Hack  was  dumbfounded... his  face  went  from a  sneer  to  an amused  smile. First.. no... The  Void and Tomb are prizes they have been paid  for and allocated to  help  with Home defesne   for Aqra and Anzio..... Second...  you are the first Vampic that ever  pretended  to be ....less-then  Superior...

 ..yeah?.. shoulda  been her  an hour  ago.... Lippen   Mumbled. Hack turned    and gave her  a stare.. she lowered her  head  and  studied her boots.


 .. I can  cite. perhaps   3  times. My people have tried to get your people to surrender... the results  were not good.. I don't expect that to change anytime soon... so the shoot on sight stands... Until something  Happens.. that makes  me feel like the VAmpic  are nothing more the   Demons who have been locked in a closet too long...

 ..as  far  as switching  sides?.. it has been done by both sides.. its  almost a gods be damned hobby out here!... Tell  me  why the F....
 he calmed himself   ,..9 hells i would want to trust yu in ESN Blue?

"Do you have a 1MC that can be used to make an announcement across Anzio?" She asked, her expression and voice neutral.

   There is an audible smack as Garrat facepalms.  His shoulders shake just a little bit as he surpresses his mirth but his expression is hidden beneath his hands so one can't be certain,

Zob continued leaning against the wall still as he moved the unlit cigar to his mouth, he then took a quick sniff as he thought to himself, 'The smell of fear...' he noted Garrat's reaction before turning his attention back to Hack.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:58, Wed 24 Oct 2018.

    sure?..   I can  ask Beth to do , just about anything?... But... eb   form  i do that.. let me  tell you a story..small..story..

 he  rubs his chin,   and     jerks head to wards  Zob,Oddly enough.. in involves that   orange fellow  back there...

 ..a Young Fighter Pilot... Stevens  was his name.. the first ..Living recipient of the Galactic Medal of Honor...  he  shot  down the   Demon's  Red  Baron....or.. so  Shadow claims.. Vids  make it a bit sketchy..but Shadow  Confirmed it as   Steven's  Kill ….now?  the Lad   got a lot of Creds  from that.. speaking  engagements  But.. he   had this  deep  wish in his ehart.. to save   The Balck form  this  Gods  be damned war.

 he paced a  few steps towards  Lippen  Nagy now visible  to  Mortica,..so.. in the  heat of Battle.. I offered   a   '1 time' surrender to the Demons on board  a battleship ..that now   floats outside of Fuji as  a Home defense weapons... Steven  turned on his surrender Lights, and Landed on that ships   Hanger Dec.. The  Captain of that vessel, listen to hi pleas  for them to surrender... for them to go back to thier system, and leave  the othe races  alone....well.. that CAptain  Ripped his ehart it  with His bear claws.. right through his flight suit...  he pointed at Mortica,..that was before  enviro suits  and   light boarding armor...

  we  were shocked.. we shouldn't have been... but we were.. he  held out both hands  as he explained.....the Demon was  brought   on board, after  we took his vessel.. a hand full of them were sent to Delta colonies.. the others.. were killed outright.. i must admit.. i gave  ..very..very vague orders  on how to handle them...

 ..Mr Zobiach.. in front of a Live feed to the Demonic  Homeworld, Ripped out the   Captain's  heart.. and that's.. when i saw it... Fear, in the  Demonic ruler's eyes... and  I have seen that.. in every  single fool, who thought  i was  Bluffing.. or merely pounding   my chest?.. so.. ebfore  we have Beth go through the trouble.... do you think you  announcement  will help.. anyone, who stands  against us?... he hcukled and shook his head,..because?.. we have Humans who  don't  believe, so.. you'll  pardon, if  a doubt  space faring Parasites?

 he looked at her.. there was a smile   on his face.. but not in his eyes

"Then let them believe the results of my announcement when they see them with their own eyes. A war between our people would devastate both and if the Demons didn't take out the remnants the Qarl would so I will do what I must to preserve my people - from you and/or the Stars-be-Damned Demons. I think you and I can agree on that, yes?" She looked him in the eyes, her white on white unblinking.

