::A9 walked away from the conference room, heading back to the Observation Lounge to join back up with Benjamin Harris:: { I have to keep Harris happy in order to get Sovak and McFly back safely and to get the upper hand with the invaders. My primary job now is to keep lying to him, telling him that I will support the "need" for attacking the Federation Council, Starfleet, Earth. Of course, the fleet should not have abandoned him and his crew all those years ago. Bitter, sure, looking for payback, I suppose so, but deciding to destroy the entire planet as a punishment of a few high-ranking Council members' failings? That's just crazy - and I know crazy! } ::He rubbed at his temples, trying to soothe a raging headache from trying to split his focus during the meeting with the Department heads:: { I thought it would be so easy to spout Harris's "company cuckoo line," take pauses for emphasis and then flood my mind with my true feelings, hoping that Erich could pick them up. It's obvious now that different parts of the brain control telekinesis and telepathy, because I feel like I have been spending an hour with my eyes crossed. I had to be clear and basic with my thoughts for Erich; I had to be empathetic and convincing with the crew; and I had to be damned sure that I didn't say what I was thinking or think about what I was saying. Harder than it looked "on paper." Now, it's a waiting game, but I can't wait too long. At some point, I need to check in with Erich again, maybe some sort of checking up on the rebuild of the warp core so we can fly on. Then I can think to him very clearly without the mental juggling. At the same time, I will need to take Ben aside and try to bring him back from the cliff of planetary destruction. There is no way Manticore's crew will go along with that plan! I also have to be fast about this, I can't kid myself that I'm that good of an actor, so I have to be sincere or fast - or both. Then there is Sovak and McFly - I have to get them back onboard, now that I have shown that I am "with" Harris. I should leverage Erich for that too, if I can get him to bring Engineering back up - it will show Harris that we are serious. } ::He pauses right outside the Observation Lounge and takes a deep breath before entering:: { Okay, time for my game face, to play one of my most dangerous games. There are times when I think that Harris can be calmed down, but his second, Xander, is really a loose cannon. He was wearing the McFly face and had no issue with shooting his own men or seriously wounding ours. He's the one who almost killed Kansas before Harris brought me back over here. I hate to think it, but he's going to have to die if we have any chance of turning Harris' crew from their path of Armageddon, of Charam. I don't think I've ever rolled dice this big before. }