The journey was long but uneventful. Nicole Burton was flying alone on her executive Taurus escorted by five Universal security pilots. Normally, for a business meeting USI's Chief of Staff would have been accompanied by her own aides and negotiators but this was not a normal meeting by any measure.
The six ships successfully passed the orbital BAF patrols of Gran Canaria after a typical inspection. That wasn't easy or uneventful for everyone though. Nicole could notice on her right hand a Zoner freighter being questioned much more vigorously, one could even describe it as borderline bullying. But that wasn't her problem or fight.
The Universal ships normally proceeded to the docking ring where a second checkpoint was located and after that they entered the planet and landed on Port Jackson, the original Bretonian colony of Gran Canaria. Nicole zipped off her space suit, leaving it on her Taurus and accompanied with her five armed escorts, she started walking to the prearranged location.
Her destination was not too far and Nicole had no qualms covering the distance on foot. After all she arrived unannounced, and off the records. And she needed to breath some clean air after so many hours in her shuttle. In her eyes Port Jackson seemed to be a beautiful and serene city though still underdeveloped, a typical trait for Border World colonies.
However something put her off, made her feel dreary but didn't know why. She focused her attention on the Canarians and then she found the answer; she noticed (or rather felt) the palpable tension, the long stares, the mistrustful eyes. But that wasn't her problem or fight.
John awoke to a brief, yet violent snow storm. The howl of the wind battered the former residence that was claimed and converted in a command station, one secluded enough to be safe from prying eyes. Located in a mountainous region of Gran Canaria, well within the "safe" zone, it had proved useful for the handling of military matters surface-side. John could still taste the gin in the back of his throat, and with a sharp shake of his head he attempted to jog his systems online. Still half wearing yesterdays' dress, he took a good 45 minutes to sort himself out, a clean shave, hot shower and a fresh uniform.
The communication device attached to his wrist, tucked under his sleeve began to buzz, and with that he made his way to the transport dock, saluted by the all the officers, guards and administrative staff met along the path. Once on-board, it was a short flight to the rendezvous point, made unpleasant by the turbulence and poor visibility on what was usually an extremely pleasant view.
The meeting point was situated in a fairly bustling part of Port Jackson, filled with mostly friendly faces. John left the transport, a spring in his step, walking with purpose and without caution. Walking alone, it would seem John was vulnerable to an assassin slipping a knife in his back, but John walked with such intent, any would be assassin who got in his way would seemingly be boldered aside. John did not care if someone sought to off him, having spent the better part of 8 years fighting on Leeds following the fall, the danger presented by backwater cut throats felt almost comical to him. He was confident that it would take a large explosive device to off him, as the many close-combat related scars on his body indicated it would take more than a shiv to take him down.
Upon reaching the meet up point, John saw before him a Libertonian security detail, their hair-styles giving away their origin, they looked somewhat unsettled by the new location, a natural feeling for security staff under the circumstances, not that this made them unprofessional, the opposite in fact. With the security detail, stood a blonde female, attractive, if a little stiff, clearly a corporate type, who have a tendency - in John's mind - to be filled with cold logic, workaholics with no sense of fun. Time will tell if that is the case. The faces of the guards and the female VIP indicated that they had recognized the Commodore, and he had their attention.
"Time for greetings later. Follow me." John had seemingly not even come to a halt, before he returned in the direction from which he came, back to the transport. On the walk back, John raised his left hand to neck height, the military jacket draped across his back being dragged up with his hand movement. A few moments later a scuffle broke out between two plain clothed military police and a man among the crowd. He could be accused of making a show for the guests, but later interrogation of the suspect would likely reveal suspicions were well founded.
Upon reaching the transport, John gestured for the guests to enter, after they complied, he followed them in. The transport was relatively large, and contained at least a dozen armed guards, and it was full of officers who intended to return the command post from Port Jackson. In the face of this lack of privacy, John, instead of talking to his guests, took to drilling one of the guards. "Give me your gun Leftenant", John spoke in a tone of a commander, contrasting heavily with the almost jovial tone he tended to take when talking to civilians. "This is rubbish. You are more likely to shoot the man next to the one you are shooting with the condition this tripe is in." He shoved the gun back in the arms of the Leftenant, who looked visibly embarrassed by the dress down received. John believed in engagement with those under him, even trivial exchanges such as this, are better than distance. A soldier is no less human than a trader, and without any stimulus, morale wanes.
No sooner did they take off, they had arrived at the mountain resort. John finally broke his silence towards the guests. "Welcome to the Chateau d'Or, once the home of a disgustingly wealthy Zoner who made his wealth trading Molly gold with Gallia, and Gaian Wildlife to the Corsairs. A true piece of filth who understandably packed up and ran for the Omicrons when we came knocking. Considering his many sins, we took possession of his holdings, and now they serve the admiralty. I think you will find it quite comfortable, the worst types of people seem to enjoy the best kind of comforts".
"I assure you, you are quite safe here Miss Burton, the corporal here will direct you to the guest wing. When you are ready to begin our little talk, he will bring you to a private room where I will be waiting." John gestured to the corporal, while making his way to the command post to begin the daily briefing.
Nicole Burton was undeniably impressed with John Redmond. He demonstrated from the first moment she met him until their arrival to Chateau d'Or that he was a soldier. Not a politician and certainly not a man who owed his position to his noble heritage. John was courteous but also direct. He was demanding but also reasonable.
