BoTH Chpt 52

==Blood on the Horizon - Chapter 52 -==
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===Intelligence Briefing===
Location: Taurus, Taurian ConcordatDate: February 8th, 3004
"Your report is well put together," Precentor Kooper flipped through the ROM agent's report. "You're certain that they have not stumbled upon anything that threatens the Holy Shroud?"
 
"No," Jones shook her head. "It was old material from the Age of War and Reunification War. Nothing that we would consider important. Even the information that I was able to glimpse from the data we recovered from the lost colonists was nothing that would be considered important."
 
"I will have our ROM agents begin looking into anything that you may have missed."
 
"Then I will continue my surveillance and continue to transmit my reports."
 
"Thank you for your work," Kooper stood up and shook the other woman's hand. "Please have my secretary send in the next appointment."
 
"Yes, Precentor," Staff Sergeant Jones gave a small bow. "The light of Blake guide you."
 
The door slid open and the ROM field agent left the room, a robed Adept entering as she left.
 
"Adept," the Precentor inclined her head and indicated for him to take a seat. "Your report."
 
"The Taurian Ministry of Intelligence is setting up something in the old Taurus WarWorks facility and Protector Calderon has been unavailable for the last month. She's either been traveling or in meetings for the entirety of the time that has been spent."
 
"Do we have any agents embedded with the group that is around the Protector or the team in the facility?"
 
"No, Precentor," The adept shook his head. "TMI leaks like a sieve, but in this case, they're only leaking information that they want others to know."
 
"Could we aid them in removing some of the foreign agents that are trying to infiltrate?" Kooper asked. "I believe that we could set up the Concordat as a foil to the Federated Suns and the Capellan Confederation."
"I would request that you clear that with Precentor Rom before we attempt to do anything like that. There are many things that could go wrong in that scenario, and given there are other groups that require our attention at the moment."
 
"I am aware of the investigations into the Wolf's Dragoons," Kooper acknowledged. "I would not divert the resources that the Precentor Rom has designated for that investigation."
 
"Send a message and get confirmation. Until then, I will merely have our local agents observe and report."
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===Preparing to move on===
Location: Taurus WarWorks, Taurus, Taurian ConcordatDate: February 10th, 3005
"We're just setting up the factory and feeders in the prefabs for now," I showed Zarantha the engineers and technicians assembling the devices and assembly line.
 
"About a third of the refugees have agreed to train people in the maintenance and expansion of the Toro factory," Zarantha informed me. "The rest have opted to either begin writing down their knowledge or to retire in peace with the pensions that we have provided them. Your dropships are set to be refit when the Snowdens bays are free."
 
"Good to hear," I kept pace with the older woman. "We're planning on moving onto the next contract once we finish reassembly."
 
"Must you work for the Davions?" She asked.
 
"They're offering a good contract," I shrugged. "And it's against the Communists. I mean Capellans," I corrected myself. "I know that your people have issues with the Federated Suns, but honestly, you and the Federated Suns have more in common than you do with the Capellan Confederation. I'm not saying to just take my word for it. But I think that you should really look into persuading some of the Capellan worlds to join the Concordat. I think there's a solid chance of them taking you up on it."
 
"I am not so certain," she replied. "But I will not be pursuing a war with either the Davions or the Liao families at this time. We have to deal with the pirates and the rebuilding of our military to combat standards before we begin to try anything else."
 
"Anything else that I need to know before I go assist them?" I jerked my head over to the people hard at work.
 
"Nothing that I can think of at this moment. But I am certain that there will be more to cover before you leave for the contract."
 
"Then I'll get to it," I shook her hand before walking off to the factory floor.
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===Marching Forward===
Location: (Marksman temporary base and housing), New Vandenburg, Taurian ConcordatDate: December 16, 3004
"For generations, the Taurians have languished," Protector Zarantha Calderon looked at the camera. "We have pretended to be better than the States surrounding us. But in reality, we have regressed further than could have ever been expected."
 
She took a deep breath before continuing.
 
"The Calderons have failed you as a people and your government has not looked after its citizen's interests. We have not secured our borders from any potential invaders, we have not invested in advancing technology. We have regressed as a society, and turned into nothing more than a paranoid shadow of that which we once were. We pine after worlds that have not been a part of the Concordat for over four hundred years.
 
"No more."
 
Her hands slammed down on her desk and her eyes blazed with energy.
 
"No more will we settle for being second best. We have the best universities in the galaxy, we have the hardiest people in the galaxy. As of today, February 17th, 3005, I announce the restoration of Taurus WarWorks and the rebuilding of the inactive Corps. From now on, V Corps will be shifted to anti-piracy operations as we reactivate the others and begin equipping them.
 
"With that in mind, I am proud to announce the recovery and rebuilding of the Taurus WarWorks. This relic of the past was a cornerstone of our fight against the tyranny of the Star League. And it will be a foundational piece of our nation again. And that begins with this."
 
The screen shifted to a live recording of a parade ground where a company of Toros and a lance of Talos 'Mechs were standing in Taurian Guard's Corps colors.
 
"Our nation will no longer languish in the defeats of the past, but will instead push forward into the future. Thank you, that is all."
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*;Author's note: I think two weeks off is enough for now. I'm finding that I need to write a lot of things in order to get inspiration for the novel I'm writing.
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Chapter 52