Chapter 11
Edited by a person of many names Blood Raven AKA TimedRaven117. Go check out his story Mass Effect: X-Com Theory!
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Citadel Space, Citadel, Purple Maiden 2657GS May/1/2329 AD
Lieutenant Commander Mayo Shinya sipped her drink, wondering who in the right mind thought this was close to whisky, it tasted too weak in her opinion and the taste left much to be desired. Like fellating a squid.
"This place sucks Ed." she complained as the birdlike bartender handed him another drink.
"Oh I don't know, kinda reminds me of that bar across from the academy, what was it called?" Lieutenant Commander Edmund Tromblay said, sipping his drink.
"Zero Grav, and it's not there anymore." Mayo said as she slowly sipped the drink.
"What! What happen to it?" Edmund asked in reply, almost in a panic.
"MPs raided the place. Found out that the owner was running a prostitution ring. Fucker was lined up and shot for doing that shit on Federal property." She sipped her drink again "Funny thing is, a lot of officers who went to the place got demoted real quiet like. Should be demoted to private. The fraternization rules were emplaced and enforced for a reason after those Coven whores showed up. Stealing our women, and booze." Mayo muttered that last part as she took another nasty sip from her drink.
"Damn I spent a year living across from that bar, how did I miss that?"
"Because you just reek of pretty boy choir material. A real party person smells you a mile away!" Mayo mocked playfully, noting a group of aliens staring at them. She remembered the strict orders given to them and their crew.
'Don't fuck up the diplomat's job! We're guests here. So respect our hosts' Erica had been very very clear she would personally and publicly punish anyone who started trouble. This was the Federation's first non violent first contact. Be a shame to mess that up.
Edmund looked over at the group of four eyed aliens as one got up and started to walk over to them then loked back at Mayo, "Well don't start a scene, I'm not gonna be flogged on camera and have it shipped to every recruit for the next decade."
"Ed your a nice guy and you committed something not to long ago that might be considered a war crime three hundred years ago, there is no nice people just people who you don't know the motives of." Mayo pointed out. Much to Edmund's confusion.
The alien sat down next to her, "Good evening me and my friends were wondering if your the Human that's been all over the net."
Mayo feigned shock and said, "No, I'm portuguese! Commodore Chaves is Spanish. Fucking spanish prick." she mumbled afterwards as she took another sip and visibly looked disgusted.
Ed chimed in, "No, she's from the Texas province. And you're fucking Japanese!"
Mayo looked at him with a cold glare, "Shut up surfer boy." She said holding her drink over Edmunds cowboy hat, threatening to spill it, "Otherwise you'll start smelling like fish!"
Edmond grabbed his hat and shoved it on his head to protect it. the Batarian looked rightfully confused at the two and Mayo smiled and finally said, "Sorry for all the jibberish names. Names Commander Shinya, my partner in crime here is Commander Trombly. You'll see our boys and girls running around. We were scheduled for some R&R back at the fleet depot but we got roped into this entire thing."
"Hey better than goin' patrollin' in the West. Rather do some nice safe work thank you very much." Edmund smiled and waved as his still full drink sat before him.
"Ah." The batarian said, "Your species looks so similar to the asari, what with those bump things on your chest and the very familiar facial architecture and similar body tones. Hard to tell from a sideways glance."
"Yeah well I'm sure you get to knows us very well over the coming years." Mayo said carefully.
Ed paid her no mind as the Batarian confirmed with a nod, smiling Mayo asked, "So you guys have some sort of caste system and still practice slavery?" 'WOW! Way to be subtle there Mayo.' Ed thought.
"Yes. We have a caste system and practice slavery. What's it to you?" the Batarian replied.
"As long as you keep it in your territory its fine by me. But Ed here is an abolitionists." Mayo said to the Batarian as she patted her friend who was giving Mayo a very dirty look.
"Five teraton nukes on a skinnie planet and you go on and on about how I'm an abolitionists! It was five hundred civilians from a raid. Hardly a record breaking number. and they started it with those shitty rocket nukes. Barely ten megatons!" Edmund complained with the unspoken threat he would pull Mayo down with him if he had to be punished.
The Batarian looked very displeased with all this and wisely left the two Terrans alone from that point on. Although he did look satisfied in the fact that the male looked ready to beat the shit out of the female.