The Chief of Staff didn't mind that the Commodore avoided his guests until they arrived in the Chateau. This was not a social call and John seemed fully capable of ensuring their conversation wasn't going to be heard by anyone he didn't trust fully. One thing that she wasn't sure though was if those under his command respected his qualities or despised him for his attitude. The Lieutenant who John embarrassed didn't reveal any hints which of the two scenarios was the right one.
The Chateau on the other hand was gorgeous and luxurious. Constructed outside with black-colored rock from the local mountains and adorned in the inside with white marble it created a wonderful contrast. The design was equally elegant with chandeliers hanging from the roof and battle trophies from the walls combining Bretonian and Cretan artistry, a very unusual mix yet attractive. No wonder why the Admiralty decided to take it for themselves and use it for their VIP guests.
"A well-deserved fate for opportunists like him." Nicole said to Commodore about the previous owner of the Chateau. She might have added more but she wasn't feeling comfortable; her arms were wrapped around her jacket trying to keep herself warm until she could get inside the building. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Nicole was not used to cold climates, especially in chateaus high in the mountains.
Once inside, Nicole agreed and the corporal escorted her to a guest room. She didn't plan to change her attire, after all the sweater and blue jeans were more suitable for a mountainous meeting than a corporate suit and it also added to the meeting's unofficial nature. Perhaps John would also be more comfortable talking to a casually dressed woman than to one in an austere suit. Instead, she only changed her underwear, applied some make-up and checked her hair so in less than 10 minutes Nicole walked out of her room telling the corporal to take her to his boss.
The morning briefing was uneventful. More Corsairs reported arriving planetside, not yet in enough numbers, but concerning. The former Corsair holdings currently occupied by thr Coalition are showing signs of fortification. BAF fortification efforts proceedings with pace, the usual daily fluff.
No sooner did they finish did John receive a buzz from the guest wing. "Our guest is ready to be seen sir." The corporal spoke with a slight nervousness, seemingly concerned the Commodore was perhaps still preoccupied. Luck would have it the day was likely to be a quiet one. "Escort to Room 17, by the water feature." and with that, the guest would be on her way to the most isolated, and most aesthetically pleasing meeting room on offer.
Upon entering the room, he commodore saw fit to crank the heat up, sensing his guest was not taking the cold well. The room itself was relatively simple in layout, two low lying leather upholstered chairs - their comfort level unparalleled - that sat facing each other, separated by a few feet. They were placed near the window, on which a tabled was fixed for drinks and other items. There was also a large conference table in the room, though it wasn't expected to play a part. What made the room was the view, outside the window a deep ravine lay, with a waterfall falling from above where the room sat, creating a considerable Impression while also creating privacy.
Upon arrival of his guest, began the courtesy. Standing up to greet, exchanging a handshake and gesturing her to sit, not until she was comfortable did he sit in turn. Then, the meeting began in earnest.
"Well then. You are a long way from Liberty. I hope you can appreciate the level of hospitality despite not having a clue why you're here. Perhaps we can start with that."
"It has been a long way indeed. I do appreciate and thank you for your hospitality. I don't think it should surprise you at all that one of the Big Three approaches the Armed Forces with a special proposition. As you are well-aware the Big Three are staunch and powerful friends of Bretonia and we will continue to do so in perpetuity." Nicole said seriously and with sincere eyes.
"Ah yes. The Big Three. I'm sure this place is but a hovel to you. I'm big on ideas, big on actions. Anything you can propose to me that will help me, will help Bretonia, I want to hear it. As for your statement of friendship with Bretonia, I don't believe anything because you say it is so, I believe it because of actions, both past and present. Did you know some among the Liberty Navy lectured us when we took this planet? And again when we took Aland? Not really the actions of friends of Bretonia" John started to feel as if he was losing composure somewhat, recent events, and the wave of criticism that followed weighed on him and the rest of the admiralty. In his mind, all that had been done, had been done for the liberation of Bretonia. "Ehem, apologies, I guess I had to get that off my chest sooner rather than later." John was quick to apologise before Nicole had the chance to react.
Nicole tried to reach out to the man in front of her. It was obvious he was involved too much, he gave too much in this war to be able to see things from a neutral viewpoint.
"No, don't apologize to me John. I don't want you to restrain yourself, not here at least. I am on your side." she said showing that in this private meeting he wouldn't need to remain formal, but she would welcome him to speak his mind freely, as she was going to. It was also the first occasion she addressed the Commodore with his first name. "A true friend would point out your errors and criticize you for your mistakes. Those who don't care about you would never do that" implying House Kusari and Rheinland before adding "However I personally do not agree with this criticism. I find both of the actions you mentioned as reasonable and warranted for the survival of our House" she then added before letting the Commodore respond to what she just said "There has been a legal precedent which unfortunately your negotiators and diplomats did not use it, especially in the case of Aland. Are you familiar with the LN takeover of the IMG-owned Freeport 4 in Magellan?"
