Jarrod Kane's Story

The Parliament building of the Aschen Confederation.

Inside the derelict halls of the Aschen Parliament building, a restructuring of the government was taking place, with new orders being disseminated out to the Aschen fleet.

Televisions had been turned as the people watched with bated breath...

"Mr. Kane if you would raise your right hand, and place your left on the book." Priestess Elosha, a Kobollian Priestess said, as she prepared to administer the oath.

Jarrod Kane nodded slowly, before he raised his right hand, and he placed his left on the book.

Elosha nodded. "Repeat after me..." She said.

"I... Jarrod Kane, Do avow and affirm to faithfully execute the office of the President of the Aschen Confederation of Planets..."

Kane took a breath.

"I... Jarrod Kane, do avow and affirm to faithfully execute the office of the President of the Aschen Confederation of Planets."

..."To Protect and defend the Articles of Confederation."

"To Protect and Defend the Articles of Confederation."

..."From Enemies both foreign and domestic."

"From Enemies both foreign and domestic."

..."With every fiber of my being."

"With every fiber of my being."

..."So say we all."

"So say we all."

Following the swearing in, thundering applause erupted in the Parliament building, and the Quorum building, and began to spill out into the streets as a bell began to chime. The Rioting, the destruction, and the death took a brief and festive pause, thundering through the city's ruins as the people began to tear down the statue of the Divine Shadow. Screaming and chanting in the streets.

"Freedom!" They called out, as energy weapons fire streaked into the sky from small arms across the city. It was a bittersweet moment across the Empire as mothers embraced their children.

From the streets of Tal'dor, to the towering buildings of Molecay, people poured into the streets to celebrate, as the Empire began to crumble, and collapse around them. Roving bands tore propaganda from the walls, and statues toppled one by one.

For anyone tuning in, a festive atmosphere began to spread like wildfire across the Aschen Empire.

However, despite the celebration across the Empire, those hurt and dying in Caprica City had an immediate issue to face, as Emergency workers moved through the rubble and debris, and the occasional celebratory mob. Those that emerged were taken to hospitals across the Caprican Province.

Behind the Coalition lines, the rythmic song of deafening footsteps echoed through the foliage of the Hidden Glen, a shadow casting itself over the Saber tanks and the Coalitioin personnel within them. The towering form of a King Oni walker stepped up behind Coalition lines, while a Tsunami Tank rolled up alongside the saber, followed by a pair of Sudden Transports.

Disembarking from the Sudden transport was a young Taiyou commandant, the supreme commander of the 1st Imperial armada, Ayako Katamura. Slowly she stepped up to the Coalition lines, flanked on either side by Imperial warriors.

"Whose in charge of this operation?" She said, coming up to the driver side of the vehicle. "I need to speak with the Commanding Officer." She said, handing the nearest UCON officer a data disc containing tactical data from a previous engagement. "Coalition forces are to relinquish all real estate jurisdiction from this particular Reverence immediately." She said, moving past the group to observe the dead ship below. "This is a confirmed kill from the ITN Suzuhara no Abe, a Yamato class Battleship and therefore falls under Imperial Taiyou jurisdiction. We ask all surviving personnel be handed over to us for immediate processing."

---

Commander Bentley and Admiral Whitcomb turned to Aaric, and then they looked to the screen showing the King Oni towering over the ridge. "The Taiyou were the ones that shot us down, no doubt here to kill the rest of us off... if UCON is demanding officers and you're getting enlisted.."

In the rear of the bridge, there was a sudden groan, and a person stumbled fourth into the CIC, prompting salutes from both Admiral Whitcomb and Commander Bentley. "President Kane!" They said, and the other man held his head. "I was knocked out in the fight.. what happened?" He said, clutching the declaration of surrender in his hands, signed and notarized by the quorum.

"We've been shot down by the Taiyou, and UCON, the Taiyou, and the Varden are arguing over who picks over the kill." Whitcomb said, Kane nodded and then reached for the communicator.