Then he stopped and realized with horror, "Five teraton nuclear weapons? Oh shit."
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Citadel Space, Citadel, Presidium 2657GS May/5/2329 AD
Reporter-Private Ailis Pedersen people watched the aliens passing by below on the walkway. Mostly she had gotten footage of the approach on the Sloat, a lot of traffic shots of ships just zooming by, and stuff like this. She had even participated in a tour of the station with a group of the crew. But none of it would be passed through until SICON got a good look at it. She was planning on getting footage of the Aliens eating dinner, going to work, and even of schools to make them more Human seeming than just other aliens.
It was nice being around aliens who didn't want to rip her apart, enslave her, or mind rape her into subservience. And some of the exotic food wasn't too bad, even if they could have some very adverse reactions with her digestive system.
"I hope this lasts." She murmured as she zoomed in on what looked like tentacle headed coven, called an Asari, walking with a Turian, "Almost like they were a couple- Oh they kissed. Well, thats new." That was an interesting idea, interspecies relationships. Well one's that weren't considered beastiality. Strange. She could swear it was her upbringing in the Terran Federation, but she just found it all so wrong. And she was considered open minded! She wondered how all those die hards would take all this?
She checked her watch and noted the time, by her estimate the footage from the Siege of Shanxi should arrive at the broadcasting center on Earth in 15 minutes, it would then be gone over, edited again for mistakes or propaganda, and approved by military intelligence.
Then it would go on air and she would become famous as the first reporter to get footage of the Citadel Species, in this new era of Federation history, she would get a radio or television talk show, maybe even become head of broadcasting here on the Citadel! She may even be lauded as a war hero along with the rest of the Shanxi forces, having done some spiffy editing of her dropping into that skinnie tent, so she looked like a hero instead of someone who bumbled into a bad situation and survived.
She wondered if she would be as famous as Bob Higgens, the reporter who had been attached to the Roughnecks through most of that unit's history. Likely not, unless she got an equally dangerous post.
Looking through her camera's sights with her visor she didn't notice the presence of another Asari until she felt someone tap her shoulder, "Ah-!" Whipping around quickly, and groping for her nonexistent holster. She was face to face with a more purple Asari with a camera drone hovering over her shoulder, looking very, very surprised.
"Oh!... ah hehe, Sorry for that, you surprised me. Sorry for the language, you, ah, learn how to be fast on the draw in a warzone." Pederson said awkwardly, now suddenly in the spotlight of another reporter.
"Uhh. Yes. Well my name is Josel Artesan, for Citadel News Net. I would like to ask you as a fellow reporter a few questions?" The Asari, dressed in a simple, but colorful pant suit asked as she turned her own camera on.
Private Ailis Pedersen looked over confused, "Uh sure I guess. Although heads up you'll likely have to pass it through our Censor office incase in case I say something I wasn't exposed to."
Josel Artesan nodded, "Of course, I was informed of such by one of your representatives, and she sent me to you." Pederson relaxed a bit and took on that camera pose that reporters naturally do, although she looked a bit more tense than a normal reporter, the days of straight fighting having not done her inner ear, or psyche, any good.
"Now is it true that all of the Federation personnel here currently are from the military? Not even your Ambassador is a civilian?" Josel asked nonchalantly, but with a cutting edge underneath it all.
Pederson nodded, "Yes, Its true, this is mostly a military operation if you will. Ambassador Maghernus used to be in Military Intelligence from what I have been told, and he decided to move over into SICON after a few years in service. He is a very fine diplomat, having had decades of experience working between Federation colonies. Our civilian government doesn't exist, we're like the Turians, we're all citizen soldiers, from the teller in the bank to the mechanic working on your vehicle. Service isn't required but you get numerous benefits like free extended schooling, work experience, weapons training, weapons ownership permit, the right to vote, and most importantly Terran Citizenship."
Josel nodded and after messing with her omni-tool for a second she asked her next question, "Interesting, does your Government or private sector maintain a civilian media? News organizations, video production, Television?"
"No, not really. Most interplanetary media is maintained by Fed-Net. But most planets have their own small independent news corps, mostly from citizens because they have the experience…... So no, there are no Civilian run media groups I know of. All of it is either Fed-Net or done by private citizens." Pederson could see that look in the Asari's eye, she had a scoop, and the next question would be the kicker.
