When she asked him whether or not he was hoping for a clear answer, he simply nodded as a response, not wanting to interrupt her since she didn't seem finished talking just yet. Once she'd finished, he picked up the star she slid back to him and quite simply placed it back in her hand. "Keep it, yours now." While the words were obviously plain and brief, it carried a great deal of symbolism, the star being hers now was also a matter of allegiance and ideals. By keeping it, she would silently be agreeing that the LFR was in fact her home, the sort of thing she'd be willing to fight for.
That last comment she made prompted him to smile again, and to reply with a phrase. "Whether it happens or not, that's miles to midnight. Cloaked in uncertainty to us for the moment, we'll see. I'd prefer if you were with us when it happens though, and I do honestly look forward to working with you." While he hadn't sounded overtly friendly at all up until this point, his tone just then roughly resembled that notion. It also appeared as if he was no longer guarding his space in terms of posture, arms lowered and placed for comfort rather than enabling quick access of the holster.
Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
"Long miles to Midnight indeed, Morreti.", she replied with a heavy sigh. She knew that she was picking the lesser evil of all evils she had available for her and her crewmen. But one thing was choosing a course for the new future, and other matter entirely was to actually execute it. Some of her men were loyal and she knew that they would not object this decision, but there were also those who could and would actively sabotage this whole endeavor, taking others out with them if necessary.
"I don't even know how to pull this off without painting huge target marks between our eyes and lining us at shooting range the moment we start taking those loved ones or relatives from Veracruz. The more desperate situation will become, the more paranoid Insurgency hardliners will be. I'd certainly be if I still was one of them.", she smirked, even silently giggled when she said the last sentence. A point of no return was approaching in their future and she knew it all too well - take everything they can and burn all the bridges behind them, "I believe that they expect various factions or even units pursuing their agendas when the whole organization will start falling apart. There are people - high and low ranks - who are going to fight to their last breath in there.".
To visibly express curiosity, Morreti tilted his head ever so slightly. "Who says you have to plan and execute something that significant all on your own? It's treason if you get caught, I think I can make sure that doesn't happen, we just need to be quick about this, invasions are volatile affairs."
Even if he hadn't brought it up before just now, he'd given the possibility of her siding with him some thought. There were some obvious liabilities and risks to be factored into the equation, that way he could actually react to them. First and foremost was removing all the potential human shields that the desparate regime might use to ensure the loyalty of its men despite terrible odds. This didn't make the situation any less difficult or complicated, but knowing was half the battle, and they could be prepared as a result.
Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
"Treason, desertion, sabotage, betrayal or disobeying direct order with dire consequences for Insurgency. No matter which word your will choose, their meaning is all the same in times of war.", Virginia replied calmly and without any emotions in her voice. She has already made her decision, so she already came on terms with labels she might receive as addition to her crime records.
"Who else should plan it if not me?", she raised a rhetorical question and immediately replied to it, "I'm their captain, it's my duty give them course and guide them through it as safely as possible. Besides, I don't know if there are any other parties which can land their ships on Veracruz and take large number of people without raising too many eyebrows.".
She paused for a while until her eyes glinted with an idea, "But maybe some zoners can. Those who do their humanitarian missions across Sirius. Nobody cares about zoners, nobody minds them.".
Now things were headed in a productive direction, all it took was a nudge to get it to be that way. Past this point he could offer direct contribution. "i know plenty who would be onboard with getting these people out, do you have a destination in mind? I'd personally suggest Erie, the cities are autonomous." Through the years, Morreti had carefully crafted a favorable relationship with the Zoners around Liberty's periphery, often taking an active role in situations where their independence was being put at risk. The Alliance as an entity was therefore incredibly protective of their open minded neighbours.
Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
"Somewhere safe, yet not entirely out of reach for those who would like to visit them, of course. Parents, lovers, kids - a mixed bag of different dear ones who managed to survive their share of hardships over the years. Planet Erie or less crowded Freeport, does not really matter.", Virginia replied with some emotions in her voice, this whole evacuation was a huge stake for her - she would make a good name among even those crewmen who do not like her, but she can also be held responsible for all deaths if this would go all wrong.
