Union of Independent Worlds Faction RP thread

[Marlin]

He kept his straight face. "I cannot say that it is totally impossible for us to hand over our personnel, but I will have to check with the Khans first. Do not think that we are unable to interrogate. You should know that the Scientists kept many of their inventions from us, we believe it could be some type of mental blocker for the higher ups in the chain. But I can think of one individual that you already know.. A better teamwork between our nations however, could be helpful, especially in the Watch department."

He turned to the door: "Allow me to get one assistant here for further expalanation on the Gene stuff. He is a trusted individual and will be more able to tell us about the next problem."

[Marlin]

She nodded and Ezra moved to the door. One of his Staffmembers would be waiting. There he was.

He just pointed into the room and the smaller male went in.

"This is Scientech Unther. He will tell you what we found out." On his gesture the man bowed to Deb and began:

"Now, what we found out is, that the grass on the land of the subject is high in chromium and nickel, and the water shows flouridation. This is certainly not explaining her genetic disposition.

Basically, we could not uncover anything that would hint to engineering, and if you did not find such a thing in her records, only she could tell. If she is not mindblocked, however. Or hypnotized. This is all possible. We could find out if she has mindblockers in her, but that would need permissions and quite some time. So right now, we do not know if she is a product of nature or of engineering. I tend to assume the former so far. There should be such individuals, but.."

He looked to the Star Colonel if he could continue, but he shook his head.

"You are dismissed, ScienTech." Unther handed him another datachip and bowed again, showing a bit of nervousness and inexperience. Then he left the room.

Ezra, turning to Deb now in a sharp movement: "What we have found is a plant that could be of use for us. Now, Command has advised me to not give you the advantage of knowing before we do make a deal, so you will have to bear with me. Processing could be staying with you, or we would do Trials on a regular basis for this. The problem is that I personally do see that as problematic, despite what the Grand Council has resolved. As ilChi I will ask you how do you see this. As a Warrior, I would be pleased to have to fight once in a while even here. I understand that your Industry might not be suited to regular combat, as skilled as your soldiers might be. Of course, unaugmented Trials are always possible, but we cannot rely on this. It depends on orders and the executing Warriors. What say you, Archduchess?"

[Cannonshop]

She nodded and Ezra moved to the door. One of his Staffmembers would be waiting. There he was.

He just pointed into the room and the smaller male went in.

"This is Scientech Unther. He will tell you what we found out." On his gesture the man bowed to Deb and began:

"Now, what we found out is, that the grass on the land of the subject is high in chromium and nickel, and the water shows flouridation. This is certainly not explaining her genetic disposition.

Basically, we could not uncover anything that would hint to engineering, and if you did not find such a thing in her records, only she could tell. If she is not mindblocked, however. Or hypnotized. This is all possible. We could find out if she has mindblockers in her, but that would need permissions and quite some time. So right now, we do not know if she is a product of nature or of engineering. I tend to assume the former so far. There should be such individuals, but.."

He looked to the Star Colonel if he could continue, but he shook his head.

"You are dismissed, ScienTech." Unther handed him another datachip and bowed again, showing a bit of nervousness and inexperience. Then he left the room.

Ezra, turning to Deb now in a sharp movement: "What we have found is a plant that could be of use for us. Now, Command has advised me to not give you the advantage of knowing before we do make a deal, so you will have to bear with me. Processing could be staying with you, or we would do Trials on a regular basis for this. The problem is that I personally do see that as problematic, despite what the Grand Council has resolved. As ilChi I will ask you how do you see this. As a Warrior, I would be pleased to have to fight once in a while even here. I understand that your Industry might not be suited to regular combat, as skilled as your soldiers might be. Of course, unaugmented Trials are always possible, but we cannot rely on this. It depends on orders and the executing Warriors. What say you, Archduchess?"

