TBntG-2 Chpt 9

=The Bull and the Genie=
==Chapter 9 - Book II - The Ninety-five Theses==
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==Discoveries and Retribution==
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===On the Hunt===
City of Samantha, Taurian Concordat
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The bust was, all things considered, anticlimactic. Several police choppers were re-routed over the park, and among the silent and cold cabins, one blazed with heat. 
 
Comparatively. The people inside didn't have the heaters or lights on, but six bodies were more than enough to trigger the sensitive thermal cameras.
 
They were also more than enough to put the police on alert. 
 
It was cold enough that they were undergoing some discomfort keeping the lights and heat off. And they were supposedly safe. 
 
That spoke to paranoia.
 
Possibly well-armed paranoia. 
 
Wallice sent the request up the chain, and an hour later, the Forced Entry Unit arrived from Samantha. 
 
Twelve officers, trained in entering buildings with armed inhabitants. 
 
"Any guess on their weapons?" The lead officer asked.
 
"No, but we've been watching them from the ridge with some thermals—two are moving, four are quiet."
 
"Two sentries." The officer frowned. "Doesn't sound like crooks."
 
"Maybe not." Wallice paused. "I want them alive, if possible."
 
"Do our best." 
 
They didn't have a lot of time to plan things. Normally the best bet would be to let them leave the building, but from the way they were behaving, it might be better to get them while four of them were sleeping. 
 
"Right. No windows in the rear, the entry team will go there. We've got windows, and they're all in the front room. Screamers, flashers, and chokers."
 
"Yes, sir." 
 
Normally, such tools were restricted, but with one confirmed murder…
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===The Takedown===
Outskirts of City of Samantha - Taurus, Taurian Concordat
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One moment, the interior of the cabin was quiet. Two agents were waiting, ready to protect their sleeping brethren, light weapons at the ready.
 
Soon, they would head to another safe house, this one close to the downport so they could make their way back to home—
 
And then the windows shattered as nearly a half dozen low velocity projectiles sailed into the room. From outside the cabin, the team activated their screamers, sound projectors designed to hit the target with disorientating sound, just below the level of permanent damage. Inside, the flashers detonated, blinding light filling the room, catching the sleeping individuals just as they opened their eyes in response. The last few rounds filled the room with a choking nauseating mist. And from the back, a door flew into pieces as the armored forms of the forced entry team entered. 
 
"DOWN, DOWN, DOWN!" 
 
One of the guards raised his gun, only to die from a volley of fire. The other guard was knocked to his knees. Of the sleeping individuals, two had woken just in time to be knocked out again, while two were gagging and choking. 
 
The last guard was born down, and the three conscious agents looked at each other…
 
And then bit down on the false tooth they had for that purpose.
 
"What the fuck?" an officer said. "They're seizing!"
 
"All three?" The leader stared, they'd clenched their jaws and… Ignoring the convulsing struggle, he pried one man's jaw open to see the shattered molar, some kind of fluid dripping from it. "Mother fuck! Poison. The two who we got, wedge their mouths open. Now!"
 
Even as they did that, the rest of the park was coming alive. Police units rolled through the dark trees, evidence teams moving in. 
 
And before dawn, they found a grave behind the cabin. The mutilated corpse was exhumed, and a quick DNA check was run.
 
A DNA check that was flagged—because supposedly the body in the back had belonged to a maintenance tech that had died with the Protector.
 
Moments after that, the entire region was sealed off as TMI teams moved out from the capital.
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===Discovery of a Mutal Enemy===
Office of the Protector - Taurus, Taurian Concordat
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"What have we got?" Edward Calderon asked.
 
"Two living Maskirovka agents. They had several suicide measures, but we removed them, and we were able to use chemical interrogation to get some information from them, although it's limited." 
 
"And the cabin?"
 
"At least one of the men had to have been a cosmetic doctor. They had a set up in the back, with the equipment buried. I doubt it would have permitted a long-term deception but…"
 
"But it only needed to be for a few months."
 
"Correct, Sir."
 
"So it's the Capellans." Edward said.
 
"Yes Sir, the interrogation and forensic evidence was clear. The body was that of Petty Officer Wilson, and he'd been dead for at least four weeks—and he was on leave four weeks ago. He enjoy fishing, and had no close family."
 
"So they murdered one of ours to get to everyone else." Edward said. "Yesterday, I received a transmission from the 'Celestial Wisdom', offering me aid, even dangling some of the Capellan worlds that used to be ours, if we would open up a second front. Oh, our friendly Comstar rep mentioned, in the interests of peace. That the those units facing us were withdrawing, almost like they know there isn't going to be any fight on that border. They started this right after the assassination. Curious how quickly those orders went out."
 
"Is Comstar involved?"
 
"No. I get the feeling the Precentor knows damn good and well what he's doing. This is giving us all the confirmation we need. Max seems to think that waving a red blanket in front of us is all he needs to do. Well, he's right, just not in the way he thinks."
Two RCTs on the far side of the Inner Sphere, the Second dealing with the Outworlds Alliance. That left them with two RCTs and one that was still working up. That didn't count the line regiments, just over 16, the Power Armor units, and project Thunderchild. All of which were deep, dark secrets.
 
Revealing this will change a lot, but…
 
However, Liao's had attempted to destroy the Concordat. Had launched an act of war against them. Had tried to, once again, make the Periphery the plaything of the Inner Sphere. 
 
The best way to convince everyone else that was a bad idea was to lay the person responsible out with a Sunday Punch. 
 
"Thank you. I want a meeting with the ministry of defense. We're going to war." Two RCT's, designed to operate at long range, with little support. Thunderchild. The first combat ready augmented suits since the days of the Star League.
 
Oh Max, I have a feeling you're going to regret this. Because he wasn't going to send his forces to just raid some border planets.
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===A Reflection from future Years to Come===
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While small compared to the forces amassed by Hanse Davion, the TDF invasion of the Confederation involved the first open use of the fruits of their data core, although the truth of that matter would remain secret for nearly two more decades. However, unlike Hanse Davion's invasion, the TDF was not interested in conquering Capellan worlds but in destroying their military capabilities though a combination of ground raids and space-based commerce raiding.
 
Years later, First Prince Hanse Davion would be heard to say: "We weren't allies. Not formally, but if not for the Max's decision to infuriate the Taurians. I'd never have been able to declare the end of the war from Sian." 
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Book 2 - 09