"Really? So your entire media circle is run by the Government? How do you know you aren't lied to by your government?" 'That's her kicker? Lady, how do you know YOUR governments don't lie to you on a daily basis?'
"Beyond the fact it would be immoral? Me. Me and people like me. We do our best to say the truth and show nothing but the truth. But the truth happens to have bad in it, or things that need to be kept secret from the enemy. That means we have to censor it or withhold that information until the possible strategic penalties of it has passed. No different than your own government from what I have learned. I for one must question your own government. You have declared nearly 50% of the galaxy lawless, and consider the species who do not accept your forced guidance upon them as lawless. Tell me, what if some of them just didn't like the conditions forced upon them if they join? At least for my people, we know that our government is constantly washing the information they hand us."
Josel did not looked pleased by that insinuation, "The other 50% of the galaxy is lawless any attempts to try and colonize the traverse is met with raids and attacks."
"Sounds more like the other 50% percent don't like you coming near them, and who would blame them? From what I read your people used one species to destroy another species. Although from what I gathered, that one was understandable. But when that new species, Krogan isn't it? did what they were made to do and overpopulate the hell out of their planets they tried to expand. And instead of enforcing some reasonable legislation like birth control, birth permits, or heaven forbid, maybe doing this all in the first place so it wouldn't become a problem in the first place. But no, you instead insist on using a biological weapon that doesn't make them sterile or less fertile, no you use a biological weapon that actively cause intense mental and physical trauma by causing the offspring to die in BIRTH. Now I know the Salarians didn't want to use it without more testing, and the Turians deployed it, but come on you don't even bother updating it so you can fit birth and population demographics to slowly rebuild them as a people, and maybe just making them less fertile instead of having your child DIE in you every time. And since supposedly Krogan can have a thousand children a year roughly, it must be very, VERY painful. And very, VERY soul crushing. And you people wonder why they hate you. You're the most neglectful people I've ever met!" Josel You looked like she been knocked off balances.
Good serves her right for assuming the primitive Terrans couldn't do research, "Oh and let's not forget what happened to the Quarians, instead of providing help when they needed it, and was agreed would happen if such a horrible catastrophe happened, you left them for fucking dead for no legal reason! You, yes YOU, fucking left them to become space nomads, and doomed yourself to centuries of headaches thanks to your callous stupidity, and refusal to forgive. You continuously discriminate and oppress them and never allow them to settle a world so they can at least rebuild. And I thought we Humans could be callous and unforgiving!"
"And for what? Accidentally making a special form of AI? You demanded that they deactivate them, citing that they MAY be dangerous and for future study to make a proper assessment. Well let's imagine for a moment you're a child, and suddenly your mother comes home and starts to beat the shit out of you trying to kill you. That's what the Geth must have felt like. Is it any wonder they defended themselves? Now the Geth aren't all clean in this either, but you get my point. All your current problems, all your issues are caused by you, and your refusal or antipathy to do anything."
"When we made AIs, they never tried to hurt us, we were careful, we had the three Laws of Robotics installed onto them, we treat them as equals, we treat them like they are Human, because they are Human in- I've said too much." And with that Ailis Pederson made a very quick stage right.
Josel looked completely stunned but she seemed to come back to herself quickly, "Wait are you saying the Federation has AI technology?"
Ailis wanted to say yes but she knew what would be the greater pain in the ass to the purple Asari, "No comment, maybe we'll talk later."
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Citadel Space, Citadel, Presidium 2657GS May/7/2329 AD
T'Phai looked at the statue of warrior species known as the Krogan. Wondering how much constrictor goo would be required to stop one if it changed him. He was leaning toward a constrictor cannon's amount from the stories he had read, and the information the ambassador had gotten from the Council.
The Citadel was an interesting place, the general architecture reminded him of some ruins he had seen in a raid on a Terran frontier worlds years earlier, but the fact there were so many species living in what appeared to be harmony, made him wonder if the Terrans and Petolemaic would ever be this close.
"Excuse me." A voice commented from behind T'Phai, and he turned to look at the horned alien viewing him, he recognized the uniform as that of the constables he had seen keeping the peace and guarding the Citadel. "Your with the Terrans are you not?"
T'Phai nodded, his methane environmental suit making it over exaggerated, "Yes, I'm Captain T'Phai, of the Mobile Infantry. Although I'm also known as Colonel." He said extending his hand in greeting.
