Chapter 3
A/N: This chapter and the next will end this arc, and we'll fast forward some years to my take on the events of the series, and eventually the BDM.
June 2506 – Parliament Buildings – Londinium
Michael Gilchrist looked over the other 11 men and women seated around the fine mahogany table. Twelve men and women – the elite of the Alliance, the real movers and shakers. Some were well known politicians of The Parliament and businessmen and women of the mega corporations, Blue Sun being the largest of course, others from the military and intelligence areas were far less known and that's how they liked it.
This was where the real power of The Alliance was wielded. These were the key members of the Alliance Elite. The minds behind every military, economic, diplomatic and covert operation in the 'Verse.
The called themselves Majestic 12. A carry over from the same organization on Earth That Was, they had met to discuss the Miranda situation.
Gilchrist appeared supremely confident, but in reality he was a troubled man. He wanted to unify all the planets and moons containing the 40+ billion people of the 'Verse under the banner of The Alliance. This would give him almost unimaginable levels of wealth and power, and his name would forever be remembered as the founder of the new Greater Union of Allied Planets.
The Pax was to be the key to a rapid and peaceful expansion of The Alliance. Not that Gilchrist was adverse to violence to get what he wanted, far from it, violence was a necessary evil. His personal motto was Wu Du Bu Juhn Fu after all. Violence was efficient at low levels, but at the highest level that meant war, and that was a gamble. In war, even if you won, you often lost.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began, "thank you for coming. We have an important matter to discuss today." The lights in the room dimmed as a wall screen came to life. "Miranda….."
The meeting lasted hours and the discussion was robust. On one side, Gilchrist and his supporters wanted to continue research into The Pax, the other, more numerous side, wanted the whole episode buried - period. If what happened at Miranda became public knowledge, the ramifications could even destroy the careers of those of Majestic 12.
So it was decided. Miranda was deemed un-terraformable and removed from all official Cortex sites and navigational charts. Effectively all traces of the failed colony were to be eliminated. They were fortunate – the colonists were hand-picked, and part of that process was a non disclosure agreement to any remaining family and friends.
Miranda was to be a showcase of what The Alliance could do for all. It was to be built up to the level of a Core World on The Rim. Once that task was completed it would be revealed to all the people of the 'Verse. Surely they would all then willingly join The Alliance, wouldn't they?
So that took care of the colonists.
Well, most of them, anyway. Those that had apparently gone insane, what of them? Surely those one tenth of one percent would have eliminated each other by now? And there was no way they were getting off world, and with the Burnham Sector officially quarantined no one was going to be able to go there.
The only people who knew of The Pax, and of what that did to the inhabitants of Miranda, and who weren't laying dead on said planet were the scientists that developed The Pax, the survivors of the survey ship, C57D – and the SEAL Team sent to rescue them.
Doctor Heinrich Mengele, Head of Alliance Medical, spoke. "The scientists who developed The Pax are true Alliance supporters, patriots, but they know they have failed. They know what that means. I have them secluded in a secure Alliance medical facility. They'll be mind wiped…"
Gilchrist was not convinced. "Herr Mengele, that process is not entirely foolproof. What if some memories are recovered?"
"Do not worry, the process was, I'm sorry, will be unsuccessfully performed, the scientists will unfortunately die during the procedure."
That's unfortunate, but necessary, Gilchrist thought. "What of their families?"
Herr Doktor Mengele shrugged. "They worked in a self contained high security facility, not really conducive to a happy family life. Many were single, or paired with others in the project, those few that had families, well, accidents can happen in life, no?"
"OK," Gilchrist continued, "what about the crew of that survey ship?"
"There were only two recovered alive from Miranda, unfortunately they died of wounds received on the planet." General Josef Chang, Head of the Alliance Army, smoothly lied.
Pleased, Gilchrist thought the whole thing was wrapping up nicely. "And those soldiers?"
General Chang shook his head, "Not soldiers, Alliance Navy SEALS, I have an idea of what to do with them." Chang smiled, it was not a pleasant look.
One Week Later, SEAL HQ, New Melbourne, Red Sun System
The border world of New Melbourne was perfect for the SEAL HQ. Known throughout the 'Verse for the finest caviar to be had anywhere, it also had plenty of secure areas where Navy training, both wet and space, could be performed in secrecy.
Captain Ryan Dunne was head of all SEAL Teams, and today was one confused man. General Chang was here, requesting an immediate meeting with Lieutenant Curran and his Team, apparently an urgent and ultra top secret mission was in the offing.
Unlike most of the SEAL community, who often hailed from Border and Rim Worlds, Dunne was Core bred, through and through. Still, that meant nothing, he loved his men, and they in return respected him immensely.