 Hack  smiled    a dark smile,.the Qarl  have thier hands  full witht eh Skith..  if they  weaken thier   stance, they could lose thier  homeworld... we have told the  Skith  to protect thier own.. and strive to   destroy the Qarl... The  Qarl are..indeed.. spotted  from  time to time... but they do not last very long

 ..and I will tell you this, as The Leader of the Delta Fleet. I have never lied to  an enemy.. so..trust me when i say.. nothing you, or  your  people   can do, can save your  Homeworld.. should    we decide  to move against it...

 ..Beth?

 ..aye  Sir...

 set up an   feed to Anzio that will come through the Squak  and station feeds.... our pale  friend is going to make an announcement.

 ..aye  Sir.. aleady  done...        Hack Looked a round. he  petted Mila, looked at Nagy,..wound is better?

 ..aye Sir.. thank you sir.. Stefi said I can start runnign   in about  28 more hours?

 ..Good..good.. runnign Comes in handy.. not that i would know...

 ..Admiral.. all set sir...... I also took all  normal safegaudrs  so nothing can  backslide through out  feed... They her...  whenever she is  read to hit the 'outgoing on  her COM..

 ..Thanks You  Beth.. well done...   he holds his Hand out to Nagy, Nagy gives him, his COM....there you go.... You don't know how much i look forward to this...

The Vampic woman was about to reply to Hack's assurance that his people could destroy her world when she remembered what Garrat had said. She cut him a look and bit back the retort and took the COM unit. "Attention all IPF forces, this is Lt. Mortica Blackthorne, daughter of First General Radu Blackthorne. In the name of my father and under my authority I am ordering all IPF forces to stand down immediately. Cease and desist all combat and surrender right now to the nearest Anzio, ESN, or APF forces you see. You will not be harmed. I repeat, surrender immediately and cease and desist all hostilities. Failure to do so will be met with lethal force and any taken as prisoners of war who ignored my order to stand down will be turned over to my father. My authority to do this is listed in the IPF Code of Military Conduct and my authorisation code is Alpha-Onyx-1-2-5-7-6-8-Opaline. This is Lt. Mortica Blackthorne repeating one final time to all IPF forces - stand down immediately and surrender. Over and out." She handed the COM back to the Admiral.

      Hack took back  Nagy's Com and Handed  it to  him... Nagy held the  COM between two  finger  and wrinkled his nose.

   He said to   Mortica, That outta  do , that's  very much Ray...

  Lippen  smiled,

 ..lets pretend..  for   one minute, that  you get a  couple 100   troops to surrender?.. what the 9 hells  am I going to do with them?

In reply to Admiral Hack (msg # 58):
I don’t think you have to worry much sir .  I don’t think there’ are that many of them left alive on the station .

"If I can formalise relations between our two people then perhaps a prisoner exchange. That's why I asked for our ships back, in part as a sign of good faith on your part and also to have every one of my people that remain depart peacefully. I can also send them back to our home system with a proposal for my father for he sits high in our command structure."

She looked at Nagy and cocked a brow. "Really?"

She turned back to Hack. "Besides those ships are needed for us to join the offensive against the Demons if Command agrees which I imagine they will. We have nothing to gain by going to war with your people, Admiral. The return of our ships strengthens us against the Demon threat and will be removed as an obstacle from the bargaining table. If you accept my offer to join the ESN I will even have recording of the process sent to him so he knows I was under no duress. I don't want to see Spectre Class Super-Dreadnoughts jumping in here for him to affect a rescue."

    “ Um Mortica?”  Garrat says gently “I’m not sure what your daddy told ya but what was found on those ships and others tied to your people were pretty atrocious.  Delta fleet represents multiple species and the way people from many of those species were being treated on those ships was more than enough to declare war against your entire species.  You don’t take a knife away from a criminal then hand it back in good faith hoping that he will use it nicely.  Now at this point you are either nieve to the actions of your people or your pissing on the admiral and telling him it is raining.  He’s much smarter than he looks.  We can’t trust your people or their policy just because you say it is not your policy.  You have only yourself to bargain with unless you can prove there is a faction of your people who don’t follow the general policy of your military.”

  The Admiral turns to  Garrat,,,smarter then I... then he turns  back to  Mortica.


  I will be the first to admit, that  i know, very...very little of what is out  pass  Aqra.. But I  do know this?.. The Now one, who isn't qarl or Skith..is 'jumping in here'

 ..and?.. I almost hope   they send ships... The silver   in spoils  alone, would be a damn big boost to our manufacturing...

