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AndrewCrisp
Sergeant

Reged: 11/22/02
Posts: 176
Loc: MilCom Centre, Outpost One, No...

Old Wounds... and New Dangers

#53205 - 03/01/03 10:09 PM (156.34.211.46)

The Comstar ambassador stood in the office of Prime Minister Andrew Crisp. Clad in civilian clothing, he did not look like a member of a religious order, yet the identification he produced was enough to confirm his words.

Fearing that their secret had been ferreted out at last, Andrew chose his words carefully. "So, to what do I owe the honour of this visit?"

The ambassador smiled. "Sire. I bring word from Precentor Fenris, who has recently arrived here on Neveron to bring the light of Blake to this world." The smile was replaced by a stern look. "This is a most hostile planet, and the heretics calling themselves the Word of Blake are a formidable force here. The Precentor feels that nations with like goals should stand together against the--"

Andrew cut him off. "First of all, I am an elected official, not royalty, so please don't address me as 'sire'. 'Sir' or 'Prime Minister' will do. Second, what makes you think that we would ally ourselves with Comstar?"

"I understood your people came from Terra. Since Comstar is the only true authority there, it seemed only reasonable that you were of Comstar yourselves."

Andrew stood and walked over to the curtained window. He pulled the curtain aside and motioned for the ambassador to come closer. "What do you see out there?"

The ambassador looked out the window. "Are you talking about that monument?"

"I am. We built that monument a few months after our arrival in late 3222. It is a memorial to the thousands who died when Comstar and WoB forces destroyed our city."

"WoB aggression." The ambassador nodded. "I can understand--"

"No you can't!" Andrew's words carried venom. "For over a thousand years Fredericton was a quiet university town, content to let much of history pass it by. We remained outside of Comstar rule, and for the most part, Comstar left us alone. That is, until late 3221."

The memories returned in a flood. "When Word of Blake forces started raiding Terra again, Comstar decided that the nonaligned communities would have to 'choose a side'. Neutrality was no longer an option." Which was true... mostly.

"In February '22 Comstar arrayed a force to 'liberate' our city. Considering we only had a few police vehicles, their force was somewhat... overbearing." Two Blackjack mechs with a company of Packrat tanks approached along the St. John River from the north.

No sooner had the Comstar field commander issued his ultimatium when a WoB force showed up with a Hussar and a lance of Locusts, announcing their "defense" of the besieged city. Within minutes, the battle was on.

"We had already made some plans to evacuate and flee off planet... if not for our preparations no one would have survived. But... our plans had not taken a pitched mech battle into account. Several hundred citizens gave their lives providing a rearguard, armed only with handguns and assault rifles. A mere nuisance against a battlemech but it provided us with enough time for at least one dropship to escape. The others were destroyed on the pad - another five thousand men women and children dead. We never learned who gave the order to destroy the ships... and by then we didn't care."

"Out of a city of over a hundred thousand people, only one hundred escaped. Heaven knows how many survived back on Earth."

The ambassador had grown pale at Andrew's account, and his expression told Andrew more than words could that he had no knowledge of the circumstances of Fredericton's destruction - or the real reason why Comstar and WoB chose to invade the peaceful town.

The ambassador regained his composure. "I- I am truly saddened to hear of this, Prime Minister. Our brothers on Terra have shamed Blake with their actions and you have our Precentor's word they will recieve Blake's jusgement once we are restored on this world. But surely a reasonable man such as yourself can see beyond this act."

Andrew locked his gaze with the ambassador for a good long minute, until the ambassador began to shake.

"I am a reasonable man. Which is why we are not spending our resources in a futile campaign of revenge." Andrew returned to his desk. "Tell your Precentor that we came here to live as we did on Terra... peacefully. The Union of New Fredericton has no desire to enter into relations with any Comstar or WoB nation. We will consider non-aggression pacts, but we will not enter into formal relations nor will we entertain any trade agreements.

"If you leave us alone, we will do likewise. But if you attack us, we will do whatever it takes to defend ourselves."

Andrew picked up his stylus and resumed his work. "Our meeting is over. The officer at the door will escort you back to Port Andrew. Good day to you."

"P-peace of Blake be with you, Prime Minister." The ambassador stumbled as he left the office.

Andrew continued his work for a while longer. The ambassador seemed shaken up by the story of their exodus. He was certain that their secret was safe...

Not entirely certain, though. He pressed a control. "Sally? Where is Captain MacKensie?"

"The Minister of Defense is inspecting our LRM lances in the new territories, sir."

"Thank you. Have my private copter prepared for flight. As soon as we recieve word that the ambassador has left our airspace I will be going to see the Minister. Please cancel or postpone my appointments for the next day as well."

"Yes sir."

