WoWS3 Chpt 3

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==Weapons of War Saga: The Final March- Chapter 3 - ==
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===Interstellar Players' Chessboard of the Inner Sphere===
Site of the former Freedom Station
December 7th, 3137
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Helena’s perspective
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The small station she had her AIs place for this meeting was a pre-fab job just big enough to generate low but comfortable gravity.
Helena was rather surprised that the Chancellor’s ship appeared on schedule, but not surprised that he was not aboard.
Danai Liao-Centrella had come over to the station instead.
“Hello Danai.”
“So you are the so called ‘Eternal Princess’.” Danai was polite enough on the surface but the undertone she placed on Helena’s legendary title was not lost on her.
“What can I say? Sometimes I do think I could really be immortal. I certainly do not seem to be aging on the outside. I still get carded by the odd barkeep. Really super annoying.” Helena answered.
“Hmmm.. I must admit I am somewhat disappointed. Based on what our intelligence services have gathered about you and the legends surrounding you say, I expected more than a typical vapid rebellious youth persona.” Danai scowled.
“Oh you want serious? I can do serious. I guess I’m just used to wearing a certain mask for the sake of others. But we can cut to the chase if you really want. I had hoped to talk directly with your father, see what is really behind this renewed aggression. Last time we spoke was at Port Orphan and he seemed committed to expanding out away from Terra.” Helena sipped from a microgravity tumbler full of tea.
“You know he was for a while. Then something did change, but it is not for me to say what. If you are really what he claims I would recommend not standing against him.” Danai allowed.
“Danai, I’d love nothing more than for there to be peace between us. So please pass that message along for me.”
“Peace may not be possible between you, especially if you attempt to reclaim your birthright.” Danai points out.
“I see.” Helena slumped, defeated.
“Perhaps if you did not rely on so many technological marvels. Thank you for the hospitality but I do not think we can accomplish anything further.”
“Safe travels, Danai.” Helena nodded.
The two made their way to the docking bay.
Helena boarded her small shuttle and departed first.
“You left in an awful hurry.” Samantha Booker Roberts’ voice came from the cockpit speaker.
“Just could not shake the sense that they were seriously considering slagging the station with both of us on it, which means if she left before I did…” Helena commented.
“I’m not sure if I should admonish you for being paranoid or praise you for being smart. You learn anything?” Sam asked.
“Danai was cagey about it, but it seems Daoshen has developed a grudge against AIs.”
“How do you figure?” Samantha asked.
“She warned me that I should not stand against him and that I rely too much on technological marvels. The only technological marvels I have that I rely on that Daoshen does not are you AIs.”
“So what are you going to do?” Sam asked
“To be honest I don’t know yet but if I’m right, which I think I am, I can’t use my main advantage against him without feeding his sudden anti-AI sentiments.”, commented Helena
“Back to New Lazarus then?”
“Yes. Let's hope Vicky has had some luck chasing down someone we can talk with for the Republic.”
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===Being Carded===
Customs Checkpoint
Callison, Republic Remnant
June 12th, 3142
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Victoria Cameron’s perspective
The young woman at the counter just stared at the identicard she had just been supplied.
“Is there a problem?” Victoria asked.
“Are you sure you gave me the right identicard?” The woman seemed nervous.
“Quite. Oh my date of birth according to the card. I assure you it is accurate despite how unusual it is.” Victoria tried to assure the young woman.
“Ma’am. We’ll have to ask you to come with us?” A security guard announced his arrival.
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Security office a few moments later
“You’re in a lot of trouble.” The security guard said.
“For what? I supplied a correct and legal identicard as required by regulations for entry to the Republic of the Sphere.”
“Stop lying. There is no way you were born in 2712. At the Blue Nose Clippership Luna Yards no less.”
“But that is precisely when and where I was born.” Vicky rolled her eyes.
“These lies and games will get you nowhere.”
Suddenly the monitor in the room came on and was playing an ancient Earth ‘videogame’.
“What the hell? Gallaga?” The man started.
“Seems I am actually going to get farther with games than the truth. I have come to open diplomatic relations with the Republic Remnant. I come under a banner of truce and hope for friendly relations. But it seems I need to prove I am something impossible for you to comprehend. So get someone who can. I would love to speak to Redburn directly but that would be far too much to ask at this stage. But just in case: Tell him a veteran of the War of Plunder is here and wants to talk about war debt repayment. We never were fully able to fully repay the Republic of the Sphere what we owed before the Blackout and cutting off of diplomatic relations that resulted.”
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===Meeting with the Paladin Reburn===
Damien Redburn’s office
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About six hours later
Geoff Haskins had really stuck his neck out this time but he had to. It was the only way to keep a disaster from resulting because of a misunderstanding.
He couldn’t blame the customs officer or the security personnel. For anyone who wasn’t there, well she would be impossible and there was a desire that the events of the War of Plunder be little more than trumped up spacer legend.
But he was there. He knew exactly who was sitting in a holding cell, displaying frankly a level of patience and understanding that cemented who she was.
“Geoff. Why am I being bothered with what seems like a fairly routine matter. From my reading of the incident report we’ve got every right to toss this woman in prison for quite some time.” Damien Redburn clearly didn’t want yet another headache to deal with.
“Because sir, she is telling the truth. I served in the War of Plunder she is talking about. I am vouching for her. I don’t know exactly what has happened but I swear I recognize her.”
“Explain.”
“Sir, I know we only detected one medical implant, but I swear to you that really is a human form remote of a highly advanced Star League AI. Her real body is a modified M5 Caspar hull.”
The glimmer of a memory seemed to shimmer for a moment in Damien’s eyes.
“You’re that certain?” Damien asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“So here is my dilemma. This could be a really elaborate ruse. Someone who’s done enough research to know exactly how to get a trusted officer of mine to bite on something they shouldn’t or this could be the real deal and everything I could possibly hope for.”
“I can prove it is really her and not an imposter. I was there sir and I know something about her, well her sister really, that only someone who was actually there could possibly know.”
“Let me guess you need to talk to her.” Damien looked at him.
“No need. Just have whoever is conducting her interrogation ask her what Regina Marbury Raymond’s favorite drink was.”
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An hour later
“Somehow despite my briefing when I became Exarch, I almost did not believe it. Hell with everything that has happened since then, I still feel like this could be an elaborate ruse. I have been out here on my own with practically no support for so long I almost do not believe it when something good happens.” Damien Redburn passed a shot glass full of tequila to Victoria Cameron.
“I must admit I was not expecting to see you. I was rather expecting to have to figure out my own rescue. Which could have been problematic to say the least.” Victoria accepted the drink
“Your sister really likes this stuff?” Redburn drank his shot.
“Yes. The vids say she’s a vodka girl, but really she loves her tequila. Me, I find myself partial to a proper scotch or cognac.” Victoria downed her shot.
“So where do we start?” Damien asked.
“Like with all important things if one wants to do them properly. Slowly and with great care.” Victoria answered.
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