The final part of a five part series around Claws of Gold. Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four. The Ministry heads confront the Primus. Non-con mind control, dystopian themes, death, mental health issues (paranoia, schizophrenia). ~3100 words.
"They don't need to harm anyone. Let them up."
The phone let out a click. "Yes, Primus." replied the Assistant, knowing that the line was already dead.
"What did she say?" The Director of Internal Affairs asked, the pair of heavily armed soldiers flanking her leaning forward as if to encourage a positive answer.
"She authorised you up to her office, Director Cassowary." the Assistant replied as she reached down to get her ID card. She froze when the soldiers raised their rifles higher in alarm.
"She's unarmed, you rockheads." Cassowary put her arms out to pull the laser rifles down. "Even the Primus wouldn't be dim enough to give the Assistants at the front desk weapons."
The rifles lowered and the Assistant retrieved her ID card to swipe in the security terminal. The board of screens and buttons lit up before her, and after a few presses, the foyer lights dimmed to make way for the slowly pulsing red of emergency lights. "Every floor has been unlocked for the evacuation you ordered, and the Primus's floor is accessible. Lift Three is kept reserved, so you can use that."
"Thank you." Cassowary replied. "Now get out of my sight."
Cassowary half expected a firefight in the foyer, and was almost disappointed at the lack of trouble caused. All the security guards gave up their weapons and were ordered to evacuate the building like the rest. She imagined the Primus was the kind of person to go out with a bang, and if that happened, Cassowary knew that they should at least not waste the Avian resources.
"That's pretty much everyone out." said one of the soldiers as Assistants and office staffers streamed past. "Last floor is coming down now"
"Good." Cassowary said, sitting behind the reception desk, waiting. "Gather the entry team, get the others out of the truck."
"Yes, Director." the soldier replied, leaning his head over to talk into his radio.
This building was Building One of the Ministry of the Primus's complex. Smaller towers, similarly evacuated, surrounded it, but none got close to half the height of this one. Consisting of over a hundred floors and tens of thousands of workers, the building was a towering symbol of the Accord's power standing over the entire Sector. There was nothing taller, or more magnificent, than the place the Primus called their own.
"This place is three hundred years old. We don't even have the plans for it, anymore." Cassowary mused as the other directors entered. "How it still stays standing is a wonder to me... maybe we should just collapse it, let it take the Primus with it."
"That's not something a building like this will just do." Talons of Red frowned. "It'll take a week just to plant enough demolition charges."
"Yes, yes, Director." Cassowary said, standing from the chair to meet with the others.
The Directors of the Science Division, Internal Affairs, and Defence all stood together, as if waiting for one of the others to lead. Nobody wanted to be the one to overthrow the Primus.
"Okay, well. Let's go." Talons of Red finally said. "I can't have her killing any more of my researchers."
"How do you know they're dead?" Cassowary asked, as they headed towards the lift with armed escort in tow.
"The Primus isn't one to keep loose ends."
The Director of the Ministry of Defence was rather perturbed by the whole situation. Wings of Ivory had only been back on the homeworld for a day before the situation had unfolded. Coming back to several missing scientists, the Primus using custom hardware, and the realisation that all the Ministry Representatives were inside agents made him fear some sort of grand-scale infiltration, as if the Tarnash were trying to cut the snake off at the head. It took some convincing for him to realise that it was indeed the Primus behind it all, and the situation was more like the snake was trying to cut off its own body. He sighed, and almost wished he was back on the colony worlds he'd earlier been so thankful to get away from.
"We go in. We ask her to resign. What if she says no?" Wings of Ivory said, hand itching as if he felt it should be gripping his pistol. "We shoot her?"
"We can't really shoot her, that's just a robot frame. She actually 'exists' several floors below the building. Science Division teams are working on getting access to that, as a plan B." replied Red. He hit the highest button on the elevator panel and repeatedly pressed the door close button as everyone had filed in. "We have to act now, Director, lest she suddenly decides we're all traitors."
