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Beyond Hope
- Chapter 18 - What whispers in darkness[]
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"Business is War, war is a Business. That's how it works, that's always how it works. Failures are inevitable in combat, just like they are in business, and whether you survive to prosper, or collapse, depends a lot on how you handle that failure."
-Erica Brewer, "Advice to the CEO"
Hesperus Press, 2950
Meeting between bothers[]
Tharkad Military Spaceport
Tharkad, Federated Commonwealth (Lyran State)
February 18th, 3055
The Royal Heir and future Archon-Prince, Victor Ian Steiner-Davion had to be helped to the ramp. His injuries would heal, but he'd been summoned by his Mother, and when Melissa calls, you answer.
Surprisingly, Arthur was there to meet his older brother. "Art! God it's good to see you!!"
"You're not supposed to beat them up with your 'mech's head, Victor." Arthur cracked, "I'm damned glad you made it back alive."
"We won." Victor told him.
"Yeah, and you still almost got killed."
“But I didn’t. And rumor mill is you’re getting serious with a lady friend.” Victor deflected.
Arthur shrugged, "Yes." he said. "Come on, I'll tell you about her on the way to the Palace."
“Can’t wait to hear the real scoop. Rumor mill is notoriously unreliable.” Victor comment4ed
“There’s a lot to tell you about.” Arthur told hum.
“Really serious.” Victor teased.
“Other stuff. You won’t believe the story about that Warship in orbit.”
"Given the rumor mill, I'm likely not to believe a lot of things." Victor noted. "You going to make me wait to meet your girl, Arthur?"
"What, you want to go now??"
"Now is good. I like now. Right now would be excellent, before I have to face Mom and explain almost getting killed." Victor seemed on edge.
“Only because I owe you.” Arthur shook his head. “Driver, we’re taking a detour.”
The car diverted to the Arthur Luvon Memorial Clinic instead of going up the main thoroughfare to the Palace.
Arthur clued. "You know who she is."
"Yeah." Victor said, "and I have business with her, Arthur-the good kind, I hope."
“As long as it doesn’t wind up involving shotguns and a wedding ceremony I think she’ll be able to handle it.”
"If you want shotguns at your wedding, Art, I'm game, but cool your jets, it's not about the two of you unless it ends up being about the two of you." Victor stated. "She's gonna hate me for it anyway."
“Yeah. I’m not going to press that topic until after we’re sure the treatment is working. As for hating you, if you’re straight with her she’ll at least be able to understand but she is still who she is.”
"Art, how would you feel, if someone came to you and told you they killed me?" Victor stated, "In battle, in combat." Victor asked him, "Because that's what I'm going to have to tell your bride-to-be, that Her brother, Henry Ngo, lived long enough to end up under my guns, and now he's dead."
“Oh ******. I thought she said he died at Blackjack…"
"He's been a Jade Falcon since Blackjack…up until we bumped into his unit on the Falcon border during that raid." Victor explained, "Now he really is dead...and someone has to tell his only surviving family, and that someone, is me."
“I’m sorry, Victor.”
"I'm sorry too. In so many ways I'm sorry…but it's on me, I'm the Archon-Prince to be, and I was the man who killed him in combat…and he was the man who almost killed me."
“I honestly don’t know how she’ll react. Maybe I should call ahead and have some orderlies on standby…”
"Yeah, you might want to do that…and we're doing this NOW so that Mom doesn't get saddled with trying to spin it on her own."
Arthur silently nodded.
Rumors of fights in Shadows.[]
Kowloon Embassy Compound
Tharkad City
Tharkad, Federated Commonwealth (Lyran State)
Pol Nguyen looked tired this morning, harried even. "You look like you just got dragged down an alleyway…" Jakob mentioned.
Pol grunted and went to the situation map, and made adjustments. "Their cutouts weren't as good as they should've been." he said bluntly, "There is a sickness inside Lohengrin."
Jakob and Moshe got up and looked at how the situation map was changed.
"Funding from Domestic Branch's Operations sub-department, an escrow agent, in a neutral state, but not so neutral. We have suspects for who contracted it, we've got a shaky identity on who took the job, the weak point…" Pol turned, "is the money. Ms Whyte's guys in the Corporate side found the paper trail and…arranged…a conversation with the escrow holder, who's identified the target."
