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Beyond Hope
- Chapter 70 - The ripples before the tsunami[]
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Time to Step Up[]
Spider Moon
Kowloon System, Federated Commonwealth (Lyran States)
3065
“You could have told me, Liz. You should have.” Helena had stopped by Jane’s quarters on Spider Moon to borrow a belt.
"I wasn't sure it wasn't the stress, Helena." Elizabeth Ngo-Steiner-Davion was still exhausted, but she had, at least, been bathed and given fresh clothing in clean bedding. "The migraines started after the second miscarriage, so I presumed it was just emotional strain and work related stress, until…"
"Until?"
"Remember when I broke my toothbrush on Tharkad?" Liz asked.
“******, Liz.”
"I pitched a five minute fit in the lavatory on the liner, by then we were earlobes deep in foreign leaders and you did not need the distraction." Liz confided.
“What good is being First Lord if I don’t get to use my power to help my friend.”
"Come here." Liz beckoned from the bed.
Helena crossed over to the bed.
"OBLIGATION!" she scowled and tapped Helena on the cheek weakly, "What good is it? literally the good of billions of people, Helena!! I am one person, I am replaceable, you have a damned duty to the people who look to you, same as I do! We Serve, understand me? We serve, until we die. That is what we are, that is who we are, that is what makes us a better choice than the war-obsessive barbarians I just sponsored to buy you time to civilize their stupid asses!!"
“I made Victor a promise though. I wouldn’t break the rules. No extending my term or running again.”
"All it takes, is for the League Council to pass a revision." Liz told her, "but for now, we play by the rules, the rules say, five years."
“But I need to be replaceable too, Liz.”
"Then you need to groom your replacement." Liz told her, "Pick one, and make them your understudy, so that we have continuity of governance and a peaceful transition of power."
“What did you think I was doing with you?”
"Pick someone else then." Liz said defiantly, "You need an heir, and a spare. I'm broken, so who's the spare?"
Helena looked down at her, thoughtfully, "Five years, you might last."
"And the spare?" Liz pressured.
“Evvie. She’s the only other person I would really trust with all this.”
"Excellent choice." Liz nodded approvingly, "Have her meet with the delegates from NIOPS, Metis, and the Rim Collection, get her briefed up, we'll have to contact Ivar too-the Jarnfolk are a major customer and one of the proxies in my portfolio."
“If I know my sister the invites are already being dispatched.” Helena smiled weakly.
"That's true, that's good, Helena, meet my eyes." Liz said seriously.
“They want to try and fix you. I can’t help but think terrible thoughts.”
"Arthur won't stop them, and I won't hurt him by refusing, but I need YOU to be Helena goddam Cameron, the First Lord of the bloody Star League, and you need to understand that."
“All right, Liz. I can do that for you.” Helena nodded.
"Straighten your back." Liz urged, "Flex your shoulders, look arrogant for me, like a painting."
“You know what I’m going to have to do to make this work don’t you?” Helena said.
"I expect you to do whatever you have to do to make this work, Helena." Liz stated, "I expect you to do whatever you need to do, to make this work."
Helena nodded as she snapped her gloves on.
"Just remember to kiss Johnny for his Aunty Liz, and remember we're doing it for all those kids, including ours."
“Yes.” Helena’s tone was fiercer now.
"There you are." Liz approved. "There you are. We're going to make it a better world for them."
“You need anything don’t be afraid to ask.”
"Whip the Council into shape, we're adding members, make sure they're in line and jump when you say 'frog'." Liz counseled, "Then let the people who know how to do things, actually do them." “Of course Liz.”
"Now, station watch officer says Arthur's seven hours out and on his way, I need to try and sleep, because THAT conversation’s going to be hard."
“Yes. Rest now, I’ve got this.” Helena left the room.
Liz let her exhaustion take her into a gray and terrifying sleep.
Jane watched her sister through the security cameras. If she were there with her remote she would be shaking her head in disapproval.
Price of Aid[]
"You're sure?" Victor Steiner-Davion asked in something like disbelief. "A relapse?"