"Tell you what, Ezra-have one of your Merchants draw up a development contract for...agricultural development in the area, if the plant produces something you can use, then you need to see if it is even possible to cultivate it, since the property belongs to Miranda as Landowner, it should not be hard to get her to lease it out to you, you would then only need to fight over it if she says no."  Deb leaned back, "These are not public lands, so I do not have much jurisdiction on how they are used, so long as the legal owner is good with it-if she is not, then you will have to fight it out with HER, or her designated representative."

[NVA]

"Well, the situation here is strange.  Yours is the only facility of its type.  Technically, given our agreements with you, we cannot accept a trial for this facility, as it is not ours to trial for.  Now, the proprietary technology is ours, but the clans will not care about that.  If you wish to accept their trial, you are welcome to.  And, per our agreement, you may even bid the 303rd to defend your holding.  However, we commited to the people of Kowloon and to you.  Even if your new government on high decides to piss on that agreement, we will not.  Oh, the clans may cry about us, but we have held to our ways, to our agreements, and to our honor while those your people are getting in bed with pissed it away at every opportunity.  The Star Adders are seen as the second coming for what they did for the plague victims.  But, that is the thing about some snakes.  They will hypnotize you before the kill you.  But, in the end, they will try to kill you.  The other clans are so scared of the Adders that they are merely scrambling to grab a few of their crumbs.  So, say the word and we will fight the trial to come.  Some of your nations people are to be commended for their ingenuity in their engagements with the clans.  Perhaps, you can come up with something similar when the skulkers arrive.  If, instead, you choose to ask us to leave, we will simply remove our property and go.  The factory can be restored to build technology you understand.  Or, the people of Kowloon can buy the snake oil and turn it over to their new overlords when they get here."

"When we opened this factory, and before then, we presented a number of gifts to you.  However, this factory requires orders and requisitions.  Your government has not once requested any output from us.  Nor, has it made any orders.  As such, we filled the requests we received.  If there was an expectation that Clan Wolf would be able to provide you military hardware as an ongoing gift, well, we do not have the economy to do that.  The 303rd was produced and brought online here.  Your people helped make that happen with their hard work.  This unit has remained commited to the defense of this world against the clans.  That was our agreement with you.  Now, if your parent government, which did not exist when our agreement with you was made, has chosen to allow the clans free access, then, so be it.  Franly, Marco Hall did not have the forces as Khan of Clan Wolf to protect this world from a full scale clan invasion.  Now, as the Star League Defense Force, the same is true.  Given the reports that you pulled your people from non UIW worlds that you jointly protected with us and the SLDF, the first message came from your side.  UIW forces were not interested in the joint defense of the Lyran State.  Now, I am a merchant, not a politician, however, when you declared yourself independent of the Star League state you came from, you cast aside the Star League.  They simply, I guess we simply do not have the resources to protect all the worlds of the fractured Lyran state who do not want to participate in the war.  We do not want to see you fall to or join the clans, but, neither can we fight them off for you when you declare yourself independent from any Star League state."

Charles sighed, "Look, we don't have to worry about falling to the Clans...yet." he said, "and I would have ordered more from you guys-back when we were under Lyran rule, you saw it too-they taxed hell out of us, then refused to invest any of it in our defense-they were counting on throwing us (and you) to the Clans to buy time...I'm asking if you think you'll be able to hold Hue,  If you can't, then we're going to have to explore some options that I don't particularly like, that you don't like, and that we both don't like-because I can't officially help you to do anything, but retreat off-world before the threat arrives...and I think Grace would make me sleep on the garage floor if I did that without going over ALL the options first."

[Marlin]

"Tell you what, Ezra-have one of your Merchants draw up a development contract for...agricultural development in the area, if the plant produces something you can use, then you need to see if it is even possible to cultivate it, since the property belongs to Miranda as Landowner, it should not be hard to get her to lease it out to you, you would then only need to fight over it if she says no."  Deb leaned back, "These are not public lands, so I do not have much jurisdiction on how they are used, so long as the legal owner is good with it-if she is not, then you will have to fight it out with HER, or her designated representative."

