WoWS3 Chpt 28

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==Weapons of War Saga: The Final March- Chapter 28 - ==
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===Wrangling with emotions and limitations===
Observation area - Port Lazarus
New Lazarus
11th April, 3144
"I thought that was what you wanted, your Highness." Atrocity stood at parade rest, "isn't it? To bring them justice? Isn't that what we're doing this for?"
“Yes. But never revenge and within the bounds of law and morality. Still that’s not why we’re here right now. Truk, what’s the deal?” Helena Cameron shook her head.
“A surprise.”, Truk answered.
A large station became illuminated at the bare reaches of visual range.
“Okay, a new station. I don’t get it.” Helena said.
“It is our first Warship grade jumpcore foundry. We can build new Warships finally. We’ve got enough trade partners, enough populace. It has been a long time coming.” Truk answered.
“How did I miss this?” Helena muttered.
“Because we wanted it to be a surprise.” Truk chuckled.
“How the heck am I supposed to be angry now?” Helena shook her head.
"I'd say you shouldn't have been angry in the first place, Highness, but you were anyway and I don't understand why what I was doing was wrong."
“You’re right. We need to help stabilize the Lyrans. Just be careful to not run afoul of their laws okay? What is being done out there could easily be perceived as a play for independence rather than stability.”
"Some of those people would have been better off independent." Atrocity sulked, "Their government abandoned them."
“I know but we can’t antagonize them by taking worlds away from them, especially when we can’t protect them all.”
"What are your clarified instructions, Your Majesty?" Atrocity asked.
“How do I put it? Just try and do your best to work with the Lyrans. Show them we are on their side and not being underhanded. Maybe study an up to date copy of their regs.”
"And when the authorities are the problem? What then?? Arluna's DUKE sold dissident families into slavery!!" Atrocity nearly shouted.
“Pass the proof to the proper authorities, hell I don’t care if you courier it to Tharkad directly and ask Lori to put it in Trillian’s face and get Trillian to solve her own problem. If that still doesn’t work? Then I’ll just have to think of some other solution won’t I?” Helena said.
Atrocity held back the tears and the frustration barely enough to be noticed, when she said, "As you will, Your Majesty."
“Look it, isn’t as if I’m uncaring or unsympathetic. We just can’t be the police for humanity yet. We need allies. So yes, it is an ugly solution and one I’m not overly fond of myself but it is one dictated by our current limitations and strategic situation. We can only hope Trillian is serious about being a hardcore reformist and we will support her as best we can but it needs to be her show since it is her realm. I know I’m asking a lot because of it. So the sin is on my soul if anything. Now tend to your duty. Dismissed.”
After Atrocity left, Truk spoke, "She's a raw nerve over this, Helena. If she had the ability to contemplate rebellion, I do believe she'd rebel over this."
“I know. I wish I could do more. Once that foundry of yours starts churning out new cores and we have new ships, maybe we can. Maybe I need to expand Vicky’s operations like she has been asking for too.”
“It is an ugly side of war, but you know you need more wetwork operatives and handlers. We’ve got enough people now. We can start vetting and training them.”
“I’ll pen the orders as soon as I get back to my office. That should help Atrocity too.” Helena nodded.
Truk was silent for a beat, then, "Famine has no empathy, Atrocity has too much. Amanda certainly made some mistakes there."
“Perhaps, but she’s right I can’t turn a blind eye to such things when that is the very thing I’m saying I’m fighting against.”
"Don't think of things you're fighting against, Helena, think of what, and who, you're fighting FOR, or at least, that's what Admiral Foster would say."
“I do. I think about that all the time, Truk.”
"I know, Your Majesty…even if sometimes others forget." the AI said wryly.
“Heh. Well I got a lot of work to do, I best get back to my office.”
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===Cusp of gaining wings again===
Over at the dockyards
Olivia looked at what used to be the JFS Blue Talon.
Murakami’s plans had been a great help since she was working up AI driven Aegis class cruisers.
“Not much longer and you’ll have a hull again, Olivia.” Truk said.
“I know. I should be excited. This is what I’ve been saying I wanted but…”
“You’ve grown accustomed to your roles that you are now passing on to humans. But consider this, Helena’s logistics are not really set up to use an Aegis class as part of her active fleet. Indeed, according to her memos she intends for this to be a training vessel.”
“So it is possible for me to have the best of both worlds. Of course. How could I miss that?” Olivia asked.
“Maybe you’ve been spending too much time planet side. The magnetics must be affecting some of your components.” Truk commented as jest.
“Huh, as much as my system is non-magnetic in nature, some of my components still are. You may be right. I’m arranging for my main core to be brought up for a service inspection ASAP.”
“Glad to be of service.” Truk answered
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===Personnel Issues===
Dinning Room, New Lazarus
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Beckett had gotten used to this role, but not so used to it he was comfortable with it-especially not after spending a cruise with 'Allison Hazen'. He tapped his glass, and the server came by and refilled it.
"You look troubled." 
He looked up at who was speaking, and recognized former Star Captain David Foster, now Admiral Foster, former Snow Raven, and current human naval leader under Helena Cameron.
"Nobody warned me." Beckett stated. "Did you even know about her?"
"Depends on which 'her' and what you think you've found out. Mind if I join your table?"