While John appreciated the show of support, from the points being made, he knew there was much miscommunication, or lack of communication that likely lead to the criticism in the first place. "I am familiar, and, rightly, so is our government. Unfortunately IMG flat out refused any attempt at a similar solution, we offered them all that we could, and yet they denied us flat. Considering the intelligence coming out from Newcastle, and the GRI agents that tried to intervene in Aland on IMG's behalf, it would seem to us that IMG has been batting for the other team. But I digress, if we were to make a serious attempt to fix the rift that has appeared between two Allies, Liberty and Bretonia, we should be holding a meeting to discuss recent events. Speaking of the most recent of which, what in blazes has happened to the two fleets that were due to arrive in Poole? If they are lost, that is a disaster of unfathomable proportions..." the concern on John's face, as a solider, showed that he felt this recent turn of events in military terms, was a massive dent on the allies chances of winning the war, and freeing his home planet.
Nicole hesitated, the office of the President had of course received the classified intel from the Admiralty as USI was one of the critical components of the war effort. "I want to tell you, John, but this is classified for the time being. It will stay between us, okay?"
Nicole had piqued Johns' interest. "You are speaking to a Commodore of the BAF, member of the High Command, and privy to secrets aplenty. Trust me, I can keep information classified."
Nicole wasn't satisfied. "I would prefer to have your word as a soldier."
John seemed a little irritated. "You have my word as a soldier, nothing will leave this room that you explicitly state you wish not to."
Nicole ignored John's irritation, obviously preferring his word over the fact that he is privy to secrets already. "Thank you." she said pausing for a moment, trying to find the right words. "The sabotage on the hypergate occurred while the two fleets were jumping to Poole.... they are MIA John." Nicole said and broke eye contact from the first time since their meeting started, her eyes wandering on the ground. "The LSF is looking for them as we speak." she said but her voice was not reassuring.
John let out an audible sigh. "Ah, then we only know as much as eachother. I had hoped you had some better news to tell, that Liberty might have more intel, that maybe it was all elaborate ruse, and the fleets were bearing down on Cortez as we speak. This is a massive blunder, Ageira may have cost us the war. Not to be dismissive of the excellent work the gate performed in getting reinforcements to us, but I am left wondering whether it would have been better to bum rush Cortez rather than rely on the gate to begin with. But let us not dwell on it. I have seen disasters before, and we must not fall into panic. Tell me Nicole, does your being here have any potential to help us win this war, or are we currently wildly off topic? If the topic is different, I say we move to it. Politics and this damned war need not be overly discussed if they're not relevant."
John tried to change the subject but Nicole's mind was still stuck on the hypergate business. Up until this point she was convinced that Liberty's superior navy would win this war sooner or later. But this tragedy of epic proportions made her afraid for the first time. This was partly the reason why she decided to come here, after convincing the President in a private meeting. Nicole had to steel her heart, to become immoral and support the allies in this war as much as she could from her position.
"Before jumping back to Universal, I was a senior employee in Ageira. I can assure you that this would not have happened under my watch, unfortunately the new Board and their President are not as able as their predecessors."
She looked outside of her window. The view was majestic with the snow capped mountains. Nicole shuddered for a few moments even though the room was quite warm.
"Yes John, it will indirectly aid this war. You have done a remarkable job securing the planet, rooting out the Corsairs from the mountains and creating political stability after a very controversial annexation. Admiral Dagon may be credited for the annexation but she encountered small resistance, your work on the other hand in the post-annexation climate has been much more difficult and complex. Gran Canaria is vital for our interests for it gives Bretonia strategic depth and creates a possible fallback point for some of its non-combatant population of New London. The Corsairs however, savages as they are, will not let this go unpunished. Or the Communists, wolves in a sheep's clothing, waiting for the right moment to strike." she said expecting a response from the Commodore before continuing.
The attempt to change the topic had seemingly succeeded in getting closer to the purpose of the talks, "Good, good. I am glad we were at least on topic, then. Too often house corporations have absolutely no commitment to the cause of their house, the situation in Rheinland, where ALG is more a pain than a help to their war comes to mind."
"I can explain more what our back up plan should New London fall be, though the gist of the matter is that in no way can we pull all those billions to Gran Canaria to start anew, just like Leeds, the vast majority will remain on New London. The Leeds evacuation did move a few billion, most to New London, much of them to Liberty and under your governments care, but it is nowhere near enough. I do not wish to go into my Leeds experiences, and I do not think you need to hear it now. Gran Canaria is a retreat point of sorts, but it will not replace Leeds or New London."
Sensing the conversation was about to lead to the main point, John stood up. "Before we go any futher, a drink. Name it and it shall be yours. It is still morning, so I will be taking tea, Assam sounds good."
"Double it." Nicole said, nodding a thanks to John. While John was going to get the tea, she added. "I would like to hear your experiences from Leeds one day, I read your achievements in the briefing before I departed, but it's different from hearing it from the man himself."
John made his way to the tea facilities installed in the room (like all other rooms), and began to make the tea himself. It was an unusual for someone so high rank to make tea himself, but it was a habit he found hard to break. Not being a noble with an estate on Cambridge, but an upstart from Leeds, he valued the personal side of making someone tea. "Here you go, it's not as bad as the rubbish in Port Jackson, this is specially imported." He spoke as he placed the tea down on the side table.
"Thank you" Nicole said and picked up the saucer and sipped some of the liquid before. She appreciated John's gesture. There was something on him that really attracted her.
