The Cytherean War #2: Cytherea Breathes
by Sam Cameron-McKee
Artura hated the people of Earth, and he had a headache.
"I will ask again," he said, straightening his tie. "Please refer to my planet as Cytherea, we voted against the name 'Venus' more than five years ago."
"Voted?" the Earthen ambassador asked, his sarcasm disguised by layers of rock-hard
professionalism. "Your government was not granted the authority to vote on that matter."
"We do not need your permission!" Artura snapped.
"You do, however," the thin-lipped, bloodless man said, "need our support... for many things." The other Earthen diplomats around the holo-table chuckled.
Artura clenched his fists, knuckles turning white. The ambassador was referencing a popular quote from a speech the Earthen president had given a week ago.
"We will bring hostilities with Venus to a close quickly. After all, without our support, they can't even make enough air to breathe."
He knew that the ambassador was trying to make him angry. He smiled ever so slightly at the
thought; if that pompous moron knew what Artura could do.... He straightened his tie.
"Don't weasel around with me," Artura said, taking an aggressive posture. "We agreed to this negotiation for your sake, not ours. Grant our demands, or hostilities will continue."
Increasingly, Artura hoped that the ambassador would continue to be stubborn. His head was pounding, and every glance at the thin, arrogant smirk of the ambassador made it worse.
"You are mistaken if you believe that you bargain from a position of power Mr. Artura," the Ambassador said.
"Am I mistaken about the satellites we blew out of orbit?"
"A small loss, easily replaceable."
"Easily replaceable?"
"We have ample manufacturing."
Artura froze.