"But with what we're doing now, isn't that what we are?" Ivory replied, to silence from the others.
With a ding, the elevator doors opened on the penthouse floor. The only one of the three Directors that had ever set foot here was Cassowary, who pushed herself to the front and set off down the hall, leaving the others to follow.
The hallway to the Primus's office was enormously wide and about as tall. The walls were covered with portraits of past officials and landscapes of the various Accord worlds, broken up by sculptures and models of spaceships, rockets, and Avian architecture sitting on gleaming white pedestals. Cassowary cared little for it all.
"There's a reason why she surrounds herself with the past." she said, dismissively waving her hand. "And if she keeps acting like this, and that's what we'll all be. History!"
"I think you're being a little..." Ivory reached for a word, but lost it when the Internal Affairs Director turned to stare him in the face. "...I am not sure the situation is that dire, Director."
"What research I've been able to turn up in the time we've had is that it very well is." Talons of Red said, nudging Cassowary back forwards down the lengthy hall. "We've tried to engineer smarter-than-Avian mind uploads, but they all deteriorate. The paranoia sets in, and it only gets worse and worse, until they snap. After that, it's like the fear feeds itself until nothing's rational anymore. Eventually, their circuits just burn out."
"So why don't we let her just... sort herself out on her own?" Ivory asked, despite a disarming glance from Cassowary. "Burn herself out?"
"Well..." Red started, pausing as they reached the administration desk outside the grand office doors. "I don't think we have the time. We've lost a number of scientists, and the Secundii were probably feeding her whatever she wanted to hear. There's only so much faux confirmation you can take before you're convinced that they really are beating down your door."
Ivory shook his head. "We're not helping, you know."
The Assistant sitting at the reception desk appeared ready for them, standing for the Directors. "Hello sirs, ma'am. The Primus will be ready for you shortly."
Cassowary tapped her boots impatiently. "Assistant, we've evacuated the building. Surely, there can't be any business more important than us right now."
"She's just finishing preparations for you with her Assistants, Director." The Assistant replied. "She didn't want you to all go without chairs and tea."
"If that makes her happy..." Cassowary said with a grumble. Her foot tapped only more impatiently as time went on.
"The Primus also requested that the armed guards remain outside, she does not think they will be conducive to polite and constructive discussion."
Wings of Ivory tapped his pistol holster questioningly. The Assistant looked at it for a second, and then turned back up to face the Directors.
"The Primus says that's allowed, Director." she said, with a polite nod. "Although, she would prefer it remained holstered."
"Good thing the 'shoot her' plan was a dead end to begin with..." Cassowary hissed to Red as she waved off the guards. "Ivory won't do it, even if that sidearm would do anything."
"Okay, the Primus is ready for you now." said the Assistant, turning to open the door.
Cassowary grunted in impatience and pushed past the Assistant, opening both doors with a shove, heading inside with the other two Directors in tow.
"Ah. Director Cassowary." Claws of Gold said, only barely looking up from what she was writing. "Directors Red, Ivory. Please, take a seat."
The three approached the robot's desk and sat down. An Assistant appeared from one of the service doors, bringing a tray of cups and a teapot, and quickly got to work serving each of the Directors a cup of tea. The Primus seemed to be filling out some forms, but her desk was far too large for any of them to see what forms they were, or what she was writing on them.
They sat in silence for a minute, Talons of Red gingerly reaching for a teacup before Cassowary kicked her chair back and stood, causing him to rescind his hand. "Primus, we're here to demand your resignation."
Claws of Gold raised an eyeridge with a quiet whirr, placing the lid on her pen and sitting it down. "We?"
"Yes. As the Directors of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Defence, and the Science Division." Cassowary said, putting her hands down on the dark wood of the desk. "Your actions and behaviour of the past week have shown you are unstable and unable to continue acting as the Primus."
Claws of Gold looked between the three, leaning back on her chair with a slight mechanical smile. "I see. What behaviours are these?"