The horned alien, Salarian, took the hand and shook it, "Cestin Renik, Citadel Security. It's a pleasure to meet a new members of the galactic community." He spoke rapidly.
T'Phai Shook his head, "We're not member of your community yet, if I have to guess the Humans won't want anything to do with this community for the next few years, if not decades, and even then they're not ready to join you as a species."
Cestin looked confused and asked, "What do you mean the Terrans are not ready to join us?"
T'Phai looked at him with a bit of interest, "The Terrans, beyond being at war with two other species, and in a cold war with two others, have many issues. The most prevalent being their xenophobic culture, I've seen their press say the most horrid things about my people, and though some of it is justified, some of it is not. Two years ago a regiment was raised by my people from Martyr, they were deployed on the western front and on their first engagement lost 50% of their forces in a foolhardy attack on an entrenched position, the enemy counter attacked and took the ground base on that planet. The general in change of that failed attack was promptly removed from power and flogged, that is whipped, for wasting lives of those Petolemains and outright incompetence, but the press portrayed it like it was my people's fault, they put the blame on us because we are not Human. This was not the first time in their history they have done it, even to sub groups of themselves."
Cestin nodded, seeming to get what was wrong, "That is troubling, but if they treat your people so bad why do you fight for them?"
"They are better than the alternative. The press treats us like the problem, ignorant as they are, those in the army do not, more enlightened to the problems. And if it were not for the intervention of the Terrans, most of us would have died under rule of the arachnids." T'Phai explained, remembering those dark days.
"And I believe it is only a temporary problem, as we become more integrated into the Terran Culture, and have our own attached reporters, the tune may change. As I said, we are certainly not the first group of people to be wrongly afflicted with blame. Their history is filled with scapegoats." T'Phai said sadly, remembering the history of a few certain ethnic groups of Humans.
Cestin seemed to notice the dark mood coming over T'Phai, "Do you mind if I ask what happen?"
"No, I do not, but it is not a happy story." Cestin nodded understanding, "Many years ago when I was but a Colonel in my own people's military, I lead many raids on the Terrans territory, though they called them the 'unofficial' colonies back then, so they didn't patrol them heavily. I had gotten a name as one of the finest commanders in the Hegemony, the Terran colonies feared my coming and would often offer up great tributes from their world rather than face me. Thankfully my planet's methane nitrogen atmosphere was not conducive to Human slaves so I didn't mind forcing them to be tributary states, slavery is much more costly than just taking a bribe after all, and as a result my homeworld, Tophet, grew in wealth and power. I let my hubris grow with each victory, and as a result when the bugs came to my world, I thought it would be settled in six months, I was right, it ended in six months on the day, with a controller bug on my neck. Making me a slave in my own body."
Cestin looked horrified at this revelation, T'Phai continued, "It was a living nightmare, and I was forced to watch as they took my people into the mines to work them to death, mining a mineral they use to fuel their faster than light travel for their ships. I thought my people were doomed, but fate never misses a chance for irony. A Terran unit, Razak's Roughnecks, came to my world in search of a recently arrived bug ship. My Arachnid masters told me to deal with them so I attempted to, but they were clever, and my minor attempts at resistance resulted in their escape and brought many more regiments of troopers, they fought my people killing them just as they would a bug, crushing my robotic like soldiers as if wind up toys, I thought I was watching the completion of my humiliation, first made a slave to the will of the bugs then forced to watch as the Humans I had defeated many times before wiping my people out. Then one day as I cowered in a bunker resisting and fighting, the Roughnecks appeared again and captured me in my base."
Cestin was listening closely, riveted by every word, "I thought it was the end, and I welcomed it. But during their interrogation the Terrans forced the bug from my body and I was free once more. I told them everything and directed them personally to the enemy ship and with their help I freed my people, since that day I have owed them a debt, and they have given me many a chance to replay them in the blood of my enemies, or my own. After that they let me and my people serve in the war against the Arachnids, which we did with a fury, they even made my company a part of the Roughnecks, though if that was so they could keep an eye on me or play a joke I am not sure. From my experience I know that now they are unready. Their media is rampant with propaganda, their politicians are desperate, and their people fearful and therefore xenophobic. But in a generation, maybe two, people like Ambassador Maghernus, Commodore Chaves, even the young reporter Pederson, will mold public perception, if not favorably, than friendly towards the Citadel."
