[IC - CIU] The CSB-War - Crimson Twilight

[Gemai]

Preface

Continuation from the ingame events depicted in "The Vanishing of HIP 89396":
https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/270935-CIU-The-Vanishing-of-HIP-89396

Crimson Twilight
​

Excerpt from the 'Worker's Right' newsletter, Weekend Issue (24.07.3002), Manite

War on the Horizon!
A sudden spark of Rebellion around HR6680

The initial success of the Montet Advance Fleet in Khrudiyu has failed to keep its momentum. After they secured the entrance to the system, most of their blockades have been broken and any attempt to establish deeper outposts have failed. The local strategist lay fault to the massive entrance star that locks their jumps over 15000 ls away from their military target. Combined with the unconventional warfare and hit and run attacks of the Blue Syndicate, this has made an advance on their position really hard. For now they will try to draw the Blues out for a decisive all out battle by blockading needed supplies. Who would crumble first under pressure remains to be seen.
While the military assault of Montet has been grinded to a halt by guerillia attacks of the defensive Blue Syndicate inside of Khrudiyu, the Crimson Syndicate faces its darkest hour.
The HR 6680 Party for Equality has issued a formal statement, declaring itself the rightful ruler of HR 6680 and its surrounding colony in the name of democracy. While immediately vetoed by the ruling Crimson Syndicate in a later statement and refuted by the authoritarian HR 6680 Party who leads the incursion against the Crimson in the local colony, no one can deny the sudden rise of the Party for Equality in the last weeks. With some planets already in their control and 'system authority' beginning to crack down on 'illegal' goods, the Crimsons authority is at least damaged.
It is no secret that they receive massive support from both the Federation and Montet and might soon reclaim the system in open hostility against the Crimson Syndicate. Some other, more unreliable informations, tell of contracted support that actively sabotages the Crimsons efforts to stop the rise of the Party for Equality. While speculation, a strange bounty has been issued in the local systems to hunt down a certain ASP-X that was seen to frequent between HR 6680 and YK-O D6-109. No one knows the captain's name, but a secret alliance between the HR 6680 Party and the HR 6680 Party for Equality is suspected. This makes a later following conflict with the Republican Party of HR 6680 seem avoidable.

For now the Party for Equality has issued to recognize the HR 6680 Party as the local government of the nearby colony of YK-O D6-109 until democratic elections could be held again with the demise of the Crimsons. A statement once again refuted by the HR 6689 Party. There would be no cooperation, and no alliance has been made. There will only be independance and that has to be guaranteed!

Looking at the rebuild and reopened station of Daniel's Prospect, this was Eliana Karamazov, signing out.


Residential Hazards

„Alpha, Zeta 382, reporting in. Convoy ready for departure. All members' arrival confirmed. Please secure the corridor, commanders. Moving out.“ AZ-382, the Type-9 leading the newest convoy of the Party for Equality with another major supply haul, hailed its guardians. Aside of the standard Federal escort of Montet, a small wing from the CI-Pact accompanied the endeavour, which was led by the infamous ASP-E of HR 6680. Accompanied by her comrades, a Vulture and two Vipers came along to secure the convoy of ten trade ships.

Vivien glanced at the holo interface in front of her, registering each ship's signature as they jumped into the system and lined up for a coordinated approach of their hidden installation. She didn't hail or answer their greetings. Their protector was playing the silent arbiter, yet all around her were calm. The procedure had been well-trained by now.

Comrade Snorre Constantin in his Vulture pulled to the front of the convoy, aligning himself with the two Assault Ships to his sides.

„Falcon Three, taking point. Ready to engange.“ Shortly after the two Vipers, piloted by Comrade Boldizsár Kaja Morse and Comrade Pascal Yair Jules Morwenna Budai, PJB for friends, flanked the ships on their rear. Below the group, several more ships of Montet took position while Vivien silently steered above the convoy.