A smile flashed over his face. "Excellent. I will do that. Now, the Operation against the Scorpions is already in motion. However, Clan Ice Hellion cannot commit much more of its force against an enemy this far from the main line of battle. Yet. If the situation worsens, this might be reconsidered. You seem confident that the Scorpions are the offenders in the El Jefe Case. Is there anything new that you found with Miranda? Any hint of genetic engineering?"

[Cannonshop]

"Well, the situation here is strange.  Yours is the only facility of its type.  Technically, given our agreements with you, we cannot accept a trial for this facility, as it is not ours to trial for.  Now, the proprietary technology is ours, but the clans will not care about that.  If you wish to accept their trial, you are welcome to.  And, per our agreement, you may even bid the 303rd to defend your holding.  However, we commited to the people of Kowloon and to you.  Even if your new government on high decides to piss on that agreement, we will not.  Oh, the clans may cry about us, but we have held to our ways, to our agreements, and to our honor while those your people are getting in bed with pissed it away at every opportunity.  The Star Adders are seen as the second coming for what they did for the plague victims.  But, that is the thing about some snakes.  They will hypnotize you before the kill you.  But, in the end, they will try to kill you.  The other clans are so scared of the Adders that they are merely scrambling to grab a few of their crumbs.  So, say the word and we will fight the trial to come.  Some of your nations people are to be commended for their ingenuity in their engagements with the clans.  Perhaps, you can come up with something similar when the skulkers arrive.  If, instead, you choose to ask us to leave, we will simply remove our property and go.  The factory can be restored to build technology you understand.  Or, the people of Kowloon can buy the snake oil and turn it over to their new overlords when they get here."

"When we opened this factory, and before then, we presented a number of gifts to you.  However, this factory requires orders and requisitions.  Your government has not once requested any output from us.  Nor, has it made any orders.  As such, we filled the requests we received.  If there was an expectation that Clan Wolf would be able to provide you military hardware as an ongoing gift, well, we do not have the economy to do that.  The 303rd was produced and brought online here.  Your people helped make that happen with their hard work.  This unit has remained commited to the defense of this world against the clans.  That was our agreement with you.  Now, if your parent government, which did not exist when our agreement with you was made, has chosen to allow the clans free access, then, so be it.  Franly, Marco Hall did not have the forces as Khan of Clan Wolf to protect this world from a full scale clan invasion.  Now, as the Star League Defense Force, the same is true.  Given the reports that you pulled your people from non UIW worlds that you jointly protected with us and the SLDF, the first message came from your side.  UIW forces were not interested in the joint defense of the Lyran State.  Now, I am a merchant, not a politician, however, when you declared yourself independent of the Star League state you came from, you cast aside the Star League.  They simply, I guess we simply do not have the resources to protect all the worlds of the fractured Lyran state who do not want to participate in the war.  We do not want to see you fall to or join the clans, but, neither can we fight them off for you when you declare yourself independent from any Star League state."

Charles sighed, "Look, we don't have to worry about falling to the Clans...yet." he said, "and I would have ordered more from you guys-back when we were under Lyran rule, you saw it too-they taxed hell out of us, then refused to invest any of it in our defense-they were counting on throwing us (and you) to the Clans to buy time...I'm asking if you think you'll be able to hold Hue,  If you can't, then we're going to have to explore some options that I don't particularly like, that you don't like, and that we both don't like-because I can't officially help you to do anything, but retreat off-world before the threat arrives...and I think Grace would make me sleep on the garage floor if I did that without going over ALL the options first."

"Let me see if I've got this straight..." Charles said, "The facility is ours. the proprietary technology is yours, the agreement you made with the Lyrans, adjusted by OUR negotiation after the Da Nang riots means you can't accept a Trial for the site, the Clanners make no secret of being keen on nabbing both site, and personnel, and the Central Government is staying out of it..."

