Evangeline turned at Jarvis's words, and looked at the pilot of the Void, wondering why he chose now to suddenly open up. Evangeline didn't mind recounting any of it to anyone; it was the past, and there was no point in being held back by the past. "Killed," she muttered with a tiny shrug, as if it had been inevitable. "By the Federation at the start of the war." She hesitated for a moment, considering whether she should tell Jarvis that she had been lying about her reason for fighting. "...I don't fight to honour my parents." she said at last. "Fighting for their sake won't change anything that has happened. That is all in the past." And there was no point dwelling on the past, she thought, but she said nothing more, and an awkward silence reigned for a moment.

Michael heard Mary's words and cringed, he hadn't told her to say that! "Oh well, got the point across." he whispered to himself before stepping forward to the man and bowing back. He then decided it best to easy the man's worry.

"I apologize for her bluntness," he said indicating to where Mary had been, "Mary is highly efficient and loyal. Trust worthy too, but she lacks sedulity at times and is often one to raise alarms to get things done. The Jupitris forces only know you're at my home for diplomatic reasons. They do not know where your ship is and as far as they know you're just a usual ambassador." He let this sink in before suddenly catching himself as rude and extending his hand. "I'm terribly sorry, where are my manners? My name is Michael Ragard, CEO of Heaven's Break." he said kindly.

"Ah, so you are the puppet master around here." Arthur chuckled, taking the CEO's hand and shaking it it warmly. "Arthur Wainwright, Captain of the Federation Fleet Ship Valkyrie, although I think you already know that." He nods slowly, looking around the foyer. "Certainly a nice place here. War treats a blacksmith well, am I right?" He smirked, winking at Micheal, allowing a certain amount of mischievousness to rise within him.

"So! A diplomatic foray, humm? I presume the other faction is present here then. I can tolerate this. Frame pilots are often too eager for blood, but I am a captain, not a mere pilot. The peace and silence of space faring is one I like to maintain when planetside. And guns in an atmosphere make an awful racket." He grinned, looking around once more, this time for traces of other people. "In short, I'm not about to tear up your house for a few Coalition members. I pray they are wise enough to do the same!"

The silence pressed tightly against Jarvis. Evangeline had just torn apart the connection he had so morbidly clung to, if only for a moment. She had been lying, not that it was a surprise. Jarvis didn't really understand why he had been so honest these past few moments. He was getting sloppy. It was completely up in the air whether or not Michael was an ally or not. Jarvis had been basing it solely on the fact that he had been so familiar with Evangeline.

Disgusted with himself Jarvis folded his hands behind his back, partly to stem the drip of blood from his palm, and headed to the foyer. As he entered he glanced around at the private museum. The mechs and weapons on display might have been impressive to Jarvis years ago, but now they were merely another distraction. His footsteps echoed through the hall as he moved towards a small group of people talking near the entrance. As he drew closer their identities became clearer. One was Michael of course, his charm in full swing, a man in formal wear, and a...Federation soldier.

Jarvis clenched his jaw and furrowed his brows, immediately analyzing the situation. So these had been Michael's other guests. Jarvis put his hand to his hip to reach for his pistol but gripped air. Damn it, he thought. He must have left it in the bag with his other things. If he made it out of here he would have to remember to stop being so careless. Instead he swallowed his rage, if only for the moment, and casually made his way to the others.

Michael was very well aware of who Jarvis was now and understood him well enough to know that seeing the captain would infuriate him. So as he heard him approach he glanced casually over his shoulder to see him reach for his weapon, but as his face gave away he clearly didn’t have it on hi. Michael smiled and said without turning about, “Mr. Lagan, there is no need to be so threatened.” He said warmly as he stepped back and let the two have full view of one another with him in the middle and off to one side. “May I introduce, Captain Arthur Wainwright of the Federations Ship Valkyrie, Captain this is Mr. Jarvis Lagan a Psycho-Frame pilot of the Jupitris Coalition.”