After a minute of aerobatics Vivien finally broke her radio silence. „Alpha, Zeta 382, here Exalt, follow Falcon Three to installment Hugo, Epsilon, Teta 984. Stand by for synchronized warp on Falcon Three's command. No one breaks the synchronized warp without military engagement. Exalt out.“ „Roger that, Alpha, Zeta 382, ready for warp on Falcon Three's command.“ „The show is yours Comrade.“ „Affirmative, Exalt.“
Another moment passed, but as all sensors were focused on Falcon Three, his fired up Frame Shift Drive hailed everyone to do the same. „Falcon Three to convoy, deploy extended heat sinks, charge energy fields at setting 3-5-2 to compensate for the excess inversion of mass. Synchronized warp in T-32.“
The time slowly went down when the first signs of the warp appeared around the convoy, only to quickly distort the view around them for the split second it took for the warp to engange. „Going to warp in three, two, o...“ As the warp itself cut of his transmission, a massive force took over the convoy and riped it forward ere any other word could be uttered. The force was unnaturally large, depicting a slight disturbance during the charge. Only moments later, the wild start had transitioned into a smooth movement past the initial sun of HR 6680.
Quickly the leader of the convoy checked the situation. Vivien's eyes lit up, and her holo display hastily flew around, opening one window after the next quicker than any hand could ever manage. Her neural network was on fire.
„Falcon Three, here Exault. Escort Zeta to Iota have been lost. Convoy six to eight as well. The synchronization has failed.“
„Affirmative Exault. Ready to abort on your command for reunification.“
„Negative Falcon Three. Escort Zeta to Iota will ensure the safe delivery. We already have announced our presence. Let's not waste the speed advantage of the synchronization.“
„Affirmative. Continuing escort. Falcon Three, out.“
The status of those left behind was unknown, but the advanced heat sinks aboard the mass transport freighters wasn't here concern. The main problem was if their escort was still intact. Yet any delay was just another needless danger for the convoy. She had to move on. Her flickering holo interface finally calmed down as it centered on the flight calculations and the gravitational and energy sensors around the system to spot hostile incursions. „ETA eight point three four. Keep your eyes open.“

Vivien wasn't calm during the short travel and she had little reason. The Crimson Mob wasn't willing to give up its influence. The self-imposed system authority of the local democratic resistance was met with terrible skirmishes and the hidden installment was needed to repair the damage done in those battles. This convoy had to succeed like many before them. Otherwise the strong position they had grasped for themselves would slowly crumble under the Crimson's assault from their station. Vivien never liked to escort as it made her a target. She liked to be the one hunting, especially with the huge bounty on her head.
Accordingly the gravitational waves the sensors picked up short before their goal made her heart jump in her stead. What was even worse than losing the convoy was losing the secret of their resupply outposts. As the energy field intensified, the implied vector clearly was meant for an interdiction.
„Falcon Three, lead the convoy to hide in the gravitation of the Beta sun. Falcon One, follow my lead, we break formation.“
„Affirmative Exault, Falcon Three switching to stealth approach for installment Hugo, Epsilon, Teta 984.“
„Falcon One to Exault, formation break confirmed. I am ready to crash.“
Both the 'Sleeping Meadow' as well as the 'Sol Survivor' powered down their FSD's while slightly yawing out of the shared electric field. It didn't take long for the disturbance to start and without any warning, both were thrown out of the warp altogether in a wild swirl at near light speed. Yet both managed to recapture control quickly and switch their vectors back on target in no time. Still warm, their drives quickly came back to live, setting an interdiction course for their own hunters.
„I got something for our pursuers.“ Vivien hailed Falcon One and prepared the little extra she had installed into her jump drive. Rerouting all power to the drive and the shields, she prepared to overcharge it.
„Roger that, breaking off formation, Exault. I'd like to not be affected. Preparing hunting formation.“
Vivien set a course slightly past their initial convoy's route but in front of the course of their assumed interdictors. As her FSD was charging up, she repeatedly launched her heatsinks into the void. Slowly but surely her energy field climbed. 300% over the limit, 750%... 1000%. When she felt comfortable the mimicked mass was near most of that of the convoy, she finally initiated the jump from her overheating cockpit with a massive energy radiation and gravitational distortion. Falcon One followed suit in a safe distance. It didn't take their pursuers long to change their course for the actual smaller group. The distorted but massive energy field apparently did its job. They thought the main part of the convoy was with them.
Falcon One closed in to equest status with his commander. „That was massive, Exault. How much did you lose.“
„Battle capacity 90%, mostly the heatsinks. The drive is back to normal. Enemies inbound, stay focused.“
„Roger that. But give me your engineers contacts one day. My treat.“ A slight laugh was heard from the transmission before it stopped and their targets split up in two groups. A smaller group of Eagles for Falcon One as a clear perceived escort and a group of three on a course for Vivien's fake convoy.

