{"id":1936,"date":"2017-04-12T07:15:36","date_gmt":"2017-04-12T12:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1936"},"modified":"2017-04-15T07:32:19","modified_gmt":"2017-04-15T12:32:19","slug":"the-cimalian-princess-rebellion-part-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=1936","title":{"rendered":"The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion – Part 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

Part 16<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Meia felt a strange satisfaction that her own father had trouble with Olin\u2019s father. It all made sense to her as if it completed a chapter in her life she never understood.\u00a0 She turned back to Greg sitting next to her as he spoke up again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIts rather strange, but Corrus actually had a lot of talent but wasted it on trying to best others through trickery instead of actually training,\u201d Greg finally said.<\/p>\n

Meis understood that, Olin bullied his way to the top.<\/p>\n

The rest of the meal went quickly as the group listened to some more of Greg\u2019s stories, many of which included Boris in them. Meia smiled gaining an insight into her father she never had before.\u00a0 John excused himself and left the room to do some work even as Randy walked into the room to inform them Hans had completed the communications system and everything was ready to do.<\/p>\n

Greg stood but placed a hand on Meias\u2019 shoulder looking right into her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour father would be very proud of you, don\u2019t doubt that. I also think he\u2019d approve the way you will rule, if you\u2019re anything like the way he was,\u201d Greg told her.\u00a0 \u201cHe always hated the class system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meia whispered her thanks to him watching as he walked out with Randy to head back to Cimulius.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any adventures like that?\u201d one asked after Greg left.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Meia replied, a part of her wished she had. \u201cI grew up thinking I was an Epsilon, not an Alpha Supreme, and only he could have actually gotten away with what he pulled and not been punished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you have?\u201d another asked catching her off guard.<\/p>\n

Meia considered the question seriously. Would she have done the same things her father had?\u00a0 She thought of Olin and realized the truth of the question.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I probably would\u2019ve, if nothing else than to piss off Olin,\u201d Meia replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt also appears you inherited a lot of your father\u2019s talent, wish my parents were that good. Mine hated sports.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several pilots laughed at that as Meia allowed the conversation to roll over her. Her thoughts went back to her father.\u00a0 He had said little about her mother to anyone.\u00a0 Of course she understood that going public with such a relationship would cause problems.\u00a0 A high class citizen involved with a low class citizen, it was probably why he kept it quiet or his family might have killed her mother.<\/p>\n

It failed to explain why her mother raised her. In a couple of years both her great-grandmother and grandfather had been killed.\u00a0 She wondered if her great-grandmother had another plan for her.\u00a0 What would she have been like growing up under them?<\/p>\n

Meia looked down at her finished tray and excused herself and headed back to her \u2018office\u2019.<\/p>\n

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

Randy walked down the corridor with Greg. They both stole glances at each other and Randy felt relieved that Meia seemed get along with him, even smiling and laughing with him.\u00a0 Randy would keep his guard up anyways.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t trust me much, do you?\u201d Greg asked breaking the silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but its also my job to make sure the people under me are safe,\u201d Randy replied back to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpoken like a true admiral,\u201d Greg said looking Randy over. \u201cyou don\u2019t look that old, or even old enough to be an admiral, and you seem pretty close to Meia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can assure you, I didn\u2019t get my rank because of my relationship with Meia, and I\u2019ll be watching you,\u201d Randy said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we have something in common,\u201d Greg said. \u201cBoris was my best friend.\u00a0 After he died I left the service, wasn\u2019t fun anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds a bit like me and a friend when we were pilots,\u201d Randy said thinking of him and John.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, were you in diapers and flying already?\u201d Greg said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I accepted a command position, he wanted to continue flying,\u201d Randy said. \u201cHe dueled with Meia as the Battle of Pacifica, and was on his way out when I entered the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I seem to recall him, nice man,\u2019 Greg said. \u201cHowever, if Meia\u2019s anything like her father her flying skills should be remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Randy looked on as they entered the hangar.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve done a good job here with a simulated Cimalian society. I meant what I said, change will be difficult but I think many will welcome it depending on how its done,\u201d Greg said.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have to pretend for me, but I understand why.\u00a0 An Alliance invasion won\u2019t work, there is too much misinformation out there among the lower classes for it to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd this plan?\u201d Randy asked wanting to gain his insight if it might work or not.<\/p>\n

\u201cRisky at best, but then again why live without the joy of risk. I haven\u2019t felt this alive in years,\u201d Greg said.\u00a0 \u201cTake care of Meia, she is the key to this all working.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, and we\u2019ll be in touch,\u201d Randy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, I\u2019ll keep in touch, and see what I can do,\u201d Greg said.<\/p>\n

Randy watched the man walk onto the shuttle along with Captain Russell to head back to the Dragon. Now Randy was back to a waiting game once more.\u00a0 Heading back to his office he pondered if anything from HQ had come in, and how things were back home.<\/p>\n

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

Jack noticed two senators walking towards him with an uncomfortable feeling they were heading for him. He hoped they would walk on past but they were looking at him as if they wanted to ask him something.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdmiral, a word if you have the time?\u201d one senator asked politely.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure gentleman, what can I do for you?\u201d Jack replied being diplomatic. They at least started the conversation politely and he would return it.\u00a0 He figured if anything happened he could at least outrun them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were going over the reports of recent movements in the fleet and noticed something odd,\u201d one said.<\/p>\n

\u201cA couple of battle-cruisers seem to be missing, including the Akagi, Hood, Bismarck and Warspite,\u201d the other said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of them have been on the list for several days now, why is that?\u201d the first asked.<\/p>\n

