Ares is left, shocked, staring at the cigar held between the thumb and forefinger of his good hand. After a few seconds, he realises that he shouldn't be surprised. The Omega Pirate Guild, unlike true Corsairs, never did care about feeding the hungry. They only cared about lining their own pockets and wanted to live in the sort of luxury that Bretonian aristocrats were used to.
He breathes out to calm himself, then shakes his head and tosses the cigar aside. He looks to Pedro Maniaco to start the meeting.
"I assume that you were going to say something about people inviting Outcast Dreadnaughts into Crete's orbit? Or was this meeting about something else? Maybe about how disrespectful it is to leave a meeting before it has even begun, perhaps?
Well, seeing as that brain-damaged Outcast-lover has apparently forsaken his heritage and duty, it appears that all that were invited are now here. May we begin?"
Ares offers an impatient, angry smile and awaits Pedro to begin the proceedings...
Pedro Maniaco let Gentle leave the room, there was no point in holding him back. Pedro had a reason for staying silent for so long. He thought if he let those two cowboys blow off some steam, things might get better and he was also hoping for final handshake. But it seemed more difficult and only the well known healing abilities of time could help now..
They had to move on to far more important matters, so Pedro stood up and made a calming gesture at Ares.
"Brothers, I was hoping for a different beginning of this meeting, but let's leave the current personal issues between brothers Ares and Gentle and let's move on. You all probably know I wouldn't invite you to this Council, to this room to solve some past bar-fights."
He cleared his throat and continued.
"First of all, I'd like to be sure that you all have the same insight on the Mercenary issue. These people should neither be trusted nor hired and therefore they shouldn't be let to fly freely in Corsair Zones of Interest."
Pedro looked in their faces, and when he saw most of them nodding he continued further.
"And now, the most important matter. Brothers, in the recent past, we have all been busy defending our home, Omicron Gamma, some of us were obtaining food and suplies for Gamma by pirating traders passing Omegas, attacking military targets in Bretonia, we have beem persuading traders close to Corsairs to smuggle Alien Artifacts into the systems of enemy houses, and we have been recruiting and training new recruits. It seems that Gamma has once again become a safer place as we are growing stronger."
"But the food shortages continue, and our people suffer. We have two options. We can double our effort and continue what have been doing until now, or we move deeper into enemy territory. I obviously wouldn't be organizing this council to assure you all that we do great and we should continue the current way."
Some of the present Elders seemed surprised, while some others were starting to smile as if they liked the way Maniaco was thinking and so he moved on a bit further.
"Okay, now we have another two options, thew first one is Bretonia. We have our base Cadiz in the nearby system which could be used as a base for all our forces. But as I said before, we have been attacking Bretonia quite frequently and I think we should move onto another target, a very rich one, with advanced industry and lots of busy traderoutes."
Each time Maniaco was close to the term 'piracy' he noticed a slight disagreement on Ares' face. But that was nothing new, both Corsairs and the revolution army members had different insight on weakening enemy houses. Corsair way was based on piracy while the SCRA strictly refused it. But they had to tolerate it if they wanted Corsairs to perform joint operations with them.
So far noone stopped Maniaco and he continued:
"Rheinland. Their military is one of the strongest ones but imagine the income after we succesfully raid the Ring nearby Planet New Berlin. Imagine their mood when we force their military to retreat. Imagine the fear that will spread into other parts of Sirius when we attack them. So, here's the plan."
Pedro clicked something in his pocket, and the lights in the room dimmed out. There appeared a map of Sirius. The flashing cursor moved onto the Sigma-13 system which enlarged over the whole screen.
"I was doing a small secret research in the area. There is a research station in the Sigma 17 system but it's neither suitable to support large group of vessels nor can we persuade Cryer Pharmaceuticals to cooperate with us. But there is a Junker base in Sigma 13, not far from the New Berlin jumphole, the Yanagi Depot. It's known that Junkers preserve neutrality in the Outcasts vs. Corsairs war but when I spoke of a large attack on Rheinland they were willing to help."
"Well, under one condition. They want constant shipments of the scrap metal mined from the Tenereife Asteroid Field, surrounding the Tripoli shipyard. They said it's rich of some composite they need for building larger ships. So I say, if shipping some junk there from Omicron Gamma enables us hide a large attacking group in the clouds of Sigma 13 and use Yanagi Depot as a temporary base, so why not? We could hire RepEx Shipping to help us with the deliveries and use their escorting services or escort their transport ourselves. On the way back they could bring some food back to Gamma."
"I am sorry that my speech was so long, but as I see noone is sleeping yet and you all seem rather excited. What I want of each of you now is to say what you do or don't like and what other suggestions you might have."
Pedro sat down, and drank the whole glass of beer at once.
I agree with What you are saying Maniaco, the profit we could bring in and smuggle out could be enence.
I also have something to say about some reports.
Ares I have been receveing reports about some of your men that have been Harassing and disrespecting my men. I would like you if sometime soon to posablay have a talk to your men about respecting the rights of our men and your brothers.
Now Salvador would like to say something.
"Greatings my Fellow Brothers. When the Hispania there was much argument about where we should settle. I was amongst the many who abandon the Hispania and headed for our beautiful home that we have today. My family, Have all died. But my brother who is still alive resides from Malta. The Dreaded Cardimine has cepted my reched brother alive..."
Salvador stumbles abit, Alexander helps him up.
"Thank you. Now where was I. ah yes. Back on the Hispania there was a brawl about where we should settle. The "Outcasts" as they are now today made us flee the ship. We did not abandon them. They forced us off the ship, because of what we beleave in. We told them that the planet was dangorus, but they did not listen to us. We fleed the ship and our pods floted to words our home soon to be. We fight for what we BELEAVE in."
