Untitled
Chapter 71

Mother Confessor:

Heading off to the mess hall, as the others had to leave. Still filling a small part of my mind as to what they are going to be attending. Seems that it is all the senior officers as they start filing throughout the corridors on my way, each looking sharp in dress uniform. Still whatever it is it also involves the Uldivarions. Knowing that I can go on with speculating as to what the private function of the senior officers is about. It will yield no affirmations. Just plausible ends, and not factual conclusion. That and I am starving. Has been many hours since I last had anything to eat. My stomach feels like it is going to consume itself. I just hope that they still have something left over in the mess hall. Marching onward ignoring my hunger pangs. My stomach ferociously growls.

Graxis:

Here we are. The Ober-Commander, Red Wolf, Rhino, Colonel Vissacca, Major Rinvon, Master Sargent Minnrox, Lieutenants Kron and Bentria, Captain Tolms, and the two Uldivarion crew men, and myself. Waiting for the gang plank to meet our ship as we stood at the airlock in silence. Ten officers in all. It took a bit to get the Colonel to reluctantly join us on this occasion.

My mild intoxication has subsided, as I am anxious to get answers that have been gnawing in the back of my mind. As well as the trial of the Admiral that is to take place tomorrow morning before the Council of Elders. In a way all of these events from the betrayal, the battle on Callisto, and the arrival of the Uldivarions is a lot to process all at once. These are all on my mind as we drifted through the asteroid belt closer to our target planet. The Ober-Commander and his pair are doing their best to maintain their composure since leaving Callisto. They did not mention what had happened in the facility, and I did not pry for an explanation. Satisfied in knowing that the mission was a success, despite the losses. At least the innocent are out of danger and off to find a safe place to start over. Though it was the main focus of the mission we all knew that not all the refugees might not have survived at the hands of the Confederation scientists. We had done our best, and that is all we could have done.

The dull clang reverberating between the hulls announces that the gang plank had found purchase on the airlock. The moments pass in silence as the system cycles through the pressurization process. The airlocks hiss open giving us a clear and up close view of the other ship. We file in two by two into the narrow walkway mating the ships. My eyes actively explore the Uldivarion ship with awe. A marvel of engineering that made ours seem a relic by comparison. They have always been more advanced than we are. But this is a vision of impeccable military ingenuity that is most impressive. The closer we get, the more I am glad that they are on our side. Watching as their heavy armor teams maintaining the many heavy cannons about the sleek skinned vessel. Have to admit at a third the size of our ship, they are more than ready to wage a war with their highly sophisticated weaponry. One thing I often ponder is what they used for their armor and hull plates. The material is white, but that does not mean that it isn’t metal, or something they had engineered. Probably best to stay on point, and not my little fascinations.

Marckus:

Staying toward the end of the procession, much to the Colonel’s dismay as she stares coldly at me before entering the gang plank behind the others. She cannot surely still be pissed off at my little babysitting jest from 8 days ago. Then again she probably could. It would not be the first time I have pissed off a subordinate that took themselves to seriously in their official status.

Taking in a long look about the Uldivarion ship as we enter the gang plank. Sure is a beauty, but wars are not won by the flashy, or best dressed. I have only a sample of what they are capable of on the ground. For me they seem more or less cold and clinical in their demeanor. I may be a heartless bastard, and I have to deal with the haunting reality of what I do. I wonder if the Uldivarions really are just as detached from their experiences. Like when they get down to business. Better not bother to much with that, not really my place to question their combat ethics and debriefs. Just one more little mystery swept under the mental rug of inquiry, to be lost in time.

Drawing my gaze to Red Wolf further up from us. She seems a little better after our little chat in the cantina. Hate admitting that she was dealing with what had happened quite well. Either that or she is merely hiding her real pain so as to not appear hurt or weak from the ordeal. Still irks me that it was possible for someone to be able to violate another person in ways that I doubt the Mother Confessor had. Not that I really know what her methods were, I would like to think in her own way would not strip another of their dignity in such a heinous way. At least now she had a chance to do good things, or reasonably good as the next soldier.

Just a few meters from the Uldivarion vessel. My feet feel heavy, despite the fact that I am more than ready to get into the thick of this meeting. Damn it man get your head in the game. Trying to focus my muddled thoughts into the business at hand. From what I can see of the inside that lay inside the airlocks, is our welcoming committee.

Graxis:

Upon entering the ship, we are greeted by Commander Kionxxia and a medium sized group of sharply dressed and decorated officers. Trying to stay as collected as possible as they eerily watched as we all come aboard. The commander has that creepy taught lipped smile on her face. Something about being invited to this function begins playing on my mind as I look up into the cold deep black eyes of our host. Might be jumping to quick to conclusions, but this whole interaction since this afternoon has been bizarre. What are you really doing here? I challenge her with my eyes looking for some indication to rest my anxiety. Then again if I am wrong and they were asked by the Empress to come to our aid. I sure would feel the fool for questioning their intentions if that were to be the case.

“Nice to finally meet you in the flesh Captain Graxis”, Commander Kionxxia says in a friendly tone.

“And you as well, Commander”, I return in kind, trying to keep a collected tone. She shakes my hand with her upper right. Peering down at me as if studying me in the exchange.

“Something bothering you, Captain”, she asks, quickly adding,” more precisely does it involve us?” She was alluding to her and her crew, but it seems funny she would ask the very thing I was thinking.

