Tennokiken Voyagers: Twenty-one
The officers stationed around Drydock's bridge tensed as they faced the newcomers, hands inching towards weapons. "I really wouldn't do that," Rio said coldly as she hefted her pistols, "after everything that's happened I'm itching to shoot."
"Besides," Kelly Miles continued as the captain looked across the bridge at Yui Ikari, "this is your last, best chance to end this before things get worse."
"Ma'am?" Rei Ayanami asked, her cool red eyes narrowed just a bit as the blue haired woman studied her foes.
Yui Ikari nodded slightly, "All right, then." She rose from her seat as the brown haired governor continued calmly, "My briefing room?"
"Let's go," Kelly agreed.
"Alone," Yui said grimly.
"Ma'am, we...," Dan started to protest.
Kelly gestured him to silence as she studied Yui for a moment. "All right," she agreed before looking back at her team. "Isis, ready our back up plan."
"All ready prepared," Isis reassured her, the artificial woman smiling slightly.
As Kelly and Ikari went into the side room Rio swept the group with a dangerous smile, "Well, what should we do while we're waiting? Truth or dare?"
Maya Ibuki narrowed her eyes as the brown haired boyish woman studied them. "My escape," she sighed, "it was a fake?"
"Yeah," Dan didn't see any reason to lie, "we had no reason to hold you any more, so...."
Colonel Brendan O'Rourke shook his head ruefully even as he edged towards the doorway. "How could you consider using a ship in such a kamikaze run?" he asked coldly.
"Ah ah," Isis warned as she waved her gun at him, "sit still, please. No one wants anyone hurt, at least not right now."
The briefing room by the bridge was small, a large table set beside monitors showing the star scape outside. It gave a illusion of nearness to the stars yet was also safe from attack, or at least that was the theory.
"So, Yui took the head of the table in a reflexive control of powerful cues, "what shall we talk about?"
Kelly took her pistol and put it in the holster at her side. Noting Yui's surprised reaction she smiled slightly, "No, I'm not going to kill you." Her expression became more serious, "Not that I'm not tempted, but that wouldn't end this rebellion. At best it might slow it down, at worst make you a martyr."
"So, what are we dealing with here?" Yui asked.
"The other hand I can play," Kelly answered, "destroying this station and taking you, your carefully chosen command team and all the innocents on board with us."
"You can't be serious?" Yui looked at her, aghast.
"Try me," Kelly smiled coldly.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Ai wrenched the ship into a turn that made the inertial compensators loudly whine in protest, alarms wailing on the bridge. "Enemy at twelve o'clock relative!" she yelped as they swept through a gap in ships that had been blasted open by the Revenge.
Eiko jabbed the firing studs and launched missiles, the glowing projectiles crossing space in less than a tenth of a second. The target detonated in a flare of light, dispersing into a cloud of debris as she cried, "Yes!"
Lucille held onto the command chair for dear life, silently cursing their captain for leaving her in charge. "Good job," she agreed as she bared her teeth in a fierce expression and added, "now do it again."
"We're being hailed by the Revenge," Yuki said, the dark brown haired communications assistant holding on to her station with a white knuckled grip.
"Put her on," Lucille said seriously.
"How are you holding up?" Siobhan Ward asked them, her coppery colored hair flowing around her shoulders. Her cybernetics gleamed as she sat back in the captain's seat on her ship's smaller bridge. There was a bit of smoke lingering in the air from a burning console, the fire now extinguished but leaving a charred wreck behind.
"Better than I expected," Lucille answered as they danced between enemy fire, some of the shots bleeding of their ship's shielding. "I see you took a hit, too," she noted.
"They aren't attacking a furiously as I expected," Shane Llewellyn noted, the older pilot smiling grimly as he maneuvered the bulky older ship. He had a bit of ash on his face, the old navigation console being the one that burst into flames.
"Furious enough," Victoria Donovan said seriously, using the data link all three were maintaining to get a word in. "Do you think they know our team is there?"
"Maybe," Siobhan smiled grimly, "or they're not receiving from their command, at least. Either way, it's an advantage I'll take."
"True," Fatora murmured her agreement from her place on Donovan's bridge. "Too bad we don't dare use data-link...." she sighed.
"I don't want to encourage anyone else to use it against us," Lucille said dryly. She winced as the ship was rocked by a near miss, "Oww."
"Sorry," Ai scowled, "they're still trying to beat our anti-missiles with heavy fire."
"I'll try to make it harder on them," Eiko smiled grimly as she fired their weapons, "pin their ears back a bit."
