Rogues Revenge Ch 2 Pt 1 posted 2.5.03

[SteveMill]

1st part, hope you enjoy it.

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 Paradise 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 Paradise,” 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.

[Al]

Now thats something that I didn't expect (guess you were right on that one!). Great read and cant wait for more.

Al

[Gandalf The White]

Do I detect a game of political chess?

Good read. Can't weight for more.

[Moss]

"Chapter 2: Rebound"

An excellent rebound it is too, Max is definatly a man on a mission, that I am eager to see the outcome of.

Cheers Steve.

[Mercenary]

Excellent..

and looking forward to the next part...

[Adamskini]

woot

\o/

[Gandalf The White]

Bump.

[KiwiNZ]

Excellent move, and yes, very unexpected. That is a clever turn

Looking forward to the development!


fond one thing at the very end

"provacative" provocative?

[SteveMill]

Excellent move, and yes, very unexpected. That is a clever turn

Looking forward to the development!


fond one thing at the very end

"provacative" provocative?

correct, i've checked many dictionaries and only the in-built Word one imagines it's a real word. Thanks

[Faze]

Cracking Steve.

MORE

[Oldman]

Good read...

“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.”

Not too sure if this isn't a bad move by Max mentioning Tyre, given the state of Law's questionable mental stability! (if Law was to tune into the memorial service)

Looking forward to some more reading

Oldman

[SteveMill]

Good read...

“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.”

Not too sure if this isn't a bad move by Max mentioning Tyre, given the state of Law's questionable mental stability! (if Law was to tune into the memorial service)

Looking forward to some more reading

Oldman

That was just a chain of orders and Raiders memorials are generally not televised. More soon hopefully, was away over the long weekend so nothing done yet.

[Gandalf The White]

Looking forward to next part. Bump again.

[SteveMill]

Looking forward to next part. Bump again.

More when my heart is back in it, lacking motivation and inspiration at the moment. Got that voice software I was telling you about. I'll install it and see if it works.

[Gandalf The White]

Yeah, got your PM and replied. Thought it would be a rather large file, but it would be worth the download if only to hear what it sounds like. Is that file in the highest form of quality? It might be an idea, to try and see how far down the quality ladder we can realistically go. If there is some hissing, then that's barable. If that saves a few megs, then I think anybody could live with that.

[SteveMill]

Yeah, got your PM and replied. Thought it would be a rather large file, but it would be worth the download if only to hear what it sounds like. Is that file in the highest form of quality? It might be an idea, to try and see how far down the quality ladder we can realistically go. If there is some hissing, then that's barable. If that saves a few megs, then I think anybody could live with that.

I found that 64kb per second mp3 was the lowest quality that retains most of the natural human voice.

[Gandalf The White]

Right ok then. Lets hear what it sounds like then.

I dread to think how big the full blown story is going to be in full audio! I really do dred to think.