"That is indeed. I didn't expect to find this flavor here in Port Jackson." she said softly and then continued. "You are occupying a planet where its majority population is indifferent at best, hostile at worst. Parts of it are also controlled by a state which is unreliable, ideologically hostile and likely waiting for the right opportunity to strike. It might not be under direct by the Gallic war machine, but their Corsair vassals can be directed to strike here and have lots of cause already to do it without an invitation. At the same time the front lines need as many reinforcements as possible and I suspect your influential colleagues have already tried to take some of your formations from Battlegroup Stirling to the front lines in New London, recommending you to make more use of the Communists in order to replenish your numbers." she paused for a moment to give more emphasis in each point.
"With a hostile population filled with spies, traitors and collaborators, surrounded by enemies and the nobility possibly shrinking your Battlegroup as we speak you will need to have some tricks on your sleeve in order to surprise and defeat those who will try to take advantage of the situation. And this is where we come in." Nicole said and clicked on her wristband, which produced a sizable hologram.
"T86 Conqueror - Heavy Tank, the latest and most advanced model produced by Liberty's war industries. It will crush any opposition on the battlefield."
"A99 Barrager - Artillery Gun, in less than 300 seconds it can be repackaged and redeployed in any location and terrain without human intervention. All commands can be sent to this unit directly from the HQ." Nicole said and kept the two holograms active in front of her and John.
"Your enemies know your forces' disposition and numbers. You can't avoid that here in Canaria. They will also know if you bring new armor with the Merchant Navy and Bowex. But they will never expect Universal to fulfill a BAF military contract. We will pick these newest and most advanced models directly from the factories and report them as regular cargo."
"What do you think John?"
The holograms flickered in front of John, his eyes fixated. "Let me put this into context. Bretonia takes Gran Canaria, a neutral world, infested with Corsairs, and is met with mostly condemnation, even from Liberty. Liberty, in its interests, wishes for Bretonia to not only survive, but to help defeat Gallia, in her logic, Liberty believes Gran Canaria should stay in Bretonian hands, distracting Galias allies, unfortunately for Liberty, its public position is of not supporting the annexation of the planet, and cannot support Bretonia logistically. This is where our meeting comes in, you wish to support us off the books."
John goes silent for a few moments, before giving his verdict. "Why not, I agree wholeheartedly with your idea in principle, details aside for now. It may cause a scandal if discovered, but if I do not gain personally, I am merely doing all I must to secure the planet, my sworn duty. I would be exonerated in the eyes of the majority. But you, your company, you stand to lose more than I do, yet you take this risk, why?"
Nicole made an audible sigh. "John, some of my colleagues in Liberty are still playing politics. Some others are taking exemption with your actions for ideological reasons. But they are being hypocrites. Much like Aland, Liberty Navy seized Freeport 4 and used it to slow the Gallic onslaught. Much like Gran Canaria, Liberty seized Planet Erie from the Zoners at a time of peace, not fighting to survive. I don't want to hear about them, they can play their political games and pretend they are moral and virtuous. In the meantime, we will try to tip the balance in our favor and win this war."
She said, her eyes focused and determined. She hadn't revealed yet something important to the man in front of her, something that they had in common. "You ask me why take this risk. The reason is that after the temporary loss of our two fleets we are closer to annihilation than ever before. We are fighting a war for survival, Commodore. So we need to do everything in our capacity to achieve victory, even if we become immoral. After coming to this conclusion all I had to do afterwards was to convince the President to agree with my views."
John could sense the feeling in the words he heard. Politics were not new to him, having been elected to attend government meetings on behalf of the BAF, he had seen first hand politics at play, Liberty sounded much worse than Bretonia in this respect. "I have enjoyed this conversation so far, truly. It is a relief to hear someone from Liberty who has some understanding." John then took a sip from his tea, before returning to the conversation. "There are some issues with your proposal we should discuss. Firstly, while in terms of land superiority your offering is excellent, it lacks in the anti-air area. Our principal foes advantage against us is they will potentially overwhelm the Stirling, and find themselves with aerial superiority. Our land forces are numerous and well dug in, but without the ability to neutralise the air threat, we may find ourselves in trouble. Secondly, as I'm sure you do realise the Coalition has significant presence here, I'm not sure I can stop them from harassing you, considering your very capitalist nature. I wouldn't want a diplomatic incident on my hands. I admit, the Coalition are poor friends, but they're not shooting at us, and they hate Gallia with a passion, it would be better if there was an understanding between you both."
John also had one last thing to say, "Also, I have a favour to ask of you, if you will hear it."
Before answering, Nicole sipped some of her tea as well. John seemed to have so many war wounds, yet he was somehow still handsome and attractive. "By all means." she said softly, smiling.
Johns' tone became much deeper, sadder. "This offer of support. I would be in your debt if you were to implement a similar program for Planet Leeds. The planet is far from pacified, and if we break Gallia in New London, our forces there and the general population would rise up. Without appropriate equipment, the losses would be... Considerable." After speaking, John had to cough so as to hide the rasp that developed as he spoke, a sign that his emotions began to surface a little.
Nicole nodded, knowing the subject all too well. "This is something that my VCS has been working on. We are in contact with the LRF, as a matter of fact we have made a number of deliveries already." she paused for a moment, her eyes becoming more compassionate and her voice softer. "I know Leeds is your home, I can only imagine what you've been through, what you have done while fighting there. But a Leeds smuggling contract can be fulfilled by every shipping faction hostile to the Gauls, unlike the one I offered for Gran Canaria. So you understand that a GC contract must take priority."