"This is President Jarrod Kane, what assurances do we have that we will not be harmed, I have an important message to deliver to the Coalition executive government.. and was en-route to deliver said message to the Coalition..." He said, waiting for a response.

Aaric raised a brow and eyed Whitcomb who had regained consciousness and was now speaking to President Kane. Of course his face was hidden behind his PDS helmet. “We did not respond to this crash site to finish you off, salvage your technology, steal information, or take hostages. We responded to this site to provide medical assistance and found you and your vessel to be in need of rescue.”

The squad sized element continued to perform the tasks issued as commands, setting up a perimeter. “Since the reformation of your government the mandate, at least as far as the Aschen are involved has been suspended. The conditional declaration of war by the Varden on the Aschen has been suspended per the request of Kianna McGregor before the reformation and expunged by the act. This is true unless you choose to continue hostilities that are described in the still existing mandate which I can go into detail on at some other time. Our intent is to provide you transport to an Aschen system...”, he said as he eyed the declaration in the President’s hand. “… where you could issue any declaration from a safe location.” He turned his head back up to look into the President’s eyes. “Thirty minutes is more than enough time for us to organize such an evacuation but the intent to detonate an NaNBC weapon or device with NaNBC capability and range here would cause me to reconsider. I must know of your intent.”

Aaric waited for President Kane’s response as President Kane waited for the Coalition’s. The communication Aaric had transmitted repeated once more and then was dropped.

; Colonel Arthur Slaw watched the Taiyou mech traverse the skyline, nearby Coalition aircraft in slow burns overhead like a picturesque resemblance of the Tripartite. “We have a perimeter established here Commander but that ship’s a red-zone. We only have two gunships inbound now, you can’t move anything heavy in the area or you might compromise the remnants more. We need to step back and keep this zone clear of any more god damn intruders okay? We already have the Varden in there claiming prisoners of war.” The Azrican hitched a thumb back towards a smoke cloud billowing over the horizon, as another small convoy of armored cars rolled out past the Coalition checkpoint. “Twenty meters away is the mobile command center, we’re receiving full transmissions from the site now.”

In the command center a technician pointed another enlisted man over to a holoboard as the other hand clutched the headphone to his ear. “Sonuvabitch the fucking President of the Confederation was on that ship -- we need to get them the fuck out of this ET gagglefuck now.” The enlisted man took a tablet device from his hand and quickly sprinted through the large tent to a Master Sergeant with his feet up on a desk.

“Fuck Wills you’re always on duty for the worst shit, god dammit we need a dispatch to Slaw now and you need to get a shake-down on the line from Regiment!” The Master Sergeant nearly toppled over the desk as he took the tablet device and disappeared out of the flap door.

An engine sprang to life as the stripped-down Saber turned over and a marine special operator threw away the camouflage netting that had been previously draped over it. Around him, three other Saber’s that comprised MAG Alpha Six’s special infiltration vehicles sputtered as their engines burned to life and their crew readied the sprinting vehicles for their mission. On the gunner’s deck of the first Saber a masked soldier yanked the bolt back on the 14.7mm three barreled rotary cannon, and a thumb toggled the electric chamber of the 7mm revolver gun co-axial to the rotary.

“You think this is fuckin’ real? Just a random Reverence the Tiy’s shot out of the sky … war’ll be better off without another one.” Another masked gunman said from the exposed back seat of the Saber that came rolling out of the tiny dug-out garage. The driver pulled goggles over his eyes and made one last adjustment to the helmet on his head before pointing a finger out of the car.

“Time to realize why you’re paid to shoot instead of think, remember why you didn’t join Intelligence. Buckle up and roll marines, we’re meeting some SRI sissies for a nice walk on the Reverence.”



Several kilometers above the wreckage site the bay door of a Vedama heavy transport jet slowly lumbered open, leaving the platoon of khaki-colored soldiers spectator to the calm, gradual colors and sights of the ground below them; all marked with the charred image of the Aschen Reverence below them. “This is Six Three, we’re ready.”