Another Eagle escaped from the triade of pursuers and made its way to interdict Vivien's massive energy field. Using its agility during supercruise, it used its own energy field to destabilize the one the 'Sleeping Meadow' had created by repeated slight incursions from different vectors.
„The cargo for your lives, separatists! Make it easy on yourself and submit!“
Vivien didn't even think of repairing the energy field and told her VI Elaine to do it neither. Quickly the massive bubble destabilized and when the other two were in range, she played her last card to get the upper hand in the upcoming fight, destroying her own massive energy field to shatter those of everyone around her in its wake.
Without warning, her enemies were affected by her ruse and were thrown out of supercruise with her, seperated. With his allies still far away, Vivien deployed her weapons and turned around to her pursuer who was torn between being buffled by the events or the lack of convoy ships. He tried to power up his ship's drive again, but it was impossible to escape now as the maneuver had overheated it far beyond its capabilities. After he evaded her in a short dance with the Sleeping Meadow, Vivien pinned down the Eagle and managed to hit its exposed reactor despite its attempt at an Aileron roll. The Eagle was destroyed in a massive explosion.

There had been at least three hails, all of them cancelled. She didn't care if he would submit or give up. Too much hinged on killing them, his allies just around the corner. And they new the rough course they had taken. So to save her the nerve, she had deactivated her communications for any foreign signatures. The time for diplomacy was over.
In short order she not only disposed of the damaged Cobra III following her, but also of the disoriented Courier, picking them off before the other could come to help each other. When she finally ended her silent engagement and reactivated her whole ship's sensor range, she found the signature of Falcon One nearby waiting for her. Without delay she set course for the rendezvous. No hostiles seemed to remain nearby.

„Falcon One, here Exault. Status report.“
„Falcon One to Exault, battle capacity at 60. Major damage to secondary armament and hull infringement near reactor. Drives available. How's your end?“
„Battle capacity still at 90%. Fall into formation, we trace the convoy Falcon One.“
„Damn Exault, impressive disposal. Makes one question their skills.“
Vivien pulled over to Falcon One and got into position, she didn't answer his admiration. „We got work to do. Get going Falcon One.“
„Well there remains one problem, Exault, we lost the convoy's position.“
Vivien furrowed her brows below her neural helmet. Checking her sensors she had to admit that Falcon Three either did an admirable job of hiding or they had ignored her order. If they took the delayed route, they should still be on the way. And if they didn't take the direct route to reach the goal in time, that meant...
„Falcon One, immediate jump sequence. Target is the Beta sun. Expect the worst.“
„On your word, Exa...“
Vivien had actually already begun to charge her modified drive during her command. Falcon One had barely time to answer her and his damaged reactor took a longer time to charge as the Sleeping Meadow left him in its wake.
„Avast ye, eh? Get them, girl, I am right behind you.“

 

[Gemai]

