Re: Chapter 09 - The Space Between
In reply to Abraxas (msg # 232):
Team Kamikaze
A miraculous series of events unfolds as a semblance of order is restored to the bridge. Though Mindy is unable to restore ship-to-ship comms, the SAGE boarding parties are able to relay the parlay request directly to their fleet. Non-capital ships from both sides are soon disengaged, flying around their base ships in tight formations and clearly ready to re-engage if needed.
The broadsides being fired from the capital ships come to a temporary stop, as well.
***
Goethe's First Mate (and acting Captain) Maria Vasquez arrives shortly. Her towering frame is rather imposing, both in muscle mass and sheer height. Scorch marks dot her EVA suit in several places, though none seem to have penetrated the armor.
She is accompanied by four Faustian Troopers and a wispy, spindly man with wireframe glasses and a pencil-thin mustache dressed in a uniform much like Mindy's, save for a golden braid which loops from his right shoulder beneath the armpit and back around -- the mark of a flag officer's aide.
The surviving Troopers on the bridge snap to attention as she arrives, as does Mindy.
"Captain!" she says, stumbling through a salute. "I'm -"
"At ease," Vasquez says briskly, waving her off. "Just give me the details."
Mindy nods and hands over a datapad, which Vasquez peruses with growing agitation for several moments before handing it back.
"Fantastic," the acting Captain mutters, then glares over at the aliens. "And now I'm left holding the bag for you lot. Wonderful."
The Lith and the Roshak exchange glances, and then the Lith begins to rumble a response before the acting Captain cuts it off.
"Save it. We'll discuss it later," she continues. "As you can see, our guests have arrived."
At this point, she acknowledges a group of six figures in SAGE-emblazoned armor who have just marched up to the doorway. One of them steps forward.
"I have Dr. Dorian Pryor of the SCV Dichotomy on comm, and will personally be serving as a real-time relay for the duration of this parlay. Broadcasting now."
The SAGE soldier activates something on their suit, and a holographic image of an athletic, middle-aged man with slightly thinning hair and a cropped salt-and-pepper beard appears before him.
"Parlay wasn't in Commander Faust's lexicon," the man says, his demeanor more akin to a university professor than a military commander. "I'm pleased to find a measure of reason among his subordinates. Shall we negotiate your surrender?"
"Cease-fire," Vasquez corrects him. "And an end to hostilities while we sort things out. There may be more at play here than either of us understands."
"There's more at play than YOU understand, certainly," Dr. Pryor demurs. "But SAGE is, as always, willing to educate you. For starters, did you-"
He pauses, then says something else that you cannot hear -- though the soldier broadcasting the signal apparently does, because he turns to sweep the bridge with his field of vision.
"That's an interesting battlesuit you have there," Dr. Pyror says, the broadcast picking up once more. "Identical, in fact, to one that was involved in a sensitive smash-and-grab data breach a few years back. So you are, in fact, a part of the same splinter cell of the IDA as the Mastodon?"
"Absolutely not," Vasquez counters, balling a hand into a fist. "Faust came here specifically to crush that splinter cell. The pebbles and dust that were once their asteroid base stand as testament to that. All that remains of that installation is the Amgine Factory ship."
"Compelling," Dr. Pryor says, "But then, explain the presence of the battlesuit. If you captured it, I'm afraid I must insist on claiming it as part of any ceasefire agreement we might come to. It would be non-negotiable."
"We didn't exactly capture it," Vasquez says, gesturing toward Billy and Xander. "The splinter cell sent in an away team to cripple the Goethe and assassinate Commander Faust. Both objectives were achieved...though I have no doubt we could capture what remains of their team now if we had to. They are quite surrounded."
Dr. Pryor remains silent for a moment.
"What did you mean when you said 'Amgine Factory ship' a few moments ago?" he says quietly.
"Did I stutter?" Vasquez says. "The Amg have had a spy in our sector ever since Braeburn made contact with the Roshak and locked down Titan. Turns out they didn't know how to 'lock down' Roshak signals, so they were able to get the word out before the massacre was over. The Roshak have a mutual defense pact with the Lith, and neither of them are on particularly favorable terms with the Amg. So here we are."
"We...should discuss that situation much more fully, in a much more private setting, Captain," Dr. Pryor says, steepling his fingers absently. "As to the matter at hand, our intelligence indicated that this asteroid was a standard IDA base, being assaulted by the same splinter cell that stole advanced technology from us. If the reverse is indeed true, we have no quarrel with you."
He clears his throat.
"Secure what's left of the splinter cell's assault group -- including that battlesuit -- and send it to the Dichotomy, and we will consider this matter closed."
Vasquez glances over at Billy and Xander, at the bevy of guards on the bridge, and then back over at the mech.
"Done," she nods. "We'll take care of it."
"Engines off until we have them," Dr. Pryor cautions. "I'll have someone be in touch soon about that discussion we'll be having later. Pryor, out."
With that, the hologram fades.
***
"So...unless you have a great counteroffer, it sounds like you're going to the Dichotomy," Captain Vasquez says at last, turning to address Billy and Xander. "Are you going willingly, or is there going to be additional loss of life after all?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:52, Wed 13 Sept 2017.