“See ya’ later, stupid.”

The first soldier took a running jump out the back of the airjet, with his arms and legs spread out beside him as he plummeted down through a patchwork of clouds and felt the tug of the chute loft him in the air on a descent to the ship. “I’m inbound, triangulate that transmission onboard the ship and standby to hack directly into the onboard life monitors.” The soldier’s face was obscured in a blank helmet made of a single plate as he used a computer module on his forearm as the ground began to close in. “I’m inbound in ten -- get ready with the Eyeglass, I don’t want any unnecessary surprises while I’m dangling out here waiting for those poor Group fucks.”

Commandant Katamura scoffed a moment. "Varden claiming prisoners of war my ass." She said, taking a pair of binoculars from an Imperial warrior and bringing them to her face, watching the scorched hull of the ship. "Finders Keepers. Take the crew, we get the ship." She said, turning back to Colonel Arthur.

"And it's Commandant, not Commander. A Commander controls a single ship, an Admiral commands a fleet, Commandants command Imperial fleets flagged by the Emperor." She corrected, her accent marring her words only slightly. "I've got four more King Onis in bound, and Sudden Transports to take control of the crew, I can have officers and enlisted transported to Coalition custody, I also understand the President is on board." She said, frowning.

"That complicates things... never the less, with this new intelligence, the Prince has elected to come here to Terra so we can negotiate the surrender of the Aschen Empire." She said, staring out at the ship.

"Best have your heads of state on the horn as well." She said, while being handed a communicator to communicate with the Varden.

"Attention representatives of the Varden Federation, this ship is a designated Taiyou kill, you will surrender the Aschen crew to Taiyou or Coalition custody immediately-- This is non-negotiable, you have thirty earth seconds to signal compliance or we will engage."

She turned to one of her Imperial Adjutants, a young Taiyou man in a crisp black uniform.

"Sono fune ni notte idō suru tame no junbi, Aschen sa rete inai nanika o korosu." She ordered, and the man nodded quickly.

"Hai, Wakarimashita."

Ayako then turned back to the Colonel. "It's strongly advised that all Coalition assets move to immediate cooperative to targeting all Varden assets. This is going to spiral out of control fast." She advised.

---

President Kane simply shook his head, then sent anothe transmission. "I have an urgent message to deliver to the COalition and Taiyou heads of state, my staff and myself are ready to transfer to Coalition or Taiyou custody, so long as we're not harmed." He advised, while Whitcomb and Commander Bentley turned to eachother, then to Aaric. "I wouldn't challenge the Taiyou... problem is the Taiyou are liable to gut us as soon as they take us out." Whitcomb said, but the radio waves were split asunder as a single Taiyou sudden Transport passed overhead, unlike the standard white wash, this was bathed in a deep crimson, and it bore the Imperial Seal, Prince Takayama was already on station.

Aaric tilted his head to the sky for a moment before turning back to the collection of Aschen leaders. ‘The Pike is in position and is awaiting green status on the PJP. They will light the beacon on your command Admiral.’, EGO communicated with Aaric. The Varden Admiral raised a brow though none of the Aschen could see his expression. “I am not about to start a war trying to rescue people that do not wish to be rescued. Such an act would be akin to kidnapping. I hope for your sake and the sake of your people that you are making the right decision Mr. President.”

‘Disseminate.’ Aaric thought and EGO responded. ‘Target?’ The thought in reply came next. ‘The Aschen.’ A device, resembling a steel flower opened on the PJP. A trillion specialized and highly advanced nanites swarmed the site, seeking out Aschen personnel. They would painlessly attach themselves to the survivors of the Thunderous Song as dictated by EGO unless otherwise stopped or prevented. The PJP shimmered and vanished from sight.