"I hope that Miles gets her nission done soon," Ifurita noted coolly as she used Donovan's ship to destroy yet another vessel, "the odds of our surviving drop the longer this drags on."
"We'll hold," Lucille said firmly, "as long as it takes."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Yui Ikari weighed the seriousness in Kelly's eyes, trying to determine if she really meant her threat. They younger woman's eyes were clear and steady, showing no kind of hesitation. 'And she and her crews came up with ramming a ship into our defenses, killing I don't know how many people...,' she thought grimly.
Kelly looked at her with a mix of revulsion and sympathy. On one hand this was the woman who had probably orchestrated the deaths of countless colonies and settlements to build up hatred towards the central government of the Commonwealth, yet she was also a charismatic leader who had rallied two whole sectors to her side and immense numbers of ships.
"What, exactly, do you want?" Yui Ikari asked after a moment.
"In a perfect world I'd like to haul you, O'Rourke and your whole command staff off in chains," Kelly answered frankly, "but I know I cant get that."
"Hmm," Yui acknowledged with a slight nod.
"But the colonists killed by the raiders deserve some kind of justice," Kelly said seriously, "I want their commander."
"I...," Yui sighed, "it's not that easy."
Suddenly Kelly moved, going to the door to the compartment and sticking her head out into the bridge. "Colonel O'Rourke," she called, "could you disarm and come in here?"
"Captain, may I join you?" Isis asked.
"I don't object," Brendan O'Rourke said as he and Isis walked into the room.
Yui frowned at Kelly, "You shouldn't have...."
Brendan walked over to Yui's side, then looked back at Miles thoughtfully. "I think I can guess why I'm here," he said quietly, "Miles wants me and the commanders of the Raiders to face trial in the Commonwealth."
"I think it's the least I can offer to all those who died," Kelly answered seriously.
"I won't...," Yui started, angrily.
"It's a good deal, Yui," Brendan shook his head, his eyes haunted by memory. He looked at her sadly, "We both knew this day would have to come eventually... we had to pay the piper somehow."
"They'll put you in front of a firing squad and shoot you," Yui protested.
"And maybe that's what I deserve," Brendan answered seriously. He looked over at Kelly, "My surrender and my chiefs along with safe passage out, I expect?"
"Yes," Kelly agreed, "in return, I won't destroy Drydock and I'll hold off broadcasting the details of your running the Raiders, Ikari."
"You can't prove that," Yui looked startled.
Kelly smiled grimly, "I can't connect you directly, but I think anyone who reads the files we crack will put the pieces together."
Yui pressed her lips together, for a moment considering trying to kill Kelly and her people anyway. Brenden shook his head slightly and Yui relaxed, knowing he was probably right. "All right," she said, sounding as if she hated the words coming out of her mouth, "we have a agreement."
"Good," Kelly nodded, "now lets call off our ships before anyone else dies."
To be continued....
Tennokiken Voyagers: Twenty-two
Final
Three years later Vice-Admiral Kelly Miles frowned as her flagship the Venture and it's squadron made it's way to the demilitarized zone that separated the Commonwealth from what was now called the Free Worlds. The green eyes blonde nervously adjusted her dress uniform, wishing she wasn't wearing the monkey suit.
"Captain Kain," Ai reported from her station at the helm, "we're being scanned."
On the viewscreen, vessels of the Free Worlds resolved into view, moving in wings around a flagship of their own. FWS Defiant, one of the first newly constructed ships the other side had led the wall, followed by cruisers that once would have served as part of the powerful Frontier Fleet.
"We're getting a hail from the FWS Defiant," Ayeka Jurai reported, the purple haired woman listening, "the diplomatic team is ready to meet as planned."
Captain Jesse Kain nodded slightly in acknowledgement. Turning to the science officer she said, "Scan the planetoid for enviromental hazzards as well as any traps."
Tenchi Misaki nodded as the black haired young man brought the sensors on line. "Scanning the planet now," he reported.
Kelly made her way from where she had been watching from the back of the bridge, standing beside her captain. "Getting a little paranoid?" she asked quietly.
Jesse smiled grimly, "After three years of fighting, I'm taking no chances."
"True," Kelly conceded.
Shortly after the arrest of Colonel O'Rourke the Commonwealth refused to recognize Yui Ikari's attempt to form a government, declaring war upon the rogue sectors. Sadly the decleration played right into Ikari's hands and the canny ex-governor used it to rally support to her side. Despite all the damage the Venture had succeeded in doing the FW Fleet they fielded a startling number of ships in the new nation's defense. What the Commonwealth had expected to be a fast police action dragged on for years, ultimately leading them to where they were now.
