about such blind loyalty in such a short amount of time. He felt like he had been manipulated into following her. However, he also understood that if he were in a tight situation and he could pick one person to be with, it would be Da'an. This revelation had surprised Augur, but Da'an was much stronger than Liam and Renee combined. She was much more able than them. Things started moving when she was in charge. When she was incapacitated, everyone was incapacitated with her. She was not a friend, Augur realized, like Liam and Renee were. She was a leader, and she was now his leader. Augur recalled the many different ways people had bought his services. People like Max Pratt had threatened him. People like Doors and Urick had paid him. People like Boone, Lili, Liam and Renee had befriended him and protected him. Da'an had done none of those things. She merely opened her mouth and pointed, and I bowed to her and offered her my services freely. She had a power that was unspoken. She had an authority that was inherent. There was no question why she was such a powerful weapon to the priests. He could only speculate what she had done those thousands of years before she came to Earth when she played the role of the priests' silent enforcer.
However, Augur had also seen Da'an's vulnerable side. They all had. And after seeing it and the consequences of its exposure, Augur understood why Da'an had hidden it for so long. Da'an's weakness was in her emotions, the emotions that the humans had given her. But Da'an's vulnerability was the only thing that had saved her from the darkness that had overcome Zo'or. Her emotions were what had freed her from the Commonality and inspired her to fight for humanity. Are her emotions truly a weakness then? Perhaps they still were, especially when Da'an opened her heart to someone. Someone could still hurt her terribly if they took advantage of that gift, and the devastation could destroy her very being as it had nearly done so many times. Balancing her newfound emotions with her ambitions was still a struggle, Augur realized, but for every mistake Da'an made, she gained a wealth of knowledge that helped her overcome. Those that cared for her simply had to brace themselves for the fall when it came and enjoy the aftermath when it was over.
In Augur's eyes, Da'an was a soft and silent killer. She had a kindness and warmth that drew millions to her. It could not be described as a charm. It was simply compassion that brought devotion. However, her warmth was merely a veil. She worked like a soft blade or an incoming tide. By the time anyone realized what was happening, it was too late. It was this silent and subtle power that made Da'an a force to be reckoned with. She could slip in so quietly and pull the rug from beneath. No one even realized a rug was there in the first place.
And it was this vigor that Augur and so many like him respected. And that was why he continued to follow Da'an's command even after he realized she had captured him.
"Augur! Are you listening?" holo-Da'an cried firmly.
"Yeah, yeah," Augur said quickly.
"Then, what did I just say?"
"Um…something about the communications system. I have the system and finish debugging the new program."
Holo-Da'an leered at Augur. "That was about as vague as a state of the union address."
"Come on, baby. My brain's on empty right now. Even geniuses need their rest."
"I know that, and I am trying to help you as best as I can. We all are. That's why you programmed us. Look! I just finished doing a test run of your new firewall."
"And?" Augur asked eagerly.
"All tests were positive. I believe the firewall is ready for a field test."
"That's great!" Augur cried with joy. "That's the first bit of good news I've had all week. Now all I have to do is encrypt the system and create a set of exclusive cipher keys. Holo-Da'an, you may have just gotten me through the day today."
"Aw, I love it when you're excited," holo-Da'an said. "You're like a big teddy bear."
"I'm so glad the real Da'an doesn't know you exist," Augur said. "She'd probably turn me into a mental vegetable."
"Speaking of the real Da'an, I believe we have done all we can to update the network," holo-Da'an said. "You will need her help if you want to field-test the prototype system seeing as this is a worldwide network. However, since she is currently on vacation, I have come to the consensus that you have earned a much-needed rest."
"Oh, thank God!" Augur cried. "I only hope my other boss is as lenient."
"Hubble, you mean? He is in Kansas right now. I do not see what he could do."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Augur cried. "I just had a great idea! I can just field-test the system the same way I field-tested the one I built for the ANA. We'll use the old resistance communication system. That should suffice until we can use Da'an to help us get it global."
"Capital idea," holo-Da'an exclaimed. "I will upload the program to your computer at the ANA headquarters and your assistant there can take over."
"Oh, speaking of which, I'd better get down there," Augur said urgently. "If I don't leave now, I'll be late."
"Good luck," holo-Da'an said exchanging with him the Taelon greeting and then disappearing.
"TJ, don't you think that's a little extreme?" Street asked him.
"It's not extreme at all. It's the truth," Tay'jay exclaimed.
Augur walked in to find Tay'jay, Liam and Street arguing about something. Link was reading The Prince. All were settled in the large communications. The ANA employees and the new team that was Hubble's campaign PR department had not yet arrived to fill the room. Only a skeleton crew run by Liam was working by watching the press releases, the electric headlines, and the television news.
"I refuse to believe that any voter is that stupid, TJ," Liam said.
"That's the kind of talk I'd expect from a humanist," Tay'jay said, sneering at Liam. "Look. Technology and the circulation of information may have improved in the past decade or so, but your average American voter is as stupid as ever. They're especially stupid now because they have all this information available through hundreds of different mediums and they still don't bother to read it. Think about it. Most newspapers have had to convert entirely to electronic news, and circulation is still down nationwide. Ratings for the presidential state of the union address are at an all-time low. Local networks won't even broadcast it now if it airs during sweeps months because it's such a ratings nightmare. You know what the top story of this year is slated to be? 'Teenage celebrity Polly Kimpler marries music director who's ten years older than her.' And you guys wonder why Doors lost the election so fast!"
"Do I even wanna know what they're talking about?" Augur asked Link.
"Probably not," Link said with his eyes still stuck in his book. "Something about using the inherent flaws of the American political system to rule the world."
"But doesn't the fact that Doors got so far as he did in the ratings polls show that American voters are judging more wisely?" Street asked. "I mean, for Zo'or to have been so desperate to use an attempted assassination plot just to win an election shows the growing power of the resistance movement."
