posted 06-29-99 02:38 PM ET        

I invite comments, constructive and otherwise, since prior to this adventure I only produced technical documents (environmental reports can be, shall we say, a bit dry (no pun intended)).

Hydro

With humble respect I submit for your perusal:

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Hacking
M.Y. 2286

If they weren�t all holograms they�d have killed each other by now. Poor Lal has his head slightly bowed, his elbows on the table, and his index fingers are massaging each of his temples. Looks like he has another one of his infamous tension headaches. It is obvious that he has temporarily given up trying to control the fractious Planetary Council.

The liveliest of the group are, by far, Deirdre and Morgan. Deirdre is positively apoplectic, and decidedly �unlovely� with her bulging eyes and red face, screaming at Morgan ��your endless machinations against Planet disrupt its Song, and seep the life force that supports us all! Each time you despoil Planet, you despoil everyone! You despoil ME! You have raped Planet, you have RAPED ME! The Planet Tears will remember, and it will have its pound of flesh, specifically, your ENERGY FATTENED ASS!�

*Planet Tears? What are Planet Tears? She is making that up.*

Morgan�s lips are drawn into a thin, bloodless line. He draws a breath to respond, and Deirdre launches into another tirade, �Oh, you will PAY�� Deirdre shrieks, and a large fleck of spittle arcs from her rather frothy mouth. Morgan ducks! Boy, this interactive holographic projection is really getting good! This seems to throw Deirdre off her stride, and Morgan launches a verbal assault of his own, �My dear incoherent Deirdre, you have obviously been frolicking in the Chiron suns too long � it has addled your senses. Morgan Industries have taken all prudent ecologically sensitive measures, and have built, at an enormous allocation of energy, all the available facilities. You forget that YOU denied other Factions and us the technology to build integrated Chiron-Terran hybrid installations, and in doing so are directly responsible for all these �alleged� harms! YOU, therefore, are the despoiler of Chiron. Moreover, you are a hypocrite, using the ill-advised Planned Economics instead of your beloved Green Economics that you always drivel on about! How much ecological damage have you incurred?�

Before Deirdre could answer, Morgan quickly paces around Deirdre and lectures her as if she were an errant plebe, �Moreover, numerous border incursions by your �peaceful� Gaian forces have been spotted all along the western Morgan border and along two city seacoasts! These actions go far beyond the nuisance of vague Planet damages � You are threatening war, imperiling the lives of countless productive citizens! So much for your prattle about Peace and Harmony! Let me give you this last warning! You and your minions will feel more than �violated� if you wander too close to Morgan territory! �

Off in the corner Miriam and Santiago are scheming. I zoom in to get a better vantage point. Santiago has an almost erotic look in her eyes as she whispers about feints and delaying actions, her new prototype Shard infantry, and her invincible Elite Rovers. Her chest actually heaves and her face flushes as she waxes eloquent about her beloved Black Hand Rover Squadrons! Miriam isn�t even looking at Santiago, but at some general point over Santiago�s shoulder across the room. She goes into �oratory mode� on how her Godly followers will help the Deceived to See the Light. Santiago talks action, and Miriam talks about the effect. They aren�t even listening to each other. Surely, these are Pact Sisters made in heaven. Heaven, indeed!

Zakharov is sitting at the table, dictating and gesturing wildly at a �virtual� virtual datapad, paying no attention to the chaos around him. His gestures must be affecting another holo image back at New University Base. He ends whatever program he is working on, looks up and around the room, and then spies Santiago and smiles. He gets up, strolls within 2 meters of the huddled Santiago and Miriam, catches Santiago�s eye and mouths the words �Knowledge is Power�. Santiago starts, her eyes widen, arches her back like a cat, at pounces at Zakharov! And, of course, passes right through him. Zakharov just chuckles to himself. HA! He must have planned that, and he sure knows how to push Santiago�s button! He is the only Faction Leader that has a sense of humor, and it is sharper than it was decades ago. Maybe that is since he has given up most of the domination games to concentrate on his beloved research. Santiago and Miriam drove him into the sea 45 years ago, and he lives as a vassal to Lal, who willingly gave him refuge. His holdings include a half dozen smallish bases, including a few partially developed bases Lal gave him and the original University sea bases that were inaccessible to Miriam�s and Santiago�s raging hordes.

The one enigma at these little events is always Yang. He never participates in the numerous side discussions, and the other leaders long ago gave up trying to draw him in. He simply observes and waits for the vote on whatever issue is at hand. His eyes seem to be everywhere at once. Yang�s gaze is so piercing it almost looks like he can see the threads of relationship and emotion between these combatants. His eyes dart back and forth, as if he can see these treads form, strengthen, change color, or get ripped asunder as the arguments ensue. Of course, he just drinks it all in.

I can tell nothing else of interest is going to be decided today. They will vote for the Planetary Governor, and the results are preordained. Lal, although he has less population than either Yang or Deirdre, uses his natural diplomatic edge and the massive infrastructure of the Empathy Guild to acquire more influence than any other single contestant. Zakharov will vote for Lal, as (reluctantly) will Deirdre. Yang will vote for himself, and he will be supported by at least Miriam or Santiago, maybe both. Morgan will probably abstain, since he detests Deirdre and doesn�t want to be on her �side�, but also hates and fears Yang, Miriam, and Santiago. It doesn�t matter, since as long as Deirdre supports Lal he will remain Planetary Governor. What happens when Deirdre, whose growth rate exceeds everyone (even Yang�s) overtakes Yang, or even Lal? That�s when the fireworks begin!