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*Rise of the Warspite*
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by HappyTarget: [QB] CHAPTER 8 [near Tilley Base main gate, 10 minutes later] Thad mulled over his decision again and again. Had he done the right thing in accepting the old lady's offer? She had to have powerful connections to be able to hack into the secure base com net, and to forage ID papers capable of passing intense scrutiny. Yet at the same time, she had an evil air about her. Both Thad's treecat with his empathic sense, even he himself had seen that much. Yet here she was offering him the one thing that could make him accept. He needed to return to space, to make a difference. Despite the loss of life and damage to his command, saving those merchantmen had been the highest point in his life. In that singular moment, he had realized truly what self-sacrifice meant. Seeing his crew's grim resolve to press on, even if it gave a mere shadow of a chance of the merchantmen escaping stamped a mark on his soul. He made a personal vow to be worthy of such fine men and women and the system that they fought for. Then being forced dirtside shattered all his hopes. He had been judged unworthy of being a part of the elite fraternity of ship's commanders. Had everything he had worked so hard to attain ripped away from him. He made another vow to himself as he hurried back to his quarters. He would make any promise to that lady if it got him back into space. He would just choose which ones to honor based on his personal moral compass. He didn't care the cost to himself. That lady was up to something bad, and he wanted to be in a position to stop it. Despite all of the tampering his mind had undergone, he was still a very moral humanbeing. If he saw injustice he tried to right it. If he saw crime he tried to stop it. He still mourned every life he had been forced to take in the service of his mistress. Their faces haunted his dreams, despite the fact that it had been kill or be killed. Although Manpower had endeavored to remove every trace of human compassion in him, they failed. Instead of their envisioned flesh and blood robot, they created a human being with feelings and a sense of right and wrong. Thad knew that he was stepping into a minefield. He would have to be very careful if he was to succeed in foiling whatever that evil witch had in store. One misstep would get him killed. He knew that there would be no hesitation on her part to eliminate him if he outlived his usefulness. He was within sight of the main gate to the base when a figure stepped out from a shadowy alleyway. He had keen eyes and an amicable air about him. "Sir, a word if you please." "All right, but make it quick." Thad said, half his mind still in a world of its own. "I am from the Office of Naval Intelligence." The stranger produced an authentic looking ID. "My name is Major Sterling. I want to ask you what you know about the little old woman you met at the restaurant just now." So ONI is checking up on her, Thad thought, just what have I gotten myself into? "I actually just met her. Why? Has she done something illegal?" "She is under suspicion of certain activities that may be very dangerous to the Kingdom of Manticore. I am not allowed to say more, only that she is very bad news. I need to know what she said to you. It is of vital importance." "To be frank, she promised me a command slot again if I would do a favor for her in the future." Thad felt that he could trust this man, he just seemed like one of the good guys. "Did you accept?!" Major Sterling asked a bit to quickly. "Why is that so important?" Thad responded baitingly. He needed more information on just what he had stepped into the middle of before he said one way or another. "Don't play games with me mister! I have been in the spy business since before you were in diapers. Now did you accept?!" "Yes I did." Thad said. So, they don't know who I am yet Thad thought. Thad had never wore diapers. Accelerated growth induced by Manpower had eliminated any childhood he might have had. ONI didn't have all the cards in this game either. Thad was glad he wasn't the only one in the dark. "Excellent! This is the break that we have been hoping for since we got our first hint of her and her compatriots activities. You have know idea how important you are! This could break our case wide open. Woo boy!" Major Sterling looked like a kid on Christmas who had gotten everything he had asked for and more. Thad put on his best look of utter incomprehension, hoping for more crumbs of info. "Sure, stand there looking dumb. Hoping for more info eh! Well, since you are now my main lead, I'll let you in on what I know." "Cerberus Corporation and/or its subsidiaries have quietly acquired controlling interest in almost all major corporations and industries within the Star Kingdom. Not satisfied with this, they are now in the process of either buying or emplacing people who answer to them within the government. They want to be the ultimate puppet masters, controlling everything from the shadows. They have something big going down, and I think you are a major part of it. The sweet old lady who you just met is the director of Cerberus Corp. Most of the board do not dirty themselves with the day to day operations of the company. She is quite the opposite. She involves herself constantly, like the way she initiated contact with you. Instead of sending an underling to do it, she came herself. She seems to crave the exhilaration the risks that such actions entail. We need someone on the inside so we can effectively protect the Star Kingdom. You have to be our eyes and ears. From now on, you follow our instructions as to how you proceed in dealings with her." Thad had stepped into a much more deadly mine field than he had originally bargained for. "Ok, I'll do as you ask. I was planning on doing something similar on my own anyhow. She and her buddies need to be stopped, no matter the cost." "Good! I'm sure you'll do fine. Just follow instructions and don't do anything stupid." With that, he walked back down the alleyway into the darkness. "My God, what have I gotten myself into? First a scary lady, then ONI, and finally vast corporations who want to control the government! What next!" [/QB][/QUOTE]
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