[Atrocities]

A rewrite of a the Last chapter. It does a better job of explaining the path for the next chapter. Enjoy.


Gambit

As General Green existed his staff car, he looked about the area casually with some caution and noticed that he was not alone. The General had not become one of the United Global Alliances highest ranking military officers by being carefree and careless about who was watching him. It didn’t take him but an instant to spot his newest shadow as he tried to sit inconspicuously in a blue ground car parked next to the curve about six hundred feet down from the entrance of the Paradise Hotel.
Green had become accustom to being observed by others, it came with the job, but this new observer had only appeared on his radar the day before ironically just after he had spoken with that wretch Senator Kordesh. Green knew to play it cool, as he had his own men watching his back, and they to had taken notice of the Generals new shadow and were well prepared to step in and take action in an instant if the need arose.
Having satisfied his curiosity, he closed the door to his staff car and headed for the main entrance of the Paradise Hotel.
The Paradise Hotel was located in the heart of the city of Vanalder and was one of the oldest and most lugubrious hotels on the coastline. Many considered the city of Vanalder as one of the most elegant and magnificent cities on the continent located some sixty miles from the Capitol. Vanalder was well known as a hot spot for discreet politically incorrect relationship and furloughing Senators on weekend trips with their mistresses. Green could careless about the city itself, as far as he was concerned it was a cesspool for the rich and powerful, one that he would clean up when he became Chancellor. Greens attention refocused as he entered the Hotel and was greeted by the bellhop.
“Hello sir, can I be of service?” Asked the bellhop politely.
Green had no interesting in staying long so he ignored the hotel employee’s greeting as he walked by giving him no notice on his way toward the Hotels lifts. Greens objective was a simple one, meet with Kordesh, get him to agree to help him and then move onto the next step of his plan.
Green, having been informed that General Christopher had survived the destruction of Discovery Base, was in no mood to be pleasant. When Kordesh’s aid opened the door to the suite, Green grabbed the man by his shoulder and forcible tossed him out into the hall and slammed the door shut, locking it so the man could not re-enter the room. Even if he were to try one of Greens men would have intervened and rendered him unconscious.
“Now general,” Commented Kordesh from the next room, “That is no way to be treating my aids!” Kordesh attempted to sound sarcastic with a hint of anger in his tone but he knew that if it were him, he would have most likely done the same thing or better, have someone do it for him. As Green approached, Kordesh slowly began to stand. He was holding a drink in his left hand as he came to a standing position and offered his right hand to Green. This only served to anger Green even more. This little man was attempting to patronize him and he would have none of it.
“Why do you have a man following me?” Demand Green directly as he walked over to the bar and fixed himself a drink.
Senator Caparo Kordesh simply gave Green a whimsical look. The kind of look a person gives when his plan is exposed yet that too was according to plan.
“Only a precaution General.” Commented Kordesh politely.
“A precaution!” Barked Green hostilely. “Call off your man before I do.”
“Well that depends General.” Commented Kordesh dismissively as he took a sip from his drink. “Which man do you want me to call of? I have four following you.”
Green simply looked up at him, expressionless but yet not.
“Very well.” Said Kordesh as he sat back down in his chair and relaxed.
Green continued to stare at Kordesh as he wondering if he were serious or not about the number of men he had following him. Concluding that Kordesh was not a man to make light jokes, and that it was more likely than not true that he did indeed have four men following him, Green mentally bumped him up a notch in his book of people not to underestimate. Green finished mixing his own drink and casually walked over and sat down in the chair next to Kordesh.
“So General what is it you wish to speak to me about?”
Without saying a word Green sat his drink on the table, reached into his upper pocket and pulled out a small device. He activated it, than sat it down on the table between them. He then picked up his drink again and leaned back.
“A precaution.” He said with some sense of satisfaction in his voice.
“Are you afraid that I am recording this conversation General?”
“Yes.” Replied Green simply.
“Very well General, we will play by your rules.” Kordesh leaned back in his chair and pulled from his pocket, his own privacy device, activated it and set it down on the table next to Greens. He then politely nodded to Green, a subtle gestured indicating that he wanted him to start talking. Green taking the hint began talking.
“I know for a fact that your organization wants Benton gone, and I am in a position to accommodate that desire.”
Kordesh had expected something along this line but was never the less moved by the directness of Generals statement.
“What exactly do mean General?” He asked.
“I require your assistance to remove an obstacle that lies in my path.”
Kordesh looked puzzled, an act to be sure.
“Really General, and what kind of obstacle would that be?” Kordesh was smiling as he spoke, he was attempting to play the conversation as a joke and that irritated Green.
“Don’t play coy with me Kordesh!” Barked Green hotly. “I know all about your organization and how you have exploited it to maintain power!”
“And exactly what organization would that be General, the Senate?”
“You know damn well that I am talking about the Secret Investigation Division. You have violated your oath of office and have been using the S.I.D. for personal gain.”
“Oh that organization.” Replied Kordesh with a little more emotion than he cared to show. “For a minute there I thought you were accusing me of running some secret order or something.”
Greens face began to turn red as his anger began to build.
“I can see that I may have dramatically over estimated your ambition and willingness to preserve your own ***.”
“Really General, what do you take me for; a fool? Surely you don’t or you would not have asked to speak with me. So please come to whatever point it is you wish to make or leave.”
“You’re going to help me become Chancellor.”
“Right!” Replied Kordesh almost laughing as he spoke. “And if I refuse?”
