{"id":203,"date":"2012-07-08T00:00:30","date_gmt":"2012-07-08T04:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=203"},"modified":"2012-07-07T18:16:31","modified_gmt":"2012-07-07T22:16:31","slug":"chapter-twenty-seven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=203","title":{"rendered":"Chapter Twenty-seven"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind.<\/h3>\n

— Book of Hosea<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

13 Novem, 5249 PD<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps you could explain that?\u201d\u00a0 Kara said after a moment of stunned silence.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s as bad as we feared.<\/em>\u00a0 Adam leaned back in his seat, steepling his fingers in front of him and watching Scarelli\u2019s face.\u00a0 He knew most of the proposal, but by no means was he aware of the full extent of Mission Systems\u2019 plans.<\/p>\n

But if they want to move all of their operations here just like that, then it can\u2019t be good back in NeCom space.<\/em>\u00a0 He tried to keep his expression one of bland interest, even though D\u2019Arcy was gone.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be good to look too<\/em> intrigued.<\/p>\n

Scarelli cleared his throat quietly.\u00a0 \u201cIt is becoming clear to our board of directors, our staff and our clientele that the larger conglomerates are beginning to flaunt the regulations that were designed to protect all of us after the wars.\u00a0 Once all of those protections disappear, it\u2019ll be too late.\u00a0 Everyone who can get out needs to do it while they can.\u201d\u00a0 He spread his hands.\u00a0 \u201cThe\u2026offer\u2026to take the warship off our hands has afforded us just the opportunity we need to get the hell out of their reach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey,\u201d Amelda said, tapping a finger gainst her lips.\u00a0 \u201cWho do you mean when you say that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChinasia Corp for one.\u00a0 The Eurydice Compact.\u00a0 Idesali.\u00a0 Take your pick.\u00a0 They\u2019re all trying to stake their claims to whatever\u2019s going to be left when the war finally happens.\u201d\u00a0 Scarelli shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not delusional.\u00a0 It\u2019s coming.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think it can be stopped.\u00a0 Have any refugees come here yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam saw his niece startle out of the corner of his eye and lowered his hands, resting his palms flat against the tabletop.\u00a0 \u201cShould we have seen refugees?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe not yet,\u201d Scarelli said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cBut they\u2019ll come.\u00a0 Sooner rather than later, they\u2019ll come and they\u2019re going to beg safe haven.\u00a0 It\u2019s not safe for psychics in Commonwealth space anymore, not like it used to be.\u00a0 The protection is still there on paper, but it doesn\u2019t mean anything anymore.\u00a0 I wish it did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lindsay cleared her throat.\u00a0 \u201cWhen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scarelli looked at her, his jaw firming.\u00a0 \u201cI would say within the week, if not sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n

She glanced at Rachel and Amelda, then leaned back, brows knitting.\u00a0 She tapped one gloved finger against her lips, clearly half lost in thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are afraid,\u201d Scarelli said.\u00a0 \u201cPeople who never should have had to be afraid are afraid now.\u00a0 It\u2019s not fair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam agreed.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not fair.\u201d\u00a0 He chose his next words carefully, hoping he\u2019d get the maximum effect\u2014on the council, on Scarelli, everyone.\u00a0 Too bad D\u2019Arcy\u2019s gone.\u00a0 He\u2019d look like he\u2019d swallowed a sour peach whole.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cSo to be clear, we could be looking at a situation similar to what occurred before Mimir fell.\u201d<\/p>\n

A pained expression washed over Scarelli\u2019s face, his brows drawing together, his jaw growing tight.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Marshal Windsor.\u00a0 That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re afraid of.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s what we\u2019re all afraid of, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 Another Mimir.\u00a0 Another war.\u00a0 Billions dead.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Humanity finally destroyed.\u00a0 I wonder sometimes if that\u2019s not what the universe intends.<\/em><\/p>\n

He tapped a fingertip against the wood of the tabletop before him.\u00a0 \u201cAnd that\u2019s why you can\u2019t stay in NeCom space, despite the Commonwealth\u2019s protections for free enterprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s correct,\u201d Scarelli said, smiling faintly, as if he was relieved that someone seemed to understand their motives.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t look so pleased yet, Adriano.\u00a0 You may not like what comes next.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cAnd you\u2019re willing to give up all of those protections and come here, to our corner of space, and play by our rules?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou say that as if we have a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cYou do.\u00a0 You don\u2019t have to come here.\u00a0 You can stay where you are or strike out on your own, stake your own new claim, start over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have the resources for that,\u201d Scarelli said without a trace of pain in his voice.\u00a0 \u201cAnd it\u2019s not the path we want to walk.\u201d\u00a0 A smile ghosted across his lips.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not the one I<\/em> want, anyway.\u201d\u00a0 His gaze flicked toward Rachel, then back to Adam.\u00a0 \u201cI never saw the writings that came off of this planet as propaganda.\u00a0 I read them all, but I never dared to believe.\u00a0 Then I came here and I can see that it\u2019s working<\/em>.\u00a0 I can make other people believe that, now that I\u2019ve seen it with my own eyes.\u00a0 There are so many people within Mission Systems, in Commonwealth space, that will believe if they\u2019re given the opportunity\u2014once they can see the truth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis world, the way you live, that\u2019s<\/em> the truth.\u00a0 It\u2019s the only way we can survive.\u00a0 Humanity won\u2019t make it through another exodus.\u00a0 We\u2019ve been dying by inches for centuries.\u00a0 It needs to stop, and if I and my colleagues at Mission Systems have to be the sacrificial lambs falling on our swords to make that happen, to make folks back home believe in the Foundation, then so be it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t come to that,\u201d Lindsay said softly, looking Scarelli in the eye.\u00a0 Adam\u2019s muscles knotted as the man met his niece\u2019s gaze.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know, Consul?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re here now, aren\u2019t you?\u00a0 That could make all the difference in the universe when it comes to shifting the tides of war.\u201d\u00a0 Lindsay\u2019s eyes flashed with a determined light, the same that Adam had seen before in her mother, in her father.\u00a0 \u201cMimir stood alone when it fell\u2014the Guard stood alone.\u00a0 Even the Foundation stood powerless to help them when the bombs fell.\u00a0 That won\u2019t be us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her words shot shivers up and down Adam\u2019s spine.\u00a0 Now I just hope that she\u2019s right.<\/em>\u00a0 He stared at her for a long moment.<\/p>\n

Have faith, Adam Windsor.\u00a0 Have faith.<\/em>\u00a0 He met Rachel\u2019s gaze, saw only the barest trace of worry there.\u00a0 Faith.\u00a0 They needed to have faith.<\/p>\n

Lindsay smiled.\u00a0 The smile was dangerous, a soldier\u2019s smile.\u00a0 It was like looking at Alana Chase for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cWhen they come\u2014and we know that they\u2019ll come\u2014they\u2019ll find that we here are quite a bit most difficult to take down than they think.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind. — Book of Hosea   13 Novem, 5249 PD   \u201cPerhaps you could explain that?\u201d\u00a0 Kara said after a moment of stunned silence. It\u2019s as bad as we feared.\u00a0 Adam leaned … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-last-colony"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p25yjF-3h","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=203"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":204,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203\/revisions\/204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}