She's an Ischion half-breed. Quite stunning, really, if you can get past her eyes. There is nothing quite like bedding a reptilian. Do you want to try it?"
"No, sir," Milner said. "Or is it my lord, now?" The last part came out slightly sharper than he'd meant it to, his words tinged by his frustration at being toyed with.
A ribbon of light danced slowly through the air between them and Milner saw that the President was reclined on a large chair, staring at him. His massive shoulders were slumped forward and his arms had grown so fat that his forearms folded down over his wrists. "The Ischion are telepaths, you know. Half-breeds do not possess the gift, as far as I can tell."
"Fascinating , sir," Milner said. He tried to redirect the conversation back around to the subject of his visit, but the President cut him off.
"I believe a squad under your command encountered them once. Slaughtered an entire tribe, from what I can recall."
"Ah, well, I am sure they were in performance of their duties, sir."
"I am sure that we are all safer with two of them in prison for life."
Milner's jaw quivered slightly but he did not speak and he was glad to be hidden in the darkness. Perhaps the Ischion half-breeds possessed more psychic abilities than the President was admitting, after all.
" Why do you look so strained, General? I am increasing your position," the President said. "You're being promoted."
Milner's eyebrows raised. "Thank you, sir," he sputtered. He felt a surge of renewed confidence flow through him and said, "I swear by all that is sacred I will bring an end to this war."
"What war?" the President said.
Milner looked at him with a half-smile, thinking the man was making a joke. "Yes, sir. Well, at any rate, the Sapienist fanatics are about to learn the meaning of fear."
"I asked you a question, General. What war?"
"The war against the terrorists trying to destroy Unification, sir. The war against the maniacs blowing up schools and courthouses. The ones who…"
The President cocked an eyebrow at him and said, "Killed your son?"
"That has nothing to do with it, sir."
"Of course not." Another ribbon of light rippled past them, wiggling through the air and stopping at the green-skinned lizard woman walking toward them. The President smiled grimly and said, "Your new position is Administrator of Services. You be overseeing kitchen supplies and cargo transports all across the galaxy, General. You will assure that all commerce in this quadrant flows in through us and out from us. It's a highly-valued position, really. A bit dull, obviously, but someone has to keep the coffers full."
"Administration?" Milner said. "You honestly expect me to leave the armed services? You can't be serious. The terrorists are doing everything possible to destroy us, sir. I can't leave now."
The Ischion woman's yellow, serpentine eyes burned in the darkness. Her long black hair was twisted tightly on top of her head, accentuating her extended jaw and recessed nostrils. Her lips were feminine and she smiled softly at the President as she bent forward and offered him another box. He grunted and said, "You certainly took your time."
She flicked the small red flame in her other hand and waved it under the box, releasing a puff of thin, white smoke. The President opened his mouth as wide as he could to let it pour into his throat until he could bear no more and began to cough. He sat back in his chair and laughed slightly as he wiped his watery eyes. He held out his hand and snapped his fingers for the box, ordering the Ischion half-breed to hand it over. He ran his fingers over the sides of it, touching the carved figures along its surface and said, "Do you see these things? These were her gods. The ones her tribe worshipped long before humanity ever breached the threshold of space. They believed that these gods controlled their fates and brought order to the universe. And just like every other species in existence, they told themselves fairy
"No, sir," Milner said. "Or is it my lord, now?" The last part came out slightly sharper than he'd meant it to, his words tinged by his frustration at being toyed with.
A ribbon of light danced slowly through the air between them and Milner saw that the President was reclined on a large chair, staring at him. His massive shoulders were slumped forward and his arms had grown so fat that his forearms folded down over his wrists. "The Ischion are telepaths, you know. Half-breeds do not possess the gift, as far as I can tell."
"Fascinating , sir," Milner said. He tried to redirect the conversation back around to the subject of his visit, but the President cut him off.
"I believe a squad under your command encountered them once. Slaughtered an entire tribe, from what I can recall."
"Ah, well, I am sure they were in performance of their duties, sir."
"I am sure that we are all safer with two of them in prison for life."
Milner's jaw quivered slightly but he did not speak and he was glad to be hidden in the darkness. Perhaps the Ischion half-breeds possessed more psychic abilities than the President was admitting, after all.
" Why do you look so strained, General? I am increasing your position," the President said. "You're being promoted."
Milner's eyebrows raised. "Thank you, sir," he sputtered. He felt a surge of renewed confidence flow through him and said, "I swear by all that is sacred I will bring an end to this war."
"What war?" the President said.
Milner looked at him with a half-smile, thinking the man was making a joke. "Yes, sir. Well, at any rate, the Sapienist fanatics are about to learn the meaning of fear."
"I asked you a question, General. What war?"
"The war against the terrorists trying to destroy Unification, sir. The war against the maniacs blowing up schools and courthouses. The ones who…"
The President cocked an eyebrow at him and said, "Killed your son?"
"That has nothing to do with it, sir."
"Of course not." Another ribbon of light rippled past them, wiggling through the air and stopping at the green-skinned lizard woman walking toward them. The President smiled grimly and said, "Your new position is Administrator of Services. You be overseeing kitchen supplies and cargo transports all across the galaxy, General. You will assure that all commerce in this quadrant flows in through us and out from us. It's a highly-valued position, really. A bit dull, obviously, but someone has to keep the coffers full."
"Administration?" Milner said. "You honestly expect me to leave the armed services? You can't be serious. The terrorists are doing everything possible to destroy us, sir. I can't leave now."
The Ischion woman's yellow, serpentine eyes burned in the darkness. Her long black hair was twisted tightly on top of her head, accentuating her extended jaw and recessed nostrils. Her lips were feminine and she smiled softly at the President as she bent forward and offered him another box. He grunted and said, "You certainly took your time."
She flicked the small red flame in her other hand and waved it under the box, releasing a puff of thin, white smoke. The President opened his mouth as wide as he could to let it pour into his throat until he could bear no more and began to cough. He sat back in his chair and laughed slightly as he wiped his watery eyes. He held out his hand and snapped his fingers for the box, ordering the Ischion half-breed to hand it over. He ran his fingers over the sides of it, touching the carved figures along its surface and said, "Do you see these things? These were her gods. The ones her tribe worshipped long before humanity ever breached the threshold of space. They believed that these gods controlled their fates and brought order to the universe. And just like every other species in existence, they told themselves fairy
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