Chapter 2: The truce
AN: I own nothing but a few names and characters.
Four months later
"What are we doing here?" Joanna Dark said in the council chambers of the whit house
"Maybe they're celebrating our work and giving us a grant." Velvet suggested. The Institute was currently under a slight money crunch.
"That suits me." Foster said. "I just bought a boat."
"This better be good. "Grimshaw said. "I'm supposed to be teaching a seminar at the academy."
"Maybe it's a new declaration," Linda Parker from the device labs said.
"If we were at war, we'd know about it by now." Robin Taylor from holography said. "And we wouldn't be here."
"If we're all here, where's Elvis?" Velvet asked.
"Captain Elvis." Joanna said. "On assignment. Where's Daniel?"
As she sat down, Velvet whispered into her ear "Bitch alert, 10 o' clock."
Sure enough, there she was. Still alive and more sober looking then ever, Cassandra De Vries, flanked by two of her bodyguards who looked sulky to give up their shotguns.
Then, the President's secretary came in. "This briefing is ified. There will be no recording devices. Ladies and gentlemen, the President."
They all stood as the President, Clay Montgomery (An original name given to the character the President in the game.) walked up to the lectern.
"As you were." He said. "To break this down as easily as possible, the Skedar Empire has roughly five years of life left to it."
Joanna was part of the collective gasp across the table.
"For furthur details, I'm turning this over to the expert in this matter." Montgomery sat down and a new man took the stand on the lectern.
"Good Morning." Daniel Carrington said. "Four months ago, a sensor station orbiting the Earth detected an explosion of the Skedar moon, Mahat, on of their key energy sources. It is believed to be caused by over mining and insufficient safety precautions. The moon's decimation has resulted in a deadly pollution of their ozone, poisoning their atmosphere. They will have depleted their supply of oxygen in approximately five standard years. Due to their enormous military budget, the Skedar have not the resources to combat this catastrophe. The Maians have the technology to correct the error, a technology the Skedar can't duplicate. Last month on behest of the foreign affairs minister of this planet I opened a dialogue with Krinnji, chancellor of the high council. He proposes to begin negotiations at once."
"Negotiations for what?" Montgomery asked.
"The dismantling of the human and Maian automated defenses along the Skedar Neutral Zone." Carrington said. "An end to almost four hundred years of hostility which the Skedar can no longer afford."
"Mr. President," Foster said. "Are we talking about mothballing the military?"
"Well our technological and scientific programs would not be affected," Montgomery said. "And dataDyne have shown what the Skedar technology can do,"
Cassandra blushed at this.
"I must protest!" Trent Easton's voice rang out like a gunshot. "To offer Skedar safe haven within our space is suicide! The Skedar race would become the alien trash of the known galaxy and if we dismantle the military, we'd be defenseless against an aggressive species with a foothold on our territory. The objective here is to bring them to their knees, or the closest thing they have to them. Then we'll be in a far better position to dictate terms."
"Sir," Joanna said.
"Miss Dark," Montgomery said.
"The Skedar have never been trustworthy." Joanna said. "I'm forced to agree with Mr. Easton. This is a terrifying idea."
"You're husband was killed by the Skedar, wasn't he, Miss Dark?" Cassandra said, with a nasty smile.
Velvet felt Joanna stiffen. Now she was playing dirty. The subject of Jonathan was still very touchy for Joanna.
"You, Miss Dark," Montgomery said. "Are to be our first olive branch to the Skedar."
"We have volunteered to host the delegation during the negotiations." Carrington said.
"Me?" Joanna was incredulous.
"Well, there are Skedar who feel the same way about the peace treaty as yourself and Mr. Easton." Montgomery said "But they'll think twice about attacking while you have the chancellor."
"I have personally vouched for you in this matter." Carrington said.
"You..." Joanna said. "Have personally... vouched?"
"You will extend the chancellor full diplomatic courtesy, Miss Dark." Montgomery said.
"But a full ambassador would be better-"Joanna began.
Montgomery rose sharply. "If there's no further business, I wish you all Godspeed. Thank you."
As everyone left, Trent passed by Joanna. "I'm not sure whether to congratulate you or not, girl." He said.
"I wouldn't." Velvet said darkly. (No pun intended.)
Joanna looked at the lectern as soon as nearly everyone had left. "We volunteered?"
"There's an old saying, Joanna." Carrington replied. "Only Nixon could go to China."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Joanna tried her best to suppress her rage.