"Arthur confirmed it separately, Highness, Duchess Elizabeth's treatments failed, she has relapsed into stage two, the new estimate is she has between ten and fifteen years left." Evelynn Mosovich answered.
"How is Arthur handling it?"
"He's upset, Sir, and frantic. He has applied to the Council for permission to seek assistance from Clan Medical experts, which is going to make it much easier to accept the Jade Falcons' offer, Marthe Pryde has conditions, she wants land on Kowloon."
“They already own some and have an Embassy. They want more?”
"Sovereign territory, sir, not just an owned parcel and the Embassy is technically shared. She wants something just for Clan Jade Falcon, something sovereign too.”
"What does Helena say?" Victor asked.
”She’s not opposed. So if the Council says yes, this will happen.”
"What land?" Victor asked.
"Henry Ngo's inheritance from their grandfather. Henry was the one taken-"
"I know…Christ, I was there when we took him out." Victor rubbed his temples, "She's wanting that part, because he joined the Clan…" He looked up at the holoimage, "Hue, right? What does Liz think?"
"She's incommunicado, probably trying to get used to taking the drugs again, but Arthur's ready to give her a continent if it buys a shred of hope for his wife."
“All right. I’ll agree to this. For Art and Liz. We’ll make it work.”
"One detail we might be able to use, if you want-Pryde's willing to put it up as a separate Trial for the real estate-but only if we follow Clan rules. I think it must be a flex on Elizabeth's known disdain for the Clans as a whole."
“Yeah. Maybe that is the play. Maybe we can get it for nothing. Because I’m not choosing a form where people will get killed for this trial.” Victor nodded.
Not wanting to Let go[]
Ngo Residence
Kowloon, Federated Commonwealth (Lyran State)
3065
"Mummy's not feeling well, Hannah." Arthur tried to explain, but how do you explain this? It was all so out of control now.
He hadn't been in to the University in two weeks. The messages were piling up.
Simon wouldn't leave the bedroom, and both the kids were upset, afraid.
Then again, so was Arthur-he just lacked the ability to let it out around them.
"Arthur?"
He looked, and Elizabeth was standing up, leaning against the door of their bedroom,
"Yes dear?"
"I need you to drive the kids to school, it's a school day." she looked exhausted and drawn, and drugged. "They can't spend all day at home, every day…and I need some coffee…"
“None of that matters as much as you do.” Arthur countered.
"It Matters!" She scolded, "Simon! Go get dressed! You're going to school today…" she looked at Hannah, "You too young lady, you're going to fall behind and I won't have it. Get ready for school!"
She shuffled to the open kitchen doorway, and tip-toed to give Arthur a kiss, "You need to shower and shave." she told him, "What would your mother think? We knew this was possible, so, we deal with it, which does not mean neglecting the now-now go shower, husband of mine,and either scrape it off, or grow it out. You smell like unwashed ass and worry."
“I want to spend every second I can with you.”
"If you won't clean up on your own, I'll call Evelynn and have her big boyfriend hose you down and scrub you with a wire brush." she said, "bathe."
“At least join me in the shower?”
"I can do that…the kids have to go to school."
“I could homeschool them. I’m more than qualified.”
"No, you can't. We have projects, Arthur." Liz scolded as she guided him to the bathroom, "I'm sick again, but we still have work to do…and I have a week's worth of it to catch up on, and so do you. We're setting a bad example for the children."
“How am I supposed to focus though? All my thoughts are about you and I can’t help. I feel so useless.”
"First, shower." she said, and closed the bathroom door behind them, "We both need to get cleaned up. After? We find a way, but you 've got papers to review and one of us should probably talk to your relatives before they come storming across the Inner Sphere thinking the worst has happened…” She started setting the shower's temperature and flow rates, "Not to mention I'm going to have to talk to Helena and Evvie and get caught up on Council business and progress with the Gateway program. I'm sure it's all fine, but…"
“All right, Liz. I’ll call them. But I’m pretty sure they already know what’s happening.”
