Epilogue
Harrisburg City, Gibson
Federation of Gibson
Free Worlds League
17 April 3060
Natasha just watched Arian. The shock was still upon his face. He was rereading the document for the third time and was about to start again. The others in the room were covering the entrance to the Precentor Martials office. He looked back up into the eyes of Natasha and his expression exasperated. “This is a road map for devastation of the First, Second and Third Succession Wars, the fall of the Hegemony and even the Clan invasion.” He pointed right at a section of it. “This is a plan for ComStar to wage a ‘holy’ war against the various nations to push them deeper into technological decline.”
“Keep reading. The Clans are supposed to take Terra and sweep through and claim the rest of the Inner Sphere before a true Dark Age settles upon us.” Natasha summarized having been personally briefed by Duke Ryan.
“But ComStar stopped the Clans and we split from the heretics.” Arian said.
“Yes you did. That was a grand show of power. That came too late. ComStar was supposed to have the Inner Sphere subjugated by 3030’s according to this document.” The timeline was generalized but never the less exact.
“What happened?” Arian asked aloud of no one.
“Good people got in the way. Duchess Ryan the first Regent uncovered this and waged her shadow war with ComStar for centuries not removing them from the picture but keeping them in check. Hanse Davion and both Melissa and Katrina Steiner, even Theodore Kurita are just a few more people who with their friends were able to turn the tide of this madness time and again. Michael saw the signs in the tea leaves when the League and Confederation tried to break up the Commonwealth. Before your attempt to take Terra. This madness needs to stop. St. Jamais and this rumored Master have ordered your death. They need you out of the way to move forward with the plan. They have just one more chance to weaken the Inner Sphere for the Clan’s to do their job.” Natasha said with disgust. “Those pawns don’t even know their role in all of this.”
Arian looked around him at the people in the room. He knew his security detail was loyal to him, but he knew he couldn’t trust many more outside of this room not even from his own True Believers faction could be completely trusted with the fanaticism of the Sixth of June or the Toyama sects. One thing he did know was that the Word of Blake and ComStar before it were supposed to be the saviors of humanity not its angel of destruction.
“What am I supposed to do?” Trent found himself saying. “I can’t go back to ComStar. Not now.”
“Why do you say that?” Natasha asked.
“Because I am a traitor.” He replied.
“You know when I said that some people are good and are trying to break the cycle even though they no not of what they are doing?” Natasha asked receiving a nod. “Focht and Mori are two such people.” She said eliciting a very visible reaction. “You don’t have to go back to them. There are other avenues you can explore. You can join the FedCom or you can assist in the building of the Terran Militia as we expand our footprint in consolidating the Sarna March.”
“You want me to come with you why?” Trent asked.
“Because the Regent knows who you are. Not who you represent. He thinks there is a good person buried in there under those robes.” Natasha stated. “Besides, the Sixth of June plans to kill you in the next couple of days anyways.”
Trent sat there in silence for several minutes before nodding. “Let’s go.”
