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+--- Thread: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) (/showthread.php?tid=178157)
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Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Doc Holliday - 04-07-2020
Freeport 6, Tau 29 System
His ship moored, Doc stepped through the airlock where he was met by his friend, the base's administrator, Blaine Chara, with his trademark firm handshake.
"It's been awhile, old friend," Blaine told him, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Doc had a look of cautious optimism. "An old friend paged me, since before even Midori and I. He wants to meet me and I was hoping I could have a quiet place to do it."
Blaine nodded. "You can use my office. It's way in the back and no one will bother you." He then handed Doc the access card to him. "I'll send down some food and beverage for you. You know what he likes?"
"Not sure," Doc replied, "I will have to call for it." He then pointed toward where his ship was docked, "It is loaded with iridium for you." The two men then parted ways as Doc made his way to the administrator's office while Blaine stood watch looking for Doc's friend.
The office was perfect. Not huge but plenty of room with a nice view of the Tau 29 sun and an occasional passing ship. A bottle of bourbon sat on a small book case. It wasn't Doc's drink of choice so he let it be. For the moment, all he could do was wait and wonder what to expect.
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Serpentis - 04-07-2020
Moving gracefully through space the rather well upgraded Corvo Deep Space Explorer slows down to moor to the station, it sends an friendly IFF showing Freelancer ID. Zhane tells his crew to take some r&r and enjoy themselves, just to leave a skeleton crew on the Remnant.
Meanwhile as Zhane walks through the halls on the Freeport he feels for the first time since he awoke, after six years on ice, a rather happy feeling. Perhaps not everything is over just yet.
He manages to get directions to the administrators office by Blaine after a short introduction and pleasantries. As he enters the room he removes his leather gloves and places them into his jacket pockets and smiles at Doc
"Evening Doc, again, thank you for taking time to meet me, it means allot to me and mine."
He goes to stand by where Doc is and holds out a gloveless hand
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Doc Holliday - 04-08-2020
He put on a soft smile and accepted his hand, holding the handshake for a moment and softly nodded. "It has been a long time, my friend." He then motioned to a chair with his free hand, "Please, have a seat." He then released the handshake.
"May I interest you in a drink?" he asked. "The staff here will only bother us if we ask for food or drink. I have requested some Scotch for myself and a light snack."
He took a seat and faced him. "I hope your trip was uneventful. I know how Freeport 1 can be." He gave a light snicker. "That place was the reason why I hung up my ambassador's robes long ago...that and losing my wife but that is another story."
He then leaned forward a bit. "So what brings you to me? I mean, it has been so long since we last spoke."
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Serpentis - 04-08-2020
Nods at takes a seat, he looks out the window, but he turns toward Doc.
"I wouldn't mind a scotch, It's been awhile since I actually had one"
He chuckles a little but when he mentions his dead wife, he grows silent..
"I am sorry for your loss, loosing those closest to you is devestating"
He grows silent for a bit then when Doc speaks of Freeport one he smiles a little
"Well, I only got robbed twice.. But didn't meet that many people around there, save the transport captains. "
Leans back and straightens his jacket then let's out a long sigh.
"Do you remember that there was a civil war between the EDF and Animus, which ended with our cities of Gran Canaria becoming nothing but ashes and debris and the bodies.. They where everywhere.. I was in command of one of the factions, but my senior CO's had gone behind my back and organised the Civil War and before I could do anything, I was shot and taken for questioning.
I got saved by one of the Animus caste, she helped me to the starport and as we landed on The Exile, our Nephilim"
Sighs again..
"Unfortunately, despite me fighting off BOTH sides and trying to mediate, my old CO's had ordered a strike on the Exile using thermonuclear weapons.. Which they had created behind my back as well. We managed to charge our jump drive, along with all others and that jump took us months out of Sirius space, where there is nothing."
Scrathces his face and nods a little
"We are now.. Ten thousand, out of the total we used to have of several hundreds of thousands.. Our transport and colony ships are all badly maintained after being left in space when all of us went into Cryostasis. Our home is gone, most of our supplies are draining and we, the Virulian Remnant wants to start again. That's why I came to you, people trust you, they did at least when things were different.
