"Very well," he agreed, "the defeated must accept
their fate. But there will come a time, young man, when your people,
too, will know the bitterness of conquest, when they, too, will see all
THEY love destroyed. It will take some time to arrange for the
surrender. Some of my people will resist. It is inevitable. Give me a
reasonable span of time to convince my people that life in shame is
preferable to death."
35 "One month," snapped Gray Boar, "that is all. Within a
month's time you must be surrendering your fortresses and laying down
your arms, or the bombs start falling."
36 The Priest of Priests bowed his head. "Yes, master," he mocked, "as
you command."
37 Thundering Boar let the insult pass. He understood the pain the man
was feeling. If positions were reversed, he would probably be just as
bitter.
38 The Priest of Priests walked back to his vehicle, got in, and drove
away. Gray Boar came over. "Just like that," he questioned, "it's over?
All these years and it's finally finished?"
39 Thundering Boar shook his head."It's only the BEGINNING of the end,"
he answered. "They were brave people, and some of them are fanatical.
It won't simply END like this. They'll find some way to resist, that's
what worries me. But we do see the beginning. The hours of The Oneness
as a power that can threaten us, are numbered."
40 As soon as The Priest of Priests was back in his own city he began
making plans. He would have to make the announcement to his people, but
before then, several things had to be done.
41 Calling in those who had been working on the clone project, he told
them, "Your entire project must be destroyed; all your stock
liquidated. Arrange for them to be taken to factories near their
housing for