Final part below the ***************. Chapter ended more quickly than anticipated so it's a short piece. More to follow soon.
Steve
Chapter 2: Rebound
“Okay Max, I know that look, you’re the man with a plan we won’t really like. Spill.”
“Not yet Zee,” Max answered. “There are a lot of details to finesse, and a trip to make. If you’re integrated into the station does that mean you’re no longer mobile?”
“That’s very linear thinking Max, of course not, I can leave a personality sub-matrix in place and co-ordinate through nav-sats. This way I can run my own research lab and keep you out of trouble. I promised you I could come up with some cool stuff with the right resources so prepare to be dazzled once the station is fully staffed and the labs and manufacturing plant operational, three days or so I think.”
“Shades on!” Max grinned. “Corrin, sorry, but can you take care of the Memorial and say some fine words from me? And update them on Tyre, let them know we are not going to take this lying down and we are not leaving anyone in Law’s hands for long.”
“Leave it with me.” Corrin said. “They’ll understand.”
“Great, how we coming with those calls Zee?”
“Kaitrin’s on them now Max. Stand by. Sinas for you.”
Her face in the holo-tank was replaced by that of the grey haired Factotum. The stress he was under showed in the black shadows beneath his eyes and the extra lines on his haggard face.
Old from middle-aged, over-night.
“Max, I’ve had to leave a very important meeting, it’s good to see you but we’ll have to be quick. Things are moving fast.”
He paused.
“And out of control.”
“Is this channel secure?”
“As secure as I can make it,” Sinas answered cautiously.
“In that case we need to meet, say, two hours in your office? I have a proposal you really need to hear.”
“I hope it’s something good,” Sinas replied wearily. “Two hours.”
He cut the transmission.
“Okay, let’s get this show on the road. Zee, where can I pick you up?”
“The main computer core,” Xela answered. “Follow the corridor indicators.”
Ten minutes later Max launched and the Mamba arrowed through the sectors to Menelaus Frontier.
“I’ve got to say Max, you’ve bounced back quickly. I thought we’d lost you; in fact I have to say I thought you lost it a while ago. You’ve been exceedingly reckless even by your standards and been spending way too much time with Jackson.”
“Fair comment Zee, and before you say it, I know this feeling isn’t going to last, hell, she may not be dead but she’s Law’s prisoner and that’s the next best thing. Even if I played along with anything he asks she wouldn’t remain safe. Credits to scruffin fruit he’s hiding out in that clan sector, where Challenger was searching for the alien ship beyond Menelaus Paradise, it’s the only place he can be. I’ve got a plan and you’re not going to like it.”
Max took a deep breath and considered what to say.
“Xela, and apologies if this causes offence, but I’ve always assumed that buried deep down in your programming there has to be some sort of loyalty over-ride. Artur wouldn’t just hand over beyond-leading-edge tech without safeguards. True?”
“Cards on the table Max? Okay. It’s complicated but yes, there were inclinations woven into the neural patterns, over-rides if you like. These ensure my loyalty is to the mission and that was mediated primarily through nested personal loyalties, firstly to Artur. Now it’s you. After that it’s Corrin, I can add people but I cannot pick and choose between them. Until you die I’m completely loyal to you, provided I’m not lying.”
“I trust you Zee, we’re all screwed if I can’t. I’ve said and done things no-one’s aware of.”
Max told her about the Challenger data-core, how he blew his own cover to bring Jackson onboard, the deal struck with Skull concerning Daht.
“It is just as well you kept this from me while Artur was alive,” Xela said quietly.
“So, you persuaded Jackson you were a disaffected spy cut off by the death of your contact and at the very least implied you’d put him on the Stoertebeker throne, you promised to assassinate our primary benefactor and Teladi hero and let Skull know you had the core to get an inside track on the shadow-conspiracy. You have really been pushing the envelope on recklessness, we might have to invent a new word to cover it. Are there any other secrets you’d like to share?”
Tight-lipped anger.
“Just one.” Max answered. “I didn’t know if I’d just take it all for myself. It was tempting, after I killed Challenger things got really screwed up in my head and I guess the drugs and drink got out of control.”