"First of all, you can't take the actions of Zo'or's Synod into account because they were a bunch of idiots," Tay'jay said. "They didn't attack when they should've and the attempted assassination plot was Zo'or's last desperate method of compensating. Zo'or probably never would've acted if Da'an wasn't bringing Zo'or's leadership abilities into question in the Synod just as the elections were unfolding. The priests are smarter than that. Any idiot with a political science book can take this nation to hell in a hand-basket especially given the fact that it's a two-party system."
"Okay then, smart guy, how would you do it?" Liam asked.
"What would I have done in Zo'or's shoes? Simple," Tay'jay said. "Everyone knows that the presidential primary elections generate the lowest voter turnout in the nation next to mid-term congressional elections. That's America's first mistake: enabling the masses to choose their own candidates and then giving them such a varied selection of candidates to choose from. I'll bet Doors never told you guys that he made it past primaries by the skin of his teeth. Nobody talks about that. My point is the entire system of primary elections makes it inherently easy to rig. If I were Zo'or, I'd get a feel for the potential candidates on both parties. Then I'd pick the most pro-Taelon candidate in both parties and rig them so that those two candidates won. If I had a vendetta against Doors, he never would've made it past primaries if I were in charge. Zo'or was so busy focusing on other crap that he never thought to do that."
"So basically, you'd rig it to where the people have to choose between Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum?" Street surmised.
"Damn straight," Tay'jay said.
"That's horrible," Liam protested.
"That's politics, baby," Tay'jay shot back. "It's not my fault only thirty percent of your country gets off its ass and votes. Do you know that most counties now let you vote almost two weeks well in advance before Election Day, and voter turnout is still low? Why do you think so many politicians in favor of Doors said the American people didn't vote for Thompson by a landslide? They said only thirty percent of the people voted for Thompson by a landslide, and it's true. What should really piss you off is that voter turnout is that low despite the fact that voting is faster and more efficient than ever. But we could talk for days about that."
"Okay, what about this?" Street asked. "What if Doors got past primaries despite the fact that you tried to rig the elections? What would you do then?"
"The answer is simple," Tay'jay said. "I'd launch a smear campaign. I'd dig until I found every mistake that man's ever made from the day he was born, and from what I hear, he's made a lot of those. Then, I'd broadcast it on every TV in America for the whole nation to hear. And then, if all else failed, I'd drag his ass into a good old-fashioned scandal. However, I'd be smart enough to launch the scandal just before the polls opened. That way, it's fresh on people's mind, so it plays a huge factor in who they vote for. Also, Doors' cronies would be so busy trying to clean up the mess that when it was all finished, it'd be too late for them to launch a counterstatement. It's the perfect plan."
"You are a ruthless man," Liam said.
"Only when I need to be," Tay'jay shrugged.
"But even if America votes the wrong president in, we have a system of checks and balances that counters a bad candidate getting elected," Street said.
"A system that is never practiced," Tay'jay said. "When was the last time a president was ever impeached? During the Clinton Administration. And when was the last time such impeachment ever came back with a removal of the president? Never!"
"That's not true," Street said. "What about Nixon? He was impeached and kicked out of office."
"No. He was impeached and so he resigned. That's not the same thing," Tay'jay said. "In over two centuries of presidents, only three have been impeached, and Nixon is the closest the US has come to having a removal of the president, and you know why that is?"
"No, but I bet you're gonna tell us," Liam said cynically.
"It's because presidents are allowed to pack the entire federal judicial system with their supporters, and these said judges are the ones who preside over an impeachment trial. That's what also makes the Supreme Court inherently useless. The president can ideally pack the Supreme Court with as many justices as he sees fit. That's how Franklin Roosevelt was able to pack the Supreme Court with as many as thirteen justices at one time before it was decided that the traditional number should be no more than nine. However, that's not dictated in the Constitution. The president can constitutionally pack as many justices as he sees fit. Supreme Court justices have control over evidence that can be submitted into the trial. That's why it was so hard to introduce the tapes that would have convicted Nixon, had he not resigned, into evidence."
"Uh, I gotta correct something," Link chimed in. "It was hard to get the tapes into evidence because Nixon made it hard, not because of the Supreme Court justices. They'd been telling him for months to produce those tapes, and when he finally did, they'd been edited."
"That only further proves my point," Tay'jay shouted back.
"But on the president packing the Supreme Court, the candidates have to go before a senatorial committee," Street said. "If the Senate is packed with people who don't support the president, their committee can get rid of any and all Supreme Court candidates the president nominates."
"Yes, but remember that by the time an impeachment trial has even begun, it's far too late for that," Tay'jay said. "That's the price you pay for giving Supreme Court justices a lifetime membership. If the president before him packed the Supreme Court with justices who favor the current president, there's nothing the Senate can do. They can't undo their decision after they've made it."
"But what if they don't favor the current president?" Street asked.
As Tay'jay, Liam, and Street continued their argument, Augur set himself at a computer console next to Link.
"Enjoying your book?" Augur asked.
"I'd enjoy it even more if certain people would put a sock in it!" Link yelled.
"Get outta the kitchen if you can't stand the heat, semper fi!" Tay'jay shot back.
"Bastard," Link muttered under his breath. He closed the book, admitting to himself that he would never reach the next chapter today. "So how's everything on your end, Augur-man?"
"Can I speak openly for a moment?" Augur whispered.
Link understood his words and moved in a little closer.
"It took me several sleepless nights and about a thousand cups of genuine Colombian coffee, but the communication system is for the most part finished. All I need to do it field test it and debug the codes."
"And how long it that gonna take?" Link asked.
"About six weeks," Augur said.
"You're gonna debug like ten million lines of code in just six weeks?" Link asked, so astonished that he had to correct himself and lower his voice once more.
"Well, with my holo-ladies and a compiler as fancy as the one we have here, it cuts the time a lot shorter," Augur said. "But if I could run it nonstop with a team of analysts in the open, it'd only take me two weeks."
"Technology's a wonder sometimes."
"Sure is."
"What about this election business? Any problems?" Link asked.