She said and started browsing a holoscreen produced by her wrist. "Oh, we will of course deliver anti-air defense systems, anti-space defense systems, and anti-electronic warfare systems since the Coalition is known to prefer to fight in a more primitive-style warfare. I just showed you only our the latest models which can give you an unfair advantage on the battlefield. As for spaceships, we can only offer to deliver civilian line fighters, you'll need to coordinate first with your Navy counterparts since USI has no involvement or influence in the production of Guardians or Avengers. Speaking about the Coalition, we will try to avoid them as well as any other pirate in the way, we will not be relying on your assistance since this is a secret arrangement... what's your personal relationship with the Communists by the way?"
"The Coalition is a difficult beast. There is no doubting their local strength, and their neutrality allowed us an easy takeover. Of course, they are operating with considerable benefits. Being able to trade with a house will allow them to gain considerable strength. That is, if they can control themselves. I have tried to cooperate with their military arm, and to be honest, I have my doubts."
John seemed resigned to the fact any friendship with the coalition will not last. "Not unless they can push away from their unsavoury friends, namely the terrorist Mollys and the erratic Hessians, will the Coalition become a power to be reckoned with."
"Forget the Coalition, the arms contract, I am more than happy to give it my blessing, and will take responsibility for it. He admiralty need not know, though even if they did it is not something they will oppose. Is there anything else you wished to discuss?"
Nicole silently nodded during John's analysis. After asking her however, she broke eye contact after a long time clearly uncertain on how to phrase the second matter she wanted to bring to John's attention. See looked around her one more time, even though she knew she could not be overheard. "You asked me why we offered this service before. And I told you that I convinced the President on this undertaking. But you never asked me why I did so. In case you read my file, I was born in Los Angeles, John. I lived all my life in Liberty. My family was also born in Liberty. But my family's origin is Bretonian. In my veins runs Bretonian blood as much as in yours, Commodore."
She paused for a moment to let the words sink in before continuing. Her delicate features revealed much more emotion than ever before in the conversation. "I was still undecided and torn when I came in this uncivilized corner of Sirius. But after speaking with you John, I have made my decision. I want to serve my House. I can share with you confidential information, influence decisions in the company level or governmental level, basically anything that a Chief of Staff of a Big Three can do discreetly."
Within John a few pieces to the puzzle that was Nicole had fallen into place, and he gained a deeper understanding knowing her background. "I see. This is fortunate, though not at all surpising. The close relationship between our houses has been forged through hundreds of years of interhouse movement. Considering that millions of Leeds refugees now reside in Liberty, it is something that only will strengthen. Having a voice for Bretonia in Liberty is a great help, especially with the potential for conflict post war. The lend Lease may cause considerable friction if not handled delicately, any impact of debt repayment on the recovery of the economy will lead to widespread resentment, and we are democratic, our politicians will react accordingly. I would advise you not over do it however, your background will paint you in a certain way, and you must appear loyal to Liberty, even if that requires you hurt Bretonia in the short term, best to pick your battles."
Nicole listened carefully to John's instructions, perhaps more carefully than at any time before. "I understand. Will I work for you or you will pass me on to someone else?" she asked obviously wanting John to be her handler and contact.
"Considering your business on Gran Canaria I will be most suited to handing your information. That being said, the SIS are most well equipped, and I will need to keep them in he loop, as long as that doesn't bother you. I would suggest you set up a local subsidiary on GC to provide you with excuses to visit when needed. The exodus of the previous population has opened up a great deal of sites to choose from, most of which are now government owned. I can arrange for one to be letted to you, can write it off against the lend lease balance of payments. You'll have to convince the staff to move with enough danger pay. You know, random thought, I'm honestly surprised that Liberty entities haven't taken advantage of our highly regarded Templar Very Heavy Fighter, which is in many ways superior to the Guardian. Considering our logistical situation, I have set up a local production line for fighter craft, if you were to provide the materials, perhaps we could help balance those lend lease payments some more." John could tell he was perhaps coming across as a bit of a stodgy workaholic, and perhaps all the talk of work had started to wear down his company.
Nicole nodded again. "I understand. Though I am not sure if I should trust the SIS so easily. They could have moles and double agents. It is no secret that your Libertonian counterparts and victors of the Rheinland war do not think highly of BAF's Command or the Secret Service. But I trust you and the choices you make for my case."
She sipped some of her tea, not much remained in her cup. "As for the contract, just send us the details over a private communication. You know better than anyone what you need but personally I think we'll be most efficient if we deliver military equipment since no one would expect and report to their own masters, be it Corsair or Coalition. As for the payment - I have convinced the President on this already - simply offer us a compensation for the costs involved, we are not doing this to make a profit."
"Very good. Well, I would say we have the majority of our discussion under wraps. I have nothing to add, if you have anything else, do not hesitate. As for the rest of today and tonight, if you are not due to leave yet, allow me to host an dinner. Nothing special, just the usual suspects, beef wellington, copious amounts of sherry. Comes with the territory as an officer." John didn't want to seem too cold to what could potentially become a prosperous relationship, and could have an impact on the future of his stay in Gran Canaria.
Nicole smiled warmly towards John. "That would be lovely Commodore. Time is not a problem; not knowing how long my mission here would take, I ensured that all outstanding business back in Manhattan had already been taken care of." That was not exactly true however, lots of new and urgent matters have surely surfaced since she left Liberty which she couldn't anticipate or resolve in advance. But Nicole did not want to miss a dinner with John Redmond.