"Among the Skedar, you have become something of a legend." Carrington said. "You have earned their fear and more importantly, their respect. This will be vital to this missions success."
"How could you vouch for me? That's..." Joanna groped for the words. "Arrogant presumption."
"Joanna," Carrington said. "I was asked by my cousin to..."
"I know your cousin's the goddamned foreign affairs minister, but you know how I feel about this." Joanna said. "They wanted to kill us, and did take some of us!"
"All the Skedar didn't want the Cetan weapon, Joanna." Carrington said. "All the Skedar didn't kill Jonathan."
"They're animals!" Joanna protested.
"Jo, there's a historic occasion here." Carrington said.
"Don't believe them!" Joanna was trembling with unbridled rage. "Don't trust them."
"Joanna Dark," Now Carrington was serious. "They're dying."
"LET THEM DIE!" Joanna hissed. She had not spoken these words voluntarily. Her mouth had developed a will of it s own and turned thief. "Has it occurred to you that my leave is coming in six weeks? I've done my bit for King and country."
Joanna stormed out, too shocked at what she had done and too angry to care.
Agent Dark. Mission log. 022 hours. I've never trusted Skedar and I never will. I've never been able to forgive them for Jonathan's death. My opinion to this mission to host the Skedar delegation is problematic at best. Daniel claims this could be a historic event and I wish I could believe him. How can history get past people like me?
Two day later.
Joanna stood outside the helipad of the Institute with every one else. They were all in full uniform and almost all of them armed. The guards had their standard AR34s while Joanna had her reliable Falcon 2 under her shoulder and a MagSec 4 at her hip in the event something bigger was required.
The, almost without warning, the Skedar ship touched down, in to a brave new era or the deadliest conflict of Earth
End of chapter
To avoid confusion, the one hat was already sent in was prematurely sent. The author apologizes and answers questions to the review so gratefully accepted Peachrocks: Thank you for your suggestion and I never thought of that. However, as I'm sure you know, the idea of Jo/Jon siblingship (an original word!!) was abandoned and I used this. Makes it more interesting, doesn't it? Christalina: I only did what I had to do. Sorry about Jon, but it's compensated for later. Trust me. Obsidian13: As I mentioned earlier, the idea of Jo/Jon siblingship was abandoned and I used this.
Four months later
"What are we doing here?" Joanna Dark said in the council chambers of the whit house
"Maybe they're celebrating our work and giving us a grant." Velvet suggested. The Institute was currently under a slight money crunch.
"That suits me." Foster said. "I just bought a boat."
"This better be good. "Grimshaw said. "I'm supposed to be teaching a seminar at the academy."
"Maybe it's a new declaration," Linda Parker from the device labs said.
"If we were at war, we'd know about it by now." Robin Taylor from holography said. "And we wouldn't be here."
"If we're all here, where's Elvis?" Velvet asked.
"Captain Elvis." Joanna said. "On assignment. Where's Daniel?"
As she sat down, Velvet whispered into her ear "Bitch alert, 10 o' clock."
Sure enough, there she was. Still alive and more sober looking then ever, Cassandra De Vries, flanked by two of her bodyguards who looked sulky to give up their shotguns.
Then, the President's secretary came in. "This briefing is ified. There will be no recording devices. Ladies and gentlemen, the President."
They all stood as the President, Clay Montgomery (An original name given to the character the President in the game.) walked up to the lectern.
"As you were." He said. "To break this down as easily as possible, the Skedar Empire has roughly five years of life left to it."
Joanna was part of the collective gasp across the table.
"For furthur details, I'm turning this over to the expert in this matter." Montgomery sat down and a new man took the stand on the lectern.
"Good Morning." Daniel Carrington said. "Four months ago, a sensor station orbiting the Earth detected an explosion of the Skedar moon, Mahat, on of their key energy sources. It is believed to be caused by over mining and insufficient safety precautions. The moon's decimation has resulted in a deadly pollution of their ozone, poisoning their atmosphere. They will have depleted their supply of oxygen in approximately five standard years. Due to their enormous military budget, the Skedar have not the resources to combat this catastrophe. The Maians have the technology to correct the error, a technology the Skedar can't duplicate. Last month on behest of the foreign affairs minister of this planet I opened a dialogue with Krinnji, chancellor of the high council. He proposes to begin negotiations at once."
"Negotiations for what?" Montgomery asked.
"The dismantling of the human and Maian automated defenses along the Skedar Neutral Zone." Carrington said. "An end to almost four hundred years of hostility which the Skedar can no longer afford."