“I told you Jackson was a bad influence,” she said more calmly. “Telling him so much of the truth was an unwarranted gamble Max, a classic guilt-trip death wish. He could still ruin everything by talking, Jackson did not get where he is by passing up opportunities. He was pretty upset about losing the Stoertebeker Station.”
She paused to hook into the Force nav-sat network.
“Kaitrin reports that Jackson will meet you in Scale Plate Green, at our Dream Farm, once he’s taken care of Confed business.”
“I’ve got an idea about that,” Max answered. “We’ll talk specifics later. I signed a team of Jackson’s researchers through the security checks to work on the data core. I want you to set up your own team and keep his researchers snowed.”
“Snowed huh, these are bright people, care to be more specific?” Xela said.
“Just keep them two steps behind yours. Recruit more brains if you have to.”
“My lab is staffed with the cream of the postgraduate crop Max, plus me but until I know the condition of the core I can offer no guarantees.”
“My faith is total!” Max answered. “You know, a little confession really is good for the soul, thanks for not spacing me.”
“It’s a constant temptation Max,” Xela said dryly. “Don’t thank me too much yet.”
But it did feel good, he still had to talk with Paskaal at some point, but the deception had been a constant burden, a black-winged presence, always there, reproachful, even if he’d only become aware of it with it’s lifting. It felt good too, to have a purpose, something immediate, something personal.
Tyre, her rescue had become the prism that re-focused his fractured light. Tyre, his fist tightened reflexively on the flight stick and he deliberately embraced his own fear, looking it direct in the face. A prisoner of a psychopath, Max let the arctic chill metamorph into iron determination.
There was a Teladi carrier group on the Teladi-Boron border and a Boron fleet just beyond the Menelaus Frontier jumpgate.
“Five minutes to midnight,” Xela said quietly. “Whatever your plan is Max, it had better be a classic.”
Sinas said nothing for a full minute as he weighed the options and possibilities opened by the audacious proposal. Just possibly, as Max was in considerable credit with the Boron government thanks to his war on the Stoertebeker Clan, they would accept the compromise. And if so their Argon allies would support it, the Paranid too, possibly as they had no interest in conflict.
The others were a different matter.
The Teladi were convulsed with rage, incandescent at the evidence proving Boron complicity in the destruction in Scale Plate Green, in the death of their greatest living war hero.
For the Split it was an opportunity to rewrite the torturously negotiated Frontier Settlement, the post-war division of spoils.
The Boron Betrayal as their chief negotiator called it, spat it.
Giving a jump-drive to a Clan, it did not get any worse. It was a charge that could not be denied, Director Morn’s evidence was as clear as it was convenient. That Law’s weapons of mass destruction came from the same source was assumed.
Sinas knew the truth, knew that the Menelaus Paradise factotum had somehow been suborned, persuaded to transfer the jump-drive from the Orca TL that kept that part of the frontier supplied. And he knew that he had no evidence, just knowledge of the shadow-conspiracy and alien technology and if he revealed that Menelaus Paradise would become a battlefield as each race fought to prevent another seizing the technological mother-lode.
The Boron and the Argon intelligence services already knew about the clan station beyond that sector, probably the others did too by now. The Split were already insisting the Boron cede Menelaus Paradise to them and the Teladi had lodged a vigorous counter-claim.
“It’s an alternative to retreat or war,” Sinas said finally. “You’re a very popular man at the moment Max, waging a single-handed war on a savage criminal, just as much a victim as the Teladi, and ally of the lamented General – and his supporters still control a huge proxy vote. You have a very good PR machine.”
Sinas rubbed his dry, fatigued eyes and checked the time. He should have been back in the conference chamber by now.
“Alright, I’ll discuss your notion with my Prince, if he agrees the Boron government will officially propose that Menelaus Paradise be licensed to you from my government for one year, pending further investigations and negotiations. Both the Boron and Argon governments will issue a letter of commission ordering you to bring Law to justice, I believe Morn will be unable to oppose that and the Paranid will also abstain.”