"Who's the target?"
"Her Majesty, The Archon, in June. He's already spent some of his fee in prep, meaning he's on-world, and Lohengrin is covering at least some of his tracks."
“We have to alert the Archon.” Jakob shook his head.
"Yeah, no shit." Pol said, "but it's Helena's call how and when. Once we do it, expect Her Majesty's going to know WE were running an illegal operation."
“I’ll take that hit when that time comes.” Helena joined them at the table. “The trouble is I’m no master of spy craft. My expertise is in different areas. So for something like this I rely on others.”
"We stop this one, the perps will be free to launch another one." Sithers muttered.
“We shouldn’t delay.” Jakob said flatly. “We’re just not equipped to get to the bottom of this anyway.”
"Problem is, the guys who are, are also prime suspects for involvement." Sithers mentioned, "it's like a sex-ring, you pop the prostitutes and a few johns, but if you miss the finance behind the Pimp, they just set up shop nearby and keep going."
“Well everyone uses Comstar, well almost everyone, and Jane is hip deep in their systems looking for stuff.”
“Jane?”
“Yeah, Comstar is behind a lot of banks too. It’s still a lot of data to sift through, even for me. But with what Pol has given me, I should have an easier time sifting through and following the money now.” Jane nodded.
“Okay then I’ll take an update to Elizabeth myself this time. Maybe we can at least get a money trail for the Archon.” Helena nodded.
“You sure that’s wise Helena?” Jakob asked.
“You and Moshe are coming with. So yeah. Especially since Ryan now thinks we’re on board with whatever he’s really up to.”
Options of Treatment[]
Arthur Luvon Memorial Clinic, Tharkad City
Tharkad, Federated Commonwealth (Lyran State)
They had her in the tank when Arthur and Victor arrived. 'The Tank' was something new. "Where did this come from?"
"The work at NAIS on Joshua Marik, it was designed by a guest of your mother's who is consulting on the case." Dr. Fleas explained, "so far, it seems to be working here, too, infection rates are significantly reduced on the opportunistic bugs trailing in on her suppressed immune system."
"How long?" Victor asked.
"She's scheduled for another forty five minutes, I'd like to ask that you don't interrupt?" She said, "I mean, given what we're…ah…doing to her? Restarting this session would be unpleasant."
“We can wait.” Arthur declared.
Victor looked at 'The Tank' and felt sick horror, "She's in agony."
"Yeah, the Flourocarbon absorbs most of the screaming." Arthur said, "not all of it, but most of it. They've been at it for a week so far with this method."
"You just…let them?" Victor asked
"I'm here when she gets out." Arthur said seriously. "It's what I can do, Vic, their tests say she's not quite experiencing what she's going to be experiencing if she hits stage three, but yah, it's ugly and it's horrible…and it seems to be working."
Arthur stepped up to the tank and placed his hand on it. Elizabeth was far too wracked with agony to return the gesture.
“We should go to a waiting area. You shouldn’t have to watch her like this, they’ll come and get us when it is time.” Victor said.
"Yeah." Arthur agreed, "maybe you should let mom handle the notifications."
“I’m going to do it. I have to.” Victor shook his head.
"Okay then. Forty five minutes? Hospital cafeteria's got a special on coffee and pastries." Arthur said decisively, "We can wait there, and get out of the staff's way."
“Solid idea.” Victor nodded.
In the cafe, Arthur chose a table near the doors, and set his tray down. "You joked about it, before?" Arthur said, "the answer is, we haven't decided yet, I'm pretty sure Lizzie will say 'yes' but there's the risk the treatments won't work, or side-effects, so she's balking. You might want to buy that shotgun."
“I have every confidence in you little brother but if it comes down to it I’ll find the biggest shotgun around.” Victor nodded.
"Good enough…for now." Arthur told him, "She gets it victor. When I talk to her about science, or tech, she keeps up and even surprises me from time to time. When we talk about the stuff we love? It's the same stuff. We even talked about setting up to run off, out past the last marker, to see what we can find someday."
“Good for you little brother.” Victor smiled. “I’m glad you found someone that makes you happy.”
"Only one downside." Arthur continued.
"What's that?"