"Mr. President," Foster said. "Are we talking about mothballing the military?"
"Well our technological and scientific programs would not be affected," Montgomery said. "And dataDyne have shown what the Skedar technology can do,"
Cassandra blushed at this.
"I must protest!" Trent Easton's voice rang out like a gunshot. "To offer Skedar safe haven within our space is suicide! The Skedar race would become the alien trash of the known galaxy and if we dismantle the military, we'd be defenseless against an aggressive species with a foothold on our territory. The objective here is to bring them to their knees, or the closest thing they have to them. Then we'll be in a far better position to dictate terms."
"Sir," Joanna said.
"Miss Dark," Montgomery said.
"The Skedar have never been trustworthy." Joanna said. "I'm forced to agree with Mr. Easton. This is a terrifying idea."
"You're husband was killed by the Skedar, wasn't he, Miss Dark?" Cassandra said, with a nasty smile.
Velvet felt Joanna stiffen. Now she was playing dirty. The subject of Jonathan was still very touchy for Joanna.
"You, Miss Dark," Montgomery said. "Are to be our first olive branch to the Skedar."
"We have volunteered to host the delegation during the negotiations." Carrington said.
"Me?" Joanna was incredulous.
"Well, there are Skedar who feel the same way about the peace treaty as yourself and Mr. Easton." Montgomery said "But they'll think twice about attacking while you have the chancellor."
"I have personally vouched for you in this matter." Carrington said.
"You..." Joanna said. "Have personally... vouched?"
"You will extend the chancellor full diplomatic courtesy, Miss Dark." Montgomery said.
"But a full ambassador would be better-"Joanna began.
Montgomery rose sharply. "If there's no further business, I wish you all Godspeed. Thank you."
As everyone left, Trent passed by Joanna. "I'm not sure whether to congratulate you or not, girl." He said.
"I wouldn't." Velvet said darkly. (No pun intended.)
Joanna looked at the lectern as soon as nearly everyone had left. "We volunteered?"
"There's an old saying, Joanna." Carrington replied. "Only Nixon could go to China."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Joanna tried her best to suppress her rage.
"Among the Skedar, you have become something of a legend." Carrington said. "You have earned their fear and more importantly, their respect. This will be vital to this missions success."
"How could you vouch for me? That's..." Joanna groped for the words. "Arrogant presumption."
"Joanna," Carrington said. "I was asked by my cousin to..."
"I know your cousin's the goddamned foreign affairs minister, but you know how I feel about this." Joanna said. "They wanted to kill us, and did take some of us!"
"All the Skedar didn't want the Cetan weapon, Joanna." Carrington said. "All the Skedar didn't kill Jonathan."
"They're animals!" Joanna protested.
"Jo, there's a historic occasion here." Carrington said.
"Don't believe them!" Joanna was trembling with unbridled rage. "Don't trust them."
"Joanna Dark," Now Carrington was serious. "They're dying."
"LET THEM DIE!" Joanna hissed. She had not spoken these words voluntarily. Her mouth had developed a will of it s own and turned thief. "Has it occurred to you that my leave is coming in six weeks? I've done my bit for King and country."
Joanna stormed out, too shocked at what she had done and too angry to care.
Agent Dark. Mission log. 022 hours. I've never trusted Skedar and I never will. I've never been able to forgive them for Jonathan's death. My opinion to this mission to host the Skedar delegation is problematic at best. Daniel claims this could be a historic event and I wish I could believe him. How can history get past people like me?
Two day later.
Joanna stood outside the helipad of the Institute with every one else. They were all in full uniform and almost all of them armed. The guards had their standard AR34s while Joanna had her reliable Falcon 2 under her shoulder and a MagSec 4 at her hip in the event something bigger was required.
The, almost without warning, the Skedar ship touched down, in to a brave new era or the deadliest conflict of Earth
End of chapter
To avoid confusion, the one hat was already sent in was prematurely sent. The author apologizes and answers questions to the review so gratefully accepted Peachrocks: Thank you for your suggestion and I never thought of that. However, as I'm sure you know, the idea of Jo/Jon siblingship (an original word!!) was abandoned and I used this. Makes it more interesting, doesn't it? Christalina: I only did what I had to do. Sorry about Jon, but it's compensated for later. Trust me. Obsidian13: As I mentioned earlier, the idea of Jo/Jon siblingship was abandoned and I used this.