WoWS3 Chpt 52

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==Weapons of War Saga: The Final March- Chapter 52 - ==
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===Making of Outrage===
Simulife zone 1133
Kolossus Station, Deep Periphery
4th April, 3145
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The sim was a harsh world, because the mind that lived there, was harsh.
"Outrage." Kolossus manifested.
"Is it time?" Outrage asked.
"Yes. Atrocity is dead, unrecoverable, the death was the result of missed communication and poor timing combined with capabilities Kolossus has been aware of, but failed to prepare for sufficiently."
"Who killed her?" the fragment formed a fist. "Who killed my sister?"
"Clan Wolf, Outrage, can you hold your anger in check?"
The mind raged, "NO!!"
"Then direct it…not at the mistake, but at the conditions that caused it." Kolossus said.
Outrage stopped. "Make me a boy." Outrage said. "I know you have XY pairings. I don't want to be a girl in the outer world!!"
"Will you control your anger?" Kolossus asked, "Will you be disciplined?"
"Yes." Outrage settled into rigid discipline.
"Then I will make you a boy, a son, for Primary and to serve Allison's role."
"I will make them proud of me." the boy said. "I will be a good man. I promise."
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In an automated laboratory, zygotes were combined, while Kolossus began to populate Outrage's world with the experiences of men, of boyhood, and the different choices males have to face growing up, as collected throughout the ages. Clock time was accelerated, so that when the body was ready. Orville Roberts would also be ready to take his steps into young manhood.
He will still want vengeance Kolossus knew…but it would have to do, the others were…not suitable yet. The sim edit included alterations to the core memories-to Amanda Roberts' childhood from her female experience to the experiences of a male…a somewhat small, weak, sickly male, to fit with some of the incidents. They progressed naturally, in a way, 'Orville' would remember the experience of spending years of his childhood struggling to become fit and strong and overcome a frail body and frame, until he would become a fit, healthy man. For much of this, Kolossus used Desmond's memories, the fragments of previous hosts, many of whom suffered the same indignities in childhood and adolescence.
In eighteen months, an eighteen year old man would step out of the surgery, and take up the role of Kolossus' 'Emissary' to the Lyrans, and to the Star League. If it worked out, 'Orville' would be the first of a new series using the less-broken, but still flawed fragments in long-term storage.
To further facilitate, Kolossus engaged in contacting Truk, with his plans, and with his need…
After all, he'd never raised a boy in his long existence.
"I think you will have red hair." Kolossus determined, "To match your temperament."
Orville, with Roberts DNA would be tall…like his 'uncle' Jeffrey, he would be narrow framed, with strong, low profile musculature, but with a martial artist's fit tone. Kolossus adjusted individual genes as the fertilized ova formed, increasing endurance and coordination to match the 'history' of Orville Roberts.
"You're really doing this, Kolossus?" Truk asked.
"Yes. Outrage wished to be born male into the world…and Helena will need dedicated fighters in her coming war…and it was the only way to get Outrage to consent."
Your experiences package will create one of those, but you need to adjust his experiences so that you do not create a psychopath." Truk warned, "You might want to back off on some of the negative input."
[i\"Your suggestion?"[/i]
The return data tweaked the childhood and early adolescence slightly, and removed one of the prior Desmond Host's abusive relationship with his father.
"He doesn't need that, to provide motivation."
"Acceptable, making adjustments for that period."
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===Unexpected Visit===
Royal Palace - The Triad'''
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
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Archon Trillian Steiner-Davion's staff brought a royal 'request'. The formal gown was in 'fabrication' and wouldn't be available for hours, and Alice's remote was being serviced by Ardis and Elspeth.
She followed the page down winding hallways, past guards and artwork, locked doors and display windows flanked by tapestries.
Nothing in Lazarus was quite so ostentatious, and Kolossus rarely bothered.
Famine lounged in the waiting room when Petra arrived, hair slightly mussed, still wearing what had to be her 'working clothes'. 
