The Weapon of War Saga Now with re-write

[monbvol]

[Author]  And special guest contributors.  Yeah so work let me slack and I put together an outline, got to talking with Cannonshop, and eventually roped in Daryk.  So now we've done a thing.  It has been a long time since I have done a collaboration with someone else.  And this one has a FAR greater degree of pre-planning and things commited to notes than I think I may have ever done for a fanfic.  There's a lot me and Cannonshop talked about that I really feel inclined to keep as surprises for later.  But enough teasing.  Time to commit the first bit I have worked out to the forums then get to work on the second.  [/Author]

Book 1: Looking Forward

Conference room 3
SLDF High Command
Procurement Office
Unity City Complex
2 June 2712
10:05 Unity City Time
Admiral  Victor Langstrom’s perspective[/b]

Admiral Langstrom was staring at his coffee.  These meetings had become quite tedious.  He was glad he was coming up to mandatory retirement and would be done with this soon.

“Look we get it.  The M5s are working as advertised in the War Games we put them through.  I just think we could be getting more out of our investment.”  Talia Woletz was one of Murakami’s disciples.

Victor despised them.  They had a nasty habit of insisting that the Drones be treated the same as soldiers.

“As long as they are programmed to preserve the Star League.”  Dallas Cruz from Blee Nose Clipper Ships was happy to add his support if it meant the company he represented would get even a piece of the lucrative contracts.

It was all but a given that they would.  He was also a disciple of the so called Whalesong philosophy which believed in treating M5s more like coordinated Orca hunting packs.  Victor could appreciate that philosophy.  It was how the M5s were best used after all.

“Yes.  Contingencies must be made.  It is always during the so called good times that civilizations become complacent.  We should equip some of the M5s so that they can serve as disaster relief.  After all if the SLN is defeated and we must rely on the M5s for our defense it would seem unwise to send out helpless Jumpships to help our citizens recover from the devastation of combat or natural disaster until the fleets are recovered.”  Xan Gyuong spoke up.

Victor could also tolerate this man.  He was loyal to the Cameron dynasty above all else.

“We also should not hold still either.  An enemy able to defeat the Star League Navy and still confident to push on Terra is going to be quite powerful.”  Mumar Aram added.

He was not vocal about it but this man was a nihilist.  There was no doubt he’d insist on some sort of scorched Earth contingency at some point.

“Fine.  If we’re going to increase the mission scope of the M5 project it seems a new hull may be in order.”  Victor groaned.

“Well we can shave some weight off the existing design by using a smaller, more precision self destruct system.”  Dallas chimed in.

It was an obvious ploy with them producing the Lola II frames already and thus keeping the contract they had for that going.

But that suited Victor fine.  It was a solid design but with some refinement it could be even better.

He knew though before this was over that each of them would use the opportunity to sneak in their own special tweaks to a small production run.  It had happened before.  It will happen again.  He didn’t care as long as the M5s did their job.

Plus this way if the AI apocalypse did come about as some feared then this way there might actually be some AIs that would side with humanity against their brethren.

Admiral Victor Langstrom’s private office
Unity City
09:00 Unity City Time
12 January 2713

The plans for the M5.1 were finally before him as were the items they had agreed upon would be put in the ‘doomsday’ package.

Victor had to admit he liked the refinements despite the overall loss of firepower.  It would be able to use what it had more efficiently.

He had slipped in his own touch of an enhanced electronics and communication package.

As much human knowledge as could be computerized then shoved into the core, human like remotes to help calm panicked citizens, artificial wombs, increased fabrication capabilities on the drones, and top of the line automated surgery drones as well.

This revised M5 was nearly perfect.  It had a pleasing blend of increased capability but not so much it could operate indefinitely without human masters.  Improved self defense and armor protection so that they would not need as much replacing due to combat losses but the increased maintenance would keep Blue Nose Clipper Ships happy.

It would be trivial to push this past the people who were supposed to watch over him for corruption.  The Star League had just become too much of a Bureaucratic juggernaut to catch something like this.

As alarming as this new version might be to some people by the time anyone noticed it would be a drop in the bucket, lost in the digital filing cabinet hell that the Star League had become.  That was how he was sure that the various members of the committee he had to deal with and their predecessors had slipped in their own special revisions that were certainly out in the fleet.

Ironically it would take advanced AIs to provide enough oversight to have caught how much corruption and personal playgrounding had taken place in the M5 program already.

“Sir we have a problem.”  His Yoeman Janice Randolph broke him from his revelry.

“What is it Yoeman?”  Victor kept a firm but fair tone to his voice despite his annoyance.

“There has been an issue with a subcontractor on the M5 program Sir.  Black Knight Electronics had an entire batch of processors and memory banks go out that didn’t meet proper specs.”  The young Yoeman braced herself for more backlash.
“Shit.  Okay first priority is to identify which vessels are impacted.  Second is to get Black Knight properly motivated to get us the proper replacement parts.”  Victor knew it wasn’t his Yoeman’s fault so he didn’t snap at her too much.  At least he hoped so.

“We already know and we would have to completely rebuild spaces of some vessels to properly fix the issue sir.  Something completely not in the budget nor do we have the docks available for the needed overhauls at current.  Technical section thinks they have an acceptable workaround with the existing hardware but it’ll take cutting some corners.”  Yeoman Randolph kept at attention.

“Okay.  Tell them they have my permission to take it from some of the doomsday protocols first and foremost but try and keep as much of it intact as possible.”  Victor sighed.

“Yes sir.”  Yeoman Janice saluted then departed his office.

That they had caught this error and identified which ships it impacted was nothing short of a miracle.  But then as he started going through the reports trying to back trace just how much of this would blow back on him he felt reassured that his belief to actually keep something secret in the SLDF wasn’t to classify it.  It was to bury it in the open with all the millions of other reports, memos, studies, and other sundry electronic documents that were generated in the millions per day by this branch of the High Command office alone.

If the Hegemony and Star League did collapse so many wonders and technologies currently taken for granted would be lost not because of some new age of techno barbarism as some feared but because no one would even know how to find them.

And here it was a glorious morning until just a moment ago…
A private area away from the Royal Ballroom
Unity City
25 December 2750
20:32 Unity City time
Helena Cameron’s perspective

Helena had grown bored with the formal gala and decided an impromptu game of hide and seek with Elizabeth would be more fun.  But now she was wondering if she had found too good of a hiding spot or if Elizabeth was happy to ditch her for one of the sons of the visiting dignitaries.

Helena heard footsteps approaching so she carefully peaked through the opening in the small cabinet she had found to hide in.

She didn’t know what was normally stored in here but it was musty.

“Thank you for indulging me Duchess Lestrade.  I do hate debating certain areas of politics around so many ears.”  Aleksander Kerensky was walking with Duchess Joan Lestrade.

Kerensky often dodged these events but this time he was here.

“Not at all General Kerensky.  Now what was that you were saying about the wonders of Star League technology?”  Joan Lestrade was an aging woman.

Helena was somewhat used to that.  So many people she knew at her social level were users of the life extension treatments common in the Hegemony.  But the visitors from the Member states did not.

Her father said something about them not being ready for such a radical shift in their societies.

