{"id":1883,"date":"2017-03-04T07:15:17","date_gmt":"2017-03-04T13:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1883"},"modified":"2017-03-08T07:20:58","modified_gmt":"2017-03-08T13:20:58","slug":"the-cimalian-princess-rebellion-part-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1883","title":{"rendered":"The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion – Part 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

by AJ\u00a0Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Part 5<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Meia stepped into the pilot briefing room and noticed that both Randy and Kim stood at the front and had the feeling she would be joining them up there as well. Something she did not quite feel comfortable with yet.\u00a0 She noticed John stood off to the side of the room as squadron commander, yet still no commander for squadron two oh one.\u00a0 Meia took her normal seat and waited for the meeting to begin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of announcements so let\u2019s get going,\u201d John said taking control of the situation.<\/p>\n

Meia looked at John, who had taken a moment to look at her, then over at Randy who started to speak.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst off, we\u2019re welcoming a new commanding officer who will be taking over command of the two oh one,\u201d Randy said to them. \u201cLieutenant Meia will be taking charge, as well as receiving a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and now a Wing Commander of the Akagi.\u00a0 Captain John Reed will not be Group Captain of the fleet and still leader of the one one six.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meia felt stunned at that announcement even as people looked her way and waited for the inevitable outburst from someone about her being in a leadership position. She felt shocked at the fact no one seemed to even speak up as Randy continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cNext on the agenda will take a bit of work. The Admiralty has decided on a course of action against the Cimalian Empire.\u00a0 The Strike Fleet will again head into Cimalian territory, but this time we are under the guise of helping the true heir to the empire recapture the throne,\u201d Randy told them.<\/p>\n

This time a low murmur went through the crowd and looked in her direction. Meia felt herself blush at the amount of attention she now received as people spoke about how this meant.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, they\u2019ll be time to discuss this later, for now what this mean,\u201d Randy said to them all, hushing them. \u201cIt means we\u2019re going to have to start acting like Cimalian military, imitating their procedures and how they even talk.\u00a0 It also means that among the pilots there will be an additional change in appearance according to your level of training.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several grumbled at that.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll receive a new color along with your rank. It will be either black, brown, yellow, red, green or blue,\u201d Randy said to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre we going to have to dye our hair as well?\u201d one pilot asked standing up. \u201cCause I\u2019d look ridiculous with green hair.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meia heard a few chuckles at that statement and she tried to imagine John with different color hair and couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat has yet to be decided, but you\u2019ll want to know your level in case we start taking on prisoners or potential allies,\u201d Randy said to them.<\/p>\n

Meia glanced around seeing several people wince at the thought of changing their hair color. She also realized that dying the hair could only be temporary as the hair would grow back to the original color unless they were actually modified as she had been.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t we have patches or something?\u201d another pilot asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know about that,\u201d Randy said as Meia caught his attention. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can use patches, the technology to change our hair color hasn\u2019t been around for very long. Before they used patches on the shoulder, we can do the same thing,\u201d Meia explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cMight be easier, would require some time to gain the appropriate patches,\u201d Randy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about \u2018Hick\u2019s Alterations\u2019 on Pacifica, she might be able to design something quicker,\u201d John said speaking up.<\/p>\n

Meia glanced over at Randy who appeared to be thinking it over before realizing it was a good suggestion.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, sounds good,\u201d Randy finally said to everyone. \u201cGet you\u2019re squadrons together and we\u2019ll see how many of each color we need.\u00a0 The next thing you\u2019ll receive is your rank, it goes in order, Alpha Supreme, Alpha, Beta, Delta, gamma and Epsilon, know your role and how it works.\u00a0 For this we\u2019re drawing out of a box to determine your role on the ship, and your position.\u00a0 Remember what class you are, and who around you is of the same class.\u201d<\/p>\n

She heard a few people around her chuckle at the idea of what they were about to do before she spoke up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI might be foolish to you, but if we\u2019re to fool the resistance into helping us then we\u2019ll have to appear as one of them, not the Alliance. Citizens are dependent on such rankings for everything, living quarters, family, friends, everything.\u00a0 If you served on board a real Cimalian warship you\u2019d also be punished for doing anything wrong, especially if you were doing something wrong.\u00a0 We must give the impression that everything is under my command, not the Alliance, so be careful who you speak to,\u201d Meia said to them.<\/p>\n

She sat down and realized what she had done even as Randy took back over. However, she was so focused on what she had said she never heard what Randy was talking about.\u00a0 Somehow speaking out had felt natural to her.<\/p>\n

Perhaps she had the leadership abilities she didn\u2019t think she had. John and Randy had both told her that she had a knack for leadership.\u00a0 She still looked at herself as a Epsilon class citizen and not the Alpha Superior citizen she really was.<\/p>\n