"Sweetheart, it's not what they know, it's what they know, that I don't." she pushed him into the shower cubicle, and followed. "Now let's get you clean so the car doesn't smell like a warthog."
“You used to like the way I smell.”
"I do, I don't like the way you smell when you're sweating worry for seven days without bathing."
Arthur wrapped his arms around his wife. “Problem is I don’t want to let go now.”
"Get my back and I'll get yours." she said, "I'm not dead yet."
Arthur knew intellectually she was right, but the primitive emotion portion of his brain took a moment longer before he was able to beat it into submission and release his wife.
Comfortable Meeting[]
Helena Cameron Residence
Kowloon, Federated Commonwealth (Lyran State)
3065
Majery was studying a medical journal. “Nothing worse than being a Doctor and knowing your area of expertise is too dated to be of much use.”
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Doctor Majery Thoms Caprice
“What do you think Majery. It took some doing to pry that journal out of Marthe. Can the Falcons really do it?” Helena asked.
“If anyone can, they at least have a shot. The Wolves are maybe as well.” Majery answered. “Based on what I’m reading I’d give even odds.”
“Then I guess we’re going with Victor’s plan.” Helena nodded.
Helena's comm beeped insistently. She'd set the pattern for a call from Liz, so…
“Liz. What do you need?” Helena answered.
<<"A little bird told me, someone is talking about selling some of my real-estate for a bottle of snake oil. We need to talk. I'll be in Ia Drang this afternoon.">>
“I’ll make the time.”
<<"Good, Bring your doctor, and the latest terms from the Clans, we'll have it out at the house on the Overlook.">>
“Of course. I’ll see you there.” Helena closed the connection.
“You’re going to tell her?”
“The Falcon’s terms? Yes. She has the right. Victor’s plan? I don’t know. Maybe.” Helena nodded. “Samantha, I’ll need a block of time this afternoon. Say four hours to account for traffic.”
"You're clear the rest of the afternoon, with the rest of the Council on domestic recess." Samantha said, "you should have all the time you need."
“Good.”
"Where are you meeting her?" Samantha asked.
"The Overlook house." Helena said.
The Overlook house
The structure was Elizabeth's chosen location, and it wasn't for convenient commutes-from Ia Drang, you have to take Highway One to the interchange, then come back along Province road for nearly an hour, going up the rim-range through scrub-forests…or you take a VTOL.
Helena took a VTOL, and found that a VTOL with the Ducal Crest was parked on the helipad forty meters from the house itself.
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Jacob Irons Fletcher (Cameron)
"She wasted no time." Jakob noted as they landed.
“No she didn’t. Thanks Bertha.” Helena waved.
"I like flying." Bertha told nobody in particular, her 'vacuous blonde' act in full display.
Helena walked to the door and knocked.
It opened, the thick blue-wood planking like a structure made from railroad ties swinging open on subtly greased hinges. "In here." Elizabeth said, Helena noted the central fireplace was burning, a soft hum from the circulating fans and exhaust only slightly disrupting the illusion.
Helena entered, followed by Jakob and Majery.
“Been a while since I’ve been up here.” Helena commented.
"Johnny was still inside you." Liz said, "That's the last time I had guests up here, the party, remember?"
“I do.”
"Where's Arthur?" Jakob asked.
"He's in Nha Tranh, I had a Coastie pilot fly me in, and she'll be flying me back when we're done." Liz answered, "Arthur's been neglecting his work, so I made him get cleaned up and go to work today, the kids are in school, our Au Pair Sarah will be picking them up after class…we have business, Helena."
“Yes we do. Marthe and Vlad think they can fix you, for real. Marthe wants your brother’s land.”
"I'm aware, I am reluctant on a few levels." Liz said, "Firstly, because last time hurt, but if it works I can't say no. Second, you realize that's giving a city to a foreign power, right? Henry inherited Hue from our Grandfather."
“If you don’t want to go through this again I can tell them to bugger off.” Helena offered.
