2206 : Window Onto A New World
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IV. Machine Messiah
satisfied, « but if you'll please excuse me now, Bruno » he announced, signifying that their chat was over, « this busy old man has a full agenda again today I'm afraid » he chuckled, bending forward and putting his hands flat on the long table, as if he were getting ready to stand up. « Oh, don't bother » Gray obsequiously offered at once, « I can only imagine the pressure you must be under » he observed as he rose, « it's been both a real privilege and a true joy to meet you, Richard » he finally acknowledged with deference before he headed towards the exit of the large room, already picturing the reactions of his associates to the unlikely news. « Thanks again Bruno ! » responded the statesman, « my assistant will escort you out of the ship » he concluded as his guest left.
The party leader pondered the bold, albeit calculated move. It could have easily backfired as the predecessors of the civil servant had a reputation for being manipulative. Still, he could always have denied raising the topic if his visitor had threatened to blackmail him using his unorthodox, if not downright scandalous proposal. After all, most Conservatives, even the religiously inclined, were not generally known to concern themselves with the activities of the Community, apart perhaps for the few radicals who systematically disdained the spiritual order. But Ramsay had never even been one of the religiously inclined, not until recently that is, and no one else knew about his newly found passion anyhow. Nobody would have bought into the allegations. And in any case, he had ways to unearth more convincing arguments if that hadn't tempered the zeal of the bureaucrat. Furthermore, prior to the meeting, the First Man of Ovel had been undecided about the whole question of whether securing the collaboration of the CSS was a sound strategy or an utter waste of time. The fellowship was regarded as a joke by many all across the Federation, and understandably so given how the gossip portrayed it. According to the urban legend, its founders had established the Syndicate after surmising that they had nothing short of the most important jobs on the planet, and that such an advantage was worthy of protection. So, in addition to the already existing labour union, they had created the parallel structure, complete with thorough rules of conduct and a dress code. Its specific mission consisted in overseeing the continuity, through changes in regimes, of the functions its members were appointed to, so as to facilitate their permanence, and thus allow them to increase their influence within the Global Administration. Or at least, that was what the unflattering hearsay persistently suggested. Could the extravagant tale only be a misperception ? More to the point, the Chancellor knew that the underground organization was purported to nurture an ongoing curiosity for the mysteries of the Community, and the uncanny faculties such as prescience and remote vision they were supposed to confer upon the initiates. Given their common interest, and despite its bad name, the consortium had thus appeared as a potential ally, probably the only one he could ever hope to gain considering his title, circumstances, and far from unanimously lauded career. The Threshold
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Christopher Stewart