He frowned.  "I hate to suggest something that would separate your men from their kin, but I think I see a way out of this.  What do you say we trial you for...well, your staff and the gear, we win, you're citizens with the right to Emigrate back should you so choose?  I know Debbie would have kittens, but I can probably use clause two or three of the Constitution to cover the move, and per last month's Congressional Finding, the trial would be Legally binding-she'd be obliged to defend citizens-at-risk, which means I could make Li step in-plus we'd retain your services until such time as you decided to re-join your Clan, and in the meantime, you'd still have a place to stay."

He paused, adding, "It ain't perfect by any stretch, but it would be legally above-board, an' I don't think the Adders would be able to handle getting humiliated by Kowloonese troops again, and my own experience during Revival tells me the Falcons would consider it over once you guys had a different flag over the barracks-especially OUR flag-though they might Grievance it since Deb gave 'em a green light..."

[NVA]

"While I appreciate the offer, I am not sure it would work.  For one, we are not Clan Wolf troops anymore.  We are Star League Defense Force.  Our nationality would not change that.  Secondly, we are not looking to hide.  We are still clan in our nature and upbringing, even if our warriors are a bunch of well armed merchants.  Neg, if you say it is our fight, we will fight the Falcons and anyone else who shows up.  However, they may not like our counter bids.  Remember, Tharkad did not complete the agreement for Kowloon.  So, unlike any other agreement, and to honor your people, the agreement here was different.  We can not leave the factory as a clan factory for you to run.  Your people would still not be able to.  And, we ARE at war with the clans.  We can not just hand over our technology or people to them.  I am sorry, but, given their stated goals, the Grand Council is the enemy.  Frankly, they are your enemy.   They just see reason to allow you to exist so they can deal with the bigger devil they have created.  And, while I do not brook a fight with UIW central, we have no agreement with them.  Our agreement is with the people and government of Kowloon.  I know what some of your people tried to do for the warriors lost to the cowardice of the Adders at Miquelon, Millerton, and Howick.  It is not unappreciated.  But, I have received a communication just now that 3 clans have arrived.  I am not sure how they will decide what happens or if they will actually issue a trial.  If you wish to keep your government out of the bidding process and mask the agreements we have, then just authorize my force to deal with the situation and we will, in our way."

[Cannonshop]

"Factor, you had two choices, now you don't have them.  Ask your warriors this: lose a battle you can't win, or fight the battle that you CAN-later."  Charles said, and then, he fixed the Factor with his one good eye, "I lost vision on my left side and my right hand escaping from those people, Factor, you don't have to tell me they're bad news-but unless you've got an old-star-league division with full warship support on the way, you're going to have to consider whether you REALLY want to die honorably and un-noticed now, or go to ground now, and come back to fight when you CAN win."

[Cannonshop]

Charles gestured up the valley, "See that dam up there, Factor?  We had a plan in case the adders tried to take the factory when we contracted that specific location-this is the kind of bastards we are.  That dam is the bottom end of the regional flood control system-one of the things that the OLD Star League built here as a sop to the locals after we threw the Rimjobs out.  Normally, it's not sitting right-at-peak-load, because the other dams up the river system for this tributary space the loading out.  We opened the sluices all the way up to Broadfork-there's enough stored energy sitting up there to wash everything in the valley into the Little Yangtze and Golden Lake, including the Canid Creations site..."  he set the cigarette down.  "I'm going to make this as fair a fight as I can-because otherwise, they're going to swamp you guys with numbers, and here is How-they get their final bid, that bid has a cap on it of equal manpower and equipment-as in exactly equal, to 303rd's manpower and equipment, if they break the bid, the dam goes, the valley goes, there's no more objective to trial over-if they try to manuever out of the trial zone, the dam goes, if they call in orbital support?  Dam goes-your guys have been here for two years, they're trained and I assume they know their equipment-your men OUGHT to be able to handle an even fight, strictly enforced.  The only question is, what victory conditions do you want for your side."