With a mental shake of her head she realized she would have to begin thinking that way, especially if the plan was to succeed.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Jack looked across the table at Mary who was looking back at him with that strange look she would give him from time to time. He learned to wait to see what she had to say before saying anything.\u00a0 Taking another bit of the meal he thought back to the last time he ate here, it was with Randy and Meia before the previous encounter with the Cimalian Empire and the whole fiasco of clones.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s Randy doing?\u201d Mary finally asked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, doing fine. He stopped by HQ earlier today as part of a big meeting.\u00a0 Sorry, but I can\u2019t tell you any more than that,\u201d Jack said almost apologizing to her despite the fact she understood.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Meia?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe attended as well, in fact it was her plan we ended up using. Of course some question the plan but I think it will work,\u201d Jack said giving it some thought.\u00a0 \u201cShe looked fine considering everything she\u2019s gone though in the past year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe poor girl, so much has been taken away from her, and she\u2019s missed out on so much and yet is full of expectations and wonder. It\u2019s a curious thing,\u201d Mary stated.<\/p>\n

Jack looked up at the comment to see his wife looking at him again with that strange look he had seen several times as she continued on.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time I saw Meia, I knew she wasn\u2019t from the Alliance, and it wasn\u2019t the hair. I felt she had a spark of greatness in her that I\u2019m not sure she even understands yet,\u201d Mary said to him causing him to smile a bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, Randy said something similar to me when we were talking in private. Something about the universe already has her destiny picked out for her, or something like that,\u201d Jack said to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that then perhaps there is some hope for him yet,\u201d Mary stated, smiling as well. \u201cI know Cassie didn\u2019t get any so it had to go somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe he did, or maybe he\u2019s a good judge of character. All I know is if it helps him out on his mission then all the better,\u201d Jack replied back to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat dangerous?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Jack replied feeling his communicator go off. \u201cAdmiral White here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdmiral, glad to finally get a hold of you,\u201d Chad\u2019s voice said making him wonder what had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s happened?\u201d Jack asked, his mind racing over the possibilities and the only thing he could come up with was another invasion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, its Senator Barnes sir,\u201d Chad replied, not realizing the panic in Jack which had dropped slightly even as Chad continued. \u201cShe\u2019s wanting to know more about the operation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAah, well, right now she knows as much as we do,\u201d Jack replied. \u201cI\u2019ll need to speak with Randy, but, hold on a sec I\u2019ve got an idea.\u00a0 Put her though, I\u2019m assuming she\u2019s right there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Chad replied.<\/p>\n

Jack looked over at Mary who merely took another bit of her food but said nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdmiral, you have something for me?\u201d Amy Barnes said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not much, but it might help,\u201d Jack said. \u201cIf this plan is to succeed it\u2019ll need some help from us to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m listening,\u201d Amy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe both know that the spies within the Alliance are still around and reporting back to the Cimalian empire,\u201d Jack aid to her. \u201cWell, we can use this to our advantage, and doing this would be like a conspiracy theory the press is always talking about.\u00a0 We could make a comment about a group of warships influenced by Meia have taken off on their own for vengeance against the Cimalian Empire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, you want me to lie to the public, the same one who put me into replace a liar?\u201d Amy asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, since you put it like that yeah,\u201d Jack replied back to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm, controversial, sneaky and yet straight forward, I like it,\u201d Amy said. \u201cI have no idea what type of reaction this will generate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but we\u2019ll wait until the plan is underway,\u201d Jack said to her. \u201cOtherwise we might tip off the enemy too soon, and I think I can cover for a while before things get heated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I can press, or defend, your actions depending on the type of reactions I get from Vernada,\u201d Amy said thinking about it as well. \u201cThis sounds interesting.\u00a0 In the meantime I can tell others what so far?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe military has drawn up new defense plans in case of another attack by the Cimalian Empire,\u201d Jack said to her. \u201cI can give them position of the First and Second fleets which should be enough to distract the press from the plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, try and keep me informed of what is going on, otherwise I\u2019ll wing it,\u201d Amy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re good enough to do that,\u201d Jack said honestly. \u201cWe\u2019ll try to keep you informed without endangering the mission.\u00a0 Put Chad back on.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few seconds of silence then Chad\u2019s face appeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you hear all that?\u201d Jack asked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d Chad said, sounding a bit hesitant in this plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, you\u2019re going to be passing information back and forth when possible,\u201d Jack told him. \u201cWe might need an undercover liaison with Amy, get someone you trust to take the position.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be talking with them a lot about sensitive data.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir, I think I have the perfect person,\u201d Chad said, sounding a bit better.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, of course all this happens only if the mission proceed,\u201d Jack replied to him. \u201cUntil then we prepare for the event, including a liaison person, you could even go normal and call it a way to help streamline communications with congress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the president?\u201d Chad asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey stay out of the loop for now,\u201d Jack replied before ending he conversation. He looked over at his wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a good thing there are not many people here,\u201d she said to him. \u201cThe closest appears to be engrossed with each other than to listen to what you said.\u00a0 In fact,\u201d she looked over at them again before continuing, \u201cI think a bomb could go off and they still wouldn\u2019t notice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack groaned realizing his wife was right. \u201cOh well, its done and hopefully no one heard it.\u201d<\/p>\n

End part 5<\/p>\n

Continued in part 6<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion by AJ\u00a0Marks Part 5 Meia stepped into the pilot briefing room and noticed that both Randy and Kim stood at the front and had the feeling she would be joining them up there as well. Something she did not quite feel comfortable with yet.\u00a0 She noticed John stood off to the […]
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