"I don't sweat it. I just do what Da'an told me to: Feign interest and work on the real problem at hand," Augur said, but he and Link had to cut off the conversation when Liam marched out of the room from frustration. Therefore, Augur switched to a different topic. "What about you and Da'an? Have you…you know…?"
"A good man does not kiss and tell," Link said.
"I respect that," Augur said. Meaning they haven't.
"Why do you want to know so much about me and Da'an anyway?" Link asked. "What, where you a paparazzo in another life?"
Augur put his hands up innocently. "I don't mean any harm, but in case you didn't notice, I'm usually out of the loop when it comes to the goings on outside. I have a natural lust for gossip."
"Oh, so you're one of those kinds of guys," Link said with a cruel wink.
"No!" Augur cried defensively. "I'm not a pervert. I'm just curious."
"You like to people-watch, then," Link surmised.
"Exactly."
"But you also have an unhealthy fancy with making holographic AIs of women you're attracted to," Link said.
"I already told you I was sorry about the holo-Da'an," Augur said. "It's not like I let anyone see her."
"I know exactly what you're talking about. You have the same type of fancy for females that most men do with actresses or models. However, your knack for technology and otherwise geek-like nature makes you kick it up a notch and create holographic programs instead of keeping pictures. Your attractions are also not so much to the women's bodies and features so much as they are to their intellect. You're intrigued by women who can one-up you, per se."
Augur's mouth dropped. "Wh-Who are you? The reincarnation of Freud?"
"Oh, far from it," Link said. "I'm just telling you that I understand why you create these holo-women."
Augur rolled his eyes.
"Look, I'm not out to judge," Link said. "As long as you don't act on the fantasy, I couldn't care less whether or not you're attracted to my girlfriend. It's the predatory nature of the beast."
"Thanks…I guess," Augur said hesitantly. Is he trying to attack my manhood? When Link said nothing to him for a long time, Augur looked down to his computer screen and began to work.
"So tell me this, Augur," Link said suddenly in a casual tone. "Why is it that the amount of holo-personalities you've created has grown in the past few months?"
Augur darted in Link's direction. Link had re-opened his book, but he was not actually looking at the words. His face was down, but his eyes were pointed directly at Augur. No one had looked into Augur's eyes so dead-on for a long time.
"I don't know," Augur said, shaking his head.
"We're just selfish sometimes," Link said quickly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Augur asked sharply.
"There's just no substitute for the real thing," Link said.
"Are you trying to insult me?"
"What do you think?" Link asked back.
Augur sighed. "Sometimes I don't get myself. But that doesn't mean I'm not comfortable. I just get displaced sometimes. It happens to everyone. Da'an kinda put me in the right direction. Is that wrong?"
"It's wrong if it's coming from the wrong place, and I think you know what I'm talking about," Link said.
"No. I don't know."
Link sighed. "Let me put it this way: until now you were a one-holo-girl man. And that holo-girl was always Lili."
"That's not true. There was that girl I was dating for a while…until she dumped me for that medical student," Augur said, grumbling the last part.
"You knew Lili was alive long before she died," Link said. "You had all those holo-women long ago. You originally did it as a gimmick. But Lili was different. She was something special. You loved her."
"Yes…I did," Augur said.
"So how come you never renewed her programming when you knew she was alive?" Link asked tonelessly.
"I…" Augur tried to say. "I…guess it was because…it didn't feel the same. When you go for so long thinking someone's really dead, you just get used to the idea. Plus…I just didn't want to confuse Ariel. It'd be a tad discomforting to have a holographic interface of your dead mother walking around."
"Makes sense, but I think there's something more to it," Link said.
"Oh really? And what's that?"
"Guilt," Link said.
"What?" Augur asked in confusion.
"Think about it. After Lili died, you made it your mission to go with Da'an to Jaridia. Then, you convinced Da'an to take care of Ariel, Lili's daughter. I won't even bother to mention that incident where you tapped into Da'an's frequency in the Commonality and turned her into an Atavus beast just because you were jealous when Lili told you they shared. Now, you've made a holographic version of Da'an, a holograph to whom you devote the most time out of all your other holo-women."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying that your devotion to Da'an and our cause is exceptional, but don't think we both haven't noticed it as your desperate attempt to carry a piece of Lili with you."
"You've got it all wrong. You don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't I?" Link asked dropping his Brooklyn accent entirely. "Da'an thinks that your devotion can be used to our advantage. But I need a little bit more convincing."
"Don't do this to me right now."
"All your life you've followed the orders of others because you either feel like you owe them something or because they owe you. Your subservience to Da'an is out of an unrequited love you felt for Lili and your desperation to cling to the remnants of that relationship. I also happen to believe it's out of some kind of jealousy you feel for Da'an, a jealousy that an alien like her can have a stronger and more transcendental bond with Lili than you'll ever have. And that's why I'm trying to caution you. Da'an's told me about the ramifications of her visions. I know it's not my place to care, but I don't want to see someone as smart and as interesting as you get caught up in those ramifications out of personal spite or affected obligation. We're all going to have to be able to live with ourselves when this is all over. Will you be able to when you realize you got yourself involved out of something artificial or despondent?"
Augur sighed.
"My advice to you is this: Don't get involved any further in this because you feel like you have to. Get involved because you want to. As easy as it is to believe otherwise, you do have a choice. And choosing to obey Da'an's orders is a lot easier on your conscience than feeling forced to obey. It may not seem like it now, but the consequences of your choice will be much easier to deal with. So, Marcus 'Augur' Devereaux, never mind what Da'an wants you to do. What do you want to do?"
Augur wanted to shut out everything Link was telling him, but he could not shake the man's words. They had filled him with doubt and fear. Was Link right? Had Augur turned himself into an ignorant slave out of grief or spite? When he looked down at his keyboard, he found his finger pressing hard against the control key. He had barely even noticed the mechanical sound the computer was making.