Can you help us find a new home? Or at least somewhere where we can rest and plan for the future"
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Doc Holliday - 04-08-2020
"Hoo boy," was Doc's reaction as he first leaned back in his chair before he sighed. The rush of memories, new and old, flooded him in an instant. The loss of Gran Canaria, resettling Pygar and he himself not having a true place to call home. As he thought for a moment for what to say next, a young lady arrived with a bottle of fine Scotch and two glasses.
"Leave the bottle, Young Lady," he told her as he rose to his feet and generously tipped her.
"Let me know if either of you need anything else," she told them, first nodding to Doc and then his guest before leaving the room.
Doc then poured a glass, first for Zhane and then himself. He stood for a bit, still wondering where to begin.
"As I told you, so much has changed," he began. "While you were in stasis, the House of Gallia came from nowhere and stormed through Sirius, bent on punishing all Sirians for the sins caused by many generations past. Only recently did that conflict come to an unofficial end but at a very, VERY, heavy cost. That is where my story will begin so please bear with me as we get to your answer."
"Their main focus was Bretonia," he continued, "And that was after Kusari had a long war with Bretonia. They had little time to recover from that and while they eventually fought off the Gallics in a massive battle outside of New London, the cost was..........."
Doc paused with a sigh. It was obvious he was upset before he continued. "...Leeds, the whole damned planet. In Gallia's retreat, they not only glassed the planet with nukes, they strategically hit tectonic points causing volcanic activity and earthquakes. Not one person survived.....not one of the billions on the planet."
Doc then stepped away as he swigged the contents of his glass, tears befalling his eyes. It was clear that the humanitarian was coming out. He collected himself somewhat but his voice was somber and a bit dejected. "Just before that, Gallia occupied the planet so anyone who could escape went to Gran Canaria."
He then turned sharply to his friend and had a look of anger, "Bretonia then took Gran Canaria from us in response."
He then stopped and re-filled his glass. "Excuse me while I collect myself. That was but the beginning."
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Serpentis - 04-08-2020
Zhane nods at the woman as she leaves in thanks, and then sips it while he listens to Doc's briefing of what has happened since those alive of the Enclave fled and placed themselves in stasis. He looks honestly horrified when Doc explains what had happened to Leeds.. How could they just murder billions because they lost.
He then hears that Bretonia took Gran Canaria and the color on his face turns red in anger, but quickly calms himself and takes another sip of the scotch.
"Ok.. That was allot, and this is just the beginning you say? In six years, so much has happened."
He then says after a few seconds "Well, I did know about Gallia and their march through Bretonia, we even were at a security meeting with the ZA back when they were deciding what to do about them. But I believe that somewhere in the beginning or middle of the conflict our own civil war erupted and shortly afterwards me and small percentage of our people fled. But, Canaria, they just.. Up and took it? What was your response to that??"
He fiddles with a small pen in his free hand as he also takes a moment to gather himself.
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Doc Holliday - 04-08-2020
Doc sighed, still on his feet. "I do not remember if Gallia was a factor before you went into stasis." He then sat down and faced Zhane.
"That is why I am starting as far back as I can about them. I am not trying to insult your intelligence or anything."
"I was furious," he began in his answer. "Bretonia decided that they needed a place to go to as they were losing badly, a place for their people to flock to and flock they did. They took over everything and offer colonies to displaced Zoners. Many have left, myself included, and have been settling planet Pygar in Omicron Theta."
He again got to his feet. It was obvious that this was a very sore subject for him but a necessary one.
"Bretonia already had colonies on Sprague in Omega 3 so I did not buy their excuse for needing a new home for their people. They brought a battle group into Omega 49 to assert their dominance there, allying themselves with a group of revolutionaries. One of the directors of the University of Cambridge came to plea with me to turn over my estate to the University so that it would be protected."
He took a sip of his Scotch before he continued, "But I knew where that would go. Bretonian taxes, Bretonian control. I wanted none of it. Besides, Tombstone, while it was a paradise for me, had lost its luster after Midori died. The director wound up being shot dead by my then fiancee so with Bretonian occupation imminent, the director murdered and no real reason to stay, I boarded my shuttle and left."
