Hale walked down the corridor at Fort Bragg towards his planetside office on Manhattan. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, walking through his door and sitting behind his large mahogany desk. He lit a cigarette and leant back in his seat, a thin trail of smoke reaching to the ceiling.
He closed his eyes.
Suddenly there was a sharp knock on the door.
If that's you Jasmine, come in... he muttered, keeping his eyes closed.
The door swung open and Commander Jasmine Greenson walked in holding an envelope.
From the president, Admir- David.
Hale sat up in his chair and took the envelope.
I would hang around, but I've got a heap of paperw-
That's fine Jasmine... Don't worry about it
Hale looked down at the envelope as Greenson strolled out the door. It's rare the president would send a message like this. He opened the envelope.
Put your hands beneath the desk, Hale. A gift is waiting.
~ Kaze Dagon.
He dropped the envelope, looked and reached under his desk, finding a small comunication PDA taped to the underside of it.
Clever girl... He thought to himself as he turned it on.
Hello there, Hale.
I see you got my letter. Better step up your office security while you are at it.
So... About our business.
I dropped the Raider contract.. Or was.. Dropped by them.
*Chuckles*
Guess their bank couldn't handle the hassle.
Alan Moore sat quietly in the corner of the bar on the Ranger. It was a tuesday, and tuesdays always meant party night. Not that Alan was much in the mood, the Dogs or Gods needed some repairs after a rather brutal encounter with a Liberty Battlecruiser. He ran his hand through his black hair and leant back in his seat.
Suddenly there was a sweet little whisper in his ear.
"Hello Mister Moore."
He didn't turn around and just sat very very still.
"I know that voice. Evening Jasmine."
"You understand that if you say anything to anyone about me being here, you're a dead man, right?"
He nodded, keeping an impassive look on his face as Jasmine Greenson sat down infront of him. Alan looked at Greenson, his face a mixture of worry, confusion and a little bit of lust.
"How've you been Jas?"He asked politely, wondering how she'd hidden a blaster in a dress that looked more like a very good paintjob than anything else"I can see why Hale's been handing you the promotions."
"You never change do you"she laughed softly."I had to blend in a bit... Look. I'm not here for pleasure, then again, your company rarely is... I want you to give this to Kaze Dagon."
"She's not her-"
"Yes she is."she interupted"She's sat infront of the bar right now drinking something green. By the time you hand this to her, I'll be off the ship. You won't mention how you got it. Clear?"
Alan sighed slightly and took the PDA off Jasmine Greenson, then turned around to see who might be watching. By the time he looked back, she was gone.
"Well I'll be damned."
Alan looked around again then stood upand walked over to where Kaze was sat at the bar, dropping the PDA infront of her.
"Who's it from Alan?"
"Guess..."
Kaze picked up the PDA and walked to her quarters, she turned it on and it flickered into life.
****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****
COMM ID: [color=#99FFFF]Fleet Admiral David Hale TARGET ID:Kaze Dagon (AND KAZE DAGON ONLY) SUBJECT:A deal ENCRYPTION:HIGH PRIORTY:HIGH
Evening Miss Dagon.
I hope Jasmine didn't scare Mr Moore too badly. You found a creative way of sending me a message, so I thought I'd return the favor. By the time you read this she'll be long gone. Besides, why would I want to increase the security around my office? I like surprises.
You'll remember a little conversation we had out in California a while ago, and since then I've done a little digging into your history. Bretonian, ex Colonial...
Look. We both know what's going on a little bit galactic north of bretonia. The Gallic royalist forces are looking stronger every day. Some time soon we know the Council line is going to fold and then all hell is going to break loose in the Taus. As if it wasn't hell up there already.
Here's the deal. I want you out of Liberty. The reasons behind that are obvious, and frankly it's a lot easier and more cost effective to do it this way. I'll pay you a retainer, I want you to travel to Gallia, possibly make contact with the council there.
I want weekly reports on Royalist military activity, possible weaknesses with their ship design, reports on the command structure, etc. Anything you can gather is useful. You're a smart girl, I'm sure you can find ways to get information.
In return for that, you'll get paid. In two ways... First, a considerable amount of credits for each report you send. Second, you'll get a certain amount of credits for each and every Gallic Royal Navy ship you put down. The weaker they are when the hammer falls the better.
And here's another little promise, and all you can get on this is my word... When they push through the minefield in Orkney, I'll do what I can to send as much aid and military support to the Bretonians as I can. The Colonials too if they find themselves caught up in it.
As for giving you an official pardon in Liberty... I think you might be a bit too far down the line for that to happen. I'd be commiting political suicide by suggesting it. You understand that I can't do that at the moment, but I'll do what I can.
