For the desk of Fleet Admiral David Hale.

[Bazza]

A video tape arrives at the desk of Admiral Hale inside an otherwise standard packing box; labelled across it in professional-looking yet out-of-context stamps reading "STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL", "FOR YOUR EYES ONLY", and various other slogans alluding to the same end.

The tape, upon being played presents after several seconds of static and white noise, a young woman of distinctly Bretonian appearance bearing long, blonde hair and crystal-blue eyes; standing before a nondescript, stainless steel backdrop.

The sound of some sort of large engine or turbine can be heard in the background. The setting presents itself as the interior of a large transport or perhaps capital ship which is under way.

It is apparent the ship does not have any means of generating artificial gravity, the target of the camera holding her hair from simply flowing away into the weightless atmosphere of the vessel.

She stares at the camera, hiding her body from the shoulders down.

Ahem. Admiral Hale. I trust I'm not interrupting anything. I did happen to hear about your little fiasco with Sarah Willows and as inappropriate as it is likely to be given the current status quo I wish the two of you the best of luck.

Anyway.

Something rather interesting happened to me earlier today that I think needs to be discussed with you.

I am of the understanding that we had a little agreement - what I have referred to as an armistice - regarding my presence within Liberty and my past... indiscretions against Liberty's law keepers.

As you know, the basics of the deal were that I would cease reducing Liberty's fleet to salvage under the condition I was allowed to exist within Liberty provided I did not act aggressively towards Liberty's lawkeepers and that I be removed from as many databases as is possible to reduce the likelihood of someone recognising me from a Naval bulletin.

I simply wish to know if this little arrangement is still in effect. I very recently was introduced to the pointy end of the LPI Leavenworth, which as I'm sure you are aware is a rather large dreadnought. I at the time was puttering about in my dear little mobile home the Alsatia.

The commander, whatever his name was... Deputy... Chief something... made explicit mention of the fact I am apparently still a very wanted person in Liberty and then proceeded to put dents all over my house.

To make this clear I'm not especially troubled by the actions of that specific ship today - rather - the fact that it seems the deal we agreed to seems to have become impotent.

I personally have not taken any shots at Primary Fleet Navy, LPI or LSF ships since the... "date" on Newark. As for the secondary fleet incidents I'm sure you've heard of... I do try my best to avoid trouble within Liberty however as we all know sometimes brutal and totalitarian self defence is all that remains as a choice. That and, the seemingly random influx of stray Capitals to Hamburg orbit...

I escaped with my self and my ship intact on this occasion, however I wonder if next time I should use the Maelstrom as my abode. I don't really want to do that to conduct my affairs in Liberty, nor do you. I mean, I could count up the tally markers on the front of this thing but I doubt I have the time for that.

All I want is to be forgotten about. Taken off of all the databases of Liberty. I won't bother you nor your people any further and I wish for the same in return. When people ask "Who is Eva McDowell?" there should be nothing but confused silence.

'Tah!

The girl waves to the camera, letting her hair flow freely around her head as the camera is shut off. The video continues to play for a brief period, at a guess one would say the video had been recorded over some older footage. For a split second what appears to be the nude buttocks of another young woman can be made out on the screen before the video stops playing, dipping the display into static.

---

[Jihadjoe]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: [color=#99FFFF]Fleet Admiral David Hale
TARGET ID: Evangeline McDowell
SUBJECT: Been a while.
ENCRYPTION: Very high - eyes only
PRIORITY: Medium

A videofeed flickers into life, showing David Hale sitting behind a desk, a small console next to him beeps impatiently, he jabbs at the 'off' button before lighting a cigarette and looking impassively at the camera.

Evening Eva.

He sighs slightly and takes off his admiral's hat.

Seems you want me dead. Happens. A lot of people want me dead. Most of your friends infact. A less than smart merc decided to open his mouth before trying to throw me out of my ship. Didn't make me happy to hear that... The merc is, uh... dead. I trust you didn't know him. Money makes people do silly things... get a bit out of their depth. I've never been too fond of money.

Hang on a second...

He stands up and walks off camera, the sound of a door closing is heard and he returns to his seat, cigarette hanging from his lips.

Now... I didn't get this message until a few hours ago, when I checked through the absurd number of videos I've got around on this here machine. I only checked after you very sweetly told me not to get myself killed and asking if I got your message, and then a mere half hour later, a merc come shooting me up trying to kill me saying it's in your name, and the money is coming from McDowell company.

Bit of a surprise, no?

Now in terms of armistice, I've been doing what I can to keep your activities under the radar. Making it so you can do what you do keeping certain junkers or pirates in line, without feeling so much heat for all the not-so-good things you get up to in Liberty.

Your records, your files... How exactly am I supposed to keep those on the down-low Eva? The LSF is not a department I'm terribly popular with, nor is it an organisation that I have any control over. They are the people who keep your records up to date. I can't just delete those.

He looks down at the console next to him. It beep again and he turns it off a second time

More's the pity.

He looks directly at the camera.

Eva... I'm at wit's end with you. We cut a deal, and I make it so you don't get so much heat. That's easily done. But if you're going to insist on making life difficult for yourself by driving that damned cruiser around Liberty, which is bound to get some attention, and is the kind of thing the LSF will jump all over, what the hell am I supposed to do? let you fly off into the sunset, leaving secondary fleet captains asking some very difficult questions? Do you have ANY idea how much scrutiny I am under at any given time?

Don't get yourself killed Eva.

Oh... One more note, at the time you were scurrying off into the distance today, I was in the middle of dealing with an extremely rude, and very influential businessman who happens to hold a seat in congress, who decided that his employee's error of selling cardamine, and his arrest and impounding of this congressman's private transport ship, was the Navy's fault and we should pay compensation. So pardon me if I couldn't save you this time.

Hale glares for a second at the camera, then turns away and flicks the videofeed off.

[font=agency fb]****TRANSMISSION TERMINATED****

---

[Bazza]

Another package arrives at the desk of Admiral Hale, its exterior appearance immediately betraying its sender as Evangeline McDowell. The lipstick impression on the wrapping alongside the usual FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL and the other similar stickers which one would guess were purchased in bulk from a stationary outlet clearly defining the person responsible.

The video upon insertion into the player starts running automatically and presents Evangeline's all-too-familiar countenance on the screen.

The background on this occasion however is different to usual in that rather than the interior walls of a ship; the ambient setting consists of a heavily damaged capital craft whose design is consistent with that of the Maelstrom, lying dead within the confines of a station dry dock.

A number of people can be observed on and around the stricken vessel; the sounds and blinding flashes of light thrown out by the welders, grinders and other assorted machinery both briefly lighten the ship's charred outline and hint at the work being done to bring the Maelstrom back to life.

The target of the video bears injuries herself, the foremost of those being heavy bandaging around her left temple and several smaller dressings on her left arm.

Well....

Nice to know you received my message, Admiral. After not hearing a reply for so long I had assumed you'd no interest in dealing with the troublesome little thing I've become.

Anyway. You say it wasn't your orders that brought all those wonderful Navy boys down on me like a tonne of bricks. I guess you have no reason to lie so I'll have faith in what you say.

The facts are that my ship got torn in half, as I'm sure you can see behind me. Now that I've calmed down a bit and been treated for the injuries I sustained I have the stability of mind to realise that I put my ship somewhere it shouldn't have been.

I generally keep our operations to myself. I fly under, over or around most of Liberty's standing assets. It's the mobile ones I can't always avoid. On this occasion I was intercepted through an error of judgement on my behalf and cut down as I was passing underneath a tradelane.

Tell your boys that ain't no way to treat an expectant mother, will you? Imagine what would happen if the father found out.

Evangeline pauses for a moment and smiles coyly towards the camera.

Also something I think should be noted is I didn't open fire on anything that was laying into us despite the fact there were some targets there who were simply begging for a taste of mortar. A flimsily protected siege cruiser and special-ed gunboat to name two.

And despite what you likely think of me, I don't commit nearly as many crimes under the radar as you would think. I like cardamine and those involved with it about as much as you do. We'll leave it at that.

And yes, there is a bounty standing on your head and the heads of all your people. The lad who you splattered earlier wasn't all that intelligent - but as I'm sure you are aware there are far more dangerous people out there. Since I'm still somewhat upset about how I was handled I'm going to blackmail you into giving me something nice as reparation before terminating it.

I, of course, have no need for money. So asking for that serves no purpose. I could easily pay all these people behind me to build the Maelstrom three times over. The thing upsetting me is how brutal the boys treated sweet, innocent little things like me and my girls. Absolutely no understanding of how to handle members of the fairer sex.

She again pauses; her otherwise blank expression changing to that of a sly, almost perverted smirk.

Chrstina Robinson. Is she still around? Ranked Commodore, if I recall correctly.

Show me evidence of you planting a big, sloppy wet one right on her lips and I'll forgive your boys. Preferably in public.

Send it either directly as a transmission or indirectly through the "news" channels us members of the underbelly possess. Of course the quicker I hear about it the quicker I leash my dogs and terminate the bounty. Know that it's likely you'll have quite a few people on your tail for it too. There's a lot of money involved here.

You as their leader take responsibility for their conduct right? Right.

Have fun and don't get yourself killed, sweetie.

You really should kick that habit, too. It isn't good for you, you know?

Evangeline waves goodbye with pleasant informality and motions to an unidentified person behind the camera who switches it off, dipping the screen into static for a moment.

---

[Jihadjoe]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: [color=#99FFFF]Fleet Admiral David Hale
TARGET ID: Evangeline McDowell
SUBJECT: Been a while.
ENCRYPTION: Very high - eyes only
PRIORITY: Medium

The videofeed cuts in suddently from back, showing, not an office this time, but what looks to be the bedroom of a man who doesn't often see the inside of his own house very often. It's almost too tidy to be actually lived in, aside from the jacket bearing Admiral's insignia and the hat thrown carelessly and crumpled on the bed. David Hale sits down on the foot of his bed infront of the camera. His face shows a very very slight hint at a smile.

Got that package from Commander Greenson just before I left Fort Bragg on the LA shuttle... So I guess you caught me out of the office for once.

He pulls at the neck his t-shirt slightly then lets it flick back into place.

See? Not in uniform...

Anyway... I'm going to make an assumption here. You don't like Christina much? Well... here's the thing. That hard-nosed and souless bitch, isn't so hard nosed and souless. She's a friend of mine Eva, a very good friend, but more to the point... A friend. That's all.

He presses his fingers against his temples and looks at the camera, smiling.

If I'm honest Eva, your request is really rather funny... You already know about Sarah I'm going to presume. Sarah Willows, Ex Admiral, mad-as-a-hatter Willows, who happens to be someone in whom's company I happen find myself extremely happy... And I'll guess you already know, given it's fairly well known over on the green-team's side of the fence, she's decided to make her home on New Berlin.

The smile fades from his face slowly as he's talking and is replaced with a slightly pained look.

Not exactly office talk here is it? Listen... I'll be fair, this war isn't doing me any favours. I don't like fighting wars. It's my job, but I don't like it. Drives wedges between people, doesn't it... Now Sarah's still very much in contact with me. Nothing problematic about that... But here's the very personal deal on that. She's not going to like this idea of yours... To be frank, nor do I, and nor will Christy.

