Post by Tim on Dec 7, 2017 17:45:59 GMT -5
Captain Donald Eckersley looked grimly around the bridge as he felt the ship come out of hyperspace. The brightly flashing lights of the various control stations did nothing to lighten his mood. He was dreading what was to come, but knew that there was probably no way of avoiding it. In his nearly thirty years in the Space Service, he had never had doubts about a mission, until now. "Report." he said as he ran a hand through his greying brown hair.
"The fleet has come out of hyperspace at the edge of the Vegan System" the Executive Officer, Joseph Scott, replied as he glanced at the view screen. A system of seven planets could be seen: "No sign of enemy activity."
The enemy. So that is what we’re calling them now. Eckersley thought to himself: Just a few weeks ago, they were our fellow citizens.
"Hell of a situation, Don." Scott said in a low voice as he moved over to stand alongside the command chair: "In the fifteen years we’ve served together, this is the first time we’re going to war with our own people."
"The war hasn’t started yet, Joe."
"No, but it looks like it will any minute now. What a mess."
"Sir, I’m getting a communication from Steven Greene, the new President of The Vegan Republic." Sarah Haines, the communications officer, stated. She was a perky young redhead, just a few months out of the Academy: "He says he wishes to speak to you."
"Does he." Eckersley replied, getting up from his command chair: "Pipe it down to my quarters, I’ll speak to him there."
"Yes sir."
Eckersley’s quarters were modest, filled with his personal belongings. The most prominent feature was the wall full of framed military citations belonging to Eckersley and his ancestors, going back to the early days of Earth’s Colonial Empire. The furniture consisted of a military style bed, three chairs for occasions when Eckersley had guests, and the desk at which Eckersley now sat as the face of Steven Greene appeared on the monitor mounted in front of him. "Hello Steve." Eckersley said.
"Hello Don." Greene replied: "I was wondering if Earth would send you."
"Steve, any chance that this call is your unconditional surrender?"
"Sorry, Don, but I can’t do that. I may have gone to the Academy on Earth, but Vega is my home. I was born and raised here, so this is where my loyalties lie. That’s why I came back here, once I retired from the service."
"The Academy, those were good times." Eckersley said and couldn’t help but remember those long ago days. Steven Greene had been a classmate and a good friend, until all that had changed forever. Of all the people the Vegans could have elected to lead them, why did it have to be him?
"Yes, they were." Greene replied, a look coming onto his face that seemed to indicate that he too was remembering happier times.
"Well, Steve, you’ve really gotten yourself into trouble this time." Eckersley said: "Unilaterally declaring the Vegan System independent from Earth. What the hell were you thinking?"
"There was no other way. We tried to petition the Senate to stop the over-mining of our worlds, but they turned us down. The commercial mining interests are a big political lobby on Earth. They probably financed the campaigns of most, if not all, the Senators. There is no way they’d want to rock that boat."
"That may be true, but it doesn’t excuse what you’ve done. The Vegan System belongs to Earth, and has ever since it was first colonized."
"That was centuries ago." Greene said: "We don’t need Earth telling us what to do anymore. Our scientists have sent reports about the environmental damage that the mining was causing on our worlds. No one would listen, so we had no choice but to break away from Earth. We are quite willing to sit down with Earth and discuss the situation, you can trust me on that. However, under no circumstances will we allow any further mining on our worlds."
"This course of action is not helping, Steve. The mining companies are screaming for blood and the Senate listened. You must know that they haven’t sent me out here just to discuss old times."
"Speaking of which, why don’t we stop dancing around the issue. The real reason Earth picked you for this assignment was because of Janet."
"You leave my sister out of this." Eckersley said, his voice getting harder: "She has nothing to do with our current situation."
"I beg to differ. You’ve never forgiven me for what happened between Janet and myself."
"No, and I never will." Eckersley snapped: "You stood her up at the altar, you broke her heart, Steve. It took her a long time to get over you and how you betrayed her."
"Dammit, I was young." Greene said, his voice also getting hard: "I got cold feet. I know that’s a weak excuse, but..."
"It’s no excuse!" Eckersley yelled: "You may have been a friend to me once, but that was back then. You know how much my sister means to me. When you betrayed her, you betrayed me."
"Don, I know you hate me, but how does that reflect on this situation?"
"Simple." Eckersley replied: "You said a moment ago that I can trust you, but I can’t. I trusted you with my sister’s heart, and look what you did to it. I won’t make the mistake of trusting you again."
"Since I’m the elected leader of the Vegan System, I’m afraid you have no choice but to trust me."
"Actually, I don’t. I’m here with the full authorization of Earth Command to take any actions necessary to return the Vegan System to Earth rule. You have no choice but to surrender."
"As someone said in a war centuries ago when offered the same ultimatum: Nuts! If Earth wants to rule this system again, they’re gonna have to fight us to do it. We are prepared to use deadly force to back up our position if we have to." Greene said with resolve.
"Don’t be a fool, Steve. You haven’t got a chance."