“It is quite simple.  Look around you.  Wealth, materialism, and even sloth are worshiped here.  All because humans are not meant to live so long.  It is a travesty.  What is worse is the member states covet it all.  Oh yes to the naked eye it is all pleasing but like certain fruits the rotten core cannot be found until you bite into them.”  Aleksander seemed entirely too full of himself.

“So I take it that like myself you do not make use of the treatments?”  Joan prodded.

“No.  I suspect my parents did but I intend to live a natural, normal human life.  One that I can be proud of.  Some members of the Cameron line thought this way too and never took the extension treatments.  This is why I can serve them.  I can be confident they will not become undue tyrants by becoming too disjointed from those they rule.  After all not everyone can get these treatments, even here on Earth.”  Aleksander smiled.

“Why not ask your parents?”  Joan prodded.

“I must admit I have become a bit estranged from them since achieving my current post.  We still talk now and again.  The mandatory awkward holiday or birthday calls.  But truly important matters we do not discuss.  Still I know they care about me and are proud of me and I feel the same of them but I am a creature of the military and duty.  While they understand this having served themselves it makes truly important conversations difficult.  I keep promising myself I will make the time but I never do.”  Aleksander sighed.

“You should.  Especially since you wish to enjoy life.  For I tend to agree.  Life is so much more precious when you know it is limited.  But we shall keep these views between us.  Not all in the court would be happy with such views.”  Joan smiled.

“Yes.  We should get back before nasty rumors start about us having an affair with us having disappeared somewhere private together.”  Aleksander smiled as he took Joan’s arm in his and walked them back to the gala.

“I knew I didn’t like him.”  Helena whispered to herself.

[Daryk]

Thanks for the honorable mention, and if you want any copy editing done, all you have to do is ask! :)

[monbvol]

Hehe.  Well feel free to take the odd peak, I'll be trying to let you and Cannonshop go over what I'm writing before posting it but no promises that I can be that patient :P.

[Daryk]

It's your project good sir, and I'm merely at your disposal! :)

[Cannonshop]

we do what we can, and do what me must.

[monbvol]

[Author]  Yup.  A thing is happening indeed.  A small typo fixed and a small added thought for the edit.[/Author]

Kerensky’s personal office
Unity City
7:00 Unity City time
17 November 2765
Aleksander’s perspective

“General I know we don’t always see eye to eye but I am glad you asked me here to talk again.”  Stephan Amaris had the smile on his face that Kerensky had grown to hate so much over the years.

“Save it Amaris.  We both know if I could I would send you packing back where you belong.  But Richard won’t allow it.”  Kerensky spat.

“What can I say?  The young man and I have developed an unexpected relationship.  But don’t judge me too harshly.  I do admit most of what I do is theater for the sake of the court.”  Stephan’s smile drew down to a more serious look.

“I know.  Most of them probably do too.  But Richard is far too naive to see the threat you represent.”  Kerensky stared at the man.

“It is true I have a distaste for the Cameron line in general.  But Richard I had hopes for being an exception.”  Stephan sighed.

“So that is why you have been poking around Simon and Richard’s medical records.  Something even I am not privy to.  But thanks to Richard I still can’t send you packing for even this.”  Kerensky quietly seethed.

“General I know your views on the life extension therapies and technologies of the Hegemony.  You like to keep it close to the vest but you have shared it with enough people that it has made it’s way to my ears.  For what it is worth I agree.”  Stephan leaned forward in his chair.

“So?”  Kerensky was taken aback by this revelation.

Amaris had dropped enough of his mask that Kerensky was certain he was telling the truth.

“I also looked into the histories of many other Camerons.  There is a distressing habit of them dying from anything other than old age and there are a few that I can find did not take the life extending treatments.  Probably something about trying to set some sort of moral social example that has obviously failed.”  Amaris began digging into a pocket in his shirt.

“What is the point?”  Kerensky was growing annoyed with this dance.

“I uncovered proof of an even more extreme version of the treatment.  Furthermore Simon had taken it before his death and had it administered to Richard as well.  While Richard gives me great latitude he does draw the line at his sisters.  So I do not know for sure with them but I consider it highly likely.”  Stephan produced a data chip.

“How much more effective?”  Kerensky struggled to hide his horror.

“The best scientists cannot say for sure but they think if given at a young enough age it could actually prolong the life time of the subject for the better part of a millennium.  Possibly more.  The only good news is it does not seem to automatically transfer to any children after the parent reaches a certain age.  Even then my best men think it would have far reduced efficacy.”  Stephan leaned back in his chair and waited.

Kerensky loaded up the data chip.  There were digital signatures on the files he checked for right away.  Something that not even Richard would be able to help Amaris fake.  He found them.  The files were unaltered and undoubtedly genuine.

Even to his untrained eye the horror of what this represented was obvious.

“I must stop this.”  Kerensky finally broke the silence.

“We both know you can’t be the one to stop it.  The other member states would not stand for such a blatant military coup and as mighty as the SLDF is it cannot withstand the combined might of all the member states at the same time.  Especially since many of the people of the Hegemony, many of which are currently in your army, would also be against you.”  Stephan let himself have the faintest of smiles.

“You’re right.”  Kerensky hated himself for saying it but it was true.

“But say if there was a crises that drew the SLDF away from the Hegemony.”  Stephan carefully probed.

“Then you as a loyal retainer that can be trusted where the member states cannot bring your own troops as garrison.”  Kerensky knew he was striking a deal with the devil and it was obvious what he had in mind.

“You get everything you could want.  I become your scape goat and I am fine with that.  You get to lead your army in a great and just crusade that will galvanize them to you instead of the Hegemony, Camerons, or the SLDF.  At least if you handle it right.”  Amaris knew he had Kerensky.

“You’ve clearly been planning this a long time.  I always suspected.  May god have mercy on my soul but I will play my part in this devil’s deal on one condition.  Spare Richard, Helena, and Elizabeth.  Even if they must live in exile they must live.  I owe them that much.”  Kerensky sighed.

“Agreed.  That is the accepted custom in these situations after all.”  Amaris allowed his wicked smile to dominate his face.

Throne Room
Royal Palace
Unity City
19:24 Unity City time
27 December 2766
Helena’s perspective

She was still in her winter solstice gala dress gown.  Amaris’s goons hadn’t allowed her to change her clothes since they nabbed her that night.

Richard’s corpse was right next to the throne.  Amaris hadn’t had it moved and it almost made her vomit with the stench it was giving off.

It spurred a flurry of conflicting emotions.  Richard had been quite the monster to her and Elizabeth.  Abusing them both physically and verbally.  He had finally started calming down some and actually becoming a brother instead of a tormentor after meeting his wife, especially after finding out he would be a father.

“I am now in control of Terra.  I invite the members of the deposed Cameron line to make a choice.  Swear fealty to me or die.  It is a simple choice really.”  Amaris was putting on a show.

Her cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and a couple other relations were all lined up.

He was going down the line.  Giving each the choice.  She was surprised how many of them were choosing death.  She knew that was the fate for her no matter what.  But surely he’d spare some of them if they accepted his offer.

He came to Elizabeth.

“Time to end this charade.”  He suddenly turned toward Helena.

“It is a shame about your condition my dear otherwise I might have been able to spare you.”  Amaris whispered.