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Terran federation Space, SICON high command, 2657GS May/14/2329 AD
Sky Marshal of the East Frontier, Ronald Lee Sanchez looked over the reports from the diplomatic crew one last time, familiarizing himself with all the information inside before he gave it to others at the meeting today.
Today was the scheduled bi-monthly meeting were the six most powerful citizens in the Federation, which ranks he was a member of, would discuss the war, and the expansion of the Human species into new worlds.
The perfect time to bring up what had been happening on his front. Though his news had been scheduled for last, the events in the west and in the south had taken precedence, and thankfully the north was quite.
Some people were confused how you could put a galaxy, a three dimensional space, into a three dimensional plane. Those unimaginative fools don't realize that the galaxy was only a couple dozen light years at most "tall". If one thought of it like an ocean where only submarine warfare took place, and the "Surface" was the top of the galaxy, and the ocean bottom, the bottom of the galaxy. And all your ports were small planetary systems, and chunks of rock converted into shipyards that constantly drifted around the oceans currents, or gravity in this case. It made it easy to determine tangible directions.
Besides what else were they going to call their sectors of space? Random connections of words? It was simply easier to refer to the left as West, the right as East, and so on.
Of course you can't have those direction with out a north star and thankfully the universe supplied one, the Andromeda galaxy, the biggest galaxy in the local group filled that position comfortably, as it's position outside the milky way made sure it would not move much over time. For now at least.
He was about to turn the page when Sky Marshal of the West, Enolo Phid, and Sky Marshal of the South, Richard Riverfield, entered. Thick as thieves those two. Those two scared him, both were younger compared to the other members of sky marshals, in their mid forties but they were some of the most extreme elements in the upper echelons.
Enolo had a tendency to phrase the war against the bugs as if it was some god give crusade of rightness. Her reference to holy war and the things that came out of her propaganda office made him wonder if they could survive the war without losing freedom to believe whatever you want. She was a good commander, and had led them to victory in the west several times, but he really doubted god gave a damn about the bugs. Her increasing non secularized behaviour was becoming a growing concern for the Federation Council, and the next round of promotions and demotions may see her being kicked down stairs where she can't cause harm with her religious speak. The last thing they needed was a real crusade. Those never end well. However if the victory on Klendathu was true she would escape this round.
Richard Riverfield was less religious nut job that was good at his job and more ruthless territorial imperialist who thought he lived in the age of empires. He had steadily forced the unaligned colonies and skinnie worlds in the south under the Terran banner and it had not been a problem until recently, the Skinnie counter attack that had come last month was just one sign, manpower and equipment were stretched out dangerously in that region, almost to the breaking point. Military Intelligence was reporting a rise in, "Civilian Militias" in that region, and the last time that happen, the North had rebelled under The Sprange Rebellion. So far Riverfield had kept his job, but Sanchez wondered how long that would last when the powder keg he had made went off. The skinnies hated Terrans, the unofficial colonies hated Skinnies and the Federation, it was a recipe for disaster worse than the Austro-Hungarian empire in the first World War, with the independent worlds acting as the Balkans, and Richard as Conrad Von Hotzendorf.
It was made worse by the SICON Internal Resources Diplomats in the region literally yelling at SICON to do something about this entire mess. Anternus had been kept from open revolt by the barest threads of diplomatic ingenuity, and when the troops came on the ground the Diplomat was LEADING the protest march. No violence came of it, but it was still quite the mess with the protests happening daily.
"Morning Richard, Enolo" Sanchez greeted not betraying how he felt about the two.
"Morning Ronald, how's the quiet front?" Richard asked politely, taking a seat and adjusting it to his comfort.
"Oh not as quiet as I would have liked, some of your skinnies found there way to Shanxi and caused a fair bit of trouble to the tune of 15% missing colonists and 50% military casualties. Damn fine mess, if it wasn't for quick thinking and a Roger Young full of luck, Shanxi would have been lost to us forever."
"Damn, better than me at least, one world hit. I lost six planets last month and barely managed to retake four of them before they were looted, the other two were completely devastated by the time they were recaptured. Thankfully a few of my recon piquettes tracked them to their world of origin."
'Did he just insinuate that the loss of life on Shanxi was nothing?' That ticked off Ronald so he jabbed back conservatively.
"Ah well it's good to hear that you are doing your job at containing the Skinnie threat. But what about the Back Cross? Any leads on those damn traitors?" 'two can insinuate.' Sanchez thought as he watched Richard cough into his fist to buy time to regain his bearings.
The incompetent buffoon was responsible for tracking down the rebel mutineer group called the Black Cross. They had begun to pop up into existence a few decades before he took command, but he had promised to bring them in at the first meeting. Years ago. He had not, and the small fleet he had sent to deal with them had been defeated and pressed into service under the Black Cross, giving them more power on the fringes of the southern region. Someone was funding them for sure, Military Intelligence didn't know who that someone was, and that worried a lot of people.
"They've gone into one of there hiding cycles againm I'll get them next time." Richard replied, his knuckles white.
Sanchez contemplated baiting Richard for an outburst but decided against it. He'd push the fool long enough. And he didn't need an imperialistic outburst, or the silent treatment among them both. The last thing the Federation needed was two bickering Sky Marshalls.
"Or they will come back with a few more ships again, and make the fleet look like fools, once more." Sky Marshal Marshall Hathaway, commander in the North announced his arrival by hitting the floor with his black cane. He was the oldest member of the sky marshals, nearing his eightieth birthday, but he was also the most wise of their group, he was the one who kept pushing for the diplomatic core funding when the other younger sky marshals wanted to send the funding elsewhere. And it was his patronizing of the diplomats that had gotten him the position in the north, when his idiot predecessor, Sky Marshal Keats, had his head explode under Coven mental assault.
Walking with the faintness of limps, Hathaway moved over to his seat and took it, "Besides we really shouldn't worry about the White Cross, they do good on that frontier saving colonies from skinnie raids that we are not able to help, sure they ask for payment, but what else are they going to do? Steal the supplies to survive? It's either be the hero for hire or raider no different than the skinnies, I'd rather be the hero for hire." Hathaway was also one of the more outspoken member in favor of the mutineers, even going so far to refer to them by their pre munity name.
"If that was all they were doing you may have a point Sky Marshal, however they do loot the planets that did not pay after the skinnies leave." Everyone one shot to there feet as Sky Marshal In Chief Tehat Meru entered the room along with the leader of the Federation, Governor Prime Nazir Hai Neshat. Tehat Meru was in her fifties like Sanchez and had taken power right after the disaster of the First Klendathu invasion. In those dark days many thought they wouldn't be able to pull out of the death spiral they had seemed to be in, but she had pushed for younger commanders who had gotten their start fighting the bugs like herself and the hero Juan Rico to take prominent roles in fights against the bugs, and her methods had been successful and had managed to start bringing victories again.
Unfortunately Enolo Phid, and Richard Riverfield were her choices for sky marshals. Alright Sanchez had to admit, it wasn't all her fault, the Governors on the Federation Council had voted for the little bastards after all, "At ease we have a long meeting ahead of us so cut the ceremonious crap."
Everyone nodded as they took their seats again, Nazir Hai Nesha, the Federation council's elected leader took his seat at the head of the table while Tehat Meru took the other side. Nazir was in his sixties and was a more hands off Governor Prime letting the Governor's govern and the military fight, but the fact was things were simple, they fight or go extinct, so Ronald wondered what he would do with the news they had finally made peaceful contact, "Well Sky Marshals is there anything to report?" Nazir asked looking at Phid with a look of hope and weariness.
Phid stood and with a smile, "Governor Prime, Sky Marshal in Chief, I have the pleasure to report Klendathu was rendered into a new asteroid field, by use of one Nova bomb the Federation council approved. We have now begun mining operations and combat exercises to ensure no bug lives, and to defile their homeworld's obliterated corpse. The Mobile Infantry had confirmed kills on all queens under the surface beforehand. I'm also proud to announce the Galactic Web Theory may have been proven correct, as the last queen was killed, reports from the worlds on our western frontier came in about arachnid forces retreating back to their space or away from our forces. The bugs know they have been beaten and are try to escape are holy fury-"
"Or the bugs are in disorder and pulling a Russia to buy time and regroup." Ronald said pointing out the other option and stopping her fanaticism bullshit before they were covered in it. "We have no idea how far their space goes, we would be like Napoleon or Hitler, except at least they knew they would eventually reach the Pacific. We have no such comfort."