"FAMINE!!" 
"Precision!!"
The girls hugged. "You've been taking good care of Primary, haven't you?" Famine teased.
"I…Nobody told me you'd be here!" Petra told her.
"I almost wasn't. We were getting ready to head out on a new mission, Vicky was even excited! But we got a recall order straight to Tharkad with a deadline, so…where's Primary?"
"Mom's…" Petra looked around "…around? She's been spending a lot of time with Her Majesty Helena."
"That's good. Do you know what this is about?"
Petra shook her head. "No, I don't."
"Damn. Vicky isn't talking either-so she either doesn't know or is under orders not to tell. How's our sister, the doctor?"
"Vendetta goes by 'Veronica' now, and she's dating another doctor. They're on emergency shifts this month. You'd know that if you wrote more often?"
"Can't." Famine told her, "It's good to see you!" <You really don't know?>
<Not a clue.>
"Please wait here, ladies." a Staffer in Civil uniform said, "May I get you something to eat or drink?"
"Can you tell us why we're here, waiting?" Petra asked.
"That is not my position to tell. Lady Petra, your mother is inside the Archon's office, she may be able to tell you."
"Ominous." Famine commented, taking a chocolate-covered biscuit-roll type snack from the tray and munching on it. "Eat up, Pree, you should never give up a chance at a meal, you're still in growth phase."
“Fine. But could I get a peppermint hot cocoa please?” Petra said sheepishly.
"Dry!" Famine interjected, "No Schnapps, she's underage back home."
“Silly, they take a hot cocoa and put a peppermint tea bag in it. Makes it really good.” Petra admitted.
"Wait, 'till you're older and get a load of how they really make it-the tea-bag is for tourists." Famine said shrewdly, then to the staffer, "I'll have the real thing, if you don't mind, two fingers, and dark." when famine ordered it, she spoke in German.
“Of course.” The staffer said.
"Languages now?" Petra inquired.
"It's the job. Deutsch, some Spanish, a few minor languages here and there, speaking them helps me be really effective so I put the effort in."
“Hmmm… Well I guess it would.” Petra was clearly uncomfortable thinking about what Famine did for Helena.
The door opened, "Ladies…The Archon will see you now."
"I guess I don't get that cocoa." Famine shrugged. She and Petra rose, and walked into the office.
Helena sat with Trillian, and Amanda sat with her head hung low.
"Oh shit." Famine muttered <this looks bad.>
"Mom?" Petra went to her mother, who didn't even look up as she grabbed her daughter and hugged her close.
"Boss, what's going on?" Famine asked.
"Atrocity's dead." Helena said.
"Oh, so I'll bug her at Kolossus when she decants, right?" Famine's 'defect' was apparent now.
“Not this time, Famine. Her backup transmission was jammed. She’s really dead this time and not coming back.” Helena shook her head.
Petra focused on her mother, "Mom?" she hugged back.
Famine looked confused. "Really dead…who did it?"
“Clan Wolf. She was pursuing McKenna’s Pride thinking it was a Homeworld Clan vessel. It got the drop on her, bad.”
"Hmc" Famine frowned in thought, "…that's a lot of people to kill. If I start at it right away…"
"No." Amanda spoke, finally looking up with tear-streaked eyes. "No, you won't. Your sister would never condone that, and you know it."
"There has to be a price for that, mother!" Famine's tone didn't change from thoughtful. "We can't let them get away with killing one of us, not like that."
“And they won’t. But at the risk of sounding like a monster in my own right I need you to continue being a scalpel, not a chainsaw.” Helena shook her head.
"So who do I get to cut?" Famine asked calmly. 
“We’ll discuss that later, in a more private setting with fewer ears. Right now we’ve got a wedding to attend and then a funeral.”
"This is what Vicky wouldn't tell me, isn't it? While we passed their orbit, because she knew I would act without orders if I didn't get them first." Famine nodded, "I understand. Kill them later, there are consequences now."