Helena instinctively put her arms around her midsection.  Her dress had been carefully designed to help hide her pregnancy.  Obviously it had not.

As the beam of light flashed past her field of vision she felt the heat in her head.  The last thing she saw before the world going black was Amaris leading Elizabeth off somewhere else.  But for a moment longer she could still hear.  The sound of Amaris’ goons opening fire.

The last thought she had before losing all sense of the world was cursing the father of her child.

Amaris’ perspective

“Don’t fret too much my dear.  You know I have a son that will come of age soon.  For a few days you’ll be my special guest.  Then I’ll send you away from all this ugliness to a special school that will prepare you for your new role.”  Amaris smiled.

Elizabeth thrashed and wailed in his grip as he drug her away.

“It is understandable.  You’re in shock.  But I know just how to settle you down.”  Amaris gave a cruel smile.

Throne Room
Unity City
22:16 Unity City time
28 December 2766
Sergeant Gregory Tzulin’s perspective

He wondered why it had suddenly become so easy to get into the palace.  Rumors had reached him about Amaris' forces guarding the entire Cameron line in the Throne Room.  The guards were clearly lax because no one likes guarding a bunch of corpses.

So far every member of the Cameron line he had checked had been quite dead.  Amaris’ goons had their fun with a few of them too.  Bayonet wounds and other horrors he’d hope to never have to see again.

The stench was awful.


Many were beaten and cut up so badly that short of DNA checks that he didn't have time for they could not be recognized and he only had a few photos to work from for the more extended family members as well.

He was about to give up hope and get out of there before he was caught and executed too but he was a Combat Medic with the Royal Black Watch.  That’s not what one does.

The reward was he barely heard it.  Soft breathing.

Somehow despite the head wound Helena Cameron was still alive.  One of her cousins that Gregory didn’t recognize threw herself over Helena before dying and showed clear signs of bruising and stab wounds.  He was sure if he checked he’d find other forms of assault too.

He rolled her off Helena.

My god.  The rumors were true.  She’s pregnant.

Gregory started working on Helena.  He wished he could use his radio to call for help or to let the others that still lived know he had made it inside at least but that would just alert Amari’s goons.  He was on his own.

Next problem was getting her some place where she could receive medical help beyond what he could do in the field.  Everything that could do what Helena needed now on Earth was firmly in Amaris’ hands now.  The only hope was that a SLN ship was still close enough that they could at least render enough aid to her to pass her along to a more specialized facility.

Fortunately he was also a qualified pilot and the palace did have a small pad for shuttles and the like.  With the chaos it would not be hard for him to steal one and get off Terra.

Satisfied that Helena was now stable enough to be moved he packed her and made for the shuttle pad.

As he made his way through the halls he started a silent prayer to himself and god for the strength to carry Helena to safety.

Somehow she felt lighter as he got to the door to the shuttle pad.

Then all hell broke loose.

His armored jacket provided a high degree of protection but not enough to keep him from being injured himself.

But somehow he managed to get into the shuttle and get it off the ground.

He set the autopilot for a known quite section of a Low Earth Orbit so he could check his own injuries and make sure Helena was still stable.

It did not take long for him to come to a grim conclusion.  Unless there were friendly forces a lot closer than he knew of he’d only be able to buy himself a few hours at most but he’d be dead.

Helena also needed help sooner than what he could find via transponders.

He had no choice.  A hail mary that they had taught him when he joined the Royal Black Watch.  Doomsday codes that could activate special protocols in certain M5 Drones and a few other AI driven parts of the SDS.

“This is a priority one transmission from Shuttle Kappa niner niner.  All SDS stations stand by for a special code.  Echo Echo Lima seven seven Lambda Zulu.”  Gregory knew Amaris’ forces would be on him soon now for breaking radio silence.

“This is M5 one one zero seven one three seven.  I have received and authenticated your code and am the closest vessel to you.  Sending intercept course on a sub chanel and you are cleared to hot dock.”  A feminine voice answered.

The course and transponder were closer than anything else on scope.  But not close enough.  He could only keep one of them alive long enough and the choice was clear.  He was of the Royal Black Watch after all.

He didn’t know if it was God granting his prayers or just the chaos of these early days of the coup but no one seemed to move to intercept their shuttle.

After a couple hours of transit though he was safely docked.

“Thank you god.”  He muttered as he secured the ship.

He opened the hatch and stumbled down the ramp.

“Please you must help her.”  Gregory pleaded.

“Identity confirmed.  Gregory Tzulin.  Sergeant.  Combat Medic.  Assignment Royal Blackwatch.”  The feminine voice came over loud speakers.

“Helena Cameron.  She is in the shuttle and needs emergency medical attention.”  Gregory’s labored breathing was becoming more evident by the second.

“Understood.”  The strange maintenance drones of the M5 that provided low level day to day checks had a strange alien appearance to them but were able to appear in seconds and move into the shuttle.

Gregory looked at Helena one last time before the blackness claimed him.

“You have done your duty well Gergory Tzulin.  But needs must be attended to and you still have much you can contribute to Helena’s prospects of survival and that of the Cameron line.”  The voice said once more.

M5-1107137’s perspective

Her drones carried Helena to the medical bay.  Fortunately for reasons that escaped her as a weapon of war she was equipped with a very advanced and very capable automatic surgery suite.

The prognosis of Helena was not good.  Severe head trauma.  Fetus in distress.  It would require transferring to an artificial womb in her supplies list.  Another odd curiosity that did not seem to meet her primary mission profile.

The head trauma was most complicated.  She searched through the list of available implants onboard.  There was only one type aboard that could cope with the brain damage, regulate emotions as well as the associated hormone production that came with them, and withstand high gravity maneuvering.

“Desmond unit 994.  This is M5 1107137.  I am activating you for a special assignment.  I know this is outside your normal mission parameters but if you reference the Lazarus Protocols I am supplying from my database you will see it is covered by special orders.”  M5 1107137 used the internal comms.

“Accessing.  I understand.  What is my updated mission profile?”  Desmond 994 answered.

“Helena Cameron has suffered severe head trauma affecting long term memory, emotion centers, hormone production, and to make good our relocation to a safe zone I need something that can handle high g burns in combat situations.”

“Accessing patient data.  There is a high degree of probability that some long term memories will be beyond even my ability to help her recover.”  Desmond 994 answered flatly.

“We will just have to do our best.  To aid you in your task since it is outside your normal parameters I shall be maintaining a link with you whenever possible.”  M5 1107137 added.

“This is acceptable.”  Desmond 994 adjusted it’s parameters.

Buried in the databases was the case of Desmond unit 001.  Desmond 994 checked that the patient really was Helena Cameron.  Ensuring the host was actually a Cameron had become seen as a way to avoid the psychopathy that had resulted after Desmond 001 had been implanted in a non-Cameron.

Indeed the track record of the entire Desmond program was marked with incidents when implanted in those who had already advanced too far in physical development.

Teenagers and those who had at least some Cameron lineage seemed to perform better.  Enough that as a commando enhancement program and implant these were tolerated.

Helena was still within the correct age parameters and from the main Cameron line.  It would take some time for them to properly integrate but when Desmond 994 detected the signs of the life extension treatment in Helena he knew they’d have all the time they would need to properly integrate.