Jay and his Team were restin' in their racks, after hard days R&R. New Melbourne was not only known for its caviar, it was a great place to be a single sailor. He smiled as he remembered his girlfriend, Claire Varrens. Rememberin' the day he had just had with the petite, brown haired beauty with the big eyes made him smile. She was a powerful pretty girl with the body of a dancer. A keeper.
His personal Cortex suddenly beeped, Jay turned and activated the unit. "Jay." Captain Dunne nodded. "Gather your Team and head to Briefing Room 2 ASAP."
"Aye Sir" Jay immediately responded as Captain Dunne signed off. But he was worried. Since when does Captain Dunne call for briefin's? That's what aides are for. What's up? Tyen shiao duh.
Walkin' from his private room to the Team's common room, he found everybody except Hawkins sittin' around playin' Tall Card. Everyone seemed happy, Miranda was weeks ago and the Team looked like they was gettin' their mojo back. "Where's Hawkins?"
"Here Boss." Dale smiled as he walked into the room.
"Great." Jay smiled back. "Ok, guys, Big Boss wants us, like now. Drop that go se and let's mosey on over."
It wasn't far to the briefing room, and they all wondered what in the ruttin' hell was goin' on. The Team's mood darkened.
"Jay, whatcha reckon?" Billy asked.
"No worries Billy, I reckon we's just been invited for tea and medals!"
That broke the somber mood somewhat, and it was a happier Team that entered the sound proofed briefing room. And their mood brightened further when they found their old friends from the Fenris "X-Ray" already seated.
Greetings were exchanged before Captain Dunne called them to attention. "Men, we've got a visitor, a VIP whom you'll all recognize. I haven't been informed of the purpose of his visit, we'll find out together shortly."
On cue, General Chang, also sans aides, entered the room. All in the room immediately stood up to attention.
Well well, Jay thought, here's a Da Chung Wu Dahn if I ever saw one.
"Gentlemen, be seated." Chang ordered. "I am here personally to order you on a mission of extreme importance to the Alliance." He continued as a wallscreen activated and pictures of various people, children included, scrolled through.
A rescue mission thought Jay. Yep, that's right up our alley.
"These people are traitors to the Alliance and are to be eliminated." Chang concluded, as the atmosphere in the briefing room dropped beyond zero.
'WHAT SIR?" Jay yelled.
"Wuo Jai Jeong Yi Chi'" Change stated, "these are enemies of The Alliance and they are to be terminated, with extreme prejudice."
Wuh De Ma Jay thought, he's serious. "General, we're a rescue team…..not assassins."
General Chang was not perturbed. "You're Team is an asset, if necessary an expendable asset, and I will use you to get the job done, dong ma?"
"My men ain't expendable…..and we don't do this kinda ruttin' work." Jay said to unanimous agreement of his Team and those of the Fenris as he turned to leave the room, all the men followin'.
"Gentlemen wait!" Captain Dunne ordered, "I'm sure this is a misunderstanding." He turned to General Change expecting this to be confirmed, hoping for it to be confirmed, but General Chang remained silent. This told him all he needed to know about the General's intentions. "General, I cannot condone this! I will contact Admiral .."
"So you refuse also, Captain?" asked a far too calm Chang.
"Yes Sir, I do!"
"If you all refuse this mission, you will be dismissed from the Navy!" Chang declared. My plan is proceeding nicely he thought.
Unbelievable! Jay thought. Who does this Mei Yong Ma Duh Tse Gu Yong think he is. Ok, Head of the Alliance Military, but…..
They all refused, to a man, from Captain Dunne down to Seaman Ramos. Jay was powerful proud all of his men, and the crew of the Fenris, and especially Captain Dunne who had more to lose than all of the rest of the men.
Excellent! Chang thought. I have their refusals on vid capture, I have stated the consequences of their refusals, and this I will use this to officially get them out of the Navy! But that's for later.
Leaving the men stunned, General Chang left the room. Time for Phase Two of my plan he thought as he ordered his now present aides to lock all of the doors, bar one.
Jay was livid, and intended to confront the General. He slipped out of the room, luckily going through the only unlocked door. He ran out of the buildin' in pursuit of General Chang, who entered his skiff and flew off without lookin' back – luckily for Jay.
Chang meanwhile, thought of what was to happen in the briefing room. What to do with the military who had seen Miranda's fall was tricky, but the head of the Blue Sun Corporation had the perfect solution. Chang smiled, yes perfect!
Meanwhile in the briefing room the perfect solution entered. Two men dressed in suits entered. Average looking, with average builds, one with dark hair and one with light. Their only distinguishing feature seemed to be the blue gloves they both wore.
They room was in Tian Fan Di Fu as the men argues amongst themselves, struggling with what they had been asked to do and trying to see where they should go from here. Captain Dunne was trying, valiantly, to calm them and was failing.
In the confusion, no one had noticed the two men enter the darkened room.
The one with the light hair produced a small device from his suit pocket, and pressed a button which extended the device with a blue antenna at each end. Soon, a sound of piercing sonic frequency could be heard, and this immediately silenced the arguing men.
