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from the settlement, file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...20Outlander%2015%20-%20Doom%20Dyn asty.html (86 of 128) [12/28/2004 4:00:03 PM] James Axler - Outlanders - Doom Dynasty without processing facilities your actions are pointless and unconscionable. If the rest of us so desire, we can interpret such an incursion as an act of war." Baron Cobalt favored him with a thin, smug smile. "Declaring war on the one man who can save you all of you would be the pointless act, my brother." That self-confident, arrogant pronouncement elic-ited a scandalized reaction from the barons at the con-ference table. The babble of suspicious questions, de-mands for clarification and aspersions on Cobalt's sanity reached a point where all of them spoke at once. Although Erica felt it was her duty to restore some kind of order, her voice was not strong enough to be heard over the cacophony. Besides, she wasn't inclined to draw attention to herself. Baron Cobalt sat through it all, smiling his coldly aloof smile. Finally, when the questions and insults trailed away, he declared, "Unlike the rest of you, once I learned of the destruction of the Dulce facility, I did not enter into a state of denial or wait for the Archon Directorate to save me. I embarked on a search for an alternative." "As did we all," Samarium growled. "Unlike you," Cobalt continued, "I found one." Baron Mande leaned forward, his eyes wide. "Where?" he demanded skeptically. "Not the Ant-hill." "No. My scouts reported that place would be use-less to our needs." Snakefish's lips twisted in anger. "You sent scouts there?" Page 89 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html Erica van Sloan understood his anger. The Anthill was the one place forbidden to the barons, shrouded in so much secrecy it became a taboo. Since all the villes were standardized, equally matched in terms of technology and firepower to maintain a perfect bal-ance of power, none of the barons dared mention what unclaimed wonders might still lie within Mount Rush-more. Even a word of wonder about it might be construed as a tendency toward ambition, something strictly for-bidden by the tenets of the Program of Unification. "Why shouldn't I?" Baron Cobalt shot back. "The installation is within my territorial jurisdiction, is it not? So, yes, I sent scouts not just there, but to all redoubts on record that were connected to bioengi-neering research." "And?" Beausoleil inquired, a challenging edge to her voice. Cobalt fluttered a dismissive hand. "Useless, all useless. During unification, everything of value was moved out of mem and into Dulce. However, I man-aged to locate one facility that played host to a num-ber of Totality Concept-related projects at one time or another including Excalibur. "Although its medical equipment is not as ad-vanced as that in Dulce, and will require some addi-tional work, the place will adequately serve our needs." "Where is it?" Palladium demanded. "How did you find it?" "To answer your questions in reverse order," Baron Cobalt replied smoothly, "I simply knew where to look. My former high adviser was senior archivist in the Historical Division. He was an anti-quarian of unchallenged erudition and knew the lo-cation of every major secret base of predark America. "After he disappeared from the ville, I had all of his personal papers and computer files analyzed. It took quite a bit of time, but that's how I found it. As for where it is " the cold smile stretched into an equally cold grin of malicious triumph " that you will only learn if you meet my terms." He surveyed the high-planed aristocratic faces star-ing at him, now all contorted in expressions of shock, file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...20Outlander%2015%20-%20Doom%20Dyn asty.html (87 of 128) [12/28/2004 4:00:03 PM] James Axler - Outlanders - Doom Dynasty fury and incredulity. Baron Sharpe laughed as if Co-balt had just reached the punchline of a particularly clever joke. "Well played, brother!" Cobalt's grin vanished. "It's no game. The rule of the barons has reached a crossroads, a crisis un-dreamed- of by the drafters of the unification articles. All the established procedures, laws and protocols are meaningless. We cannot appeal to a higher authority, inasmuch as we all seem to be in agreement that the Archon Directorate does not exist. Therefore, an en-tirely new set of rules must be developed and applied if we are to continue to hold the reins of power." "What do you propose?" Baron Thulia demanded. Leaning back in his chair, Cobalt steepled his in-humanly long fingers beneath his pointed chin. "I propose we adopt and adapt lessons from ancient his-tory. The Roman Empire was governed by a senate but ruled by an emperor. I propose we revive that system." "With you," inquired Beausoleil darkly, "as the imperator?" Cobalt nodded gravely. "I shall serve as the final arbiter in matters pertaining to ville government. Be-fore, we always acted interdependently, unified in name only. Now we will establish a central consor-tium." Face suffused with the blood of rage, Palladium said, "You suggest we become your viceroys, pleni-potentiaries in our own territories?" "Is that so onerous? You were content to serve as plenipotentiaries for the Archon Directorate, were you not? This is no different, except now you know Page 90 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html ex-actly who is the guiding authority." Cobalt paused, then added gently, "And since a slow, painful and more than likely a disgusting death is your only al-ternative, I think you can learn to accept it." The barons exchanged silent, wary glances. They looked toward Erica expectantly. "Her input is unimportant. She has nothing to do with us," Cobalt snapped. "We must have proof of your claims," Mande said. "I realize that. I shall provide it but only after I receive your assurances of cooperation." Beausoleil cleared her throat. "A vote must be taken." "Then do so," Baron Cobalt said impatiently. "A show of hands or a secret ballot will suffice. Just get on with " His lips suddenly writhed back over his small, per-fect teeth, and a cry of pain burst from his mouth. Voice high and wild, he said, "Get out of my head " As the barons and Erica van Sloan watched, shocked into speeehlessness, Cobalt fell forward onto the table, his headpiece rolling off and falling to the floor. He clasped the sides of his head as if he feared his skull would break [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |