John Burton was smoking some 1st class gallic tobacco in his office on board of his "Democritus" class Yacht cruising through Bretonia and looking at a new relique from the Old World he had been able to buy from the new profits of what could be defined as war time business.
"Come in and take a cigar", he told to Lt. Kusanagi who was standing at the magnetic armoured door.
"Thank you, mister Burton.
- Welcome on board of the 'New Venice', Lt.
- I'm in no mood for beeing proud of it, mister Burton.
- Why, Lt? Because of this little incident near Houston, Texas?
- You call that a little incident, mister Burton? I've lost one Pirate Train and the Security vessel of one of our best combat pilots, sir.
- No, Lt. That's not what really happened. What really happened was: you saved the lives of two GST captains on that day.
- I had to run, mister Burton. There's nothing to be proud of.
- What do you prefer to do? To fight against these bloody BHG Gunships they're using with 2 Eagles and a Pirate Train?
- Well. Ozu and I should have taken bombers for that mission, mister Burton.
- Well, next time more chance maybe.
- Chance? This conflict with Liberty and Bretonia lawful factions has nothing to do with chance, mister Burton.
- You're right, Lt."
Burton looked at his left hand and at the awful scar he had on it.
"It has little to do with chance. We do not have big vessels like the BHG or Liberty and we won't have any, never. But somewhat everything is running like I planned it. And I know you trust me, Lt.
- I trust you, sir. And I sometimes wonder why.
- Look at this picture, Lt. And describe it, please.
- This is a antique ****ao picture from the year...
- No, Lt. The hell with art history. What are you looking at when you look at this picture?
- Well..."
Burton was smiling and smiling, as ever. There was something terribly arrogant in this smile, of course. But sometimes you would wonder if there was not wisdom too in this strange and never ending smile.
"What I see, mister Burton, is a perfect balance between precision and brightness and haze, limpidity and blur, clearness and impenetrability."
Burton looked at his Lieutenant with friendly and happy eyes.
"This is exactly what I wanted to hear from you, Lt. The other name for what you just said is: the beauty of war.
- This is just a picture, though, mister Burton. Nothing like this does exist in the whole universe, sir.
- Are you sure, Lt?
- I'm pretty sure of it. I've never seen something like that in my whole... in my whole life.
- Your life... This a beautiful word, too, isn't it, Lt. Especially coming from the lips of an high intelligent security droid. Well, something like that, Lt., will happen in Sirius very soon."
GST CEO John Burton (3076-...) is a retired Liberty high rank politician and business man.
His functions in Liberty administration are still not clear today.
He left Liberty administration some years ago and founded the well known Galactic Secure Trade Company in Kusari space with WDR funds.
The GST Company was based in Zoner systems for the following years, until tensions with Liberty authorities because of GST breaking the Texas blockade became to dangerous for Zoners.
Then the GST Security Council decided the Company should switch to Smuggler ID and cut all official contacts with former Zoner Allies.
You can find more information and desinformation on GST's Neuronet: http://gstrade.forumactif.net
and contact John Burton and other GST members there almost anytime.