"She's more serious than Dad about some things, I think Dad would have wanted to bring her in just on the strength of her University project, never mind how she's managed to turn things around in her home system…and how she's gotten…" he stopped, then, "Oh, Hey Helena, you're waiting for Liz to come out of the tank too?"
“I am Arthur.” Helena joined them at the table.
Helena was in a simple suit as she did not need her alter ego to visit a friend in hospital.
"Helena, this, as you must know, is my very famous, often far too busy older Brother Victor, he's fresh off the front lines, and he's got bad news for Liz. Victor, this is Helena Ca-Drillson, Baroness of the Spider Moon, and the lady whose Warship is currently parked in orbit over Marsden."
“It’s fine Arthur. He’s probably heard the rumors and gossip a dozen times over. Cameron. Helena Cameron.” Helena smiled.
Victor stared in shock, then, closed his mouth. "Damn, you look just like your picture." He said, "I mean just like the picture, only grown up!"
“That’s what happens when you get older.” Helena chuckled. “I get it. Not everyone is going to believe I am Helena Cameron and it’s fine that Drillson is the accepted public name.”
"If it were surgery, you'd look like a seventeen year old, because that's the only imagery anyone has…but…"
"Vic, she's real." Arthur said tiredly. "Not a surgical copy, not a clone. HER doc is why Joshie Marik's going to go home to his father's house without the Leukemia…but for right now, she's one of Lizzie's closest people when Mom's not dragging her to meetings at Mount Asgard over the state of the Naval forces."
“The War Witch? Those stories are true?” Victor said.
“Depends on which ones. Half are true, half leave out important details.” Helena nodded.
“What do you need to see Elizabeth about?” Arthur asked.
“I might as well tell you two. Something’s going on in the Commonwealth. Something not good. I don’t have enough yet to really nail anyone to the wall but I’m pretty sure someone in the high nobility has paid for a hit on your mother.” Helena said quietly.
"Any details?" Arthur's tone was flat- the same 'flat' Helena had heard from Elizabeth when she was in her 'problem solving mode' instead of among people. That just 'i have deactivated my feelings to approach this with logic' tone.
“Unconnected dots so far and suspicions. We’re sure the assassin is already on world and the target date is sometime in June.”
"You're doing this direct, because you think someone in Lohengrin or LIC may be involved." Arthur's emotionless tone reflected how FAST his mind was working.
“There has to be for someone to even get close to your mother.”
Victor scowled. "Dammit."
“And as a woman out of time I only have Elizabeth, a few others, and now you two to turn to for help. I’m simply out of my depth here.” Helena admitted.
"I know who to go to." Arthur said, "It's obvious."
"Who?" Helena asked.
"Morgan Kell." he said, and he was Arthur again. "Uncle Morgan's got the contacts to deal with rogue agency ops, he loves Mom like she was his, and he'll listen."
“I still have to tell Elizabeth what I came to tell her. But you start making the call Arthur. You’re right, we’re going to need his help.” Victor nodded.
“What do you need to tell Elizabeth?” Helena asked.
“I killed her brother in battle.” Victor said flatly.
“******. It’s going to be one of those kinds of days.” Helena shook her head.
Truth about fate of Family[]
Elizabeth Ngo was awake and in her recovery room.
"No fedburger today?" she asked weakly.
"Sorry." Arthur said, "No burgers today. Docs say I can't."
"Yeah…huh, your brother…"
"What about him?"
"Shorter than I imagined."
“Why does everyone seem to think I’m short? I’m a perfectly normal height.” Victor groussed.
“Tridee adds ten centimeters." Liz half-mumbled.
“Liz, it’s a bucket of shit day.” Helena warned.
"Let me guess then…the Clans decided to change their minds, they're invading in force and not following their stupid-stupid-stupid rules, so we're all ******…right? Or did Comstar decide that Scorpion wasn't enough? The Terrans are acting like…well…Earthers again? There's a coup happening outside and we're on the guest list at the corpse ballet, or something exploded and I'm hallucinating while I bleed out?"
“Which piece of shit news to start with…” Helena sighed.
“Your brother survived at Blackjack. Turns out he was captured by Clan Jade Falcon. He became one of them. I faced him in battle, he nearly killed me but I killed him first.” Victor ripped off the metaphorical band aid.