"Actually, we’ve been preparing for a situation like this for some time now. We’ve built up a formidable fighting force of our own. If you want a war, Don, you’ve got one."
"Then that is how it will be." Eckersley said and cut the channel.
"The fleet has come out of hyperspace at the edge of the Vegan System" the Executive Officer, Joseph Scott, replied as he glanced at the view screen. A system of seven planets could be seen: "No sign of enemy activity."
The enemy. So that is what we’re calling them now. Eckersley thought to himself: Just a few weeks ago, they were our fellow citizens.
"Hell of a situation, Don." Scott said in a low voice as he moved over to stand alongside the command chair: "In the fifteen years we’ve served together, this is the first time we’re going to war with our own people."
"The war hasn’t started yet, Joe."
"No, but it looks like it will any minute now. What a mess."
"Sir, I’m getting a communication from Steven Greene, the new President of The Vegan Republic." Sarah Haines, the communications officer, stated. She was a perky young redhead, just a few months out of the Academy: "He says he wishes to speak to you."
"Does he." Eckersley replied, getting up from his command chair: "Pipe it down to my quarters, I’ll speak to him there."
"Yes sir."
Eckersley’s quarters were modest, filled with his personal belongings. The most prominent feature was the wall full of framed military citations belonging to Eckersley and his ancestors, going back to the early days of Earth’s Colonial Empire. The furniture consisted of a military style bed, three chairs for occasions when Eckersley had guests, and the desk at which Eckersley now sat as the face of Steven Greene appeared on the monitor mounted in front of him. "Hello Steve." Eckersley said.
"Hello Don." Greene replied: "I was wondering if Earth would send you."
"Steve, any chance that this call is your unconditional surrender?"
"Sorry, Don, but I can’t do that. I may have gone to the Academy on Earth, but Vega is my home. I was born and raised here, so this is where my loyalties lie. That’s why I came back here, once I retired from the service."
"The Academy, those were good times." Eckersley said and couldn’t help but remember those long ago days. Steven Greene had been a classmate and a good friend, until all that had changed forever. Of all the people the Vegans could have elected to lead them, why did it have to be him?
"Yes, they were." Greene replied, a look coming onto his face that seemed to indicate that he too was remembering happier times.
"Well, Steve, you’ve really gotten yourself into trouble this time." Eckersley said: "Unilaterally declaring the Vegan System independent from Earth. What the hell were you thinking?"
"There was no other way. We tried to petition the Senate to stop the over-mining of our worlds, but they turned us down. The commercial mining interests are a big political lobby on Earth. They probably financed the campaigns of most, if not all, the Senators. There is no way they’d want to rock that boat."
"That may be true, but it doesn’t excuse what you’ve done. The Vegan System belongs to Earth, and has ever since it was first colonized."
"That was centuries ago." Greene said: "We don’t need Earth telling us what to do anymore. Our scientists have sent reports about the environmental damage that the mining was causing on our worlds. No one would listen, so we had no choice but to break away from Earth. We are quite willing to sit down with Earth and discuss the situation, you can trust me on that. However, under no circumstances will we allow any further mining on our worlds."
"This course of action is not helping, Steve. The mining companies are screaming for blood and the Senate listened. You must know that they haven’t sent me out here just to discuss old times."
"Speaking of which, why don’t we stop dancing around the issue. The real reason Earth picked you for this assignment was because of Janet."
"You leave my sister out of this." Eckersley said, his voice getting harder: "She has nothing to do with our current situation."
"I beg to differ. You’ve never forgiven me for what happened between Janet and myself."
"No, and I never will." Eckersley snapped: "You stood her up at the altar, you broke her heart, Steve. It took her a long time to get over you and how you betrayed her."
"Dammit, I was young." Greene said, his voice also getting hard: "I got cold feet. I know that’s a weak excuse, but..."
"It’s no excuse!" Eckersley yelled: "You may have been a friend to me once, but that was back then. You know how much my sister means to me. When you betrayed her, you betrayed me."
"Don, I know you hate me, but how does that reflect on this situation?"
"Simple." Eckersley replied: "You said a moment ago that I can trust you, but I can’t. I trusted you with my sister’s heart, and look what you did to it. I won’t make the mistake of trusting you again."
"Since I’m the elected leader of the Vegan System, I’m afraid you have no choice but to trust me."
"Actually, I don’t. I’m here with the full authorization of Earth Command to take any actions necessary to return the Vegan System to Earth rule. You have no choice but to surrender."
"As someone said in a war centuries ago when offered the same ultimatum: Nuts! If Earth wants to rule this system again, they’re gonna have to fight us to do it. We are prepared to use deadly force to back up our position if we have to." Greene said with resolve.
"Don’t be a fool, Steve. You haven’t got a chance."
"Actually, we’ve been preparing for a situation like this for some time now. We’ve built up a formidable fighting force of our own. If you want a war, Don, you’ve got one."
"Then that is how it will be." Eckersley said and cut the channel.