‘Transmit to the Coalition, repeating the President’s attempt at communication.’ Aaric thought. ‘The communication is being repeated…’, EGO replied. Threats issued by the Taiyou or other organizations meant nothing to Aaric or other Varden leaders. Like always he acted in accordance with reason and the principles instilled during a long career. Once the communication was complete Aaric transmitted to the Coalition and the Taiyou. "This is Admiral Aaric Arlan, Field Marshal, Second in command of the Varden Expeditionary Theater. I would normally inquire as to the name and title of the individual representing the Taiyou in matters of diplomatic relations but the Varden will be withdrawing. Such inquiries then are moot.”

Aaric turned his head in the president’s direction and continued to transmit. “It would behoove the Coalition and Empire to give fair and just treatment to these detainees, applying neither torture or the threat or action of execution. Aaric out.”

‘Have the Pike light the beacon.’, Aaric thought. EGO transmitted an audible alert to every member of the squad. They all turned to look in his direction as Aaric turned to the President, the Admiral, and the Commander. “Good luck.” ‘Three, two, one, jumping…’, EGO communicated to each warden. Space seemed to stretch and boil around their forms. For a moment they were still there and yet not. They were there and also somewhere else. A nimbus of bright light engulfed them and shot out from them where they had been standing but not into the air. The rays traveled down, encountering the ground beneath their feet and vanishing. This same process took the VTOL and the defensive positions the Varden had previously set up to include the Casters, Charges, MAGs, and HCBs that they had dug in to defend the Aschen.

Leading them through the halls of the ship, which was by now littered with corpses and Aschen technicians cleaning the bodies and deactivating the already battered systems.

Once through the exit, Austin would find out the reason why the ship was sucked in and battered around, then flooded with Aschen soldiers. It had been pulled into a Reverence II and boarded.

Moving through the Catwalk and into the Cooridor leading to the CIC, Adriaan and Wren would be surrounded by the massive, sleek and sexy halls of the Aschen Reverence.

Once they reached a Ring transporter, they ringed to the CIC, as it would take hours or even days to trek from the Hangar bays to the CIC.

Admiral Nagala saluted Inviere, and Inviere nodded, and then turned to Austin.

"Agent Marshall, Welcome aboard the Far Sight Lost. I would like you to stay for a debriefing, and then we'll be returning you to your ships."

She then turned back to Austin. "You've met Admiral Inviere." She said, turning to face an array of monitors.

"Or should I say Chairman Inviere." Nagala said, turning back to Austin.

"We're not the United Aschen Empire anymore, We're the Confederation again. Following the Taiyou assault on our home worlds, and internal dissent, it just collapsed. A President was sworn in a couple weeks ago." Nagala said, frowning. "There's been some Agitation between Terra and the Taiyou, but we've since surrendered to UCON. I've been relieved of command and assigned to Special Projects, and Inviere here was promoted to Chairman. Divine Shadow is on the run as is his wife, and son."

The ground began to tremble and the air began to thicken with the distinct smell of something being off. This continued for several long moments before the skies above Verinotte Square began to bend and warp, a flash of white light skimming across the skies followed by a deafening crack, and then a rush of air before the looming form of a distinctly colored Reverence I PAC. Unlike the foreboding violet colored military vessels, this one was a white, trimmed with blue, and it bore the seal of the President of the Aschen Confederation.

The nameplate read 'Aschen One' And it seemed to bristle with the latest in Aschen military technology.

The ship remained in the skies for several long moments, it's engines reverberating in a low deafening rumble, causing windows and alike to rattle. After these moments passed, a brilliant column of violet light seared down into the square itself, besides the statue.

This column of light remained. Perhaps something will come of it.

Murphy's law seemed well at work here. It manifested in all manner of ways, from the inconvenient to the catastrophic. Maria and the vampire-hulk's impact with the table in the room turned the furniture into an impromptu catapult with a grizzly payload. The head of a dead child was launched into the air, spinning across the room straight towards where Biohazard was standing.

