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"Alternative Directions: Options "Written By: Karina Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the lovely
boys and their girls in the series. Wish I did. Please don't sue me.
I haven't even got a brass razoo to give you. Rating: Deffinately PG in Australia, at the moment,
but probably safer to say R for later chapters. Not sure about international
ratings Warnings: It will be 6x2, even though it does
not start out that way. After all, Zechs and Duo never met in Gundam
Wing and only spoke briefly over a com line in Endless Waltz. I've
tried to keep them in character as I saw them in the series. A bit
of language creeping in under stressful conditions. Pairings: eventual 6x2, past 2xH, 2+H,6x9, 1+R
Summary: Directions is set post Endless Waltz
and roughly 2 years have passed. Zechs and Noin are on Mars and Duo,
after spending some time with Hilde in a relationship leaves L2 to
join Preventers. Hilde was not happy about his decision. I guess enough
said. Here t'is, and I hope you like it. This is also AU for the standard
setting, as well as the series and Endless Waltz. Spoilers: Gundam Wing Series and Endless Waltz Many thanks to Dulin for volunteering to beta this. //... // thoughts
"Alternative Directions: Options"
Chapter 105 2nd March Earth Romefeller Inner Circle Chamber Undisclosed location Time: 03:55 [Sanc time] Gamma Robed figures entered the chamber, the first clothed in brown linen robes, ageless and sexless in the anonymity offered by the shapeless material and deep cowls. The two stood to either side of the doorway, proffering a low bow to the velvet and brocade clad figures who followed them and to the three who watched in silence. There was no indication of the age or gender of these two, the heavy rich robes might have been the cause for the slow, stiff movements or it might have been age or injury, there was no way of telling. They, like those who already were seated at the table were anonymous unless they chose to lower their deep cowls and reveal to any who might be present the faces that ruled the currents of power that moved the Earth. Though each of the five who wore the velvet knew the others identity it was considered sacrilege to use given names and it was rare that any would choose to lower their cowls within the chamber. Each guarded their anonymity not so much from each other as from the servants of their fellow Circle members. Servants who were trusted enough to attend the needs of their Circle members but were never trusted sufficiently to know all who were master or mistress over their fates. //Arthritis playing up tonight, is it? I can not say that I am surprised given the weather conditions outside. At least I can be assured that none will feel disposed to ramble on given the chill of the chamber. I can look forward to a speedy discussion, a speedier decision to investigate and discuss it further in two days and then the warmth of my bed. I do so look forward to that warmth.// The servants who had held the door open now sealed the chamber and he could hear the rustle of fabric as his own attendant rose from the alcove behind him. The late arrivals settled into the chairs at the table their gloved hands hastily arranging the warming velvet around already chilled frames, covering feet already feeling the bite from the floor that seemed to radiate the cold. It was bitterly cold within the council chamber, but it was a chill that each Circle member would ignore as insignificant to the task set before them. With order restored to their robes and all drafts possible excluded from their legs they would turn their attention to concentrating on this meeting and he might finally find some comfort in his bed. //Ah, let us begin already Alpha. It is too cold and it is too late to sit here and twiddle our thumbs. Some of us have other work to do with the dawn and I for one need my sleep. // At a motion of Alpha's black gloved hand the personal servant that each member of the Circle had in attendance moved to place a steaming cup of mulled wine before their superior and faded back into the shadows of the chamber. He did not have to look to know that his own body servant was settling to his chair placed in the nook directly behind his position at the table. He listened for the deep, successive breaths that marked the beginning of the trance and as was required by the Lore of the organization he flicked a tendril of thought across the mind of his man. By the fourth breath he was deep into trance and Gamma established the seal that would contain his servant to immobility. Blind, deaf and dumb the servants became as statues, robed shadows within the nooks, incapable of listening to the discussions that would take place, unable to respond to any action or deed that might occur. He could go up to any of them and slit their throats and none would react in any way as they died. Of those who entered the Chamber of the Inner Circle, only Circle members themselves would know what was discussed. "I think that we may dispense with the formalities involved with greeting each other this night. We all know who we are after all and our positions within the Circle. Our agenda this evening is to revolve around the information received this day concerning the locations of the W series children who have been missing from our data banks for some years. In one instance, some twenty two years to be exact and in another, near to three years, I believe." Alpha stirred in her seat, aged fingers in their velvet gloves wrapping around the welcome heat of the chalice. "We have been most fortunate to receive word that our children are alive." // As if this could not wait for the annual meeting. You are up to something, you old biddy and if I do not watch you I may just miss what it is that you want to know by calling this meeting. I have never known you to act prematurely or needlessly, so what is it that prompts you to summon us? You can be petty enough to call us together just to remind us of your rank. I wonder … Has someone here challenged you? // "While it is without doubt that the Kushrenada boy is alive, it is also obvious that he thinks himself beyond our reach, else why would he flaunt himself over the public airwaves? He was always too clever for his own good that boy. Clever and independent." Delta brought the steaming cup to his lips, taking a welcome sip of the heated wine. "Well what did you expect him to be? An idiot? He is a Kushrenada after all." Epsilon sounded her amusement, no doubt looking forward to the challenge it would be to pursue the runaway. //I find it interesting, the contrast to how Epsilon greets this appearance of our runaway and the sour grapes I detect emanating from you, Delta. What is it that has upset you? // Delta waved the chalice in Epsilon's direction. "It is past time that he was gathered back into our control and made to turn his attention to the matters that do concern him. The duties for which he was bred." "Such as?" he would push a little, see what developed.