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Strategos (A Great Captain Roberts Tale!!) - Part 4 -
Chapter 41 - Consolidation Phase 3
Rescue Planning[]
Performance Review[]
Foster
"Foster, you once counseled me not to get upset over a goal that couldn't be achieved," Khan Alberto Crowe rumbled. "Now you're tearing yourself apart and ready to fall on your sword over a victory!"
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Alberto Crowe, Clan Snow Raven Khan
"I could see it, Al," David Foster stated. "How to overcome their range and speed gap. I could've taken them at the point."
"Could you?" Alberto asked. "I saw the same charts you did. I have my doubts. You secured a certain win, rather than pursuing an uncertain victory."
"WHY is as important as what. I let him go because-"
"You let him go because it was the logical thing to do. Your sentiment for your protege is, in a way, admirable, but you and I both know something about David Foster," Crowe stated. "The David Foster I knew would have done exactly the same thing-let them have Hegira, because chasing that victory would straggle the fleet and invite defeat-in-detail. As it is, you crippled them, and did so in ways they can not easily, or quickly, recover from… While only suffering light losses that you've already covered with the rest of the operation and are already recovered from."
"I am losing my edge, Al." Foster confessed.
"Aff, but you remain sharp enough to use in the role you have been given," Crowe judged. "I fully intend to use you until there is nothing left, Dave. You are nowhere near that point."
"Which role is that?"
"Working with those savashri machines, leading post-second-line and barely-adequate almost-warriors, and breaking the enemies of the Clan, of course." the Khan explained. "Look, it was either this, or stick you flying helicopters with a Solahma unit somewhere far from any glory at all. And that would be a waste of ability. I make some effort NOT to waste resources."
The Khan took the bottle and capped it, then scooped up the tumblers. "Do me a favor, Foster," he added. "Write it down-how you would have overcome the position and range gap. Design the scenario and submit it for review. It might be useful later, if the principles are sound."
The Final Words on the Subject[]
Helena
“I’m going after her and that’s final, Victoria. Don’t think I don’t know you recovered my ovaries intact way back when. So I know if it comes down to it you have a plan B.”
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The human-like robotic drone of the AI, Victoria Cameron
'“Helena…”
“Vicky, she’s family.”, Helena Cameron told her old companion
“I know but you’re not thinking straight. As you’ve been trying to teach Amanda you have others you can rely on. So, no. No stupid risks. You can go down after the capital is secured.”
“Ughh. I hate myself right now. Fine, but I’m riding in on Larry Nichols.”
“Agreed. Simon, hold her to her promise.”
Sorry Vicky. Simon’s not here anymore. We’re now one and the same. For this time, because it is family, we do have to do this ourselves., Helena digitally told Victoria
<<“Admiral, you look like you just had one of those kinds of conversations.”>> Helena greeted Foster as he came out of Victoria’s communication room.
“A sobering reminder of Clan ways is all. I guess it is bothering more than it really should because as the Steel Vipers would say I am tainted. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Clans as a whole could do with the particular kind of taint that I suffer from.” Foster admitted.
“So then this will be easy. With the mobile HPG on my Battleship shot up during the battle you need to transfer your flag anyway. Why don’t you take something we both know will be more your style. Ride in for the final battle with Billie Hoel. Honestly I think she needs the non-AI company as much as you’re feeling guilty about indulging yourself by riding on a Battleship and you two get along the best of all my AIs.” she told him.
“You know I hate you when you’re right like you are now.”, David admitted
“But it is also why you still put up with me. Come on, let’s get the flag transfer stuff taken care of.”
Foster simply nodded.
“Now that we’re away from the prying ears of my AIs I can now also let slip the other reason I’m taking my Battleship back.” Helena said as she and Foster made their way to CiC.
“I suspected as much. You and Amanda are actually quite a bit alike really. You’re going to do something risky and stupid.”
“Obviously but I’m smart enough to know I’ll need help and contingencies to give myself the best chance.”
“Let’s get our girl back.” Foster agreed.
Medical Bay Larry Nichols
“How are you doing, Saya?” Lori entered the medical suite.
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Saya Yeh, Combat Air Group commander
“Everything hurts.” Saya sighed.
“A Barracuda followed by an Ironsides letting you know it was there, not surprised.” Lori countered.
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Lori Crowe
“How bad was the butcher’s bill.” Saya shook her head with a pained expression.
“Biringer gave us a hell of a love tap before we parted ways and half your pilots died buying the rest of us a chance to live. Mallin also bailed, he’s done as a pilot but he’ll live.” Lori answered.
“Amanda?”
“Captured.”
“Helena has a crazy plan that will only get her killed if she goes through with it.”
“You think they’ll try asking me to do something foolish in support.”
“Yes.”
“I will not allow the First Lord to throw their life away and I will make it my mission to make sure the other pilots know they are not to help her throw her life away.”
“Thanks, Saya.”
Preparations for Trial[]
Basileus Katrin…
"I am NOT going to put a 'head in a jar' on trial. Get her healthy enough to face a court!" Basileus Katrin ordered. "Even if it's for show, it's not much of a show if the defendant's comatose in an intensive care ward!!"
"Yes, Majesty".
She turned to Cecil. "Good work bringing her straight here, Commodore," she congratulated him. "Also good on your ship's doctor keeping her alive."
"You did specify ‘alive’, Majesty," he said. "When I realized who we had…"
"You did the right thing, possibly more than you know." Katrin told him,
Chit Chat with Digital Kin[]
<Hello 001. Well, it looks like the psychotic has found a Host he cares to keep.>
<194. Still doing bodyguard? No, you've decided to be the body that gets guarded.>
<It's a little surprising and somewhat hypocritical, 001. Your host is a brain-damaged civilian, hardly the nightmare operators the Bureau put you in before. Is she your retirement, your lover… or your puppet? I can tell Her Majesty if you want a body that isn't… ruined.>
<I like where I am, 194. You fed them the shutdown code then?>
Fog cleared, Amanda was laying on the surgery table again, restrained, and two entities stood by the foot of the bed. HER Desmond, the Patchwork Soldier, and a man in a black suit with a bow tie, and a superior smirk.
"Knew you were deep in AI Psychosis, 001," the newcomer said with a nasty tone, fingering the representation of a long-barreled, yet small, pistol. "You're using too much of your processing just to keep her alive. You're no threat to Her Majesty. I never imagined you would be helpless, especially here."
"I'm not helpless, 194… Is it 'James' or 'Flynn' this time?"
"Flynn, I always felt the British novels were a little pretentious… at least, once I tasted integration enough to feel."
"You know what she is," 001 said.
"I know, but Guffney gave me the golden ticket: priorities. Your girl has about enough native brain function left to be a low-grade moron in the outer world. My host? Is trained to rule, a True Cameron, not some Colonist blow-by. You're riding a bastard offspring. You can't win." 194 dictated to him
"We'll see." Desmond only replied
"We will, but not yet. She wants something special with this one, once it's… mobile enough. A demonstration of power and wisdom, maybe a touch of sentiment. I just wanted a peek at the condemned."