  He held up  a hand  with one  finger in the air,..The Hyrians  got their waggily asses kicked... we cut them  a break, only because of Lirg.. so?.. there planet is slowly being turned back..with aid from the APF.. the same bastards  who almost nuked them to the stone age..of.. fur  age.. or what ever they  had.... Blue Hyrians  were sent to the Deltas   to help Colonies, and to start life  as APF citizens.... in tuen..   More Blue Hyrians have joined the fleet... we tried to help the Lizards.. but they  keep going bad on us.... we won't  trust  an Avain or a  Bug as far as i can throw a caps ship.. the rest of the races  settle  in..Nivar... joined.. there will always be resistance...but it will slowly fade... Teh Hillites.. well.. they were   bullies  a bit too long, so.. handfuls of them join up.. but    the Hillite  system is  blockaded.. and with  each  runner   we catch or destroy we   extend the blockade a few Months.. ..yes.. people are dying there... But at elast  they aren't beign breeded   or   cooked..

 Then he  turns    and  walks  back to  Nagy and Gives him his towel... Nagy    begins to Rub the  COM  ferociously . He  turns  and leans on the  wall  between  Nagy and   Lippen,..so?.. why am I telling you this? I'm telling you this   one a few reasons.... One?.. Your  ships are    be 'given back'..they are ours.. we'll sue them.. we'll study them.. as far as your people are  concerned, they were lost in battle.....  two? There is  no 'Good Will ' between my people and Yours... it started out  with a few  glares and stares... but whomever played that song.. whomever ordered  you to try and turn Shadow.. well.. they got what they wanted... Some one... In your own race.. wanted to start a war with us... and by all the damn gods?  it worked...

  We'll ships  your people back... but it won't be  in  one of your cap ships   He   holds  up a   hand  as he hits his  COM...Beth.. I need two things  from You... Bring Mortica's  COM  down to her.... and also I want Numbers   of How  many Vampics  surrendered.

 .. I'm thinking, there won't  be a couple hundred....

   Garrat shrugs “never said you didn’t look smart, just said you were smarter than you looked.”

  Nagy  checked his  COM and    wiped it down  some more,..I'd  quit  while you are ahead..?

 Lippen  nodded sagely to Garrat

“Either way, the admiral has an evening to finish.  Zob, wanna come over to the LG with me?  They have a bigger forge, and this is the night the junk rats play low gravity football.  It’s a blast to watch.”

Zob just shook his head, "Bleh im a demon this shit don't concern me" he said as he glanced over to Garrat, "Ill likely meet up with you later if that's alright?"

Henry was surprised and not surprised at the same time at what transpired. Somehow it felt right. He patted Mila as he listened.

Mortica sat down, visibly deflating as Hack spoke. She stared at her hands a moment before she said anything and when she finally spoke she did so in a voice that sounded lost. "It was Forrest under orders from someone in the Admiralty. I do not know who. I was ordered to try and convince Shadow to join us but I know nothing of any song or the effect it was to have on him. He simply told me to try and seduce him. When I failed I attempted to leave."

She continued to stare at the hands now resting in her lap. "I knew what was in the ships and found it abhorrent but as I told Garrat and the Doctor before I said nothing because I allowed myself to believe it was for the good of my people but...it's not. It makes us the monsters you believe us to be." She looked up and her eyes were red but not from anger. "There are those of us who believe that taking people for food or breeding is a foul thing. My father is one and there are others. We, the Vampic people, are not as unified as we may appear because of this division and I fear it may lead to civil war as one side will feel what happened here is emboldened and takes steps to strengthen their position. I never supported it but I allowed it to happen."

She stood and came to attention. "Do what you will with the Tomb and the Void. I never wish to step foot on them again. Those who surrender are the ones loyal to me and to my father. The ones who do not are the ones loyal to Forrest and his faction in our leadership. I renounce the practice and will support those who do so as well, publicly. I will no longer be afraid to speak out and will contact my father and bring to you those amongst my people who believe as he does, as I do that the taking of people must end, that there must never be another cargo hold that has cages. That is what I will bring to the ESN and APF, Admiral, if you will have me."

  Beth    entered the  Offcie after  clip clopping her  way at double time  , down the  P-way.

   when she   entered  she  caught   Mortica's  Eye and   Flipped her , her own COM. She handed the  sheet to The Admiral and stepped  abck.. then  bent her kness a bit to  Pet Mila.