In the meantime, Maria herself would find her misfortune coming in the form of the table's silverware. A silver steak knife spun in the air for a few moments, before plunging downwards - point first - straight into the woman's hand.

A number of the mutated vampires suffered somewhat more dramatically, as their bodies began to reject the transformations they had undergone, their genetic make-up seemingly by chance being incompatible with the alterations they had undergone. They would find themselves either shrinking back down to their ordinary selves, or keeling over altogether.

As it seemed the fight was dying down, or at least that the hulking vampire beasts were losing focus for the moment, Rune took the opportunity to run away.

Of course, outside there seemed to be little in the way of respite. There were great winged bat things attacking the town even as the mutated vampires lost their drive to fight. How wonderful. Rune decided, based on the academic merits of his various options, to go the other way. He ran off out of the square and disappeared into the hollow.

Achaeos' flames consumed the chair, and when they cleared, Dorotea too was gone. But he had not sensed her spirit leaving her body - no, she had merely vanished. Something else had removed her, it seemed. He did not have time to ponder on this, for at that moment a vehicle ploughed through the wall, and he was forced to dive aside in a rush, skimming the ground as he rapidly darted away from the car's path.

The engine was aflame, however, and it would not be long before it did much further damage in exploding, and so Achaeos acted to prevent it. The fire was snuffed, drawn away from the car through the air and into his lantern before it could cause the vehicle to detonate. The driver was apparently long gone, much as Dorotea had disappeared.

He joined the fight, then, against the oversized vampires. His flames had apparently had no effect, and so he struck instead with lightning, lashing at their bodies and electrocuting them as they fell away. Before long, the conflict was over. The kitsune brushed himself down and strode out of the house, frowning at the scene outside as the Chirons flapped away. He hesitantly approached the large beam of light, halting some distance away and staring up at the ship overhead. What more was to come, he wondered?

The Forces Vankoryth sprung into action as chaos undertook Verinotte Square. While many were prepared, fully armored in soft black leathers, a good number were armed with whatever they could find. Some had the afterthoughts of protection, none seeming to care all too much about their own demonic selves in the face of whatever the hell this was. They worked in tandem with other citizens who had taken up responsibility in the dire time. Doorways were secured, families and unarmed vulnerable's ushered behind walls and to safety. Everywhere mutant humungous vampires dropped like flies. The conflict seemed like it was over before it started, to some.

What of those Chirons flapping away? "Thank the Crawling Chaos," Some muttered at the end of the confusion. Helmets were disbanded, armor was shed. Forces Vankoryth task members sifted out from the shadows to collect bodies. Many were hauled off to the Tower Alba for testing and identification purposes.

As the Forces worked to clean up the rest of the mess, none other than Zosimos Bistreo came bustling out from the Piata. He had come directly from the Stones of Isis, four lightly armed soldiers en swarm. Folding his arms, the angle-faced man frowned deeply upon the spectacle. Was that a corpse hanging from the fountain? His tongue clicked against his fangs. And what was that rancid sme-

That rancid smell.

The Reverence remained high over the square as the flying creatures swarmed the city. The Commander of the Reverence 'Aschen One' was watching the chaos unfold in the safety of the ship's CIC.

"These things are everywhere..." He commented, turning to one of his weapons officers.

"What should we do? Shall we engage?" The weapon officer asked, and on cue, the ship's AI Flickered into view. "I have point-defense targeting solutions on all of the creatures, the ship is ready to fire, on command."

The Commander tapped his chin, then he nodded. "Commence engagement, all batteries weapons free, mind the collateral."

The AI nodded, and a three-dimensional tactical display, complete with firing solutions flickered up before the Commander, and he spread his hands on the railing while he watched.

---


On the ground, it seemed if the massive Aschen ship was coming to life. What seemed a lifeless floating hulk began to rattle, and clank, doors sliding back and quad-barrelled disruptor batteries emerged from the armored hull. Flying creatures impacted the ship's shields, and likely fell like bugs.

