Dark-Seeded Cardinals
"There they go again, on and on about MONA this and MONA that. It's the moon for god sakes!" A deep voice grunted in the dark. There were five of them, three males and two females, sitting in seats in a dark room while watching the broadcast announce the plan for this year's Reverence.
They all frowned.
"It's all so superficial. This country is led by a bunch of hopeless fanatics," the female sighed. The second one then added on. "Their foundation is as sturdy as a twig. One form of undeniable proof and the belief in their fabricated god will crumble to the floor."
"So that's exactly what we'll do," one of the males stood up.
"Elaborate, Dune."
"We need to ruin the image of their god, and once we do, they won't be able to trust the Elysian Congregation anymore. The election would turn in our favor," Dune explained. The other two males, Hansel and Kingston, nodded in agreement. But the two females, Herschelle and Lazuli, seemed to think deeper than what was put forth.
"Simply ruining the image of their god won't be enough to disable their faith," Herschelle said. Lazuli now stood up to finish the statement.
"In order to dismantle their religion, we must kill their god."
The others looked to Lazuli in shock, but with amazement.
"As always, coming up with the wildest of schemes," Hansel chuckled. But Dune took her words much more seriously than the rest. "Lazuli's right. We destroy their makeshift god and their beliefs will crumble. Menesism will be no more."
"And we do have the funds and technology to do just that." Kingston raised an eyebrow. "What do you all say? Shall we destroy the moon?"
Silence was instigated in the room. In the quiet of its darkness, the static words of the television's broadcast intruded the thoughts of all five Ministers of the Cardinal Nexus.
"Let's do it," Lazuli suggested. "Then those Menesis can finally shut up all that preaching."
"And when we win the election, anti-religion will be permanently established, forever." Dune's mind drowned in euphoria at the thought of silent streets without the constant murmurs of 'MONA'. "Herschelle, keep track of the official date that those High Priests fly to the moon."
"Understood."
"And Kingston, calculate the total costs for a massive-scale nuke to be sent outside of the atmosphere."
Kingston froze for a moment. "Don't tell me you're planning to…"
"I am," Dune replied. "We'll send a nuke to the moon the same day those High Priests fly up there for the Reverence. Then, all of Elysia can bear witness to the death of their god and their High Priests with no one left to lead the Elysian Congregation. They'll have no choice but to vote us as their leaders in the upcoming election."
Smiles grew across the room. Everyone took a liking to the sinister idea. The Ministers that made up the Cardinal Nexus were a group of individuals who'd been tired of the overtaking ideals of Menesism for too long. They wanted change desperately, and that time was to be implemented now. In the next few days, they gathered their funds and their resources, and began putting together the plot to their success that would soon overthrow the Elysian Congregation.
The clock was ticking.