She was thinking all about this before and now she finally made progress, a major breakthrough in her plans.
"I'm not going to hold them at the gunpoint afterwards. They can go or stay wherever they wish, but they might even stay there if it would be perspective enough for living.", she continued talking openly about her thoughts, but stopped for a moment as she realized something, "But it'd need to be a larger volume of people, not just those close to my men, so all the names on transport's manifest wouldn't be pointing out at one ship at first glance.".
Nodding emphatically, he seemed to agree with the course of action and didn't see any problems with it hismelf. "Extra names on the manifest to deter excess scrutiny, maybe an added bit of external urgency would help too. I could instruct for our raiders to tighten the noose in a few key areas to make the Insurgency's top brass feel like it has less of a choice, therefore more inclined to sign off on this as soon as possible and preferably without reading too much into the fine-print." A distracted enemy was likely to make mistakes they would not be victims to had the circumstances been less stressful and situation handled. A wildcard such as the Xenos could sow havoc behind lines without even being directly present, if the logistics were to choke now, even briefly, everyone would feel it in their throats.
Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
"There are two options - either I can sign it myself, but then the whole evacuation must be quick as there might be a chance for someone higher to call it off, or...", Virginia paused for a moment and scratched tip of her nose before continuing, "I might have a favor or two owed by one the admirals. His signature would make said evacuation clear for all greenheads, maybe with the exception of top brass, but his service record is spotless, unlike mine, so I doubt that they would be questioning his decisions. Then the biggest obstacle would be blueshirts invading our systems, who might be interested in capturing or destroying any refugee transports leaving Insurgency territory.".
Virginia leaned her back against the backrest and looked at her cigarette case. She clearly had craving for another one, especially when such heavy scheming was involved, but she ultimately decided against it as the air in small conference room was stuffy enough with one cigarette, let alone another.
After scratching under her right wristband with larger military-like watches, which also had discreet liquid cardamine injector in them, she went on, "But that would need as innocent flight plan and manifest as possible, since... he isn't onboard with this at all.".
While not entirely sure who she was talking about, he felt he could reliably guess and ran wit that unspoken line of presumption. "How much does he trust you? That might sway things in your favor the extra bit needed. All the better if you're trusted to oversee this alleged evacuation, rather than somebody zealous and deluded. What about you though? How are you getting yourself out?" She hadn't mentioned it yet, but it had to be assumed that the moment people who were evacuated didn't make it to the predetermined destination, there'd be a fair amount of suspicion trickling its way back down. And eventually, regardless of how long it might take, fingers would be pointed at her as the source of the idea.
Naturally, rather than sticking around and figuring out how that would end, she would be better off making arrangements to get out with whoever wanted to join her.
Posts: 849
Threads: 71
Joined: May 2020
Staff roles: Story Developer
"In most ideal scenario? I plan to disappear on one of my patrols and never report back, probably in system like Texas with plenty of debris to hide in until I manage to change my flag and restore order on my ship.", she tapped with her fingers on the desk, "All of us in one place, armed to the teeth and on home ground. There will be armed group of hardliners trying to sabotage our bid for freedom - they have plenty of options available, so it will be really tough, close-quarters fight and race against time.".
Virginia looked into the desk for a while - this was the part she was not looking for, but there is no chance that every member of her crew will be willing to make the same choice - and what was even worse, she did not know who will be on her side and who will try to stop them. But there can be little preparation for this - the less people know about this plot, the less likely it will be revealed before it actually happens.
It will be fight for survival, literally, as a simple sabotage of vessel's magazine or reactor can kill them all. All that she could hope for was to place her most loyal crewmen to these places and pray that they will fend off any saboteurs before they regain control over the ship and crew.
"That's why I need those civilians safe first, that will allow me to win over those who might be undecided - a knowledge, that we saved their relatives from the warzone might more than enough to have a majority. When in doubt, soldiers go where their family and comrades are.", she smiled for herself, "Chain of command is just less important than those reasons - that's why the most ruthless and reliable agents do not have family or friends.".