WoWS3 Chpt 27

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==Weapons of War Saga: The Final March- Chapter 27 - ==
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===Interview with a murderer===
Interview Room 4
Port Orphan System - Periphery
4th April, 3144
The prisoner kept a bald head and under other circumstances Amanda wouldn’t mind admitting that he cut a figure such that she wouldn’t mind having fun with. But the list of charges he was in for, well she wasn’t sure why Billie recommended why she should talk with him.
“So Reginald, you’ve been a naughty boy. Theft, Grand Theft, Arson, Smuggling, and even Murder.” Amanda looked at the man with contempt in her eyes.
“What can I say? Its how I earned my living, I knew there was only a limited number of ways it could end.” Reginald shifted in his seat as his restraints clattered.
“A friend of mine said you’d be worth talking to, but honestly I’m not sure why. Given what we know you did, I’m not terribly inclined to give you much more of my time,” Amanda scoffed.
“Heh. She’s an interesting one. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure either. I’m a bad man. I’ve stolen and killed. Hell, I’m here because of the poor timing of one of my kills.”
“How’s that?” Amanda wasn’t quite sure why she was so curious, but something in his tone caught her attention.
“We’ve had a bit of a dry spell. Long enough my First Mate decided I needed to go and one of his prizes would be my daughter. I’m many things but one I am not is forgiving when a man wants to turn my daughter into their sexual play thing. While I was explaining this to him and showing him off my ship without a suit, well, bad things became worse with my crew because a Privateer ship happened upon us.”
With that Amanda got her first clue about Billie’s game here.
She scrolled through her portable noteputer. She found the daughter’s record. Old enough she was listed as an adult accomplice on several charges and implicated in her own right on several others.
“Your daughter is in a lot of legal trouble as well.” Amanda said.
“I know. I should have gotten her out of the life. She’s not really suited for it but she wanted to make me proud by following in my footsteps and the fool I was I let her, and even began thinking about letting her take over. About the only good thing I did was keep her hands clean of blood.”
“Slaves? You ever do human trafficking?”
“No. Before my daughter was born, we were too small-time to be trusted with it, and after becoming a father. Well, I couldn’t even contemplate it without imagining it was my daughter I was selling into slavery.”
“Just what would you be willing to do to keep your daughter out of prison?” Amanda asked.
“If I could serve her time for her I would, gladly. She’s now the only thing that matters in my life.”
“Thanks, Reginald. Turns out you’ve given me something to think about.” Amanda stood and left the interview room.
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===Cutting a Deal===
Interview Room 6
She was young with long black hair by spacer standards.
“Your dad must have worked overtime to keep his crew ‘hands off’.” Amanda noted.
“He did. I know what he is and what he’s done, but he’s still my father. I want to save him. I know it’s foolish to think I’m in some position to offer anything that would make the prosecutor take any mercy on him but I have to try.”
“Tamra Regina Graves is it?”
“Yes, but because of my father, everyone on the crew referred to me by my middle name.”
“Well I’m going to call you, Tamra. Seems you’ve been implicated as the getaway pilot in a fair number of your dad’s crimes.”
“No sense denying it now. Plenty of mutinous dogs providing enough testimony and proof that I did in some hope of reducing their own sentences.”
“Well, turns out you have something they don’t. A station admin on your side and as much as I want to hate your dad for what he is and what he did I can’t hate you. So I’m willing to offer you a sweetheart of a deal. It’ll be hard work and a lot more disciplined than you’re used to and if you can’t hack it you’ll be going right back into prison. But do a good job and I’ll even put in a good word with the magistrate for your dad.”
“What do you need me to do?”, Tamra sat up.
“I do happen to be in need of a navigator and helmsman. You’re qualified as both, according to your records… and the docket prepared by the prosecutor." Amanda told her.
“If it’ll help my dad even in the slightest you’ve got a deal.”, the young woman proposed.
"Don't expect this to be easy. Before you agree, I'm going to let you think it over for a bit." 
Amanda stood, and exited the interview room.
"Billie?"
"Yes?", Billie asked.
