{"id":1945,"date":"2017-04-19T07:31:06","date_gmt":"2017-04-19T12:31:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1945"},"modified":"2017-04-22T07:32:56","modified_gmt":"2017-04-22T12:32:56","slug":"the-cimalian-princess-rebellion-part-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1945","title":{"rendered":"The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion – Part 18"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

Part 18<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Meia sat silently pushing the food around the plate with her fork. The meal seemed less appetizing after the recent information came back to them and the knowledge of what she had to do.\u00a0 The thought of it made her stomach roll slightly.<\/p>\n

She jumped slightly when a plate was set down beside her. Looking up she saw Randy sitting down next to her and returning her gaze with a worried one.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything okay?\u201d he asked sitting down and looking at her plate of food.<\/p>\n

Meia briefly debated with herself about telling Randy what was bothering her before deciding to say anything. \u201cNot really,\u201d she finally said answering the question, watching as he looked on waiting patiently for her to continue.\u00a0 \u201cIts about my uncle, and the fact I have to face him.\u00a0 It terrifies me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked back down at her food then at Randy after he was silent for several seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this because of everything he\u2019s done to you?\u201d Randy asked. Meia paused to think about the question.\u00a0 Sure a lot had happened lately but this felt different.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, something I\u2019ve had all my life, can\u2019t really rationalize it at all. I\u2019ve always been afraid of him.\u00a0 I thought everyone had that reaction but now I think it was just me,\u201d Meia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cInteresting, it might be what he wanted, you afraid of him,\u201d Randy replied back to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Meia asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what better way to control someone than using fear, and from what I\u2019ve been able to learn of your uncle he uses that very well,\u201d Randy replied back to her.<\/p>\n

She took some time to consider the statement. True, her uncle seemed to use fear more than anyone else, and her memories of him were altered by him when was younger.\u00a0 He created memories in her and possibly a sense of fear in case she learned who she was.\u00a0 A safe guard he thought he had over her no matter what she did.\u00a0 He probably couldn\u2019t trust the drugs forever so a backup plan, something he would do against her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe seems to have planned my life out very carefully,\u201d Meia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep, except for one thing,\u201d Randy said.<\/p>\n

Meia frowned wondered what he might mean. She knew nothing that he might not have expected from her, including the fear which still seemed to control her.\u00a0 He even managed to control her memories.<\/p>\n

He forgot about others, like Olin,\u201d Randy stated.<\/p>\n

Meia blinked, Olin, the green \u2013haired Beta who had been jealous of her abilities leading him to try to eliminate her. Instead he had given her to the Alliance where everything changed, her uncle had way less control.\u00a0 One act her uncle had not counted on, a twist of fate due to the fact her fighter ejected her into the hangar.\u00a0 And Randy, and the crew of the Akagi who accepted her as one of their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did change everything,\u201d Meia said realizing the truth.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now you\u2019re surrounded by people who like you, people who call you a friend and will support you on this quest,\u201d Randy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy quest?\u201d Meia said a bit startled by the use of such a word.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, if you succeed you will probably end the war and new possibilities ay open up between the Cimalian Empire and the Alliance,\u201d Randy said. \u201cEven Greg thought so, he was under the impression that many Alphas were not in favor of the war.\u00a0 Many might not even want to fight the Alliance, but develop the Cimalian Empire and take their rightful place in the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meia gave that consideration, knowing Alphas wanted money and power, or from what she could recall. They enjoyed it, a bit like the rich in the Alliance.\u00a0 A natural divide in a society.\u00a0 It might be true they feared an invasion of the Alliance, a new power which could displace their spot in the Empire.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess my being here makes me uncontrollable to my uncle,\u201d Meia finally said. She was in a spot her uncle had trouble reaching.\u00a0 Did he know of her plans or was he in the dark?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way I see it, the longer you\u2019re away from his poison the stronger you will grow,\u201d Randy said. \u201cAnd that probably scares him to death.\u201d<\/p>\n

They fell into a silence as Randy ate and she continued to push her food around in deep thought. Randy made it all sound so easy, grow stronger, support, but she understood the end of the mission would be the hardest, facing her uncle.\u00a0 She figured once things started everything else would go automatically and nothing she did could stop it.\u00a0 She and everyone else would be along for the ride.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, don\u2019t play with your food for too long,\u201d randy said standing up. She looked up to see he was holding his tray.\u00a0 He stepped towards her placing a hand on her shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cWhen the time comes I know you\u2019ll have the strength to do what needs to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that he walked off to put his tray up, but Meia felt the warmness of someone believing in her curl around her. She felt is she could bottle up this feeling for later she might actually stand a chance against her uncle.\u00a0 Deciding she had been there long enough and she should head to eh hangar to see how her squadron was shaping up, perhaps run a simulation against John, a friendly competition.<\/p>\n

With a sense of purpose she left the cafeteria headed to the hangar.<\/p>\n

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

Greg sat listening to Dave give his reports. So far Carl had been willing to help a lot more than their mysterious contact had been.\u00a0 Greg noticed a slight hesitation when Dave was speaking about that person making Greg wonder if some sort of threat had been made.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn short, Carl\u2019s not sure who he can trust, but thinks he can get in touch with a few people in the resistance who are not controlled by the Emperor,\u201d Dave replied back to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see, did he say when he would be able to inform us if he has anyone?\u201d Greg asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he thought it might take a couple of days, until then I suggest no contact with them, it might raise suspicions,\u201d Dave said, Greg nodded agreeing with him. \u201cUm, this palace contact, she\u2019s starting to worry me.\u00a0 She almost knows too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue, but her information has yet to be wrong,\u201d Greg stated giving it some thought. \u201cThe Emperor is consumed about Meia.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sat back in the chair thinking about the young woman he met not long ago. Her eyes were so much like her father\u2019s.\u00a0 He wondered how so many didn\u2019t see the connections before.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, you all right?\u201d Dave asked, his voice full of worry.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine, just thinking about Prince Boris,\u201d Greg answered. \u201cHaven\u2019t thought about him in a while, at least not the fun side.\u00a0 It was after his death that I asked for a change in careers, of course I wasn\u2019t that young anymore but still had a lot of years left to be a fighter pilot, or even career military.\u00a0 But, I found it became a chore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Greg never noticed Meia in the training classes, then again Alphas and Betas were separate from the lower classes so he would have trained different people in the academy.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, what other news do you have?\u201d Greg asked hoping to get to their palace contact.<\/p>\n