There were rapid pops, and the ship began to open fire in all directions, lancing the flying creatures with brilliant green bolts of light, which vaporized them on impact, no flesh, dead or undead could withstand millions of degrees concentrated into a tiny bolt of energy.

One by one the creatures met their end to the overwhelming firepower presented by the singular Aschen ship. The Commander watched, as targets were neutralized one by one.

"Turbodisruptor batteries on the ground targets, precision fire." The AI chimed it's response, and massive turbo-disruptors swiveled on their turrets, to bear aim at one of the massive creatures on the ground.

A Deafening crack, and a flash of green light, the creature burst in a flurry of ash, the ground around it liquefied into molten rock.

One by one the ship engaged the creatures, and they each met their death. It seemed for one massive ship, it was able to engage a myriad of targets.

As they left, the AI Quickly advised the commander of such, and the Commander offered a slight nod. "Very well, cease fire." He said, and as the flying creatures left, the ship would of course, cease fire.

Achaeos turned towards Zosimos as the great sky-ship began to annihilate the attacking winged beasts. The kitsune pegged him for some kind of authority figure, and made his way over. He gave the dhampir and her jelly-like form a curious look, but was far too polite to comment on the oddity of her visage... and the fact that she was carrying a skin around with her. This was a haven for the bizarre and supernatural, after all.

"Greetings." Achaeos bowed politely to Zosimos, smiling to him. "Are you in charge, here? Or at the least, someone of authority who might give me an idea of what I have stumbled into? Do you know of the origins of the sky-ship overhead? I... am to hope that it is on our side, considering the destructive power it has at its disposal."

If only the hulking vampires were so easy to kill.

For every one that fell, be it to a random blast from the ship, a bite from the venomous flying beasts or any of the million other things happening in the area...they learned. When the ship's laser caught one beast it met it's death as one would expext...when the ship's weapons hit a second however...it had no effect. The Tuned Vampire stumbled from the impact...but otherwise was unharmed. It cast a glare up at the ship before roaring it's frustration- it could not fly. The rest of the monsters similarly took no damage from the super-duper lasers. It was almost funny.

While the town defenses did manage to drop a few of the monsters the cost would be grave- each beast was easily twice the size of a normal vampire and had more strength to go with the increase in mass. As soon as the guards would have discovered a way to rid themselves of one beast the next would now be immune to that...it was frustrating, and possibly frightening.

The toxins the flying critters bore were just as useless after the first creature fell to a bite...the rest simply swatted at the fliers in anger- no one LIKES getting chewed on. The remaining creatures scatter, without a directive they simply want to escape this closed in city. Some sprint for the forests while others take refuge in dark alleys and abandoned buildings. They are sure to be a pest in the future.

Unknown to Timo...she has made a grave mistake. Feeding on one of the beasts would only draw in the nanites in the beast's system. She would now be a host for a colony of the miniature machines. Soon they would adapt to her...unique physiology. Then they would begin reproducing. Eventually they would be wormed so deep in her that they would be all but impossible to remove..they would help her of course, granting her the same benefits they granted the Vampires of the Hollow- immunity to fire and the sun's rays, as well as small bonuses to general health....but should Descorp activate her nanites....then she too would face the change these helpless citizens faced.

[[ I'm calling some godmodding here- I'm very particular to my characters and I prefer if things are discussed with me beforehand if you're going to pull some bullshit like that. I don't like things going down without my consent so I humbly withdraw from the rp and retroactively remove all of Timo's involvement in it. Thank you.]]

Inside the newly finished Quorum building of the Aschen Confederation, President Jarrod Kane stood at the podium, the Quorum had assembled to respond to the video released by the Invictus Leader Stryfe.

Brilliant lights shone on the president's face, as the Quorum stood in silence, gazes brought up to the man's face as an adjutant nodded. "Everything's set up." He said, and the President nodded. "We need to be careful not to lump the Terrans as a whole into this." He said, clearing his throat and making several faces into the camera.