"I still can't believe we're actually negotiating with them," Jesse sighed as she warily studied the ships before them.
"No choice," Kelly shrugged slightly, "the war's stalemated. We can keep grinding against each other, but unless Siobhan Ward, Isis and her teams at R&D come up with something radical the war will never end."
"Scans completed," Tenchi reported, "the site checks out as Earth standard and I see no sign of traps or concealed forces."
"Understood," Jessie nodded. She walked to the command chair, "Vice Admiral,. I still think we should send down a security team with you and the diplomats."
"We have to extend trust somewhere," Kelly said mildly.
Jesse grimaced but nodded, "Yes ma'am."
Excusing herself from the still very familiar bridge Kelly headed for the lift and down to where the diplomatic team was waiting to go. Some negotiations had already begun via courier ships and lower level ambassadors, but now they were getting ready for the first face to face meetings. A low murmur of conversation buzzed in the meeting room as Kelly entered, only dropping a bit as she entered.
"Shane," Kelly nodded a greeting to a tall man, his brown hair tied back in a neat ponytail, a silver clip holding it in place.
Shane Llewellyn had started out as a ship's navigator, but unlike most Fleet officers he saw little point to the war. Instead of signing on he went to work for the government, helping address the damage the raiders had done in the outer reaches of Commonwealth territory. Ironically he became well enough known to be tapped for this mission he honestly had never planned to be on.
"Miles," Shane smiled back wryly, "how did I get into this situation again?"
"Being good at your job," Kelly chuckled. Dropping her voice she asked, "How's the lead negotiator doing?"
"I'm sure Dr. Tenkawa has the situation well in hand," Shane reassured her.
"Damn it!" Akito Tenkawa blurted, "I'm just a freaking cook!"
"Right," Kelly sweatdropped.
"He gets like that before negotiations," Shane confided, "don't worry, once he's on the job everything will be fine."
"Will we need a pilot for the shuttle down," Kelly smiled impishly, "or will you be flying us down?"
Shane chuckled, "I'm a bit rusty, you know."
"Somehow, I doubt that," Kelly said as she moved off to mingle with the rest of the diplomats. Thankfully they seemed quite capable and the eccentricities of their leader were quite forgivable once Kelly saw how charming he could be. He was a bit odd, but he seemed pretty good at his job.
"It's time, folks," Jesse announced over the intercom, sending the diplomatic team hurrying to the shuttlebay. Within a few minutes they boarded the transport, a air/space shuttle with collapsable wings that would deploy once they entered the atmosphere.
"Strap yourselves in, folks," Shane ordered as he took the pilot's chair, a nervous officer taking co-pilot, "it may be a bumpy ride."
Contradicting his words Shane launched them from the bay smoothly, taking them through space then into the correct angle for atmospheric reentry. There was some turbulence as they made their way down to the ground, but overall it was a nice trip.
The meeting place was a series of temporary structures build by a tem of engineers from both sides, a hall along with several private rooms for smaller conferences. It lacked the majesty of a city hall or similar meetings place, but it looked like it would do the job.
As the diplomatic team filed out of the shuttle they saw the other team descending, their pilot bringing them down on the opposite side of the structure. Once the ground cooled both groups disembarked, walking towards one another and the waiting buildings.
Ritsuko Akagi nodded a greeting as she and her team from the Free Worlds reached Kelly and her team. "It's been a long time," the black haired woman said as she offered her hand.
"That it has," Kelly agreed as she shook her hand, "I hope we can continue our representative's good work in reaching this point."
"I do too," Ritsuko nodded.
Of course, negotiations were more complicated than that. Akito and the head of the Free Worlds delegation hammered at each other over concessions and territory, over laws in each region and repairations to be made. Still after several days and many trips back and forth between their ships, a rough agreement was made.
A formal territory for the Free Worlds was finally defined, as were it's relationship to the Commonwealth. Extradition treaties were established as well as finally opening formal diplomatic relations between the two regions.
Kelly Miles found herself standing in one of the ready rooms, looking out as the Free Worlds ships moved out, the planet turning below them. She looked over at Jesse, "This isn't how I hoped things would end."
"Oh, I think we did okay," Jesse said with a shrug. "Everyone on our side knows the dirty dealings Yui Ikari did to found the Free Worlds, and we successfully tried the leaders of her Raider fleet."
"But Ikari herself got away," Kelly sighed.
"For now," Jesse said with a smile, "but history will judge her in the end."