Think on it a while Miss Dagon. Oh... Just a note, if this gets out, the entire deal is entirely deniable from my end. If anyone asks, I've never spoken to you. If you screw up, then I can't do anything to help. To the rest of sirius, this little message doesn't exist. I'm extremely good at keeping it that way.
David Hale looked at the lights of the bustling planet of Los Angeles, and he sighed, as the transport from the Yukon was making it's planetary descent.
Not long after and with an already smoked cigarette, the armored transport left him not even ten minutes away from his house, in the south district of San Mateo, where he dismissed the armored hover and he gladly walked, keeping his mind from the job and lit another cigarette, surrounded by a small force of personal security bodyguards.
As he finally reached the doorstep of his home, a marine Navy Captain quickly saluted.
"All is well, sir. The house is secure."
Hale nodded and entered the silent house. For three whole days that he hasn't set foot in his own house, stuck in meetings, sleeping in Fort Bragg, and making runs through New York. He looked at the voice sensor, and decided not to say the voice command for the lights to turn on. He needed the darkness to seep in for him to finally rest.
He went to the kitchen to get a glass of old dublin single malt, and visibly relaxed as he heard the liquid hitting the glass.. With the glass in the counter, he lit another cigarette, and suddenly a voice was heard from the adjoining living room.
"Smoking is bad for your health, Mr.Hale."
Hale smirked as he recognized the voice, and right in the moment he was ready to say the command for the lights to go on, he was interrupted.
"Don't. It's a security hazard for this conversation. I don't want one of your boys to poke at the window and watch us drinking and talking."
"Very well, Miss Dagon. Care for a drink?"
"Already served, thank you, Mr. Hale. Old Dublin Malt... Costly. And good. I would care for a cigarette, though."
Kaze was sitting in the couch, obviously nursing her drink, in the darkness.
"Here you go. Now.. To what do I owe the pleasure of this personal visit, Miss Dagon?"
Kaze lit the cigar, and waited for Hale to sit in the one person couch, right in front of her.
Her face was somewhat visible in the shadows of the dark living room, as Hale's eyes got sensitive enough in the middle of the darkness.
"Business, of course..."
She inhaled the smoke, and also relaxed her stance.
"First, sorry for barging in your house like this. And drinking some of your malt. Safety precautions. This way no one will know that we talked."
Hale nodded.
"Wise move."
Kaze pushed a small electronic device across the coffee table between them.
"Attach that to the PDA. It's a encryption and security module, designed by my brother. Any tampering, anyone trying activate it, except yourself.. It will make the PDA a piece of junk without any leads of what it was served for. Plus, good luck hacking the encrypted single burst transmissions."
Hale picked the part and inspected it.
"Looks like you accepted the deal... Where did you get this? LSF doesn't have this kind of -"
Kaze interrupted him again.
"Don't ask.. Now, for the specifics. Reports and such will cost.. your word that you gave me. I owe Bretonia and the Colonials a debt..."
Kaze sighed, and Hale could almost swear he saw her looking sad in the middle of the shadows.
"Next, the-"
This time Hale cut her sentence short as he put out the cigarette and grabbed his glass.
"10 million credits for their version of a Battleship, 6 for one of their cruisers, 3 for their gunboats and 2 for fighters or bombers?"
Kaze smirked and nodded.
"It's a deal. Already contacted a smuggler i know to bring me weekly supplies to Gallia. So i won't have problems with my Nyxes there. And my new Orchid."
Hale raised an eyebrow and smirked again. After ten seconds of a peaceful silence, Hale asked.
"You're going in alone, i suppose?"
"I am. Less noise. Less safety risks. Less people talking and asking. I still have some Council contacts from my time in the Taus. I'll get in unnoticed, and try to give them a hand, if it doesn't jeopardize the mission."
"Logistics, prices, the works.. No wonder she got where she was in the Colonials. Professional to the core.. Hm. I should dig more up about her."
Hale thought.
"Very well. It's a deal, Miss Dagon."
Said Hale, stretching his hand for her to shake.
"It's a deal. I also left you a gift from the CIS inside the PDA as a bonus."
She replied as she shook his hand. She then gulped the last of the Dublin single malt and put away the cigarette.
As she was leaving the living room, she cocked her head to the side and Hale could see her whole figure against the moonlight.
"Now, Hale. Do step up the security, will you?"
Hale laughed to himself as she disappeared in the shadows.
One minute later as he finished his drink, he placed the small electronic device at the side of the PDA and turned it on.