*Salvador slams the table and falls over in to his seat.*
"Are you ok Sal?"
"Yes. Yes"
"Ok, Are there any more pressing issues that are on the agender today"
(LOL Majkp you beat me to the post)
Elder Alexander Cross Wrote:Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking. It allows us to be honest with ourselves, to express those values that we would disavow in the light. The light blinds us. It is only in the dark that we see clearly, and there is a great dark hidden among these worlds
The lone figure floating in a the outskirts of gamma takes a deep sigh and hung his head down. he shivers and shudders with Anger, disappointment and sorrow.
How could this have happend.....
How could he really tell the council what was happening.
OPG...the well wishers of the brotherhood were being being ousted due to a self imposed ban.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO", he yelled in his chambers as the over whelming pain of the seeing his brain child die.....in the midst of testosterone, mindless anger and frustration.
No....he had to stay quiet for now and wait. The time was just not right...
The figure looked out the port window of his chambers. The Emarald colored Nebula was gleaming as beutifully as he remembered. THe dreadnaught moved slowly away from it....
As Pedro's demonstration continued on, Ares leaned forward in his seat with great interest.
Revolution in Rheinland was on his mind. Already the people in Bretonia were beginning to throw off their shackles of oppression, so perhaps it was time to give the Rheinlanders a similar taste of freedom.
He nods at each of Maniaco's points, taking it all in with some enthusiasm.
He offers his support, but has a minor issue with the plan,
"A well-thought out and presented plan, Elder Maniaco. Long have the Corsairs been planning the invasion and long have the Coalition been planning the Revolution in Rheinland. The two should go hand in hand.
However, there is a problem. I've been up that end of Sirius a few times, and that jumphole, the one to New Berlin by Yanagi Depot, is... unreliable. It phases in and out on a regular basis. Some pilots have disappeared, or been fired into stars. It's rare but it happens. Latest reports from agents on Yanagi suggest that the hole is going to go entirely out of phase soon, making it unusable.
The other jumphole, to Frankfurt, has better reports, but I'm somewhat skeptical. That and I don't trust the Junkers.
Also, on RepEx Shipping... They won't cooperate. They won't work for us and will likely inform the Rheinland government. They are loyal to that bastard Chancellor of theirs, I have no doubts there.
Might I suggest looking for another avenue of attack? Perhaps through the Omegas, if the Independent Miner's Guild are willing to offer assistance?"
Quote:'...Also, on RepEx Shipping... They won't cooperate. They won't work for us and will likely inform the Rheinland government. They are loyal to that bastard Chancellor of theirs, I have no doubts there.'
Juan laughed under his breath when he heard this.
"Ares, do you not know that RepEx is controlled by one of our brothers. They are also mostly branded by the governments, ex-criminals. Surely, you don't think we can trust brother Torres, as he runs it?"
Juan pondered while Adrian absorbed the information.
"Its time we start going on the offensive again; lets initiate the Road to Rhineland, part IV!"
Pedro heard that rumour about jumphole between New Berlin and Sigma 13 as well...
"That's a good point, Ares. But that risk is acceptable, I think. Some say that the jumphole might collapse but so far it's working so why don't we stick with the plan now and make some changes later is it becomes reality. Their base is not just the closest one to Planet New Berlin, but there is also a collateral advantage. This way is very frequently use by Cardamine smugglers, you see my point?"
"And speaking of the Junker reliability, yes you are right, but as long as we keep our side of the agreement, we should be all right. And don't forget that there will be a superior striking force of our capital ships parked somewhere near their Depot so I if they try some dirty tricks, we will wipe them out mercilessly. To be honest, eliminating Junkers in Sigma 13 before striking Rheinland was part of the 'Road to the Rheinland' manifest as Montoya already mentioned it, prepared by our ancestors. But I think doing it the way I suggested, we can focus on the real target without wasting our energy on someone else."
Pedro turned to the rest of Elders: "Okay, other comments or suggestions?"
"Sounds good to me." says Ares, approving of the plan.
"Maybe I could organise another prong to the attack, assaulting through the Omegas, though? That flank should be reasonably unguarded, what with the Red Hessians being busy hammering on Gentle's boys."
Ares' strategy seems sound in his mind and he really doesn't want to deal with the Junkers.
"If the Rheinlanders are hit on two fronts, they'll split their defences three ways, seeing as they're already worried about Liberty, aren't they?"
In his mind, Ares is wondering whether he should base his wing at Cadiz, so they can hit both Bretonia and Rheinland or at Yanagi, where they can hit both Kusari and Rheinland. Cadiz seems preferrable, since there aren't Junkers there... but it did have too many Omega Pirate Guilders. Yanagi was full of dirty, greedy Junkers, though. He would ask for the opinion of High Command later.
Costello smiled a little, this was the kind of plan he liked, Maniaco had done a good job on this one.
"It seems settled brothers, it is time to move to phase two, i will station the Velasco just outside the Yanagi's sensor range, just incase they try anything untoward.
I will also instruct Trimax.Shipping to start taking the scrap from tripoli to Yanagi.
"If the Rhinelanders have to split their defences three ways because of Liberty, we might be able to use this. As we all know, the two sides are on the brink of war. It seems as if Ares is hinting that we should try to discuss this offensive with Liberty. After all, it could only be in the best interest of their navy to see Rhineland out of action."
Juan swallowed before continuing.
"However, here is the crux of the problem. We are supposed to be aiding Kusari and not Bretonia in the war. I don't know how well this will go down in Kusari, if Rhineland are knocked out of the war as soon as they join. Also, are the Liberty navy to be trusted in simply handing over Rhineland to us? I think not. See now, there is the problem. If there is a solution, I would like to hear one..."