“The refit Orca will be yours for the 15 million credits we discussed a while ago and a licensed jump-drive installed, if we can agree new safeguards to prevent any possibility of it’s removal with the other governments. That is going to be an ‘if’ of giant proportions.”
“Good plan Max,” Xela said through the shades. “Inspired, really. A neutral force in the contested sector will do a lot to defuse tensions and if the media feeds are anything to go by half the universe will be rooting for you to kick ass. Most importantly, it buys everyone time to plot and scheme while avoiding provocative large scale fleet movements. Morn will buy it because she’ll be confident that Law is strong enough to whack you. We can top-slice commercial income for defence and reap monopoly profits from supply runs. We should check you for Teladi DNA!”
Max and Sinas shook hands.
When the Mamba launched he set course for Brennan’s Triumph.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“One wrong move.”
“Sorry Max, what was that?”
“One wrong move,” Max repeated as he set course for Rolk’s Fate. “That’s all it’ll take to start a shooting war.”
“Move very carefully then, we’re flying a Split ship. I take it we’re paying Skull a little visit?”
“I have a proposition for her, Law’s screwed her too and if we can get control of Menelaus Paradise we have the key to a door she’ll be keen to kick down. I figure she owes us an interplanetary assault craft!”
Xela laughed.
“I’m sure she’ll hand one right over! If anyone can sweet-talk her it’ll be the new, improved Max, the one that actually tells me what he’s up to instead of springing it at the last second. Can we keep him, can we?”
Max agreed but kept silent about his other plans.
“That was good work back there, pretty deft manipulation. I, Hela that is, always knew there was a diplomatic bone in your body somewhere.”
“We needed a new sugar-daddy, he seemed the obvious candidate. I just hope he has the clout to pull it off. No-one wants war but no one wants to lose face, we’ve offered them all a chance to either calm down or get really organised. Either way I think they’ll go for it.”
Just as Max finished negotiating with the Piranha wing guarding the Rolk’s Fate gate a signal came in from Sinas on their encrypted channel. It was brief and to the point, the missing Frontier supply Orca had been carrying a shipyard construction package.
“What a Grade A screw up,” Max managed to say after digesting the news. “Want to bet that assorted mining packages also haven’t gone missing recently?”
“No,” Xela answered. “Not if Director Morn has been helping him.”
Beyond the Boron border sector of Atreus Clouds lay the un-regulated territories that were the heart of the Xenon empire until the Brennan war. Each sector was now a lawless melange of stations, a black economy producing everything from food to weaponry. The wing of mercenary Bayamons patrolling the Atreus Clouds jump-gate moved instantly to attack, scattering with stammered apologies when Max identified himself.
It was the first good laugh either of them had had for what seemed like years.
With merchant traffic light and clan patrols eager to avoid sparking the flammable situation, the run to the Skull base in Brennan’s Triumph was uneventful. Max entered the sector from Split Fire, a small fleet of Skull fighters were waiting just beyond the jump-gate, circling respectfully beyond weapons range while his identity was verified.
“Scan confirms no illegal weapons, permission to proceed,” the flight leader grunted grudgingly. “No tricks this time Force.”
Six Teladi Falcon heavy fighters launched from Paradise Station, the axe head fighters cleaving towards the Mamba at their fully rated speed.
“You get the idea we’re expected?” Xela asked rhetorically.
Max shrugged.
The Falcons broke at two klicks, forming an escort sphere around the Mamba, just beyond weapons range. Max slowed the much faster Split fighter to their speed and followed the lead ship towards Paradise Station.
Xela kept her sensor lock scrolling through the powered down laser towers.
At four klicks Max rolled the Mamba into a circular orbit around the Skull base, seconds later Xela reported an incoming call.
“They want you to dock.”
“Not a chance,” Max answered vehemently. “I’m clean out of trust, put me on.”
“You’re on.” Xela replied crisply.
“This is Max Force, I’m fine out here thanks, get me your boss on a secure line.”
He cut the comm. channel instantly.
Two orbits of the station later Xela announced,
“Psycho-bitch on hold, Max.”
“Skull,” Max nodded a greeting to the white-faced image in the HUD.