Unchancy Protection

Vivien had done what she could to speed up her flight, but during her search around the beta sun, the local gravity enforced the slowdown of her own search and rescue operation. It had already been precious minutes by the time she found her first real trace. It was in line with the first planet that her VI Elaine finally notified increased energy signatures in the later orbit. If it wasn't the convoy, something else was under attack.
Without hesitation, Vivien let Elaine set course for the battle ahead and prepared her shield boosters to jump into an expected warzone. She and her ship had to survive the initial recon of the situation with full capabilities. This time she reckoned, her missiles had to be deployed, so she rerouted some power to supply the tracking mechanism in disfavor of her steering nozzles. Her entry to the battle had to be quick and hard to mitigate any disadvantage they had. She expected the worst.

Her arrival was quick and her sensors on fire just the same. As her VI tried to identify her surroundings, she wasn't greeted by a hail of lasers, but a first hail that already opened her channels. It wasn't blocked!
„Exault, good to see you!“ It was Alpha, Zeta 382, just blazing its beam lasers at another Eagle that was lured by Falcon Three right in front of its sluggish hunter. Without mercy it was cut in half as the Vulture deployed a cascade mine before the impact of the beam lasers.
„Care to join our celebration? There is still some cleanup to do.“
While she turned around and observed the disaster around her through the huge canopy of the ASP-E, she forgot to request the general status, still baffled about the pilots skill in a Type-9.
„Roger AZ 382, Exault joining the battle.“
„6 to 0 Exault, you better step up your game. Only ten bandits left!“ Falcon Three animated her to ease up and take this as a sport. She didn't take the dead as sport, but he wasn't wrong, she had to remain calm. With most of Montet's Assault Ships destroyed to ensure the survival of the freighters, it fell to Falcon Two and Three and the remaining three Assault Ships to save everyone... and then there was the Type-9, mocking its assailants, which already turned to take the next shot.
Just then another cluster of rockets of a Viper IV had penetrated its defense from the side, quickly punished with a pursuit by Falcon Three. Yet without defensive perimeters and its shields collapsed it was helpless. During that moment, the leading assailant, a Federal Gunship, pulled right into its view after having dispatched another Assault Ship.
'Energy charge detected!' Elaine warned her pilot that the gunship had started to charge its plasma accelerators in front of Alpha Zeta 382. With little time left, she made a risky decision. The Party made it clear that the Type-9 had to reach its goal at all costs. She was willing to pay it.
„Elaine, full energy to the shields, secondary energy to the seeker missiles. Prepare for interdiction!“
As she steered into the view of the gunship, it nearly willingly changed its target to her as if to deny any attributed worth to the Type-9 as a combatant. She waited painful seconds as her inertia dragged her right in front of the two and the accelarator finally unleashed its payload, immediately followed by a laser barrage of its secondary armament free to dip into the previously reserved energy.
„Fire!“
She wasn't a simple shield to be sacrificed in the Type's stead, she would bite back. The immensive impact of the accelarator tore right through most of her shield, with the barrage quickly ending the desperate fight of her shield boosters altogether. As the first rockets from her battery charged at the gunship, most of them were destroyed in close proximity to her and the Type, quickly destroying most of her outer sensors and dangerously damaging her giant canopy. With Elaine mostly blind, it was sheer luck that three rockets found their own target and made the gunship stop its barrage that penetrated her 'Sleeping Meadow'.
Its shields were collapsing itself and its secondary armament was starting to malfunction. That was the moment of the Type who had deployed its own rocket batteries it had hidden before. Leaving the powered down Meadow to rest, the Type pulled below the partially immobilized duo and delivered its own shower of rockets to the lowside of the gunship ere its weakened shields recovered, finally destroying its plasma accelerator and ripping its lower hull apart.
Endangered, but not beaten, the gunship tried to regroup with the last six members of its squadron, but before it could pull out completely, the comrades of its latest victim in their Assault Ships turned around to use this chance and decked the ship with their own heavy artillery. Like a mockery, the enemy commander escaped the explosion and his own death by a last second ejection.
Vivien only saw these events unfold, her ASP-E drifting helplessly in the midst of the clean-up operation of the now superior defense force.
The crash of a desperate immobilized Cobra III that was shot down by Falcon Three into her backthrusters put this gruesome vcitory parade on a painful spin. Vivien could only close her eyes to escape nausea.
'Energy critical, rerouting reserves to life support. See you later Viv-Viv!' Thus Elaine shut down to conserve energy for her commander who just let the moment take her over. This day wasn't hers.
The remnants of the Montet Defense Fleet took in the survivors and captives before escorting the mostly intact convoy to its destination with Falcon Three.
A long while later, the nasty spin had finally stopped with the help of her two remaining wingmates who gently stopped her ship's rotation. With their help she managed to restore the basic systems to fly with them to the hidden installation nearby. The Meadow would need intensive repairs during the next days. Good thing the Federation covered these expenses.