"The whole city?” Jakob asked, a little surprised
"The County." Liz told him, "From Bien Hoa to just north of Xiao Loc, it's…carry the one…a decent piece of the Iron Hills Valley along the shore of the Little Yangtze, up to the intersection with Tributary fourteen in the north, and the Lake to the South. I'd say anyone would want it, but I'm biased." she started setting out food.
“Marthe has offered to offer a Trial of possession. We win we get the cure, no land for them. They win they’ll still work on the cure but we’d have to hand over the land.”.
"Land isn't a problem, but this is inhabited land. I don't bet people." Liz stated, "Have you or Victor clarified that for them?"
“I know. I’ve made that clear. Marthe still insists. Victor… is Victor. He thinks there’s a way for it to not be a problem.” Helena sighed.
"I should have made Evvie attend this." Liz muttered, "I won't accept a trial unless it comes with specific stipulations."
“Victor’s idea is two fold. First as defender we set the form of combat. He knows you’d be uncomfortable with people dying for this.”
"Victor being victor, he's worried about casualties and collateral from the fighting. I have a different concern." Liz said, "I'm worried about aftermath. I do not want a domestic war on my doorstep."
“That’s where the second part comes in. When they signed the application it came with a few strings. Like abiding by the Star League Charter.” Helena paused. “He thinks we can sneak in a provision. About definitions of slavery.”
Elizabeth poured more coffee for herself, then offered the carafe around the room. "We added four votes to the Council." she said, "Meaning that there's now four more votes for some form of authoritarian autocracy. The Clans have a 'sort of' representative system, but in the end they're four military Juntas who at least have the honesty to be open about it. Messing with the Charter just creates MORE opportunity to do so…no, we work this from the deal end." she handed Helena a cup, "Unless you want them to draft you and your kids into that office perpetually?"
“My desires no longer matter.” Helena answered.
"Helena, I'm high as a kite and I can still see how much that makes you flinch." Liz told her, "No, we work this from the deal end…" Elizabeth handed Helena a PADD, "Madame First Lord, this is the compromise I'm willing to consider."
Helena looked at it. "Ninety day evacuation period…Participation in the local planetary government."
"They send representatives to sit in the Assembly, and they participate." Liz said explicitly, "If they win, they participate, because I won't have a civil war in my backyard, there's also specific provisions for immigration and emigration."
“That’ll make Cham’s day. Then again he might actually have an actual laugh when the Falcon Rep decks one of those Peace Party obstructionists.”
"Oh, I expect friction with the Kahanists, but I really expect it to go batshit when they interact with some of the Eastern Radical Liberals." Liz said, "You know, the guys who think paying taxes is an unfair burden at all, but if they're arguing in the Pitch, they're not shooting at each other."
“We might be able to sell tickets. Monday! Clan Jade Falcon versus the Kahanist!” Helena smirked.
"I don't care about that. I care about not having gunfire crossing the border along Highway Two or 'mechs blocking Highway One." Liz clarified, "Especially during fire season, which they'll have to contribute firefighting people for. I've got detailed baselines for fishing rights on the Lake, and in the River, too."
“If I have to punch Marthe in the face to get her to accept this, I will.” Helena nodded.
"My other compromise, is something we'll need to negotiate. Clan Jade Falcon has to participate if they're going to stay, but that means they get access to the shipyards…which has to go through you, Helena, as a significant amount of those are tied to Cameron Corp LLC."
"Why shipyards?" Jakob asked. "Those are strategic assets-"
"If they're getting their ships serviced here, they're less likely to try and take them by force." Helena observed.
Liz nodded.
“Plus I can charge them an arm and a leg and still undercut Diamond Shark and they’ll need the service stations to keep up their contribution to the SLDF.”
"The other danger is precedents." Liz said, 'We start letting them trial, the others will follow…because they can. Herbania system's got a habitable world…well, mostly habitable, it'll be habitable when the terraforming gear's repaired…Helena, as first lord, you need to allocate that real-estate. I want you to consider allocating to one of the other Clans as a…sweetener to keep them from making a mess in my star system."
“Hmmm. I think Blood Spirits or Wolves. I’ll try and quietly float it around.”
