TAZ2

==Chapter 2 - The Absolute Zero==
LCS Frederick Steiner
Frederick Steiner-Class Battleship
Free Worlds League Space
3159 CE
Trillian Steiner felt no hesitant fear at crossing what was likely to be a war-zone by the most direct route.  Part of that, was being at relative peace with the rest of the Inner Sphere. Other part of it, could be found in the Cruiser Group escorting a Battleship across interstellar lines.
The Frederic Steiner had a battlegroup with it.  A force that in the past, was practically considered an invasion all on its lonesome-one battleship, four cruisers, twelve Destroyers, and 23 Cutters.
In an era...hell, in this era, her escort was a fleet. For her spacers, it was merely a navigation exercise.
Back home, Roderick Steiner had control of the realm as Regent.  He was both Trustworthy, and capable.
So Trillian felt no fear.  "How are we doing, Ike?"
Rear Admiral Isaacs didn't even look up from his charts, "Formation discipline's good, nobody's reported mechanical trouble. The advance party's scouted the next system and it's clear.  We should arrive at Sian orbit in fourteen days at this rate of traverse."
He looked up at her, "I really don't like this." he added, "Your Highness, you should have sent someone..less critical."
"Someone less critical might have been delayed or questioned."  Trillian told him, "Someone less important might have had fewer excuses to bring so many ships so close to the Sol system. Thus, someone less important might have had to do more explaining when one of the escorting vessels...failed to jump to the next point on our itinerary with the rest."
"True, will they find it?" he asked.
"They'll find something." Trillian asserted, "If they find what we're looking for, then...Nguyen knows what to look for and where to take the evidence if he finds it.  If he doesn't, he's still making contact with The Folk. So he may find answers with them that we can't necessarily predict, but for him to get inside the Republic unobserved, requires an excuse, so I have to go."
"I don't like this plan." he repeated.
"Sharon didn't either but, I'm not about to authorize pre-emptive or punitive strikes without knowing for certain where the targets are.  One of the things drilled into me as a cadet, was to always know what your backstop is before discharging a weapon."
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