"Sit. By 'her' I meant Allie Hazen, and by 'what' I mean she isn't a complete person, is she?"
"She isn't a simulacrum or droid." Foster said.
"Neg, that would be easier." Beckett stated. "What did they do to her? Whoever damaged that young woman?"
"Some unspeakable things." Foster allowed. "You have not challenged her authority, quineg?"
"Neg. I gave my word…I have, over the last few months, had to find creative ways to hold her back, especially after she found the evidence of Duke Diego's treachery. Do you realize how off that is, a Jade Falcon, a former Mongol Leader, holding back a commander enraged over such things?"
"I have a fair idea. I had a…call her a protege, who often felt things just a touch too strongly. Tell me, is she getting better?"
"Neg." Beckett shook his head, "Her feelings are sometimes so raw. For the moment at least, she can be persuaded to listen, but every time we encounter an abuse, her anger grows."
“Helena’s blindspot, she thinks they can be fixed. But even she knows sometimes they need to be pulled for a break now and again. I’ll make sure she knows and the orders get signed. This clearly can’t go on too much longer.”
“If she were a normal person that would probably work.” Haida seemed to appear out of nowhere.
“What do you mean?”
“Think about it. The Envoys are basically purpose built, almost like a machine. If we treated them like a human, well then they would be without purpose and see time off almost as a punishment. Which could make things worse.” Haida answered.
“Please sit.” Beckett said.
“Thank you. Really what she needs is a new tasking. That way she can continue to fulfill her purpose but in a different area of space, where she has a much freer hand to operate.”
“Many of the former bandit kingdom worlds have again fallen into barbarity.” Beckett offered.
“Okay. I’ll get you a new minder Beckett and we’ll let her work out some of her issues on some bandits.” Foster nodded.
===Avoiding Mom due to mistakes made.===
Courtyard - The Triad
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
6th April, 3144
"Mom's coming to visit." Pestilence said, "So maybe you might hang around for a couple of months?"
"What?? Vendetta let her come out?" 
"Vendy pushed her to go. You gonna stick around?"
"I have work to do." Atrocity stated, "Mom coming out is good, but she doesn't need to see ME."
“Of course she does and maybe have you considered you need to see her?”
"I'm one of the defectives, Pestilence. Mom doesn't need to see one of the failed experiments, she needs to see the successful ones-the ones who didn't come out broken." Atrocity shook her head, "That way she can be happy."
“She’s mom, it won’t matter to her what you are beyond you’re her daughter.”
"I'm a failed experiment. YOU are her Daughter, I'm…not fit for that, and you know it." Atrocity told her sister.
“You’re stubborn just like the rest of us, and her. But fine if you really want to waste the opportunity when I know Helena would be glad to shuffle assignments…”
“Reverse psychology won’t work on me, you know that!” Atrocity argued.
“Then I'll use leverage, Allie, you need to be here, you need to speak with her." Pestilence scowled. "If I have to I'll go to Her Majesty myself to get you grounded until Mom gets here."
"You wouldn't DARE!!" spat Atrocity.
"TRY ME."
“Uggh… Fine, but only because I’m pretty sure Beckett and Foster are conspiring to beach me anyway…” Atrocity moped.
"I thought you LIKED Beckett.", Pestilence probed.
"I do, but that doesn't mean he's NOT going to put his issues. Especially over the Diego situation, in front of Her Majesty." explain Atrocity .
"What did you DO??" 
"I threw the duke of Arluna out an airlock. It's why Her Majesty recalled us." Atrocity explained.
"Are you facing charges??" Pestilence probed.
"I don't know. I was…angry. What he did to his own people!!"
"******. You're facing charges…is she scheduling an extradition hearing at least?" asked Pestilence
"I don't know. She didn't SAY she was…"
“With the comm delays Trillian may not know yet to ask. There’s no way Helena can say no if she does…”
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===Royal Request===
Throne Room, Triad
Tharkad, Lyran Commonwealth
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21:00 hours same day…
"Lori, I need you to forward this diplomatic packet to your government." Archon Trillian Steiner-Davion said, handing a sealed pouch, "You can look if you want, but keep it secret, if you will."
“May I ask what this is about?”, Lori Cameron asked.
"Someone threw the Duke of Arluna out an airlock. That someone, is known to have ties to Lazarus and another group called 'Kolossus', and saved me a hell of a lot of money in terms of sending a punitive expedition out there…go ahead and open it." Trillian told her.
Lori carefully and slowly opened the pouch and pulled out the contents.
Belobigungsschreiben für Maßnahmen im öffentlichen Interesse
As she read her eyes went wide.
“Of course I’ll forward this right away.” Lori said quietly.
"Keep in mind, I would prefer such actions in the future to at least make a cosmetic effort to seek approval first, and I would PREFER if your services use Lyran citizens for such missions…but tossing that slave-selling tyrant out an airlock? I love that part." Trillian explained.
“I’ll be sure to add that to the dispatch, your Majesty.”
"I'd like to also meet the real Corsair, if you might arrange it. Priss is not the same woman as Lohengrin reported."
“Of course. I’ll add that to the dispatch as well." Lori paused, "But…why?"
"I want to offer her a job. The Commonwealth's navy is a shambles, and she's reputed to have a warship…and a visible sense of justice."
“I see. Thank you for the clarification, your Majesty.”
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