He knew this wouldn’t alleviate their unease, and he doubted much would but he was never one to not give it a shot, after all he had tried to turn Jarvis to his side (whether Jarvis had realized it yet) and he may try a more direct approach still. “There is no need to seem so concerned Mr. Lagan, as I have said I and my company are neutral in all of this, did you not remember that? Captain Wainwright is only here to pick up a piece of technology that we have developed for his superiors. And in the process I figured I may as well give a hard working soldier a break from the battle field. It’s the same reason I brought you here along with Evangeline.” He knew that this would do little at help as well, and wasn’t certain if his slightly sterner tone would piss Jarvis off. Still, he had one more thing to do. “Besides Mr. Lagan, without your weapons what can you do to him? Oh but that reminds me.”

He reached around to the small of his back faster than a man of his age should be able to and drew from it a fully loaded Magnum Revolver and took aim at the Captain, his finger on the trigger and the hammer pulled back, it was ready to fire. His aim was right at the man’s shoulder, clearly he didn’t want to kill him if he could avoid it. “You’re weapons please Captain, I can’t let my other guest go defenseless and you armed. You as well Mr. Hulter.” He said with an indication to his other hand, which was at his stomach and held a semi-automatic pistol again aimed at the other man's shoulder, but not as well aimed as he was going to shoot that from the hip if necessary. His face didn’t change, but if any of them could see his eyes, and were experienced enough to notice, they would see a gleam in them like a shadow. Gone was the persona of the business man, at this moment he seemed to be the “Seraphim” and his old training as a soldier and his cold calculating mind were in full swing. He didn’t want to have to use violence to disarm them, but he would if he had to.

Evangeline watched Jarvis walk off, and leaned back against the rail with a forlorn sigh. She shouldn't have confided in him--if that was what her comment could have been called. She should have just maintained the lie she had given to Michael. But what she had said was true; there was no point in dwelling so obsessively on the past, there was no point in fighting for people who were long gone. There was nothing to be gained from killing for vengeance...Evangeline shook her head. Who was she kidding? Jarvis had a much better reason to be fighting that Evangeline herself did.

At that point, she heard the sounds of people talking emanating from beyond the foyer--the voices of Michael Ragard, Jarvis Lagan, and a couple of voices she did not recognise; those must be the other guests Michael had mentioned. Pushing herself away from the rail, Evangeline made her way through the foyer and down the next hall, to see Michael pointing his guns at two people, the other guests. One was a Federation officer, the other was either not of a military nature, or a mercenary. Evangeline looked from Michael, to the Federation officer, to the mercenary, and to Jarvis Lagan--who was clearly angered by the nature of these guests.

Arthur looked over Micheal's shoulder, spying the angry Coalition pilot. With a mischievous smile, he waved to him, bobbing his head a little to the fuming soldier. "A pleasure I'm sure. I'd shake hands with you, but I'm not entirely convinced that you would not tear my arm from my socket in the process. As such, I will merely re-iterate our gracious host's policy on neutrality so that a Juppie like yourself can understand; I'm not here to fight you. If I was here to fight you, I would have done so from the bridge of my ship, hundreds of kilometers away. A life ended, in the touch of a button." He winked, putting his hands on his hips, his posture defiant.

However, to say that having a weapon drawn on him mid conversation didn't unnerve him would be lying. Looking at the cold, harsh steel of Micheal's handgun, it took a few moments for Arthur's cool to return, remarking to himself that - with a touch of irony - he was probably the only person in the room who was not, is not, and will never be a soldier, despite quite possibly being of the highest military rank present as far as the main two factions were concerned.

Smiling warmly once a few terse seconds past, he, pulled his handgun out of his bandoleer, and put it on a nearby cabinet. Backing away from his weapon, he then shook his head dismissively, shrugging somewhat. "I believe the simple fact that this building still exists as a freestanding structure is valid enough proof that I can be trusted not to start a fight. But in the interests of keeping the peace, I willingly surrender my sidearm."