"With your permission I will explore a bit the Chateau until the time for the dinner arrives." she said and stood up but not with the seriousness of their previous discussion, her tone was now much more friendly and unreserved.
"Very good. We have a while yet, feel free to explore, with the exception of the command center the majority of this place is unrestricted movement. The spa facilities alone will be enough to pass the time. Your communication equipment has been cleared for external comms, should you need to get in contact with the outside." and with that, John stood up and guided Nicole to the door, "Enjoy your stay, and I will see you this evening."
Nicole returned to her room to get her jacket. It was still morning and she had several hours of free time available, until evening. She first wondered in the spacious balconies of the Chateau which revealed a magnificent view of the mountain range. She then wondered in the gardens, which were neglected but nevertheless interesting as they exhibited several wonderful and unusual variants of Gran Canaria's local flora. She also spent a little time with her security team but she largely remained alone. Similarly her interactions with the BAF personnel on the Chateau were limited and formal, as they were too stiff and busy. Nicole didn't make any external contact deciding to take whole day off.
In the afternoon she visited the spa facilities deep within the Chateau, as John informed her. After staying there for a bit longer than normal she returned to her room to dress for the evening. She didn't wear the morning's clothes this time, instead she elected to wear a lovely gown, which looked expensive but not too luxurious and a trained eye could easily identify it as Liberty's latest fashion trend. As she did in the morning, she made little use of make-up and jewelry on herself however this time her hair was braided around her head.
John had little time to work the spa. After the lengthy meeting with Nicole, he took himself back to his duties. He had been stuck to his post for considerable periods of time lately, being unable to get up into space for any meaningful foray. When all is said and done, the one thing that must be said of John is, is that he enjoys nothing more than flying about in a fighter, even if his skills have waned considerably.
A long day of meetings, communications, stragetic planning, partol reports, how many pilots lost and how many opponents downed. The number of replacement pilots arrived from the academy and readiness of new fighter and bomber craft, the workhorse of any fleet. Fortifications completed. Status of the newly formed Syndney fighter/bomber garrison, formed by disbanding and consuming Port Jackson wings and adding considerable capacity. The list goes on, and the work is never ending. Syndey must be made into a true House Planet, one that can defend itself to a certain extent.
After all the days work was done, word was sent to Nicole to join the Commodore for his evening meal. Naturally, John, as an officer, did not dress any different to what he had done all day, but he did take care that he was not in a complete mess.
The corporal lead Nicole to the banquet hall on the very top structure of the Chateau. Unlike the mess halls on the lower levels, the banquet hall retained all of its previous grandeur. A quintessentially Gallic styled restertaunt, lights were heavily dimmed, and the stars and nearby mountains, made visibile by the strong moonlight, were in full view of the reinforced glass panels that circumvented the hall. A considerable selection of wine was aligned in glass display cases as is customary, Nicole was guided to a table isolated up a short flight of stairs overlooking the rest of the hall, there lied a single table, it was clearly the best seat in the house, but its main benefit was privacy. The corporal parted with Nicole at the base of the stairs. At the table John sat, waiting, standing up when Nicole reached the top of the stairs. "Welcome to what was likely a very shady restertaunt, I honestly shudder at the thought at the dirty deals completed at these tables. It is mostly untouched... We could not but appreciate the quality of the workmanship."
Her eyes briefly wandered around the room before focusing on John's again. "The whole Chateau was gorgeous and exquisite. I try to avoid overthinking how all of this luxury was acquired." Nicole said softly smiling and extended her bare hand to John.
John lightly took Nicole's hand, guiding her to her seat at the table, a nearby waiter, who seemed to be assigned to the VIP table permanently, had already maneuvered the chair to allow ease of sitting, John let go of Nicole's hand as she safely seated herself. "The menu was amended slightly, it was a little too French for our current pallets to handle, though the chef, as Garlicy as he may be, I managed to secure amnesty for, and we have authentic Gallic cuisine on offer, with some Bretonian additions."
"Thank you" Nicole said and seated herself. "So this Zoner managed to procure even Gallic chefs? He must have been a very important individual." she said, her eyes wandering on the menu hologram, presented right in front of her.
"I heard in the news that another bigshot Zoner is wanted, the one whose estate was blown up by the Corsairs. What was his name... did you capture him at least?"
"That is BPA business. I had considered building a statue of Admiral Dagon where the estate used to be, and of the University chancellor who went missing there, almost as a kind of joke, but my more serious colleagues said it would rile to many feathers. As to what I know of the owner of the estate, all I can say is he hasn't been back." John did not look at the menu, having dined here on numerous occasions, his choice was made.
Nicole made a tiny grimace hearing the Admiral's name again. "She isn't really that special. Naval intelligence files mention that she owes her commission to her noble lineage. Unlike her you have fought tooth and nail to be where you stand now. Organizing an entire planet on the eve of its conquest? That is no small feat. And while she was seating comfortably as a staff officer under her predecessors you were fighting in Leeds.. only heroes could survive that place." she said shaking her head with emotion "If there is someone that deserves a statue, that would be you John first and foremost. The nobles may be your superiors but you overshadow them all in virtue." Nicole finished and clicked on the holo-menu a meat platter along with red wine. The hologram then disappeared.