[Later inside of Installment Hugo, Epsilon, Teta 984]

„No you will not change the thrusters. I don't care if it costs extra to repair all damaged parts individually, this one was modded for my own purposes. Everything will remain the same! If I catch you putting in any non-approved stock parts, being replaced by your superiors will be your lowest concern. Now get her in order!“
Vivien didn't stand eye to eye with her mechanics as she yelled at them, it wasn't necessary. The luxury of dislocated communication made this whole situation much easier on her. She loved her Meadow from the day she escaped her home and she wouldn't leave it behind. All the love and effort she and her engineers put into her would not be wasted by some overeager mechanics. But she couldn't deny that some parts had to be replaced completely by now. This war started to take its toll on both her and the ship. And the intel the captured commander gave them didn't help to alleviate any concerns. She didn't want to see anybody right now. Inside her quarter she still only had taken off her helmet and leaned against the chamber's metal wall in silent agony. This day wasn't hers.
'Federal Advisor Adam Quinn requests a meeting.' It wasn't even five minutes and the next person requested her attention. Vivien could only grumble as she opened the voice channels first. „Put him on audio transmission.“
„Greetings Commander Gemai, my name is Adam Quinn and I am your new contact inside the HR 6680 Party for Equality. I would like to discuss your latest achievements with you. There is much to talk about.“
Slowly she lifted her head from the warmed up metal and turned back to her room, now rubbing her slightly agitated forehead with her right. „Is it urgent, Mister Quinn? I was assured to be free to rest for the day.“
„Oh I assure you it is not. My apologies Commander. If you feel pressured, I will only relay the most important details. Interim President Gwyneth Norris requests that you meet with the council tomorrow before noon beta time, but I simply planned to meet you in person today to discuss our future cooperation.“
For once she wasn't pressured by her contact to hasten, which made this even worse. If not for her upbringing, her own ideals forced her to accept his invitation in kind. „Security override, unlock the door.“ 'Affirmative', the voice of the VI acknowledged her command and reactivated the automatic door locks. With a gentle touch, Advisor Quinn opened the door to her room and stepped into with an honorable bow towards the Commander.
„Working with someone like you is what gets me up in the morning Commander. I am pleased to receive your approval.“