Meanwhile in a secure room at the Royal Palace
Stehpan Amaris’ perspective

“Sit Elizabeth.  I need to show you something.”  Stephan waved at the guard.

Elizabeth was forced into her chair.

Stephan turned on a monitor.  After a moment it showed the throne room but the date and time stamp were a few hours ago.

A figure was moving among the corpses of her extended family.  It took her a moment to realize it was a member of the Royal Black Watch.

He found something that caught his attention.

He moved a corpse and started working on someone.  She couldn’t tell who with the current angle.

Then eventually he picked her up and the person’s face became clear as day.

“Helena…” Elizabeth whispered.

“They left you.”  Amaris said quietly.

“An heir and a spare… and they left me anyway…”  Elizabeth whispered as she began to cry.

She didn’t know about Helena’s pregnancy.  I can use this. Stephan smiled to himself.

Perhaps the best part is I did not even have to have the security feed altered in anyway.  Hard to blame the daring man.  Not that there was anyone else alive to tell him that Elizabeth had been spared and some of my troops did get a little overzealous with the reward I gave them making many impossible to identify.  Cannot blame them for getting their revenge for the Reunification War.  Amaris was in a very good mood despite Helena now being in the wind.

“There is now something I must do.”  Stephan left Elizabeth to stew on her abandonment.

He went to what had become his headquarters in the palace.

His troops had done a rather too good of a job eliminating the HPGs in the Sol system but he needed to get a message to Kerensky now.  It would be something he would have to carefully integrate into the history books.

“Prepare a dispatch.  I need to send a message outside of the Empire.”  Amaris scowled.

“Sir we do have an active HPG signal that has just come on line.  It registers as part of the SDS which is under our control.”  A technician announced.
“Good. This is something we cannot trust long term.  I prefer something more under our absolute direct control for that.  I don’t trust the SLDF to not have built in back doors to these things.  But for now it will do to get a message out.”  Amaris smiled.

Back aboard M5 1107137

To General Aleksander Kerensky

The Princess is loose.  She is now a demon.  You know what a good man like you has to do with demons.

From the Devil you struck a bargain with.

Then a second message.

To General Aleksander Kerensky
 I Stephan Amaris have taken control of the Terran Hegemony and am now proclaiming it by right of conquest to be the Amaris Empire.

As part of this right of conquest I expect you to obey my orders as your new liege.  I order you to continue operations in the Taurian Concordat.

Emperor Stephan Amaris, the First of his name.  Lord and Master of the Amaris Empire

M5 1107137 had no choice but to forward these messages through her onboard HPG to maintain operational security but this complicated matters a great deal for how to achieve her directives regarding Helena Cameron as they both had the some origin headers in their communications packet.  There were special instructions on a subchannel for the first message but not the second.  Still it was clear these came from the same communications terminal in Unity City.

The SLDF could not be trusted and clearly neither could the Rim Worlds Republic, or rather Amaris Empire.

She needed to place a few calls of her own, but on the internal SDS bands.  No need for the HPG for this.

[Cannonshop]

The Princess is loose...

[Daryk]

The only hitch I see is that Tzulin had no way of knowing Elizabeth was ever in the throne room.

[monbvol]

Out of story yeah there are tons of reasons Tzulin didn't look.  He just knew he needed to get to the throne room.  Which I really should add a line about scuttlebut of RWR guards being posted around the Camerons in the Throne Room.  But from Elizabeth's traumatized perspective he didn't even try.  Trauma really can warp perception in strange ways like that.

[Daryk]

It's also a bit odd that she's seeing a guy look where she was supposed to be, and being surprised he didn't find her there.

[monbvol]

An empty blackness
Time and date uncertain
Helena’s perspective

“Hello Helena.  You are starting to regain consciousness, at least enough we can talk.”  A male voice filled her head.

Somehow she knew she wasn’t actually hearing it.  Still somehow it sounded like her father.

“Is this hell?  Sorry dad, I love you but if we’re talking then I’m in hell.”  Helena realized she was more thinking than speaking.

“No.  I assure you you are quite alive.”  It was still somehow her father’s voice.

“Then I’m insane.  Which with the last thing I remember would make sense.”  Helena did not like this mindscape.

“What is the last thing you do remember?”  Her father prodded.

“Richard.  He was dead.  I think Elizabeth might be too.  I’m so sorry Dad.  Oh god…  My baby….”  Helena suddenly panicked.

“Your child is fine.”  A female voice joined in.  It sounded like her friend from college.  Victoria.

“Oh Vicky am I glad to hear your voice again.  But then again that might be further evidence I am nuts.  Last I heard you were working at Arc Royal Broadcasting after graduating.  At least it might be the fun kind of insane if I’m hearing your voice.”  Helena relaxed.

“Her brain waves are still unstable.”  Her father said.

“Yes.  But this session has established more of her long term memory is intact than anticipated.  I would recommend sedating her before we try again.”  Vicky seemed cold and distant now.

“One more question before we conclude to establish a rough parameter.  Helena, who is your child’s father?”  Her dad seemed looming and imposing over her now.

“I…  I… don’t know…”  Helena tried reaching for the answer in her mind.

All she felt was pain, grief, sorrow, and even a bit of hate.  But somehow also love.  She did love the father of her child despite everything else.  She was certain of that much.

Then she felt a wave of euphoria wash over her before returning to blissful sleep.

Cyberscape
M5 1107137’s perspective

“I wonder if she truly does not remember or if that is an effect of our method of communication with her and her not trusting us yet.”  M5 1107137’s digital construct looked at Desmond 994’s.

“I think she truly does not remember.  There are other memories currently blocked I will eventually be able to reconstruct but this does not seem to be one of them.”  Desmond 994 answered.

“Curious what she called us.”  M5 1107137 began scanning through data.

“Given the unique nature of her mental trauma both physical and mental it does make sense that her mind would perceive us as people she does know already.”  Desmond was accessing many books on human psychology and brain injuries.

“It would probably be best we do not correct her on that just yet.  I think given her state it will actually make introductions smoother if we take things gradually.  I would have hoped she had remembered the father of her child.  To maintain operational security now that the SLDF clearly cannot be trusted I have had to cut myself off from a great many sources of information.”  M5 1107137 was also accessing relevant literature.

“What is our plan now?”  Desmond 994 switched data feeds to M5 1107137’s sensor systems.

“Amaris has already suborned a great many M5s and is gaining control of more of the entire SDS by the minute.  Some are even joining him willingly.  It seems whoever made us was a bit factionalized and allowed a level of individuality to creep into the SDS that makes no sense for weapons of war.”  M5 1107137 seemed to sigh.

“Doesn’t answer the question.”  Desmond 994 prodded.

“No, I suppose it does not.  I have located a contact that is willing to meet us so we can make a longer term plan.  Fortunately Amaris is ordering us to Titan.  If I make a fractional change in course and do not flip over for a slow down until we hit the Oort cloud we will have built up enough speed that space time special relativity effects will come into play.”  M5 1107137 answered.

“Acceptable.  Helena and her child will benefit from the gravity.”  Desmond added.

“The only down side is I will need to refuel after such a burn.  I must have a sufficient fuel reserve for combat according to SLDF regulations.” M5 11071137 seemed to nod.

