A flicker of fear crossed Irons’ face. He lowered the finger he had been about to point. “Garcia did that?”
“Yes,” Azaleen clipped. “He also burned crops, killed livestock—”
“Killed livestock?” Irons repeated in disbelief. “No.” He rubbed his chin, brows drawing together. “I never ordered him to attack civilians, and lord knows we need the livestock. I mean, the whole reason for the invas—incursion,” he corrected, “is because we don’t have enough food.”
“Did you instruct your generalnotto kill civilians?” Juliette slid from her seat and stood beside Azaleen.
“I didn’t think I had to,” Irons said. “I just told him to hurry up and get it over with.”
“What was it, Irons?” LeCun asked. “Were you merely intending to raid Verdancia and make off with food stocks, or was your plan to defeat and annex them into the Republic? We in Appalachia have heard about your expansionist doctrine.”
Irons spun to LeCun in surprise, jabbing a finger in his direction. “And what were you doing? Trying to crush us both with one swift blow?”
“That was an accident,” LeCun said, taking a step back. He pushed up the glasses on his nose.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Tamsin said. “If we could all please take our seats. I feel it would be helpful to address one concern at a time.”
Irons ignored her completely, turning to Azaleen. “Let’s let bygones be bygones,” he said in a losing attempt at charm.
Azaleen’s fingers curled against her palms. “If you needed food, we were willing to trade. Verdancia and the Republic engaged in peaceful trade in the past.”
“That’s not just up to me,” he said, feigning innocence.
“And what about your Manifest Destiny?” Juliette asked.
“It’s a popular belief among the voters,” Irons explained. “You know. The continent used to be all one country.”
“And how well did that work out?” Juliette spat, standing her ground at five feet even. She propped her fists on her hips and raised her chin.
“Look, I don’t control the past. I wanted to trade with Verdancia, but the popular religious opinion is that we can’t lower … can’t compromise with … you know.Idon’t see you as less than,” he declared, gesturing to himself. “But the voters insist our principles be adhered to. You know how it is.”
“It is clear your principles don’t include placing the most intelligent people in positions of leadership,” LeCun sneered.
“Hey, watch it, loony.” He shot an angry glare at LeCun. “At least my citizens are too smart to worship a stupid computer. You thinkIuse propaganda?” He turned back to Azaleen and Juliette. “His Oligarchy has mastered the art. The Oracle knows best,” he scoffed.
“Please,” Tamsin repeated. “Let us all take our seats. President Irons has yet to explain the true reason behind this meeting.”
Azaleen’s eyes flashed. “I thought we were here to sign a peace agreement, a nonaggression pact—with witnesses—to keep your army out of my country.”
“Now, Queenie, don’t get your panties in a wad.”
Without warning, High Chief Juliette Batise stepped forward and slapped Luther Irons across the face. His head jerked to the side. Her hand left a mark. Everyone stared in stunned silence.
“You are nothing but a liar and bully,” Juliette pronounced. “A spoiled child who wants all the toys. You have insulted everyone here. That is no way for someone who needs us to behave.”
Irons lifted a hand to rub his jaw, looking like a scolded schoolboy.
“Ms. Redfern is right,” Juliette continued. “You didn’t call us here to make peace out of the goodness of your heart, but for an ulterior motive. You are Wasichu, a greedy man with a bad way of being. You show no respect. That makes you worthless in our eyes.”
“Perhaps an apology is in order,” Tamsin suggested in a soft tone. “At this point, we need a reset. My father would call it a ‘do-over.’ President Irons?”
“Well, sure,” he said, dropping his chin. “I really didn’t mean to insult everyone. I’m accustomed to being the one in charge and failed to show you the proper respect, my fellow leaders.”
“Maybe we could all take our seats,” LeCun suggested, “as Ms. Redfern instructed.”
“Yeah, sure.” As soon as Irons settled into his seat, the others did so as well.
“Prime Minister LeCun,” Tamsin said. “Let’s begin with you. It seems that you created a robot army that attacked soldiers of both the Red River Republic and Verdancia on Verdancian soil. Could you provide an explanation?”