​

Vivien sighed before she turned around and tried to put on a gently smile. He must have read her biography and that in itself made this situation far worse once again.
„I am not fond of pleasantries and hidden daggers. If we want to work together, please speak open. I don't share the sentiment of my homeworld.“
„My apologies if I have offended. But I did not consider your past with this. I just follow my own common courtesy.“ Again he started to emphasize his apology with a devoted gesture, but managed to stop himself in time. „It is with real pleasure that I meet with you. You don't even realize what you have accomplished today. HR 6680 might soon be free from the Crimson's tyranny and all thanks to your stellar efforts.“
„Such as there are?“ Vivien wondered how one secured convoy or one captured commander would change the course of this war. It was important, surely, but that much?
„Well for one you saved a good friend of mine. My nephew in fact. He was the one piloting the Type-9. The convoy was too important to just let anyone fly it.“
Vivien started to gain interest in his talk. „That daring b-astard was one of yours?“
„That daring 'b-astard' was one of our best. I couldn't imagine anyone else flying a Type-9 and inciting fear like him. He was a corvette pilot in the auxiliary navy before he came to support our war to free my new home.“
„Well, tell him to come in a warship next time to make the difference. He nearly got himself killed with his stunts. It is hard to protect someone if they actively fight at the frontline.“
„We both know that is a rather one-sided observation on your part Commander.“
„Yes, well maybe I am slightly biased by taking the brunt of his death certificate. My Meadow didn't like it, I assure you.“ The gentle talk already started to drip with the poison of Vivien's stress. Advisor Quinn meanwhile remained calm.
„He will soon stand beside you in the war, I assure you. For you see the other thing you accomplished was to deliver the parts for a transportable warshipyard and heavy artillery and energy weapons.“
„What? We neither have the material nor the ships to fit them? What did the Montet fleet die for? What did 'I' nearly die for? Some useless scrapmetal?!“
The advisor lifted his hands to calm her down before he went on.
„There will be a delivery of weapons to the Crimson's by independant pilots soon. One of their local contractors, a minor mob in fact, is organizing this arms race for the Crimsons. Let's just say we might know the pilots and that the huge amounts of lethal weapons need to be delivered in giant supply sloops. The offered price was so good, they ordered enough to arm their station two times over. After all they come from the PCI who is known for quality.“
Vivien just waited, silently. She saw it leading up to something but wasn't certain. Although the PCI's involvement ilked her slightly.
„We will have to build our own Corvettes with the parts the next convoys will bring and it won't be many, but the supply sloops will mostly consist of a wing of new and well maintained Anacondas. Disarmed ones of course. They will just 'vanish' on their way back out of the system and find the mobile warshipyard and weapons to be just what they needed.“
„You are planning to build a warfleet right under the Crimson's nose?“
„We are planning to 'extend' our warfleet. Most of our forces are currently produced outside of HR 6680 by Montet itself. All assets have been approved by the Federation.“
„Alright.“ Vivien threw her arms in the air. „You win. Maybe it was worth it. Thanks for filling me in. So how many regulations did you just break to appease me?“
„Just one. I might be called an advisor, but aside of the orders from our interim president, I am free to make my own decisions. I only disobeyed her effectively.“
„Secret Service?!“
„Secret Service...“
The silence between the two remained a while until he finally broke it by himself.
„Don't get me wrong Commander, I am playing with open daggers here. You are a person I admire. You have nothing to gain, yet you are willing to sacrifice all for our freedom. I would love to attribute this to your past, but you yourself said you have broken with it. Not that it would diminish any respect I have for the people like Denton Patreus.“ He slowly walked to the door again.
„There was a time I wanted to be just like you, Commander. But now I know too much to throw my life away. I have become too important for our future. So I just wanted to tell you this as gratitude for your deeds. From now on nothing we will ask you to do will involve your sacrifice. You are free abandon a mission if need be. Don't listen to what my colleagues or my superior tell you. We already got all we need. You don't have to die!“
„And what would deserting my mission make me?“ Vivien didn't like the idea to abandon or fail a mission... or to leave behind those she cared for.
„In my eyes, fighting for your own beliefs makes one independant. I lost this comfort long ago. If need be I would have to lay down dozens of beloved lives for this endeavour, my nephew included. So think for yourself where you want to be. You can still leave.“
„Security Override, lock doors.“ 'Affirmative'. Vivien stopped the advisors planned silent exit behind her back.
„Care to explain, Commander Gemai?“
„What about the captive? He wasn't part of the Crimsons. Neither of the secondary assailants were.“ Vivien went to her personal storage to take out a small blue bottle and a bottle of water from the cooler with two cubes of sugar. „As far as I am concerend they were part of an assasinating pirate corps that has taken charge of the border between the Federation and the Kumo Crew.“
„How many regulations would I have to break to tell you this?“ Advisor Quinn gently smiled at Vivien's showcased pivot of the bottle.
„None. I just want you to drink with me. Let's call it a game. Every time I am right you take a slug, otherwise I will.“
„And what are we having, Commander?“, he carefully sat down on her table.
„Absinthe, the green fairy.“ She gently placed two glasses on the table and prepared the drinks for them with two spoons and two cubes of sugar.
„The stories of those little pests tend to end gruesome. For the sake of my head, let's hope you are wrong.“
Vivien could only admit to his fears with a pained smile of her own.
„For my own sake and conscience, let's hope so. At least I would sleep well tonight.“