"The kidnap of a Science Division scientist, the destruction and replacement of your AI constructs, and the infiltration of the Ministries via the Secundii." Cassowary said, slamming her fist against the desk. "Your paranoia has affected you to the point where you're killing your own."
"I have killed nobody." smiled the Primus, leaning forward on her chair and supporting herself on her elbows. "I find it telling that you mention the scientist and not the Assistant, though."
Cassowary blinked in confusion. "Why would I bother mentioning an Assistant?"
"Are you saying that they're unfit to be recognised? Because that's not how things should be." Claws of Gold smiled at Cassowary, and pushed a form over towards her. "And that's why I would say your behaviour makes you unfit to be Director."
"Pfft." Cassowary brushed away the form, guessing what was on it. "You really are deteriorating, Primus, if you think I of all people should care about Assistants. We went through twenty five thousand assignment forms this very day."
"I know what you want me to think, Director. And I know you've tried to make me think it, with Director Red over here. I know all about it." Claws of Gold pushed her chair back and stood, servos whirring as she moved. She meandered over to the glass wall behind her desk which looked out over Sector 1. She could see the emergency lights dotted around the blocks, facilitating the evacuation that the Directors had called. "I don't think such behaviour fits either of your roles."
"We work for the interests of the Accord, Primus." Cassowary growled. "And it is in the best interests of the Accord to remove you from this office."
"The Accord, Director? I think you've forgotten that I am the Accord." Claws of Gold turned and grinned. "And if you have a single scrap of loyalty left, you'll sign that resignation, walk out that door, and take the first spaceship to the frontier. Or I will kill you, right here."
Cassowary turned to Talons of Red. "Director, go with plan B."
"Hah!" Claws of Gold said, walking back to drop down into her chair, the wood groaning under her robotic weight. "Your technicians won't be doing anything. They're safe, don't worry. I recognise that they're just following orders, as I would expect them to."
Cassowary slammed her fist against the desk in anger. "Ivory! Just shoot her, will you?"
Wings of Ivory glanced between the Directors and the Primus, as all eyes fixed on him. "But it-"
"If you don't, she'll kill us all where we stand."
"Remember, Director. There's no Accord without me." said the Primus with a smile, returning to her paperwork.
Ivory calmly pulled his sidearm as he stood, saluted the Primus, and then levelled the weapon at her. His hand shook a little as the safety went off...
...and the weapon was turned to fire on his fellow Directors.
They had no time to react, and nothing to shield them from it. Talons of Red and Cassowary were dead before they hit the floor, Ivory's practiced marksmanship making sure that they at least didn't suffer.
"Good choice, Director. Glad to see your loyalty is in the proper place." Claws of Gold stood from her chair and walked over to the shaking Director, gently taking the handgun from him and nudging him down to sit. "I knew you'd do the right thing."
"Yes, Primus. I..."
"No need to say anything. Let me do the talking." Claws of Gold looked over the pistol in her hand. Standard issue, free of any engravings or embellishments. As no-nonsense as the Wings of Ivory she appointed. "Your hesitation tells tales."
The Director sat, in silence, trying to not look at what he had done. He'd killed before, and while it was always at the Primus's order, it was usually a bit more abstract than this.
"There's something about Assistants, you know, that makes them better than... those two." The Primus said, pacing backwards and forwards, passing the pistol between her hands. "Assistants are loyal without question, which I find an excellent trait to have. You Avians without the gift, well, you can fall prey to doubt, as what happened here."
The Director took a deep breath, and turned to face the Primus, only to be staring down his own pistol.
"You will not doubt me again."
"I am sure you know that I could have been much harsher." The Primus said, as she stared into the Assistant's glassy eyes. "Your shoulder will heal in time, but the feathers will not. You will have to wear that, as your shame."
The Assistant nodded, swaying slightly as his vision swam. Despite his aching head and his bandaged shoulder, the physical pain was nothing compared to the damage to his dignity, and he knew no time nor painkillers would dull it.
