Yey! Now I can turn my dreams of a nice Believer and Morganite faction into reality! Deirdre has to enlist support for her war against Zakharov. Note: she is not going through the whole oh my god I am so guilty for everything phase, as that will detract from the pace. Suffice to say, she has been through all that. Phheeew, I may even get this story finished in a few days. Then I can go on to my Terry Brooks story. Sorry Feye, don't mean to follow you around. Hmm...or maybe little short stories for Alpha Centauri...who knows. Enjoy this one, anyway!



The loss of communications at Memory of Earth was not a major blow to the Gaians. In preparation for such a day, they had erected communication stations all over the island, which had ample enough staff with which to organise the grid. The location of the other Gaian cities still had to be kept a secret.

Three more satellites had been launched in the past hour, strengthening the protection from space, which would prevent satellites from viewing New Island from outer space. The cities were safe, but there was still no way that Deirdre could take the fight to Zakharov.

By Planet! She gave herself a shake! What was she doing? Seven legions of her warriors had been wiped out! Fifty million people were eliminated in the destruction of Memory, including many of her friends! And she was concerned about not being able to take the fight to that bastard?

She bowed her head. The Gaian people had offered her their unconditional support, mainly after one of her aides had shown every inhabitant the footage of the conversation with Zakharov. She had not approved, but she was grateful that now her own people did not look at her like a traitor. However, she was not entirely sure she wanted their support. After all, what would war achieve, more deaths? More slaughter?

No.

She had made up her mind yesterday to take revenge for the wrongs Zakharov had committed during his time as Faction Leader. The intricacy of his plans astounded her. He had kept the feuds going, he had laid plans that would not take place for centuries, and finally, he had completely and utterly humiliated her, and destroyed one of her cities. That was getting to be too easy.

First New Glasgow, then Gaia's Landing, and now Memory of Earth? Damn him! He had been behind every single problem troubling her faction since day one. Her counsellors had been busy, ridding themselves of any University data, in case Zakharov could activate viruses hidden in there. Even gifts from centuries ago were erased, for fear of more long-laid plans.

They had also been going through records with a toothcomb, and had discovered discrepancies and anomalies which indeed, proved that the University had fuelled the discord on Planet. These reports, along with the conversation with Zakharov, had been sent to every faction on Planet.

Deirdre was to be talking with them today, each one, individually, in an attempt to garner support for her war. The Empath Guild had located more University bases in the last unoccupied continent, hundreds of them. How Zakharov had kept them hidden, she didn't know, but those bases meant that he had enough military might to defeat her with a click of his fingers.

Even with the united forces of every faction on the planet, it might not be enough. Whether or not it was, Deirdre thought to herself, it would have to be. There was no way she was going to let Zakharov continue with his cancerous existence.



"Miriam. I- I came to beg for absolution, for I have sinned."

She struggled for a moment, attempting to remember the ritual phrase.

"I have sinned, in my thoughts, and in my words; in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do."

She paused.

"Miriam, please, I ask your forgiveness. As chaplain of the Unity, I want you to listen, and counsel me on how to resolve my souls conflict."

The leader of the Believers frowned.

"I was not aware that your were a believer in the Lord, Deirdre. How long have you been listening to the Scripture? It would not have anything to do with these unfortunate circumstances with Provost Zakharov, would it? Forgive me, my lady. But I have no time to talk with you."

Deirdre felt a sudden desperation. "Miriam, please! I- I used to be a Methodist, with my father and mother. I stopped believing shortly before we entered the Unity. My father always went on about the glory of God, and I believed him, but he also said that God gave him the authority to do everything that he did to me. Did God give him the authority to beat me until I gave in? That is why I gave away my faith, and for centuries it has made me feel rotten inside, like a festering corpse. By God, Miriam! Will you refuse my request?"

Miriam bowed her head, and when she looked up, tears glistened in her eyes. "Lady Deirdre. I cannot refuse your request, you are right. Nor can I join your in a war against Zakharov."

Deirdre sighed. "Miriam. I will not lie to you. That is one of my reasons for contacting you, but this request is my main reason, that I swear, on the Holy Bible itself, by Jesus, and the saints, by the Holy Bread and Wine!"

Miriam nodded. "Very well. What is it you want absolved, daughter?"

Deirdre breathed in. "I allowed myself to be deceived, Miriam. I allowed myself to be led by vanity, and pride. I allowed myself to fall into the darkness of temptation. My pride has cost my people dear, and it has plunged Planet into grave peril. My decisions have caused millions to die. God, I wish I could take my decision back. If only I could decide not to come here again. That is a futile dream, Miriam, and since I must go to war with Zakharov, I would prefer to go to war with a pure soul."

Miriam nodded. "Very well Deirdre. Pride is a grave sin, but remember, that Jesus himself resisted Pride when faced by it in the desert. Take courage from the strength of the Lord, and he will be your light in dark places, your courage in times of weakness. Open your heart to him, Deirdre. Lay your false devices before him, and he will love you nonetheless. I absolve you of your sin, Deirdre. Let no more the Devil rest in you, you have repented, your sins are washed away. Once more, you are a Child of the Lord." Miriam sighed. "Deirdre, I am sorry, but I must go now. God go with you."

