STARGATE ATLANTIS: Pride of the Genii by Pride of the Genii (SGA-24)

Author:Pride of the Genii (SGA-24) [Retail]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fandemonium Books
Published: 2020-06-26T14:59:15+00:00

Chapter EIGHT

“We should clear the Plaza.” Balas slammed his fist on the long table, rattling the cups nearest him. At the opposite end of the table, Ladon lifted his eyebrows, but Balas glared back at him. “It’s undisciplined. They should be at home, waiting in private. Standing out there in the Plaza is… it’s ostentatious. It’s pure attention-seeking. It’s against all our most basic tenets. It’s un-Genii.”

“They’re women who fear they’ve lost their men,” Vendel said. It was rare that he directly contradicted one of the military, and heads turned. “Husbands, sons, fathers. It would be cruel to send them away. At least here they can support each other.”

“But we shouldn’t be supporting them,” Balas snapped.

“At the very least,” Dolos said, “we shouldn’t be feeding them. I understand that they have been receiving meals from the government cafeteria?”

“Yes, at my orders,” Ladon said. “A public convenience is also being held open for them around the clock.”

“Cowen would never have encouraged such protestors,” Balas said.

“What Cowen might or might not have done is hardly relevant,” Ladon pointed out, and Karsci lifted his head.

“Well, but it is, Chief, and you know it. There’s a risk certain parties might take this as a sign of weakness.”

Ladon took a careful breath. Karsci had always been an ally; if he was having doubts, it was wise to walk carefully. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I am not Cowen. The things he did to secure his government — that he had to do, in many cases — are no longer necessary. We can afford to be generous.” He paused, decided on a quick smile. “There’s no evidence that these women are anything but what they say they are, worried kinswomen. If we’re not strong enough to comfort them, we’re weak indeed.”

“I’m more worried about who might be using them,” Karsci said. “I’ll be blunt, folk in the south are likely to take this as a sign that the government doesn’t have things under control.”

Ladon looked down the table to the head of his intelligence service. “Elek?”

“We’ve investigated already,” Elek answered promptly. “And found nothing. No individual political activity, no links to individuals with political agendas, no connections. We sent in an undercover agent to offer a connection to anti-government forces, and the offer was rejected.” His lips twitched, but he managed to suppress his smile. “Several of the women struck him with their handbags. We’ll continue to monitor the situation, but I don’t believe we’ll find anything.”

Karsci put a hand over his mouth, his eyebrows twitching, and Vendel smiled openly. Tivador and Dolos exchanged amused glances, and Dahlia looked down at her notes to gain time to control herself. Only Balas shook his head, still scowling.

“However,” Karsci said. “It still looks bad to have these women camped out in the Plaza.”

“You can tell your people that the women declined an offer of housing,” Ladon said mildly, “and accepted food only with reluctance. I know your people have been through enough suffering over the last decades that they can easily imagine themselves in the women’s shoes.

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