He sighs

Eva... Eva, In Military terms, you having the dogs on the hunt for me and my people, really isn't going to make the blindest bit of difference. But that's not really the point here, is it. Christina isn't that hard nosed bitch that most people think she is. She's almost... kind. Tempesteous, sure, and agressive sometimes, but she's no more or less human and unpredictable, and capable of emotion than you or me.

Now, lets think of the impact this potentially has. Christina Robinson, my close friend, deeply distraught. Sarah Willows believing I've found another woman. The public reaction would be interesting, but largely harmless. The impact is purely on my own life.

I want you to tell me what this is about. What it's really about. What have you got invested in the people who this has an impact on?

I'll leave you with that one... I need some sleep. And you're right, I should stop smoking.

Don't get yourself killed.

Hale leans back and grabs the remote for the camera, points it at it, and the screen cuts to black.

[font=agency fb]****TRANSMISSION TERMINATED****

---

[Bazza]

The video recording begins playing once more, this time catching the back of a younger-looking girl with shorter, chocolate-coloured hair standing in front of Evangeline; apparently attending to one of her dressings. It appears the two are unaware the camera is recording.

Evangeline's face blushes bright red at the attention received from the younger girl, her muffled voice inferring her to be of Kusarian origins. The unknown party finishes re-fixing Evangeline's bandages and returns to her position behind the camera as Evangeline tries to brush off the betrayal of her emotions that her cheeks present.

The background presents itself as a salvage yard, numerous unidentifiable allotments of scrap metal filling the floor space of the large, open warehouse facility. Behind the camera the sounds of a grinder and welder can still be heard.

Evangeline takes a moment to brush off the affections of the girl behind the camera and prepares her communication. She staggers for a moment, unable to find the right words for what she wants to express.

In the limited exposure I've had with Christina and the even lower amount with the two of you side by side I have already come to the conclusion that she has something of a puppy-love affair going on with you as the target.

The word that we here at the McDowell company use for someone like her is tsundere. I trust you'll be able to discover the meaning if you're not already aware.

But I guess if it's Willows you're after then there's no point, is there?

Anyway. You and I both know you always seem to attract troublesome women.

Now, you would agree that I am troublesome, correct?

You're an intelligent man; so I'll leave you to work that one out.

Evangeline smiles and winks at the camera, perhaps having lost some of her charm to not only the environment around her but her own physical condition.

The camera jarrs sharply as it receives an impact from the now notably jealous Kusarian girl behind it.


Tell you what. At the risk of suffering the same fate as the camera here I'm going to ask you for a bit of... shall we say... stimulating photography.

I am not the only woman out here in the underworld with an interest in such items. They would fetch a mighty price on the black market and it can never hurt to have more suitors out this way should things ever turn bad, right?

Of course, this... "shooting" will be done in person, face to face.

What better way to stop a woman shooting you than to let her shoot you?

Haughty displeasure emanates from the girl behind the camera as Evangeline smiles cheekily, wandering over beside the tripod device and disappearing behind it, silencing the Kusarian's lips with what can only be assumed as her own. Muffled complaints are all that can be heard as someone leans on the camera's switch, dipping the screen into static once more.

---

[Jihadjoe]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: [color=#99FFFF]Fleet Admiral David Hale
TARGET ID: Evangeline McDowell
SUBJECT: Been a while.
ENCRYPTION: Very high - eyes only
PRIORITY: Medium

The videofeed fades up from black once again to reveal a mildly bemused looking David Hale sitting once again on the foot of his bed at his LA house.

Eva? Did you just ask me to make porn for you?

His face retains the confused look and the poor man scratches at his chin in silence for a second. He opens his mouth as if he's about to speak a couple of times, but lapses back into silence each time, before finally being able to actually form words.

That's uhm... It's very flattering Eva, but I hadn't even considered you might be even remotely taken with... Erm. I... I really don't quite know what to say here Eva. I mean... Uhm... What?

He looks around for the camera remote again and presses a button on it once it's found. The screen fades to black as the look of confusion and bemusement deepens on his face.

