{"id":1949,"date":"2017-04-22T07:32:23","date_gmt":"2017-04-22T12:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1949"},"modified":"2017-04-26T08:02:45","modified_gmt":"2017-04-26T13:02:45","slug":"the-cimalian-princess-rebellion-part-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1949","title":{"rendered":"The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion – Part 19"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

Part 19<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Meia made her way over to where John stood now that the meeting was over. She was curious about this naming thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what was that about the names?\u201d Meia asked him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, something that\u2019s a bit of a tradition, legend has it the names go back to ancient Earth and squadrons on board aircraft carriers,\u201d John said confusing Meia. She was unfamiliar with that term as John continued.\u00a0 \u201cSquadrons would have the official name, like the one one six, and then one they would use for quick identification, like ghost or skull, that type of thing,\u201d John said.\u00a0 \u201cSome even has their fighters painted to show off the name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meia frowned at that bit thinking it was strange to do such a thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, we had a name for the two squadrons on the Akagi some time ago, but fell away before the invasion and never thought about it too much until now,\u201d John said. \u201cIt can make it easier to talk to each other, like if you\u2019re Skull squad, you have a number.\u00a0 I could tell half my squad with ease to go somewhere without actually trying to think of their names.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d Meia replied, seeing how that might actually have an advantage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s interesting your squad chose Blue Royals,\u201d John stated, a half grin on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt came straight from you, the blue hair, patch, your skills, and you\u2019re in the royal family of the Cimal Empire,\u201d John replied back to her.<\/p>\n

Meia stared at John for a second before managing to find her voice to reply. \u201cI\u2019m only one person in the squad, they can\u2019t think of something more important to name the squadron after?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did, and it\u2019s a sign that you\u2019ve earned their respect by everything you\u2019ve done,\u201d he replied back to her. \u201cYou don\u2019t even realize how much you\u2019ve touched their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess not, I have to keep having people tell me. Maybe if enough of them tell me I\u2019ll begin to believe it as well,\u201d Meia said giving it some thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it too much, but you have that ability. I know people who try their hardest to be a leader and can\u2019t.\u00a0 They lack that special skill which others just have.\u00a0 You have it, don\u2019t even know it which makes you a great squadron leader,\u201d John said to her.\u00a0 \u201cOr even Empress.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the last part in a whisper but Meia still heard it. She had doubts about that part.\u00a0 There were a lot of things she had to work on to become that leader everyone thought she was.<\/p>\n

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

Admiral Jack White looked over at the two senators making their way towards him and sighed. They managed to track him down again before he needed to head to his shuttle to head back to Pacifica.\u00a0 He supposed he could outrun them again, but he could only do that for so long.\u00a0 He still had to wait for the Musashi to arrive to take him back.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdmiral, glad to see you\u2019re still here,\u201d one said as they closed in on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGentleman, what can I do for you today?\u201d Jack asked them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have some information about one of your fleets, and where is isn\u2019t,\u201d one said and Jack had a feeling he knew where this conversation was going.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d Jack asked. \u201cWhat fleet are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

He silently hoped they were not talking about the fleet he figured they were.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis \u2018Strike Fleet\u2019 as you called it, we can\u2019t find any trace of it, in any of the locations you said it might be in,\u201d the first senator said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh yes, the \u2018Strike Fleet\u2019, I thought I said it wasn\u2019t supposed to be found for security reason,\u201d Jack said thinking quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes you did, but we think you\u2019re hiding some other facts from us,\u201d the senator said. \u201cWe know for a fact it took on a lot of supplies, more than normal for a fleet of that size.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMuch more than normal,\u201d the second senator said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that would be, um, because we don\u2019t want people to know where the fleet is. If it continues to get supplied on a regular basis then it can be tracked, and if that happens then the Cimalian Empire would know where it was,\u201d Jack replied.\u00a0 \u201cIf they know that information they might use it to plan an attack, perhaps even an ambush for the fleet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds logical admiral, but it goes against some interesting things we\u2019ve heard as well,\u201d the first senator said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike the fact the \u2018Strike Fleet\u2019 is no longer in Alliance space, but is in fact on the way to the Cimalian homeworld to start an invasion on their own,\u201d the second one said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGentleman, I can assure you that no such invasion is planned, nor has there been any plan at the moment to invade Cimalius,\u201d Jack stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you say, but I think otherwise,\u201d the first senator said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any actual proof of this invasion? After the last , quote, conspiracy, unquote, that the military was supposed to have done the people now will want real, solid proof of such accusations,\u201d Jack said hoping he could scare them into backing off for now.\u00a0 He had to stall for time to give Randy as much time as he could to accomplish their mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe not, but the press would have a field day with it, playing it over and over again,\u201d the second one countered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same press who lost all credibility with the public. Such a lie would only case much more harm than anything else.\u00a0 We both know the press is still reeling over their lies of the military and \u2018invasion\u2019 considering the stance they took.\u00a0 If they had actually done their jobs the whole fiasco might have been handled differently,\u201d Jack said, looking as an aide walked up to him to inform him the shuttle had arrived.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re making a mistake admiral, and you\u2019ve been warned,\u201d the first senator said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suggest you think carefully,\u201d Jack stated. \u201cNow, I must be off.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that he continued on heading to the landing pad and the waiting shuttle.<\/p>\n