Jack inwardly groaned at hearing the ships names. \u201cWell, they do make up part of the Strike Fleet, our best line of defense and seeing as how I don\u2019t know who is a spy and who isn\u2019t saying where those ships are could violate national security,\u201d Jack said hoping that would buy him some time.<\/p>\n

\u201cNational security my ass, you\u2019re covering something admiral,\u201d one senator said. Jack finally recognized the man, Hendric Lidin from the former Constrict party but not a leader.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean like the conspiracy that the military was attacking our own worlds to protect our budget,\u201d Jack replied back at him watching as the man shrank slightly. \u201cBetter yet, why don\u2019t you actually do something useful and allow me the room to conduct this war so we win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack didn\u2019t wait for a reply as he pushed past the two senators. A few seconds later he looked over at his aide\u2019s face.\u00a0 Sally had a wide-eyed look to her as they made their way along the corridor.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe won\u2019t like that sir,\u201d she finally said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t matter, I meant what I said. It is vital to national security,\u201d Jack said.\u00a0 \u201cAs long as the Cimalians don\u2019t know where that fleet is we stand a chance for peace and they might hesitate to attack.\u00a0 Be careful about what you say about that fleet to anyone other than Senator Amy Barnes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will sir, Chad has already briefed me,\u201d Sally said.<\/p>\n

They continued on for a bit, passing a few others before Jack said anything else. \u201cHow is the senator?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe, work very well together,\u201d Sally said finally, he thought he noticed a slight blush on her cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust remember, we keep our private and works lives separate,\u201d Jack informed her.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course sir,\u201d Sally said right away.<\/p>\n

He stopped in front of the room to the meeting room taking the file from Sally before walking inside seeing several senators already seated. The President wouldn\u2019t be at this meeting, but his appointed advisor, Amy Barnes, would be.\u00a0 He nodded in her direction before sitting down watching as she walked over.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s already talk about the Strike Fleet,\u201d he whispered to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, meant to warn you, I assume it was Senator Lidin who spoke to you,\u201d Amy said back to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, in the hall, kind of brushed him off a bit, good thing I can walk fast,\u201d Jack said with a grin.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe won\u2019t like it, but its his own fault,\u201d Amy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, citing national security won\u2019t last long, at least with this group, \u201cJack said watching as the last senator entered the room heading to his seat. Amy moved over to his position allowing Jack to begin.\u00a0 \u201cWelcome ladies and gentlemen.\u201d<\/p>\n

It would be an interesting briefing.<\/p>\n

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

Greg watched a pilot weave a path back and forth as it descended back to the ground. The plan for him to go down changed, the scout ship launched three shuttles then left just as fast.\u00a0 It would jump quickly, turn around and jump back before jumping one last time.\u00a0 Doing short jumps was what the scout ship was designed for.\u00a0 They decided not to leave a shuttle despite the training Greg received.<\/p>\n

Greg knew the plan was for all three to head down and land. It had changed to also give an illusion that the Alliance had landed even more people.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll try to land as close as possible to the spot I picked you up at,\u201d the pilot said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Greg replied knowing he might be in a familiar area instead of some strange spot he might have to work to get out of.<\/p>\n

\u201cHang on, this is going to get rough, their shooting is better this time,\u201d the pilot said.<\/p>\n

He watched again as the pilot dodged and weaved once more before feeling a thump indicating the shuttle had been hit. He scanned the indicators seeing no warning lights even as the ground came up very fast. \u00a0He held on despite knowing that the shuttle was capable of pulling out and felt sure his grip was now imprinted on the arm of the chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet ready, I\u2019m not staying on the ground for long,\u201d the pilot said.<\/p>\n

Greg unblocked his seatbelt and scrambled for the door. \u201cGood luck,\u201d he yelled back at the pilot before opening the door and scrambling away from the shuttle.\u00a0 He recognized the area and headed for a small lake nearby which would give him a spot to begin his journey back home.<\/p>\n

Upon reaching the lake he was glad there was no one else there. He spent some time looking up seeing the shuttle heading up into the clouds before looking at a clearing and seeing the expected group of enforcers heading towards him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, ID, now!\u201d one shouted.<\/p>\n

Greg calmly presented his ID waiting for the next question.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy are you out here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou question me? I like to stroll around this lake, relaxes me, and is close to my home.\u00a0 You could see that on the card if you could read,\u201d Greg replied back, his tone harsh knowing the man was probably a Beta or Delta class citizen.<\/p>\n

He watched the enforcer look back down at the ID and back up at him before handing him back his ID.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry sir, an Alliance shuttle landed close by, we\u2019re looking for any Alliance terrorists,\u201d the man replied back.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother group, I must say we need to step up our enforcement,\u201d Greg said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes sir,\u201d the guard replied. \u201cI suggest you leave the area quickly, you never know if they are going to blow something up nearby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQuiet right, I\u2019ll let your HQ know if I see anything,\u201d Greg said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you sir, have a nice day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Greg smiled slightly knowing his class allowed him certain advantages as enforcers were easy to outwit. He thought about what Boris might do if he was here, probably have those enforcers looking for some invisible house or something.\u00a0 He continued on down the road in the direction of his house, unafraid of walking in the street.<\/p>\n

He realized the next phase was contacting Dave once more, and perhaps the mysterious contact. He also needed to find this Carl again and the others he knew were part of the Alpha revolt group.\u00a0 He only hoped he could convince the others it was time to act.\u00a0 He had a feeling they wouldn\u2019t get another chance at change.<\/p>\n

End part 16<\/p>\n

Continued in part 17<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion by AJ Marks Part 16 Meia felt a strange satisfaction that her own father had trouble with Olin\u2019s father. It all made sense to her as if it completed a chapter in her life she never understood.\u00a0 She turned back to Greg sitting next to her as he spoke up again. […]
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