"An excellent choice. You are too harsh on the fair Admiral. Lineage only gets you so far, her efforts are her own. And one must not forget, it is the most privileged among us who have the most potential for good, the whole communist us vs. them mentality hasn't done anyone any good. There are some who fit your bill though, make no mistake, we have developed a system for removing the dead weight. But enough about class politics, the wine is here, please, you can do the wine tasting." John gestured to the waiter to pour the initial taster in the glass closest to Nicole.
Nicole remained silent on John's comments about Bretonian nobility. After all she was an avid supporter of the Federalist Party, the main opposition in the Bretonian Parliament, at least as much as a Libertonian can be. The waiter held the Gallic wine bottle with elegance, pouring a fair amount on Nicole's glass, before repeating it flawlessly on the Commodore's glass as well. Holding the glass from its base, to avoid tampering with its temperature, she slowly brought it to her nose to smell its aroma. A few moments later she nodded satisfactorily. "This is very good indeed. What's its name?" she asked holding the glass, waiting.
John took a taste too, and nodded to the waiter in approval before placing his glass down again, the waiter then proceeded to fill the glass, now that both guests approved. "A local vintage, grown on a winery in the hotter parts. They have switched to artificial heat these last few years, but this vintage is from non artificial heating. The name is White Valley." The waiter explained, in a somewhat monotone manner.
"Oh I see. I am surprised actually. I expected this quality to only come a Gallic import." she said and nodded to the waiter, who then departed. Nicole raised her glass, towards John's. "Would you like to toast, Commodore?"
"You wouldn't hold it against me if I toasted to the Queen?" John joked, knowing Nicole's earlier comments about federalism implied an aversion to all things royal.
"Oh I am not that anti-royalist! It's just that I place merit over lineage, John. Especially if you became what you are while starting from the bottom. So if you want to toast to the Queen, we will toast to Carina." Nicole said obviously unhappy that John did not return the interest she showed to him, however she hid her feelings well.
"Very well then. To the Queen, to defeating her enemies, and to the fortune of her friends, a lovely example of which joins me for this crown paid for dinner." John then proceeded to touch glasses with Nicole, after which he took a healthy mouthful of the expensive liquid.
"And to our fruitful partnership." Nicole added and mimicked John. Her eyes then wondered on John's uniform. "There are many medals on your uniform. And to be perfectly honest I can barely identify any. Perhaps you can tell me more about them? Are these awards from completed military courses or from heroic deeds on the battlefield?"
"Oh this old metal detector nightmare? It makes me look quite the war hero I bet. Truth of the matter, most medals come from service, I have one for every system I have seen action, from Tau-23 to Omega 49. Sure, there are a few gallantry medals, a few injury related medals, but I will not lie to you, it is not medals that make the man. It does help create an aura, one that screams 'I have been in too many battles to give a damn' kind of deals, and it does help morale, so I wear them, even if it honestly is quite embarrassing." John seemed to enter autopilot with his explanation, it is a common observation to get. "But you can get enough info about me by reading a history book of the last 2 wars, seeing as I have followed it mostly. Tell me more about you. How did you end up where you are now?"
"Tau-23? I was still a university student back then." she said and had some more wine. "Well, my story is a lot less heroic than yours. After completing my studies at Saint Paul's I worked for the KoF for a few years. The company was then merged with the newly created Universal Shipping Incorporated. I reached the position of Manager before jumping to Interspace Commerce after I received a very generous offer to work in their PR. I think this is where I gained the most experience however I simply couldn't keep up with the work schedule so I accepted a position in Ageira Technologies which I consider a privilege as I was trying and failing for years to get in. I worked as a Trade Manager. Don't confuse them though with Ageira Innovations, these guys are total amateurs. Then, due to unfortunate circumstances," she said pausing to find the correct words and avoid saying any details which could prompt new questions "I had to quit the company. Later on I received a new contract for USI. And now I am their Chief of Staff."
She flashed a smile to John after completing her story.
"You could say I am quite experienced with the Big Three and the corporations of Liberty."
"Tell me something. What is it that you are missing right now? What is it that you want the most?" John spoke softly, eager to get a better insight into the mind of Nicole.
Nicole gave it some thought before responding. "I could use a person in my life. All the fake smiles, all the fake handshakes, basically having to present the best version of yourself every day and at the same time thwart attempts by your 'colleagues' to backstab you and throw you off the corporate ladder gets to you eventually. It slowly disintegrates you from the inside. Makes you callous." she thought again, and continued "But that's not the answer. What I want the most is more power."
"Yes... Perhaps you think that validates all the propaganda the terrorists have been spouting about Liberty's executives. But that's not correct. With power you can do things, you can support those that matter to you." Nicole said implying her influence on the Big Three to support Bretonia as well as the very reason why she met the Commodore in the first place.
"Power does not corrupt as much as they say it does. Corrupt people seek power, but it is not the power that corrupts them, it is them as people, how they were raised, what they were taught, what society shapes them. We can seek power, we can gain it, but that is not an guarantee of corruption. I am motivated to help my fellow soldiers survive, for my house to survive and for the genocide to stop, if I use my power for that, I do not think I can lose my way.Based on what I have heard you say to day, I applaud your attempts at power seeking." John seemed to drift into a monologue about power, a bad habit of his, giving speeches.
By that time their main dishes had arrived. Grilled well enough the meat looked particularly delicious. Nicole didn't mind the Commodore's monologue, he was quite entertaining to hear.