[font=agency fb]****TRANSMISSION TERMINATED****

---

[Bazza]

A video transmission is received and automatically starts playing. The camera is at first blurred and out of focus but is quickly adjusted to bring Evangeline into clear view. It can be noticed that the camera is in this instance hand-held as opposed to tripod mounted.

The scene presents itself as the same dry-dock as the last video. Noted in the distance is the bright, blinding light and unique sound of a MIG welder operating. The figure of a large vessel immediately striking the informed viewer as that of the Maelstrom takes pride of place within the facility.

The target of the camera operator stands proudly in front of the capital craft; her hair haphazardly tied into a ponytail and bangs covering up the scabbed-over wound on her temple. With a sly, almost perverse smile she begins speaking.

Oh dear... it seems we've left our poor David speechless.

A coy smile stretches across Evangeline's face; betraying her attempt at discretion and presenting her full enjoyment of Hale's last reply.

For someone who presents himself as such a brutal lady killer, it is certainly delightful to see you functioning in such a hopelessly cute manner.

Anyway.

Pornography? Depends on one's point of view. Truth be told I simply wanted to see your reaction to such a ridiculous proposal. That and I still wouldn't mind seeing you naked... again.

Now that I've had the time to calm down and get healed up, I find myself wondering what to do about the status quo.

Evangeline stops her speech, turns around to face the Maelstrom behind her and resumes with her back to the camera.

As you can see, the Maelstrom is still in pieces. This I am not happy about. Really. Not. Happy. About.

You say having my people after you doesn't matter, yet, as I stand, there are three scrapped Navy ships with my name written on them. More will fall as long as such a potentially lucrative bounty is active.

Evangeline pauses for a moment to contemplate her next lines.

I find myself running short of materials... and I think you can help me out.

My proposition for the full and total nullification of the standing bounty and all hostilities from myself and anyone under my control is as follows:

Bring me enough supplies to rebuild the Maelstrom to full operating strength in the form of 500 tonnes of steel, 500 tonnes of high-temperature alloys and 500 tonnes of superconductors inside the hold of a complete and operational CT-53 class train.

The reason I ask for this specific vessel, as I am sure you are enquiring, is that the old girl is made up of many different components from several different donor ships, the Heron included. Your lads roasted a lot of her core parts which need replacing.

The above assembly shall be shipped to and abandoned at a location of my choosing from where I shall take possession of it. It will be disassembled and used to bring the cruiser online.

A Heron shouldn't be hard for you to acquire - it isn't normally for me at all. But you know what my situation is as well as I do, I'm sure.

Once I have the ship, I'll disappear and won't likely bother you again.

Everyone wins.

Evangeline turns back to face the camera.

Unless of course, I decide I want some of you to myself.

Continued displeasure emanates from the holder of the camera, the informed viewer recognising the voice and behaviour of the same young Kusarian girl who has featured in all previous transmissions. The camera is shaken violently before shutting off unexpectedly, dipping the screen into static.

---

[Bazza]

An eerily familiar package arrives at the desk of Fleet Admiral Hale; addressed directly to his office and covered in the same comical privacy stickers as the last several communiqués.

The video, upon playing, presents Evangeline standing at the bridge of a large ship of an unknown description, possibly a transport or gunboat. It appears to be in a very poor condition with exposed wiring, mis-matched wall panels and outdated equipment adorning an obsolete command console.

The first item of note is the fact she no longer bears the heavily distended stomach explicitly demonstrating her late-stage pregnancy which had been a stand-out of the last few transmissions; the girl instead having returned to the bean-stalk figure she had been prior to falling pregnant.

The second item of note is the man in the background blindfolded and bound to the captain's chair at the center of the ship's bridge. He appears to be wearing a Liberty Navy uniform. He can be observed as conscious and breathing, but not pleased with his current state of affairs.

Evangeline smiles warmly at the camera, greeting the intended viewer with a unexpectedly informal wave.

