So far the talk wasn’t going well. Regardless of any convergence of interests between them and the Société, the Cybers existed to defend the U.S. Constitution against the Darhel and the politicians allied with them. Both the alliance and the orders it had spawned were entirely without basis in that document — without treaty, without article, without amendment; based solely on findings, declarations and standing orders — and so, totally counter to it in law and in spirit. As Left had just explained in quietly angry detail.

“When we presented our superiors with proof of the Darhel’s intentions, it was clear that they had been compromised. So we had to go outside sanction; there was no one left to obey. If we now start taking orders from some nebulous, Galactic-controlled conspiracy, we will be worse than those we oppose. Your proposal is, frankly, insulting.”

“The Société is not ‘Galactic controlled,’ ” O’Reilly said with a smile. “We’re independent of the Bane Sidhe. But each group has complementary strengths. The Bane Sidhe provide us with intelligence and access to Galactic technologies…”

“…And you provide the Bane Sidhe with assassins,” Left practically spat. “The Darhel at least don’t cloak their recruiting in high-minded phrases. Just because the Galactics can’t do their killing for themselves, doesn’t mean we have to be their lapdogs.”

O’Reilly fixed the Cyberpunk with a glare. “Okay, you arrogant jackass. Is that the way you want to play it? You and your precious Constitution that is as dead as a doornail if we don’t get the elves off our backs? You are fumbling in the dark for answers that we had when Gilgamesh was in diapers!