“Commander Force,” Skull purred. “I believe a face-to-face meeting is more appropriate.”
“No deal, lady, I’ve got no more time for games. We’ve both been screwed by Law, metaphorically speaking.”
“Or not, in her case,” Xela whispered in his ear.
“You know what he’s done to me and I know he’s captured your not very secret base beyond Menelaus Paradise.”
Skull barely blinked.
“An astute inference Commander, we have indeed lost contact with the station.”
She paused.
“And other assets.”
“The Nibris supply ship, the Orca. I know, that’s going to make it a bit difficult to reclaim that sector isn’t it, with her being dead? It’s a long run to Menelaus Paradise, all those unfriendly Argon, Xenon, Split and Boron. And Morn has betrayed you too, no more cosy deals, no more technology transfers, no more R & D resources. She and Law seem to hold all the cards.”
A single cheek muscle spasmed as Skull listened to Max’s brutal recitation of the facts. A cold fire burned in her eyes, a banked rage seeking an outlet.
“I can get it back for us.”
Skull stared fixedly from the HUD as she weighed options.
“Us? That was contingent on you passing my test.”
“Daht’s dead and Director Morn sure as shit ain’t ever going to make me her best buddy. Things are happening Skull, and when the news breaks you’ll know you’ll have to accept my offer if you ever want to get your hands on that alien ship.”
Max reached down inside himself, deliberately stirring buried emotions, letting them well up into his eyes and voice.
“That bastard killed my girl.”
His voice cracked with grief and rage, tears stung his eyes.
“And with or without your help he’s going to pay. He’s as good as dead and that precious base of yours is as good as scrap metal unless you play ball.”
“Your personal losses are immaterial to me Commander. However, the station is a vital staging post and its destruction would not be welcomed. Do not presume to threaten me, you see only a fraction of my power.”
Max rode with the rage.
“I’m way past threatening, Skull, way, way past that! If you want a damn war, I’ll give you a damn war. You, Law, any bastard who gets in my way, I don’t ****** care anymore!”
“Bluster all you want Commander,” Skull replied, with ominous calm. “You lack the power to truly threaten me.”
“You’ve no ****** idea what shit I’ve acquired over the last few months!” Max shouted, now almost beyond control. “You want to see my power, you want to see my power? You really want to see what two dozen hornets will do to Paradise?”
He sneered at Skull’s image as she whispered off-screen.
“Those mercs used hornets and I have their fighters and their mobile base, now do you want to tell me I don’t have the power?”
“Heads up, Max.” Xela cautioned. Four Falcons had broken from their escort positions, heading for the fighter 1.5 klicks off his six.
“Warn those toys off Skull, before I smear them all over the damn sector.”
Without waiting for a reply he rolled the Mamba and after-burned through a turn that put him head to head with the assembling fighter wing.
“Targets locked. What’s it to be Skull?”
Skull snapped an order to someone off-screen and the six Falcons star-burst away, arcing towards Paradise Station. Max immediately decelerated and banked away.
“What is it you want Commander?” Skull asked in a brittle tone.
“Station schematics, access codes and the rest of that tactical crap. Then something Newtonian, something inter-planetary that’ll get my people to the Stoertebeker station before it gets too far. A Confed Clan base in Teladi Gain will put Morn’s tits in a vice don’t you think?”
Skull raised one carefully etched eyebrow.
“A Confederation station, not a Force one? I credited you with more ambition Commander.”
“The only damn ambition I have left is to choke that bastard with his own testicles!” Max snarled. “Jackson is my ally and I want him on the inside of your little conspiracy, watching out for my interests.”
“Enterprise.” Skull stated. “We refer to it as ‘the Enterprise.’”
“Whatever.” Max said dismissively. “You want your base back, you want to replace the resources you’ve lost now Morn has jumped ship? Then cough up an assault ship, and don’t tell me you don’t have that sort of asset!”
“That would be both an insult to my Clan and yourself Commander.” Skull answered smoothly. “Of course I control such a vessel. However, making it available to yourself requires reasons other than blustered threats and vague promises. I fail to see that you and your vaunted Raiders are in any better position than I do deal with Law, unless you have charmed the Xenon into granting you free passage.”