 

[Gemai]

Shattered Ties

The Next Day
Temporary Base: Installment Hugo, Epsilon, Teta 984, Military Council

​

„We appreciate your sentiment Commander Gemai, but there is no need to relocate your theatre.“ The interimspresident Gwyneth Norris rested her head on her hands and looked straight at the young commander standing in front of her and the rest of the council.
„Your support here was and will be commended no matter the connotations. Everyone affiliated with the Crimson Mob is our enemy, no matter who their priority is at the time. They would have hired them anyway. To hunt you“, she pointed both of her hands to Vivien from under her head, „or us.“, and back at herself.
Although she did her best to reassure Vivien after her recent discoveries, this wasn't really necessary. She was far from being shaken. Her decision and consecutive proposal had a hidden motive.
„I didn't take my time to reiterate a common problem to weasel out of my promises, Lady President. I simply wanted to propose dividing their forces. If we use our hidden channels“, she tossed a short glance at her new acquaintance who seemed kindly shaken from the night before, „and those we know aren't safe, we can hint at a special meeting between me and certain elements in Alvares Landing.“ Shortly into her speech, she started to address the whole round, slowly moving her gaze along the members.
„I am sure if the Crimsons aren't following me for their sake, their bloodhounds will for the money. If we are lucky, the Republicans will treat them for what they are, common pirates. Unlike the Crimsons, they have no direct immunity in their realm and we might get rid of them by 'natural regulations'.“
The council started to whisper and mumble between each other for a short moment, her two closest advisors directly with the Lady President herself who didn't seem that convinced.
„This plan is based on too many assumptions. While I have no personal opinion on the matter, Captain Lurrick assured me there are circumstances that could need your attention more than this ruse. In the worst case we would lose your valuable support during important times for what at best is the delay or destruction of some overeager bounty hunters. Thus, we would like to direct your attention elsewhere. And I would there...fore...“
„This wasn't a transfer request, Miss Norris, this was my way to brief you about my oncoming plan. The decision is final.“
The council became louder, clearly taken aback by her uncouth idea of cutting into the Presidents word or addressing her casually... or both. Miss Norris also darkened her gaze.
„So you would ignore this councils wishes for your own stupid ideas? We fight a war here, Commander. Wars need personal matters to stand aside. You and your wing are needed for it. How could you decide to let us down for your own agenda at this time?“
Vivien looked in the crowd for her new friend, but did so by not focusing him first, or last. If he had any personal emotion to her 'independant' decision, he clearly knew to hide it.
„The meeting has already been appointed by matters outside your control, Miss Norris. And I won't let my contacts wait for nothing but some drinks on that life-forsaken planet. While I have no doubt he would know how to make even the most boring meeting into his own show, his time doesn't come cheap.“
Vivien posture long changed from an equal one to one of dominance. She had cut her ties minutes ago.
„I pulled some favors here. This is no ruse and no empty promises. There is an actual meeting, but we will leak it nonetheless. Because I know I can evade some bounty hunters and because I know someone made sure they end up on a blacklist. And if all goes well, we lose some enemies, I will get some peace of mind and you will get a message. A message I expect you to read. If all goes well on my end, your decision will affect everything. So your council better not let 'me' down.“
„This meeting will not take place.“ The interims president tried to take a strong stance and played a starring game. „Commander Gemai you are grounded. Until further notice your ship and those of your wing won't leave this base!“
„By who's authority do you think you could keep me here and then expect me to fight for you? By who's authority do you think you could keep my ship and those of my wing hostage? I am not here because I love your people, Miss President. I am here because I hate the guts of theirs! And if you think any oppression from your side will be accepted by me, my wing, or my allies, you are solely mistaken. I will leave this base either with or blessing, or leave the alliance without. This would be on my superiors desk by this evening.“
For a short moment, the strong posture of the president eroded and her gaze hastily went to Mister Quinn who expected her gaze. Holding up his left with the thumb folded, he shoke his head. Four.
It wasn't sure what she had planned, but angering the CI-Pact wasn't part of it. She wasn't ready for her own plans yet and her intelligence service just told her not the entire wing was at base. This would mean angering a dragon far before its time. In fact Vivien made sure her wing never was in one place without orders. At least outside of space.
„I'll leave in 2-30. I expect my Meadow to be fueld and able to fly by then. No paint jobs, no last minute changes of equipment. No games. That is all, Miss President.“
The fact that Vivien saluted her was half an insult and half respect to her position before she turned on the spot and went for the door. The council was clearly unhappy, but she was through collecting points with the Party for Equality. Mister Quinn was right, she wasn't here to die in anyone's war, she was here to win hers.