Link patted Augur's back, and then he closed his book. "Give it some thought, and take a break from your assignment while you do," he said, rising from his seat. He had regenerated his accent, and he gave Augur as subtle wink of confidence. "If Da'an can take a vacation, then so can you."
Augur could see why Da'an had fallen for that man. He had no idea what kind of secrets Link was keeping, but his loyalty was without question. Augur thought he had made his choice at the top of the Andes Mountains. He thought that he'd had his awakening that night. But the doubts Link had raised had him questioning his awakening. Had it been artificial? Maybe it was just one step. Something big was going to happen. Augur wanted to be a part of it, but that didn't mean that he had to.
What was this strange spell Da'an and her followers had cast over him? It was like a chess game, but he could only see his own pieces. And the humor was not lost on Augur when he realized that all this time, he still wondered about Da'an and Ariel, where they were, and how they were doing.
As the ship landed on the blue planet Nye called home, bittersweet memories filled Da'an's mind. There were not just memories of the ritual. There were memories of a time long before that, a time when she had been so certain of herself. The planet Earth had shown her just how grossly misinformed of herself she had been. Now, she felt that same certainty. It was certainty of her goals and the direction of her ultimate destiny. However, she had fooled herself before. She had to be sure this was real this time. That was why she was here, but she would never relay that to Mi'en or Ariel.
Mi'en pointed out the spider-web-like structure of Nye's home to Ariel as she flew the shuttle in.
"Wow!" Ariel cried in awe. "Do they all have people in them?"
"They certainly do," Mi'en said.
"It sure doesn't look like it," Ariel said.
"Well, they're probably inside at mass or something," Mi'en chuckled. "You should strap yourself in now. We're about to land."
"Okay," Ariel said, retreating to her seat next to Da'an.
Da'an sighed and thought of the utter lunacy of the elections as if it were a distant memory. She'd had several thoughts like this since Link had saved her. It felt good to have control over her newfound powers of precognition, but it also felt strange at times. She chuckled. "A little universe unto itself. The information network is vast and infinite."
"Huh?" Ariel asked.
"Did you say something, Da'an?" Mi'en asked.
Da'an blushed, something she found that she had not done in a long time. "No. It's nothing."
The shuttle landed at the center of the spider web, in a giant Taelon-structured dome. When the shuttle doors opened, Da'an, Mi'en and Ariel found Nye and three others waiting for them. Two Da'an recognized and one Mi'en recognized.
Nye was wearing a ceremonial blue robe. She embraced Da'an when she emerged from the shuttle.
"You have had a long journey," Nye said during the embrace. "I have missed you."
"So much has happened," Da'an said after Nye let her go. "It is good to see you again, Nye."
"Mi'en, you look great," one of the cultists behind Nye said.
"Thank you, Po. I feel great," Mi'en said. "There's so much we have to talk about. Um, Da'an, do you mind if…?"
"Go ahead Mi'en," Da'an said. "I believe that Nye can take it from here."
Nye bent on her knee and smiled at the nervous little Ariel. "You must be the child I have heard so much about. You look very beautiful, su'ki."
"Thank you," Ariel said with a nervous smile.
"Ariel, this is Priestess Nye," Da'an said softly. "She is a good friend of mine." Da'an pointed at the two ministers behind her. "These two are Alo'in and Mem'na."
"It is good to see you again, Da'an," Mem'na said.
"We look forward to accommodating you and your parent, little su'ki," Nye said, pulling out a shiny crystalline substance from a pocket in her robe.
"Pretty!" Ariel said, taking the substance.
"Eat it," Nye said. "I trust you will find it quite appetizing."
Ariel instantly put it in her mouth. The substance melted quickly and trickled down Ariel's throat. "It's so sweet! It tastes like those seeds you gave me for the trip, mommy."
"Pomegranate," Da'an said.
"Yeah!"
"If you promise to behave, I will give you one every night," Nye offered.
"That would be great!" Ariel exclaimed. "I like this place, Mommy."
Da'an chuckled.
"Let me take you to your quarters," Nye said.
"Why don't you have Mem'na and Alo'in go on ahead?" Da'an said. "You and I have much to discuss."
Mem'na and Alo'in had already unloaded Da'an and Ariel's luggage. Da'an embraced Ariel and told her to be good to Mem'na and Alo'in. She told Ariel she would meet her in a few minutes.
"She is a very good child," Nye said, watching Ariel trot off with Mem'na and Alo'in.
"I still worry about her sometimes," Da'an said.
"I am sorry for what happened to Zo'or," Nye said, "but it was unavoidable."
"You could not resist reading my mind, could you?"
"A simple measure to see how much you have grown," Nye said.
"And now that you have, what words would you choose to describe and console me?" Da'an asked hollowly.
"There is no good word for what you were forced to endure," Nye said sympathetically. "Not even the ritual I put you through is so cruel."
"I feel that I am ready to move on with myself, but there is still one section of my past that remains unseen," Da'an said, "the most quintessential section of all."
"Then, you are not truly ready to move on," Nye said.
"Perhaps I am not, but that is one of the many reasons why I am here," Da'an said.
Nye nodded and motioned for Da'an to follow her inside the station. The station reminded Da'an of a smaller version of the Mothership's bridge. However, at the back of the station was a small cantina where Taelon civilians living with the cult communed. To the sides of the cantina were cubicles with luxurious seating furniture and tables that Da'an could only speculate were reserved for groups that wanted the privacy and lavishness of a lounge but the public setting of a cantina or club. Nye activated a virtual glass shield that was the only barrier between the goings on in the cantina and the small mini-lounge in which they had settled.
Nye and Da'an sat across from one another in blue cushioned chairs at a black warped looking table.
"Now," Nye said, "tell me of your experience."
Da'an removed the hairpiece that kept her hair in a bun and let her hair spread over her back. "There is not much to tell."
"You do not recall much?" Nye asked.
"No," Da'an said. "I recall everything."
"Then you have difficulty explaining it?"