// The duties for which he was bred. Yes, you, have been prowling the genetic laboratories since he escaped and acting as though it is a personal insult that he succeeded. I suppose it was. You are the Security Master after all and responsible for the security of our installations. I can almost feel the glare that Beta has focused on you. His hostility toward you has never eased since you permitted his prized experiment to escape. He feels that you failed him personally when the boy he spent so long designing escaped. You just complained about faulty genetics resulting in a boy too headstrong and independent and flawed to be of use to us. Interesting. I believe that even after all this time Delta takes it as a personal insult that Kristian chose something other than to serve us faithfully. Hmm, well look beyond your disgruntlement you old fool. It is that kind of strength of mind that we need and the will it takes to defy us could serve us infinitely more than a dull witted tool too afraid to blow his nose for fear of our displeasure. He may even prove to have the potential to be trained as a Successor in years to come. It has been many generations since we welcomed a Kushrenada to the Inner Circle. // Gamma sipped at the mulled wine, from the shielding of his cowl watching as each of his fellows turned their attention to Beta, the deep cowls tilting that tell tale amount to designate their interest in one of their number. "Do any of you have any real idea how much time and effort went into the designing of the genetics of the W series gene set?" Beta almost growled his displeasure. "It is not a mere base code that these children carry around within them and to permit one of the successful ones to break away from our ranks sets us back generations if anything should happen to them. I have been pushing for an investigation into the disappearance of this particular W series specimen since he eluded our trackers here on Earth twenty two years ago. Have none of you realized that this series, as they mature, are all showing an inclination for independence and in some cases there is evidence of mental instability? We need to establish physical and psychological control over each and every one these children, regardless of the age of the subject and direct their focus to the true needs of the Inner Circle. Namely the continuance of our project to establish and maintain stable links with the Artifact." // My, you are on your soap box today. Delta may be pushing him in private again. Those two will never have a relationship other than that of rivals. // Alpha flicked an age swollen finger at the male gowned in the Blood Crimson robe. She had always considered Beta to be a rival through out the years since his inclusion in the ranks of the Successors, though she had come to look more upon him as more of a friendly rival in these later years when he had ascended to the rank of her second. He had come to know that he had much to learn before he might challenge her for the Black of the Circle Master and with his acceptance of his lack of experience her trust of him had grown. "Peace, Delta. Peace Beta. We can not afford to squabble like errant children when there are so many matters of importance that must be overseen. It is my opinion that at this time it is more important to us to bring Romefeller back under a united front than it is to irritate the bloodlines by acquiring their children. We have all come to know the folly of stealing certain children away from their families and that is what we would need to do en mass to gather the W series to our bosom. We simply cannot afford the attention such disappearances would stir amid the law enforcement agencies of the world. Kristian Kushrenada was originally to be used as the guide to enable us to establish full control over our rebels and with the establishment of that control we could better investigate just how suited to the Artifact the W series is." Delta snorted, waving a ringed hand in dismissal. "Yes, yes, I know only too well what he was initially intended to accomplish, and I am equally more certain after my private investigations that there was a mistake or three made in the estimation of that one's talents." Gamma could almost see the smirk that would have been directed toward Beta by the Security Master. "That boy's psionic abilities are without doubt not what they were projected to be. I shudder to think of the results of the development of his abilities beyond the safety of the laboratories here. Mental stability features strongly in the development of the abilities I believed were placed within the genetic selection of each one of these children. Have your forgotten the Peacecraft boy? Have you forgotten what he proved capable of doing?" Beta fairly growled his displeasure of that criticism so pointedly aimed at him. He was the Inner Circle's Breeding Master, the one who devised the gene sets and oversaw the development of the desired combinations and the one person ultimately responsible for the success or failure of an entire generation. "Well what did you honestly expect? Forget the Peacecraft for the moment, let us consider the Kushrenada child. Kristian Kushrenada was a prototype. A prototype, people, with all the little quirks, good and bad that the word implies. He had the correct combination of genes, in the exact placements of our experimental projections spliced to the K series base. He was a success. All the indicators project development both physical and psionic along the projected course and I believe that he has likely developed that potential. That he did not display the exact potential when he was brought to the Inner Circle does not mean that he was a failed experiment. It merely suggests to me that while some of his talents emerged phenomenally early in his life the talents we had projected he would develop may actually have developed in later adolescence. It also might have been simply that he may have been much more efficient at hiding his developing potential than we expected. Do not forget for an instant that he is a Kushrenada and they tend to develop more talent later in their lives than most of our other bloodlines. He was certainly an intelligent child and quite capable of deception. On considering our past records I believe it may have been a mistake to acquire that one at so young an age. Tests will need to be devised and performed with great care to determine just what he can do when he is reacquired. It is my hope that he may surprise us all with the development of his abilities." "Perhaps reacquiring him may not be as easy as you think." Gamma murmured, setting his chalice on the table and wrapping his fingers around its warmed pewter surface. The laugh that rang throughout the room was more the cackle one would expect from an old crone, the stereotypical witch of legend than the laugh one would expect from a woman of Alpha's genteel upbringing. Her face was hidden by the deep cowl of plush ebony velvet and her hands were warmed by black gloves, her fingers sporting the rings of her office baring the seals of Romefeller. That hooded head shook from side to side slowly and her mirth silenced the mutterings from around the table, bringing more than one of the Circle members an uneasy feeling that their lives might hang in the balance. Alpha had proven to be unpredictable and singularly without mercy on occasion. "Did anyone say that it would be easy to reacquire our runaway? Does anyone here think that we are simply going to be able to crook our finger at him and expect him to obey? We are senior in years but it is my firm belief that none of us have yet fallen into senility nor are we delusional. Does anyone here think that it will be a simple matter of finding let alone gaining control of the Kushrenada child? No? Well, good. Let us not again allude to his presence amid us as though he already stands within our influence. We all know what must be done for the furtherance of Romefeller and the development of the human race. For there to be advancement we must locate and acquire Kristian Kushrenada and on having secured him we must prepare him to serve us to his full capability. He must be persuaded to cooperate before he may be trusted to bring us to the culmination of our purpose. There is another who is vital to the furtherance of our ambitions that we must have secured, controlled and brought to the Inner Circle to begin his training and conditioning. Our future and that of humanity do not hinge solely on our having control of the Kushrenada but on the acquisition, training and deployment of multiple new generation talents. Epsilon. You have the floor." //I knew that this would come. They will all know that he in on Mars and vulnerable to us. It will be interesting to see how each of them react. Some of them will no doubt fear him and if there is no respect mixed with that fear then he may not fare well within our ranks. It is, after all well known what he is capable of doing. Who of you fears him the most? Who of you was it who ordered the atrocity that came so close to depriving us of the bloodline that was so carefully developed? I have long suspected that one of our number, an Inner Circle member, had a hand in the fall of Sanc and that it was fear that saw the Peacecrafts fall. Fear of the potential of a Peacecraft King who was a W series that was the driving force behind the slaughter, but I have never been able to prove it. Perhaps now I will find a clue.