The din of the Quorum slowly died down, as the President went over his speach. "Invictus, COG, Lochlyn..." He nodded, then he looked to the camera, while the cameraman made gestures with his finger.

"Tria.. Duo.. Unum."

All eyes were on the president now, the democratically elected leader of the Aschen state.


"Citizens of the Aschen Confederation, and the denizens of all lands and worlds tuned into our channels. I am delivering this speech in a time of great strife for the Aschen people. Our vibrant city, Caprica City lies in ruins, devastated by a cowardly terrorist attack that left many of our people dead, and many more wounded and homeless. This comes at a time when a group on Terra known as the Invictus makes a statement condemning our very people, labeling them as enemies to be purged from Terra. I come with open admonition, we, like yourselves bleed red, fight for our ideals like you fight for yours. As many Aschen have died, as Scatterrans and Taiyou in liberating your world from the oppression of the Empire. I myself am one such partisan against the Divine Shadow.

There is no denying the hardships the Terrans and the Aschen have faced, and the adversity our two nations have thrown at each-other. There is no denying the oppression your people have endured at the hands of alien invaders set on forcing their way of life on your people, establishing governments in their image. Taking away your rights, and your pursuits, your dreams."

The president took a breath, and looked to his words once more.

"The Invictus are not a government Organization, and have no experience in dealing with politics. They are, for all intents and purposes a mercenary organization that does not have Terra's ideals in mind. Stryfe said herself she was not Terran. Can you place your trust in a figure who, does not even represent your people? The only government the Aschen will recognize, is a government established for Terrans, by Terrans. This is why the Aschen Confederation is pledging it's full support behind the Terran National Government, in the establishment and reconstruction of it's own domain. However the Aschen Confederation cannot, and will not recognize any Invictus installed Government, and would scrutinize the democracy put in place."

"Stryfe Alfarsi is a self appointed leader of the Terrans, this is no different than the oppression your people beheld at the hands of the Empire, and of the Taiyou. It would be the patriotic duty of every Terran, to remove this De Facto leadership, and establish your own Government."

"The Aschen Confederation is prepared to fund, and establish a new program on Terra, a Council of Governments for the fractured nations of the Planet, with the aim of fostering mutual dialogue with all governments, and the excision of rogue entities that hold no love for Terra's prosperity."

Kane took another breath.

"We are prepared to meet with each representative of each individual nation on Terra, in the hopes of fostering mutual dialogue, and a convention for all nations to participate in. A true democratic process that will be for the good of all Terra. I implore you, shed the shackles that the Invictus snakes slowly place on you, before it's too late."

As for the coward that destroyed our city, and threatened our very way of life, The Aschen Confederation is offering a five hundred million cubit award for Lochlyn Haley, Dead or alive."

"Thank you for your time, and your patriotism, wherever you may reside. And my fellow Aschen citizens. May the Lords of Kobol guide our just hand, So say we all."

With that, the feed had cut out.

Stryfe barely had a chance to start clearing the cameras and other equipment out of her office when the Aschen responded to her broadcast with slander and blatant lies. Stryfe and Sonia watched as President Kane spoke for what was maybe the second or third time, Sonia rolling her eyes at what she was hearing.

The film crew bringing back any equipment they'd need for another live broadcast. Stryfe was serious about this, and it's not like the crew was going to reject more money.

"They can't be serious." The British woman said to Stryfe, "Our rap sheet, their rap sheet, speaks for itself. We've lost friends and family to them." Sonia said to Stryfe, "Reconsidering your thoughts on my weapons program?" Stryfe asked, raising an eyebrow. "I admit... I'm a little afraid, paranoid. The Aschen have done more bad than good for this planet or us, and their words now will surely mean fighting with them." Sonia said.

"I don't agree with what you want me to do, but I understand why you want me to do it. I'm giving you an ultimatum though. If this program isn't over by the end of August I'm leaving the Invictus." Sonia informed Stryfe, "I understand, I can't promise you anything. But, I will try to convince you to stay." Stryfe said.

