As the holovid played on a portable Tri-Vid projector, the entire audience of the grand dining hall of the Royal Palace sat in complete silence. Once the video stopped playing however, the entire room instantly erupted into chaos as everyone began to passionately discuss and debate on what had just been revealed. The shouts and arguments carried on into the once tranquil desert night.
"Everyone, please! We need order!" Carlos Sanz shouted as loud as he could so that they could have a chance to explain everything. Within a few minutes, the furor died down and everyone turned their attention to him. Sitting beside Sanz near the front of the hall were Major Dominic Durant, Baroness Mishai Singh, Mandrissa Monika Lee and Captain Natasha Kerensky. At the far end of the room, Jessica Bradshaw sat on a folding chair, she was being carefully watched by Chifune Kishikawa and a few other bodyguards.
One of the archaeology students stood up. "What is the meaning of this?" She cried.
"Okay," Dominic said as he stood up from his folding chair, "I will try to explain what you had just seen. First of all, this Tri-Vid recording was taken from a crewman of the DropShip that we were being transported on. It seems that the Blakists wanted this datadisk so that they may contain the spread of the video that we had just seen."
"But why would they want to do that?" Richie Hoyt, another archaeologist asked. "That Tri-Vid was a previously unknown recording of Jerome Blake's last will and testament. What's wrong with that?"
"What's wrong with it?" Natasha argued. "Blake said in the video that he considered Conrad Toyama to be a 'dangerous, misguided fanatic'. Those were his very own words. It is apparent that he did not want Toyama to succeed him and be the next Primus of ComStar."
"We all know that Conrad Toyama succeeded Blake as Primus upon his death and he radicalized the Order into a theocracy." Dominic further explained. "In fact, much of the Blakist theology is centered more on Toyama than on Blake himself."
"How do we know that this video was not faked?" Professor Adrian Smythe asked. "Can you vouch for its authenticity?"
"Although I am not one-hundred percent sure as to it being the real thing," Dominic said, "I did a short biometric analysis on my noteputer using voice and image recognition. Although I could use an HPG database to completely confirm it, I can tell you that it is almost certain that the old man who spoke from his deathbed in the video was indeed Jerome Blake."
"And not to mention that the Blakists have killed to try and get to it. Seems like an admission of guilt to me." Natasha added.
"Don't forget the last part of the video." Dr. Mordecai Dayan said. "Blake also said that if a new Star League was ever reformed, ComStar would return control of all HPG stations back to the League and the Successor States. ComStar would in effect, disband itself and would only serve as librarians and preserve the knowledge of how to construct and maintain the technology, but the power of communication would revert back to the League."
With Dr. Dayan's last statement, the entire room once more erupted into chaos. Sanz had to shout once again to maintain order. Dawn was already approaching, but the revelation was keeping everyone wide-awake. Karen Udeze served coffee but she too was mesmerized by this potent disclosure.
"So what you are saying is that the Blakists view this Tri-Vid as a threat to their very existence and they will go at any lengths to get it back?" Another student asked incredulously.
"Yes." Dominic said as a matter of fact.
"What if we hide it or destroy it? Will that stop them from killing us all?" Dr. Constance Smythe asked.
"I don't think so." Dominic said. "They think we might already know about it and they do not want any witnesses who have seen the video to remain alive."
"Then by allowing us to view this Tri-Vid, you have condemned us all to die!" A female student accused Dominic.
Baroness Mishai Singh raised a hand to try and calm the furor that immediately erupted following the charge. "There is more to it than that. What I am about to tell you is strictly classified but since this revelation is of great importance then it is only right that I tell you this now."
The rancor immediately died down as everyone waited for her to speak.
"Once the Tharkad Conference ends, there will be no more Star League." Baroness Singh said softly.
A silence permeated across the entire room that one could possibly hear a pin drop. Within a few minutes, a few gasps were heard as everyone's minds began to absorb what had just transpired.