"I do not believe it was meant to be explained," Da'an said with a wry grin. "I can only tell you that as a result of the ritual I am no longer the diplomat you once knew as Da'an nor the scientist you once knew as Ma'el."
"You consider yourself a blend of the two?"
"No," Da'an said. "I am neither nor am I both. I am the pieces of their shattered personalities rebuilt as a whole that is the few and far between of them. I have Ma'el's wisdom and Da'an's compassion. I have Ma'el's logic and Da'an's ingenuity. It is a strange phenomenon that manifested itself in Ma'el's powers, powers that have now become a part of me and have reformatted my personality."
"A second awakening then," Nye surmised.
"Call it what you'd like. The universe is vast and infinite."
"Of course!" Nye said. "A time-space phenomenon. It must have started when you first entered the labyrinth."
"Despite the obvious barriers in time, Ma'el and I shared the exact same experience in the exact same time frame," Da'an said, growing solemn in her tone.
"Could it be that the power of the gateway combined your minds for a short period of time? You and Ma'el were in the same place in the relative time of the universe. It was as if you were physically together."
"That is one theory at least," Da'an said skeptically. Even if Nye's theory was true, this was not what Da'an had come to talk about.
"You are sad," Nye said. "I feel it in your mind."
"He told me that he died in mourning for me," Da'an said, trying to hide her sadness from Nye with her voice. "I now understand what he meant."
Nye lifted Da'an's head and gazed deeply into her eyes. Even her eyes were trying to hide it, but nothing could keep Da'an from feeling it. Nye could tell this was a difficult subject to deal with, one of the few Da'an did not want explained or analyzed. "I am sorry Da'an. It is only that…I never knew…just what happened."
"I do not believe I ever missed him as much as I did then. Perhaps it was that longing…for the only family I had left…that kept me inside the shell that drove me mad. After I lost Zo'or, I don't think there was any other course left for me."
Nye took Da'an's hands and placed them on her cheeks. "But you still have a family. You have your half-brother, Tay'jay."
"A brother from which I have been estranged for hundreds of years."
"As long as you were apart from Ma'el."
"As payment to become the silent enforcer that made me a legend among my kind."
"Da'an, you are loved by many unconditionally," Nye assured. "There are two different kinds of families out there: the family that created you and the family you create yourself."
"I have both," Da'an said, "but Tay'jay is all that remains of family that created me."
Nye shook her head. That is not true.
Renee and Hubble were dancing together at a charity ball to country music, a genre to which Renee was extremely unfamiliar. She had never found herself counting her own steps until now, but Hubble seemed to enjoy his opportunity to educate her. The country club they were at had been designed to look more like a ranch. They were raising money with a grassroots group that supported the ANA's candidates in Kansas.
Renee found the southern-style clothing a little too much. Her corset was hurting her waist and her heart was pounding from the fast-paced dancing she was doing. However, Renee believed that her exhaustion had more to do with all the traveling she had done. She should have been used to working this hard, but she supposed she never did. All this time she thought only of getting back with Liam. The men she had to deal with were so shallow. All they saw were their insipid egos. Renee wondered if many of these candidates were even worth the effort. Many had only given their words, and words did not count for much in the world of politics.
"Hey, Hubble," Renee said breathlessly. "I need a drink."
"I thought you'd never ask," Hubble said just as breathlessly. "Let's go."
"You know what?" Renee suddenly said once they had reached the bar. "I have to make a quick visit to the ladies room. Could you…?"
"No problem," Hubble said. "Rum and coke?"
"No ice," Renee nodded.
Renee hurried into the restroom and immediately splashed water all over her face, smudging her makeup. She let down her hair that had been pinned up and curled. Thoroughly, she examined her features. She was wearing an old southern belle's dress that was riddled with frills and white in color. Her back was killing her. She had no idea who had decided on a plantation-style costume ball, but she really wanted to kill that person right now. She immediately began unzipping her dress and untying her corset. After several minutes of hell, it finally came loose letting her breathe again.
She saw that her normally cream-colored skin had become damp red. She gave herself some time to breathe the crisp air conditioning, letting it dry her skin. Then she went to work reapplying her makeup. A loud banging interrupted her train of thought, and the sounds of rapid footsteps make her heart jump. When she checked the mirror for another distraught woman, she found a man.
"Oh God!" he cried sheepishly. "I'm so sorry. I thought this was the men's room."
"Oh, it's okay. You just startled me," Renee said. "Go ahead. I don't think there's anyone else in here."
"No…you look like…you're in the middle of something," he said hesitantly. "I'll just find the men's room."
Renee in a confused state checked the mirror and remembered that her corset was hanging wide open exposing her bare back. She immediately used her dress to cover it.
"I'm really sorry," he said darting out of the room.
"Jesus," Renee breathed. As she caught her breath, she found her skin red once more. She shook her head and began re-tying her corset. "Goddamn it!" She would need help re-tying the corset.
To her luck, the male dashed back into the restroom. "I'm really sorry, but I can't find the men's room, and I really need to go." He slammed the door to one of the stalls. Seconds later Renee heard a groan of relief. She laughed.
"I hear you laughing out there, Victoria's Secret," the man's voice said. "You think this is pretty funny."
"Well…" Renee giggled, still trying to re-tie her corset.
She heard the toilet flush, and then he joined her by the sink to wash his hands. Renee decided to finish re-applying her makeup.
"Hey," the guy suddenly said once he finished washing his hands. "I know you. Renee? Renee Palmer?"
Renee took a closer look at this man. He had strawberry blond hair and green eyes. His skin was cream-colored like hers. Renee estimated that he was in his mid-thirties, but those dimples around his cheeks made him look like he was in his late twenties. He was wearing an old southern gentleman's tuxedo. It was the man's thick eyelashes that clicked Renee's mind. She remembered being jealous that a man could be blessed with such thick and naturally curled eyelashes.
"Bill? Bill Frit?" Renee asked.
"That's me," he said. "I didn't recognize you at first with curly hair."
"Oh, so it was the hair and not this hideously ugly and uncomfortable dress?"