Liz toyed with something, and handed it over, "These are surveyed systems within one jump of here." she said, "Specifically systems that lost population or were evacuated and never resettled. We've surveyed, most of them are either habitable or near-habitable. I don't want to pay to patrol them, but having Clans there will…discourage…some of the more dangerous riff-raff."
“And it’ll let us spread them out a bit while they all still have access to Kowloon.” Helena nodded.
"Plus there are trade routes they can access to…encourage…them to actually use trade instead of chest-beating contests of marksmanship." Liz said, "My long term plan with this, is to civilize the damn barbarians, Helena-re-adapt them to habits of civility and civilization. Their system failed them, but in a few generations, they'll be funny-talking Lyrans, if we put the work in, the 'Clans' will be a bunch of colorful ethnicities like those guys from Northwind."
“Hehe. Ah that would be nice. Okay. I’ll float it to them. I suspect the Diamond Sharks and Goliath Scorpions will both bite on it easily enough. Seeing as they don’t have holdings.”
"We can sell it to the other Inner Sphere powers, because we'll know where they are and what they're up to. That should sell it to Kurita and Schraplen, the added trade options should tickle Marik and Centrella, both of whom are craving new tech like it's neuroin."
“Sun Tzu will probably go for it because it puts another powerblock on our borders and thinks they’ll vote his way more often than not.”
"Sunny has a mind that can turn a turd sandwich into gourmet food." Elizabeth said, "I'm not worried about HIM finding a bright spot, beyond wondering if he'll leverage it against us…which he will, so no worries." She smiled.
“So all that is settled as much as we can.” Helena nodded.
"That's the terms you offer. We're meeting so you can come up with something unreasonable so they feel like they won the negotiation." Liz said.
“Abolishing their caste system like Sunny did would be a good start I think. Returning stolen property too.”
"Too high." Liz countered, "the first one will see them walk out in a huff, not argue you down. Aim slightly lower."
Helena cocked an eyebrow, then, "OH…this is business."
Liz nodded, "Yeah, remember our trip to Donegal? You don't offer something that insults the mark, you offer them something they can argue YOU into giving up, so that when they get you argued down, they feel like they won while giving you what you really wanted."
“Hmmm… Lower but unreasonable.” Helena mused. “Heh. How about their police forces can’t carry firearms.”
Liz snorted, "Too unreasonable, also violates the status of forces agreement I gave you. Setting Jurisdiction? That might be a better place…"
"You're thinking of something?" Helena asked.
"Yeah, something said on the Spider Moon trip."
“There was a lot said on that trip. Care to narrow it down?”
"I know what unreasonable demand Marthe Pryde's going to bring." Liz said, "She'll do it, too. If she doesn't Suvarov will…******, that might be their real game."
"Their…real game…Liz, if you don't start being direct-"
"Genetic samples." Liz said, "They're going to want it, they already expressed wanting it, their culture's obsessed with Eugenics theory even though it's discredited pseudoscience…one of them , is going to want little Cameron babies of their very own."
“Well tough shit. Only other Cameron babies I’m going to allow, will come from my womb or my kids making me a grandmother the old fashioned way. They want to force that issue, they’ll have to bring their A games because I will wreck their faces.”
"Yeah." Liz said, "but it's one to watch out for."
“Oh I’ll watch for it. But that still leaves us with the question of what to demand of them that is unreasonable but not insulting for all of this.”
Elizabeth sat down in a beanbag chair, cradling her coffee, and staring into the fire, "I'm not sure. The bastards surprised me at Spider Moon, I don't have the read on them I need to figure out what to use."
“If it were Vlad’s Wolves that’d be easy. Kerensky DNA. He’d not be insulted. But he might also see the ploy for what it was. Marthe though…” Helena nodded.
"Try asking Phelan." Jakob suggested, which got a hard look from Elizabeth. "He knows them."
“Of course these are Clans we’re talking about. Their negotiation practices are a bit more straightforward. We may not need the usual ‘unreasonable demand’.” Majery spoke up.
Liz kind of deflated, "You know, you're right." she said. "And I have just become virtually useless."