[Cannonshop]

Two Hours later, field comm station, outside Hue City...

Chuck put the transmitter down, and looked at the Wolf Factor, "Get out of my house, Factor.  You people won't defend your own, you don't belong here.  I'll give you forty-eight hours to evacuate before I invite them to come kill you."  He leaned over on the desk, letting his prosthetic arm take the weight, "Simmons, tell the air-defense net to let the Clanners in, then turn off this fucking transmitter."

He gestured to the Wolf Factor's tunic, "You folks lined up with the Terrans, that's fine, but you guys tried to dump your feuds in our laps-and you didn't even say please.  Get Off My World."

[Cannonshop]

"Tell you what, Ezra-have one of your Merchants draw up a development contract for...agricultural development in the area, if the plant produces something you can use, then you need to see if it is even possible to cultivate it, since the property belongs to Miranda as Landowner, it should not be hard to get her to lease it out to you, you would then only need to fight over it if she says no."  Deb leaned back, "These are not public lands, so I do not have much jurisdiction on how they are used, so long as the legal owner is good with it-if she is not, then you will have to fight it out with HER, or her designated representative."

A smile flashed over his face. "Excellent. I will do that. Now, the Operation against the Scorpions is already in motion. However, Clan Ice Hellion cannot commit much more of its force against an enemy this far from the main line of battle. Yet. If the situation worsens, this might be reconsidered. You seem confident that the Scorpions are the offenders in the El Jefe Case. Is there anything new that you found with Miranda? Any hint of genetic engineering?"

Deb frowned.  "Hints? as far as we can tell, she either has a really colourful family history, or she was engineered....or our docs do not have the skill to make an accurate determination." she said, "Even with the data your people provided, we know for a fact only that there is a lot we do not know about Genetics, gene-gineering, and how it might have been applied to Miranda Gonzales-we are fair certain whatever was done, was done before she was...born?  No recombitants, no sign of the typical 'entry' viruses they used back in the wild-west days of genetic engineering, the work was built in if it even happened."

she spread her hands, "She is a mystery to us-we have her school records, service records, every visit to a doc since she was about three...and nothing says she has ever been any different than she is right now."

she leaned back, "Doc Huyn had her up at the Synagogue, they tested her with every virus we have on file-plus a few that were appropriated during the breakup-tailored stuff, her immune system slaughters them all, even HIV derivatives that attack immune systems-she never had a day sick her entire tour in the military, and damnsight fewer injuries than she should've, then there's her service in the Public Health department-direct exposure and she never took a sick day, not once."

she folded her hands, "If that is not engineered, Well...that would make her the living proof that statistically, anything is possible, no matter how improbable."

she sighed, "Y'all got rid o' your Scientist Caste, this is gonna be more'n tech work, Ah'm bringing the Falcons in." she said, "OUR people are not equipped for this kind of investigation-Ah know we found questionable markers that look a lot lahk a Clannah they analyzed at Pandora in '54 after he was captured in '50...but thet don' mean much.  If she is an engineered person, we need t' know, just like you do."

[Marlin]

"It is your prerogative to seek other help," Ezra stated cooly "but rest assured that our ScienTechs are more than capable to find such. I look forward that the Falcons will not find anything we did not. Until then I will assume that she is a freak of nature, like Leonard said. He is not with me anymore.

Let us come to the Deal of Communication. Is it true that you already have created facts with the Falcons? Because my Clan is looking at expanding its economy to cope with the stress that is about to come when we hit the Terrans. They severely outproduce us in any kind, except perhaps quality. We must be ready or we go under."

[Cannonshop]

"It is your prerogative to seek other help," Ezra stated cooly "but rest assured that our ScienTechs are more than capable to find such. I look forward that the Falcons will not find anything we did not. Until then I will assume that she is a freak of nature, like Leonard said. He is not with me anymore.