"What?" Even Carlos Sanz was aghast. "How did you get at this information?"
"It is an admission that has been discussed at high-level meetings in the Federated Suns Command." Baroness Singh said. "The Second Star League was created as an excuse to fight the Clans. Now that the Clan threat has diminished, there is no longer any reason for its continued existence."
"But what about unity? What about peace?" Richie Hoyt wailed.
"It was just a matter of time." Mandrissa Monika Lee explained. "Despite all the proclamations, every First Lord has used the power of the Star League to gain an advantage over the other Successor States during his or her term. Our esteemed Chancellor knew this and that is why he chose not to attend the Conference."
"So all this talk about universal brotherhood has been for nothing?" John Shive added to the furor. "What about the common people like us? What are we going to do now?"
"There is one hope." Dr. Dayan said. "The revelations of Jerome Blake's last will."
"How will that help?" One of the students asked. "We are doomed no matter what."
"Can't you see?" Dominic argued. "If we can get this information revealed before the Tharkad Conference ends, it will give impetus to keep the League together. Imagine the Successor States getting their HPGs back under their control. Imagine the Star League being in control of the main communications network of the Inner-Sphere!"
"But how do we get it to the Conference?" Professor Adrian Smythe asked. "Hasn't it started already? What about the Blakists? They are still out there trying to kill us!"
"If we stall for time, a rescue mission may come and get us." Dominic lied. He knew that no one knew where they were but he needed to give everyone in the room a sense of hope, even if it was a false one.
"You want us to resist the Blakists until help comes? That's suicide! We are not soldiers." Professor Smythe complained.
"Look," Dominic said, "we have in our hands the power to preserve the Star League. If the Blakists find us before the rescue mission does, it will be a fight. I am asking for anyone that believes in the unity of mankind to help me. I won't force anyone to fight for our cause but if the Star League does unravel, which it will if they don't get this Tri-Vid, then there will be war anyway. WOB views this datadisk as a heresy that must be contained no matter what for it will be their death-knell if it is ever made public. They will kill you even if you try to surrender anyway. As far as I'm concerned, I have nothing to lose now. What about the rest of you?"
The silence returned once again as each person present began to make their own internal decisions as to what they wanted to do.
"Major Durant?" Dr. Dayan said to Dominic.
"Yes?"
"Can we have an hour's recess please?" Dr. Dayan asked.
"Of course." With that, Dominic got up from his chair and walked out into the Palace anteroom. Massive, wide-open windows exposed the room to the clear desert sky. A trace of light could be seen on the horizon. A new day was dawning, but would he still be alive to watch another dawn after this one, he wondered. Dominic sighed as he rubbed his forehead. A great headache was beginning to gnaw at his mind once again.
"That was a great speech." A voice behind him said. Turning around, Dominic saw the Black Widow was in the room as well.
"Wasn't much of a speech," Dominic smiled, "more like a statement of reality."
"I especially liked the part of the rescue mission."
"Yeah, I know that was a lie. But I had to say something. Just to give them hope even though there isn't any." Dominic sighed.
He was instantly shocked when Natasha smiled. It was the biggest smile he ever saw her make.
"There is always hope." She said. "Never forget that."
Footsteps coming from the hallway instantly made them turn in the direction of the door. In came Dr. Mordecai Dayan and Baroness Mishai Singh.
"We took a vote." Baroness Singh said.
"And?" Dominic asked.
"It's unanimous. We will fight." Dr. Dayan said.
"Thank you." Dominic said. "We need to prepare immediately. I don't know if we have already been pinpointed, this city won't be missed in a search."
"Dr. Dayan, do you have any engineers in your expedition here?" Natasha asked.
"Yes, we have two." Dr. Dayan answered. "One is a structural engineer and the other one is a mechanical one, he operates the drill."
"Drill?" Dominic's eyes opened wide.
