A Case of Libel

[Foxglove]

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Turning around slowly, somewhat disappointed that she hadn't been able to finish counting the chairs before Marston had yielded, she picked up a single binder from her files and withdrew two sheets of paper, which she slid over to Marston. "Two signatures in the appropriate columns, Marston. The first one will sign over any and all shares you still own of APM to me. You will remain Co-CEO of APM, but not own any of it." She unplugged her PDA from the holo-projector and it flickered off, plunging the room back in relative gloom. Only the table was still illuminated by a lamp under the ceiling. "The second signature will assign to me the power of attorney to act in your stead in any matter pertaining to the Core."

She didn't rightly care about APM, yet she realized that it could be a valuable asset. With the recent boost provided by Interspace, it was only a matter of time until the APM shares would start picking up worth on the stock market again and provide Lyell with unnecessary but oh so satisfying wealth. What really interested her was Marston's power as a Guildkeeper. Once he'd signed the paper, Lyell would have effectively doubled her influence.

"It is sad, really. With that attitude, you will never be more than just one man, Marston." She shook her head, bringing up the same doctuments that she had given Marston on her PDA for reference. "The Core has always been about transcending that which is human and attaining a higher existance. Some are simply not meant to become God," she pronounced, giving Marston a look from the corner of her eye. "Regardless of what people think of Jessebelle, she is still the closest one in the Core to this end, and I admire her for that." She placed the PDA next to the two documents. "Once you signed, I want you to confirm what you just did via spoken word, so there won't be any misunderstandings. You'll place your index finger on it so it'll take a genetic imprint of you in order to confirm that only you could have made this statement."

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