At the man's comment Jarvis bit down on his lip so hard that beads of blood blossomed in his mouth. This attitude of his didn't help Jarvis's view of the Federation become any lighter. He wanted to tear the man's flesh from his bones like a wild animal but at the moment he was at a serious disadvantage. He knew that to attack the man would end in a hail of bullets and a very dead psycho frame pilot. But this man was just asking to be destroyed. So Jarvis did what the cold persona he had worked so hard to develop often did, he filed the thoughts in the back of his mind. He strode forward slowly to stand just in front of the Federation captain and looked him straight in the eye.

"I'll rip you to shreds," said Jarvis. "I make that an oath, an oath on the grave of the father you killed."

"Hey, Grave." it was Ratchet. The old man was riding a Mars surface rover through the compound towards where Vincent and the others stood. "Gravemaker's all set. Sorry it ook so long, but I upgraded the armor, made it a bit tougher, and I was finally able to upgrade the power cell so she can run longer."

"Wow, you did all that?" Vincent asks, smiling and laughing as he walks over and joins Ratchetin the rover. The older man laughs and turns them around. "But, there's something else, isn't there?" Vincent asks as they begin moving.

"Well, yes actually...one of our men came back this morning, from one of the smaller bases here," Ratchet was saying, "You know Wing, right? Well, anyway, he had this message, and it was to you. Seems you've been invited to this man Ragard's for a little get together."

"Really now? And where is it, and who else will be there? I'm assuming this will be one hell of a party if he had the balls to invite a merc there." Vincent asked seriously.

"It's here on Mars. And there's pilots and captains and such from all sides there." Ratchet says with a sigh, "I thought you might be interested, so I put the location in Gravemaker for you."
-=-=-=-

Within an hour Vincent and Gravemaker were on their way to the location of the get together. Ratchet had managed to scrounge up a mech-sized SMG, which Gravemaker now carried on it's right hip. Soon enough they arrived at the place, landing a littlways off and approaching slowly on foot.

(not sure exactly what the place is like, sorry...)

Arthur smirked, shaking his head. "Oh come now. Unless your father was a captain of the Jupris fleet, it's very unlikely I killed him. Good sir, I think you need to define people better. Yes, I'm a federation pilot, and yes, I'm employed to deal with the Jupris Coalition. But that does not mean I harbor any personal hatred for you." He met the gaze of the pilot, staring into his deep cold eyes. He felt his hatred - pure, white anger - and knew full well this pilot was definitely not schooled in anger management.

He then paced around the pilot, looking up and down his form, examining him like some carefully. "In fact, you fascinate me. Your burning desire to kill me is something you do not hide, but if you bemoan your own fathers loss, then why do you rob other families of their fathers too. Many married fathers join the forces, I should have you know." He stopped again, turning to face Jarvis, shaking his head. "Your anger, your mind-numbing passion for killing my kin is exactly what will drive this war on, for those children left behind will come to scorn you as you scorn them. Before long, no-one will consider peace."

He knew the word was outdated, useless and irrelevant, especially in a room filled with a mercenary pilot, two Jupris pilots and an arms dealer, but peace was still an idea he clung on to, the idea that both factions could walk away from this alive, before it's too late, and every man thinks like the hothead before him. Then again, he was a captain, he mused. The closest he ever came to the war was measured not in meters, but in kilometers.

