'Have you decided to resign from your post on The Emperor’s advisory council? Some believe it is a conflict of interest.'
'Of course they would,' Sharon kept her smile but could not hold her tongue. 'Then again, they have not accomplished what my husband has accomplished. If not for him, you would still be an appointed Mayor of that little town in Maryland. Now look at you, you’re an elected official. You’re moving up in the world.'
'Yes, this is true,' Helena agreed but did not share Sharon’s smile. 'Still, I thought your husband fought to reduce the power of one man, The Emperor. The more I see the more I wonder if this isn’t about increasing the power of another.'
'Careful,' Evan warned. 'We need to watch our words. I think it is unwise for the two of us to be so confrontational. I was just explaining to my lovely wife, we really should watch what we say. You never know when your words may come back to hurt you.'
– Evan did his best to suppress a yawn as Internal Security Chief Dante Jones finished his closing statement before the sub-committee meeting in the Senate chamber.
In the hours since he declared the new Senate in session, they had completed the first roll call (one hundred percent attendance), outlined the parameters that would govern the committee that would prepare a proposal on the reach and goals of interstate commerce regulations (despite a lack of actual 'states' in the old-world sense), spent a working lunch listening to a presentation from a political scientist who told the new Senators how important they were, reconvened after lunch with afternoon roll call (seventy-five percent attendance, not bad), and opened nominations for chairpersons of various sub-committees including agriculture, finance, diversity, education, and history preservation.
The largest gathering that afternoon revolved around the Domestic Security sub-committee and its charge to investigate and understand the needs of Internal Security.
As Dante Jones read the last lines of his closing statement-something about cooperation and resources- Senator Frank Whitman of a district in central New Jersey stormed into the chambers and found a seat at the head table overlooking the Internal Security Chief. The Senator waved a piece of paper in the air and glared at Dante.
'Senator Whitman,' Chairperson Otis Love from New York halted the proceedings. 'Is there a problem we should be aware of?'
Evan, in the front row of desks arranged in a semi-circle facing the dais where the committee sat in high- backed chairs, watched carefully, noting that Whitman appeared ready to attack Jones.
'I have some questions that the people need answered right now.'
Evan saw sweat on Dante's brow and a tremble in his hands. He knew Jones did not feel at home in such surroundings. Indeed, he rarely appeared comfortable about anything involving his job as Chief of I.S. Trevor had appointed him more out of trust for his judgment and disposition, not for any real world experience.
'What…what is it you want to know?'
'I have copies of a memorandum you wrote to Internal Security Post 47. For those who may not know, Post 47 is charged with maintaining security in central and southern New Jersey.'
Dante swallowed. 'I write lots of memos, Senator. Actually-'
'Dated this last Monday, January 17. Written to Post 47 in regards to manpower deployments and procedures. Do you remember this memo? Do you?'
Dante's lips moved but no sound came out. His eyes sought the ceiling, then the floor, then his hands.
'This memo, Mr. Jones, resulted in the death of five people last night.'
A hush rolled through the chamber.
'This memo represents gross negligence. This memo authorizes post 47 to cut back on personnel at check points along the Atlantic City Expressway. Do you remember the damn memo now, Mr. Jones?'
He swallowed hard and then stammered an answer, 'I remember a memo that authorized a change in operations to reflect security conditions. As for people dying, I don’t know what you’re talking about.'
Whitman pounded his fists. 'I’m talking about two young children, their parents, and their teamster ripped to shreds when their horse-drawn carriage was attacked at the Farley check point which was unmanned in the middle of the night! I’m talking about negligence, Mr. Jones!'
Chairperson Love said, 'Senator, please share this information with the rest of the panel.'
Whitman composed himself. Dante tried to do the same. Neither was very successful.
'Mr. Chairman, my colleagues, the Atlantic City Expressway cuts through New Jersey from the coast to Philadelphia. Before the invasion it was probably the busiest highway south of Trenton. This is true again today. According to Internal Security records, the Farley checkpoint logged two supply convoys per day as well as an average of eight civilian vehicles, mainly horse-drawn wagons and bicycles. That's every day on average. By way of comparison, only the roads around Trevor's lakeside estate and this city-Washington-rank higher in logged traffic.'
Dante Jones quickly said, 'Miami has much higher traffic rates and almost no incidents.'
Whitman appeared ready for that reaction. He shot, 'We all know Miami is a special case, Mr. Jones. You inherited that situation; my understanding is that I.S. isn't even fully integrated there yet, so don't try and take credit for it!'
Chairperson Love raised his hands. 'Let's try to remain calm and focused.'
Whitman huffed and then continued, 'With this memo, Internal Security Chief Dante Jones authorized a change in how those check points are organized. The result is that a family that I knew from my district stopped at what they thought was an active check point only to be slaughtered by what appears to have been a Jabberwock.'
'Mr. Jones, can you shed more light on this incident?'
Dante shook his head ‘no’. 'I have been here all day and haven’t received my daily reports. There is probably a report waiting on my desk. I’m sorry about your loss.'
'You’re sorry? I don’t have reports waiting back home, Mr. Jones. I have a dead family. All due to your incompetence.'
Disgruntled mumbles rumbled through the chamber, echoing to the tall ceiling and bouncing off the walls. The press that had been lulled to sleep by droning speeches awoke; video cameras and tape recorders rolled; the flash of photography flickered across the chamber.
Evan Godfrey watched silently and held his cards close to his chest.
'Mr. Jones,' the Chairperson addressed the Chief. 'How do you react to this news?'
'As I said, like, I’m very sorry for what happened. I’ll have to look into it but we’re changing the way we’re organized all the time. We have a shortage of manpower.'
'I call for your resignation,' Whitman burst. 'This is the last straw. In the last week alone three people killed in West Virginia, another two in eastern Kentucky, the food center in Maryland wiped out, the list goes on. I don’t see how you can be trusted with Internal Security.'
'Um,' Dante stuttered as the cameras focused on his blank expression.
Evan waited. He wanted to see more sweat on Dante’s brow.
Whitman pressed on, 'Tell us all-right here and now-what your credentials are to hold this position. What did you do before Armageddon? Were you a police officer? Were you a soldier? This is the most important position in our nation and I cannot fathom why it has been entrusted to you!'
Dante stammered, 'I’ve been doing this for a bunch of years now and I-'
'That’s not what I asked! I asked for your credentials before the invasion!'
Sweat nearly poured from Dante's forehead. His eyes changed from wide-eyed shock to slits of defensive anger. His mouth opened and something akin to a bark formed…
Evan stood and spoke. Not a shout. Firm…but calm.
'Gentlemen, gentlemen. First, let me pass on my sincere condolences to the Senator from New Jersey. I think we all know the pain of loss in these times.'
Everything stopped. Evan Godfrey held the attention of the entire room, including all the cameras and all the reporters taking notes.
'Despite the trappings of civilization with which we are currently surrounded, we cannot forget that we live in a chaotic world. Our population is spread thin across the eastern half of what once was our beloved America. There are great…great shadows hidden between our cities. When we gauge the success or failure of our Internal Security
