The Sol Consortium
State of the Consortium
2121 – June 7th
Sol Orbital Station IV
Population 82346
Seat of Government: Sol Consortium Chairman Harry Potter
Naval High Command: Admiral Chief of Naval Operations Hermione Potter
He could see millions of stars as he stared out into the void of space. He tried to memorize the view as the plastisteel bulkhead changed color. The once clear bulkhead turned a deep bronze. This side of the station would be facing the sun shortly. He closed his eye's as the walls closing in on him. It was a hell of thing. To love living in space, and to be afraid of the confined space you lived in. Some how seeing the stars kept him calm. Sadly the massive station had to spin in place to generate enough gravity. He heard the climate controlled air conditioning systems kick in. Just as he felt the temperature in the room skyrocket up few degrees. He opened his eyes satisfied that his room was back in it's usual mess. He turned back to his work.
"Hi Dad." Rose called as she entered his quarters. He turned his head and looked at his only child. He looked her over. She hadn't changed much since he had seen her last. Hair like her mothers brown and bushy as ever. She had his green eye's hidden behind smart looking sunglasses. She looked health as ever, and it made him happy.
"Hey Rosebud." he said putting his work away.
Rose rolled her eye's at him calling her by her nick name. "Mother asked me to make sure you got some rest."
Harry raised an eyebrow as he pointed to the chair across from him. "When did I become her child instead of her husband." he said jokingly.
"I'd say around the time she started to outrank you." she teased taking the offered chair.
He gave her a playful pout. "True enough I guess." he grinned. "I hope your not only here on a fools errand for Hermione."
She smiled at her fathers antics. "No not only that. I was hoping we could talk about something more personal?"
He smiled gently. "My door is always open Rose." he said kindly.
She nodded turning away from him. She gazed at the pictures on her fathers bulkhead. When she was struck by a photo on the wall. She stood and made her way over to it slowly. She just looked at the framed picture for a moment. It was a picture of her and Alex during their wedding. She felt a hand on her shoulder she turned facing her father. She had never seen such remorse in her father eye's.
"I'm sorry that I missed that day." He said. His voice wavered as he felt a tumult of emotions weigh down on him. "Sorry that I let my hurt pride cause you so much pain." he said softly. He looked at his lovely daughter. Dressed in a plain, but stunning cream colored dress. Holding the hand of an equally lovely dark skinned woman. Alexandra wore an olive green dress. The dress fit her mocha complexion amazingly.
"Forgiving you was easy, but forgetting seams to take the longest time." she said smiling softly.
Harry laughed softly. "A little out of context, but message received none the less."
She pulled away from him turning to face he fully. "What if I said you could be there. Would you go?"
"I would move heaven and earth to be there." he answered honestly.
Rose smiled happily. "Alex and I are renewing our vows next spring. I would be honored if my parents where there.
Harry felt a weight lift off his chest. Only to be crushed by the heartache that filled that empty space. He sobbed as it washed over him. He felt his daughter wrap her arms around him. "I can see it you know? The shadow of hurt in your eyes. I see that photo everyday. It reminds me of how I hurt you it tortures me." he confessed.
Rose rubbed his back softly as he cried. She held him for a moment before he stilled and disengaged their embrace. He returned to his desk sitting heavily. "When you set a date for the renewal of your vows. I'll clear my calender to be there Rose I promise." he said honestly. He turned to look at her smiling face. Instantly he felt uplifted by it.
"You'll be the first one to know." She said happily. She came to stand beside him. He stood and hugged her again. She kissed his cheek before releasing him. "Would you like to have dinner with me and Alex."
Harry smiled. "I'll have to check my schedule, but I have several nights free." he said sitting down. He opened his console.
Rose gently closed the console before it fully opened."You need to rest, and I need to catch the next earthbound shuttle." she said as Harry gave her a amused look.
"Point taken we'll iron out the details later." he said softly.
She smiled and made her way toward the door. She stopped before turning to face him. "Goodnight Papa."