"I know you haven't thought about it... but what will you do after all this is over? After we win the great war."
"I'm honestly not sure the war will end. I mean, it will end, there will be an end to the formal war, but if you think we can forgive, that I can forgive them for what they have done to us? It will take all the restraint I possess to even maintain neutrality. The truth is Privateers will be preying on Gallia til the end of time. The war will end for the people of Cambridge perhaps, maybe even New London, but for those of us who are from Leeds? No chance." John could feel the bitterness well up inside, attempting to end on a higher note he forced out some positivity. "But to be sure, I am not going to join the Privateers, I have a duty to my house, and I will use my power to hurt Gallia in more poignant ways. And in personal terms, I have a patriotic duty of sorts, to help rebuild Bretonia, to rebuild Leeds, creating a family, making new life to replace those lost, is vital to healing wounds. Not sure who would have me though, I have gained a reputation as a bit of a mad dog, though as I think you can see there is a contrast to that when I speak in a serious way."
"A mad dog? Yeah I think I read that also in your file. Not bad for inspiring fear in your enemies... and subordinates alike." she said softly, before munching some of the meat. "Before I joined you in this lovely dinner, I received an urgent call from Liberty. The President resigned and a new one was appointed. His name is Luke Emerson." Nicole said, waiting to see if John would be concerned with this sudden turn of events.
"Resigned? Excuse the ignorance on Liberty politics, what did he do wrong? And the new fellow, will he improve things for Bretonia or make them worse?" John was not visibility shocked, though his words were of a man who was out of his element, seeking answers from those wiser.
"He didn't play the game well. He was baited too easily and made a number of gaffes. But he genuinely wanted the best for USI and her employees." her eyes shifted around the room, one more check to ensure she wasn't overheard. "The new fellow is my former deputy, the Vice Chief of Staff. I recruited him into the company and now he is the President. I cannot tell with certainty how it will change things, but he is definitely more pro-Bretonia than his predecessor."
"Well then. Let us hope for the best. I'm sure you are eager to get back to Liberty, make sure all is in order, and protect your own interests. I will give you a few small pieces of information in return. Firstly, Planet Sydney is going to see some civil investment in infrastructure planetside, roads, schools, you name it. I am told the recently nationalised corporation BMF will take the contract. Secondly, I have ordered an investigation into the organisation Auxesia. While they claim to be supporting us against Gallia, their poor attitude, disobedience of Bretonian forces, interference in Bretonia affairs and suspect activity has gone too far. Should the investigation paint them in a bad way, they will be banned from our space. Just between yourself and I, there is strong evidence to suggest interaction on their part with... Non human entities. We cannot tolerate this." John felt as if the lovely dinner was turning into a second meeting, but nevertheless he persisted with the work talk, unable to control his urge to work.
Nicole nodded. The food was lovely and some time had already passed, usually with John's monologues. "Auxesia? Yeah they are a troublesome bunch. A few clicks away from Trenton they worked with the Hackers to take out some Core warships. That happened a week ago? However I have no idea if an investigation started by the Police or LSF. You can contact them however, I suppose."
"It does not surprise me that they would be doing this, even in New London. On of the prime causes of the investigation is their actions in New London in which they disobeyed orders, and fought against other anti-Gallic forces they did not like. I am sure Liberty would rather Auxesia did not shoot Core, not at least in their own system. That being said, there is no intention for Bretonia to go full on war against Auxesia, we simply do not wish for their lack of discipline to jeopardize allied forces. That and, name one thing they have done in the war against Gallia, I certainly can't." John took a breath, and was determined not try to steer the conversation away from work once this topic ended.
Nicole nodded. "I think we got carried away a little." she said checking the time. John was lovely and she didn't want to leave but at some point she had to. "Once I am back in Liberty and settle a few matters, I will send you an official communication with all the contract details." the woman said and stood up.
"Ready to call it a night so soon? We haven't even opened a bottle of gin." John feigned exaggerated disappointment, which is an effective cover for any real. "Very well. It was a pleasure to have your company tonight. I hope that our relationship is a fruitful one, and I will be seeing more from you." And with that, John called the waiter to indicate they were finished, and the waiter escorted them out. Once they had reached the entrance, John turned to Nicole, "let me know when you intend to fly out, I will see you off at the debarkation point."
"We can open one once you visit Liberty, Commodore. I wouldn't want to mix it with this lovely wine we had." she said and smiled to John before leaving to notify her team that they were departing. They didn't carry much so ten minutes later Nicole's security team started boarding the shuttle. She noticed John was nearby, receiving information from an officer and approached him one last time before she would fly to Port Jackson -- and then Liberty.
"Well my dear, this has been an excellent day. A new acquaintance, a new ally, and a little bit of new hope, hope for the future, for our houses and for ourselves, as individuals." John spoke with as much charisma as he could muster, before leaning in for a light touch on Nicole's right shoulder, while moving his head to close to her left ear "A very lovely acquaintance indeed" John spoke in a soft, yet slightly raspy tone.
Soft snow started falling from the dark sky. It was sweet, perhaps a little romantic too though it was obvious a snowstorm was on its way as well. Nicole accepted John's advance. "Thank you, John. If you need anything, you know where to find me." she replied with nostalgic eyes. After a couple of moments she turned around and boarded the shuttle as well. The doors quickly closed, the pilot intending to get to Port Jackson while the weather was still optimal.