Quote:Following the moderate success I have had penning short stories about my characters, it is becoming highly Coalition centred. I am therefore expanding out from that thread and inviting other members of the Coalition to share snippets of what their characters do once they are off shift. Hopefully, there'll be more development over "What is Volgograd like to live on?", "What does one do in the city of New Hong Kong?", and other questions I get asked.
The activity in the Omega-52 system was quite profound. The old KSD Insurgents and Revolutions were performing their final combat missions. Every one of the venerable line was to be retired. Every one that was destroyed in combat, was not mourned or replaced. The Acting-Premier, in his apparent wisdom, ordered the final squadrons deep into Corsair territory. These near suicide bombers were performing admirably averaging a Capital ship kill per death. The new Commandante had evidently drilled his fighter corps into his own mould. Using tactics, determination and an iron will, the Corsairs were falling in great number. However, greater numbers were amassing, and there was only a finite number of bombers left to throw at them.
Commissar-Major Han Xu was one of those pilots. Tasked by the Commissariat to keep an eye on Rhade and his pilots, Xu blended in well. In the previous three engagements, he had supported his wingmen and the Commandante - Even rescuing him on the odd occasion. He had built up a casual respect for the man. The way he could organise a strike team was certainly filled with charisma, but lacked the authoritative punch. Something that, oddly, was left to Xu to maintain. He knew why of course. The Commandante wanted him kept within the fighter corps, but on the outside looking in. One with the men, but never truly. Perhaps today's' small gesture would go some distance to alleviating the man's concerns. He knocked on the door of his office, entered and put down a bottle of Vodka.
"Two presents for you Commandante. One from me, one from the Premier."
He sat down a bottle of Vodka and poured two glasses. He sipped his drink while throwing a file onto Rhade's desk. The file was clearly marked **CLASSIFIED**. The title stated: "B is for Bomb".
"The "Acting" Premier doesn't like the influence that the Corsairs have in the lower Omega's. Particularly around the sectors located in this file. Please, do take personal care of this matter."
Commandante Aloysius Rhade picked up the file and opened it with a flick of a wrist. Skimming through it, he showed no reaction as he finished the file and put it down on his desk.
"So, collateral is irrelevant."
Rhade casually drank from his glass.
"A bold plan, an unexpected plan, a fatal plan."
Rhade's mouth finally formed a smirk.
"This'll be fun. A pity about the causalities though but they should of considered the consequences when making their choices."
Jacob Forge felt the tiny bump as the Damascus touched down on Volgograd. Wounded in the Marcion Coup, he was now unfit for fighter duty. He had to pick one of his best to fill in his spot; Reluctantly, he chose his acting-XO Sasha Kirov. With the loss of Torres, and now with Sasha in the old KSDs, Forge needed an XO.
Too bad Villers was barely able to fly; Hell, she barely managed to lift off without problems. Forge sighed, stepping off the ramp of the Damascus into the flurry of Volgograd. He limped over to a waiting jeep, taking the passenger seat. Soon, he would be home. He sighed, toying with Lachina's message. it seemed a lifetime ago when they had met on the landing pad. He was happy she had found some joy, and was ready to stand with her as she got married. But then the Commissariat of Truth got involved, which Forge was not happy about but wasn't going to speak against. Not even Rhade could protect him if His Watchful Eye wanted him gone.
"Sir."
Forge was snapped from his thoughts. Thanking the young Private, he climbed out of the jeep and entered his home. Sparsely furnished, the only real decoration was the aged Vindicator battle rifle, and a portrait of the Stormfall with the Shield of the Hammer award next to it. Stormfall had, well, fallen defending the Tsiolkovsky. He sighed.
"So many have died...for the same damn pieces of rock. Just like Sol, eh Torres?"
Forge sat down and took a swig of vodka straight from the bottle. He shook,his head and doffed his trademark black beanie, and then stood and made his way to his bed, falling into the matress.
"Maybe I should call Sasha over."
Forge fell asleep.