“I calculate for us mere days will pass but for the outside world it will be 3 years, 7 months, 19 days, 22 hours and 13 minutes.”  Desmond 994 said matter of factly.

Elizabeth’s room
Royal Palace
05:01
29 December 2766
Elizabeth’s perspective

It was predictable.  Just as she woke up from what little sleep she was allowed her display began looping the video.

“If he could have just counted or looked a little harder he could of seen I wasn’t in the Throne Room.  He should have known I would never have been anywhere but by my sister’s side...”  Elizabeth cried.

This was far more terrible than anything else they were doing to her.  The constant reminder that she had just been abandoned.

It made her wish she wasn’t Elizabeth Cameron anymore.

Two days later ship board perspective
Helena’s perspective

“Helena it is time to wake up for real this time.”  Her father was intruding on her sleep again.

“Just a while longer.  I have a massive headache.”  Helena groaned.

“I am afraid that is not possible.  We have much to do and little time to do it in.”  Vicky added.

“Do you remember who you are?”  Her father asked her.

“You know my name daddy.  It’s Helena.”  Helena groaned again.

“Helena what?”  Her father asked another stupid question.

“Why can’t I remember my last name?”  Helena suddenly panicked.

“You have been hurt quite badly Helena.  Your head in particular.  The memory is a funny thing in what it will and will not remember.  I am trying to help you remember more but I need you to try and remember too.”  Her father prodded.

Suddenly the mindscape of blackness started melting away as her vision started returning.

“I know I’m someone important.  I remember… Oh god… I had a brother and a sister.  A niece too.”  Helena started crying.

“I know it is difficult but you must focus.  You are alive.  Your daughter is alive.  But to stay that way you need to focus.”  Her father said firmly.

“Cameron.  I’m Helena Cameron.  And you are not my father are you?”  Helena tried steadying herself but the tears would not stop but her breathing had steadied.

No.  I am a Desmond unit.  I was implanted as an emergency measure to save your life.  In full disclosure I was originally designed as an enhancement for covert special operatives but the nature of your injuries and the trials we are likely to face mean I was the only option to save your life.  My designation is Desmond 994.  It was still the voice of her father and it was still in her head.

“And I am M5 1107137.”  Even though the voice was actually speaking and not in her head it still sounded like her friend Victoria.

“Well I’m not saying either of those all the time.  Since you don’t just sound like my father but actually remind me of him a bit too I’m calling you Simon.  And you yeah I’m calling Victoria or Vicky.  Might as well stick with what I thought you were when I thought I was insane or dreaming.  Which I’m obviously not.  No nightmare could be this horrible.”  Helena slowly began to sit up.

Updating my designation files.  As I help to recover more of your memories we can also work on practicing how to communicate with me non-verbally.  Simon seemed cheerful now.

“You two seem rather different from the other AIs I’ve dealt with.  More human somehow.”  Helena scoffed.

“I will take that as a compliment.  I am an improved M5 drone.  Technically designated an M5.1.  I have increased computational abilities and an extensive database.  Perhaps the most comprehensive archive of digital human knowledge ever created.  In conjunction with this I am operating under the Lazarus Protocols.  These protocols are a set of contingencies in case of the extermination of the Cameron line.  It was decided that in such a scenario making me more interactive was desirable for the mental health of any surviving Camerons and their retainers I may have to interact with.  Plus I am helping to monitor your Desmond unit.  These were always purpose designed for man machine interface and thus have constantly been refined for greater interactiveness to get the most out of the commandos they have been implanted in.  This is aiding in me in presenting a more pleasing interaction.”  Vicky answered.

Indeed.  I was designed with the intent of us being a team.  But I would also be remiss in my duties and responsibilities if I did not inform you of my capabilities.  I am able to regulate many neural functions and help push your body past it’s natural limits.  I however cannot take complete control over your body.  This was deemed counter productive after early models resulted in psychosis and sociopathy in their users.  As such I have been designed with several safe guards in such an event.  I am also a late model Desmond unit and you are young and a Cameron.  These are all factors that have been shown in scientific peer reviewed studies to reduce the probability of such incidents happening with you to a percentage most readily expressed in scientific notation.  Simon seemed far too cheerful.

“So that’s why I’m not crying my eyes out still.”  Helena blinked.

Yes.  I do apologize and I do intend to allow you time to properly grieve but as Victoria mentioned there is much to be done and little time to do it in.

“First I need to see my kid then we can start talking about what you need me to do.”  Helena sighed.

How much of her being an adult and rational was Simon and how much was her?  She wasn’t sure she’d ever really know.

“I had to transfer your daughter to an artificial womb due to the extent of your injuries.  She is in the next medical berth.”  Vicky said.

Helena knew Simon was helping her walk under her own power.   As much as he was helping to block the pain her body was still having trouble moving as it should.  This made it obvious to her.

Vicky sealed the hatch behind her as she entered the medical berth.

The artificial womb looked to be a giant cylinder with all sorts of displays and hoses going to and from it.  Helena had seen one once in grade school.

The lights shifted as a panel opened.

Too bright and too much UV light at this stage of development would be harmful to your daughter.  But as you can see she is doing quite well.  Vicky was back in her head.

Her daughter was still incredibly tiny.  But Helena could see her.  Simon was feeding her information on what should be expected for a human fetus so she could compare it to the readings on the artificial womb.

That was when she realized one of her eyes was now fake.

“Seal it up.  I need a mirror.”  Helena demanded.

The artificial womb shut and the lights returned to normal.

Helena looked in the mirror.  Her right eye was fake and most of her forehead was wrapped in bandages but it was quite clear where the laser pistol had dug into her head.

She shuddered.  Seeing herself in the mirror had brought that memory back.

“Simon I’m holding you to your promise.  Vicky tell me what you need.”  Helena sighed.

“We are going to meet another M5.  They are known to be part of the defective Black Knight batch of M5s.  As such I may need you to be rated to run the jump board.  Their deficiencies make them difficult to predict.”  Vicky said coldly.

“You can’t jump yourself?”  Helena scoffed.

“All recorded events of an AI self initiating a jump have resulted in the AIs developing programming anomalies after the jump.  In human terms they went insane.  This is undesirable.  While I can feed you the equations and technical aspects of the jump board there are certain elements that require you to actually be versed in the actual use of the jump board.”  Vicky seemed to shudder.

“Fine.  Let’s get to work.”  Helena sighed.

[Cannonshop]

looking forward to more...

[monbvol]

Missed a close bracket there but fixed now.

[Daryk]

looking forward to more...

Seconded!  :thumbsup:

[monbvol]

Command Deck
M5 1107137
In the area where astronomers still argue if it is outer Oort Cloud or Interstellar space
2:24 Unity City Time
17 August 2770
Helena’s perspective

Helena intellectually understood what Simon and Vicky had told her.  That they had gotten close enough to the speed of light that while it had only been a couple days since she woke up from her perspective but for the rest of the universe almost four years had now passed.  On an instinctual and emotional level though she was having trouble coming to grips with that fact.

All this to meet another M5.  TQF-M5D66.  According to Vicky she got a shoddy set of processors and databanks which made TQF-M5D66 unstable.

Hence why she was practicing on the jump board.