(On the Front Lawn)
A man in a suit walked over to the Mercenary who had just arrived piloting the large Frame with the sword. He indicated that the man should head over to a freight elevator near the back of the property. Saying the others would join him in the hanger shortly.
(In the Foyer)
Michael relaxed his gun from being aimed at the Captain, and noted that Ms. Mary had most likely already disarmed the mercenary; still he holstered his revolver just incase and handed the other pistol off to a servant who was passing by. He watched these exchanges with interest. This is why he had invited these people. He needed to know how they had reacted. For the last few months he had hacked and stolen all the personnel files available from both sides, and had painstakingly chosen who he thought would be the best people to join him on his vengeful raids of both sides’ leaders. He had compiled a list: Captain Arthur Wainwright was a genius of space combat and a brilliant tactician, thus making an excellent candidate for the position as the new Captain for the Legacy. Jarvis Lagan and Evangeline Akranion were both the prodigies of the Psycho Frame pilots. The mercenaries he had assembled were nothing but a stepping stone to attaining these pieces to the puzzle, but if he found some true talent then he would consider it a bonus. And now he saw his chance. He stepped forward and interrupted the two men, “Peace?” he asked with a slight chuckle. “Do you entertain such an idea Captain? With the leadership on both sides there will never be peace. The council of the Federation may be slightly subject to the people’s growing weariness of this ever escalating conflict, but you know as well as I do that the Admiralty of the Federation has no intent of stopping this war. After all, whether you know it or not the three highest ranking men in your military are all ‘Merchants of Death’ like me; they make profit in this war, some way or another. And the Head of the Jupitris forces, that person has no heart I assure you that.”

His mind flashed back to the day that he had lost his family, he had just acquired the second mine and was on his way home to celebrate, but when he got there he found his family dead, his house in flames, and a message in blood on the wall “Paid in full.” was all it had said. That was when he decided he would act aloof, leave the Coalition, and stay neutral. He would use the persona of a Merchant of Death to get closer to the leaders of both side, the Federation who has let the people be crushed under foot, and the Coalition, the only reason there is to kill that person, Yu Kojima. It was Kojima who had his family murdered for money and military gain, he wasn’t about to let it slide. His hand tensed again on instinct, but he kept a straight face and looked at Jarvis. “Mr. Lagan, you do know that the man who killed your father is long dead. After all, I am not aware of any Federation soldier who survived the Purging of Jupitris right after the war started. It’s most likely that he is gone, so who do you hate now?”

He turned to the Captain, “And Captain, you must know by now that this war is just a game to those at the top, hence why I won’t get involved with my company. If you want to stop the war,” He looked to the Mercenary and then to Evangeline, “You’ll have to put aside your loyalties and become neutral, and then strike both sides down. Neither side fights for the people now, both fight for individual profit. If you want peace, you’ll have to join men like me, and bring it about from the inside.” He knew this was dangerous. He had just openly admitted to be waging a war against both sides from within. And though he wasn’t sure if the angered pilot would catch it, the Captain gave him pause. Michael was rolling the dice, gambling that he had read the man in only a few minutes. If he was right, and this man was loyal to the idea of peace he wouldn’t report anything here to his superiors, if he was wrong: his home here would soon be destroyed, and his companies’ offices would be raided. “Peace is beyond our reach at this point, gentlemen. At least for those of us who fight for one side. The only peace offered by both sides is destruction.” He nodded to a small suitcase on a pillar which had a faded atomic symbol on it, it was a tactical nuclear weapon. “How long unit your ship is ordered to fire one of those at Jupitris Captain? Or until your Psycho Frame is sent to place one on the Moon Mr. Lagan.” It was true that the war was currently at a stalemate, but it was only a matter of time before both sides began firing WMDs, this war is one of annihilation. Those weapons no longer were deterrents; they were now swords to be drawn. Who would draw them first?

A servant came into the room and nodded to the host who nodded back. “Do any of you realize that by fighting for one side, you have consented to murdering the other without real cause?” he asked, not expecting an answer, he walked over to the largest painting in the room, one of the First Mars settlement, and pressed his hand into the wall next to it. The painting rose and there was an elevator waiting. “Come, it’s time to give you all your gifts.” He said stepping into the large elevator and awaiting his guests.

(Sorry guys! Been busy on a project!)