From Director to Assistant. A far drop, a painful one, but maybe not the worst it could have been. Class C, assigned directly to the Primus's floor. A chance to redeem himself for doubting her leadership, a chance to convince her that her decision to just wound him was the right one.
"Primus, a Feathers of Silver is here to see you." another Assistant said, poking her head through the double doors. "It's not on the calendar, but she says it's important..."
"It is, Ibis. Let her through."
Claws of Gold stepped back from the Assistant, giving him another look over. "I know your opinion... your former opinion... about Assistants, which I never agreed with. Maybe you will come to see my way." She glanced at the bandages around his shoulder, and quietly nodded with satisfaction at how she placed her shot. It should heal without too much lasting damage... eventually.
"Primus, hope you don't mind me coming early." Feathers of Silver said with a smile, walking through the doors dressed in a thick black coat, the Ministry of Internal Affairs patch on the chest clearly visible. "You said as soon as possible, and, well... what could be more important than an audience with Claws of Gold?"
Claws of Gold turned her head to face Silver and smiled back. "No, no, now is perfect. I was just finishing... something up." She turned back to the Assistant, and gave a little nod. "Ivory, mind fetching us some tea?"
The Assistant winced a little bit but returned the nod. "Yes, Primus." he said, with some effort. He knew not to resent his second chance, but knew it might take a little time to get used to things like making tea.
"Good." Claws of Gold returned to her grand chair, leaning back as she fell into it. "Help yourself to a chair."
Feathers of Silver glanced at them for a second as she approached. "You did have them replaced, yes?"
"Yes, of course!" Claws of Gold chuckled to herself. "You think I can't manage that in a few hours?"
"Mmm, well, I was worried you'd keep them there as a reminder to others." Silver said as she sat in the center one. "What did you need me for, Primus?"
Claws of Gold clicked her talons together, mechanical face shifting to a grin, eyes lighting up bright and blue. "Feathers of Silver, my dear trustworthy Agent, I believe you already know."
"I have a suspicion." Silver replied, the old Avian crossing her arms. "I don't think it's a decision that you want to make."
Claws of Gold picked up a folder from underneath the scattered papers on her desk, and held it out for Silver. Silver glanced at the Ministry of Internal Affairs stamp on the folder, and took it. "Are you sure, Primus?"
"You have always been a promising Agent in my eyes, Silver, and I believe you have been kept down for far too long."
"So it's not just because I share part of my name with your beloved Archivist?" Silver said with a smirk, flipping through the pages inside.
"Well, no." Claws of Gold glanced away for a moment and sighed. "Not that she goes by that name half the time..."
"Names are so fleeting in this society, aren't they?" Feathers of Silver closed the folder and dropped it back on the desk. "So, you want me as Director."
"Yes."
"Without any reservations."
"Yes."
"Even though..."
Claws of Gold held up her hand to silence the Agent. "Feathers of Silver, we both know that being honest with your beliefs at Internal Affairs can cause... problems. But in your case, I think..."
"Primus, how will I command a Ministry when every second senior Agent would ignore my orders?"
"With an iron fist, Silver. Besides, attitudes are changing."
Feathers of Silver sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Okay, fine. I show everyone that has a problem with me the door. What about Siren? I have to seek her approval first."
"If you take this, she will have a permanent assignment to the sector, under the Director I've picked. No off-world tours without you. She'll be safe."
Silver pinched the bridge of her beak and glanced back at the folder. "Well, if the Primus wants an Assistant sympathiser as the Director of Internal Affairs..."
"I know you will still perform your duties. I don't like it, and you don't like it. But you know it's what we have to do, and you won't be cruel in it."
Ivory pushed the service door open with his good shoulder, carrying teacups on a tray. He held it out for each of the Avians to take their drinks, and then retreated back where he came from.
"Very well. I guess I have no choice." Silver said, as she took a sip at her tea. "For you, and for the Accord."
Claws of Gold smiled and raised her teacup in celebration. "For the Accord, indeed."