Deirdre shouted. "Please, wait!"

Miriam shook her head in hopelessness. "Deirdre, I cannot go to war with Zakharov." Deirdre looked incredulous. "Did you not receive my information about his treachery, about his consultations with that beast Yang to create disunity, about his heathen attitude to God, about-"

Miriam roared. "Enough, Deirdre! Until ten minutes ago, you were a heathen. Is this the only reason you extorted my to absolve you, so that you could command me to attack Zakharov. Can you not make peace, Deirdre?"

Deirdre opened her eyes wide. "Miriam. You saw what happened to New Glasgow. A New Eden you called it. Then Gaia's Landing, when you spoke to me, you told me that you regretted that the First Eden was broken. And now, when Memory of Earth lies, destroyed, you tell me to make peace with the monster that is behind all the problems, behind all the persecutions that have plagued us. You for your faith, and I for my ideals. You speak of the Lords strength, well, when he was faced by injustice and darkness, he gave his own life on the Cross to save us. But you, even though you are the Final Hope of Christendom, even you cannot stand upright to challenge the darkness! Am I on my own then, Miriam?"

Miriam reddened with anger. "Be careful, Deirdre. Do not argue the Scriptures with me. I have not sa-"

Deirdre shouted back, seized with a fury unimaginable. Every time she had tried to get something done, she had been ignored, shrugged off by those apparently more experienced, or more grown-up.

"Miriam! You will let my people die! You will let my cities burn once again! You are no better than Judas! Tell me, Miriam Iscariot, what did Zakharov offer you for your soul? I did not think the Believers were so easily bought! God damn you to hell, Miriam! I beg you, help me! Please! Do not doom my people to darkness and oppression. Please!"

Miriam blinked, as if struck, then slowly, she began to laugh. "Nobody has ever had the courage to denounce me as a Judas before, Deirdre. I admire conviction and courage in a person. You have woken me up to this world once again. When I first landed, I was so eager to get things done, to spread the Word, to expand his power peacefully, but somehow, everything got twisted, and ruined."

Deirdre waited, and Miriam spoke, her voice becoming louder, as if in rapture.

"And now, a converted heathen is born again into the faith, and the calls of war sound loud on the last rock of humankind. A pacifist implores for war, and everything we hold dear is threatened with extinction. What shall the Believers choose? We shall fight, and if necessary, we shall die. Our blood shall avenge all these years of war. The new utopia shall be forged out of our sacrifice, and the mouth of Satan shall be cleansed."

Miriam broke off, and then looked straight at Deirdre. Even though she was only seeing her from a screen, Deirdre could feel the pressing wait of the woman's charisma. Miriam smiled: "Contact Morgan, Deirdre. Tell him I support you. Tell him that the Lord has unveiled Satan in all his vices, and that the Devil can be found within the University. Say that the Word is now the sword of the pacifist. He will join with us. Lal..." She paused. "I shall allow you to bring him to our side. His love for the UN should work in our favour. I think."

Deirdre prepared to end the communication, but Miriam frowned. "Wait. Deirdre. You helped Zakharov suppress the Nevus Uprising, didn't you?"

Deirdre nodded. "Yes. His manipulations reach into everything, don't they?"

Miriam shrugged. "Yes, but that is not what I meant. Contact the Nevians. They must still despise Zakharov. Urge them to fight against him. Hopefully, that will buy us time to ready our forces. One other thing, Deirdre. Your cities are safe. If I aid you in this war, you must bring your armies to my bases. Zakharov will attack there, I am sure of it. Morgan is safe on his islands, you are safe in your anonymity. Lal, if he joins is safe in the sea. I, however, am exposed. The mountains of my territory will delay him, but if I have no support, I will be the first to become a slave of the Scientist. This is my one and only condition, Deirdre."

Deirdre smiled. "Anything for an ally, Miriam."

Miriam raised an eyebrow.

"And a friend, I hope, Deirdre. I truly do believe that we represent the new future. Once we remove Zakharov, we can continue with the peace we have all worked so hard for. Well then, I will leave you to contact Morgan and Lal. I shall contact the Nevians, if you wish. They probably hate you equally with Zakharov, and we really do need their aid. Good afternoon, Deirdre."

The screen went dead.



"Very well, Deirdre. I shall mobilise my forces. Miriam's territory, I take it, yes?"

Deirdre must have expressed surprise, because Morgan laughed.

"Miriam and I have been planning for war since we landed. Not as aggressors, but as defenders. Zakharov shall dash his armies like a tide upon her bases, and still they shall not fall. I will talk more with you later, Deirdre. When we are in New Jerusalem. Good day."



"A chance to defeat Yang? I shall jump at that, my lady. Perhaps this way I can expunge my debt to you after the events in New Glasgow. I shall join you in New Jerusalem, lady. Good day."



A busy day of negotiations, but finally, everything was completed. The sides had been chosen, the battle lines drawn. Now all that remained was to defeat the evil that was Zakharov, so that peace would have the chance to flower on Planet.

Once again, Deirdre felt the stirring of hope.