Several laser beams appeared from the electronic device and the camera of the PDA clicked.
"DNA print... Recognized. Face evaluation..... Done. Retinal Scan.... Matched. Password?"
"Uh..."
Hale was stumped. She didn't said anything about a password.
He watched as the PDA suddenly started a five second countdown. 5.
4.
"That's what happens when you put too much security!"
Hale thought while their conversation replayed in his mind.
As was asked by Agent J, i send these classified informations to the CIS. First things first, several gun-cam pictures of bases and military resources of several key elements in the systems of Orkney, Languedoc and Dauphine.
CRIRP44-A01-001 - Reunion Station. Located at Orkney at the entrance of the mine field. Owned by the Council.
CRIRP44-A01-002 - Montepellier Station. Located at the entrance in Languedoc. Owned by the Council. A slight resum? here.
CRIRP44-A01-003 - Again Montepellier.
CRIRP44-A01-004 - The wreck of the Battleship Cassard near the Montepellier Station.
CRIRP44-A01-005 - History of the Cassard.
CRIRP44-A01-006 - First Planet of the Gallic space anyone encounters in Languedoc. Planet Quillan. Notice the several weapon platforms around. Council owned.
CRIRP44-A01-007 - Nimes Station at Languedoc. Council owned. Notice the scan of it on the left lower display.
CRIRP44-A01-008 - History on the Nimes Station.
CRIRP44-A01-009 - History of the Remoulins Station. A wreck.
CRIRP44-A01-010 - Scan of the Remounlins. Note to CIS, it appeared to be an accident.
CRIRP44-A01-011 - Jump Gate to Dauphine and the battleship Carcassone near it. Gallic Royal Navy owned. Unfriendly.
CRIRP44-A01-012 - Scan of the Carcassone.
CRIRP44-A01-013 - Narbonne base. Is a Brigands base on Languedoc. Short history.
CRIRP44-A01-014 - Scan of the Narbonne.
CRIRP44-A01-015 - Grenoble Depot in Dauphine. Short history. Maquis owned. Friendly as the Council.
CRIRP44-A01-016 - Scan of the Grenoble Depot.
CRIRP44-A01-017 - Montelimar Base near Grenoble. Scan of it and Corse owned. Unfriendly.
CRIRP44-A01-018 - Languedoc Jump Gate and the battleship Guillestre at the entrance. GNR owned.
CRIRP44-A01-019 - Scan of the Guillestre.
CRIRP44-A01-020 - Scan of Gap Station. Gallic Police owned. Unfriendly.
CRIRP44-A01-021 - Scan of Briancon Station. EFL owned. Friendly, although it is a Gallic lawful corporation. CIS should check the whys and hows.
CRIRP44-A01-022 - Short history of the Briancon.
CRIRP44-A01-023 - Bourgon-Jallieu wreck. Scan of it. Located at a major hub of trade lanes in Dauphine.
CRIRP44-A01-024 - Short history of the Bourgon-Jallieu wreck.
CRIRP44-A01-025 - Burgundy Jump Gate and the battleship Embrun. Notice the several weapon platforms around.
CRIRP44-A01-026 - Long range scan of the Embrum.
CRIRP44-A01-027 - A sealed Jump Gate to a unknown system. Unable to hack even with Tisiphone working on it 100%.
CRIRP44-A01-028 - Burgundy Jump Hole.
CRIRP44-A01-029 - Distance from the Burgundy Jump Hole to Languedoc Jump Hole.
CRIRP44-A01-M01 - Navigation map of Dauphine.
CRIRP44-A01-M02 - Navigation map of Languedoc.
CRIRP44-A01-M03 - Orkney. Route inside the minefield to reach the Languedoc Jump Hole.
CRIRP44-A01-M04 - Navigation map of Orkney.
With regards,
1st Lt. Kaze Dagon.
--Transmission ended--
-------------------------------End of Copy-------------------------------
As he, David Hale, Admiral of the Liberty Navy, walked away from the officer's mess hall,
he decided to do his daily check of a smoke after dinner, time for himself and to the the 'weirdy' PDA he got from Kaze Dagon.
As he sat in his black leather chair, he connected the PDA and thought to himself.
"Another day. It has been a week since our last contact."
Managed to initiate contacts with the RdG (Republique de Gaule), which i think are interested enough to help me. They seem quite interested in giving a chance to Sirius to wake up and smell the coffee.
I have also arranged a logistics base for the whole op through a third party, one that only thinks in profits and my wallet was more than happy to help.
Cost is about 10 millions credits per week, but the security and their ability to lay low in the Royalist's radar is more than one could ask.