"Yep, it was definitely the hair, and call me Billy."
"Billy it is. Look, I know this sounds really unconventional, but would you…um…tie my corset?"
Billy chuckled. "Never said no to a woman yet."
Renee shook her head at the situation. What were the odds that she would meet a fellow colleague of hers here?
"So what brings you here?" Renee asked. "I know it can't be for Doors International."
"No, Kansas City's my hometown," Billy said. "I came to support my candidates. What about you? Last I checked everyone from Doors International's on the other side. Wait. You're not an ANA are you?"
"Guilty," Renee said.
"Really?" Billy said. "So what's a girl like you got against the Taelons?"
"It's not the Taelons I'm against. It's their current policies," Renee said.
"Then you of all people should be glad that Zo'or's gone and the priests are here."
"You can never be too careful with the Taelons. Having worked so closely with them, I know that. We just want to make sure we're not giving up Zo'or for Zo'or."
"Then, you're not here for the candidates? You're just here for the ANA."
"I'm trying to be neutral through all of this," Renee said. "I'm just trying to be supportive of the ANA."
"Sounds a lot like me," Billy said. "That's why I'm here too. I really don't care who wins. They're all the same, I've learned. But Lane Conrad is an old frat buddy of mine and when he asked for a small contribution to his cause, I had to help him out."
"It's good that you're helping out an old friend."
"Thanks," Billy said. "That's it. You're done."
"Oh, wow," Renee said. "I can actually breathe. What did you do?"
"Skip a hole when you tie a corset. It feels looser. A little secret my mama taught me," Billy said. "She was one of those women who believed wearing corsets could help you lose weight."
"Get out of here," Renee laughed. "Did it work?"
"She's got a permanently hour glass-shaped body. 'Course she can't eat too much anymore," Billy said humorously. "But overall, she's still a healthy girl."
The two chuckled together for a few moments, but then Renee knocked her hand against the table. "Crap! I forgot about Hubble!"
"Yeah, we probably shouldn't spend the rest of the party stuck in a bathroom," Billy said. "Come find me during a slow dance."
"Thanks," Renee said. "I'll do that."
Billy held the door for Renee and followed her outside. She searched for Hubble and found that he had left the bar. Immediately, Faith Hill's "Breathe" began to play. Renee scoffed humorously when she found Billy standing next to the DJ.
Billy's eyes made contact with hers. He sashayed his way towards her and took her gloved hand. "May I have this dance?"
"You couldn't resist, I see," Renee chuckled.
"It was my mother's favorite song," Billy said.
"Again with the mother story," Renee said. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."
"Ah, you know what it's like just as well as I do," Billy said, leading her back to the dance floor. "When you work all hours around the world for a company this big, it's hard to maintain a long-lasting relationship."
"Yeah, well, watch out because I hear workplace romances never work out," Renee warned.
"Oh, this part is the best!" Billy said pulling Renee in close and listening to the refrain of the song.
Renee had to laugh. As they turned to the rhythm, she saw Hubble sitting at a table flirting with a blond woman. She had to shake her head. Have fun, Hubble.
Billy and Renee danced through several more songs before it was finally time for the candidates to give the closing speeches and announce how much money they raised. Renee was just happy that this would be the last stop on the campaign tour. Then, she could return to Liam and focus on what really mattered.
When it was over, Renee introduced Billy to Hubble, who appeared suspicious of the young CFO.
"It's nice to meet you," Hubble said shaking hands with Billy. "Renee can I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure," Renee said.
He pulled her aside. "I missed you when you went to the restroom. How long have you been flirting with this guy?"
"Flirting?" Renee scoffed. "Oh, please. He's just a co-worker."
"I don't need you disappearing for a long time going off with some guy," Hubble said. "People get the wrong impression."
"Oh, like the impression I got with that pretty little blond you were sharing a drink with?" Renee shot back.
"What? That was Carol!" Hubble protested. "She's the wife of a good friend of mine, a friend who supports the ANA."
"Oh, so just because I mingle with a colleague at work, I'm suddenly a traitor?" Renee cried. "Hubble, I'm a big girl. I know what I'm doing. I've been on this tour just as long as you have and I can handle myself. Now, let's just go. I'm tired."
"You're coming back to the hotel with me. I don't even want you giving that man a 'good day.' "
"What is your problem? Have you been drinking?"
"Of course I've been drinking! We've all been drinking! But that doesn't mean you can act like a slut to every guy you meet from work."
"Excuse me?" Renee said firmly. "I'm going to take that as the liquor talking. I worked just as hard as you on this campaign and I'm just as passionate about getting our supporters through as you do, but don't you dare confuse that with me being loose. I especially don't need to hear that from you, a man who's flirted with at least one woman in every state for the past four weeks. Why don't you tell me what you were doing all those nights at all those hotels? How many females' phone numbers have you collected?"
"Just get in the car and let's get out of here," Hubble said.
"Screw you!" Renee yelled, and she pushed past him.
"Hey! Don't you walk out on me, Renee! Not now! I need you!" Hubble yelled.
"Whoa what happened?" Billy asked as the frustrated Renee walked towards him.
"Oh, don't worry about," Renee said, brushing her shoulder. "My colleague's drunk, and he's taking it out on me."
"I see," Billy said. "Well, why don't you just come with me? I can have my driver take you back to your hotel."
"Thanks," Renee said, and she followed him to his car.
The driver of Hubble's limo met him to open the door. He was very scrawny looking driver with an unusually large nostril. Hubble did not remember seeing him before, but he also remembered that he never paid much attention to his drivers. "Are you all right, sir? Where's Miss Palmer?"
"She went back to the hotel," Hubble said.
"She's going with someone else?"
"Yes. Listen, I need you to do something for me," Hubble said, pulling him close so that he could whisper. "Could you wait by the door after you drop me off and make sure she gets in all right?"
"Um, yes, sir," the driver said.