“If you refuse to help me then I will expose your organization and ruin you.”
“General if this meeting is about the Special Investigations Division?” Kordesh seemed humored by Greens threat. “Then we could have had this meeting in my office in the Capitol.”
“I am talking about your covert operations. Something I do not think you would want our esteemed Chancellor’s spies to learn of.”
The smirk on Kordesh’s face was all but gone now. Green had finally gained his full attention.
“What covert operations?” He asked simply.
“Well I need not list them all, I will list one; Talos.”
Kordesh felt his heart skip a beat. He knew full well that Green was fishing for a response, one that would tip the scales in his favor. A control point so to speak that Green could use as leverage. Kordesh was a disciplined politician and far to skillful to fall for such an obvious tactic so he chose to down play Greens comment. He simply smiled and offered the only logical response he could.
“I have no knowledge of any S.I.D. operation by that name.”
“Really.” Green said as he pulled some documents from the inside right breast pocket of his jackets and tossed them into Kordesh’s lap. He than took a slow sip of his drink as he observed Kordesh and waited for his response.
“I must say that this is excellent Brandon Weed Whisky Senator.” Green commented as he swirled his glass slowly round observing the dense amber liquid contained within it. “Quite smooth.”
Kordesh had done nothing. He simply held his own glass with both hands. His eyes betraying nothing, not even a hint as to what it was that he was thinking which was the pleasant thought of seeing Green tossed from the balcony to his death.
Green new that Kordesh would be hard to crack, so he would have to play the game well.
“Those are documents that outline operation Talos. An operation approved by the S.I.D. Director.”
“And that involves me how?” Kordesh asked smoothly.
“According to Leonard Parks, you know Leonard, the acting Deputy Director of S.I.D.? Well he seems to recall quite clearly that six months ago that you came to him with operation Talos, and that you personally planned and authorized the operation.”
“Leonard is mistaken.”
“Oh I assure you Senator that all the incriminating documentation is sitting right there in your lap. Your duplicity is well documented. Leonard may be many things, but a fool is certainly not one of them. As the Deputy Director of S.I.D., he kept a very detailed logs of his activities and was more than willing to part with them for the right price.”
Kordesh said nothing.
“I can see from your lack of comment that I have your full and undivided attention now.” Green took another sip from his drink before continuing with is his train of though.
“My God man what were you thinking when you devised this operation? The assignation of the John Lesser, Head of the Space Exploration Division, gained you what?” He asked with some sense of sincere curiosity.
Kordesh sat his drink down and picked the papers up out of his lap and slowly unfolded the multi page document. He read through it without comment being careful not to show any expression at all.
Green simply observed him intently without speaking.
“These are most interesting documents General.” Kordesh finally said as he lowered the papers. “If you now know of the operation and fail to reported it, then you are equally as guilty of its crime under Government Article two-nine-zero-three as those who authorized it.”
Kordesh’s expression was stone cold. His face was a blank slate. Green knew that no reaction was a reaction and that denial often more than not, was far more telling of the story than an open admission. Green knew he had him and there was nothing Kordesh could do to escape his grasp.
“I take it you noticed the name of the man who authorized this operation?”
Kordesh just looked on showing no emotion.
“I could careless about your little covert operation to monitor members of the senate and those of the Chancellors staff, or about the assignation of John Lesser, what I am interested in is something far more important.”
Kordesh was slowly growing concerned as he fathomed the obvious. Not only had Green uncovered top-secret documentation regarding ongoing covert operations, but he also had proof that Kordesh directly ordered the assignation of John Lesser. The very thought of this was enough to enrage him and he seldom became enraged. The fact that one of his own men betrayed him was proof positive that he had grown complacent in his duties and had become a liability to things and people far more important than himself. This week had not gone well for him and if the Triluminary learns of this latest failure, the week could end very poorly.
“For the record I am not interested in reporting your operation Senator. On the contrary, I do in fact want it to continue, however, I want copies of all the reports submitted by your people. Especially those for the Vice Chancellor.”
“You are going to kill her?” Commented Kordesh coldly.
“No,” Replied Green simply, “Your people are going to do it for me.”
“I take it that she is the obstacle that you spoke of.”
“With Oranotie dead I become Vice Chancellor.” Green stated matter of factly.
“I am sure that this is only a stepping stone for you on your journey toward the Chancellorship.” Observed Kordesh as he tossed the papers into Greens lap.
Green simply smiled. Not a polite smile mind you, but the kind of smile that illustrated the presence of pure evil.
Kordesh could feel the weight of Greens black mail already. It was a package far heavier than any other that he has had to burden. He needed time to think. He knew that his survival would ultimately come down to his ability to carry out Greens plan while keeping his involvement in the action hidden from the Triluminary.
“Very well General. Its your game.”
“Oh by the way, don’t bother looking for Leonard, I assure you that he is quite well hidden.” Commented Green flatly as he finished off his drink before placing the empty glass on the table. He picked up his privacy device, took the documents that Kordesh had tossed into his lap and placed them both back into his pocket. He stood and walked without speaking another word from the room. As soon as he had exited the suite and entered the lift, Kordesh’s aid came back into the hotel room.
“Sir is everything alright?” He asked with some concern.
“Everything is fine Henry. Please cancel my docket for today and send for the car. We are going back to the capitol.”
As soon as his aid left, Kordesh spoke out load.
“We have a problem.”
“Indeed.” Responded Trax in his usual cold and stoic voice.

[ June 18, 2004, 08:53: Message edited by: Atrocities ]