// Epsilon, their head of Intelligence leaned forward slightly within the high backed solid embrace of her chair and it seemed to Gamma that she was paying particular attention to Delta. Why he felt the security officer to be her focus he could not say as her body language gave no clue as to who she might be watching in particular nor did she address one person. Her head was carefully lowered that small degree from being fully raised, the cowl directed at some point between Alpha and Beta and her hands in their rust red gloves were folded neatly in front of her on the table. No hint of a thought escaped her shields nor did he expect to be able to pick up on her thoughts nor her emotions. Epsilon had always been a capable Psi and able to shield her thoughts even from the best of the telepaths at their disposal. Even the empaths available to them claimed that she could shield from them becoming seemingly as emotionless as stone. "My agents have communicated to me confirmation that the Peacecraft heir is alive. I had suspected his survival for some time but now there is no doubt that he is not only alive but that his survival is known to his sister and to certain highly placed individuals within the Earth Sphere government. His location and his occupation is now known to my intelligence service and we are endeavoring to ascertain exactly what will be required to gather him into our influence. With the Kushrenada specimen and the Peacecraft now known to be alive and the possibility of having them within our grasp we can expect to find ourselves with two potentially powerful W series subjects available to us within the next twelve months." "Ah, yes. The Peacecraft heir." Alpha fairly purred her content. "We must gather that one to us with all available speed. I look forward to welcoming him to Romefeller." Beta stirred, sweeping a hand across the table surface and a low chuckle escaped him. "I like the way that you say his name, my dear Alpha. We put a great deal of effort into mapping out his genetic print and the splicing of them to the K code. I will not have such a masterpiece of genetic engineering wasted to the petty games of those fools who think they run Romefeller. I take it Epsilon, that by mentioning the Earth Sphere government you were referring to the individuals on said government who chiefly concern us?" "I was." the rusty red cowl dipped in acknowledgement. "I know that we are slated to discuss the so called 'Public Front' of Romefeller at our annual meeting in two days, but I feel that at this point I must stress my concern over this matter. It is beyond time these errant children who profess to know all were slapped down and learned that they in actuality know nothing. They are ignorant of the importance of our calling, ignorant of the true importance of the controlled bloodlines we have nurtured for millennium and hyped up with their own self-importance. Control over these errant children must be established before they ruin the genetic pool at the heart of our preferred bloodlines. These people are not infants, some are near as old as we and they make no effort to advance the human condition." "Beta, we know all this." Delta fairly growled. //They are worse this night than usual. Squabbling over everything. What have I missed? Alpha has done little to control their hostility making me wonder if she is not maneuvering them to challenge each other. // "Do you indeed? How grand for you. Well have you given any thought to how we are to choose from these pathetic fools those who will eventually take our places in the Circle? Just think about if for a moment. If they can not see beyond their petty games and are so wasteful of resources that they destroy precious bloodlines that we have nursed so painstakingly for so long, how do you think to ever trust them to continue the tradition that is Romefeller? We need every single specimen of the K series genetics and it really does not need saying again just how important the W series genetics is to our future. Is it not enough that through the power games they employed that we have lost Treize Kushrenada? His K series genetics with the successful Psi genetic splice was to be the foundation for the next sequence. Splicing the W series genetics with the new projected modifications to his completed K sub series strands would have produce the X sequence. Because of the interference of these fools who suppose themselves capable of ruling the Earth Sphere we have lost a vital genetic base." "It is a loss and in that while it delays the new generation it does not smother us. There is his daughter, natural born as she is." Alpha flipped a dismissing finger at Beta. "Do not make the mistake of over dramatizing this setback. We are Romefeller, we will go on." "His daughter simply will not do. There are too many random uncharted elements within her genetic map that would totally ruin any chance of success with developing the X sequence using her as a base. No, Alpha, it was Treize who was the first with the required combinations and genetic stability capable of being the base for that new sequence. While my teams are working as quickly as they can we have limited genetic material to work with that is required to base the X sequence. It may be another eight or more generations before we can replace what was lost with his death." // More of a loss to the organization than I had supposed. Interesting. That will alter our projections for the next few hundred years, even with the advancements we make in genetic engineering it will delay the project. // Gamma scowled at his chalice of wine. "We could always clone him." Beta laughed bitterly. "Have you learned so little, Epsilon? Clones are flawed. They are not successful enough for this type of splicing to be carried out with any appreciable level of success. We may succeed but there will be genetic flaws it would take hundreds of generations to eradicate. We know a great deal about genetics but we do not know enough to detect and eradicate all of the flaws inherent in cloning an individual of the complexity and purity that was Treize Kushrenada. No, to produce a viable X sequence it must be the original genetic material used and you know that the Kushrenada's do not mature for genetic manipulation until after their fortieth year. It is a natural delay in setting the maturity patterns that results from the longevity genetics that is a part of the base print for the K series gene line. This immature faction fighting going on within our ranks has and is interfering with the future of the organization. We have already lost one Kushrenada that was vital to the overall design that we follow. Treize Kushrenada is irreplaceable and that set back can only be corrected with time. We have come very close to losing Kristian and how many times have we thought we had lost that Peacecraft boy? Something must be done about those incompetents before they set us back beyond our ability to recover." "They do not understand the design." Gamma murmured. // Nor are they interested in learning it. I know most of these men and women. They see