 Well  Lt Blackthorne.. seems  we have 35 Poeple to send  back  in the general direction of your  home worlds... he looked back to   Beth...All these numbers  right?

 As of when i left... they aren't as good  as  'Lily' Numbers, but hey... APF?

 According to thsi sheet.. some 500..503.. to be excact , Vampic surrendered..Sadly.. in the words of the reports.".. Hostile actions resulted in deaths of those who came out"....

 Hack shrugged,..guess  maybe  i should have had   Cummings   send his folks in..huh?   beth reached  arounf   The Admiral  and Points near the Bottom of the page.

 well...well..well.. sems .. another  300 or so  remained hidden.. But  COM traffic  was intercepted  between them and those  who were in firefights out side thier Hidey holes.. Flame throwers  and C-10  took care of them... so.. it seems you did help us  out  abit?..803 lest Vampics on the station..one  way or the other... is a good thing...

 Contact  Cummings, Please  , Beth?

 She   unrolled her  Vid board   and  tapped  something in, a Voice  was heard,Yes?.. Admiral?  Col Cummings here.. Thank you for the message, by the By.. I passed it on  to my people.. Jolly good  for Morale  and all.. How can I be of service...

  Good  Afternoon Colonel ... Here's what I want from you?.. Study the Vid  feed from the  Transport  that was near the Void?.. I want a Cage.. Just like that, on a big Ugly... I want all the Vampics, stripped and Jammed in that cage.. and  I don't care what  you  need to do to make them  fit.... then?.. Ask for   a Flight of Volunteers  from the Athena.. to escort  the  Big Ugly   past Aqra.. You will then have them Tag it.. and  send it  in the general dircetion of..'away from us".. The Vampics  will find them..or they won't..

 Cummings  laughed  a cultured  laugh,..Aye  Admiral.. Already done.. please to pass  My thanks on to the SM too.. Thank You...Cummings..Out.

 ..Beth?  You'll pass that on to the SM?

 she smiled,..you bet i will, Admiral Sir.

 ..There... LT Blackthorne...  we seem to have  fulfilled  our bargin... we are sending your people home... in much the same manner as they were taking our people to your Home..... he had a short LAugh,..pity some of your people decided  not to listen.. but..Vampics..right? Now... You will have to decide  what you are going to do..Because..I'm leaving you  here... The Good doctor  can decide if you  may walk about  under your own  guidance?... I have no clue, what is going to come of this... But.. you'll either be sueful alive.. or useful  for the Good Doctor...

 ..Doctor  Christie?.. Nagy and Lippan will stay thier shift here, Unless you   do not  feel the need for them... keep in mind, Your people come first... We owe the Vampics  alot of things.. But   living..is not one of them...

 ..now?... what  has  happened..might seem overly Harsh, But you ask any one on this boat... how  we deal with Humans who have turned coat? You will see.. that we  don't treat them any better, then out  alien  enemies... Keep that in Mind... if/when Doc henry decides   you should be able to walk about.. You may report to the SEC and  retrieve  your weapons..

  Now?.. My  Wife  has  Dinner  ready and   I am already..

 1 hour and  20 Minutes late  He  Nodded to everyone  and Left  Beth gave Mortica a finger  wave  and  giggled..

 Nagy looked at  Lippen  she frowned back.

Henry knew there was no swaying of Admiral Hack when he'd made his mind up.

"Yes, Admiral. Mortica may remain here for the time being. Are you willing to accept her enlistment if she proves genuine about it?"

“No, Admiral, it doesn’t sound harsh. It sounds just.” Mortica said as a single pink tear spilled down her cheek at the realisation that she may very well have begun the civil war that had been brewing for decades.

In reply to Mortica (msg # 71):

    Garrat isn’t entirely happy but this was to be expected “Humans who turn get the long walk home.  A far cry from a Clean death or temporary humiliation.  If they have information Hack will get it out of them in the foundry as he dips them in molten metal

Henry fishes out a handkerchief and hands it to Mortica.

“Thank you, Doctor.” Mortica said as she wiped away the tears. “.i don’t remember the last time I cried.”

She turned to Garrat.  “What do you mean? Dip who in molten metal?”