Natsumi Hideyoshi (The Order) | Alexis Hunter (Liberty Navy) |
Xu finished his Vodka, and left the bottle on the table. Standing up and moving towards the door, he half turned to the Commandante, waving his hand around nonchalantly.
"The previous regime considered the plan... Too destructive, too direct and a detriment to a lot of "supposed" hard work that has been put in. I disagree. Evidently, so do you."
He opened the door to leave.
"You have all the resources you require at your disposal. Use the apt amount of knowledge we have in this field Aloysius and perhaps contact the Mollys. They too know a great deal in this field. I will leave you with that. Good evening, sir."
Deep within the fortified compound of the Premier's headquarters, the Acting-Premier of the Coalition sat deep in thought. The man dubbed by the Hispanics as "El chino espada" was becoming ever more careful in his dealings. On his desk lay a fresh file with brand new information. The CPW-Radek had exploded a mere two weeks before with the apparent loss of all hands. In the initial surveys of the debris, it was shown that all the escape pods had been launched, yet none had been recovered. Today however, one was, but the hull was breached.
In it was his Uncle, the Deputy Premier.
He sat in silence and jotted down some notes.
"Day 14 of my Premiership, still no word on the fate of Premier Katz, however today has shown the likelihood of him found safe and well has dropped drastically. It is still a remote possibility, but not one I would wager a bet on. The people cannot stay forever in this uncertainty. Moreover, State Media have been running nightly bulletins on the massive gains the Fighter Corps are achieving. There is a wave of optimism amongst the Citizens."
He thought carefully about the next statement he was going to write, such pieces of writing would define his leadership".
"I am therefore putting to the Politburo and Commissariat my instatement as full Premier. My strong leadership in these trying times, with the Fighter Corps carrying out my instructions flawlessly, mean that the future is very bright for the Coalition."
The wait was over for the latest four muppets to find out which ones had managed to pass the written exam. Xu didn't enjoy this bit. Equations, variables and statistics were brought into this part of recruitment. A never ending matrix of data to determine who was good enough, and who wasn't. He was passed a sheet of paper from the Invigilator.
"Junior-Lieutenant Masha Biach. Report to Hangar bay two and prepare yourself for the rigours of Coalition life. I expect you to be well versed with the Partisan Interceptor."
The recruit stood up and left the room promptly. He waited for her to leave and move out of earshot of the test room.
"Junior-Lieutenant James Blackburn. Report to Hangar bay one for assignment to Colonel Rhade's wing. He will direct you further."
Again, the recruit moved quickly out the room, daring not to look the Commandant in the eye.
"Junior-Lieutenant Vladimir Orlov. Report to Hangar bay two, you lucky soul will be fly with me. May whatever mythical God help you. Move."
As the recruit moved out, the Commandant closed the door behind him and moved towards Recruit Canis Domrey. Waiting several seconds to ensure the recruits were out of ear shot, the Commandant spoke slowly and deliberately.
"We have a dilemma recruit. You showed you could only answer half the paper. Which shows you only have half a brain. Since that half is the bit we're interested in, we can dispense with the rest of you."
He grabbed the recruit by the head with both hands before he had a chance to move. With a swift and deadly movement, Xu's left hand snapped right, and his right hand left. The recruits neck cracked with a satisfying bang and as he let go, the recruits head thudded limply on the table. He summoned the two guards by the door.
"Send this one for medical processing. See if half his brain is of any use in a combat simulator program or something."
"Da... Comrade Commisar", and she disappeared quickly. Her body not betraying her throbbing mind. She had no idea what manner of tests awaited her now... only that she was still alive...for now.
Biach wondered if she would ever see Xu again. She was sure that Xu had probably dismissed her as a passing thought, because she had yet to do anything worthy. Still she was alive and that was something.
The sound of the Commandant's orders still echoed through Vladimir's mind minutes after he had left the lounge. Although his knee wound ached intensely he managed to pace down to the hangar bay, his feelings deafened, his mind blurry.