"If you're not staying to watch the broadcast, tell Natasha I'm giving the order to allow our possible allies to land on the rooftop helipads." Stryfe told Sonia, "I'll relay the message." Sonia said, turning to head to the exit. "And, Sonia, we'll miss you. Think about us before you make your decision." Stryfe called out to the British scientist.

"We're ready." The director told the Invictus leader, Stryfe's eyes watching Sonia as she left the room. "Let's get to it." Stryfe said, taking a seat at her desk once again.

"Rolling in three... two..." The director gave Stryfe her cue, the red light flashing to confirm that she could speak her mind to the world, to the galaxy, maybe even the universe if it took an interest to what was going on in this small patch of it.

"I've already spoken to you all." Stryfe began, "After I did the Aschen leadership, in typical fashion, responded with lies, slander, and what I believe is yet another plot to take control of Terra." Stryfe said, "They say I and the Invictus don't have experience in politics."

Stryfe lifted her sleeve, sliding it up her arm. She tapped lights that seemed to be shining beneath her skin, a holographic screen shooting up to show a long-haired Arab man in military garb. "This is Kroger ibn Haggai, my father, my adoptive father. Former president of Saudi Arabia after elections." The woman said, waving a hand at the screen to display another image.

This image this time was of an white man with short-blonde hair, he himself donning military clothing. "Patrick Horne, deceased, former Prime Minister and former President of the Irish Republic." The Invictus leader said, moving her hand to show yet another image. This time of a dark-skinned woman with brown hair.

"While she isn't a politician, she has experience. This is Sonia Hughes, arguably one of my best friends, a scientist and former SIB agent. She's worked alongside members of the British Empire for years before she joined us and during her time with us. And she's a genius. Smarter than I'll ever be."

With the tap of one of the lights the holographic display disappeared.

"The Aschen speak of their losses 'liberating' Terra. What about your losses when they were the invaders? When they were the menacing empire? What about my friends, my family, Terran and non-Terran alike, dying in the fight against them?" Stryfe asked, "Do our losses, your losses, mean less to the Aschen?" Stryfe asked, speaking to the general population of Terra and all those who fought against the Aschen in the past.

"Hakim Mustafa, my second cousin from my mother's side. He died fighting the Aschen during one of their earlier invasions. I hate them for it. Not just for him, for others, I resent them. I don't hold any love for them. I can't act against because there are rules in place in the Invictus." Stryfe explained, "Despite this.." She continued, pausing for a long while.

"I forgive them." She said, "And I forgive for their lies about me and my people wanting to take over Terra. I don't want to, we don't want to, unlike the Aschen we're doing this for no gain. We didn't ask for money, or land, or this, or that. We chose to do this, I chose to do this." The Invictus leader informed the masses.

"A lot of people might not know this, but I've decided a long time ago that I don't want anything to do with the politics or leadership of this new, reformed government after it's in full swing. I don't want political power, I don't want to make laws. I want to create a better place to live, do business, raise children." Stryfe said.

"If I do not give up any amassed power immediately upon election of a prime minister or other authority figure for Terra, I will step down as head of the Invictus. I give all Invictus watching a clear and direct order to remove me from power in conjunction with the Terran military and law enforcement."

"And, to the Aschen, to the Taiyou, I forgive you. You have nothing to fear from me unless you attack me, my people, or Terra. And even then I will forgive you. But, in the same vein, I and others will remember you. We won't, we have not, forgotten the past as easily as you have."

"I forgive you for that as well."

With those last words the broadcast came to an end and Stryfe let out a huge sigh. "I'm taking a trip." She said as she stood up from her desk, "Where to?" The director asked, "I heard Shintenchi is nice, Langara too." The Invictus leader answered.

"One or both of those is suicide." The director.

"No, my pale-faced friend, murder if anything happens to me."