only in the short term, the next two or three generations at most, not in the longer term. They give no thought to the future of our race, only to the here and now that affects them personally. Their thirst for power is very short sighted. // "I do not believe that it is a basic flaw in the genetic design of the generations in question, but it is far more likely to be a failing of our tutors." Alpha began, her tone thoughtful. "Have you given any thought to it possibly being that we have lost too many in the way of vital personal in the last hundred years, with the continual wars that have been developing beyond our influence?" Gamma interjected. "Do not complicate matters beyond actuality, Gamma. I think it more likely that the tutors are not instilling our directives into the less controlled of our people nor can they be emphasizing our history enough to ingrain the sense of duty that we require from the generations now in power. We need to review the training program of our tutors and keep a more observant eye on their activities to ensure that they are educating the younger generations to be assets to our cause. Free choice is and always has been vital to the development of our people and I do not like the idea of ruling them with an iron fist. That will not advance Romefeller as much as free choice and true dedication will. Our new generations must be permitted to develop individually yet still have a deep grounding and understanding of the truth that is Romefeller. I do admit, Beta that you have a valid point. I have found no one to date amid the Successors that I might consider as a suitable replacement for myself in years to come, and that lack of potential must be addressed. It is imperative to the continuance of Romefeller that we find suitable candidates and have them appropriately indoctrinated in our Lore." "There is too much individuality in the younger generations. They give no consideration to the overall design and some of them are not even educated to the Lore of Romefeller. There are a number of failings within the system, not the least of which is the lack of control over too intelligent children who go their own way and give no thought to the long term." Epsilon gave out a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a snort of utter disbelief. "Delta, our ancestors did breed for independent thought, intelligence and strength of will, you know. It is a part of the design. Perhaps you would have preferred they breed sheep?" "Do not be impertinent. It does not become you." Alpha twitched claw like fingers at Epsilon. Beneath the shelter of his deep blue cowl Gamma grinned. Though he would never admit to it he did like the old lady, though he was not so impressed with her that he followed blindly in her footsteps. He was the baby of the Inner Circle at ninety nine years of age and Alpha was the elder at one hundred and twenty five. At times she was a harridan but he had never known her to be less than meticulously fair in any of her dealings and judgments and there could be no doubt that she was dedicated to the ideals of their society. With the longevity bestowed upon them by the influence of the artefact at the time they took their Vows of Office she would have perhaps another twenty or thirty years to rule the Circle before her mind began to fail them. It would undoubtedly be a great loss to the organization when she was too old to serve. For all that he admired her he was not unaware of her faults. In his view the greatest fault was her penchant for game playing though to the best of his knowledge he was unaware that any of her games had ever been to the detriment of the House of Romefeller. He suspected that she was pitting Delta against Beta and if so then it was for a reason he had yet to divine. The more that he watched her now the more certain he was that she was following her own agenda and that it involved the Security Master and the Breeding Master. He only hoped that she did not push the two too far as there was none in his view who were suitable to replace either Master amid the ranks of the Successors. Beta stirred, rolling his chalice between his stick thin fingers. "We are diverging from the matter at hand which was not my intention in raising the issue of the current members involved in the government of the Earth Sphere. We still have ahead of us the question of what is to be done concerning the Peacecraft heir to be settled and also young Kristian and his willful ways. I will place another matter before you that I ask you to consider in depth and at length. We need to begin to debate on the merits of crossing the natural born daughter of the Peacecrafts with the designed explorer genetics of the boy she has been going around with. It has been brought to my attention that there is a growing attraction between the two and I need to know what the Circle thinks of permitting a natural mating to occur." //Damn. I had not considered that he would raise that issue so soon.// "Are we given to understand that as the Breeding Master you are considering such a pairing on the basis of a permanent or casual mating?" Gamma could not quite manage to hide his surprise at the suggestion implied that they should permit the rigidly controlled Peacecraft bloodline to cross with the purely experimental gene sequence that made up the boy commonly referred to as Heero Yuy. He personally knew the boy and had spoken to him on innumerable occasions and he was more than casually aware of what the ex Gundam Pilot was capable of, but when all was said and done the explorer genetics were still, in his view, experimental. Surely the others would agree that this strain of humanity was too new and vastly different from the centuries of genetic guidance that had gone into the bloodlines of Relena Peacecraft. Beta shrugged thin shoulders beneath the heavy weight of his velvet robes. "I am Breeding Master. It is my duty to consider every feasible crossing possible with the Children of Romefeller. As it happens I am of a mind to consider the pairing and at this stage not as a casual mating to produce one experimental sub type but as a permanent pairing. I have taken the liberty of formulating a projected gene chart of the potential of any offspring the two might produce and the results, while incomplete at this early stage are somewhat surprising, even to me. One must remember, of course, that we can not afford to permit the Peacecraft bloodlines to weaken. Should we lose the Prince then we have only Relena to further the bloodline. While it is true that the Explorer Gene sequencing is new, indeed it is in its infancy compared to the Peacecraft codes, we must face the truth that many of the subject Yuy's genes would add a certain enhanced strength to the family. It is only a suggestion, you understand, but the pairing must be considered in light of the potential source of strength that we must not dismiss out of hand. It is a possible mating only at this stage but I do need to consider the views of the Inner Circle before I make my decision. At this stage we have time to consider the pros and cons as we still have the Peacecraft boy available to us. Please, consider the pairing in both a permanent and casual pairing. Have any of you taken the time to view the genetic charts on the boy they name Heero Yuy? I am personally very pleased with the outcome. He was an outstanding success, despite the loss of control over him in the early stages of his childhood. He was never meant to be a soldier but he adapted well and it proves the potential for the series to adapt to changes in environment and training." "I have not viewed his charts as yet, no. His history has been interesting, of course and he has proven himself to be adaptable." Alpha murmured. One by one from around the table the negative was uttered and Gamma could feel the tides of change creep into their