While they were on their way to the hotel, Billy regaled Renee with stories about his and Conrad's escapades. None of them struck Renee as particularly funny. The only one that came close to funny happened when Billy and Conrad were at a bar watching a Pa'dar match when they used to be popular. Conrad and Billy were wearing different jack patches for the different warriors. Conrad was so drunk that he thought his warrior had won. When Billy had to break the news to him that his warrior had lost, Conrad smashed his jack patch saying it was jinxed as if the jack patch was responsible for the loss. Both of them ended up getting thrown out.
Renee was expecting a punch line at the end, but when none came, Renee laughed anyway out of politeness.
"Well, this is my stop," Renee said as the driver pulled into the Four Seasons rotunda.
"Wait, let me take you to your room," Billy offered.
"No, that's not necessary," Renee said.
"Oh, come on. I couldn't call myself a gentleman if I didn't at least make sure you get inside okay," Billy said.
Renee laughed. "Okay, sure. But I'm telling you. I'm fine."
When they reached the elevator, they found Hubble in a lounge room talking with some associates who were staying in the same hotel. Suddenly, a wicked idea emerged in Renee's head.
"So that's Hubble Urick," Billy said. "I heard people are calling him the next president of the United States."
"Yeah, and he thinks that because of that he can have any woman he wants," Renee said mischievously.
"Renee Palmer, are you getting an idea?" Billy asked playfully.
"Normally, I wouldn't do this because it's so childish, but…I'm drunk and I'm in the mood for a little fun," Renee said. She placed her arms on Billy's shoulders and let him pull her close. Renee burst out laughing in her mind at Hubble's jealous stares at what he thought was them kissing.
Renee immediately pressed the elevator button. While they waited, the two groped and giggled sweet nothings at each other. When the elevator finally opened, Renee sealed the pride-insulting scene by lustfully pulling Billy into the elevator. When it was closed, Billy and Renee burst out laughing.
"Did you see the look on that pompous bastard's face?" Billy cried.
"He's probably not going to talk to me for a week," Renee giggled.
They were still laughing about it when they reached Renee's floor and made it to her suite.
"Well, I had a great time with you tonight, Miss Palmer," Billy said.
"So did I," Renee said. "Maybe I'll see you at work sometime."
"Oh, I'm sure you will," Billy said with a grin. "You'll at least see me at the shareholders meeting next week."
"That's true," Renee said, completely oblivious to the fact that she was blushing. She inserted the key card to her room, but Billy was the one who opened the door when it unlocked. She walked inside, but she did not expect Billy to follow her. "Uh…would you like a drink?"
"Sure," Billy said. "I need to use your bathroom anyway."
Renee laughed and opened her mini-bar to pull out a small bottle of wine. She strutted to the cabinet, pulled out two glasses, and strolled to the sofa. When Billy was done, she had already plopped down on the sofa. Billy sat next to her, but the two did not say anything to each other. Instead, Renee poured them both a drink. When she sat back to hand him his glass, she found one of his arms around her.
"Oh, God," she gasped. "Um, Billy…I…"
Billy slipped in for a kiss, but Renee turned her head away.
"Billy," Renee said pulling his arm off. "I don't want you to get the wrong impression with this. This is…just a drink among friends…I hope. I'm seeing someone."
Billy sighed. "I-I know."
"You know?"
"I mean I…well, how could you not be seeing someone? I'm sorry, Renee. I don't know what I was thinking."
Now Renee felt bad. "Would you like to watch a movie or something with me?"
"No," Billy said drinking his wine. "It's okay. I've gotta get back. I had a nice time, Renee. I'll see you at work."
"Billy, I've hurt you," Renee said. "I'm so sorry."
"No, it's okay," Billy said, holding his hands up. "I'm serious. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one who was wrong."
"Billy—"
"Renee," Billy said with a smile. "Think…nothing…of it."
Renee sighed with relief.
"Um, you know if it doesn't work out—"
"That's the line!" Renee cried playfully.
"You gave it to me," Billy joked. "I had to take it. I'll be seeing you."
"Bye," Renee said as he opened the door and trotted outside. "Oh, and Billy?"
"Yeah?"
"Your fly's open."
Billy burst out laughing and zipped his fly. Then, he pretended to go in the wrong direction before he galloped back to the elevator.
"Crazy," Renee laughed. She closed the door and began the daunting process of getting out of her costume, glad to have her last night of tireless campaigning end on a high note.
"So yesterday was Renee's last day, right?" Tay'jay asked Liam after they had finished their political science debate.
"Yeah, thank God," Liam said. "I tried calling her, but I guess it was too late. She didn't answer her global. I'm just looking forward to seeing her when she gets home this evening."
"I still can't believe you let Renee loose with Hubble for that long," Link said passing the group by.
"Believe me, if I had a choice I wouldn't have," Liam said. "That's got to be as entertaining as watching paint dry."
"Yeah, maybe if you'd been there," Tay'jay laughed wryly.
"Shut up!" Liam cried, pushing Tay'jay.
"Hey, you should be proud," Tay'jay said innocently. "You snagged the perfect catch. Renee's rich. She's probably got other assets."
"Oh, God," Liam muttered. "Look, I love Renee because she's smart, fun, witty, and…"
"Rich," Link said quickly.
"No! Renee doesn't need to be rich for us to be together."
"Liam, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret about rich women like Renee," Tay'jay said. "You know, the 'love 'em and leave 'em' business tycoonesses that flaunt their sexuality but then get all pissy when you hit on 'em."
"Tay'jay! That's so sexist!" Street said in shock.
"Pipe down, junior. The grown ups are talking," Tay'jay said back.
Street scoffed.
"Look, women like Renee are always lookin' for the bigger, better deal. It's not that Renee doesn't love you. I'm sure she does, but it's in her nature to leave you for another guy. She can't help it. I'm sure she's got a whole plethora of broken hearted men she's left behind, ninety percent of them ten times the man you'll ever be. She's riddled with commitment issues."
"Commitment issues?" Liam asked in outrage. "Well, what about you, Tay'jay? Over two-thousand years and you don't have one woman to call your own."