"It is an industrial drill that we can use for heavy excavation." Dr. Dayan said. "We can dig massive holes into the rock and sand so that we can explore and dig up artifacts. It also has a blower module that we use to clear the constant sand that seeps into the city."
Natasha and Dominic looked at each other and smiled. Baroness Singh raised her left eyebrow in confusion.
Within the next few hours, an impromptu meeting was set up with the military and engineering personnel. Aside from Natasha and Dominic, most of the bodyguards were in attendance as well as Moses Malone and the other engineers. It was a brainstorming session to try and find the best way to defend the city. Ancient histories of past sieges were discussed as all ideas were put on the table.
"First of all," Dominic said, "this is an open meeting so don't hesitate to say any idea that comes in your mind."
"Archimedes made giant claws to grab onto the Roman ships and capsize them during the siege of Syracuse." One of the engineers said.
"We aren't exactly surrounded by water." Dominic laughed. "But keep those ideas coming."
"Should we set up strongpoints?" One of the Capellan bodyguards asked.
"We could center them in the temples, but that is what the Blakists will be expecting. It's too static." Natasha said.
"I thought that was the plan?" Dominic said.
"I thought so too, but it's too predictable. They will be prepared for that." Natasha said. "They won't be afraid to level any buildings here, and they have the firepower to do it too."
"Will they come in with guns blazing, after an artillery barrage?" Moses Malone asked.
"If they aren't very experienced, yes. But that ruins the element of surprise. In nighttime combat, the element of surprise is essential." Natasha said. "Over a thousand years ago, the Israeli army perfected the best tactics for night-fighting; a silent run until you get to the enemy positions, at the time of darkness the human reaction will tend to be one of disbelief, at first. That gives the attackers a few precious seconds to get within range. Then they use grenades to open up the enemy lines, then hand-to-hand fighting. No prior artillery or cover fire until they get close, that's my feeling."
"How do we counter that?" Dominic asked.
"Trip wires and booby-traps. If we know when they are coming, we could concentrate our limited firepower in that direction." Natasha said; then she turned to Malone and handed him a piece of paper. "We need to set up prepared defenses, I have a list of the projects that need to be done as soon as possible."
"I'll get right to it." Moses Malone said as he got up and beckoned the other engineers to follow him.
"So if we don't use strongpoints, what then?" Dominic asked.
"You remember the studies of the first Chechen War in Russia during the late Twentieth Century?" Natasha said. "The Chechen guerillas did not use strongpoints, they deployed mobile hunter-killer groups to harass the Russian armored columns as they entered the city."
"We could do that. But command will be decentralized then, with all those groups running around." Dominic observed.
"It will have to be. That's urban warfare, after all." Natasha said. "Four teams of say, twenty men each. Each team will have light anti-vehicle weapons, or LAWs so that they could take out any vehicles as well as satchel charges for up-close demolitions."
"This is going to be close." Dominic said.
"Like I said before, the outcome won't be in doubt." Natasha said. "We will need a fall-back plan in case the worst thing happens." She didn't imply that it was a certainty, even though she knew it would be.
"The archaeologists told me they will have drawn up maps for us that we could use." Dominic said. "I'll hand it out as soon as we get it."
"I had a talk with Dr. Constance Smythe a few hours ago." Natasha said. "She said something that piqued my interest."
"What about?" Dominic asked.
"She said that this city is an exact replica of the city of Babylon with the exception of its sewers." Natasha smirked as she thought of another daring plan.
As the defenders began to prepare for the inevitable, a tiny unmanned drone plane flew over the ancient city. The morning sun added to the visual obviousness as the Gnat's cameras recorded every aspect of it.
Adept Achmed Faud activated the recording session as he pinpointed the proper coordinates into the computer. Getting up from his chair in the new Command Bunker near the DropShip landing site, he then opened up the bunker's comm. circuit.
"Precentor, this is Adept Faud. I think I may have found them." He said.
