ERIS
2,057 Years Before the Final Exodus
"Lord Apollo is here to see you."
When the intercom finished dispensing that sound, panic settled into the chief quorum archon's body. She stood and absent-mindedly straightened files and books on her desk while thinking about his visit.
There was a knock at the door and it startled her. Eris turned and paused to regain composure. She put on a fake grin and opened the door. "Lord Apollo, it is an honor."
He walked in and immediately sat in front of her desk. "We have much to discuss, archon, so let us dispense with the pleasantries."
This did not reassure her. Eris quickly made her way behind the desk and she sat in her own chair. "Yes, Lord. How may I help?"
Apollo looked to one side as he hesitated and then back at her, "What happened in Megara earlier this week?"
Eris cleared her throat quickly and said, "Yes, Lord. I called up a battalion of soldiers from Fort Acheron to … go into Megara, Cyme, and surrounding areas to round up separatists." Apollo nodded and she continued, "More than seven hundred people were arrested and charged with treason, terrorism, and other counts."
Apollo stared at her intensely. His eyes were focused and he seemed to be looking into her. "When will you stop lying?"
Eris' blood ran cold. Her mouth became dry. "'Lying,' my Lord?"
"'Separatists?' Some of them may have been, but that's not the whole story. You are hunting monotheists, too." His gaze never wavered. His voice was never raised.
Without thinking, Eris asked, "How do you know that?"
Apollo leaned forward and gritted the answer through his teeth, "I'm a god, remember?"
Eris felt the heat of his anger all around and she shook. "We did not wish to anger the gods, Lord."
"Why would the truth have angered us?"
Eris chest tightened as she spoke, "We did not want to make you feel that the Kobollians do not welcome you." She stammered. "We didn't want to give the attackers a platform for their blasphemy to be shared with the public. We wanted to handle this on our own, to prove our worth. That we have matured."
"'Matured.'"
"Yes, Lord. That we are able to handle larger responsibilities. Greater decisions."
Apollo pounded the arm of his chair. "'Matured?!' 'Arrested?!' You slaughtered seven hundred people!"
His Chara made her throat burn. Her stomach boiled and her skin grew clammy. She pushed her chair away from the desk and leaned over toward her trashcan, thinking she was about to retch. "We had … orders."
Apollo jaw clenched and he breathed slowly. "Orders from whom?"
After a moment, Apollo's Chara became less invasive and she sat up. She wiped her face and leaned back against the wall; as far from him as she could get. "Lord Mars."
Apollo's eyes widened. "Ares."
"Yes."
He inhaled deeply and then sighed. He stood and bowed toward her slightly. "I apologize for your discomfort, Chief Archon." He began to leave but he stopped and turned his head, as though he was listening to something. Then, he said, softly, "Carry on as you have."
She nodded. Before she could compose herself enough to respond more fully, he was gone.
Did he mean for her to keep lying about the separatists?