"How do you think I know about Renee?" Tay'jay asked back.
"And for that matter, what about Link and Da'an?" Liam asked, darting a sneer in Link's direction.
"What about us?" Link asked defensively.
"You've been going out for months, you're raising Ariel together, but you two still won't get married."
"Whoa! Da'an and I are a whole different ball game," Link said. "You don't just go out with an alien for a few months and then suddenly ask her to marry you. Besides, from what Tay'jay tells me, Taelons don't believe in marriage."
"Oh, don't get me started on that nightmare!" Tay'jay said.
"How can you call marriage a nightmare?" Street asked. "Marriage is supposed to be a union between two people who love each other."
"Oh yeah?" Tay'jay asked sardonically. "Would you ever get married?"
"What!" Street scoffed. "Hell no! Eww! Stay with one man for over fifty years? You've gotta be kidding me!"
"That's right. So imagine if you had to stay with that one person for at least three thousand years," Tay'jay shot back. "Yeah, Liam. We'll have Link and Da'an go ahead and give that a shot. You'll still be around about a hundred years later. Da'an can call you and tell you how they're doin'."
Street laughed. Even Augur, who was still huddled behind his computer laughed a little.
"I guess I never thought of it that way," Street said still giggling at the mental picture in her head. She pictured Da'an with ten children running around dressed in a housewife's clothing with a wrap around her head and a broom in her hand nagging at Link, who was in a wife-beater tank and thirty pounds heavier, to get a better job.
"Besides, Da'an and I don't need some lousy ring to let us know that we care for each other," Link said. "That seems to be your department, flyboy."
"What are you talking about?" Liam asked.
"Do I have to say it more than once? Renee's not exactly the committed type," Tay'jay said. "She's got a notorious reputation for treatin' and streetin' guys in less than a month. That's why you never let a woman like that loose with a bunch of upstanding, cute men. It's like sending a kid to a candy store and then hoping he doesn't steal anything."
"You should've gone with her," Link agreed. "If Jennifer Aniston had played it smart and gone with Brad to all of his shootings, they'd still be together today."
"Even if I believed Renee had commitment issues—which I don't!—it's probably because of something that happened when she was young," Liam said. "I know that she had trouble keeping her friends when she was little, but she's different now."
"Yeah, I'll bet she feeds that line to everyone," Tay'jay said.
"Tay'jay, please stop pissing off Liam," Augur called from his desk.
"It's not like I'm deliberately trying to break the two up," Tay'jay said. "I'm just trying to teach Liam to be smart about his woman. I've seen the way Hubble looks at Renee. He's been waiting for the opportunity to get that girl alone for the past six months. Now he's finally got it because Kincaid's too trusting, him and a whole line of eligible rich businessmen that we probably haven't even dreamt of. Did my sister's betrayal teach you nothing, young Padawan?"
"Link just let Da'an loose on a vacation to God-knows-where," Liam said.
"Whoa, Liam! That's a whole different thing," Augur chimed in.
Link rolled his eyes. Liam obviously still wasn't getting it.
"Oh yeah? How so?"
"First of all, Da'an's not the type to run around with any man she pleases," Augur said. "She proved that back on Jar—I-I mean when she went crazy. When she went crazy. That is what I said."
Tay'jay rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Err, secondly, Da'an's got the kid and Mi'en with her. It's like having Link with her. She's not gonna do anything stupid in front of them."
"Add the fact that acting like a total skank is completely out of Da'an's nature," Street said.
"Et tu, J. Street?" Liam groaned.
"I…only meant in an undercover setting," Street said innocently.
"Listen to me carefully. Renee is not a booty call," Liam declared. "She loves me, and I love her. She's it for me, and I'd think that you guys of all people would understand that."
"Of course we understand, Liam," Link said. "That's the whole point. We're not trying to hurt your relationship. We're trying to help it. Don't get me wrong. Much of a long-lasting relationship is love, but it's also about usin' your brain."
"Doesn't seem to be Kincaid's strong suit," Tay'jay said.
"It used to be," Augur muttered.
Suddenly, Ma'ri burst into the room. "Guys," she panted. "Put it on Extra! There's something on the news! Something about Renee!"
Liam immediately turned on the big screen.
"Our top story this morning, is Renee Palmer a slut?" the male co-anchor said. "We now go live to Janice Jeffrey who has found a new campaign ad that may say 'yes.'"
"What the…!" Liam cried.
"Before now," the female anchor began, "Renee Palmer, the attractive CEO at Doors International whose fame skyrocketed after her work with recently deceased North American Companion Da'an on the Mneme project, was the poster child for the Atlantic National Alliance, an international coalition of countries that gained world-wide support after the suspect death of Da'an and the Taelon priests' exposé on the criminal behavior of now-deceased Taelon Synod Leader Zo'or. The ANA has traveled all around the country gaining national support for congressional candidates in favor of passing a policing policy against the Taelons. Rumors of inappropriate behavior on Renee's part in the office and along the campaign trail have always followed the CEO but were for the most part considered an unfounded nuisance. However, the Internet release of a new campaign ad by Democratic senatorial candidate Lane Conrad's strongest rival, Bob Stanson, has many people wondering if there isn't some truth behind those rumors."
Liam's heart sank to his feet as he saw the pictures of Renee groping a mysterious man at a hotel flash on the screen and the derogatory words describing and denouncing the activities. The man's face had been completely blacked out, but the implied meaning of their gestures was as plain as day.
"The commercial is said to be just one in a series released to Stanson, he claims, by a pro-Taelon PAC. He also says the tapes were released to him because out of all the pro-Taelon candidates running for office in the state of Kansas, he has been the most outspoken. Other commercials are scheduled to air as early as tomorrow morning. We'll bring you further reports as they come."
Street and Augur's mouths dropped open.
"Holy crap," Link said in such a shock that he actually started laughing.
"And you are outta here!" Tay'jay exclaimed to Liam throwing his arms like an umpire.