The Tau Ceti Agenda

slap together loudly.

What about today? Allison?

Well, the Phlegra is scheduled for a trip back to Sol, right?

Yes, so? Apparently, ships go back and forth to that Oort Cloud base all the time.

Remember the manifest? Nothing goes to this ship after today.

Hey . . .

'What tho thpecial bout today,' Kira managed through swollen busted lips. She licked at them and swallowed blood.

'Ha ha, the nerve,' Ahmi turned back to her. 'I'm the one asking questions here.'

'Since you have to kill her anyway . . .' Scotty shrugged.

'Today, we are going to fix an election.' Ahmi stood straight and looked deeper into Kira's swollen eyes. 'So that is why you have to tell us what you know and who you have told.'

An election?

Presidential election is Tuesday, Allison answered.

Why?

Who knows, she's crazy as a fucking fruit bat.

Wait, how would they fix an election? Kira had studied Ahmi for years now. She never did anything haphazard. This would be a well- managed and thought-out scheme. How would we fix the presidential election?

Let me think. It looks tight. President Moore is likely to lose if he doesn't take Florida and Luna City. The Democrat nominee Senator Webb might even win the popular vote, but without the electoral votes from the Moon, she can't win.

So that's it! The Moon is the common factor for both candidates. She's gonna do something to Luna City.

Like what?

I dunno, what is her standard MO?

Well, during the Desert Campaigns, she had kamikaze AI-driven fighters fly into the front lines until the AEMs were toast.

Yes! And during the Exodus, she used the kamikaze ships in several different cases. Kira had a good idea what was going on and how Ahmi planned to do what she was going to do. But even if they got to Sol space in the Oort Cloud, that is still months at top hyperspace speeds to Earth space.

Use that. Keep her talking.

Right.

'Ha, ha, ha . . .' Kira broke into laughter as best she could. 'You're gonna fix the election? Luna City. You're going to crash this ship into Luna City.'

'What?' Scotty laughed and looked surprised. 'You're about four hundred thousand kilometers off.'

Ahmi looked back and forth between the two of them. Kira noted that there was a hint of surprise from her body language. She wished she could see her face through that damned mask.

'Florida? No way. Its not important enough,' Kira managed through her fat lips. 'Florida won't win it for either candidate.'

'Oh, you just wait and see.' Scotty again laughed, a bit too cocksure of himself.

Allison. Could Florida win it for either one?

Well, there is the slimmest chance, but . . .

Ahmi doesn't take chances like that.

That is what I was thinking.

HE DOESN'T KNOW!

You must be right. Use it!

'He doesn't know, does he?' Kira laughed, not breaking her eyes from Ahmi. 'Go on, tell him the whole thing. Florida is just a diversion, isn't it?'

'What is she talking about, Elle?' Scotty took his hands from his pockets and walked closer, looking directly at Ahmi with anger in his face. There was obviously some history between the two of them, and this topic must have been a sore one.

'Not now, Scotty.' Ahmi waved him off. 'So you have figured it out, have you?' Ahmi caressed Kira playfully. Kira was most certain that the general was off her rocker.

'Well, what I can't seem to figure out is how you plan to get this ship from the Oort Cloud to the Moon so quickly.' Kira lay still, trying to look calm and trying with all her might not to react to Ahmi's touch. Each one made her skin crawl and not in a good way.

'Ah, so you don't know everything. That is good.' Elle turned to the doctor. 'Take the AIC.'