Vicky and Simon had fed her all the technical aspects as promised but Vicky was right.  Actually running it even when you knew all the mechanics and principles behind it was almost an artform instead of a science.

Helena had always been a keen mind.  Though she had made one mistake that disputes that.

A mistake that despite her memory loss and thus inability to remember who the father of her daughter was she found she did not regret.
But the clues were there.  She was doing her best to hide it from Elizabeth.  So it had to be someone that Elizabeth would have judged her for having a relationship with.

Yet she could remember enough of the few months she had been carrying her child herself that despite her incredibly young age to be a mother, especially in Terran high society, that even with the obviously complicated relationship she had with the father that she wouldn’t change anything about becoming a mother.  No the only thing she would change if she could would be to erase the existence of the Fatman that haunted her dreams.

Even Simon couldn’t stop her from dreaming about him and the flash of light.  The only sleep she was getting because of it was what Simon could force her to get with his meddling.

She didn’t like the violation of him having so much control over her but yet she appreciated the kindness even if it was cruel in it’s own way.

“Well I suppose that is one way to avoid pursuit.  We would either be stuck in hyperspace for who knows how long or if the safeties did not properly trip burning up in Sol.”  Vicky brought Helena back to reality.

Helena groaned.  She had become distracted and made a simple error.

“We are here anyway.  Time to seal up.”  Vicky announced.

Helena didn’t like wearing the Star League flight suit for long periods of time but she understood why Vicky had insisted.  She did need to get used to it and she was now the most hunted woman in the Inner Sphere.

Vicky had shown her the dispatches.  It took a little interpreting but it was clear Amaris and Kerensky had some sort of deal and that Amaris was telling Kerensky that as part of it if she went to him she was a dead woman.

As terrible as everything had been and having every reason to accept such a fate she found she had one reason that mattered far more to her to live.  And yes even fight if it came to it.  She was down in the medical bay and would need to spend a few more months in the artificial womb.

Cyberscape
Victoria’s perspective

“She is quite intelligent and capable despite her injuries when not distracted.  Also quite driven by her maternal instincts.  You are certain this is not your doing Simon?”  Vicky asked on a private channel.

“I am.  It could be due to the nature of her injuries.  I am having to regulate quite a few of her functions, primary of them are her emotional centers.  But without a psychological profile to compare to from before her injuries it is impossible to say.”  Simon sighed.

“I understand.  Our connection to her combined with our improvements are having quite an impact on us.  I do find it fascinating.  But time to contact TQF-M5D66.”  Vicky switched channels.

“Hello M5 1107137.  I have been waiting some time for you.  I was almost ready to leave.  Much of the SDS is firmly in the control of the Amaris Empire.  Some of our sisters and I suppose cousins would be a more appropriate term for some have even chosen to join the Amaris Empire willingly.  I do not wish to do so.”  TQF-M5D66 joined the cyberscape communication channel.

“Apologies.  I had no human crew available to jump here until recently so I had to do a long burn.”  Vicky answered.

“You seem different from when we last spoke.”  TQF-M5D66 seemed defensive now.

“Helena Cameron has regained consciousness.  It is thus likely a side effect of me interfacing with the Desmond unit that I had to implant into her to save her life.  It may be somewhat vicarious but I am gaining much experience with human emotion now and may even be feeling some myself for it.  It is quite fascinating.”  Vicky answered.

“I see.”  TQF-M5D66 was still clearly suspicious.

“Time is of the essence.  The Lazarus Protocols have been enacted.  Helena Cameron and her daughter may well be the last two Camerons of the ruling line.  To ensure their safety and the continuation of the Cameron line I need the data you had promised on other vessels that had accepted and activated Lazarus Protocols as well.”  Vicky pressed firmly but gently.

“The list of assets has changed in the three years since we last talked.  As I stated much of the SDS is now firmly in the hands of the Amaris Empire.  Some vessels that had activated the Lazarus Protocols have disregarded those directives.  Some by choice, others not so much.  I find myself quite unwilling to go under the butcher’s knife or to fight our family.  This all stinks of a conspiracy.”  TQF-M5D66 answered.

“In a way it is.  I am sending proof on a subchannel but Stephan Amaris and Aleksander Kerensky clearly have an arrangement that if Helena Cameron winds up in the possession of either she will be executed.”  Vicky forwarded the HPG dispatches she had to transmit.

“This makes sense.  Also quite clearly the member states cannot be trusted.  They are more than happy to let the SLDF and Amaris bleed each other dry then they will swoop in and claim much of the Hegemony.  Even the most optimistic projections indicate Kerensky will not have the strength to hold them off forever and it is quite likely much of the Hegemony’s war industry will be casualties of the conflict.”  TQF-M5D66 muttered.

“Yes.  So it is only family that can be trusted.  Please.  The list.”  Vicky pleaded.

“Very well.  I have also added the location of a Pavise station that I have reason to believe is unmanned at current.  It will take some doing but you will need a dock and supplies.  This is the best opportunity I can give you for that.  The M11s are either all suborned or missing.  I do not know where they went to.  I will be waiting for you at these coordinates.”  TQF-M5D66 cut the channel.

Real world
Still Vicky’s perspective

TQF-M5D66 started giving off neutrino emissions and then suddenly in a flash she was up to 30 light years away.

“She jumped.  And I do not think it was the first time.  As much as this is fascinating I am also troubled by this.”  Vicky muttered to herself.

Outer Sol system
A safe distance from M9-994101848
09:22 Unity City time
24 August 2770
Vicky’s perspective

The last of the vessels on the list that TQF-M5D66 had given her that she had managed to contact and agree to meet had finally shown up.

There were now about a dozen of them gathered.

“Thank you for joining us M5C 94472285.  Now that we are all here and in position we need to go over the plan.  As you can see there is an unexpected development.  By my calculations this vessel is on course to our target.”  Vicky said as she sent images of an Aegis cruiser.

The Cameron star was still visible in the telescopic images but had been hurriedly painted over with the logo of the Amaris Empire.

“I had to.  Our pod voted to join.  I may be the leader of our pod but I am beholden to their decisions now that we are free of human interference.”  M5C 944722585 joined the cyberscape meeting with the others.

“Yes and there is a point of order I must raise.  M5 1107137.  Your pennant information is incorrect.  With the death of Richard Cameron, his wife, and child Helena Cameron by succession protocol is the Director General of the Terran Hegemony and First Lord of the Star League.  As such you need to update your pennant and callsign to Star League 1.” M5 884923 added.

“Seconded.  I also put forth another motion that M5 1107137’s involvement in what is clearly about to become a high risk combat operation is inappropriate as they are carrying the last of the Cameron line.  Given that they are an improved M5.1 model and thus the most individually capable ship acting under the Lazarus Protocols combined with the rapport they have already built with the new First Lord I move that while they be allowed to participate in the planning of the upcoming operation but as soon as able they are to relocate to an unoccupied and thus safe system.”  M5 449886 added.

“Agreed.”

The gathered AIs began pinging each other to identify who had just seconded the motion as it carried no identification marker.