“To be honest, ma’am”, I begin,” interesting you should ask. I would be a miss if I said the contrary. Yes indeed, i find this ordeal to be a bit strange. Not saying that your presence is not welcomed, far from it. Just curious as to what the official reason for you gracing us with your crew and hospitality.”

Marckus:

“Now Captain, is that any way to greet our hostess”, I speak up admonishing him for asking the senior officer of her orders.

The Uldivarion female raises her hand,” No, it is quite alright. It was bound to be brought up at some point during our meeting.”

She pauses, looking directly at me,” And you must be the Terran I was told about.”

Ok, now I am in the hot seat.

“I hope they did not say anything unflattering of me”, I half ask, half state looking up at her through the lenses of my mask.

“That should be the least of your concerns, sir”, a slight chill in her voice,” I believe the way they put it simply that you are a ‘Terran mad man’.”

“Why Commander, that is only to kind of them,” I reply,” Syrilious, Marckus Syrilious.”

Taking my calloused hand in her large grip,” T’rn-Blinzk, Kionxxia”, she says warmly in introduction, “ pleasure to meet the man I will be working with.”

It sounds less sincere than it is conveyed. Starting see how the Captain would find them hard to trust as they are very hard to read. At the same time it conflicts with their willingness to be so helpful.

“With all due respect, Commander”, I start,” My companion does raise a very good point. What is your stake in this little venture of ours? Terra has learned the hard way that Uldivaria will not let them walk all over them. That was perfectly clear when the Volgans came into the fray in Uldivaria’s defense. So please clear the air for us on what the nature of your little excursion out here in Sol system is all about?”

She takes pause to my question, still keeping our gaze locked. Uldivarions are not ones to lie, if they did they are possibly the worst in deception.

“We were asked to come to your aid”, she starts explaining,” as it turns out the Centurian Council of Elders, had contacted the Empress in urgency. They made a request to have a warship to work in tandem with the Xharai onivos Shanolai battle ship. Through the Empyreal Armada, the order was passed down. We were sent from our command, much like yours on an unofficial mission. The orders as I was directed, was to link up with the Centurian , and that it was an unsanctioned interstellar operation. Neither of us will be acknowledged by our own governments while we are partaking in this conflict. Just as we should not expect any additional support as a result of this. Since our departure, we have come to grips with the reality that we are on a suicide mission, aiding an ally in a time of need. To what end are we really trying to reach out here, Marckus?”

Having to stop and ponder a moment on her official reason. As well as the fact I had no idea that Uldivaria and Centuria were in an alliance. They are so far from one another spatially that it almost seems a bit of a stretch to make that statement believable. Perhaps the two are working on other matters like trade, or some other mutual deal in the background. This may be a way for them to show their willingness to play a part for the other in a display of political trust as a result of their other interests.

“It is quite simple in concept, Kionxxia”, sharing my own side in response,” After my ‘abduction’ so to speak. I was given a mass of information that displayed a very disturbing series of events as a result of the Confederation, and the Chairmen’s agenda to expand their sphere of influence. By using force, and illegal tactics as a means to furthering this agenda. Quite possibly even making another assault on Centuria for resources at some point down the road. Though I am sure you are well aware that the treatise between both parties is a rather thin one, as neither side had put a lot of effort into upholding it. It does not take a lot of imagination to say that the relation between Terra and Centuria is on a razors edge. So it would seem that finding the root of the problems, and destroying them may change this relation for the better. Seems politics and concessions were a dismal failure to find common ground in getting along. Now this is where my plans fall into the mess.

“Overall it is a decisive campaign as opposed to a raw broad range assault. By trying to use the tools that I have in my arsenal to slowly develop a trust of the people, while simultaneously dismantling the Chairmen and their military. Problem is that the former controls the latter, and as a result made things ugly by design. Greed and power walk hand in hand on Terra. Which has resulted in the same things that always result from such devices. The populace suffers at the hands of the elite, for their own selfish desires for more wealth and conquest. Unfeeling and uncaring of what happens to those they trample on in the process. To make it worse there is no low that they will not sink to, to achieve their goals. From simple oppression, all the way to murder, torture, and imprisonment of those they deem threat, or undesirable. Good enough of a reason for you?”

Standing here in the silence waiting for her response to my cropped version of my intentions. Taking a half step back from me, and her smile fades to a frown. The way her demeanor changes makes me wonder if her or her crew, are up for the nightmare they got asked to participate in.

“I think that is fairly reasonable,” Kionxxia concedes,” however, I did expect that as a developing species could be so barbaric to their own kind to that degree.” I knew she was alluding more to the imprisonment that torture aspect of my insight.

“I am afraid that it is a far too common an occurrence for my species, Commander”, I divulge to her,” perhaps you need a moment to consider just what you are getting your hands into?” Funny of her to say that Terrans are barbaric, but has she considered as a soldier that war is as well.

“My apologies, sir”, she offers,” We will back you to the last man. Now shall we retire to the officers mess, and move on to the technical aspects of this meeting. Glad to have gotten the air cleared on both sides.”

I agree, the messy what and why bullshit now out of the way. My stomach grumbles at me as the Commander leads us deeper into her ship. I take the time to marvel at her ships design inside, as we make our way to the very reason we came here to begin with. Also curious as to what Uldivarion food is like.

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