thoughts. Even Alpha gave off the impression of considering the mating of a purely experimental gene line with old blood purity and he was not pleased by this turn of events. The Peacecrafts were important to him on a more personal level than to the other members of the Inner Circle and he had a private preference for maintaining the purity of the Peacecraft codes. If he wished to maintain the old blood purity of the House of Peacecraft then he was going to have to come up with some very viable and indisputable evidence as to why they needed to exclude experimental genes from that core blood pool. When the Circle got their hands on the Prince he would never leave the Halls of the Inner Circle and despite Milliardo being alive that must leave Relena to provide the next public generation. "To fully consider the mating you will need to do so. I shall have his gene charts and the result on the projections of the crossing that are currently available prepared and sent to you for your consideration." Beta sighed, the chalice in his hands was caressed gently by gloved fingers. "I know that we must get back to the matter at hand, but this may have baring on any further decisions made concerning each and every mating in our blood pool. I can say with all confidence that within the next twenty years it will be possible to have complete breeding control over every successive generation within our breeding population. It has been confirmed that the young Winner heir is a homosexual." "Ah, so the gene sequence took then." a murmur of understated satisfaction from Alpha. // Oh yes, you would be pleased about that. // Gamma was careful to offer no hint that the news displeased him. Total control over breeding their bloodlines could be dangerous. They needed to remember that they were not going to live forever and that their replacements might not be quite so pure in their intentions. It would take only one Breeding Master or Assistant to pollute vital bloodlines. "He has recently made enquiries concerning the requirements of and the methods used to genetically splice male to male genes to produce a child. Our success in isolating the selection of genes that produce sexual preference has now been successful in six out of ten instances. It appears that Mr Winner's preferred partner of choice is an ex Gundam pilot. The pilot that they refer to as Trowa Barton. With this further proof of the successful implantation of the homosexual gene we can gain additional control of the bloodlines we particularly wish to maintain. For these families to further their lineage they must come to us to provide them with heirs and if we implant the homosexual gene sequence in the child we will gain unprecedented control over each generation. It will grant us greater opportunity to alter the genetics of each successive generation." //I do not like the sound of that. Not at all. That places too much power in the hands of the Breeding Masters. // "Barton? Is that not the gypsy? Has he not been listed as natural born and having the natural gene sequencing we have tagged for precognitive ability?" Delta leaned forward slightly and lifted the cup to his lips, draining the rapidly cooling wine. "Yes, he is the gypsy. Our investigations lead us to the conclusion that he comes from a line of natural fortune tellers that began in the Germanic region and later travelled extensively throughout Europe. There are few of the gypsies left and our tests have proven that his lineage carries the natural gene selection for full psionic ability, not just precognition. While the natural strain is of course much reduced from the refinements we have performed in the designer genetics we have developed it is a boon to discover the natural gene sequence in this family lineage. While I believe that the boy has not shown any talent himself, the natural gene is notorious for skipping a generation or two, but it does continually appear in the bloodlines we have monitored." "And does this Trowa Barton have the gene?" Epsilon queried. "He does. Our tests indicate that it is present in his gene charts, which makes him more than suitable to be listed within the Psi selection stud lists. We need access to the natural Psi potential to further develop and strengthen the designer sequences we have thus far perfected." "I find it interesting that the Winner heir has sought out this information on the potential for male to male genetic splicing from one of our Service Centres, don't you?" Delta settled back in his seat. "It would have been my expectation that he would have made his enquiries through neutral parties, without any indication of who it was that was interested in learning this information. That is how most people of influence begin their association with our breeding facilities. There is also the question of why he would approach our Centre and not turn to the Winner laboratories. "I do not find it of concern. This particular Winner has repeatedly broken the mold that one has come to associate with that family. His enquiries have been low key and I doubt that anyone in the Winner Corporation of any notable power knows of the questions that he has asked. Come now, think! You all should know of the potential troubles a homosexual is likely to experience living on L4. It stood to reason that if the boy was gay that he would need to consider an heir without turning to a female he has no possibility of becoming sexually attracted to. It is a regrettable truth that that family place so much store in their pure bloodlines. They are obsessed with purity." Gamma could hear the smirk develop in Beta's voice as he continued. "They would die of mortification if they knew just how many of their pure lineage are not even Winners." "Not that they will ever learn it." Delta commented dryly. "Of course not." Alpha agreed. "Each and every member of the family carry the signature Winner genes so that any genetic tests that might be carried out would determine them to be Winners of the original bloodlines that founded the L4 colony cluster." "That type of gene set is easy enough to place and disguise so that it can not be distinguished as an isolated cluster easily. In effect they are Winners. The infiltration of their laboratories progresses apace, by the by. Within two years we will have controlling interest in all of their Centres." Beta agreed. "The Winner boy will need to be careful." Epsilon lifted a hand to delicately scratch an annoying itch along her jaw, the shadows of the cowl concealing her face despite the movement. Watching her Gamma received the impression that she was watching Delta with careful attention. "From reports there is a resurgence in religion within the L4 cluster that could place any homosexual, even the head of Winner Corps in mortal danger." "Acht. It comes in cycles every sixty to seventy years. I have seen the same thing before and I assure you that it will pass." Alpha's ringed hand waved in what seemed to be negligent dismissal. "The boy is bright enough to recognize his danger and act upon it. I expect him to get out of the L4 cluster in good time if it looks to be getting dangerous. Annoying as many of the Winners have proven to be over the years none of them are fools." Epsilon hissed softly. "I beg pardon if I appear to be impertinent but I suggest we do not become complacent. There are undercurrents that begin to alarm me spreading throughout the Earth Sphere. There are factions out there that appear to be gaining in influence and who are working to their own plans totally independent of our control." "Which is it this time? Those fools in the Illuminate? The Phoenix Society?" Delta snorted. "They have tried it before and they always fail through stupid mistakes in their ill conceived plans. I have little respect for such fools." "No. No, Delta, heed my warning. My agents suggest that this may not be either of our rivals, poor rivals as they had proven to be over the years. Even we are not safe and complacency will only serve to set us back, even destroy us. You informed everyone of the security breach in the computer records?" Delta fairly snarled his displeasure. "Of course I informed everyone of the breech! Do you think I would ignore such a thing or the protocols involved with dealing with it?" "Settle, Delta. No one is questioning your competence." Alpha stepped in quickly to still any dissention. "How much exactly was lost in this breech?" //It is my personal opinion that your competence should be questioned.