G'day, Hale. Hope you get this message. It seems you didn't get the last one so I have worries for this little video too.

I'll get straight to the point.

Evangeline pauses and turns to face the captured officer behind her.

As you can see, I captured one of your lads. His name is Remus.

I can probably guess what you're thinking already.

No; he isn't hurt - beyond some minor scratches and no; he won't come to any further harm - so long as you do what I want you to do.

Evangeline glares down the camera's lense, a vague air of psychosis about her.

As explained in my last video, which you either never received or simply ignored, I asked for some materials to help put the Maelstrom back on her feet using the termination of the standing bounty contract as leverage.

This has not born any fruit, so here we are.

A living, breathing captain of a battlecruiser who wants to go home to his family.

I don't want to hurt him, and I'm fairly sure he doesn't want me to hurt him. He doesn't strike me as the sort of person who'd be interested in that.

Evangeline smiles perversely, a wicked chuckle escaping her lips as she winds the end of her ponytail through her fingers in a manner one might take to be an attempt at seduction.

Remus here was brought undone by a selection of the finest quality goons I have working under me in California. He was the poor bastard who ran into our little raiding party. Put up a good fight too, until Jason shoved a supernova right down his throat.

I had the lads scramble the remains of the fighter and collect the escape pod before someone else came along.

He has a few minor injuries but, as you can see, is still very much alive.

Evangeline faces the camera directly, changing her demonic expression to that of business-like blandness and begins spelling out her conditions.

All you need to do to secure this man's freedom, the cessation of the bounty on your people's head and of course my removal from the places you can't scratch is to give me a Heron class train filled to the brim with all the goodies a girl like me could want.

Engine components, Ship Hull Panels, High-Temperature Alloys, Copper Wire, H-Fuel and of course some Luxury Consumer Goods. A five-hundred tonne container load of each should fill out the shopping list nicely.

Of course the deal includes the Heron itself.

You'll be required to take it to a location of my choosing and abandon it. I will take possession of it and once I have it within my custody, release Remus and ensure he returns home.

By the way, please don't put anything in there that would make me want to kill him here.

I trust you're able to reply within due course, Admiral.

The video abruptly ends leaving nothing but static on the screen.

---

[Jihadjoe]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: [color=#99FFFF]Fleet Admiral David Hale
TARGET ID: Evangeline McDowell
SUBJECT: Been a while.
ENCRYPTION: Very high - eyes only
PRIORITY: Medium

The videofeed starts playing, once again revealing David Hale, this time sitting behind his desk in his office on board the Durango. He looks tired and slightly stressed, two days of unshaved stubble on his face indicates he's not had a vast amount of free time recently. He runs a hand through his hair and inhales deeply.

Hello Eva. Hostage situation negotiation is something I've done before. The hostage taker has never been someone I've met in person before though... Slightly unusual. something of a shame it came to this, don't you think? Delays in communication tend to cause somewhat awkward moments sometimes.

He looks at the camera for a second with a look which could almost be described as sadness.

Not good... Not good at all. Now. Mr Sius is a good officer. A very good officer infact, and as far as I can gather, a pleasent enough individual as well. Rare the two of those come hand in hand.

I'll be frank with you Eva. You're not an objectionable person yourself, which causes problems of it's own. As much as you're a troublesome type, you are useful, and really rather personable.

He smiles for a second.

Looks a lot like we're going to have to come to some arrangement, and I think it's a lot easier to have this kind of conversation in person, rather than in fits and starts with unreliably delivered messages and misinterpretations of words.

So here's what I suggest... I'm going to have a transport prepped with the things you require, but again, lets be honest, that's only a temporary solution. I'd like to come up with something more permenant. Now, the transport of materials can be delivered, but not before we've sat down and had a little conversation.

The question is where and when.

Your choice.

He flicks a switch and the camera abruptly stops recording, leaving half a second of static, then black.