“You keep watching the News, you’ll find out soon enough. I’m transmitting a comm. frequency and encryption key, when you’re prepared to loan me an un-crewed inter-planetary vessel you give me a call. And no tricks, no tracers, no bombs, no nothing; just the loan of a ship.”
He snapped the channel shut and accelerated towards the northern jump-gate.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Xenon fighters detected on long range scanners Commodore,” the First Officer reported. “The base must have got off a distress call.”
“Time to contact, Irana?” Jaines wheezed, his question ending in a choking cough into a blood flecked cloth.
“Two hours,” Irana answered. “There must be another ship out there, Xenon do not usually patrol that far from base. Your orders Sir?”
Commodore Jaines choked back the bubbling coughing fit that echoed around the cramped bridge, and gasped for breath. His lungs were deteriorating almost by the day, rotted by years of cavalier abuse, it was time to return to Paradise Station for more surgery, more transplants to extend his already over-long life. It was a decision he’d put off while the Intimidator prowled the system, seeking out and eliminating remnant Xenon forces in the Brennan’s Triumph planetary system.
He’d hoped the station burning on screen was the last of them but Irana was right, there must be at least one ship left and despite Skull’s urgent call, he was loath to return to the gate sector with enemies remaining at his back.
“Hornets remaining?”
The Split Weapons Officer barely hesitated.
“Seven onboard, five salvaged and inbound.”
Twelve. Jaines tapped at the command seat arm console. Missile stocks were low, they’d been surviving on scavenged materials for weeks, sifting the debris of each encounter to arm for the next. It had been a long but exhilarating tour and the converted Albatross had proven more than a match for the remaining Xenon outposts scattered throughout the system. Only a brace of corvette class capital ships offered a significant challenge but his pilots had forced home their attacks with a fanaticism that would see the survivors well rewarded when they returned to Paradise.
Return to Paradise.
Jaines weighed the need to return to help deal with the threat of Law and Morn’s betrayal with his desire not to have to keep looking over his shoulder for a Xenon attack. Force would require delicate handling, if he was to be admitted to the Enterprise. He was a maverick, a wild card, and Jaines did not like rogue elements, their very unpredictability was a threat. Yet as Skull argued, he had information and resources they required, to replace those lost through treachery.
He finally acceded to the logic of the situation, agreeing to go along with Force’s demands. Much work would have to be done to ensure that when the time came, the upstart Jackson understood where his long-term interests truly lay.
“Recall all fighters and set an intercept course for those ships,” Jaines ordered. “And find me their base.”
There was time for one further victory before returning. Force could wait one more day for the planetary assault vessel in the Intimidator’s huge flight deck.
Jaines surrendered to another coughing fit as the planetary drive throbbed to life.
It was a long flight back through Teladi and Split space to Scale Plate Green. Twice Max had to engage packs of Bayamons out from the Blue Tooth Gang base in Chin’s Clouds, killing all except two, who now flew on his wing under the control of Xela’s advanced auto-pilot program.
“Five hundred thou just brings out the suicidal in people,” Xela remarked as she ordered the new escorts to interdict a finger-five of Bayamons that had broken off from a large Clan convoy hauling through Tarka’s Sun.
Max let his escorts mire the attackers before storming into the furball. The fight was over in minutes, the rest of the convoy fleeing towards the safety of the western gate while he wore down the shields of the last surviving attacker.
“Bye bye baby,” Xela announced as the pilot involuntarily ejected, spinning headlong into the Mamba shields before Max’s fatigue-sapped reflexes could react. He needed a stim now, almost feeling that rush of energy pulsing through his nervous system as he reached into the med kit.
“No.”
“Sorry Max, you said something?”
“Nothing Zee, I’m just feeling tired is all.”
He closed the kit.
“SETA us the rest of the way Zee, I’m just going to rest my eyes.”
The jumpgate transitions barely disturbed his sleep.
Xela’s warning cry did.
“Xenon on the starboard bow, break left, break left!”
