Wang Wei cut in, “Then let us authorize lethal force,” the hardliner said.

Bo Jintao took a breath. That was a line that could not be uncrossed.

“The world will see,” Information Minister Fu Ping said, his voice low. “Other protesters will see. Civilians not in the protests will see… It’s not like it was.”

“The choice is simple!” Wang Wei said. “We’ve ordered them to leave, and they have not left. If we do not demonstrate our control… then we have none.”

Fu Ping shook his head. “If you enrage the rest of the country, whatever control we have will disappear entirely.”

Bo Jintao looked at Ouyang. The General’s eyes were narrowed. He looked unhappy at the direction of the conversation.

Would his men even obey orders to fire on their fellow citizens? The soldiers were Chinese too. They might have friends in those crowds, brothers, sisters. The army’s obedience had been tested before on more limited scales. Soldiers had pulled the trigger when ordered, had dispelled large crowds, had killed hundreds.

Painful, horrific, every time.

And like this? With millions of their countrymen filling the streets, in every city?

Never. No test of obedience like this had ever been faced.

Bao Zhuang spoke into the silence, his deep baritone filling the room. “Those who gun down their own citizens en masse not only risk ruin,” his voice rose then, into the passionate tone he used to deliver the oratory that had won him China’s love. “They deserve whatever ruin befalls them!”

Bo Jintao winced at that.

The room exploded into shouting. Wang Wei was on his feet, yelling at the President. Fu Ping had his arms up, ranting about satellite uplinks. Other Standing Committee members were yelling, to and fro, gesticulating.

“Silence!” Bo Jintao slammed his hand down hard onto the table. “Have some decorum, all of you, or I will have you gagged!”

Stunned faces turned to face him. Wang Wei looked apoplectic with anger. Bao Zhuang, slyly amused. Ouyang alone didn’t turn. The general was looking at Bao Zhuang, thoughtfully, in admiration.

As if he regretted his choice to back Bo Jintao, and strip the President of power.

How Bo Jintao hated the Bao Zhuang at that moment.

“General,” Bo Jintao said, staring at Ouyang until the General turned to face him. “We’re out of time! You must break these protests though non-lethal means. You have twenty-four hours. After that, we have no choice but to use lethal force. Can you do it?”

Ouyang stared back, his eyes hard, the look of admiration gone.

“If the alternative is to gun down thousands of our own people?” Ouyang asked. “Yes. To avoid that, we’ll find a way to clear them out.” He nodded. “Tonight.”

111
Stabilize

Monday 2041.01.20

Kade spun hard, his world going insane, alarms blaring at him, error messages strobing in red in his mind.

COLLISION LEFT WING.

DAMAGE LEFT WING.

CHAMELEONWARE ERROR.

FLIGHT INTEGRITY LOST.