00079

Security Leader Clyden swaggered into Gov. Xavier Bright's office. Apparently, Mrs. Kline, the secretary, took the day off for some reason, and the Governor's niece, Sheila, took her place. This type of despotism was just the sort of thing that so irritated Sec. Ldr. Clyden about the Governor, and validated what the dissatisfied Security Leader planned to do.

And he also noticed that Mita Morgan sat at Mrs. Kline's desk with Sheila. Both were looking over some accounts books and screens. Mita Morgan smiled at Clyden. "Hi! How nice to see you. Did you come to see me? Sheila's teaching me how to do reports the way she often does to help Gov. Bright."

"No, Mita," said the Security Leader, "I did not come to see you. I didn't even know you were here. I came to see Gov. Xavier.”

“Oh. Do you have an appointment?"

Clyden laughed at her. "I'm the Security Leader. I don't need an appointment." Before she could complain, he breezed past her into the inner office, where the Governor sat at his desk, reading some documents and highlighting certain sections.

The Governor looked up. "Security Leader Clyden. Good morning. I didn't expect to see you. Did we have an appointment?"

Clyden ignored his comment. Since when did he need to stand on protocol with the Governor? He pulled up a chair for himself and sat down by the desk. "Gov. Xavier, do you recall that some time ago, I asked you to make me your Lt. Governor?"

Xavier Bright put down his pen, giving his visitor his attention. "I do. I didn't think it was a good idea at the time. I still don't."

Sec. Ldr. Clyden glared. "So, when you told me back then to come see you after I took care of the illegal church, you didn't really mean it, did you? Oh, what a surprise- You were caught being insincere.” Clyden spit out that last sentence with a mouthful of sarcasm.

Xavier Bright remained smiling. "Security Leader Clyden, like I often said, I appreciate your help. You know I do. I admit, your methods are different from mine, and most of the time you do things quite contrary to what I would do, but overall, I recognize your loyalty, and I thank you for it."

"Yeah, I guess my methods are very different, if by being different you mean that, whereas you let your niece bend you around her little finger, I think it is very unwise, and not very professional for your position. Or do you mean because I think Osmo Martin is a punk, but you, on the other hand, want to charm him, in order to influence his rich daddy to get more favors from Earth?"

The Governor dropped his friendly face. A meanness replaced it. "No, Sec. Ldr. Clyden, what I mean is that you are a thug. And that's all you will ever be. How can I make an unrehabilatable thug my second-in-command? Oh, I am sure that will give me a lot of respect with the Earth Leaders."

Clyden's eyes smoldered. "You know, at one time I used to respect you, Gov. Xavier. I even used to look up to you. But not any more."

Xavier Bright said, "I see. Well, it certainly was good that at least at one time you admired me. It shows some sound judgement on your part. Now let me tell you why you cannot be my Lt. Governor, because, to be honest, while I valued your help, I never respected you. How can I? To be further honest, often you are... shall we say, inept. If I can't respect you, then what of the average citizen of the World of Hope? Can he? I sincerely doubt it. And so, how can you help me lead this world, if nobody respects you?"

Sec. Ldr. Clyden grit his teeth. His nostrils flared. His face grew red. How dare Gov. Xavier? Then, he pushed down his rage, and fidgeted a bit with his hands, fighting for control. Gov. Bright went back to his paperwork, as if nothing had happened. At last, Clyden stood calmly before the Governor's desk. "Is that the way it is, then?"

Xavier Bright once more looked up at him. "Yes, Sec. Ldr. Clyden, that's the way it is.”

Clyden tried to appear unaffected. "Okay, very well. This is it. I guess I can no longer serve under you, knowing how you truly feel. I want to thank you for the opportunity to at least learn from your Governorship." He held out his hand for the Governor to shake.

Xavier Bright, having returned to his work, seemed not to see it. "You're welcome, Mr. Clyden. Let me know if you need a good reference."

Annoyed, Clyden kicked the desk to get his former boss's attention. It worked. The Governor looked up. If looks could kill...

Clyden asked, "After all these years, all we've weathered together, you can't even shake my hand good-bye?"

