WoWS3 Chpt 24

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==Weapons of War Saga: The Final March- Chapter 24 - ==
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===Sister Talk===
Helena’s Private Residence
New Lazarus System
16th February, 3144
"It's 'national interest', isn't it?" Her Majesty scowled. 
"I would say that's obvious." Elizabeth Cameron answered, "Kolossus selling transport ships to the Ravens is obviously a National Interest move, textbook even."
“True. I guess I’m just getting frustrated with the delays in communication.”
"We all are." her older sister admitted, "I think everyone is, possibly with the exception of some of the crazies."
“Still, I’m glad you came too. I imagine it was tough getting away with all the minders you have on you these days.” Helena told her.
"Had to, you're borrowing most of my active duty military. I'd be a poor leader indeed if I didn't visit my boys and girls serving in a foreign place at least once in a while!" Elizabeth cheerfully replied.
“I’m taking care of them as best I can given their profession and the current situation.”
"I know that, Helena, this is more about mollifying the press back home, though it gives me a nice pretext to see you and how you're holding up."
“It is difficult. I know I’m doing the right thing, but that’s part of what scares me. That’s how so many of the worst start out.”
"The line between the best and the worst is found where the line of compromise is, Sis. You're not compromising much, at least, not yet, if you keep your head and don't compromise too much, you'll be fine." Elizabeth counseled.
“Thanks. We should have a nice family dinner. It has been forever since we did that. Lori is still on Tharkad, but if we send for her I know she’ll come.”
"I agree, it has been forever…so, where's your kitchen?"
“Down the hall, third door on the left. I know people keep telling me I should get a bigger space. I’m the Director-General, but this place was my home for a long time.”
"The people telling you that, are imagining the sort of dinner parties where nations are bent, spindled, mutilated and exploited by their elites, Helena. I always hated those 'parties' because they're just work meetings without the proper equipment." Elizabeth told her.
“And I know I will have to do the formal state dinners and parties anyway. There are lots of parts of this job I don’t look forward to.”
"Thus, why you have a space pre-set, with a staff, and use it only for those meetings." Elizabeth said with a gleam in her eye, "It's worth the privacy."
Sally Francine Cameron came into the room with a big smile on her face.
“Thanks for the lift, Auntie Elizabeth.” She came over to hug her aunt.
"I was glad to have you along, Sally-Fran." Elizabeth said with a smile, "I missed out on your oldest sister, so it was nought but a treat for me."
“Yeah. She’s being all responsible and while I know why, it still makes me a bit mad she’s not here.” Sally next hugged her mom.
"Now…we just need some apples…and a deep fryer…" 
“Should be some in the fridge and first cupboard next to the stove.” Helena offered.
“Too bad. Dad, Nathan, and David got delayed. At least they’ll be here in a week.” Sally hummed as she helped gather the apples.
"What are we making?" Helena asked.
"It's too early for dinner, but not too early to have desert!" Elizabeth smirked, "Deep fry apple pie, just like Nana made, I still remember the recipe."
“Mom never could get it quite right.” Sally teased.
“Soil isn’t quite right for the proper apples on Sevon V.” Helena countered.
"So we adjust," she sampled a bit of apple from the cutting board, "Lemon juice?"
“Yeah. Maybe a little something from the top shelf there.” Helena pointed to a rack full of liquids and spices.
“Glengarry spiced rum. Naughty!” Elizabeth smiled, and let out a giggle. "I use Roberts Reserve back home, it's not the same."
“Yeah. I kind of miss it, but I’m not so vain as to have it specially shipped.” Helena admitted.
"I get mine as 'gifts' from the Snow Raven merchants out of the Alliance." Elizabeth confided, "Somehow, they think I'm partial to it…and the connection to Sevon V doesn't hurt."
“I do my best to keep up with news about Daryl and his boys but again, no HPGs so I imagine I’m missing out on a lot of their lives these days.”
"Daryl's oldest just had a daughter." Elizabeth commented, "The makes him a grandfather twice over now, and his youngest boy has settled down with a programmer on Alpheratz! The last letter was full of scandalous ideas, like entering the civil service now that he's graduated college. Mrs Roberts is beside herself at the thought of her boy becoming a bureaucrat..."