Max jerked awake and even before reaching consciousness he reflexively slammed the stick to the left and hit the afterburners. The control flapped uselessly loose and the burners failed to respond as the Mamba slipped into the twilight of a docking tunnel.
“That just never stops not being funny,” Max managed to say as the autopilot guided his ship to the Raiders launch bay aboard his surviving Scale Plate Green station.
The Sarge met him as he climbed down from the cockpit.
“Welcome aboard sir,” Payter said awkwardly. “The team want you to know you can count on us when you come up with a plan.”
His appraising look was not well concealed.
“Don’t worry Sarge, I’m not falling apart on you. And wheels are in motion, I want you to prepare to launch an assault on the Stoertebeker base, you’ll have a suitable ship soon. And work with the Confed people, let them get shot at first for a change. What’s the status here?”
“Standby mode, they had to shut down the harvesting, no market for the swamp plants and no staff without a big yellow streak. Defence assets are two LT’s, two Piranha’s and four very skittish Confed Bayamons. A new nav-sat’s up too.”
“We’ll sort that later, some more defences and hazard pay. We’ll have another Bliss Place up and running soon enough, minus the casino side of things this time I guess.”
Max pushed the casualty list from his mind.
“What about this sector?”
“A full battlegroup Commander, Law isn’t going to be returning any time soon.”
“Jackson?”
“On his way Sir. We sent a message as soon as you entered the sector as you requested.”
“That was me,” Xela whispered through the shades. “The art of good leadership is delegation.”
“Good work Sarge,” Max answered. “If the station manager has done a runner I’ll use his office, send Jack up when he arrives.”
Payter nodded acknowledgement.
“I’ll assign you a pair from station security, just in case anybody fancies a crack at the reward.”
“Belay that, Sarge.”
Max slapped the blaster holstered to his thigh.
“I’d welcome it right now!”
Payter understood.
Xela map-read the way through the deserted station to the station manager’s office, a claustrophobically cramped ready room off the flight control centre that stank of whisky and spaceweed. A half eaten sandwich lay on the desk.
Max activated the small holo-cube besides the computer terminal and scanned the room with the sensors in Xela’s padd.
“Family snaps,” Xela said, observing the procession of small figures spouting variants of “love you” to a missing audience. “The room’s clean, of listening devices that is. This guy sure bugged out in a hurry.”
Before Max could reply the terminal screen flared to life and the Sarge announced Jackson’s flight were on docking approach. As the call terminated Xela announced that Sinas was coming in on the encrypted channel.
*******************************************************
“The Boron government is prepared to cede control of Menelaus Paradise pending the report of a full inquiry into the circumstances of the attack on Scale Plate Green.”
His statement stunned three of the five species representatives to silence.
“I yield the floor to the honourable representative of the Argon Republic.”
Sinas sat straight down to allow the Argon Ambassador to speak. The old man was already laboriously hauling himself to his feet, with the help of a black cane topped with a silver handgrip, a stylised reproduction of the gaping jawed head of the pratash, one of the biggest oceanic predators on the Boron homeworld.
Raython Budwar did not need the cane, he carried it because it was a gift from the Boron queen, marking his two decades service at her Ambassadorial Court. Like his spasmodic hearing difficulties, it was a device, an artifice intended to deceive those who mistook advanced age with an opportunity to exploit.
He exchanged a knowing look with the Menelaus Frontier factotum representing the Boron in this crisis and as he searched his pockets ostentatiously for an un-needed inhaler to help with his non-existent cough, he surveyed the beings sitting around the plain white oval conference table.
Hatmanckeptul, the Paranid Priest King from Priest Pity was as impassive as a statue, while Admiral Ochan t'Zhmm appeared to be boiling with open rage, which so far as Ambassador Budwar had been able to divine through long years of inter-species diplomacy, was the natural state of every Split he’d ever met. As a negotiating tactic though, he had to admit, it could be quite effective.
Director Morn just looked as if she was about to explode. Whether with rage or happiness Budwar could not tell, his ability to read the saurian body language of a Teladi of the Director’s cunning was limited.