// Gamma glanced at the man before turning his attention back to Epsilon. Delta waved a dismissing hand though from the shelter of his cowl he scowled at Epsilon with ill disguised fury. The security breech was a sore point with him. "Ultimately we will lose nothing to the breech. All data was backed up on a secondary system completely isolated from the primary system. It is more of an annoyance than a problem but the primary unit will require a total recalibration. Of course it goes without saying that an entirely new security system will required to be devised and installed prior to the primary unit being brought back on line." "How long is this expected to take?" Beta queried, absently shifting his chalice from hand to hand. "Are we weakened while the matter is dealt with? I need to know if I must prepare our secondary outpost for occupation. I dare not lose the sequences I have been developing." "I assure you that there is no need for such an alarmist attitude. Perhaps as long as five months will be required to bring the primary unit back on line. It is possible that it may take a little longer, but at the moment we project that five months is required to complete the restoration of the system." "Do you have a name? Do you have an identity that you can point a finger to and say that this is the origin of the attack? The Illuminate? Phoenix? Someone else who dares to challenge us? Some lucky and infinitely stupid hacker who is now running around with a target on his back?" Gamma pushed. The breech in security did alarm him, though not for the reasons any at this table would assume. "Not at this time." Delta knew that would not go down well with the Elder of the Circle and he knew why. While he could not say with any certainty that this particular person or that organization had attacked their systems he and the other members of the Circle had to suspect that the source of the attack might once have originated amid their own ranks. // You know, you are rather conspicuous by your silence on that subject, my friend. There is another source with the potential to break into our archives whom you have pointedly not mentioned. Alpha is not fool enough to have not considered them and you may have earned her ire for not owning up to the possibility. It needs saying and if you are not willing to suggest it then I wonder who of us will? // He personally opted for suspecting that the breech had been the result of activities of the renegades who had come very close to crippling the organization more that a hundred years before. "Mmm. Well, I, like you, find that I doubt it is either of the sources you have mentioned. It is far more likely to be one of our bright up and coming young things who managed to find what is best left unknown but I expect you to trace them and suitably chastise them. I would prefer that they not be killed immediately as I am pleased that the perpetrator has proven so inventive as to hack into our systems and this serves only to confirm my hopes for this latest generation." Alpha's tone suggested a smirk lurked beneath her hood. //So at this time you are not going to mention the renegades and the others seem to favor silence. Interesting.// "I firmly believe that it is this latest generation that will prove themselves to be the key to our success. As Mistress of the Circle I am pleased at the potential and courage they have thus far displayed. They have shown themselves not to be timid nor are they intellectually impaired, as evidenced by Treize Kushrenada and the young Peacecraft boy. I have taken the time recently to review in minute detail the genetic charts of both of these children and I agree with Beta that it is a tragedy that we have lost the Kushrenada heir. While it is a great loss his passing, we must not allow it to break us as there are others with the potential to further our aims. I believe that now we must accept the losses and look forward to the future, and to do that we must place our primary hope in the Peacecraft Prince." "Alpha! He has been proven to be insane! Perhaps not a raving rabid lunatic but still unstable." Delta sat erect in his chair, hands tightened painfully on the chalice before him. "We can not rely on his sanity under duress. Who knows what the last few years have done to further his instability? I know that his genetics are exceptional but we dare not use a flawed vessel for the sake of the future." "I resent the implication that I have not performed my duty to the organization to the best of my abilities. The Peacecraft heir is not genetically flawed." Beta fairly snarled. "Perhaps not but he has been affected by the debacle in his childhood. What he witnessed is enough to send any child into screaming madness. I pity him, but I cannot place the type of faith in him that you express. He is too big a risk." "Peace, gentlemen. Exercise restraint and listen to what I have to say. After due consideration and careful studying of the W series genetic charts and projected potential it is Milliardo Peacecraft whom I would expect to be the key to the Artifact. His genetic charts show clearly that if he indeed holds all of the abilities that were projected then he more than meets the requirements needed to establish and maintain prolonged contact with the Artifact. It still remains to be seen if the boy has an active enough talent to establish such a bond. All of the clues are there in his coded sequences to be read if you have the eye for it. It is my belief that he could make the merge successfully. You must remember that he succeeded in merging with the Epyon system." "And it is my belief that it drove him insane." Delta snapped back. Gamma scowled, careful not to betray himself with so much as a hint of movement. Alpha's decision to use the Prince of Sanc in a bid to further their knowledge of the Artifact was not what he had expected and it increased the danger the young man was in. Merely being wanted by Romefeller for his genetic enhancements had now progressed to being Desired for use with the Artifact and that considerably upped the anti of difficulties that would be needed to be faced to extricate him from the coils soon to bind him. It was not his intention to lose the boy to the Artifact and no one had ever survived getting close to that. "I was under the impression that you were preparing Kristian Kushrenada for that same role before he escaped custody. I presumed that you would have him trained in accordance with that prior training schedule when he is reacquired to make the appropriate attempt at connection." He had had enough practice over the years to keep his concern out of his voice, though he would not wish the task they now discussed on his worst enemy. He was certain that it was tantamount to a death sentence. Alpha inclined her head to Gamma, acknowledging his comment as the truth it was. "It was originally Kristian who was to be trained with the intend of initiating a bond. I have since taken the time to compare the genetic models of both the Kushrenada and the Peacecraft W series and that comparison now suggests that it is Milliardo Peacecraft who would be the better match for the Primary Merge. Admittedly it could kill him, of course, but Epsilon has informed me prior to this meeting that he now has confirmed offspring." "He had offspring and you have not informed me? I am the Breeding Master for God's sake! Does this not count for anything anymore?" "Peace, Beta, the report no doubt is waiting for you in your office. Yes, he has children, twins one of them male and I believe that child would be infinitely suitable for you to use as base material for future development should the sire die. We would of course need to have a store of fresh genetic material on hand from the Prince in the event that he should die in the attempt, which I admit would be a tragedy for us all. Yes, it would be a pity if he perished as we cannot really afford to lose either of them but the attempt is long overdue and must be made. The charts strongly indicate he has certain advantages over the W series prototype and that he would have a better chance of surviving the merge than the Kushrenada would have. He certainly turned out much prettier than I expected." Gamma choked at that and was thankful that he was not the only one who reacted visibly to her casual comment. //I do not believe I just heard her say that. You old pervert.