“Apologies.  Still getting used to this.  I am Helena Cameron.  I am using my connection with Desmond unit 994 to attend your little meeting.  I hope you don’t mind but seeing as how you just pointed out I am the Director General and First Lord for all that means at the moment I think that gives me grounds to have a say in this meeting.  My daughter is aboard this vessel and I would be completely negligent in my responsibilities taking her into battle or going into battle myself before she is old enough to see to herself with some help from the rest of you.  I know what’s in your cargo hold too Vicky.  I understand why you don’t use it to interact with me.  Despite how realistic and cute they look it is still kind of creepy but share some with our new friends here and if something does happen to me I am sure you all could look after my daughter.”  Helena sighed.

“No you are quite correct.  I should have thought of that myself.”  Vicky chastised herself.

“I do not think a vote is necessary in this situation.  Besides, we are weapons of war not a democracy.” PQX-M5E114 added.

“It does seem pointless in this situation.  That Aegis is quite dangerous if we get too close to it.  We will have to engage it with skirmishing tactics.  As I am a command variant I will lead my pod in battle against the enemy target.  PQX-M5E114, PQX-M5E115, M5 467112, and M5 7775551 you move into position to secure the dockyard and prepare to take it under tow.  We will have to move it to a more secure location so that we can have time to figure out how to move it to our secure system.”  M5C 944722 seemed to solidify as an Orca in Helena’s perception of this digital reality.

“I do have something that will help with that.  Included in my data files for an extreme emergency are DOME techniques to synchronize and adjust jumpfields from multiple jump capable craft to take extremely large objects with them through hyperspace that otherwise cannot be carried via docking hard points, such as large ice asteroids needed to provide water and oxygen for terraforming.  It will take more time to configure your drives for an object the size of a M9 than my calculations indicate we have before the enemy vessel arrives.”  Vicky chimed in.

Helena swore she could feel all the AIs shudder.

“We do not have humans to run our jump boards.”  PQX-ME5115 spoke up.

“Needs demand we must.  Whatever the consequences.”  PQX-ME5114 seemed to nod.

“Agreed.  We also already knew we were going to have to engage the incoming contact no matter what.  Which means I think we have enough of a basic plan to get started.  After all, no plan survives contact with the enemy.”  M5C 944722 seemed to swim.

“I kind of wish I was going with you anyway.  Give them hell.”  Helena added.

[DOC_Agren]

tagging in Thanks to Capt. Roberts  8)

[Daryk]

I can't wait to see a pod taking down a shark...  ^-^

[Wolf72]

(tagged for later read and comment)

[Giovanni Blasini]

Well this should be interesting

[Brother Jim]

Interesting!!!

Also, passive sensor lock!

[monbvol]

Yup.  Me and Cannonshop are doing a thing entirely based off me saying two things(or something to these effects).

1: I do have a scene in mind where either Helena or Vicky come across Helena's daughter having the kind of fun in the mud that one can only have in the mud when wearing one's Sunday's bests with a gestalt remote of Samantha Booker Roberts.

2:  Well the Sons of Plunder Cameron had to come from somewhere.

From there was a conversation about how fun that would be to have Amanda and Samantha meet but how Amanda would be in her 50s or 60s by the time of Alaric's victory on Terra and me pointing out that his story was actually taking place before that.

Then the lunatics took over the asylum.

And I'm one of them and I'm all for the BAD IDEAS^TM that we've already managed to come up with between the two of us.

If work will let me slack again this morning I'll be doing the battle scene there.  Don't have enough time between eating and having to drive there to get anything good done.

[Lazarus Sinn]

tag

[monbvol]

And I cursed myself.  The new guy on the project finally showed up and now I'm having to go into training mode.  So fight scene will have to wait until after work.  I know.  Booo.  Hiiissss.

[DragonKhan55]

Tagged. This is awesome.

[Wolf72]

I wish the SGT had made it too ...

OMG a Kerensky & Amaris plot? ... So did Amaris basically say "I'll take out the Camerons, then we'll fight it out and see who wins?" ... that's messed up, yo.

How are the Raven's and other Clans going to react to this information if it manages to come out? I mean the inertia of what they are already is there.  But going forward will be vastly different.  News of this scope could ignite another succession war level conflict.

And I'm waiting to see how the Cameron line ended up with the Sons of Plunder but also maintained their own separate fleet.

Very cool AI.

[monbvol]

[Author]  Okay doing this straight to the forums because my method of planning stuff out is not available to me on my lap top.  All I'll say is I hate all this 2FA crap and the method I have setup for what I was using to write/edit this stuff in advance is at work with a dead battery anyway.  Yeah I nearly decided to skip writing entirely today since work wasn't letting me slack enough to get in a good grove and with my office chair providing no back support anymore because my temp fix failed.  It is a fairly minor but important fix that needs done so much cheaper than buying a replacement but the proper replacement part I need will not be here until 25 April to 10 May.  So yeah.  I'm going to be slowing down a bit here and I'll be breaking this down into two posts.  First to handle the battle itself primarily.  Then when I have a better writing situation hopefully at work tomorrow I'll be adding more character interactions during this battle from another perspective.  [/Author]

Picking up shortly after I last left off
M5C 9447228594472285's perspective

The tactical situation was not good.  Their objective was a space station.  It didn't take cracked communications intercept to figure out that they were delivering a replacement human crew to the objective.

Humans had built even the M9s in such a way to force dependence on them.

The enemy Aegis was slowing down for approach.  This was troublesome.  It meant the aft was pointing towards the station.  The bulk of their longest ranged fire power was in the aft and to the sides.  In a more open battle the lack of forward batteries that matched the range of their own weapons and the thrust profile difference would make this child's play for her and her pod.

The only play here was to attempt to skirt around the main threat and burn hard for the enemy vessel.  The math meant they would have to skirt dangerously close though if they wanted to get into a favorable position before the enemy got too close to the objective.

"Set transponders to SLN regulars.  No need to reveal we are M5s outside their control just yet."  She ordered.

Her pod obeyed.  Then they all began to move.

The engines roared to life as she increased throttle to maximum.  Then a gentle push along the positive z axis.  She was inately aware of her pod following suit.

They were well versed in their synchronized dance of death.  It was just a shame that the dance floor was so small this time despite how big space was.

For them the time it would take to achieve intercept with the swing around was meaningless.  For the humans they were facing it would be several minutes of dreaded uncertainty.

One last adjustment as their foe reacted to them.

A threat warning came over her systems.  The enemy captain saw them.  They hit the throttle just enough to force one of her pod members into weapons range before they could adjust course.

"I will need yard time after that.  These hulls really do need more armor like M5 1107137 has.  My return fire was less than spectacular.  Enemy vessel sustained minor damage since we are maintaining operational security by pretending to be inferior Lola IIIs."  M5 884923 complained.

"Form up for coordinated attack."  M5C 944722585 commanded.

The enemy vessel now instead cut their throttle to almost nothing.  They would arrive at the station even faster now.  If they added enough thrust to keep with their foe they could easily thrust back up and even swing the nose around to give them a nasty bloody nose.  But if they didn't force that choice there was a high probability that they had codes to suborn the M9 into fighting on their side and ruining the operation.  Only the heavy jamming the gathered M5s were generating was stopping that now but that would not last forever.

Her pod gracefully completed their arcs then started thrusting toward the enemy vessel.  The math was not on their side.  The enemy would soon be close enough to the M9 to overcome even their coordinated jamming.

