Had the Passing By And Thought I’d Drop In been taking a more intrusive and suspicious approach from the start – bugging/hacking/whatevering the relevant players – we would almost certainly know by now whether they are under attack from outside or not. And I bet, by the way, that they’re not.

∞

xGSV Contents May Differ

I’m sure all these points are well made. Perhaps we ought to wait and see what the response of the Gzilt hierarchy itself is to the president’s death before we decide what might be done next.

“Our Intelligence agencies have further, ah, determined, that these same people, the Ronte, have been directly responsible or, through their agents and abettors, been indirectly though culpably responsible for both the attack on the, ah, headquarters of the Fourteenth regiment, on the Fzan-Juym moon of Eshri, Izenion. Izenion system. And the tragic, despicable murder, assassination … of President Geljemyn. Also, for attacks on two fleet warships, one at Eshri and another at the planet of Ablation. Excuse me. Ablate. The planet of Ablate, too, was attacked. And so, accordingly, we are resolved to resist the arrival of the Ronte fleet with all force and demand their surrender. Surrender of their agents and representatives, here. Here on, ah, Zyse and elsewhere. Our security forces are already, this day, carrying out the, ah … such, ah, actions. Being carried, ah … out. Thank you.”

The new president and extremely old politician – Trime Int’yom, until a small ceremony in the president’s office a few minutes ago – fell silent. He looked uncertain; a small, old man with nervous eyes and skin that had had to repair itself under the light of too many different suns. The first questions were being shouted out by the media people. Acting President Int’yom asked for the first one to be repeated, then held up one hand as he consulted with his staff, four of whom were standing behind him on the podium and looking just as nervy.

“Dear Scribe’s piss,” Trime Yegres sighed, turning to Banstegeyn with his hand partially covering his mouth. “Gets the Ablate thing wrong twice and then barely remembers the name of the planet he’s fucking standing on. Worthy successor, eh?”

The septame nodded, after a moment.

Yegres frowned. “You all right, Banstegeyn?”

“Just … shocked, Yegres,” he said. He looked at the mass of cameras, in case any were aimed at him. At least, in here, only hand-helds were allowed and you were free from the threat of a float-cam poking a lens up your nose. One or two cameras might have been trained on him and Yegres. He kept his blank, shocked, almost uncomprehending look going, gazed downwards again.

“You, shocked?” Yegres sounded surprised. “Whatever next?”

“Who knows whatever next?” Banstegeyn said.