“My government concurs and proposes the granting of a temporary franchise to the Force Security Corporation, pending the outcome of the inquiry. None of us are prepared to allow a change in the Frontier Settlement without clear proof of wrongdoing. A trusted, neutral and well-armed third party seems the ideal solution.”
“Proposal seconded,” Sinas quickly interjected as Morn sprang to her feet.
“I have yet to yield the floor,” Budwar observed quietly to Morn. “But have your say.”
Morn launched into a long, sibilant diatribe, restating the Teladi Trading Company objections to the Split and Boron duopoly of the sectors beyond Black Hole Sun. Finally she attacked Force, emphasising his criminal background, questionable trading practices and close links with the Confederation Clan.
“Yet it was your government that first proposed granting him a license to build orbital stations and trade between sectors,” Budwar observed smoothly. “And he was a close ally of your late and lamented General as well as a victim of the attack.”
He studied the silver headed cane handle intently for a moment, as if seeing it for the first time.
“The Boron Government concede that treachery led to the loss of a jump-drive but I have seen no evidence presented that this was anything more than it seems. Betrayal for personal gain.”
He paused and then said, his voice hardening.
“Commander Force’s commercial connections with a minor pirate Clan are well known and legal in Teladi space. His resolute opposition to Law, whose many links are also well documented, is also a matter of record.”
The ambassador fixed Morn with a pointed stare, letting the implied threat take root.
“Gentle beings, we all understand the realities of the situation, we all know the Clans have control of the unclaimed sector beyond Menelaus Paradise, and we all know that whoever controls said sector is in a prime position to unilaterally to extend their Frontier holdings now that the Xenon appear to have withdrawn. Force has the motivation to fight Law and the resources to hold Menelaus Paradise against a Clan attack long enough for reinforcements to arrive. The jump drive has to be retrieved and unless Law is stupid enough to jump into a defended sector this means going in and getting it. We are not going to agree on a change of sector ownership and unless the honourable representative for the Split is happy to allow a Boron Task Force into that part of the Frontier I do not see we have a choice in the matter.”
He yielded the floor to Admiral Ochan t'Zhmm with a nod.
“Any such deployments would be considered a direct threat to our interests!” the Split representative screamed vehemently. The Admiral banged the table for emphasis.
“Split fleets present also!”
“Our forces must be present, in that instance,” the Paranid Priest King rumbled, his three eyes intently scanning the faces of the other representatives.
“The Boron Government will not permit a single Split warship in any of our sectors,” Sinas observed quietly. “It would mean war.”
“Xaar, for he is great, forbids such a divisive conflict when a potent enemy is at large. The Paranid support stability and support the motion.” Hatmanckeptul focused all eyes onto Morn, as if willing her to silence.
“Your God is all-wise,” Sinas said quickly. “I propose control of Menelaus Frontier be handed to the Force Corporation as of this day, with the proviso that commerce is maintained. Is there any vote against?”
Just one. Morn hissed contempt and swept from the chamber.
Lower level functionaries would hammer out the details, despite the inevitable Teladi claw dragging. Sinas excused himself quickly to deliver Max some rare good news.
Rogues Revenge Chapter 2 completed 23.5.03
Moderators: TheElf, Moderators for English X Forum
Rogues Revenge Chapter 2 completed 23.5.03
Last edited by SteveMill on Fri, 23. May 03, 14:33, edited 8 times in total.
-
AJ Rimmer Bsc.Ssc.
- Posts: 1451
- Joined: Fri, 25. Apr 03, 19:49
what ship is he getting?....
c`mon...
TYPE FASTER.....
bloody one page tease artist that ya are
Max pours copious amounts of coffee down MrMill`s throat
ps..sod it...i`ll dload it all now
edit: well i would if it were there...lol
c`mon...
TYPE FASTER.....
bloody one page tease artist that ya are
Max pours copious amounts of coffee down MrMill`s throat
ps..sod it...i`ll dload it all now
edit: well i would if it were there...lol
Last edited by AJ Rimmer Bsc.Ssc. on Thu, 15. May 03, 14:59, edited 1 time in total.