A huge grin grew on his face and the tone of justice came from his mouth. "From the safety of space, I detonated a nuclear bomb and destroyed all of Tombstone while all of my work and research was safely on my ship."
Annoyance came through again. "You know, years of work, years of friendship that I had built on that planet were destroyed. Now, I know you do not like Corsairs but many had re-settled on that planet to farm, to begin a new life and I delivered many of the Cretan children that Bretonian soldiers would murder..........just for being born Cretan. I do not for one minute regret blasting Tombstone, not one."
He then sat down, again collecting himself. Once he did, he gave a weak apology as he really didn't need to hear it all.
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Serpentis - 04-09-2020
Zhane, sipping his drink and moves it in a circle and has the liquid twirl around, he listens and nods and one can see the face turn from confused, to annoyance.
"I can't believe that they stole the planet, what was the Zoners reaction to this? Where there some kind of response?"
As Doc speaks of Tombstone he shakes his head "I am sorry to hear about Tombstone, but you did the right thing, leave them nothing."
When speaking of the Corsairs he quirks an eyebrow and Zhane looks as if he is unsure what to feel but eventually says
"I had some trouble with the Corsairs, but not the ones on the planet, we shared some trade, the Enclave even supplied food to their homeworld. And I feel completely drained by the mere thought of the Bretonians slaying Corsairs on the planet."
After a few minutes he says
"Where in this new world would you think my people can resettle? If possible?"
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Doc Holliday - 04-09-2020
Doc was more diplomatic at this point as the worst of it was explained.
"Those who stayed have formed a resistance, the Gran Canaria Army." He shrugged, "I do not know how good it will do as they are out manned, out gunned and out funded and have to deal with full time, battle hardened military personnel from Bretonia." He then pointed upward with his right finger, "You are correct though, leave them nothing which is exactly what I did. Even Omicron Supply Incorporated, facing Bretonian taxation, have left the system. They even took Nichols Trading Center, piece by piece and took it with them."
Doc sat down again. "And those who are staying but peacefully so are being given colonies to live on which to me is a slap-in-the-face when Bretonians have all but taken over their old homes."
He sipped his Scotch. "I do not know if your people can resettle in Theta or even if you would really want to. Pygar is a desert world where those living there are living in huge caverns beneath the surface. My Enterprise will be working medical care out there but the Velvet Zoners are in charge of the planet."
He sent Zhane a link on his datapad.
"Here is some info on them," he said as he forward the information.
He then gave him a few seconds to process it.
"Zhane," he said with a sigh, "I want to help you. I think we could help each other. I am not technologically proficient but I do have a good team of engineers. They cannot rebuild a ship for you but they can get a lot of repair work done so I will make them available as needed. Also, I will be starting a new hospital near Pygar so as the old addage goes, one hand washes the other. I will need help running goods to it."
"Like I said," he continued, "I am not an administrator of Pygar. That honor goes to Velvet or possibly OSI and I can put in a word with them if you need it."
He sipped his Scotch, "So what else would you like to know? Six years is a lot to catch up on."
RE: Meeting An Old Friend (//Doc Holliday and Serpentis) - Serpentis - 04-09-2020
Zhane taps the edge of the glass as he listens to Doc, his eyes dart from the glass to the window and back to Doc. He sighs and sips the drink before saying
"Technologically we can rebuild, we just need bases to land our ships at. And our colony ship with most of our people can with permission and some time, colonise a world and live well there. We did it before on Gran Canaria and we can do it again. I am just concerned that the new owners, these.. Velvet? I don't think they would just trust us, having been gone for years.."
He scratches the side of the metal covering half of his face
"And we would of course help you with what ever you may want, our technological knowledge is quite advanced, and with help from your engineers we could start repairs on our Nephilim colony ship. And eventually, we the Remnants could again be great allies to you and the rest of the Zoner community. Do you think you could speak to the others about us, and maybe give them some explanation. I think since they probably will trust your word on this over ours, unknown as we may be to them after all."
He nods a little and says
"Could you tell me a little of what has been happening with the Zoners as of late, are the TAZ still around? I just want to hear that our friends and closest allies are still doing well" he smiles at Doc and sips the scotch