I'm currently at Bourbon, a base in the middle of Burgundy, one of Gallia's Border Worlds, so to speak.
The Core Worlds are very secured and even Royalist forces are not permitted to enter. Only high ranks, and i mean really bloody high ranks can enter there or leave.
For this first week, i have been concentrating my efforts in Languedoc. The first Gallic system one can find when entering from Orkney.
Yes. When entering from Orkney. That means that there is another entrance to the border worlds.
But that will have to stay for later.
Now. My assessment of the situation in Languedoc.
The Council is loosing it's foothold in Languedoc. Slowly, the battle attrition is shaving off the Council forces. The Royalists are too many for them to hold and i suspect that the King and Royal Grand Marshall LaCroix, the head honcho of the GRN, are just bidding their time until the forces ,that are consuming all the resources and generating the rumors, are complete.
The GRN shows officially a serious 'hatred' against Sirians.. But i have found that their "Conquer everybody." policy is more than it seems. It's genuine lust. Much like the whole Bounty Hunter affair in the Omicrons with the Order. It is lust for power. And that only makes them more dangerous. For hatred can be appeased. Thirst for power... Well. Only when power is achieved.
My advice? Start building up, Hale. And i mean.. Really building up. They aren't Rheinland. I've seen what a Valor (one of their battleships) can do.
It will rip one of those 'Overlord' Dreadnoughts you have like it was made of paper. Their ships? I still don't have all the data.. But well.. They can be shot down. But they are hard to.
When i have all the intel on their ships, i will send it to you, pronto. But.. I fear that their numbers are our biggest threat. But that's for another time.
I am sending now the schematic and the blueprint of all Languedoc noticeable locations, planets and stations.
-Orkney Entrance-
Reunion.
First Council base in Sirius.
Defensive Capabilities : Medium to low.
Strategic Value : Immense, since it's placed right at the entrance of the mine field.
Orkney Minefield.
-Languedoc-
Languedoc.
Overview of the system.
-Planetary Bodies of Languedoc-
Planet Sete.
Planet Quilan.
Main Council Planet and base in Languedoc.
Planet Cerbere.
Planet Bedarieu.
Planet Aude.
Planet Ales.
Possible Key position in Languedoc for the Royal's push.
Planet Agde.
Now, i'll send the rest of the data in another comm burst. We can't take chances in being detected with an abnormal size message.
The Carcassonne. A Valor. It's a monster. Surrounded by heavy weapon platforms.. It's a bloody nightmare if it sends it's support wings out. As if the gazilion shots being thrown at enemy ships wouldn't be enough.
Limoux.
Maquis base.Far out, hidden and well away from any problems. Excellent for a fallout. Very useful in the future if the worst comes to pass.
Lodeve Space Fort.
Junker base in Languedoc.
Montpellier Guard Station.
A small base guarding the entrance to Sirius in Languedoc.
Narbonne Base. Gallic Brigands. Very near to the Dauphine Jump Hole.
Nimes Station.
Council owned.
Remoulins wreck.
A reminder of the Council push in Languedoc and still a key position for many of the battles in Languedoc.
-Dauphine Entrances-
Jump-hole to Dauphine. This jump-hole represents the only entrance to Dauphine for the non-Royalists.
Jump-gate to Dauphine. Very well protected.
-Encounter with RdG and a 'friend'-
Here, i met the DGSI of the Republique de Gaule and one person that has already some fame in Sirius.
Guess he doesn't need the intro.
Do notice what the DGSI Amiral says.
-Map of Languedoc and key zones-
Now. The map.
Here you see divided by zones.
Z-01 : Council main area of operations.
Z-02 : Royalist's main area of operations in Languedoc. Many of the battles occur in this stretch of space.
Z-03 : Brigands area of dominance. The thick asteroid field alongside with the easy access to Dauphine, makes their position quite valuable.
Z-04 : Maquis area of dominance. It's far away. Inside a thick asteroid field. With defensible capabilities to boot. Excellent for future operations.
Z-05 : I've detected several traces of Royalist operations here. No Council, Brigand or Maquis presence. If i was a Royalist and wanted to attack Quilan.. Well. I would make a pincer movement. One side from the lanes drawing out attention.. And the other, well.. Coming from here. Effectively closing any movement from the Council, that would have only one way out. Orkney Jump-hole.
And by the way.. The GRN is building a massive movement in Dauphine. I guess the Council will be toast in some months. If so..
It's the prelude to attack Sirius.
If you have more questions, just send them, Hale.
Until then..
Toodles,
Kaze Nelson Reidman Dagon-Callagher.
--Transmission Ended--