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Skulduggery-
"Crafty deception or trickery or an instance of it."
Skulduggery
1. Who would have thought it?
Marcus sat behind his desk, in Anna's office with his hands palm down on the desktop. Anna's plans were unraveling, and her own people were in danger from their highly explosive, unpredictable commander in chief .
Most of the V's who had experienced human emotion were 5th column operatives-but not all. There had been a subtle shift among the skilled workers and some scientists, which he had detected, but Anna hadn't. Anna had found Marcus invaluable for his ability to ferret out information from the people. He had not passed along his suspicions about the crews.
It was happening aboard all 29 ships. Interactions with humans, their belief systems, and their culture, were changing the V population, with the exception of the trackers and soldiers, who were bred for just one thing. Their minds were crafted by geneticists to complete there skill set, and nothing more.
Anna had been a skilled manipulator; adept at mimicking human emotions, while operating with the ruthlessness of a trained assassin. Unfortunate for her, and her subordinates, Human emotions and her base personality were not a good fit. Anna appeared incapable of controlling her emotions. They controlled her, and every action since the appearance of the red clouds.
She had been furious at the humans and V collaborators responsible for the destruction of her eggs. Anger, loss, grief and revenge pulsated through her body. She cared much more for those eggs, Marcus noted, than she did for her own daughter, with the exception that Lisa was the heir apparent, the only girl Anna had borne after several miscarriages.
The particles forming the red sky had been engineered to cause mass hysteria, panic, and paranoia among the humans. Anna had gleefully peered out at the as the red clouds rolled across the New York sky. She couldn't wait to watch the humans destroy themselves. Live humans weren't integral to her plan, A point with which Marcus had issues from the beginning, years before the mother ship and the others had appeared.
There had been other nobles like him, who had felt the heavy hand of their monarch when she was defied, and some cases just questioned. His own father had been skinned in front of his eyes by Anna's mother. Almost every noble family could relate a similar experience.
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Therefore, by well orchestrated espionage and subterfuge, the ships under went modification before they ever left the home planet. The humans were mystified by
the red sky, and wondered why the Visitors had not explained the puzzling phenomenon.
However, the only side-effect for the humans were some rashes and asthma like symptoms. The scientists, nurses, and doctors among the Vs experienced severe headache, and a sense of dread they couldn't shake.
The soldiers on the ground were constantly fighting each other, forcing Anna to send replacement soldiers from the ships, equipped with tranquillizer guns. The tranquilizers made the soldier malleable. They were then transported to hidden detention centers originally designed as holding areas for human. Anna had ordered them to be quickly transformed into "re-education centers."
Anna had howled with frustration, . Her own people had plotted against her. There was no other explanation that made sense. She felt a new emotion for the first time. Fear.
Whom could she trust?
She currently was under strict guard inside her quarters, while she plotted her next move. "You're in charge for the time being," she had said to Marcus. "Don't get any ideas of grandeur beyond your post," she warned. "I still have a few tricks up my sleeve."
"Revive Joshua, if he is still alive, we need him to come up with an antidote to the red mist. Watch him carefully."
"His mind has been wiped, my Queen. That is, certain selective memories have been removed. There was no way he could tell us who his collaborators were."
"Very well, Send him down with Samuel and Joseph's replacements."
"I do not believe he will be a problem, Anna. He is remorseful at killing his own kind, and has compassion on his people and the humans which is really to our favor. He can help to alleviate fears; both V and human."
"Good". Anna was laying on a lounge chair with her eyes closed.
"How close are the engineers to being able to disabling the particle beam?"
"They are hopeful the matter will be resolved with the next 24 earth hours. Might I suggest we use Mr. Decker as a means of disseminating information?"
Anna sat up, looking at him with suspicion. "What do you have in mind, Marcus?"
"We will explain that that inter-communications array between the ships malfunctioned, sending sub-atomic particles into the atmosphere These particles caused the meteorological phenomenon resulting in the soldiers' behavior, as
as well as the skin and respiratory problems with the humans."
"Of course we would offer our best reassurances that the problem is quickly being resolved. The healing centers can take care of the human physical problems, as well as the Vs. In fact we will stress this in our statement. I suggest that we send medical support from the ships to help both with the V help problems as well as the humans."
"We admit to wrongdoing?" Anna pursed her lips in annoyance. "'I'm not sure I like this.""
"You must give the humans some credit, Anna," Marcus explained patiently. There are those who are wonder why we haven't done anything. A quick press conference will alleviate fears and give sensible explanations. We will quickly allay any fears and distrus created by this crisis."
"You had better be right, Marcus, and oh, I want Lisa to accompany Joshua to the healing centers, and the detention facilities She calms the human and our kind as well. She that she is vaccinated first."
"Very Well, Will you be making a public appearance?"
Have Mr. Decker report to the ship first thing in the morning. Anna was reclining again on the lounge, rubbing her temples. "Mr. Decker will be allowed a short interview, tomorrow. I must rest now."
"Anna do you really think-"
"Enough," She raged. "I am unable to produce the Bliss! Don't you think I know my people are concerned. I have seen their looks!"
"Perhaps, Joshua could give you something to calm you, to clear your head. Then perhaps the Bliss will return," he stated soothingly. "Maybe the people could also use something to lessen their anxiety."
"You may be right. Explain to Joshua what he must do to stay in my good graces. He is on probation, as the humans would say. It appears from what you have said, Marcus, that he may have been brainwashed by the 5th Column. I am sending Lisa with him, to watch him, and to help with restoring order and peace and do whatever else she sees fit, as my emissary.
"Anna's eyes began to gleam, the way they always did, when she was plotting. Marcus feared what her emotional state would lead her to do. He soon found he didn't need to worry.
"Perhaps Agent Evans would be so kind as to allow Lisa and Joshua to stay at her house. After all, she is the head of the Joint Task Force. Lisa can explain the "meteorological incident, using the story we will be feeding the press. Tyler will be deliriously happy. Lisa will make sure Evans knows that everything is off the record until Chad Decker's announcement tomorrow."
Marcus cocked his head slightly to one side. "What about your plans for Tyler and the Live Aboard program?
Anna shook her, and looked condescendingly at Marcus. Not at this time. My new plan is better, considering our present circumstances. All in good time, Marcus. All in good time."
Anna had just done a 180 in mood and behavior. Her flip-flopping was of some concern. Maybe Joshua could come up with the V equivalent of Prozac? No. Too risky. Human emotions were bad enough. It would be so much easier if he could just kill her. But that wasn't the way Marcus operated. Anna needed to be around as plans for coup were explored and put in place; with Lisa at the center, and with the support of humans and other
V's.
"You are dismissed, Marcus. Summon Joshua for me."
Marcus waited until he had cleared the Security area before he allowed himself the slightest of smiles. The 5th column was going to get a much needed shot in the arm. It was time that the old guard and the 5th column consolidated their efforts.