[Later at the Docking Bay]

„... should definetly go there together. The Valkyries are the best aerobatic school south of Achenar. You have to see it! I might even get us some special tickets with a chance to get into one of their backseats in the second half.“
„I have enough trouble flying my own V4 after all these beatings. I don't want to sit in another without any chance to steer myself. Especially if they really fly through mine fields. That's insane. Going by your fanpics, I'd be more interesting in a date.“ Comrade Morse wasn't really going for the proposal of his friend PJB. And neither noticed their Commander coming closer until she was about to greet them. Comrade Morse was the first to react, saluting just in time.
„Commander, everything ready for escort. Comrade Morse and Comrade Budai await orders.“ PJB turned around and saluted... partially. He had his more easy-going grin on his face again.
„Glad to finally leave this giant coffin. Let's get out of here. I want to blow someone up.“
Vivien took it with her stoic and grown patience, dismissing them with a nod, which prompted both to relax.
„Falcon Three will expect our meeting in 45. I want you to fly ahead asap“, she pointed at Morse, „and you to follow my six in 10 to 10. Let's make sure we get seen. If you see stragglers, shot them. This is not a stealth operation.“
PJB clenched and rubbed his hands in anticipation. „Finally my kind of mission. Let's get some of their Cobra's. They are slow as Hudson. I am sure they get them from old ramps and scraps.“
„Chose your targets if you have to. Any delay past 20 will be punished and we will not wait and risk an unscheduled meeting.“
While the two continued their 'special' briefing and caught up on their plans, Falcon Two had entered his cockpit and started his engines. While not deliberate, his engines choked before they overcharged for a moment during the heatup. A loud and resounding boom quickly affected the entire docking bay and corresponding hallway.
„Sag it! Will this guy ever learn to respect his Viper? That hurt my heart more than my ears.“ PJB cursed his friends inability in his stock Viper IV.
Despite her personal resilence, and modern medicine allowing to heal the loss of hearing, Vivien wasn't happy about Comrade Morse's handling of his ship either. She loved her Meadow, and while the first Viper left, she gently touched its hull besides her. Sadly it was still messy. While it functioned at 90%, one could easily make it out as a previous wreckage.
„Yeah, on that we can agree.“
She gave her Meadow a friendly bump and stepped towards the cockpit ladder.
„10 to 8 PJB, don't be late.“
„You got it boss!“