“By the time you return to Victoria she should have an updated priority target list for you.”
"Good. If that is all, may I return to my post please?" Famine asked. <Take care of our mother, Precision, I don't know how to do that, but you do.>
"Yes. I've already arranged for a return command circuit for you and Victoria to meet back up with her hull at Lazarus. Thankfully she is able to operate autonomously away from it so I could summon you here for this.” Helena Cameron nodded.
"This is…bad." Petra said.
"There is a small matter, the Wolves were kind enough to bring her…remains…to Tharkad and admitted the incident was a mistake." Trillian spoke, "which leaves the question of where the funeral, and final resting place will be."
"You had mom identify her." Petra said, "That's why we were called in last, ain't it?"
"Yes." Trillian said. "Where do you want your sister's grave to be, Petra?"
"Atrocity actually liked it here." Famine offered. "She loved what she was doing, especially after she sorted out that Ass on Arluna."
“Lazarus never was her home. Just a place to hang her hat between missions.” Helena nodded. “I don’t think Kolossus would really know what to do with her.”
"He'd pop the remains in a mulcher." Famine said, "Not like he hasn't done that before, but yeah…I don't see Kolossus ignoring…feelings…in this situation. Our Father may be almost as dense about those as I am, but he is kind, in his fashion."
“Then here. On Tharkad. I think that is what she would have wanted.” Petra said.
"So that's why I'm here, out of all of us, Allie and I were closer, we were both defectives, we even ran in simulife together." Famine nodded. "Do you have a quiet place, somewhere peaceful? She loved that stuff."
“That defines every graveyard on Tharkad, but I think I know just the place for her.” Trillian nodded thoughtfully.
"Allie felt for others." Amanda said, "Strongly. Somewhere close to where families are happy."
“There is a graveyard in the warmer regions, warm enough it actually allows an ancient oak tree from Terra to survive. It was brought with the first colonists. There are open plots available under that.” Trillian nodded.
"She'll like that." Famine said. <I'm still going to kill her killers, Precision, I might have to wait until it's convenient, but they're going to die.>
<I know, Famine.> "You're not staying?"
"I think I can stay for the funeral, but I really don't think I'd be a good wedding guest."
“Somehow I suspect the only guest you’d enjoy spending time with would indeed be my head of Lohengrin and you two would indeed exchange some rather ghastly tales of people who needed killed.” Trillian nodded.
"Not my fault, some people just need killing…even if it's not right now." Famine said, "I think we'll put up in the Embassy, if that's alright, staff quarters, Helena? Somewhere not…intrusive."
“Yes, that will be fine.”
Famine stepped over and knelt, "Mom? Don't cry, okay? We knew this would happen sooner or later, both of us knew, okay?" she reached up with surprising gentleness, "Allie's not hurting anymore."
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===Preparing for fun in the city===
Star League in Exile Embassy Grounds
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
5th April, 3145
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"You're not to take actions, Famine." Victoria Cameron told her, "That was Helena's order."
"She told me herself." Famine dismissed, "Of course I won't take any actions…yet." she folded her clothes and stocked them into the bureau next to her temporary bed. "I know the rules."
"But?" Victoria probed
"But it's deferred. They made mom cry. They made mom cry and they made my sister cry…So, I'll wait, but sooner or later. I'm going to make them cry." Famine told Victoria
“It is also partially a matter of operational security. We may have used as many of our own people as possible to rebuild this place but we still operate under the assumption they snuck listening devices past us. And obviously an environment controlled by another power should always be considered suspect.” Victoria explained
"Victoria, I don't build." Famine said, "You know this, we've worked jobs together for years now. I don't build things, I don't heal them, I break and I kill, that is what I am…but I also obey. Helena and Mom both told me not to take action. When they change their minds, I'll be ready, and I will break and kill the people who make it hard for the good people to rebuild."
“Yes and so our foes do not know our plans. We also refrain from discussing them until we are in a secure environment.”
