"The Akhetaten; the latest and most sophisticated design to emerge from Juneau's dry-docks. Such firepower, such capabilities; decades of military research and development. Thirty-three years of service."
"Wasted."
First, it was the Sentinel sightings in Kepler. The anomalies. Entity. Events shadowed by the Republic's hatred of the Order, of the Technocracy. Shadowed by orders that had the Navy chasing after those that held knowledge, rather than after knowledge itself.
Then came Omicron Nu. Long lost fleets, assets, people. Now mere ghosts of their past selves. Discoveries shadowed by the war against the newly formed Insurgency.
And then came Ontario. Planet Sudbury. An alien site long left untouched that had now activated itself. An energy source; a beacon, perhaps.
"SL-40-8830, code-name Hades, lost. Deceased. Killed in action."
The survey liner that held important finds on the anomaly at Planet Sudbury. The liner that the Republic could not spare enough forces to defend. The liner that the Navy could not free from Rheinland's grasp. Gone. Destroyed. Shadowed by the war against the Militants. A mere necessary sacrifice.
Scattered across the Vice Admiral's desk were numerous reports from the past six years. Reports that all had one thing in common.
An alien threat of utmost importance being overshadowed by...
"Meaningless endeavors to please the Republic's corrupt ideals and futile goals."
It had been many years of trying to convince herself that Christopher was wrong; that the Republic is not blinded and deafened by it's own trivial, pointless, ambitions; that one day the alien threat will be recognized and proper measures will be taken to ensure that the second Nomad war does not wipe humanity.
But...
"He was right all along."
The Government wasn't going to listen, for they did not care; nor now neither thirty-four years ago.
The Order; the protectors of humanity that had emerged from the shadow of the Republic to save the world not four decades ago. Nowhere to be found; perhaps busy fighting their war on ideals against The Core, or maybe occupied scheming with the Xenos.
The elephant in the room had gone ignored for more than half a decade and Maria knew that soon all the puzzle pieces which were neglected would inevitably connect.
"Fumbling in ignorance. Incapable of understanding."
A decision laid ahead of her. One that wouldn't be easy. One that boiled in her mind for months. One she was too afraid to come to terms with.
But if she wasn't going to make the call - nobody would.
"So what's the plan? You're clearly not going to sit here and watch from the sidelines," the Commodore's voice echoed through the Vice Admiral's quarters.
"I didn't call this meeting so you can ask me what the plan is, Edwards," Maria responded with a firm tone, "offer me ideas."
It would be a silent two or three minutes in Uhmen's quarters after her last statement, as her guests were pondering.
"Vice Admiral, may I?"
"As you were, Captain," she turned her head to look towards Brown who was seated on the opposite side of the desk.
"I believe you should discuss the matter with someone that can do something about it first. I think that is the solution you're looking for, ma'am."
"She's not wrong," Christopher said, standing in front of the observation window and looking out towards space, "Kemp-Smith has already shown he trusts you."
"It's only right if you at the very least consult him, Uhmen."
He wasn't wrong. Uhmen knew she already had the Fleet Admiral's full support on all of her previous endeavours not only in Ontario but also in Coronado. Not only that, but Kemp-Smith had even gone the extra step to share the Vice Admiral's trust for Revenant - something which came as a pleasant surprise to Uhmen.
"So what are you suggesting then? I tell the Fleet Admiral that the Republic's doing nothing about the alien threat? That all our hopes so far lay with the LSF who are not even to be trusted? That we need Auxo's help in this?"
"Don't be silly, Maria."
"Think of it differently; the Republic has thrown countless of resources and its best engineers - its biggest minds - into Project Akhetaten. From the ship's very construction thirty-four years ago to her return to service seven years ago to her retrofit four years ago. What matters truly is how you approach the matter and how you form your.. complaints."
"Elaborate."
"Ask for a hearing; perhaps a comms channel with the Government. Speak with them. Offer solutions to the problem rather than simply mentioning the problem. That's what they looove to hear. Solutions."
The Vice Admiral's gaze would turn towards the Commodore who almost spoke in riddles. He'd stare back at her through the reflection on the glass.
"The difficult part is finding those solutions," he added, "I've got a few things in mind myself to pitch towards the Fleet Admiral. But we'll not only need his approval," he turned his head towards the Vice Admiral, his eye locking onto hers before he continued, "we'll also need his own opinions on the matter - don't forget that."
"So what are those solutions you're pondering of?" She asked the Commodore.
"Give some time, Uhmen. I'll need to think about it some more," the man replied before walking towards the door, "I'll let you know when I've got something to work with," he added before stepping out of the Vice Admiral's quarters.
"Dismissed, Captain," Uhmen nodded to Brown, who firmly got to her feet and walked out of the quarters.
