"I think you give the Coalition too much credit. They may have managed to drive people out of Sol, but here they are little more than an annoyance. Hessians ... well, let's be serious for a minute shall we? They're Rhienlanders first and foremost. So they're a pain in Dresden. They're a threat in Omega 11, and a little bit in Omega 7. The rest of the civilized worlds couldn't care less what they do down in the rest of the Omegas - and neither do we."
His cavalier dismissal of the two groups in a simple paragraph upset Carlos.
"Are you a complete fool, DeVirgo? Don't you realize what that group of people, working together, could mean to you and your precious Core?"
Max looked back calmly. "So you're admitting that you're worried that your mighty Corsair 'nation' is actually weak? Because I've been present on our station here in Delta when combined Order and Corsair forces attacked it - and your boys couldn't take it out. Why would I be worried about them, when they're not as strong as you? Or perhaps you should actually admit to yourself that you are the one worried, and that YOU need US - not the other way around."
Carlos had to sit back for a moment. In two short sentences DeVirgo had both insulted him - and also opened his eyes to something that he hadn't realized about his own forces.
Before Carlos could say anything else, Max pointed his finger at a young woman on his side of the table, and she stood up. "Gentlemen, I'm Abigail Hearns, one of our ship commanders, and also fully trained as an intelligence analyst. We have some comfirmation of the information you have presented here. However, it is far from complete, and I already know that some of this completely false. Bad intel is worse than no intel."
She set a small screen on the table, and a holographic presentation of the border worlds came up. "You have concerns about the Coaltion here joining with the Hessians, who have bases in these systems here." The map showing the bases blinked as they lit up. "However, our intel also shows that the Coalition is also on friendly terms with groups that have bases here, here, and here as well. And of course, all of these groups, including the Hessians, have stated that they will cooperate against any enemy of Rhienland - and each other."
The map now showed something that Carlos didn't like. The Corsairs were surrounded.
DeVirgo spoke softly. "So, Carlos - you can continue to threaten us. Our main enemy is the Order, and the Nomads, and our allies are in all of the Houses of Sirius." With a flick of her finger, Abigail lit up all the rest of Sirius house space. "Your space is here - and from where I sit, you have very, very few allies that have space near you - and lots of people around you that have reason to not like you."
"Some of us don't need to posture around like banty roosters to show our strength. And all the courage and pride in the world won't help you when you're outnumbered and about to get run over. There's a joke going around based on that new holo-vid show that's popular on Houston right now."
Carlos looked confused now - DeVirgo was bringing up jokes?
"Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian sidekick Tonto are in a gully, surrounded by 30 Mescalero braves. Lone Ranger looks at Tonto, and says, 'Now what do we do, Tonto?'. Tonto replied, "We, white man?"
"We don't need this as much as you do, Carlos. Your call."
(11-21-2013, 12:53 PM)Jihadjoe Wrote: Oh god... The end of days... Agmen agreed with me.