34When Scott had finished his story, Perseid got up from behind the desk and paced his office, rubbing the scar on his left cheek.
Meanwhile, Scott kept standing by the door, hands clasped behind his back. "That's everything," he said. "The whole message."
Perseid shook his head. "It's hard to believe. Every Commonwealth citizen inoculated at birth with a mind-altering virus? And the news never leaked in 75 years?" He rubbed his scar harder. "If it was anyone other than Bern breaking the story, I wouldn't buy it for a second."
"So what now?" asked Scott. "This changes everything, doesn't it?"
"Does it?" Perseid flashed him a look. "We have confirmation of a strike against Tack, which might already be in motion. Does it matter how the strike's being directed? We still have t