“Good for them. And yeah I remember her reaction when Lori broke the news about getting that staff position with Christian. I was pretty sure she was going to faint.” 
"Christien isn't his grandfather, but he's hardly dim, unlike poor Hugo." Elizabeth shook her head sadly.
“Lori’s filled me in on a lot of that before she took off for Tharkad.” Helena looked sadder for a brief moment before smiling again. “But we’ll all finally be in the same place at the same time just in time for the local fall harvest.”
"I've been considering something." Elizabeth confided. 
“Oh?” Helena focused on her sister.
“Yeah spill, Auntie Liz.” Sally added.
"I stopped at Kolossus on the way here. Well, I spoke with Vendetta and some of her medical people, a thousand years is a long time. I've decided I finally know enough, to try again at raising kids that are mine, and not borrowed from someone else…so I've had fertility restoration treatment."
“You got your eye on someone in particular to be the father?” Helena was obviously having difficulty holding back her excitement.
"Not yet…but I"m looking again after three centuries…and between you and me, Sally, could you leave the room for a moment?"
“Just as it was getting good! Fine.” Sally stuck her tongue out as she left the room.
Elizabeth waited until Sally was gone. "Amanda's gotten worse, Helena. She sleeps twenty hours a day and forgets things in the middle of conversations."
“I’ve tried sending letters, voice recordings, just about everything short of physically going there and taking her away from that place in the vain hope she will stop.” Helena said.
"Well…Kolossus has no objections if we can persuade her to come." Elizabeth stated. "I've seen her now, she has more gray hair than Great Auntie Jo had."
“I’ve extended the invitation. She is welcome here anytime. The trouble is we’re the same sort of stubborn.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Elizabeth allowed.
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===Parting ways===
Space Port
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
16th February, 3144
“I’ll be fine, it’s a Golden Hind ship. If something really important comes up with the Archon I trust you, Amanda Yeh M5 7775551, to handle it while I’m away.”
“Me? Why me?” asked Amanda
“It’s you or Ezekial and well no offense Ezekial, but I don’t want a disagreement ending in a fist fight.”
“None taken. I have little stomach for politics these days.” Ezekial chuckled.
“Besides, the Archon knows I’m going away for a couple weeks and I made it clear that she should only contact you in an emergency.” Lori hugged Amanda.
“What about, Alice?” Amanda was running out of excuses.
“Don’t worry silly, you’re still my XO and I find I rather like shopping. I just wish not so many of the shops were opposed to me bringing Maximus. Anycase, Tharkad is a much bigger world than I have seen before. So it is going to take me a while to see it all.” Alice giggled.
“Well my command circuit is waiting. You all be good now.” Lori waved as she grabbed her bags and boarded the ship.
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===Negotiating a Friendship===
Jonah Levin’s Office
Terra, Republic of the Sphere
24th February, 3144
Jonah stared at the young woman across from him.
“Apologies Exarch Levin, but Director-General Cameron felt with our current diplomatic relations it would be wiser to start slower, more gradually.” Illiana stated calmly.
“I suppose that is fair. She is well?” Jonah probed.
“Perhaps better than anyone her age has any right to be.”
“Good. Still this is difficult. I was hoping to talk to her directly, head of state to head of state.”
“She does regret that, but I am empowered to negotiate on behalf of the Star League and Terran Hegemony in Exile.”
“Well then I shall cut to the chase. The disposition of the worlds you have liberated. What is her intention in this regard?”
“Where possible we are allowing the worlds themselves to decide. So far Alkalurops, Alphecca Lyons, Menket, Nusakan, Skondia, Skye, and Summer have all declared for us.”
“To them we abandoned them so they now have little love for us. Understandable, if regrettable.” Levin commented.
“The Galatean League has decided to keep to the path of independence and we have recognized it. I know this makes my assurances that we are not here to undermine Republic authority hollow but it does neither of us any good to hide the truth.”
“No, you’re right. This is the inevitable consequence of our past actions catching up with us.”
“Speaking of which, we know it was you that sent a strike out against Damien Redburn’s Republic Remnant.”
“I suppose it was foolish of me to think that people would not figure out the only power to use our distinct tripods was behind that.”
“I don’t get it. Why attack your own people like that?” Illiana probed.
“I… I…” Jonah was caught off guard.