Gov. Xavier Bright put on an exasperated expression. "I never expected you to be so sentimental. If it will make you feel any better, of course I will shake your hand before we part our ways. After all, I imagine you are exerting a huge effort- and doing a marvelous job, I might add- to appear civil about the situation."

He took Clyden's hand and shook it. Clyden gripped the other's hand and squeezed as hard as he could.

Xavier Bright yelled. "Aah! What are you doing? What did you do to my hand?" He pulled free. A red burn marked his palm. "What is this, some kind of practical joke? Now, what do they call that prank, a joy buzzer, only this one is a bit more. No wonder I do not want you as my second-in-command. Such foolishness."

Tretl Clyden growled. He pulled off a touch pad strapped to his palm and tossed it aside. "I guess the old methods are still the best." He whipped out his blaster. "I am so sorry, but you will be leaving for the mines today."

But Xavier Bright beat him to the punch; he also stood there with a blaster pointed at Clyden.

Each stared at the other, neither lowering his weapon nor backing off.

"Huh. Looks like a stand-off," snorted Clyden.

"What did you think you could do, Mr. Clyden, with my niece and Mita in the next room? Do you think I would let you take me there to the mines without any fuss? And if I didn't go, do you think then you could just kill me, without the Leaders on Earth taking you down before you can even get my chair warm?"

Smugly, Clyden answered, "As if they care, as long as the ore gets dug out. But, even if they do care, I will be sure to tell them all the things you have done which justify my actions."

The Governor kept his finger on his blaster's trigger. "What I have done? Don't you mean, what you have done behind my back? But I have been researching your ways, lately. So much corruption! I must admit, I am ashamed that I failed to catch it. But one thing I did catch, out of all your schemings- I suspected you might try something like this stunt. That's why I kept a blaster on hand, rather than, ahem, trust you to be my bodyguard, as I usually do. I noticed you sent all the Security Agents most loyal to me to the mines for guard duty this rotation. I also noticed you and I do not get along as well as previously. Plus, of course, I recalled, as you alluded to earlier, that you had wanted to be my Lt. Governor but I refused your promotion. So, add all that up, and what do we get, but you bitterly trying to overthrow me.”

Clyden shook his head. "Too bad. Nice speech, by the way, about how I’m the bad guy. Totally false, as you know, but I suppose you want to rehearse it, because you think you will get the better of me and you will need to have a cover story. Well, I guess since we both have blasters on each other, not much either of us can do to the other now, without the other, in his dying moments, also getting the one who fired first. I say we both put our blasters away and part company."

Something poked Clyden in his back, and a voice behind him suggested, "How about just you put yours away?"

"Eh?" Clyden looked over his shoulder to see, amazingly, Agent Samm, and he was pushing his own blaster into Clyden's spine. Beside Agent Samm stood Agent Osmo Martin. Both stood in the doorway- And they were here in Sparkle City, not at the mines, where they were supposed to be.

Clyden growled, "You guys would double-cross me? But I taught you everything you know...."

"Such as how to quietly sneak into a room to catch somebody by surprise," chuckled Agent Samm.

Xaveir Bright told Clyden, "I thougth it prudent to call back a few of the loyal Agents from the mines after I routinely went over the rotation list and saw those loyal Agents who you sent there."

Clyden kept up his blaster, weighing his chances. Samm advised, "Drop it, Mr. Clyden." Clyden noted Samm no longer addressed him as Security Leader Clyden.

Osmo Martin told Clyden, "Listen to him. Drop it. You don't stand a chance.”

Clyden shrugged and set it on the Governor's desk, and Agent Samm picked it up and put it out of the ex-Security Leader's reach.

Clyden remarked, "I presume the intercom was kept open against my knowledge, so that the girls in the outer office heard everything and alerted you two traitors to come out of hiding and aid your wonderful and conniving master."

Xavier Bright said, "How very clever you are. Too bad you weren't smart enough to figure out how your stupid little stunt was destined to end. But I bet you can guess now, correct?”

Agent Samm sneered at his former boss as he said to the Governor, "If he can't, Gov. Bright, let me tell him-" Samm got in Clyden's face. "It ends like this- you'll be digging ore for the rest of your life!”

(c) drk 2012