harmony with the Confederacy, we agreed to leave the systems demilitarized save for Forces vital to the security of Solarian interest.”
“In that case sir sending in a warship even a destroyer seems a bit provocative. Surely the Custom and Rescue service has some cutters they can spare if the Governor General needs more ships.”
“Therein lays the problem my boy. Since we annexed the place a low level insurgency has simmered. Nothing the Interior troops and CRS couldn’t handle, but over the last year things have began to escalate. There are more bombings, assassinations, running battles throughout the urban centers and rural areas. What was a fledgling insurgency of local fanatics has turned into a simmering one that is well armed and well funded. OMI recently tagged huge sums of cash being funneled through Red Lands Trust to the Yaguard Swerjick, Yohan's son and heir, and leader of the New Helsinki government in exile, which has taken up residence in the Locke System.”
Jonathan nodded. The Locke System was Earth Treaty Organization territory but lacked any central government or comprehensive system of administration. The System had been founded on Libertarian political ideals, and thus was a barely coherent hive of anarchy. The ETO and its predecessor governments allowed Locke to exist in such a state because it lacked any habitable worlds, and provided a annoying but necessary service of being a place where the shadier business governments and corporations needed to conduct could be handled with minimal interference and away from prying eyes. The system also played host to a number of people who any civilized system would hang. New Helsinki’s Government in Exile was one such group.
Admiral Keys continued his briefing. “The funds, are coming from Red Land to Locke where through various round about ways they are making their way to New Helsinki in the form of weapons, and supplies. Needless to say, the Premiers are nervous, as is the Fleet, OMI, and everyone else of substance. The local G.G. Li Curtis wants a Task Force and a Division of Marines, but we can't commit force like that without provoking the Dominion the Confederacy or both. Therefore, your orders are to take your ship under independent command, and render all support to the Solarian forces already in system. Currently, your deployment will be a standard eight months but that may be extended.”
Jonathan nodded in understanding. It was a complex and delicate situation if he failed. He was already under a cloud, and the Navy could wash their hands of him. If he succeeded though, that would silence at least some of his critics.
Delicately taking the orders from Keys desk ,Jonathan stood and saluted,
“My orders are received and understood sir, I will report to Macran as soon as I’m able.”
“Very good Elcap” Keys replied using the Navy shorthand for Lt. Captain “You may carry on.”
Jonathan turned and left the office. It was only years of training and his belief in the need to have at least a modicum of dignity that kept him from doing cartwheels on the way out. He was going back to space, back to where he belonged, and in command of a warship a life long dream come true.
Chapter II
Levelflats, Solaria, Solarian System, Solarian Republic
The Oldtown District
January 26 th 841 A.E. (2802 A.D.) 09:45 Local time
The sight never failed to fill any observer with wonder. The great cable as thick as a building climbing into the sky as far as the eye could see and farther than that. Every half hour or so an observer could watch the lifts themselves the size of small buildings either coming up or descending along one of the cable’s four tracks. Jonathan shook his head, it was a sight he sorely missed. Levelflats was Solaria’s fourth largest city, and a navy town through, and through. Levelflats lay roughly four hundred miles from Singking, at the mouth of the Serpentine
“In that case sir sending in a warship even a destroyer seems a bit provocative. Surely the Custom and Rescue service has some cutters they can spare if the Governor General needs more ships.”
“Therein lays the problem my boy. Since we annexed the place a low level insurgency has simmered. Nothing the Interior troops and CRS couldn’t handle, but over the last year things have began to escalate. There are more bombings, assassinations, running battles throughout the urban centers and rural areas. What was a fledgling insurgency of local fanatics has turned into a simmering one that is well armed and well funded. OMI recently tagged huge sums of cash being funneled through Red Lands Trust to the Yaguard Swerjick, Yohan's son and heir, and leader of the New Helsinki government in exile, which has taken up residence in the Locke System.”
Jonathan nodded. The Locke System was Earth Treaty Organization territory but lacked any central government or comprehensive system of administration. The System had been founded on Libertarian political ideals, and thus was a barely coherent hive of anarchy. The ETO and its predecessor governments allowed Locke to exist in such a state because it lacked any habitable worlds, and provided a annoying but necessary service of being a place where the shadier business governments and corporations needed to conduct could be handled with minimal interference and away from prying eyes. The system also played host to a number of people who any civilized system would hang. New Helsinki’s Government in Exile was one such group.
Admiral Keys continued his briefing. “The funds, are coming from Red Land to Locke where through various round about ways they are making their way to New Helsinki in the form of weapons, and supplies. Needless to say, the Premiers are nervous, as is the Fleet, OMI, and everyone else of substance. The local G.G. Li Curtis wants a Task Force and a Division of Marines, but we can't commit force like that without provoking the Dominion the Confederacy or both. Therefore, your orders are to take your ship under independent command, and render all support to the Solarian forces already in system. Currently, your deployment will be a standard eight months but that may be extended.”
Jonathan nodded in understanding. It was a complex and delicate situation if he failed. He was already under a cloud, and the Navy could wash their hands of him. If he succeeded though, that would silence at least some of his critics.
Delicately taking the orders from Keys desk ,Jonathan stood and saluted,
“My orders are received and understood sir, I will report to Macran as soon as I’m able.”
“Very good Elcap” Keys replied using the Navy shorthand for Lt. Captain “You may carry on.”
Jonathan turned and left the office. It was only years of training and his belief in the need to have at least a modicum of dignity that kept him from doing cartwheels on the way out. He was going back to space, back to where he belonged, and in command of a warship a life long dream come true.
Chapter II
Levelflats, Solaria, Solarian System, Solarian Republic
The Oldtown District
January 26 th 841 A.E. (2802 A.D.) 09:45 Local time
The sight never failed to fill any observer with wonder. The great cable as thick as a building climbing into the sky as far as the eye could see and farther than that. Every half hour or so an observer could watch the lifts themselves the size of small buildings either coming up or descending along one of the cable’s four tracks. Jonathan shook his head, it was a sight he sorely missed. Levelflats was Solaria’s fourth largest city, and a navy town through, and through. Levelflats lay roughly four hundred miles from Singking, at the mouth of the Serpentine
Similar Books
