Fallen Grace

[Dane Summers]

The room was buzzing, near on full, with a number of parliamentary aides, secretaries, and more then a few military personnel - including Marek Belka, director of CIS. With the brief time lag given the distance of the transmission, they had at least five minutes with whch to gather, and discuss the issue of this "gallic call" at a breakneck pace. Ultimately, Connors decided to go by instinct. Whatever would happen, even if the decision wasn't up to him, Richard had to give this a chance - even if every thought in his mind warned him against it.

As the transmission cleared, and a CIS man gave the thumbs up that a trace program was activating - not with much hope, but trying regardless - and that the transmission itself was heavily encrypted versus outside tapping. Richard stood, and it was one of these times he didn't feel old - no aches in his body, not even his twisted shoulder when he had Charon blown out from under him forty years ago, the wrenched and broken bones never healing right, denying him flight duty from then onward. No, these times, he didn't feel like a man, but a tower of energy and willpower.

"Mr D'Aramis. I can say I am genuinely surprised by this call."

...Was all he could say, but the shock of the gallics statement was evident in the room. Someone wanting to assassinate Charles? Could it be true? Could it even be possible? Belka's face didn't even move, but it was clear he didn't believe a word. Two other aides could barely contain their obvious belief, and looked as if the war had been won just then.

Richard cleared his throat, which had gone dry, and continued

"I will start with the obvious - what you say is hard to believe. How can we trust you?"

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