[font=agency fb]****TRANSMISSION TERMINATED****

---

[Bazza]

A package delivered by express post arrives at Admiral Hale's desk, hand delivered by one of the workers handling the operations of the office surroundings. The padded envelope has more of the familiar yellow privacy stickers haphazardly plastered across it. Even more of them reside inside the package across a small cardboard box, containing a video recording written to what most consider a completely obsolete technology - the DVD.

The disc when played presents the interior of a small, cramped and disorganised room not unlike those of the barracks of a large capital vessel. Mismatched household furniture including a two-tier bunk bed jury-rigged to the walls and floor with screws and bolts fill out the tiny quarters, a small porthole on the far wall offering a preview of the space outside. The passage of asteroids indicate the craft is moving, albeit at a slow pace - to avoid striking one of the many boulders surrounding it.

The camera at first appears to be floating across the room, recording its passage from floor to ceiling indicating the current environment lacks any mode of gravity, artificial or otherwise.

The sounds of laughter can be heard from behind the camera before it is abruptly grabbed by an unknown entity, shaking the recorded picture violently before refocusing it on Evangeline, who has taken up residence in mid air upon the roof of the room.

She is observed to be wearing a ragged, torn pair of cargo pants and loose-fitting, olive coloured tee-shirt which has been knotted up around her back. Her hair has been tied into a ponytail, which has been stuffed down the back of her shirt.

She seems disinterested in the camera at first, instead focusing on the view outside the porthole window. A voice from behind the camera speaks up, the accent and speech pattern hinting at a Kusarian girl.

Hey.... Evangeline! It's recording.

Evangeline quickly refocuses her gaze to the lens and offers it an unexpectedly warm, pleasant smile.

Permanent? I assume by that you mean "me out of Liberty, alive or dead".

I have no intention of leaving Liberty. I like it here. It's also rather easy, even for someone like me, to fall off the edge of the map. The underbelly is rather extensive, as I'm sure you're aware. I only make myself apparent when I feel the need to.

If it were up to me, honestly, I'd go back to being a harmless little Junker. But you know people tend to hold grudges. So all I can do is keep my guard up. That is why I need the cruiser.

It's the very reason the bounty exists, after all. People by chance stumbled into me "on the street" and took action. Something that isn't going to change no matter how hard either of us try.

Anyway. Putting all that aside.

Are you aware of planet Wichita in the Kansas system? High orbit thereof shall be my preferred meeting point. It is far enough away from, well, everything, that it can be considered neutral territory.

The vessel you will be interacting with be unarmed but also expendable. I may be blonde but I'm not stupid.

Whether you choose to come unarmed or not is up to you. I won't demand that you do. Having the Admiral of the Navy out so far from home might cause the locals to try their luck at a pot-shot or two and that wouldn't suit either of our objectives.

As for the time.

Obviously you need to fly all the way out there, as do I. Adding to the fact we operate on differing time schedules...

Evangeline pauses to think for a moment, her face scrunching up as she attempts to calculate the differences in time between herself and Hale.

Going by Universal Mean Time, how does 8:00am on Sunday the 2nd of January sound? Obviously being new years' one is going to have many commitments to other areas of life. And you know, Remus isn't going to come to any harm in that kind of time frame. He is being given food and water and is not being subjected to any actual torture, putting harmless annoyance aside.

If that's no good then perhaps either the Saturday or Sunday after?

Anyway. Those are my conditions.

I really should get going. One of my goons is having a sook about something outside.

The recording ends, switching to a brilliant blue screen akin to that of a computer's setup display. The video does not cease playing however, and after a brief lapse the paralysing, utterly unmistakable and undeniable sounds of a woman engaged in, and greatly enjoying, sexual intercourse stream over the blank blue window.

It becomes apparent the users of the recording device have not only re-used old discs but are also not entirely educated in the correct use of it.

The video continues playing until it is switched off.

---