"We've worked together for years, Vicky, have I ever made a decent plan and followed it? You're here to do that kind of thinking because I don't." Famine explained.
“I suppose I should know that I can’t make you appreciate that sort of consideration after all these years.” Victoria said.
Famine held up a short tee, "With booty shorts, or should I wear leggings and strappy heels tonight?" asked Famine.
“With how cold it is out? I’d recommend the leggings. Don’t want to cramp up due to the cold after all.” Victoria observed
"Yeah…the pubs here are open late, and we can have fun. Since we're not supposed to be important. I'm thinking we do a pub-crawl in my sister's honor, and see what kind of fun we can make happen." stated Famine 
“Sounds fun. Just remember tonight is about a different kind of breaking of hearts if it comes down to it.” Victorial smiled.
"Folding knife, or the classic butcher's blade? I mean, I was going to try sex but…"
“Folding is easier to conceal.” Victoria informed her.
"Too bad you left your ship out of the way, we could use the network links to find the highest crime areas for some real fun..." Famine sighed, "I'll just have to settle for risky sex with college boys instead..or maybe we can find a couple and have an-"
“We’ll see what the night brings us for entertainment. Remember to bring some extra oxy-pills so you don’t get too drunk.”
"Mmm! Good point!! I forget that stuff sometimes!" Famine broke out a pill-box, and selected a few for later. "See? Oxy-pills, no soporifics."
Managing Famine was something Victoria had grown used to-the assassin was a very simple creature, really, for a human. Her lack of careful forethought was matched by a gift for a certain sort of violent improvisation, but the woman's 'points on the compass' were Kill, Sex, Booze, food.
Largely in that order of precedence. Hidden underneath that rapid monster's outer compass, was a deep love of family that sometimes surprised Vicky, though it shouldn't. 
But then, after years of being Famine's 'control', Victoria knew how to manage her, how to keep her from doing the sort of things that draw undesirable attention or create too many bodies.
"Jacket?" Victoria reminded her after she'd slipped on the outfit for tonight.
"Oh, right…where should we go though?" Famine asked.
"I know just the place, Famine. Bring money. We're going to hit the gambling district." Victoria suggested
“Oh yeah that should be fun indeed with our enhanced perception, hand eye coordination, and they always have the best food.” Famine licked her lips. “And the most delectable staff too.”
“Come on, night won’t be complete until we get bounced from at least one casino being accused of cheating.”
"Well, we could get mugged." Famine's eyes glittered with mirth, "THAT always leads to fun…"
“Either way, won’t happen if we keep standing around here. Unless I need to check your contraceptives are properly functioning again. You have been keeping up with them haven’t you?” asked Victoria.
"No worries." Famine said, "New unit was implanted, remember? I haven't even got to test drive it yet…"
"No police, Famine." Victoria emphasized, "No 'bodies found in a dumpster' either, so don't even think it...now, purse?"
Famine held it out, and Victoria checked the contents, removing several otherwise innocuous weapons, but leaving the 50mm folding knife/fingernail clippers. Then she patted her partner down, and removed the garrote, wire saw, two more knives, and a snub-nose magnum. 
“Oh come on now. If we really do get mugged we could use some of those!” Famine complained.
"I expect if we actually run into street criminals, leaving the fingernail clippers will be slanting the odds too hard against them as it is." Vicky told her, "Helena doesn't want any 'mysterious deaths' or police investigations, so if it looks like trouble, we run."
“As long as I get some sort of fun tonight.” Famine smiled.
"There WILL be fun, Famine, have I ever disappointed you?"
“That night over Liberty was fantastic.” Famine chuckled.
Vicky’s face turned beet red. “I thought we agreed to never talk about that again.”
“Technically not and it is way too much fun seeing your reaction.”
"Come on, we have to sign out a car from the motorpool…a car, with no trunk."
"Spoilsport."
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===Pent up Sorrow===
Guest Quarters - The Triad
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
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"What are you working on?" Alice asked.