Harry gave her a gentle smile before she turned, and exited his quarters.
Open Space near the Enoch System – Same Day
CNV. Albany
Flagship of 1st Fleet
Task Force Blue Command and Control Vessel
Crew Complement 545
The Bridge
"Damage reports are in Admiral." Flight Captain Jason Samaranayake called from his station. " The enemy task force destroyed thirty-five percent of our task force. Another twenty percent report catastrophic damage."
Hermione looked at the data as it popped up on her command console.
"Mighty impressive considering they where outnumbered two to one." Commodore Albert Saville said from his place beside her.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "Impressive yes, surprising no. As long as I've known that man he has had an eye for strategy." she switched her console off before standing. "Set condition green. The war games are over for the day."
"As you say Admiral" Saville replied.
Hermione walked out of the bridge and onto deck one. She entered her office just a few steps away from the bridge. She rolled her neck hoping to loosen the sore muscles there. She sighed as she sat heavily in her chair. She brought up her console smiling when her friends face filled the screen.
"Yes Chief what can I do for you?" Vice Admiral Ron Lovegood asked from the small screen.
"You did well today Ron. I honestly don't know how you where able to destroy and disable so many of my ships." She said smiling warmly at her close friend.
"I'm not so sure. After all this is the first time we've run the blue verses red war game with the new battle cruisers." He said humbly.
Hermione smiled warmly. "Honestly the way the sloped armor deflected those shells. A stroke of genius if ever I saw one. I"ll make sure the sensor data we collected is sent to the engineers at the NHC."
Ron nodded "Is that all Chief? I hate to be rude, but I have a staff meeting to attend."
"Of course, I'll have my communications officer fill you in on the next stage tomorrow." She said as he nodded in acknowledgment ending the call.
She closed the console before reclining back in her chair to rest.
2121 – June 9th
Shuttle nearing Sol Orbital Station IV
"It was nice of your father to send a private shuttle." Alex said in a soft southern accent.
Rose looked up from her data pad. She smiled softly at the clearly nervous woman across from her. "Yes, I think its his way of saying sorry for postponing our dinner last week."
"I just don't..." Alex said before she was interrupted by a loud klaxon. "What is that?" she asked her voice raising in worry.
Rose was about to respond when her fathers voice broke out over the ships comm.
"This is Chairman Potter, at 0735 this morning the Calith Republic crossed the demilitarized zone and crossed the border in a raiding action. The small force attacked an Altmier-Consortium trade convoy in the Namaro system. The Calith Republic has refused all communications from this office. As such I have declared a limit war against their Republic."
Rose sat in her seat her eyes closed. Her stomach squirmed, and she felt light headed. She felt a Alex sit beside her when her data pad alerted her to an incoming message. She quickly accepted the incoming message and played it.
"I'm sorry Rose and Alex. I'm afraid that with the current situation I will be unreachable for the foreseeable future. I've ordered your shuttle back to Savannah, and I hope you'll both forgive me for delaying our meal once more."
Consortium Dockyards – Mars Orbit
2121 – June 10th
CNV. Bucharest
Flagship 2nd Fleet
Crew complement 545
Harry arrived in the shuttle bay of his flagship the Bucharest. The second fleet which he commanded had spent the last day reorganizing and rearming. He had spent the better part of the night in communications with the surrounding nation-states. The Togimora Confederation and the Klazoi Hive reaffirmed their non-aggression pacts. The Altmier Empire joined the Consortium's limited war pledging monetary support. So he was more than happy to see his second in command.
"Morning Commodore, have we received our duty assignment from naval high command?" he asked as he stepped into his office.
"Yes sir we are to patrol the border along the space trade lanes near Pi Canis." she replied following him into the office.
Harry sat down heavily on his chair. "I'll leave you to it Madeline. I'll be taking today off, and return to duty tomorrow."
"Yes sir." she replied before taking her leave.
Harry opened his console before resuming his governmental workload.