// "Alpha! There is more to a person than their looks." "Indeed. Looks are not … argh!" Beta almost spat at the dry witches cackle that resounded through out the room. "Cease your game playing woman. This is neither the time nor the place." "Ah, yes, but I do believe that he did turn out to be considered something more than handsome." Epsilon chuckled, highly entertained by the male reactions around the table. She knew only too well that Alpha enjoyed shocking them occasionally, a game that she had played from her youth that she had never tired of and no doubt would continue to play to the moment of her death. "Eye candy never hurts." "There is nothing wrong with admiring the available eye candy that nature produces, Stripling." Alpha cackled her witches laugh. "When you are my age, Beta, admiring the eye candy is about all that is left for you to do. Even you must admit that he turned out to be stunning to look at. To set your mind at rest I will tell you that he bred with Lucrezia Noin. It is all in the formal report. While it is disappointing that we have not had the opportunity to perform the planned genetic modifications that we had slated for the next generation before conception, it is a fact that the match between the Peacecraft Prince and Lucrezia Noin was the preferred match that we had intended for the first crossing of his genetics. So we have a natural conception and the opportunity to examine the natural set the genetic cross has taken which may require us to modify our selection for the next pregnancy. The natural mating can be used to serve our purpose. Which reminds me, Epsilon, have you managed to contact those idiots and have this farce taking place on Mars stopped? For those of you who do not know it has been learned that our Prince is on Mars with his family and a faction of our less than faithful children are using him as a political tool. At this time they have agents on Mars with instruction to take the Prince and his children into custody and transport them to an as yet undisclosed location. With the past record of these bumbling fools we cannot afford to lose that boy and his children at this time to their incompetent planning. They are too valuable to us nor do I wish to chance losing the children's mother. Her genetics were to be considered for genetic advancement beyond the cross breeding with the Peacecraft." Epsilon suppressed a groan but admitted to herself that this knowledge would make them all give more serious consideration to beta's pet beef. The fiasco of which she had been informed of seconds prior to her entering the chamber would prove that they had deep problems with the rather chaotic situation their errant fledglings were initiating in the Earth Sphere. //She is not going to like this. Not at all. I foresee yet another lecture on the way centred around the poor quality of the generations who insist on breaking from the fold. As if it was my fault they went off on their own tangents, fired with their own ideas of how to build the world for this culmination of The Project. If they even still follow the precepts that have governed us for two millennia. Something must be done to sort order into the chaos and Alpha must acknowledge that for the simple truth. There are too many factions now in existence and it weakens us. We must bring order once again to our ranks.// "Epsilon? Why do you delay?" Delta leaned forward, sensing a weakness in her and she resisted the urge to snarl at him. "You can not talk. Your security is half the trouble …" A low growl from Alpha brought swift order to the younger members the Circle and Epsilon swallowed her retort. "The courier I had chosen to accompany my representative returned to me a few minutes before this meeting and thus far I have not had the time or opportunity to initiate a response. I do however request the backing of the Circle to permit me to make a statement on our behalf that cannot be ignored by anyone in our ranks that we are displeased with this turn of events. My deputy was informed to keep his nose out of matters that are of no concern to him else he find himself in a dark alley at some time with an extra wide and additional mouth." Stunned silence resulted and more than one set of fingers tightened around the cups, some tightening sufficiently to bend the metal out of shape. It was Gamma who broke the silence, himself hardly surprised at the outcome but suspecting that the Intelligence Officer had somewhat exaggerated. "Is that not a little dramatic, Epsilon, to make your point? I assume that is your personal interpretation of the refusal given and this is hardly the place for such interpretations." "Presume nothing, Gamma." Epsilon snorted her disgust. "As it so happens that is exactly what was said to my envoy. Word for word." "Outrageous!" Delta hissed. "I did warn you that they were set to cause trouble and that they do not believe that we actually exist." Beta returned. "Enough! You did dispatch the envoy under my seal, did you not?" An arctic chill emanated from Alpha's quiet voice and the claw like fingers clenched beneath the protection of her loose sleeves where she had been attempting to warm them. "I did." //Don't take it out on me, people. It is not as thought I did not warn you thirty years ago that this was likely to happen. I could see it developing even before I was offered this position. Then I was just a bright trainee and my opinions were not of important to the illustrious Inner Circle, but I did warn you. Just give me some peace now and take it out on those who deserve it, though an acknowledgement of my accuracy would be nice. For that I will not hold my breath I think. Just give me permission to make them sit up and take notice.// "I see." Alpha drew a deep breath, gaining herself a few seconds in which to consider the actions that must now be taken. "Well then, it would appear that this meeting and our next will require that we include in our discussions suitable punishments for those who insist on ignoring the directives of the mother organization. It is indeed time that those who think themselves to be above our ancient order and its directives should be brought to heel. We are too close to our final success for them to bring down the bloodlines with their petty schemes." Gamma stirred, absently rubbing a hand over a velvet-clad knee in an attempt to generate some measure of warmth. He was not inclined sit in this frigid room and nurse his old bones any longer than he had to and he already had had a long day. Far longer than most of his compatriots. "Have you been to the chapel recently?" He noted Alpha stiffen, just a miniscule flutter of her black robes and he resisted the urge to grin. He could still find himself stuck in this room for hours. //Take the subject change. Do not feed me any more of your anger over those who chance our success with their petty power schemes, we have far more important matters to attend to. It needs airing, yes, but so does this other problem that you all seem to wish to avoid. It is one thing to talk about setting the Prince to face the artifact and another thing entirely to ignore the truth of such an action. If I must sit here and freeze then at least we could be discussing something vital. I can only push this so far and escape close scrutiny. I must take every precaution possible when I send in my report, but just now you need distracting or we will find ourselves frozen lumps of flesh still sitting here beyond dawn. The Crystal is failing and that must be addressed.