Give me a chance! I've only just recovered a smidgen of enthusiasm for anything X related.AJ Rimmer Bsc.Ssc. wrote:what ship is he getting?....
c`mon...
TYPE FASTER.....
bloody one page tease artist that ya are
Max pours copious amounts of coffee down MrMill`s throat
ps..sod it...i`ll dload it all now
1500 word chunks, I'm told by the head of the Creative Writing dept, is the maximum people can absorb without glazing over in this format, but i'll try and get another 1500 or so out soon. Revenge is being added to the page Kiwinz has put together hopefully.
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AJ Rimmer Bsc.Ssc.
- Posts: 1451
- Joined: Fri, 25. Apr 03, 19:49
pressed for time...dont care
cramped fingers...still dont care
arthritis..dont care whatsoever
house on fire ...forget the cat get the manuscript
wife threatening divorce...so???..ta ta mrs Mill
i`m consumer...just gimme more.....NOW !!!!!!
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oops.....its free isnt it?
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"takes a pill".....i`ll do the dishes or clean your house if it means faster updates
shoulda seen me when i heard there was a Sven Hassel "Lost" book found !.
cramped fingers...still dont care
arthritis..dont care whatsoever
house on fire ...forget the cat get the manuscript
wife threatening divorce...so???..ta ta mrs Mill
i`m consumer...just gimme more.....NOW !!!!!!
.
.
.
oops.....its free isnt it?
.
.
"takes a pill".....i`ll do the dishes or clean your house if it means faster updates
shoulda seen me when i heard there was a Sven Hassel "Lost" book found !.
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Jasperodus
- Posts: 1168
- Joined: Thu, 17. Apr 03, 13:06
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AJ Rimmer Bsc.Ssc.
- Posts: 1451
- Joined: Fri, 25. Apr 03, 19:49
Eeek, now he is p****d off, isn't he?
Excellent read, Steve. It will really be interesting to see the development. While I think she is going to loan him the ship, I don't think skull is a person to do it just like that.
Looking forward to more!
BTW: Good to see you got your motivation back
EDIT:
file is uploaded.
Excellent read, Steve. It will really be interesting to see the development. While I think she is going to loan him the ship, I don't think skull is a person to do it just like that.
Looking forward to more!
BTW: Good to see you got your motivation back
EDIT:
file is uploaded.
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Gandalf The White
- Posts: 2185
- Joined: Sat, 9. Nov 02, 12:21
I'm deliberately adopting a punchier style for this last book in the trilogy - partly to try and get it finished for July deadline (so no more tech-myself meandering down practice alley-ways) and partly because the last book is the action-adventure conclusion. No more inventing characters, situations and settings for the sake of seeing if I can. Just a revenge story.Jasperodus wrote:Yep. I always push it to the extreme limit. My last one was ~2K words.
Very nice that, Steve. You have a somewhat punchier style than me but you certainly carry it off.
*thumbs up*
Jasp
No - I don't think she'll just loan him a ship either, but if Max controls Menelaus Paradise and the jump-capable TL supplying that segment of the Frontier it gives him some considerable leverage.KiwiNZ wrote:Eeek, now he is p****d off, isn't he?
Excellent read, Steve. It will really be interesting to see the development. While I think she is going to loan him the ship, I don't think skull is a person to do it just like that.
Looking forward to more!
BTW: Good to see you got your motivation back
EDIT:
file is uploaded.
Oi! I said it first. And did I get any credit?? No!SteveMill wrote:Thanks, it should read any. Amendment made.Mercenary wrote:Great read!
Just one thing I spotted..
"You, Law, and bastard who gets in my way..." should that be "You, Law and any other bastard..."
Al
PS Glad to see you have some motivation back, I was starting to get withdrawals
I package of credit for Mr Al.Al wrote:Oi! I said it first. And did I get any credit?? No!SteveMill wrote:Thanks, it should read any. Amendment made.Mercenary wrote:Great read!
Just one thing I spotted..
"You, Law, and bastard who gets in my way..." should that be "You, Law and any other bastard..."
Al
PS Glad to see you have some motivation back, I was starting to get withdrawals