\u201cOut contact thinks she can get Meia into the palace without being seen,\u201d Dave said.<\/p>\n

Greg thought about that for a few seconds before realizing he needed to put a false trail for the Emperor regarding Meia. He knew she wouldn\u2019t come down until it was time, it was also safer that way.\u00a0 He then realized he had another mission to undertake and realized only one person could really pull it off, Jayne.<\/p>\n

Go see Jayne, I have a mission for her,\u201d Greg said. \u201cI need her to w ear a blue wig down in the Epsilon sector for a bit, have a few people spot her then leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBlue wig?\u201d Dave asked confused.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, with the Emperor\u2019s fixation on Meia any distraction will help us out,\u201d Greg said. \u201cAlso, don\u2019t tell anyone that Meia isn\u2019t on the planet\u2019s surface.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, when should she do this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs quickly as possible, if we\u2019re going to make our move we need everyone looking in other directions,\u201d Greg said to him.<\/p>\n

He watched Dave nod before heading back out of his office. He sat for several minutes before deciding to get out of the house as well and headed to the door.\u00a0 \u201cLiam, I\u2019m out for a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir, shall I tell others you are out walking?\u201d Liam asked from his spot near the dining room table.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I don\u2019t know when I\u2019ll be back either,\u201d Greg said, getting a reply from Liam and heading out of the house. He walk outside and thought about an old friend, someone he hadn\u2019t talked to in years.\u00a0 Making a decision he turned and headed in that direction wondering if his friend would even talk to him after so long.<\/p>\n

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

Meia glanced up at the incoming fighters knowing things were about to get interesting.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen up squadron, stay with your wimgmen, don\u2019t overextend yourself, and get ready to engage,\u201d Meia said, looking around for her target. He would out here somewhere probably looking for her as well.<\/p>\n

The squadron engaged with lasers criss crossing space even as lined one up and fired before moving on to the next target. Her warning light went off causing her to instinctively turn her fighter.<\/p>\n

A quick maneuver and she realized who she was facing off against. She twisted and turned returning fire causing him to evade her shots.\u00a0 She hoped her own fighter could handle themselves as she faced off against this enemy.<\/p>\n

She watched the enemy fighter closely seeing it begin a maneuver and recognized it. Turning she avoided another shot before returning fire causing the pilot to break his maneuver.\u00a0 She turned once more feeling the battle was about to climax, one would win the other lose.<\/p>\n

The enemy fighter turned and slide in space, a maneuver she knew about. She used a quick burst of speed and slide her fighter sideways as well, pressing the trigger and not waiting for the targeting computer.\u00a0 She watched with some satisfaction as the fighter exploded.<\/p>\n

Taking a few seconds to look around she relaxed a bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimulation ended,\u201d the computer said causing the space to be replaced by the green color of the cockpit screen. Taking off the helmet she exited the simulator along with the rest of her squadron.\u00a0 She looked up to see John walking towards her along with a tech with a pad in his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave to remember that one,\u201d John said to her. \u2018\u201dThat makes it what, ten to one that you\u2019ve beaten me now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope, nine one and one,\u201d Meia replied seeing a frown on his face. \u201cI count that first fight as a draw.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot too sure about that one, you had me on the run,\u201d John replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do, if I had one you wouldn\u2019t be here, if you had won I wouldn\u2019t be here,\u201d Meia said logically.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019re being nice to me,\u201d John said with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice, wait until next time, I won\u2019t go so easy on you,\u201d Meia said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEasy, then I guess I\u2019ll have to take this to the next level,\u201d John bantered back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen this show of one-up-man-ship is over can we see our results?\u201d a pilot said interrupting them. Meia recognized him as a pilot in John\u2019s squadron.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, and we are we going to get cool call signs, we had them over on the Hood,\u201d Another said.<\/p>\n

Meia looked back at John for an answer there. For her call signs were the squadron number so she looked at John for leadership here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think \u2018rascals\u2019 would go over too well,\u201d John said a slight grin on his face at the name.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I don\u2019t know,\u201d one pilot replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could have the \u2018rascals\u2019 and \u2018blue royals\u2019,\u201d another pilot said, who Meia recognized as Terry.<\/p>\n

\u201cInteresting,\u201d John replied obviously thinking about it. \u201cI might be able to convince Kim about the Blue Royals, but Rascals I’m not too sure about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meia felt slightly out of the loop and decided to wait until after the meeting to ask John about it. Turning her attention to the results she noticed she had two kills, a few more had higher kills but that was because she had spent most of the engagement against John.<\/p>\n

Overall her squad did very well considering John\u2019s squad had more experienced pilots. With the debriefing over she watched everyone head out of the room.<\/p>\n

End part 18<\/p>\n

Continued in part 19<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion by AJ Marks Part 18 Meia sat silently pushing the food around the plate with her fork. The meal seemed less appetizing after the recent information came back to them and the knowledge of what she had to do.\u00a0 The thought of it made her stomach roll slightly. She jumped slightly […]
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