The sound had finally brought the attention of the two newcomers to the assembled military men, but as the sound continued their noses started to bleed as the men began to scream. In a matter of seconds blood started to flow through their eyes, their ears, and out of their mouths, choking them in their own blood. Before they had a chance to act, some of the toughest and most experienced military men in the 'Verse lay dead on the floor of the briefing room, murdered by two non descript men with blue gloves. General Chang's phase two was complete.
Headin' back to the briefing room, Jay had heard the screamin' even though the briefing room was supposed to be sound proof – the screamin' was so loud. Wuh de tyen ah he thought, what in the gorram hell could be goin' on?
Trying the door he had exited earlier, Jay found it now locked. Da Shiong La Se La Ch'Wohn Tian! Well there's more than one way to get into that room. Jay ran to the plant room and quickly climbed into the ventilation shaft. Silently he made his way to the briefin' room grate, lookin' through the sight that greeted him made him almost hurl. "Wo Bu Shin Wo Dah Yan Jing.." he murmured as the two blue hands came into view.
As a man of action, Jay would mourn later. First, there was ass kickin' to be done. I'm gonna gut these Ung Jeong Jia Ching Jien Soh Jay promised. Throwing the grate open it knocked in to the head of the light haired blue hand, bowlin' him over. That saved Jay's life as the blue hand's sonic device went flyin'. Holdin' on to the ventilation shaft Jay kicked the dark haired blue hand as hard as he could in the face as he turned to see what the commotion was.
The blue hands were down but not out, and Jay had vowed to end them for what they had done to his men, his friends! Jay jumped down from the shaft and ran into the next section of the room, lockin' the door as best he could whilst he thought on his next move.
Light haired blue hand had, in the meantime, retrieved his sonic weapon. It was broken, useless. Testing the door and finding it locked, the blue hands pulled out automatic pistols and blew the lock open.
They came out of the room, two by two, searching for Jay. They knew he was dangerous, but so were they. They went to corridors on opposite sides of the room, hoping to trap the Alliance Navy SEAL Team Leader.
As the light haired blue hand came around the corner, Jay threw his Bowie knife at the man, hitting him in the neck. He dropped to the floor clutching the knife – he was dead in seconds.
Now weaponless, Jay waited for the dark haired blue hand to round the corner. As he passed, Jay jumped up and grappled with the man, tryin' to get his pistol from him. The blue hand dropped his pistol and Jay was unable to see where it landed in the dim light. Still holdin' the blue hand, he threw him over the nearest table. As he landed on the floor Jay advanced, plannin' to end him the old fashioned way, hand to hand.
Dark haired blue hand was fast, and he had found his pistol. He leapt up aimin' to shoot Jay dead, Jay was just as fast and he grabbed the blue hands wrist as he shot his pistol once, twice, just missin' Jay's head.
Jay broke the blue hands wrist and the pistol went flyin', as did the blue hand as Jay threw him into a couple of filin' cabinets. Seeming to feel no pain, the blue hand leapt up and grabbed Jay around the throat with one hand while pullin' a knife from…somewhere, with his other.
"Go Hwong Tong!" yelled Jay as he pushed the blue hand onto a desk, pushing down on his throat with one arm whilst keeping the blue hands knife away from his own throat with the other. Although the blue hand freak appeared well trained and seemed to feel no pain, and was stronger than he looked, Jay was equally well trained and much bigger. He pushed down, hard, once, twice, three times onto the blue hands throat, and was finally rewarded with the sound of his neck breakin'. Jay dropped the blue hand, who was wearin' a surprised look on his face, to the ground heavily.
"Wo Cao." Jay cried, he knew a cleanup operation when he saw one. I knew that Miranda job stank, and now his Team had paid the ultimate price for it. He had to get out, fast, before he was spotted. Hell, even his own side mighta thunk he was the one that had gone feng le and killed everyone.
"I am so humped." he sighed.
Chinese:
Wu Du Bu Juhn Fu "a person without poison is not a great man"
Tyen shiao duh Heaven knows what
go se Crap
Da Chung Wu Dahn Impressive display but no substance
Wuo Jai Jeong Yi Chi' Let me repeat myself
Wuh De Ma Mother of God
dong ma? Understand?
Mei Yong Ma Duh Tse Gu Yong Motherless goat of all motherless goats
Tian Fan Di Fu Complete disarray
Wuh de tyen ah Dear God in Heaven
Da Shiong La Se La Ch'Wohn Tian! Explosive diaherrea of an elephant!
Wo Bu Shin Wo Dah Yan Jing I don't believe my eyes
Ung Jeong Jia Ching Jien Soh Filthy fornicators of livestock
Go Hwong Tong Enough of this nonsense
Wo Cao I'm screwed
feng le Crazy