****************

The helicopter set down outside the camp that afternoon. A guard got out and saluted as the Prime Minister stepped out onto the grass. A LRM jeep raced up to the copter.

Andrew squinted through the dust kicked up by the copter's rotors at the jeep, then smiled. In the passenger side, dressed in his field uniform, was William MacKensie.

"Captain." Andrew approached the jeep as Mackenzie stepped out and saluted. Behind him the coptor's engines shut off.

"How are the troops and the new equipment?" Andrew said, motioning for Mackensie to walk with him, away from the troops.

"They're fine men, sir." Mackensie said, guardedly. "And the jeeps are a welcome addition. However, it's still not enough."

"I'm not here to argue with you. We have bigger problems." Andrew looked his former friend in the eye. "A Comstar sect has established themselves here. On Neveron. They sent an ambassador."

Mackensie stared at the Prime Minister. "What did they want?"

"For the moment, nothing. The ambassador did suggest a possible alliance. William, I don't think they know the reason why Comstar drove us from Earth."

"Hell." Mackensie spat. "A group of Comstar loyalists show up here - a world we know has a lot of WoB nations - and send someone right to our front door? They have to know something."

"I know, I have the same suspicions, which is why I came to you. I think I managed to avoid a confrontation - this sect appears somewhat weak so I doubt they'll try anything yet. But the visit may attract WoB attention. I need to know how ready we can be if worse comes to worst."

"I think you know."

"Maybe. But I want you to say it." Andrew put his hands on the Minister's shoulders. "I need you, old friend. As a friend and as my Minister of Defense. Honestly, how ready are we?"

"Not ready enough. Not if the Wobbies find out what we have. They'll tear the place apart."

Andrew nodded. "I've already ordered an increase in military maintenance spending - at the very least that should allow you to keep our troops and vehicles in good condition, but I can't guaruntee any new vehicles for a while yet."

MacKensie opened his mouth to protest, but Andrew cut him off. "We can't afford it. This isn't just politics - our economy is redlined. Even the raised maintenance is straining the books. A few more months and we should be able to expand your forces."

MacKensie nodded finally. "I understand. I've been keeping tabs on the situation in the Capital myself." He straightened up and stuck out his jaw. "We'll do our best."

Andrew smiled and dropped his hands to his sides. "Thank you, my friend. For my part, I'll do my best to keep the threat of war away from us. I intend for our forces to be our last line of defense... not our first."

"But you know... it's not going to last forever. Sooner or later we will be at war with them."

"I know." Andrew sighed and looked out at the camp. "Do you think it was worth it, William? Sheltering that defector, and what he brought with him?"

"You mean what we have in the Vault?" Mackensie kicked at a tuft of soil. "I've been a military man for most of my life. I've never made it my business to question my leaders - not if I could help it.

"But you asked for me to be honest - and I'll admit, I have my doubts. That thing in the Vault has caused us more grief than we've ever imagined. I think the defector knew it too, when he offered to stay behind and buy us as much time as he could."

Mackensie looked back at the Prime Minister. "No matter how you slice it, the defector was right. Comstar and WoB both have too much power in the Inner Sphere. Their monopoly on communication must be broken, eventually. Maybe we're the ones to do it, or maybe not. But we have to try."

He glanced south, towards the distant capital of New Fredericton, and the Vault which held the Union's best kept secret - a secret that Comstar and WoB were both willing to destroy a town to keep hidden. A woking hyperpulse generator - the only one known to exist outside of Comstar.

Even now scientists were dismantling the generator, seeking to uncover the theory behind its operation. All they needed was time...

Time Andrew was determined to get for them. He stood beside MacKensie and looked out over the lands. "We'll try and we'll succeed. We've paid too high a price to turn back now."

(Notes: much of my knowledge of Comstar and WoB is derived from material in this forum and over Nevchat. Any errors are my own

And yes, Psychosis, I know you didn't send me any DR requests - I'm assuming some of your more... zealous diplomats would try to gain allies for you for the sake of the story - our brief conversation in "ComStar Reborn" pretty much covers the result described above anyway

).

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"Why is that we always break up our history by the .. the wars, not the years of peace?... Because it's exciting, and because on some level people like to see something big fall apart and explode from the inside out. And right now, John, we're that something."
- Micheal Garibaldi

Edited by AndrewCrisp (03/01/03 10:17 PM)

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Flameseeker
Major

Reged: 07/18/02
Posts: 1304

Re: Old Wounds... and New Dangers

#53260 - 03/02/03 04:05 PM (66.82.9.16)

I don't think ComStar worships Blake, but then again, I know nothing about Btech. Where can I get a hyperpulse generator?

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Cpt. Searo "Ace" Ficha of the Darkfire Legionnaires

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