Roy shrugged. "The only weapons I have are about three knives. Don't worry, though, I don't use them unless I'm attacked." he flashed Michael a smile. Roy looked to the other guests. He had heard of Arthur, but didn't know any of the others. Roy followed Michael into the elevator. "If I may ask, why would you send an invite to a mercenary like me?" he asked Michael. "I mean, I'm not a terrible Mercenary, but I'm not really known, either. Why would you pick me?" he asked. Pondering whether or not he should keep his guard up, he kept his cool. One of the Frame pilots looked as if he was about to blow gasket or something, and Roy didn't want to be a part of it. He came here for a party, not to watch a brawl.

Vincent spoke to the man in the suit for a moment before nodding and turning around. He made his way slowly to the back of the place and found thelevator, which opened before him, probaly by the command of either the host or the man he'd just met. Shrugging it off he pilots Gravemaker inside, and just as he clears it the door slides shut and down the go.

Everything goes dark inside the cockpit as the elevator goes down, and Vincent closes his eyes, thinking, I wonder what this is all about anyway? Ratchet either didn' tell me everything, or Wing didn't tell him much about it. Eitherway, it's too late now. It had been a very long time since he'd had any real purpose in life, so if he were to die in the bottom of this pit, no one would really miss him. He was barely associated with his group anyway, more of a guard than a mercanary, if that.

Soon enough they stopped falling and came to a halt. A second laer the elevator doors opened and Gravemaker walked into the hanger as his polit looked around and wondered.

Jarvis stood silent as the two men tried to belittle his motivations. Their ignorance only helped to fuel his fire. His father hadn't been some soldier or captain, no. He had been a simple miner, his crime: simply existing. The widespread hatred for so called "spacers" was rampant in the Federation. It was what had driven the soldiers to so viciously exterminate the participants of the peace rally. The son of a peace maker was no a death dealer...how ironic.

Jarvis did not feel guilt in killing the other fathers the captain had talked about. They had knowingly enlisted in a war, a war started by the Federation not the Jupitris colonists. He would not kill a civilian unless he knew they had participated in such heinous acts. But every soldier was fair game to him. He would eliminate them, to both sate his vengeance and give them a real reason to fear "spacers".

Jarvis quietly followed the others into the elevator. He did not take his eyes of the Federation captain, the others were of little concern now. Only one thought stood out in his mind. He would kill this man, personally.

The captain glared back at the pilot, feeling the raging hate swell from him. This boy was obviously not mentally sane; which certainly made the rumours about psycho pilots more acceptable to him. How could this boy be so wrapped up in his hatred? So completely determined to kill that nothing at all could stop him? It was a life that Arthur found difficult to imagine, and thus, stopped trying, his brain hurting in the exhaustion of trying to imagine another man's thoughts.

Nodding to Micheal, he followed him to the elevator, starting to roll around what he had said in his mind. What he was suggesting was nothing short of suicide. A third faction? When the two main factions have already been set up?! Where would their base of operations be! Mars? Unlikely. That would make this new factions an anvil for the other two to break upon. Then where? He wondered, slowly stroking his chin.

He had to admit, however, that the talk of peace touched him, and he was fully aware that by joining one faction, he was propagating the war. However, he joined the service to save lives, and that, in a round about way, was what he was doing. None the less, he was no soldier, and he desired nothing more then to return to a world where the deep void knew tranquillity once more.

“It is obvious we have much to talk about...” He mumbled to Micheal, as if it were some incriminating evidence, before turning around, facing the entrance of the elevator.

Michael didn’t smile at any of the comments, glancing over to the Captain his mind did a summersault thinking, “Got his attention now”. The Merc’s comment caught his attention and he reached forward and hit the button to close the doors, smirking he said, “Because, you’re a man who is loyal to those who have the money, and as you may have noticed, that definitely includes me.”