“You thought it would get Redburn back. Force him to realize he was wrong to leave. I won’t make you say it.” Illiana shook her head.
“You must understand, the Republic needed him here. Not out there. We had nothing, but enemies for so long…”
“It’s okay. You have friends again, friends who can and will actually help with what is to come.”
This is why I was sent. I was there for that raid. I had become homeless, adrift, with nothing left. Redburn wouldn’t take me as a soldier. I’m too frail for it. Thankfully Golden Hind took me in and introduced me to her. Now I can make this right. Illiana smiled.
Could I use this? It could actually be a way to get Helena to take this mess off my hands… Levin thought to himself.
“Thank you. You are very gracious.” Levin said after a moment.
“Think nothing of it, Exarch Levin.”
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===Passing time talking about politics and family===
Crew Lounge
M5.2 Drone Destroyer, SLS Stacey Cameron Roberts
27th February, 3144
"Lori, the Lyrans abandoned us years before that." Trinh Vu Dao passed a bulb of tea to the daughter of the Director-General in microgravity. "I don't see Trillian being materially better than Melissa that way, or Adam…or Andrew."
“And what would you have me do? We can’t impose our will on a power that much larger than us.” Lori told her.
"Go in with your eyes open, Tharkan manners are deceptive, they make a good show of their 'morality' but it's all show. My parents' world burned, and they abandoned the region to the ****** Pirates for decades, while Tharkad's interests were wrapped up in posturing for the Republic!" Trinh sighed, "They tried to make the Lines rely on one facility at Gibbs, they never rebuilt the infrastructure, and they ignored the periphery border areas, we never saw the 'great recovery' of the post Jihad years-that was only for places closer to Old Terra. She was Melissa's 'hand', involved in that stupid war with the Free Worlders and earlobes deep in the Wolf betrayal conflict, I know the mission's supposed to be getting them on-side, but…don't expect faith, okay?" she popped a seal, and sipped her own tea, "Lyrans don't have any."
“I don’t think mom does. Part of me thinks she sent me in hopes I’d rub off on them. That maybe they’d learn that from me. However, I’m too new and inexperienced at this to do that. But thanks to flying with Ravens and learning from Outworlders I do know to be wary.”
"Both eyes open is good, they won't betray you like some of the others will, they'll do it by bungling and bureaus." Trinh counseled, "And Brewer's faction is, if anything, worse."
“Yeah he’s going to be a problem. One I don’t know how to solve just yet.”
"An accident can be arranged." Trinh suggested, "We just need his itinerary, if you understand me. I don't have the contacts Dad did, but little birdies say Her Majesty has a specialist, it might be useful to remove possible challengers if you really WANT to bring the Lyrans in."
“Tempting but no, I think that could make him a martyr.”
"We're only a couple jumps out from our destination, are there any special instructions you want me to give the men?" Trinh asked.
“I have none to give. I’m not a war leader like mom. But I am still following the path of politics so I know I am going to learn more about it than I want to.”
"For your security detail, then, I'm going to send Steve and Mike, with Agatha and Louise working your medical and social interactions, secretary and physician respectively."
“Thanks but you know I’m going to Lazarus to spend time with family, not work right?”
"Most accidents happen in the home." Trinh said sagely, "Also, I need you to sign off on my ground time sheet."
“Figures. I doubt I’ll ever be able to adapt to space the way you have. I’m too much of a planet bound gal.”
"You're okay for a dirtyfeet, Lori." Trinh said with a smile that was actually genuine, "I know they're going to give those forms the twice-over. You should be glad, my 'adaptation' is rooted in the cultural memory of just how vulnerable being on a planet is, what with that endless sky and the way everything sends the wrong signal, I'll be doing my ground leave in one of the Lunar caverns, kilometers of good, solid rock between me and anything falling from orbit."
“Heh. Never ceases to amaze me how different humans can become in only a little over a thousand years, all depending on where they wound up after leaving Terra.”
"Hey, Old Terra is the first world anyone wanted to leave!” Trinh smiled wider, it reached her traumatized eyes.
“Yeah, that is true and like mom I find I actually have little kinship with it. But she knows she has to go back to finally resolve some of her remaining demons.”