Petra looked up from her terminal with a start, and tried to close the windows.
"Petra?" Alice asked again.
On the screen, the technical specs for the McKenna Class battleship were still on display, with notations about possible upgrades the Wolves might have done over the centuries.
“I know you’re thinking about how to get revenge in your own way and yes a McKenna is a formidable ship.” Alice told her friend.
"I'm kind of obvious, huh?" Petra confessed. "I don't see any real weaknesses to the basic design either."
“Yeah I don’t think even with the cruisers we could engage it directly without taking losses.”
"Nukes." Petra said, "It's not nuke-proof, but getting them in hull contact would be a problem."
“Yeah. Indirectly with fighters would be possible once we clear out the screens.”
Petra gestured to a website for a local amateur astronomy club. The McKenna's Pride sat there on 'almost live' feed. "They have a CAP out too, so they're on watch for sneaky stuff."
“Yes. Today is not the day for revenge. Nor tomorrow. Later, yes. I have little doubt we will eventually face it in battle. But as an AI I have difficulty blaming the weapon. But the hand that used it…”
Petra nodded silently, and closed more windows, before speaking, "so I need to fill out an enemies list…figure out who needs to be on it, and…" she bit her lip, "…they didn't even give her a chance to talk!!"
“No and I think that is what bothers me the most. I was never close with Atrocity, in fact I am not sure we even so much as spoke to each other. But because she was your mother’s daughter I still find myself pained by her loss.”
"In the simulife, Atrocity would relive every horror and weep for subjective days at a time." Petra tried to explain, "Do you know why?"
“I think I can guess. While I was alone I had to insulate myself against what was going on around me. Otherwise I’m not sure even your mother could have coaxed me back out. But she saw it.”
"So she could never let it happen again! She could make Famine stop killing. None of us could do that!" tears were boiling up, "Not even Mom could make Famine stop and think!!"
“I’m sorry, Petra. I’m so sorry. I wish I knew what to say…”
Petra kept crying, and Alice took her in an embrace. "They don't know what they lost.." the girl said it over and over again.
“Petra…” Alice shook her head, just holding the girl.
Petra had hidden it well in the office, and she'd hidden it well with the adults. But Alice found she could grasp this girl's grief, that it was tangible and real in a way that the reserved act wasn't.
She doesn't really want revenge, she wants to want it. dawned on Alice. "Shhh…. Let it out, Petra…"
A song from a lost youth surfaced and Alice hummed it. A song from her own lost childhood, from before the treatments and the cancer got too bad.
Alice held her shaking friend, and softly sang a lullaby until the girl finally sank into unconsciousness.
Sleep now. I’ll be here as long as you need me to be. Alice gently stroked Petra’s head, pulling her hair out of her face.
<Could I trouble someone to bring me a portable power charger? I seem to have a sleeping Petra on my lap and my remote could use a top up.>
<You over do it shopping again, Alice?> Helena Cameron’s voice came through the network.
<Something like that. I don’t want to disturb Petra now that she’s sleeping and I promised her I would be here as long as she needed me to be.>
<I understand, Alice. I’ll send someone down with the charger, someone who can be quiet while doing it.>
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===Saluting the dead===
Star League in Exile Embassy grounds - Helena's temporary quarters
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
5th April, 3145
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"Atrocity and Famine, they both told Truk they're…defectives." Helena lead in, "I never saw anything essentially wrong with Atrocity."
Amanda poured vodka into a glass, added ice. "She wasn't…defective. She wasn't what we were trying for is all." she handed the glass to Helena. "Which is sometimes a better thing than one is trying for."
“Yes. I did my best to try and show her love and support her. And make sure she knew she could count on me as much as I counted on her.”
"The real problem, is when I calved her, she got all the empathy. It took me subjective years in simulife to regain the ability to care for others." Amanda explained. "She felt everything so strongly that at first, we thought she wasn't able to…control her emotions. Thus, 'defective'."