// "Yes." Alpha whispered into the silence, acknowledging that there was a disaster nearing. //Good. Now someone else take up the gauntlet. Talk about it. You have to come around to the renegades eventually. I have to know where your thoughts on them stand.// "It is fading. The light is going from its depths." Beta sighed. //Better still. // "Is it dying or is it evolving? Surely there is some way that we might divine its condition?" Delta breathed. "Well what did you expect? It is only to be expected that there is evidence of change." Epsilon surveyed the Circle members and eloquently shrugged her shoulders. "Why do you all sit there and make it sound as though one of us is passing? It is far more than just a member of this Circle that is at risk here. To lose the Artifact would be a disaster from which it is unlikely we would ever recover. We have dated the Artifact's origin at more that fifty thousand years. It stands to reason that nothing lasts forever, not even the Crystal though this one has certainly attempted to do so. It is only one more example of why we need the Peacecraft boy brought here to attempt to establish a merge with it before it fades. Either the Peacecraft or the Kushrenada, I personally do not care which it is if they are our only options." //No, that is not what I wanted.// Gamma scowled, his hands gripping the velvet folds of his robe beneath the table shelter. "Have some respect and foresight. Have you thought of what would happen should it die?" Delta snapped out. "That does not bear thinking about." A flick of a finger from Alpha, dismissed the very thought. "Alright, we know that we have problems developing and perhaps it does not bear thinking about that we will lose the Artifact but regardless of our hesitation it must be faced. Had we still the vat available to us …" Beta sighed, cowled head lowering. "Have you heard any more about those traitorous renegades? Is there no clue even now as to where they are hiding?" //Yes! This is what I need to know.// Delta leaned forward slightly and his cowl was turned to face Alpha directly. "I am certain that they are not resident on the Earth. They could not have hidden from my reach nor from Epsilon's intelligence agents for so long had they remained here. I am left with no other option than to believe that they are hidden somewhere amid the colonies." "I am not so certain of that." Epsilon discounted that theory with a wave her hand. "I admit that it is unlikely that they have been able to elude us if they were still on Earth. I believe they are not here, but to say that they are hidden on a colony … Of that I am in doubt. The vat required for the crystal's generation would require a great deal of power to operate and that amount of energy would drain a colony's resources dry. I have no doubt that even our renegades could not produce sufficient power to effectively operate a quarter of the systems required to generate the solution required to successfully grow a Crystal. We would certainly have noticed that type of power drain on any of the colonies and it just is not there." Alpha stirred, resting a hand gently on the table's surface but Gamma did not doubt that internally she must be seething. "We finally breed a generation with potential to carry our work out to the stars and the very first thing that they do when we relax our guard on them is to bolt from our control, taking with them irreplaceable equipment. It is proving beyond troublesome to find them but they are out there and they have to be brought back. They must be educated as to the error of their ways and the importance of our Charter. It is troublesome but it remains a necessity. To my dismay it is probable that in their ignorance and inexperience they have killed the crystal they stole and perchance have even destroyed the vat itself. It was an experimental device after all and there was no guarantee that the crystal growing within it would continue to grow to maturity, though it did look promising. The original generation who saw fit to believe they knew better than their elders would be long gone now, from memory few of them were graced with the improved longevity genetics, but if they kept to the directive then it is possible that their children would be out there, somewhere. No doubt if they stayed true to the ideal of Romefeller and are still working for that goal that drives us all then we have hope. It is my personal belief that they would have taught the directive to their children and even beyond our control they would have striven toward our ultimate goal." "We are still many generations from reaching perfection." Beta murmured. "We have come so far, and our children are much improved with the use of genetic engineering, but there is still a long way to go to reach the required specifications given to us by the Artifact." //Very good. This I can report, now how much further can I push you? // "Is there an estimate on how long it will take before the new vat system is perfected?" Gamma queried. "Progress is being made." Alpha murmured and in a sudden jerking movement rose to her feet. "I am frozen and I am certain that you all are as well. I do not believe that any of you will object to my decision to call a halt to this extraordinary meeting. Epsilon. Delta. You will arrange for a special operative to remove the irritation who dared to defy a Circle directive as an example to all of the others. You will make it obvious to all involved that it was a direct directive of the Inner Circle that the execution take place. Leave our seal for them to find. I admit that events may have progressed too far if our children are so wilful as to ignore our commands. It is time to slap our children over the wrist and discipline them as they deserve. Should they still refuse to recall the ESUN Wellington from her mission and hand control of the operation over to your Intelligence Service then you will continue to remove them, one by one, in order of their power structure until some bright young thing down the order of command understands the message. I want it understood that Milliardo Peacecraft and his children are under the direct protection of the Inner Council." //Now what happened there? You are changing the subject, Alpha my dear. I know that tone of voice. So what are you hiding? You have problems with the development of a replacement vat and that means that there likely will be no replacement crystal when the original dies? That is possible, I suppose and without that crystal, what is Romefeller? Change is in the wind and it may be the kind of changes that finally kills Romefeller. The very thought is sacrilege. Without the crystal how do we test the potential of our young generations and how do we power our equipment? It is far more than that, though. It is a symbol. We need it as a visible sign of our goals. Do you …could you possibly believe that we can go on without it? I did not think you to be a fool, in fact I know that you are not, so what do you know that I do not? Alpha, I must pay more attention to your doings, I think.//
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