Sender:Willows, Sarah - Admiral Location:Fort Bragg, Planet Manhattan Recipients:The Liberty Navy and the Liberty Security Force, especially Associate Deputy Director Wolfe
*Willows appears on the screen, looking stressed and sitting in some kind of office, in front of a large, black oak table.*
"Right, let me get this straight everyone, and I mean everyone.
I'm down here, on Manhattan, in Fort Bragg, even though I should be up there, aboard the Overlord, whipping some Nuggets in shape or responding to distress calls coming in from all over Liberty.
That, frankly, sucks.
And it sucks just as much that you're all doing this lame, frakking horse**** 'let's shake hands and be merry' approach.
It's not a goddamn long-term solution."
*As usual, she lights a cigarette.*
"I know a couple of things, and one thing I know is, that inside our own ranks, and by that I mean the Liberty Navy and Security Force together, there's been frakk all in terms of cooperation as of late.
It's starting to piss me off, almost as much as you, 'Assistant Deputy Director' pissed off Mac, but that's for later.
But that ain't the big deal, frakk cares whether I'm pissed off or not.
The big deal's what I've said, our cooperation sucks.
We've two branches of forces.
We've the LSF, who's responsible for what the LSF's responsible for, intelligence, internal security, and what he hell else there is ever.
And we've the Navy, responsible for waging a war, keeping the borders safe, and having big guns at the ready when the crap hits the fan."
*After inhaling deeply, she puts off her Admiral's hat and flings it to the side.*
"Now here's the deal.
Like Dave somewhat said, we want this thing here to work, we need to work together.
Now I think that if we shake hands here and do jack but that, all we'll have is what?
Words?"
*She slams her fist on the table, making it shake a little.*
"FRAKK WORDS.
FRAKK SHAKING HANDS.
FRAKK PRETENDING TO BE ALL NICE AND WONDERFUL AND FABULOUS OR WHAT HAVE YOU WHEN NOTHING'S THERE TO BACK IT UP."
*Now she puts the cigarette out and calms her voice, miraculously.*
"Some of you who've been here for a while will've gathered one very basic thing 'bout me.
I hate half-assed crap and half-assed solutions.
I want things to work.
I want them to work in the damn long run.
And I think that we, and that means YOU, the Security Force, and YOU, the entire goddamn Navy around me, I think that we can make things work in the long run."
*She lights the next cigarette, and continues, calmer than before even.*
"I've an idea.
And it's a daaamn fine one.
But before I share that one with you so I can, afterwards, continue to have my little chat with Captain Karlo, I'd like to get some things out of the way.
Now, I'll ignore our 'liaison' for now and adress you personally, Assistant Deputy Director Wolfe, as I understand your position, I understand your concern, I understand what you're trying to do.
And I think you want cooperation just as much as I, Hale, and everyone else who isn't a goddamn moron does.
So let me make the first step here."
*Now she clears her throat... for whatever reason.*
"I apologize if my tone and rudeness upset you and gave you the impression that I held no respect for your person or the Liberty Security Force as a whole.
And I'm NOT doing that because of Mister Liaison, I prefer getting to whoever's in charge right off the bat and doing face-to-face talk, or whatever's closest.
Anyway, you've been doing a good job from what I've seen, so you do have my respect, and I am sorry if I seemed to have none in your eyes.
Now, even if you accept that apology, we've still a problem I got to hear about.
Namely those goddamn accusations about my doing and my persona."
*She leans forward to the camera a bit.*
"I want to hear them.
From you.
For everybody else to hear and see.
So we can get this out of the way and move on to work on our collective lot's problem, 'cause, if we don't, regardless of whatever went on behind my back, the 'issue' might still leave a sour taste in people's mouths.
So let's hear it, and then we'll move on."