As the elevator dropped several floors he added. “That means, unlike the others here who are spoken for, I can trust you.” That was a contradiction, trusting a man whose loyalties are dependent on the payment, but then again it was genius. The Mercenary mind was one that Michael shared, so he knows that not every private contractor’s price is monetary. This man was a freelance mercenary, that meant he was working for pay, but also for ideals, which made him fairly easy to read. The man’s comment in the foyer was what had given Michael the clue he needed, this man was a fan of Frames, and Michael could give him a lot of that.

The elevator slowed, followed by the signature stop of the lift. The doors slid open to reveal an expansive space about 300 meters long and 150 meters high. The Area was basically a long hall with several Frame Docks lining each side. The first Frame was a tall model with a pure white paint job, save for the black and yellow circles placed about its surface. “It’s our variable test model,” Michael explained, “That frame is faster and more maneuverable than any frame in the field. No limiters.”

The frame was almost without armor, yet it had massive thrusters and a huge back section that extruded out from the area of the cock pit. “That cockpit can hold three passengers along with the pilot, and since this Frame doesn’t have any limiters on it can do thinks other can’t, primarily because safety isn’t our concern with the test pilot that flies it. This thing hurts; it’ll kill the pilot and passengers if you’re not careful.” A man in a mechanic’s jumper came over and asked each of them to sign a liability waver. “We have this Frame,” Michael continued, “To test the extremes of combat and beyond. It would make a hell of a weapon, if it didn’t cost 5 times the usual production cost to make it.”

Evangeline said nothing throughout the tense situation which she suddenly found herself in: an encounter between Jarvis Lagan and the Federation pilot who introduced himself as Arthur Wainwright. Evangeline would leave it to Michael to defuse the situation, which was teetering on the edge of violence thanks to Jarvis's threats, and indeed the situation went no further.

As the elevator descended, Evangeline considered Michael's words, his 'offer'. Why were the people here fighting? Jarvis' reason was as clear as anyone could hope; he wanted revenge against the Federation. The mercenary was probably in it for the money, or for the adventure. Arthur Wainwright, she wasn't so sure about. The Federation spewed out propaganda constantly about the Jupitris Coalition: one of the major propaganda campaigns displayed graphically the survivors of major battles such as the Battle at Gagarin (a space station orbiting Earth that had seceded into Jupitris and was nearly destroyed when the Federation attacked and retook it). Jupitris pilots were depicted as violent, bloodthirsty brutes who, once they attacked Earth, would slaughter, rape, and pillage every civilian enclave.

In truth, though Jupitris was technically fighting for freedom and against oppression, General Yu Kojima had less than humane ways of going about it. Kojima had had plans for Gagarin that, fortunately for the Federation, could not have come to fruition once Gagarin was retaken; Kojima had planned to attach thrusters to the massive station, and then drop it on the Federation's largest city, London. And though Gagarin was now safely under Federation control, the station colonies that had pledged support to the Federation were not. And they were much larger than Gagarin.

Going back to the initial issue...why did Evangeline fight the Federation? Not, as was Jarvis' believed, in memory of her parents, though there was a factor of that in it. Perhaps fear that Jupitris would force her to permanently merge with Zephranthys if she ever tried to escape. But also because Kojima had told her there was more to her parents' death than she knew.

As the elevator stopped and they stepped out into what appeared to be a hangar, Evangeline saw a number of Frames--and one which appeared to be a prototype of some sort. Her thoughts were confirmed when Michael spoke; apparently he intended for them to accompany him in it. She signed the waiver--not as if she was going to sue them if she died, of course--and then looked back to Michael for further explanation.

Jarivs laughed to himself silently. They were discussing espionage, treason, and the fate of a war. Yet this Michael was concerned about liability waivers. It was the most absurd thing he'd ever experienced. But not wanting to deal with the fools' reaction if he refused Jarvis signed the waiver. He folded his arms as it was passed to the next person. This whole business just didn't sit right with him. The presence of the federation captain still nagged at him, like a wasp that just wouldn't go away. Well, one would certainly know how to deal with such a pest. You swat them.