"Drugs talking!" Majery snapped. “Speaking of which there was a reason you wanted me here.”
"Do you think there's anything to their proposals besides vanity?" Liz asked, "because if I"m going to play guinea pig, I want my odds."
“Based off the fact that the Dragoon treatment worked to buy you some extra time, the journals Helena made Vlad and Marth cough up from their Scientists outlining their proposed treatment regimens, I’d say it’s a fifty fifty shot. But even if it works it may not be all we hope for.”
"Supervision." Helena said, "I know what 'unreasonable' thing to ask for. I want Majery and maybe Doctor Huyn supervising this experimental treatment…and full disclosure of all processes and procedures before they're used, with public documentation of results."
"A 'no secrecy' clause?" Liz asked.
"You demanded it before, and we know they keep secrets from each other, and it's something they can give on and still feel like they won."
“The trouble is we’ve already got these outlines, that indicates they’re willing to be very open about this entire process. So it’s not an unreasonable request for them to talk us down from. Indeed they seem to want the bragging rights and that means they would actually welcome us and want the details out in the open.” Majery pointed out.
"Yeah, but their history suggests they don't like oversight." Liz mused, "These guys fought wars over software patches that let them do 'omni' tech-basically a layout and software mod that the SLDF was already developing with the Mercury before the Coup…am I wrong, Helena?"
“No. Majery’s half right. They’ll welcome observation. But actual oversight… So if we make sure to frame it that way, we’ve got our stick.” Helena said thoughtfully.
Race for the Cure[]
Sudeten, Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
3065
"You know, I should have had you shot long ago, Etienne." Marthe Pryde strode around the Scientist, "but I did not. Do you know why you are here, and not in the bottom of a ditch?"
“You have a use for me.”
"Aff… You claim to be brilliant, to be worthy of leadership, yet you have done very little actual science as Scientist-General…I am going to task you with your wildest dream…as a scientist. Actual, ground-breaking, scientific work, something that you should be absolutely qualified for, a great tasking."
“What tasking do you have in mind?”
"Cholmann's syndrome, it seems the Scientist-Caste who deserted with Wolf's Dragoons failed to cure it. YOU will do so, your patient is a Spheroid with ties to Helena Cameron, and I have determined that Clan Jade Falcon will solve this first…without killing your patient."
He paled, "That is incurable!”
"Yet, you will find a cure, or your successor will begin again."
“The research journals you asked of us. It was a real scenario and a test. To see who of us were truly able.” Etienne suddenly realized.
"This is for the glory of the Clan, Etienne, and to prove our way is superior, that our science is superior. Failing is not an option."
“The damage may already be done. Especially with one attempt failing already.”
"Consider it an extra challenge to overcome…unless you do not want to remain in your post, I understand that digging ditches is quite good for cardiovascular health…and grants a lot of time for one to consider one's mistakes, such as the mistake of fomenting revolution. I know about 'The Society' Etienne., or should I call you 'Balzac'?"
“That…That will be unnecessary.”
"Good, it is good that you can see reason." Marthe stated, "Pack for the transit to Kowloon, submit your needs lists to the Merchants with my signature. I want this work done, Etienne. I want it done, and done right."
“Aff, my Khan.”
Tamar, Wolf Occupation Zone
3065
"Can we do it?" Khan Vlad Ward asked his scientist-general. "Physically, is it possible?"
"The process of science is finding out, my Khan…We can certainly try."
"Then get ready to do so. This will be in cooperation with primitive locals, but it is a race-first against the Jade Falcons, and then, against the progress of the disease itself. Are you up for it?"
The scientist hesitated, "I can not promise results."
"This is science, I know. Are you up for it?" ask Alaric
"Aff."
“Good. Then ready yourself for a trip to Kowloon. If there is anything you need, submit it to the Merchant caste. I have already informed them to make every effort to provide anything you ask of them.”
"My Khan, I may need…something else if this is to be successful. One of my fellows has looked into this problem before, but he left with the Wardens…"
"I will arrange it, give me the name." Vlad asserted.
"Savashri, this IS serious…"
"Aff."