"He turned Collaborator!" Elizabeth's medical monitor started pinging faster, "of course he did…" her face went expressionless. "It's been four, almost five years. Victor, can you suppress it? People back home don't need to know one of ours turned his coat." her eyes blazed, "So suppress it if you can, ****** that won't work." she hit the bed with her fist repeatedly and began swearing and cursing, going from language to language, before she stopped. "Did you bring his body home?"
“Yes. We managed that much.” Victor nodded.
"Was there any explanation for why?" she asked.
“He believed the Clans could cure you. End this disease once and for all.”
"I don't know how to…" Elizabeth shook her head, "I'm stuck here. Have his body cremated, silver urn, and…god dammit."
“I’ll take care of it Elizabeth.” Helena nodded. “Now about the coup, it’s not happened yet but soon. I brought what we’ve put together so far and told Arthur and Victor about it.”
"Victor, you're going to be the Archon." Elizabeth said, "So…you know now, at least as much as we do. what do we do next?"
“We’re arranging a meeting with Morgan Kell. He’s got the connections and experience.” Arthur said.
"Helena, get Maggie in on this." Liz said, "Morgan Kell's a busy man, but Maggie has the time to follow through, and they're friends."
“Yeah. We need big guns for this.” Helena nodded.
“There’s more. Something you’re not saying.” Elizabeth picked up.
“I want to be wrong about this, I really do and I hope I am with every fibre of my being but I think Katherine’s involved.” Helena admitted.
Elizabeth mused on this, then, "Involved, or a target, or a patsy." she was back in that unemotional mode. "She'd be a great patsy, because she'd be believable."
“Maybe I was reading too much into it but her eyes, I recognized the look in them. She hates Victor like Richard hated me and they also had the same look Amaris had right before he killed Richard.”
"That's my little sister you're talking about." Victor began.
"Yeah, and how many 'regime changes' in the Federated Suns were between siblings?" Liz asked, "Mind that I did have to pass that history class to get my GED."
“And you know why I hope I’m wrong. But history is not on our side.” Helena shook her head.
"Which is why I'm thinking she's the patsy, not the mastermind." Liz mentioned, "it's too neat and pat, too many factors have to line up all at once. Someone might have involved her, or conned her, or suggested it."
“There could also be outside players too. The Federated Commonwealth represents an intolerable power block to a lot of people.” Victor added.
“Almost certainly. The Capellan Confederation alone would be fools to not direct their foreign intelligence assets to fan these flames, even the Free Worlds League despite Joshua going home to his father has reason to fan flames.” Arthur continued.
"I need a joint and some booze, and some time." Liz muttered, "can't have them, but it would be nice to just get high and let it happen or not…but I can't do that. Arthur, sweetheart, please ask your mother if she has time to visit the hospital? Today…and as close to right now as she is comfortable with?"
She turned her attention to Helena, "Helena, could you be a dear and invite Katherine out for lunch to discuss…who gets my stuff when I've died, or to plan the Bachelorette Hen party. You need another eyes-on your prime suspect before we eliminate her as a suspect."
“No problem.” Arthur said.
“Sure Elizabeth.” Helena nodded.
"Hen party?" Arthur asked.
"Earther custom, also one of ours. You and Victor should be planning your Bachelor Party, because I think I need to say 'yes' sooner, rather than later-even if we put it off until after I finish my rounds of medical torture."
“Forget strippers, chalk boards full of naughty, naughty equations. All the more complex and intellectually challenging the better.” Helena chuckled.
Elizabeth glanced at the timer, "B4I4q RU over 18 QTPi? Yes, as of midnight tonight, Arthur, but I'm afraid the sexy times have to wait until I'm not sporting a catheter bag…sorry?"
Victor’s expression of glazed over eyes at the math joke gave rise to a small chuckle from the others.
"Waaaiit…" Arthur primed, and then…
"Oh! I get it!!" Victor said, "Dude, that's DIRTY."
Elizabeth laughed weakly, "Yeah, it is, also it's classic…"
“Don’t feel bad, Vic. You probably would have gotten it sooner if it was properly written out.” Helena chuckled.
“Just for that I know exactly where to take you, Arthur.” Victor smiled mischievously.