TGoaW-58

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==Chapter 58 - The Glow of a Worm inside a Child's Eye==
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There was a shocking lack of...
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...escape attempts or hijinks. The Jade Falcon prisoners were mostly still in shock, having seen an 'invincible' warship torn apart by a pack of...well...inferior junk.
The shift on the ground had been a little bit rougher. A Cluster can, properly supported, handle an Inner Sphere battalion, and experienced warriors haven't usually got much to fear from cadets and militia...
But then the Cadets and Militia got the kind of tac-air support that gives ground officers sweating nightmares. The relative lack of casualties was more of a miracle than one might expect.
Star Commander Marthe found herself with the senior staff of Delta Galaxy, assembled in a barracks building.
"You are going to Tharkad." was the word, "Your junior personnel will be forwarded to a safe prisoner of war holding facility on Mandoaaru, but this group will be going to Tharkad."
Star Commander Nathan spoke up, "Why?"
"That is what the Archon has directed. You will be accompanied by one other passenger." the FedCom officer asserted.
"Who?"
"Baroness Ngo." He said, "I believe you've spoken with her before."
"I did not...Star Colonel Samantha Clees did." Marthe noted.
"Then this should be amusing on several levels. I want to know if I have to lock you all up in cells, or if you can be trusted to control your own movements on my ship." Mike O'Toole stated, "See, I'm not just concerned about your lot-you guys seem to take your parole seriously. Baroness Elizabeth Ngo, on the other hand, is a tween with a spacer's title who's never been aboard a ship she didn't either own, or contract, and that, combined with an improbable victory? means she's going to be a discipline issue, and I would rather not have to have twenty more discipline issues on my vessel."
"We will remain in designated areas. I assume we are not 'riding in' on that Lola, quineg?"
"No. The Tabiranth is under way back to her homeport for major repairs. You lot will be joining my crew aboard FCS Hetzhund, the second vessel of the Fox class, and while we don't hvae the turn of speed the Tabiranth has, we're not helpless."
"Wait...You are saying the girl who led the force that defeated the White Aerie and captured most Delta Galaxy is a Prisoner??" Nathan asked, "WHY??"
"Because she was specifically ordered to avoid the Blackjack system. Liz Ngo is medically unfit to serve in a military capacity in addition to being Thirteen bloody years old." Mike scowled himself, "I would have every man-jack in that crew in front of the mast for letting that little girl take that kind of stupid risks!!"
Looks were exchanged, and Marthe mouthed 'ristar' with a raised eyebrow, Samantha Clees just nodded.
"Medically unfit, how?"
"She's terminal, won't live to forty, and she's already symptomatic." Mike said, "it's in my briefs and not a national secret, but maybe knowing will moderate your behaviors for the weeks we're in transit."
"What is it, Cancer?" Nathan persisted. "Our medicine is advanced if it is mere Cancer..."
"Cholmann's syndrome." a young voice interrupted, and Elizabeth limped, leaning on a cane in the unfamiliarly strong gravity of Blackjack. "Doctors say I go terminal at age thirty five or thirty six...and I doubt your lot has figured out how to fix it past 'purge the genes in the lab' and using a flush to get rid of the bad batch. Kapitan O'Toole, my goods are stowed aboard, and I've said my goodbyes. Sam Daimh has her orders from the Archon."
"Very good your ladyship." he said, "You may wait with the shuttle."
"Ayeh, Sirrah." she said, and hobbled away.
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