Let us come to the Deal of Communication. Is it true that you already have created facts with the Falcons? Because my Clan is looking at expanding its economy to cope with the stress that is about to come when we hit the Terrans. They severely outproduce us in any kind, except perhaps quality. We must be ready or we go under."

Deb nodded, "We signed the deal almost a month ago-the Falcons are putting an HPG hub on nearly every world in the Union-not just a transmitter, Ezra, but a hub, able to handle comms well beyond what the Union alone needs-that puts a hell of a lot of people here into jobs that pay well-and provide steady work from a growing, instead of dwindling, pool of capital-you may not have noticed, but the Union's been in a recession since before we left the Lyrans, people out of work tend to go criminal, or..."

She paused, sighed, and added, "Or, they do other things.  Suicide rates are about ten times what they should be throughout the country-I think you saw that.  Hopelessness breeds dispair, Ezra-so if the Falcons want to build communications and can run them more reliably than the Blakies can, and it puts MY people to work? you are dead-right we jump at that-I can not rely on Independence Fervor to prop these people up-I have to show results-I owe it to them."

[Cannonshop]

Sector 1416...

"...said she had to undergo treatment for injuries-we still don't know what those were."  Captain Truk Trang watched the airlock lights shift to green.

Sarah Thiel tugged at her LCAF uniform, nervously as the inner hatch cycled open.



Evelyn Mosovich sat in the docking lock, waiting for the lights to indicate 'clear'.  For the first time in two years, she was in civilian clothes again. 

"Lieber Gott!"  someone said on the other side.

"Hey Tyler, dừng lại nhìn chằm chằm, I don't think the plastic surgeons got THAT much wrong." Evelyn said.

Hauptmann Tyler Dennig jumped, but kept staring, "you...have a face." he said.

"Yeah, and a retirement, courtesy of LCAF Medical." Evelyn said, "Since I can't hold a security clearance now that the home-folks have gone independent and I won't swear their silly loyalty oaths."  she kicked past the airlock, "So, these are it?" she asked, adding, "Sarah, I'm surprised your daddy let you do this."

"I'm twenty Five, Auntie Evvie...you look like your pictures..." Sarah said.

"Yeah.  I do... get your people across, Fowler's on a tight schedule." Evelyn said.

"Not before we confirm something...general."  Truk Trang kicked off a bulkhead with a portable reader, "Forearm?" he asked.

Evelyn rolled up her sleeve, and presented her forearm.

He pressed the sampler into the inner skin, and they waited.

A sting bit down and the blood was drawn, cycled, tested, along with skin and a tiny sample of muscle-tissue.

"Well, am I me?" Evelyn asked.

"Just a minute..." Truk watched the readouts as the sampler ran through DNA records, medical records, biometrics...

"You're You." he said, "Not a copy-or at least, not one primitive enough to blow a deep-tissue sample." 

"Good for that!" she announced, "Got a mental patient for the Rabbi to talk to coming..."

The cylindrical carton slid through the airlock, a rig designed to transport dangerous felons, the Hybernation tube keeps its subject in a drug-induced comatose state while supplying nutrients and hydration, and periodically 'shocking' the patient's musculature to prevent atrophy.  "Maddie went nuts." Evelyn added, "Tried to attack General Russell."

"Why-how?" Truk asked.

"Simple, I reminded LCAF medical that it's cheaper to warehouse her with us, than to try to treat her in the Commonwealth." Evelyn said, "She's convicted of attempted mutiny, but the insanity was judged 'nough of a mitigation to keep her off death row-so I get to bring her home.  Now..."

"yes."  Truk nodded, "Okay, if you are bound for the Lyran Commonwealth's service, this is your stop-everyone off the boat."

"It's going to be good to get home." Evelyn said.

[Deathrider6]

Sector 1416

  Sarah Thiel looked at the other Lyran officers and men. "I think I'm just going to go home. I'll work as the Military attache on Arluna and someone has to let Deb know what is happening." She looked at the UIW captain. "Permission to come back aboard?"