"Old demons, did you know, my ancestor, Anh Cu'ong, she actually visited the ruins of the Cu'ong burrow on Ganymede during the Amaris war? When we go back, I want to visit the site if it's still there, and Ceres, and Iapetus…places my ancestors began our journey…but I do NOT want to try hacking it on Old Terra, or Mars. Too…too crowded, and open, too alien."
“Surprised you didn’t try and get on the diplomatic mission to Terra then so you could. I know some Golden Hind folks did, they wanted to visit their old haunts around Albion.”
"The Golden Hind people would've been uncomfortable if I went with 'em, it's why most of the crew are from outside that Faction here." Trinh reminded her, "I understand it, mind you-imagine a good Reform family having to cope with a Kahanist."
“Heh. From what mom says Golden Hind are not exactly squeamish. So I suspect you’d get along better than you expect. But too late for that now. Perhaps another opportunity will present itself.”
"Lori, last time I did a layover on Lazarus station, I walked into Steppin's pub, and the Golden Hind Crewers on shore leave got up and left!" she laughed, "I know what they see, when they see this-" she fingered the Free Stars pin on her harness, "And I don't blame them much for it at all, they at least don't offer violence at my presence!"
“Would make them hypocrites if they did. But I guess there’s more bad blood than any of us dirty feet will ever really know.”
"Exactly. They stick to their Ethic, and that's worth any number of inconveniences, but it doesn't mean I have to make them MORE uncomfortable."
"What did your ancestors do?" Lori asked, "What's really at the root?"
"It's complicated." Trinh answered, "A long story, lots of little offenses and more than a few mistakes. The Republic Diplomatic mission is vital enough that my being there would be a case of major bad voodoo on the effort."
“Well, I understand some of that but in the interests of a pleasant voyage I will pry no further.”
"It's okay. See, I have this whole plan worked out, after Her Majesty takes the throne, I'll be the first member of Free Stars to walk into the Metis Congress since 2767, when we were thrown out to mollify Richard Cameron…but that's AFTER a proper Cameron takes the throne in Unity City."
“Now that might be worth watching but yeah that last part is going to be tough to figure out. Mom is convinced that is exactly what will happen if she returns to Terra openly but she also doesn’t want to ruin the Republic like that.”
"That's what makes it a proper quest, Lori. Nothing worth doing is easy."
“And just because it is simple does not make it easy.”
"Exactly." Trinh's wrist chronometer chimed. "break time's over, I have to go stand watch in CIC now, be seeing you later, we can compare notes on the Infantrymen!"
“Won’t lie, a couple of them look like they might be fun later…”
Trinh Vu Dao giggled and left the galley, and Lori Cameron, alone.
“Shit. Maybe I should have volunteered for a comms position…” Lori settled in for a long stretch of boredom.
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===Someone needed better Intel===
Bad area of the Merchantile District
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
28th February, 3144
Vedet's orders had been simple.
Isolate, capture, and interrogate one of the new Diplomatic mission members.
It was easy to identify which one was the best target.
She liked to go off shopping by herself.
Geoff Freeman wondered if she was the daughter of someone important wherever they really came from.
She looked a lot like his teenage daughter back home. He had learned her name was Alice. Just Alice.
She certainly had the look of a trueborn phenotype but not the usual ethnic markers of Wolf, Falcon, Ghost Bear, Horse, or Nova Cat. Some of the chatter they had picked up on made references to the Raven Alliance.
A distinct possibility that would make sense. But what seemed wrong about that is she was not dressed as a Trueborn would be. At least not a staunch traditionalist. So maybe she’d already gone full native. It would not be the first time something like that happened.
Their frequency sweeps revealed what most likely was some sort of radio tracking device. The van had been prepared for that.
So he waited and watched as she went into a clothing store.
“{There’s a break in the crowd. This is our chance. As soon as she exits we grab and go.}” Geoff briefed his team.
A series of clicks let him know that they understood and were ready.
The young woman stepped out of the store a few minutes later carrying a bag.
The van pulled up in front of her and Geoff grabbed onto her, but in an instant the soft yielding flesh seemed to harden.
In a flash an elbow was in his ribs.
Beatrice jumped out of the van to help and was greeted by a boot to the face with the snapping of bone.
Then the thudding could be heard.
Alice stepped away from her staggered captors and put a kick into Geoff’s right knee clearly breaking it.
