"Just so that you and I are clear-as you know I do believe in plain speaking-the former Head Gamemaker was very wise to end his own timeline. Do you appreciate why?" The president's hand rested on the knee of a crossed trouser leg and swirled a glass of amber liquid.
"Very well," said the new Head Gamemaker, who sat stiff and upright in a dark leather chair. One hand grasped at the brass hemispheres embedded along the perimeter of chair's arm rest, and the other held a glass.
"This is normally the part where I would ask you to imagine yourself as a plebe, a varmint denizen of the district warrens. Imagine you see what they saw with that tribute, that Rye Kuna, exposing the little caper we recruited him for and having enough honor and-frankly-balls to end his very own timeline outright. Now imagine if suddenly every little rabbit, and mouse, and rat working in the districts suddenly grew the same honor and balls and decided to end their very own timelines. If they weren't afraid to die, imagine what they would be capable of-is normally what I would say, but I can see that you are sharp and don't need such things spelled out."
"Indeed, sir."
"Your predecessor was very sharp too. Hopefully that is where your similarities end."
The two men gazed at each other. The president seemed to have a perpetual flame burning in his office that created an eerie, flickering light in the dim room. The man himself had a topographically intricate face. His eye sockets cast shadows over their eyes, and he seemed to ebb and flow from cheek to chin. The flickering light and his shadow-prone features made him look spectral and haunting. The Head Gamemaker was consistently overriding impulses to avert the president's gaze.
The Head Gamemaker cleared his throat: "'Give the people what they want-breads and circuses.' 'Panem et circenses.' Hence the name of our great nation. Our power is invariably tied the games. But we've had enough circuses. What we need is to divide, not by clever plans or designs, we had enough of that in the last game. If the last Head Gamemaker simply would have let nature run its course, a far better outcome would have resulted than by his meddling. This game will rely on the selfish malignancy of human nature to drive itself: Bellum omnium contra omnes. War of all against all."
"Bellum omnium contra omnes..." the president softly released from his mouth, "it's beautiful..."
The Head Gamemaker raised his glass. It was nearly the first time he'd moved during the entire meeting, and the squeak of the leather interrupted the grace of his gesture. The president's eyes followed the man's glass. The president formed a thin smile.
"Make it so." The president raised his own glass.
SYOT OPEN! The list of characters will be in the next chapter. Check my profile for the tribute form and make sure to PM it to me once completed. Forms left as reviews will not be accepted UNLESSS you don't have an account. If you leave a tribute form as a guest review, then I will save the info before deleting the review. That way everyone can submit!