"I'll be taking both of them off your hands. One goes to Kolossus, the other comes with me directly. Is that going to be a problem?"
“”I doubt the Clan will object given current relations. Just fill out the usual forms and I’ll take care of the rest.
===Modest letter to unscrupulous Man===
Guest quarters - Duke Widmer’s Palace
Alekseyevka, Lyran Commonwealth
6th April, 3144
Duke Vedet Brewer was glad to have as safe a place as could be expected after all that had transpired.
With the collapse of the former Falcon OZ, Trillian Steiner-Davion had received a major PR boon but not all were satisfied. Indeed many saw this current situation as an opportunity.
As such it did not take much to create the Buena Collective.
Now his work was focused on his own end game.
But at this moment he was looking forward to a well deserved night’s sleep.
But as he entered the room provided to him by Duke Widmer and turned on the lights his eyes quickly caught sight of a folded piece of paper standing on the desk in the common area.
He pulled one of his gloves from his belt and put it on.
Grabbing the paper he examined it closer.
On it was a series of symbols.
The Star League crest, a Star League Crest behind a Black Heart and two crossed tridents, and a symbol he did not recognize.
Opening it revealed text.
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======================================================================================================
Dear Duke Vedet Brewer,
I am writing to you as a formality.
I know what you ordered at Tharkad.
You should know that your agents chose rather poorly in who they selected to be the beneficiary of your graces.
Thankfully, I understand this was just a misunderstanding, your agents not fully understanding and implementing your orders correctly.
As such please make arrangements in your calendar to receive a member of my diplomatic staff so that we can have a much more productive conversation and avoid any further such misunderstandings.
Of course you are also welcome to come to me.
Either way, I am certain you have the means to send your response to dropbox 855431774 on Tharkad.
May your health be good and the Stars shine their light on you,
Helena Cameron
Director-General, Terran Hegemony in Exile
First Lord, Star League in Exile
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Vedet recognized the dropbox number. It was the one he used to communicate with a team of agents he had on Tharkad.
He had learned that they failed to gain the information he had desired and had been captured, but that he had been traced to here?
They did not know he would be here. Yet he clearly had been traced here.
He felt the color drain from his face as the veiled threat was now clear.
Somehow this letter had been delivered without any signs of intrusion.
Could he actually trust Duke Widmer? Their staff?
He needed to accelerate his plans and leave this place either way for soon Trillian would send a response. She had to, with the area trying to break away and him here. So he could not be here when that happened.
Instead of sleep he fired up his personal noteputer and began working with a renewed vigor.
===What one wants to do, is not what they can do===
Courtyard - The Triad
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
6th April, 3144
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12 PM - Local Time
"It didn't used to look like this, you know." Trillian Steiner-Davion walked along the inner perimeter wall of the Palace. "I've seen pictures of it from before the incident."
"The… incident?" Lori Cameron asked.
"When the old municipal fusion plant breached, at the start of the Blake War," The Archon clarified. In the distance, they could see work still ongoing, repairing the damage from the Wolf Clan incursion-the same incursion that killed Melissa and left Trillian as the Archon.
"Last time, it took decades for them to recover the damage," Trillian added. "Are you beginning to guess what my intent is today?"
“At a guess, I’d say you’re wanting to address those sorts of shortcomings.”
"No, I want to make such shortcomings irrelevant." Trillian stated. "I want to not have to rebuild cities anymore after wars, to not have to look at reports of displaced refugees because someone looked at the question of war and answered themselves 'why not'!"
“Peace is an admirable goal, but there are a great many who still see you as Melissa’s hammer. Your nation’s credibility is in a poor state due to her adventurism.”
"Our credibility, is SHIT, Miss Cameron-don't pretend it isn't." Trillian said bitterly. "Mel thought she was… well, it doesn't matter anymore. Hammerfall was a mistake on a grand Scale." 
”Now you want to start making up for it.”, Lori commented.
"I want stability," Trillian said. "I want things to be stable, for my people to be safe… well as safe as possible given the conditions."