"Um... Yes that is an option." Phid seemed to have some wind pulled out of her sails, good it may teach her something, "But either way that gives us breathing room to regroup, rearm and launch an attack to chase them-"
"No." This time it was Tehat Meru who cut Phid off, "That would be a repeat of the Road to Victory campaign and I will remind you that ended in the disastrously planned and executed First Klendathu invasion, I may have authorised the second thanks to that alien tech Riverfield found, and it gave us the element of surprise, something we won't have for long. Besides that, I'm sure the bugs are already cooking up a surprise for us, and they want us to charge right into their maws. No, I won't allow it. We will continue with the slow push into their territory, carefully picking our battles and making sure we can maintain a prolonged war before we get involved in a headlong rush. Besides there is hardly any need to rush our advance much more, if you are right, then they have been severely crippled, permanently so."
Phid took her seat then added, "I have one more thing to report; during the assault, there were a great many reports of a new kind of bug named 'Soldier Bugs' by several Klendathu Veterans, survivors that were found on Klendathu, this bug was using some form of machine pistol as well as the typical claws, and wiped out half an experimental Power Armor Platoon by surprise. Thankfully most other reports afterward said they fared poorly against an entrenched position or our prepared soldiers. However they are much more intelligent than the typical bug rush the normal Tigers often do, and if they get weapons more advanced than those pistols we could be facing a much more dangerous foe."
There was stunned silence that permeated the room, it was only broken by Hathaway's musing, "We have the maxim machine gun, and now so do they, this war just got a lot harder if they are trying to use our own tech now."
"Bugs with guns... what next peaceful contact?" Riverfield said shaking his head, however the Sky Marshal In Chief stifled a laugh and Ronald knew why, he had given her a copy of the report already.
"Well this changed nothing, really if the bugs are upgrading we will simply have to as well, and we will win in a war of tech with our head start. However procedures for technology denial will need to be emplaced." Tehat Meru said before turning to Riverfield, "Sky Marshal I have heard the skinnie have begun a full war in the south, and a fleet even slipped to the East, is this true?"
"Yes Sky Marshal, we are holding for now, but we could use more asset in the south." Riverfield didn't even bother to get up from his seat, when he addressed her.
"You will have them, we have gained some much needed breathing room with the bugs so in time we will put the conflict with the skinnies to an end. Though not all of the force may be coming from Federation." Riverfield seemed both happy and confused by her comments.
"Ronald would you like to tell everyone here about what happen at Shanxi?" Tehat Meru ordered as she looked at him.
"Yes commander." He said taking to his feet, deciding to keep things simple, "Richard, prepare to eat your words. We have peaceful contact with a coalition of species who use the alien tech Riverfield found and the Skinnies have made war with them, as a result we are allies against the Skinnies."
He then went into greater detail but it didn't matter, most of the people in the room were in too much shock to ask questions, by the time he was done giving his report the only ones who weren't wide eyed and dumbfounded was Neshat and Meru.
"About damn time!" Neshat said jumping to his feet walking over to Ronald and hugging him, Ronald was now dumbfounded as Neshat turned to the others in the room, "This great day, we are no longer alone in our struggles against the cruelties of universe." Technically they had the Skinnies, Ronald thought, but he thought better of that as they were more like mercenaries anyways. "A peaceful contact is a miracle in this time of war, but to also set the groundwork for a long term relationship gives us options we have never had before. Sky Marshal Sanchez you have no enemies on your front so you and your staff have one job: keep the Citadel Council happy, do not put the Federation at risk and keep Earth and her colonies locations secret but keep them on good terms with them."
"But what about the fact they want us to join the Citadel as some kind sub state?" Riverfield asked.
"Bah, never going to happen, we are their equals and they will have to accept that. Our representative has already made that abundantly clear." Neshat said with a wide smile. "The only way we would ever join them is if hell froze over."
~[==|==]~
To be continued.
~[==|==]~
writer note
inspirations or simply name dropping for the sky marshals you decide.
Sky Marshal In Chief Tehat Meru: first movie
East Sky Marshal Ronald Lee Sanchez: CGI show
West Sky Marshal Enolo Phid:Third movie
North Sky Marshal Marshall Hathaway: Anime
South Sky Marshal Richard Riverfield: CGI Movie