Walther leveled a sonic stunner at Alice and pulled the trigger.
He didn’t even see the knife that Alice threw into his rib cage, the heat of the vibrations spreading outward.
“{****** this!}” The driver said too late as Maximus thudded in front of the van and began to bite into it, quickly disabling the van.
Alice quietly walked over to Geoff.
“That was my favorite dress. Now look at it. I have the blood of you and your friends all over it. The Lyrans can have your friends, but you’re coming with me and Maximus.” Alice said sweetly. “Though I suppose I’m going to have to fill out an incident report… Maximus. Cargo bay access please.”
Alice stuffed Geoff into Maximus’ mission equipment cargo bay. It was a tight fit that made Geoff scream as she forced him in, but once sealed up it was quite soundproof.
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===Incident Report that's hard to fillout===
A few minutes later
“Name?” The responding officer asked.
“Alice.”
“Age?”
“You won’t believe me…” Alice said sweetly.
“I need it for the report.” The officer pried.
“Okay. 392 years old.”
“That’s not humanly possible. Really, how old are you?”
“Ah, there’s the problem, you won’t believe this either but I’m not actually human. See that twinkling light? That’s actually me.” Alice pointed at the darkening night sky.
“BARK!”
The officer flinched.
“Yeah I don’t think he believes me yet either Maximus. Well, as you can see officer I do have diplomatic credentials. I’m voluntarily giving my statement in the hopes of maintaining positive relations.”
“Let me see…” He checked Alice’s offered credentials. “Uh huh. Well they have the proper approvals… Good thing your bodyguard was nearby. This could have been a lot worse. Could he come out of the armor now?”
“BARK!”
The officer flinched again.
“Maximus is my friend and he is the Battlearmor. He literally cannot come out. Well not without a lot of tools and work anyway.”
“I’m not paid enough for this… Okay one last question. Witnesses say there were four attackers but we only have three in custody. Where is the fourth?” He handed Alice’s credentials back to her.
“Ask Maximus.” Alice smiled.
“Just going to put that down as unknown at this time/fled the scene.” The officer muttered.
A young female medtech shooed the officer away.
“I know you’ve been through a lot but I need to check you over before we release you. Any injuries?”, the officer asked
“No.”
“Okay then let’s check your vitals. Huh. Other hand? Okay neck… What the?” She checked for a pulse.
“I know. Kolossus does really good work but like I was telling the officer, not human.”
“Mein gott.” The woman’s face went pale.
“Well, there’s my ride. You don’t look so good yourself. Maybe you should see your own doctor.” Alice and Maximus walked over to a ground vehicle driven by Ezekial.
“You okay, Alice?” Ezekiel asked.
“Yeah. Kolossus’ idea of running current through myomer bundles to turn my normally soft as a human’s outer skin to armor worked like a charm and all the things Haida taught me came in handy.”
“Good. Let’s get you home.”
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===Quiet talk with unwilling person===
A dark room on the lower levels
Terran Hegemony Embassy, Tharkad City
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
3rd March, 3144
Geoff woke up after what seemed like forever.
Bleary eyed and weak he felt the throbbing in his leg intrude into his mind.
“Ah good. You woke up finally. We were a bit worried. I know it wasn’t comfortable folding you up into Maximus’ cargo space. Sorry about the leg, we had to surgically remove it.” Alice said sweetly.
“What… are… you… Manei… Domini?” Geoff gulped.
“A teenage robot girl. Full AI, no organics whatsoever. Well that may not be true. I never asked Kolossus the exact nature of some of my latest upgrades. Kolossus might have put some in with those. Turns out organics can be quite useful to us AIs in that regard.”
Geoff felt the blood draining from his face.
“Here. It’s just water. Nothing more. Well okay depends on how pedantic you want to get and honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if this part of Tharkad City doesn’t have the best water purification.” Alice handed Geoff a glass of water.
That was when Geoff noticed, he wasn’t shackled to his bed. He looked down. The stump of his knee was plainly visible. There was no need to shackle him. He’d be lucky to win a fight against a kid, real one and not this nightmare in front of him, right now. Suicide wouldn’t be impossible but he could feel the pain killers dulling his senses and reflexes, so it would be difficult.
“What now?” He sipped the water.
“Now you tell me who sent you. Pretty please?”
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