"Maybe," Kelly said with a wry smile. She looked over at Jesse, "But the victor writes the history books... and in the Free Worlds that's Yui."
"She'll pay for her crimes eventually," Jesse promised. She looked at Kelly with a pained look, "How's Sio doing?"
"Haven't been back to Earth in a bit?" Kelly gave her a sympathetic look, "They're still talking about getting married, but neither one can manage a schedule."
Jesse laughed, "That sounds like Sio."
"Dan made captain recently," Kelly dredged her memory, "though only of a light courier ship." She smiled, "He's still one of the best pilots in the fleet... even bumps his navigator off her console and takes over in emergencies."
"I can imagine," Jesse agreed. She gave Kelly a thoughtful look, "What about you?"
"What about me?" Kelly shrugged, "Being a captain then commodore has kept me on the movie. Maybe settling down as a admiral will help."
"So those rumors about you and Isis?" Jesse smirked.
Kelly blushed, "Get your mind out of the gutter, please."
Jesse just snickered softly. They looked out at the void together, Jesse's memories of the past few years lingering in her mind. "You know, I don't think we've done so bad," she repeated, reaching out to squeeze Kelly's shoulder.
"You're right," Kelly conceded, "and who knows what tomorrow will bring?"
"Exactly," Jesse nodded, both watching the planet fall away from them as the ship finally moved out. "You joining us for the party?" she asked.
"What the hell," Kelly laughed, "maybe Ayeka will get drunk and sing again...."
End.
Tennokiken Voyagers: Notes
If I was determined to continue this I'd insert a few chapters covering the war years, but I'm afraid it'd be a long, long storyline. I wanted to generate a resolution to the initial raiders plotline but I also wanted to be realistic about their chances of getting the enemy leader, too. Sorry for the half way end, folks.
Faster than light travel cannot be done in normal space, only in hyperspace. Conventional weapons don't function in hyperspace, battles always fought in normal space. No faster than light communication, courier ships carry messages from place to place. Certain points in space allow for easier access to hyperspace, so spacestations and bases are often constructed nearby them.
Medical technology quite advanced, alowing for regeneration of serious injuries. A small percentage, .01, is resistant to regen, must instead rely on other methods. Cybernetics available for such people, but regarded badly by society.
Warships use energy weapons along with gravimetric based missiles. Missile generate mini-black hole, very destructive when they detonate. Energy projection weapons, beams dissipate over long distances. Ships are capable of generating defensive shield, but it degrades as attacks hit it.
The Venture: a new generation of batttlecruiser. Crews 50, and equiped with latest upgrades of energy and missile weapons along with electronic counter measures. Some science and research capabilities, but primarily designed for combat. General shape resembles a teardrop, stretched out. Maximum speed in space is .95 the speed of light, in hyperspace several times that rate.
Captain Kelly Miles: Joined Military young, originally in the sciences. Involved with Isis project, but a serious incident derailed it. Switched to Command track, quickly advanced to captain. Has crossed Victoria Donavan in the past, so much so that the woman would happily sabotage her now.
Commander Rio: Second in comand of the Venture. Former professional mercenary, joined Fleet to try to turn over a new leaf. The tactical officer is fiercely loyal to Kelly after the woman promoted her over the objections of her superiors.
Lieutenant-Commander Jessica "Jessie" Kain: Chief Engineer, Jessie was trained by Siobhan Ward. Very skilled, knows her ship backwards and forwards. May or may not have had a crush on Siobhan, but hates Victoria Donovan with a passion over what happened to Sio.
Lieutenant Dan Wisner: Just been promoted, and is a little green. An excelent navigation officer and helmsman, he was specifically chosen by Kelly for this mission. A bit stiff and formal, but is slowly getting used to Kelly's more relaxed style.
Lieutenant Lucille Bevía: the ship's communications officer. Transfered aboard shortly after Jessie did, possibly because she was following her. A good officer, not outstanding.
Ensigns: Ai-relief officer on tactical, likes Dan. Eiko is relief for Navigation.
Siobhan Ward: Former chief engineer for Drydock until injured by a suspicious accident. As one of those resistant to regen, her injuries could have been fatal. Smuggled out of a Fleet hospital by two loyal officers she disappeared completely, not even revealing to Jessie what happened to her.
Isis: a prototype android who's design was primarily concieved by Kelly Miles. She thought there might be a flaw in the brain's design and urged a delay on activation, but her superior officer insisted on an easrly activation. Was awake a few days, bonding with Kelly especially, then a cascade failure occured in the brain. Isis was shut down, apparently dead.