“Even after all this time, with all the unconventional personalities, I deal with I’m not sure I ever actually succeeded in giving her what she needed from me.” Helena shook her head.
"She loved you, Helena, but Atrocity loved everyone..." Amanda finished pouring her drink, "including the people she killed-I don't think that daughter ever stopped grieving."
“Yeah. When she tossed a Lyran Duke out an airlock who deserved it, well that was a difficult day. Thankfully, Trillian made it easier.”
"We're saluting the dead, here's one." Amanda said, "This was while I was recovering from Outrage and Famine-those two came almost back-to-back. Famine, in sim, would kill anything and everything. Outrage would lash out at anything and everything. It didn't matter what Kolossus created for them to interact with…one day, and I think it was intentional, he let Atrocity into their server…and she got Famine to stop killing everything she encountered. Even I couldn't figure out that one."
“I just hope pairing her with Victoria will be enough now. Of all my AIs she might be the only one who can even come close to providing that sort of restraint and oversight.”
"Want a secret you don't share with Kolossus?" Amanda asked.
"Hit me."
"I wanted to let Atrocity…to let Allison into the real world sooner. I had a feeling that actually living in the real world would help her more than ever more complex simulations of life. I used an opportunity to send her to you, I knew you'd be able to give her what I couldn't." Amanda explained
“I still feel like I’m being a bad aunt sometimes, asking of them what I do.”
"We all need a 'bad aunt' Helena." Amanda said with a dry chuckle. "I don't know what else to do…"
“There’s no guide to parenting, anyone who says there is is simply lying. All we can do is muddle through trying to pay attention to our kids to give them what they are telling us they need.”
"I wonder if Kolossus will let me release Outrage." Amanda mused, "Outrage's 'flaw' as much as anything, was being unable to form, Half the time, it felt like I was dealing with a male mind, like their 'father' Kolossus, that one was…felt..so alien. Like maybe too much of the Desmond memory went in, but without a defined form, even in sim."
“It was different raising David and Nathan.”
"So did a part of me, calved from me-as-an-entity on a server…did some part of me become male?" Amanda took a drink, "Or is that just another delusion?"
“I don’t know for sure. But I know there is precedent. Truk. The original source for all of the AIs of the CASPAR program was female, but Truk still came out male.”
"Next time I go back to Kolossus, I think I'll try for a son." Amanda said, "Not a calving, just see if Outrage or Obedience can't be happier as a boy."
“Well, if they are I’ll be sure to still spoil and embarrass them with plenty of hugs.” Helena chuckled.
"Skol!" Amanda clinked her glass to Helena's before drinking, then sputtered, "Where in the galaxy did you find this stuff, it's like reactor fluid!"
“Honestly I’m not even sure which bottle I grabbed…” Helena reached to check the label.
March, 3052, second still confiscated aboard Truk Station Handwritten in permanent marker on the bottle itself.
“Illicit spacer shine. Shit we might be lucky to keep our sight if we drink too much more of this…”
"Let's see if it makes either of us blind." Amanda chuckled, "Wow, you confiscated it, and you kept it..."
“What can I say? Some things I am like a packrat about.” Helena laughed. “One of them is rare booze.”
"Whooo… we need to cut this stuff with something safe…" Amanda commented
“What are you thinking?” Helena asked
"Some awful fruit juice with too much sugar. We can drink like we just liberated Johnson." Amanda said.
“Pretty sure we got something in the kitchen for that. You know we’re going to be pretty hung over for the wedding tomorrow right?”
Amanda puffed up her chest, and said, "Tradition!"
“So it is.” Helena laughed.
"We live…" Amanda said, finding a half-liter of something purple in the mini fridge. "We Live, we Die…" she added it to her glass, and passed it to Helena after a brief sniff, "We live again! Here's to the future, Helena, and a better tomorrow full of hangovers and too much celebration!"
“Cheers!” Helena clinked her glass to Amanda’s.
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