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

Carl looked over at his wife for what seemed like the hundredth time now in the past hour. She came home from work really quite and he wondered if she had heard something else.\u00a0 The visit from Dave had not gone over well with either of them.\u00a0 He wanted them to do something neither of them even felt comfortable with, add in the conversation Carl had with Frank and things actually looked rather wonderful and bleaker than normal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard a few things,\u201d Ewa finally said. He watched his wife\u2019s face for several seconds before she continued on.\u00a0 \u201cSome in the resistance seem to think that Meia is working for the Emperor, others think the leaders are, no one knows who to trust anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe resistance is fracturing,\u201d Carl said knowing the news was both expected and not welcome at the moment. The very moment they needed a leadership it fell apart.\u00a0 \u201cIs there anyone we can trust who is still working inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea,\u201d Ewa replied. \u201cWhat about Frank?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hesitant to talk to him, especially after our last conversation,\u201d Carl replied honestly. \u201cI got the feeling that the resistance leaders will not trust us, after all Meia was brought to them by us last time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Meia came to us, we didn\u2019t go looking for her,\u201d Ewa replied back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but that\u2019s the feeling I got, and that the leaders are working with the Emperor,\u201d Carl said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we have no friends to help,\u201d Ewa stated.<\/p>\n

Carl thought about his wife\u2019s comment and started to reply about a half dozen times to counter argue her. Unable to think of anything he sat there in silence until a knock on the door brought him out of his musings.\u00a0 He looked worriedly at Ewa who made her way over to the door allowing the person into the room.<\/p>\n

Frank walked into the room, past Ewa and looking over at Carl. \u201cOh good, you\u2019re both here, that will make things easier than,\u201d he said to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Carl asked, his worry increasing that Frank had suddenly appeared in their apartment looking for both of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe resistance leaders are summoning you, if you don\u2019t show up soon they will order you both killed,\u201d Frank said. \u201cThey think you know too much about them, especially after everything that happened and what happened recently.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you think?\u201d Carl asked, wanting to get his opinion on the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, only that everything seems to be going to Hades in a basket lately,\u201d Frank replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you ever think its our own leadership of the resistance which is causing the problems?\u201d Ewa said speaking up, her arms crossed.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t\u2019 even think that Ewa, they\u2019ve gone through everything that we\u2019ve gone though and more, that\u2019s why they are so against the emperor,\u201d Frank replied back to them.<\/p>\n

They looked at each other for several seconds before anyone said anything, each lost in thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure about this, you could be leading us to our deaths anyways,\u201d Carl replied hoping to get through to his friend. Carl didn\u2019t trust the leaders of the resistance anymore than his wife, but he wanted to try and reason with Frank, see what was really going on.\u00a0 \u201cIn fact, ordering our deaths only proves they are no better than the Emperor, maybe even worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe, but I\u2019m willing to take them over the Emperor any day of the week,\u201d Frank replied back telling them which side he was on. In fact, the tone in his voice made Carl\u2019s neck hair stand up.\u00a0 He had the feeling they could no longer trust Frank at all and they were probably already in grave danger, probably even more than he realized right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank, think about this, they are an unknown. If they gain power it could lead to even more deaths, perhaps a total collapse of our society, is that what you want?\u201d Carl asked trying to appeal to the man in some way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I want?\u201d Frank replied a bit too loudly. \u201cWhat I want is a normal life, one without the Emperor in it!\u00a0 Is that too much to ask for Carl?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Carl replied, holding up his hands in an attempt to appease Frank and prevent the situation from escalating. \u201cThink about this Frank, you\u2019re going about this the wrong way.\u00a0 There are better way to get what we want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter anymore, you\u2019re coming with us,\u201d Frank replied, pulling out a PRG before Carl could do anything. \u201cDon\u2019t be stupid, we have all the exits covered.\u00a0 You either come with us, or die right here and now, your choise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carl looked at the weapon pointed at him then over at Ewa unable to come up with anything which might even get them out of this alive. Everything was becoming a huge mess at the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank, you\u2019re mad, you realize that? Doing this means nothing will happen at all,\u201d Ewa said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know where my loyalties lie, and we need to figure out where yours are as well,\u201d frank replied, making a motion towards the door for them.<\/p>\n

With a look at Ewa Carl slowly stood and made his way towards the door hoping for an opportunity to escape otherwise he had a feeling he would not survive this trip to the resistance. They were playing by some new rules.\u00a0 Either they were scared of something, or someone else was calling the shots.<\/p>\n

End part 19<\/p>\n

Continued in part 20<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion by AJ Marks Part 19 Meia made her way over to where John stood now that the meeting was over. She was curious about this naming thing. \u201cSo, what was that about the names?\u201d Meia asked him. \u201cAh, something that\u2019s a bit of a tradition, legend has it the names go […]
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