.png){kind=link}
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
Strategos (A Great Captain Roberts Tale!!) - Part 2
Chapter 14 - Reviews[]
When you find out who you really are[]
"Do you comprehend what…
…this is about, Director Roberts?"
"Last time, it was about Erin. Some of your lot have issues with my not being a slaver or parting out someone into recycled spares for being abused." Amanda gestured out the prefab's windows, "There are eighteen thousand people outside, most of them work the green houses or the materials processing shops. They're all wearing slave collars, some of them so degraded it's going to take experts to disarm them. A few are probably going to die if I don't get enough hands experienced with EOD on site, while a few more are likely to die of untreated illnesses."
"Your point?" Elsa Ward asked.
"It's the same point." Amanda stated. "Those people didn't voluntarily contract for this, they sure as hell didn't voluntary contract to have collars or implants, or to be used and raped and worked to death…." she paused, "...can you guess who they say their owners were?"
"The Bandits-these 'Sons of Plunder'."
"Close. The claims these people make, are that the people who put those slave collars on them, and pick out the pretty ones for a spot of carnal fun? Are the Star League Defense Force. Forlough's legacy, right outside the door, here, and on every world we've found so far with similar conditions." she walked over to the table, and poured a glass of water, "Khan Ward, The Clans also claimed to be the Star League Defense Force…but as an Outworlder? I can tell you this-" she turned to face them, "These Sons of Plunder bear much closer resemblance to the SLDF my people dealt with, than any of you-your lot have at least a shred of Decency…while the Sons of Plunder are in every way the kind of men that an Amos Forlough would fit well among."
Chistu looked ill, "You…that can not be a serious comparison!!"
"Maybe your ancestors edited your history books. We still remember Amos Forlough out here, as he was and that he was unpunished for what he did." she said evenly. "We're going to punish them, Khan Chistu, because someone didn't think it was worth punishing their philosophical forebear when it might have mattered. Also free their victims, because That is what Decent People Do."
Then she smiled, an unhinged smile, "But never mind me. I am insane. Some butchers carved me up and stuck computer parts in my brain. I killed them, but that's closing the airlock after the air's gone."
"Do you actually believe them?" Kabrinski asked.
"I believe, that They Believe." Amanda stated. "Too many tells. Their gear's worn out, but deeper we go the more old SLDF gear we keep running into. Their uniforms are make-do mockeries, but they follow SLDF patterns as of 2765's last uniform order. The patches, signage, and insignia are clearly derived from SLDF regulation…and they have ships dating from the right time period that are old enough and worn out enough to be period-correct."
"How you know this how?"
"Desmond's memories, include all the right specs and regulations." she stated, "It is consistent with remnant documents provided by the Clan Watch. It is consistent, the enemy believe themselves to be the Star League Defense Force in Exile, they even claim to have a Cameron."
"The ship?"
"I don't know about a Cameron Class, I mean they claim their leader is a direct line descendant of the last First Lord of the Star League…but I'm an Outworlder so I owe whoever it is nothing. If Fleet Captain Foster and the other Snow Raven personnel pulled out tomorrow I would still be going forward on this campaign, if necessary alone."
"That will not be necessary. You claim they believe they have a Cameron, undoubtedly a false one." Alberto Crowe stated.
"They think so, and that's what really matters here-they think so. So everything they have done for generations, is justified in their minds by it…because nobody showed them better."
"You really did not tell her?" Kabrinski asked.
"Neg." Crowe admitted. "We were waiting…"
"For what? You mean we came all this way, and you did not tell her?" Chistu demanded. "This is even funnier than I thought!"
"What's the joke?" Amanda looked uncertainly.
"They may have a Cameron, but so do we." Alberto stated. "Three, actually. Your mother might make four."
"WHAT??" Amanda shook her head, "Not possible! It's gotta be a mistake-"
After centuries waiting, its time to act[]
The data wasn't…
…exactly hard to parse. The results were. While one courier had been intercepted on Quatre Belle by Outworlds Intelligence, the others managed to make their meet ups, including one on Northsun.
"You're sure you want to do this?"
Helena cracked her neck, and closed the reader file. "I'm sure." she said. "They're family, and I'm certain of this. They are either Elizabeth's line, or Stacy's by way of either James or Edward."
“I miss Stacy. She was fun.” Samantha added.
“It is difficult to determine for sure. The datanets out here are pretty primitive and what is on them is not very comprehensive.” 66 was hiding in space as she still did not like using the ‘human’ drones.
“Who do we have for local contacts?” Vicky however was very comfortable using her human drone.
“Not many options I am afraid. Golden Hind do not frequent this area of space often and our connections with other Folk factions are tangential at best.” 66 answered.
“Then we have to risk getting a direct connection to a Snow Raven data hub. They are running on a different net than the Outworlders.” Helena checked the feeds provided by Simon.
“Would explain why I am having more difficulty with penetrating some of the nets than others.” 66 was sounding almost frustrated.
“Okay, I am the only one who can get close enough to a hub without triggering an alarm of some sort. You two are far too metallic in nature and what contacts we have are too known to the Watch.” Helena sighed.
“If trouble does happen our options are limited. We may have to do something drastic.” Vicky worried.
“Don’t worry, I have Simon to help me, and you all have been insisting I put that commando training you gave me to use. More seriously though 66 an ID would be great to get me past the initial guard point. I know it’s a rush job but it just has to get me in and then out. Doesn’t actually have to hold up long term.” Helena smiled.
Hi, I'm Helena[]
Snow Raven Data Center 2
A few hours later
Helena flashed her ID badge at the guard. So far everything had been going to plan.
