[ The man is as nondescript as can be, unfortunately. Which in itself seems suspicious, but she would recognize him from a group portrait that hung in the Mayor's office during their meeting, where he was shaking Kotko's hand in the capitol.
He seems to have earned the full attention of most of the room as well, and the General snorts loudly, waving his cigar and saying in a boisterous tone:]
I've got plenty to offer to them: kilotons worth. [He laughs again at his own joke, and the little man's smile seems to stretch more tightly across his face. Finally, he says in that same quiet voice:]
Not what I was thinking, no.
[The Mayor's patience seems at an end with this, as he dabs at his forehead with a handkerchief.] What then? [His tone is testy, and he waves away a glass of water offered to him by an aide.]
Many things. [ The small man folds his hands on the table in front of him. ]
Resources.
[ His lips press together as if he's thinking for a moment, before he tacks on: ] Slaves might be a good start.
[ The mayor's jaw drops in outrage, as well as several others around the room. ] Are you mad?
[ The little man's response is a disturbing tittering noise as he shakes his head, still smiling ] Oh I think we're all a little mad in this day and age. It's the only way to survive in this brave new world of ours. But yes, slaves I think will do well... though I thought you might not see things my way.
[ His eyes take on a particularly dangerous shine abruptly, as he looks over his glasses at the Mayor. ] They thought so too.
[ It happens so quickly that most of the room hangs there in silence in the aftermath of the sudden hrk noise, the splash of red, the flash of silver. Staring as the blood blossoms across the Mayor's neck, split open as his head is jerked backwards, by some unseen force. The first thing to split the silence is the man's giggles, and his too calm, nervous little voice. ] It was good of you all to line up for us, at least. This will all go so much faster.
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He seems to have earned the full attention of most of the room as well, and the General snorts loudly, waving his cigar and saying in a boisterous tone:]
I've got plenty to offer to them: kilotons worth. [He laughs again at his own joke, and the little man's smile seems to stretch more tightly across his face. Finally, he says in that same quiet voice:]
Not what I was thinking, no.
[The Mayor's patience seems at an end with this, as he dabs at his forehead with a handkerchief.] What then? [His tone is testy, and he waves away a glass of water offered to him by an aide.]
Many things. [ The small man folds his hands on the table in front of him. ]
Resources.
[ His lips press together as if he's thinking for a moment, before he tacks on: ] Slaves might be a good start.
[ The mayor's jaw drops in outrage, as well as several others around the room. ] Are you mad?
[ The little man's response is a disturbing tittering noise as he shakes his head, still smiling ] Oh I think we're all a little mad in this day and age. It's the only way to survive in this brave new world of ours. But yes, slaves I think will do well... though I thought you might not see things my way.
[ His eyes take on a particularly dangerous shine abruptly, as he looks over his glasses at the Mayor. ] They thought so too.
[ It happens so quickly that most of the room hangs there in silence in the aftermath of the sudden hrk noise, the splash of red, the flash of silver. Staring as the blood blossoms across the Mayor's neck, split open as his head is jerked backwards, by some unseen force. The first thing to split the silence is the man's giggles, and his too calm, nervous little voice. ] It was good of you all to line up for us, at least. This will all go so much faster.