Ancient Astronauts

Denizens of the Dark

"Tyrant," James was pacing in his study, "I told you, Miriam, he's a fucking tyrant."

"You're overthinking this, James," Miriam replied without looking up from her book.

"What did you say?"

Miriam sighed. James was in one of his moods again, and when he was in a mood, no one won, except James.

"Nothing dear. Hans is a tyrant."

"Mmhmm," James said, stalking over to her. He grabbed the book at the top and pulled. Miriam resisted for a fraction of a second then let go. James tossed it onto a table. Its sheafs flapped uselessly and the book landed awkwardly.

"And why is he a tyrant?"

Miriam looked down.

"Look at me, when I'm talking to you woman," he hissed.

Miriam peeled her eyes from the floor and looked up at him, "He's a tyrant because he won't give us fiat currency."

"Precisely, and why is that important?"

Tears started forming in Miriam's eyes. She knew what was coming. Why had she ever agreed to travel four light years from Earth? Oh right, James had promised things would be different in a new world, and somehow she had believed him...again.

"James," she whispered, searching his eyes for mercy that wasn't there, "James, please."

A hand shot out and grabbed her under the chin forcing her head up, "Why," James growled, "is that," shifting his grip, levering her head up painfully high, "important?"

"Oh hell," Miriam thought, "He's going to beat me anyway." Out loud she said, "Because a fiat currency would allow us to return to power, instead of being servants to the people like we'll be under the Governor's rule."

To her surprise, James released her and stalked to the window. He breathed in deeply, and let it out slowly, "Precisely," he said, nodding with satisfaction. "And we'll get it, Miriam. We'll get it. We just need more steps. First we're going to push for the establishment of the senate two tridents early. They'll pass the needed fiat laws and we'll be good to go from there."

Miriam shook her head slightly, out of James' vision. "Stupid man," she thought, "can't you see that this system is actually good for us?"

Everyone thought she was simple. That was because she didn't dare show what she could really do. James would be jealous, and a jealous James was an extremely dangerous one. This 'fiat' system he was so fond of was based on trust. Who here actually had faith in part of a system that allowed their last home to be blown up? Half a destroyed house is an unlivable house. Not that economics were entirely responsible for it. She was thinking of the very human emotions attached to the whole debacle, not the mathematics.

But she kept these thoughts to herself. Her eyes moved to the book she was reading, Les Miserable, but she didn't dare to touch it.

"Get out," James said curtly, "Go to Kathy Stalbot. Make friends. I'll still need Shooby's public support to execute our plans."

After she'd gone, James watched her jeep pull away. If the story ever spread of his deeds, they would be entirely focused on him as a villain trying to seize political power. No one would pay attention to his true intentions.

He went to the back door and opened it.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, my dear. Please, come in."

Clarice Sterling crossed the threshold in one step and threw herself in James' arms, kissing him deeply. "Oh James, I missed you."