“Your artificial eye. If it can be removed I must ask you to do so.” The Technician Caste Clerk demanded as a Solhama Elemental stood nearby.
“Oh sure. Sorry about that. So used to it now I almost forget.” Helena said as she popped her eye out.
The Elemental stumbled over and waved a wand over her which beeped near her head.
“Just the other end for the eye. Can not take that out I am afraid.” Helena chuckled.
“You look rather familiar. Are you perhaps related to the Roberts family? You bear a striking resemblance to Amanda Roberts.” The Solhama Elemental almost grunted.
"Hand on the scanner please…in fact, place both hands on it, please."
"This one?"
"Yes, please." the Tech caste said, Helena caught an edge in his voice.
"What's going on?"
"Well, if you do not resist, Harvey will not have to be injured restraining you. Your biometrics match a person of interest and the Loremaster will be arriving in five minutes." The Tech Caste said uneasily, adding, "Miss…Cameron?"
Shit. Not used to working in the field with real people. I really walked into it this time.
“Well that does save me a lot of trouble and from starting things off with an International Incident.” Helena recovered.
Promptly five minutes later, the door locks clicked, and Acton Howe, Loremaster of Clan Snow Raven came in. "Huh, not the Cameron I was expecting, so…how many of you are there?"
"Who were you Expecting?"
"A very traumatized middle aged woman currently resident on floor seven of the post hospital, Jamiy, Harvey, this matter is sealed, my eyes or the Khans only, and need-to-know." he sighed, "So…we have an Elizabeth, and now, we have..?"
"I doubt you would believe me. How was-wait, you have an Elizabeth??"
"The most perfect cloning job in history, unless she was somehow lost in a jump accident." Howe said grimly, "Which has happened before but that one only crossed two hundred years and involved a whole warship's crew. Your biometrics and DNA are flagged, Miss. and you have a similar implant to Amanda Roberts, whose biometrics and implants are a matter of record-though you seem to have healed, while she is chronically reopening the wounds…so who are you, why are you in my data center, and what do you want?"
“From what I see on the news nets Amanda’s wounds seem the result of her coming out of her surgery earlier than her doctors intended. Possibly a lack of skill as well, but that’s all on the news nets like I said. Seems she has become quite the public figure.” Helena sighed.
"She is an instrumental asset for the Outworlds government, Raven Alliance, and the Watch." Acton stated, "YOU, on the other hand, are someone unknown to me. Though your DNA profile indicates a high count match for the progeny of the First Lord of the Star League. You're a Cameron, and you know it. So tell me a story that will encourage me to open that door behind me instead of filling this room with cyanide gas." He offered a grim smile, "I'm not inclined to die, but security is security."
“You are right and this would be for nothing if I did not take a leap of faith. I am Helena Cameron. Youngest daughter of Simon Cameron. I know it is hard to believe, but I have been alive for over three hundred years now. Simon decided he wanted to be one of the Camerons to take the life extension treatments of the Hegemony but he wanted a better one and he wanted it for his children too. Some friends of mine encouraged me to also take the odd hibernation vacation and that has prolonged my life even further. Do not get me wrong I will eventually die. Sooner or later the implant in my head will suffer a non-repairable fault and without it I will finally kill myself from the imbalance of neural chemicals my brain would produce without it and no one would be able to get it out without killing me anyway. If you have a question only the real Helena Cameron would know the answer to feel free to ask it.” Helena leaned back in her chair.
Howe nodded. "That answers some of my questions…because I do not have anything that is not in some historical database." he said grimly, "I believe you believe it. Jamiy, unlock the door..Miss Cameron, Let's have a conversation in my office, and you can tell me three things:
One, where you went after the coup, Two, why you remained hidden, and three…what are you doing in my datacenter?" he paused, "Wait, four things. What is your interest in Amanda Roberts?"
“I will answer that one now. She looked so much like my sister that at first I thought it was her, but I think she might be one of mine down the line as they say. I always did regret losing track of Stacy’s kids.” Helena answered.
"Then I would suggest we have quite a long conversation, The Khans of four clans are meeting with Miss Roberts right now, to determine if she should be added to the Eugenics program, and to which Clan the Legacies should go." he stated. "A bit of perspective might be helpful…did you know she just liberated eighteen thousand slaves less than ninety hours ago? Or that the enemy she is waging her war against, also claims to have a Cameron…and had the lady I mentioned earlier, as a prisoner in a Star League Era political prison??"
“Loremaster Howe was it? Now you have my undivided attention. If there is some way for me to prove who I am, I am now game.” Helena sat at attention.
Unexpected Nomination[]
"You have been…
…nominated to be included in the Eugenics program." Alberto Crowe stated. "It is a great honor, Amanda Roberts."
"Does that mean we get more support for the operations against the Sons of Plunder?" she asked. "Because that, Khan Crowe, is my priority-freeing my people from a boot on their necks. Everything else, is just noise." she stood up, "You still don't understand, do you? Come, let me show you what my war looks like." and headed for the door.
"Dave?"
"I agree with her." Foster said, "You need to see what we are fighting here, and why it is honorable, if not glorious."
The Khans followed them out into the faded sunlight of noon.
- Notes from the Author
- Out of story note: Credits to for Helena Cameron, the various M-5s, and the idea that the Snow Ravens would catch her sneaking into their database. (also much of the dialogue in this section.)
- Wiki Editor Note
- The character Helena Cameron and Vicky are linked from the fan stories of the Weapons of War Saga Series.