We have our answer. Those who agree trade hate-glares with those who scream, but all remember the Olympics, turn passion into patient malevolence, and wait. Except Papa; Papa must keep Prospero from rejoining Sniper:

“Ockham Prospero Saneer, I hereby arrest you as an accessory to the murder of Alex Limner by Thisbe Saneer, whom you aided in concealing the earlier murders of Luca Cormor and Quinn Prichard.” That buys time.

Time. What have we bought now? Earth. And what have we paid?

CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH

Angry, the Leviathans

Written August 18, 2454

Event of August 18

Romanova

Were you still thirsty, Providence? You could have told me You required more sacrifice. I serve Another, but I can still be Your blade. If Apollo and the Mardi were not blood enough, bid me take whom You will. Take MASON. Smash the dream that Alexander dreamed of grand and lasting empire. Take Spain and his virtue. Take Papa and his justice. Take the Blacklaws, and make all humankind the slaves of law again. Will that not sate You? Take Saladin, then! My beautiful Saladin, just… those who guard the baby step we have taken outside this world, who plan the next step, why must You take aim at them? Have mercy, pray, not on me but on Gagarin, and Galileo, and Odysseus, and Jason and his Argonauts, and on Your Guest, Who will suffer so if He must see them fall! Have mercy, Maker! Erase this past hour from Your Great Scroll! Return the billion arrows of complacent Earth to their quiver, and make a different war.