“Given the collapse of the Falcons, stability for much of your realm is improving. Opportunists are popping up in the wake due to too much neglect, but that is a problem you now have the freedom to address.”
"Tomorrow morning, I will be making an address, Miss Cameron," the Archon said. "I have two speeches, but will only give one. Help me decide which one to give to the Estates General. Convince me to support Helena Cameron. That is one speech. The other, is to not support her."
“Well we’ve already used military assets to help you roll up the former Falcon OZ, we’ve got trade deals, currency exchanges, and we’re letting whatever planets we liberated decide their fate freely for who they wish to fall under. Indeed we are even trying to encourage them to fall under your leadership again because we simply cannot garrison them all. It is an unfortunate reality that most humans do default to a mentality of ‘what have you done for me lately’. We don’t want to be bad neighbors, but we also wish to respect the wishes of the people.”
Trillian looked thoughtfully out at the city.
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===There is a Plague===
Throne Room, Triad
"M'name is Maria MacAulliffe, Yer Majesty." The young woman standing before the throne had scars on her wrists and neck, but someone had taken the care to give her decent clothing and hair.
Trillian glanced at the observers, including the representative of Helena's government in exile, before responding, "You wrote an impassioned letter of appeal, Maria, you are heard, so speak."
"I war… was… was taken from m-my ho-home… ten years ago, and sold on the mainstreet market to a… to a brothel, Your Majesty."
"Who took you?" Trillian asked.
"Duke Diego's men, they took me an' burned us out, Majesty." young woman explained.
"Can you identify them?" Trillian asked.
"Ah did, when… when Th' Corsair saved us, Majesty, Tole her, an' Tole th' men from Lohengrin on Coventry too."
"Do you see any of those men in this room?"
The young woman nodded, and flinched a little.
"Point to them." Trillian commanded
Maria raised a shaking hand, and pointed to several minor nobles in the chamber. A mild shock of outrage erupted as uniformed members of the Royal Guard seemed to materialize, taking those men into custody."What happens now?" Maria asked.
"Now, those men, implicated in slave trading and abuse of office, will be tried, and when found guilty, stripped of title, lands, and resources before being sent to Blackgate Prison to await their legal execution," Trillian stated. "Your plea, Maria, was heard."
The Archon stood from her throne. "There has been a plague, a malady, a cancer in the Commonwealth. I swore an oath when I took this office. I aim to cut it out, that this realm may prosper once again. You are all dismissed."
Lori lightly shook her head on the way out.
“Problem?” Ezekiel asked.
“I don’t disagree with her, but Trillian needs to learn to put on a better show. Pronouncing guilt and sentencing like that before it happens, it’s a potential path to ugliness,” Lori answered.
"History." a voice near them said, drawing Lori's attention.
"Prudence?" Lori asked.
"Funny," the Envoy unit shook her head. "Prudence is in the Concordat. I'm the new, Priss. It's Lyran history. They like their Archons a little bit on the authoritarian side."
“Apologies, I’m not Mom. I can’t keep you all straight. Maybe, but to keep the cooperation of the moderates and not make them reactionaries it is a fine needle to thread for sure. But one that does need threading.”
"You're not supposed to, Lori. I've got a few before I have to go in and make nice for the Archon myself, seeing as Allie can't be here to answer for things." Priss told Lori.
"Things?"
"Things like organizing an anti-piracy campaign as 'The Corsair'," Priss said with lip-twist. "Once she didn't have to pretend to be a Hazen, she's been organizing the Spacers, we look enough alike I can be here, while she's explaining her actions to your Mom."
“Good. That should help stabilize what is an incredibly unstable region right now. If you’ve got a list for me to pass on to mom for additional trading partners so we can help support this I’ll be glad to endorse it.”
"How about a list of troublemakers to avoid instead?" Priss asked, and a chit appeared between her fingers.
“That works too.”
"Here you go, and remember, you don't know me from Eve." Priss said. "Gotta have that madwoman of mystery vibe, don'tchuknow."
“I’ll do my best. Now I better get going so I don’t keep you or give people the idea we actually know each other.”
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