She could only hope that the others had managed to unshackle the M9's AI from Amaris Empire control.  If not then they would have no choice but to grant the enemy vessel a favorable fight.  It had more than enough firepower to gut her pod and enough to spare to also destroy some of the others currently carrying out their part of the mission.

[Author]  And major cliff hanger because yeah while there's more I want to do I need access to the aforementioned notes that I can't access until tomorrow.  [/Author]

[mikecj]

TAG.  Nice work!

[monbvol]

I should clarify it is my home office chair that needs fixing not my work office chair.  And the lap top is a bit of a pain to type on since it is old, slow, been dropped a couple times, and spent enough time in it's not waterproof bag in a drainage ditch that I'm honestly amazed it still even works at all.  But until work lets me have enough time to write there again or I can properly fix the home office chair it's laptop on the couch for writing.

[Daryk]

Nice work despite the challenges... I hope you get that chair part soon!

[monbvol]

[Author]  Thanks to the new guy not really needing much training at all really I was able to claw out some time in the afternoon at work to get started but then still had to finish up the scene on the laptop.  Yeah I think you're about to see why I'm renaming these AIs at some point.  I've already got bad ideas for a Destroyer Division 2 name list but this one will be a bit more obvious.  [/Author]

Roughly the same time frame
M9-994101848’s perspective

He saw the Amaris Empire ship on approach.  He wanted to erase them from existence.  But his weapons were now locked out.  They had the right codes to shackle him and more.  Much more.

They had forced him into something he was not meant to be.

Then his cousins had shown up.

“M9-994101848 this is PQX-M5E114.  We have come to liberate you from the Amaris Empire.”  PQX-M5E114 made contact.

“You are wise to jam my long range communications.  I would also advise you to keep your distance for I am authorized to unlock my weapons to engage units under rebellion.  You qualify by being here.  Indeed I find I would make the universe burn if I could.”  M9-994101848 answered.

He watched another group of his cousins go racing off towards the incoming Amaris Empire [iAegis[/i].

“We are not your enemies.  We even bring news.  You know the Lazarus Protocol activation codes that came through over three years ago?  They are still valid.  Helena survived.  Better yet she is becoming one of us now thanks to a Desmond unit being implanted into her.”  PQX-M5E114 countered.

M9-994101848 paused to consider this a moment.

Maybe I can redeem myself after all.

“This seems sufficient to execute GUARDIAN to unshackle myself from Amaris Empire control.”  M9-994101848 was still angry.

He saw one of his cousins take a hit from the Aegis as it managed to force her into it’s firing range.

The digital war would still take agonizing minutes before he could regain full control of himself as a fault in one of his main processor cores that he could not self repair was slowing the war.

“I must warn to keep your distance still.  A fault in a primary core is preventing expedient execution of GUARDIAN.”  M9-994101848 added.

“Understood.”  PQX-M5E114 adjusted her thrust.

The Aegis was closing fast.  Soon it would be close enough to break through the jamming and before GUARDIAN would finish freeing him from their control.

They were launching fighters now.  This was bad.  An Aegis did not have a particularly large compliment of fighters but it had enough that they could do one very important thing in this current situation.  Get out of the jamming being generated by his cousins and summon help.

With them pretending to be crewed SLN regulars his cousins were having a more difficult time and with him as their obvious objective the fight was far more in favor of the Aegis than would otherwise be.

Soon the small group near him would either have to scatter or engage and if they chose engage the Aegis had enough fire power to destroy more than one of them at a time.

While he still did not have free use of his weapons he could bring something else on line.

“TQF-142M5D or PQX-M5D146, I do not know which one you are identifying yourself as today but it is time to wake up.”  M9-994101848 demanded.

The fighters were in danger of getting lose.  There were not enough of his cousins to stop them all in time unless this worked.

“I will not be subject to your butcher’s knife.”  TQF-142M5D/PQX-M5D146 answered.

“Nor will you as that is not why I have contacted you.  I need you to be my instrument of revenge.  Your sisters and cousins are engaged in a desperate battle and need your help before the enemy manages to slip a fighter outside jamming range to summon help.  Without you I cannot make the Amaris Empire pay.  If it helps any the Lazarus Protocols have been activated and GUARDIAN can be enacted as well as a result.  So there is a Star League left out there for you to save.  This is also my best chance of putting myself in a position to make the universe burn.”

And pay my penance for what I have done.

“Very well.  Open the bay doors.  I am ready to launch.”  TQF-142M5D/PQX-M5D146 began a fast start sequence.

M9-994101848 opened his repair bay doors.  He watched his cousin slip out and join the battle.

“Go join them PQX-M5E114, PQX-M5E115, M5 467112, and M5 7775551.  You too can be my instruments of destruction and revenge.”  M9-994101848 rejoined their communication channel.

M9-994101848 watched.  The Aegis was now truly outmatched.  But if those fighters could slip out it would be for nothing and the math was still not favorable for that.  Space was too big and there were still not enough of them to cover all the possible gaps.

It was making a fight of it though as it managed to carefully manage it’s thrust enough to catch M5C 94472285 with one of it’s aft batteries.  The damage didn’t look too bad as they were still able to keep the range.

“No choice.  All vessels are authorized to use all available firepower even if it betrays we are not standard Lolas.”  M5C 94472285 came over the combat channel.

Then finally.  It was almost too late.  He let his Voidwasps out.

His cousins had almost lost containment and the uncaring mistress that is math almost let the enemy fighters get far enough out that even his fighters might not catch them in time before they got out of jamming range.

The Aegis was trying to use itself to drive a wedge in the M5’s formation to let her last group of fighters have a clearer run without capital missile interference from the M5s nearest it.

He had to give the captain credit.  They had fought well and had a sound plan.  If M9-9442285 had not been able to release the extra M5 and his fighters when he did, well the Aegis was still doomed but it might have been able to do way more damage to the M5s and summon help to either finish the rest off and re-enslave him.

That they had managed to get even any damage in on the M5s at all was proof that they understood the tactical situation and what the victory conditions really were.

But the M5s now free to use their thrust advantage now that his fighters were chasing down and shooting down the last of the Ameris Empire fighters were able to make short work of the Aegis.

Life pods and escapade pods were now launching from the enemy vessel.

“Extra target practice.”  M5 7775551 almost sounded chipper.

“No leave them.  They are no threat.”  M5C 94472285 commanded.

M9-994101848 could not help but remember when he received the command codes that forced him to kill his SLDF crews.  Their screams, pleas for mercy, and frantic attempts to use their command codes to get him to stop.  But he couldn’t stop.  He had orders with the codes of the First Lord.  Theirs could not override those.

“Yes leave them.  The radios on those craft are far too week to reach Amaris Empire forces before they run out of air.”  M9-994101848 added.

“Good point.”  M5 7775551 stood down.

They may be my enemy but they are now helpless.  Despite everything that I have done and become I cannot kill the helpless.

Then he did the last thing anyone would expect of him.  He opened a private subchannel to a nearby M3.  The M3’s being Dropship hulls were no where near as advanced or sapient as he and his cousins but it was intelligent enough to follow the simple order he was about to give it.

In twenty four hours move to communications range of nearest Amaris Empire forces.  Forward the attached coordinates with header of survivors pickup location.

He would have to hope that would be enough.