<<<<Ug! You know, I swore I wouldn’t just casually throw out political jargon without being real clear about each piece, but then last week I was like blah, blah, comie, blah, blah, fascist…It came out in a jumble, lets see if I can straighten it out without making a bigger mess. (1.) Dakota called the Red Faction fascists, not me. She’s in severe denial about the Corporatist Trade Consortium. It is part of her character, has been from the start. (2.)Trade Consortium does NOT represent the US. (3.)I got to stop making these little notes! ty,DD>>>>
By David C. Daoust
Dakota was tired. She could not remember the last time she’d slept.
Between the triggering of the Ion Cloud Device and being dragged around the innards of giant starships, she really hadn’t had an extra moment to take a rest. Even the transport ride through the Neo Vir’ees system was wrought with anxiety; fear of those warlike Reds suddenly coming up on their vehicle, or maybe just a missile… Dakota didn’t know… kept her muscles taught and her mind restless. Her life before Twin Crown consisted of either working diligently in the lab, or watching movies. What she would give to just sit back and watch a movie!
The good doctor was unable to relax until they made it to the Otomo Corp cruiser, which suddenly flickered into being as its ‘Stealth Field’ enveloped them. The small ship entered the wide hangar bay, twice the size of the Red Factions Bay. Not that Dakota knew if a larger hangar was good… seemed somehow better. Like the Red Faction’s hangar, it too, was filled with random vehicles and transports, all armored for battle. Lining the far wall, the hangar was fully equipped with a somewhat larger Wing of blue fighters than the Reds had of red fighters.
A day before, nay mere hours before, had she found such equipment within an Otomo Corp Cruiser, she would be shocked. Dakota was not real sure that she wrapped her head around everything she had learned in the Barracks ship. Her best friend had been lying to her- her entire life-… Dakota wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Did she know Suzanne at all?
As the Major brought the small vehicle down to land gently on the highly polished floor of the hangar Dakota could not help but yawn.
The wide yawn seemed to last so long that she found herself outside of the Transport as she closed her mouth. She stood there all by herself, barely paying attention as both Craiden and Vincent(in Margo’s form) were escorted from the vehicle. It seemed the rules were different for the pair now that they were within the Consortium base, as the young rebel, Craiden, was stripped of the Scatter Blaster he had lifted off the downed mechanic, and Vincent’s rifle was tucked under another soldiers arm.
Dakota was taken aback as the holographic form of Suzanne suddenly appeared, mid-stride, in a mass of weaving light as the woman approached the small group of soldiers. The women’s violet eyes studied them coldly, she seemed satisfied that all was in order, though not terribly pleased.
The woman did not look at Dakota.
“I see you finally returned to form, Agent,” Suzanne mildly congratulated Major Sims.
“Mam,” Sims acknowledged briefly as a small cart with a long train of gun racks and armor pulled along beside them. The mistreated soldier relinquished his weapon as the driver suddenly popped out of the seat to retrieve the weapons. Each soldier in turn turned over their gear… and stripped much of the armor that covered their bodies.
“I think maybe- if you manage to finish the mission,” Suzanne interrupted herself pointedly, “I shall leave the good doctor in your hands.”
“Mam?” Sims asked unsure what she meant by ‘finish the mission’.
“I believe the mission was to escort Dr. Sun,” the woman said still not looking at Dakota, “To the Laboratory.”
“Yes, Mam,” Sims answered.
Dakota snorted behind the woman in disgust. She had never witnessed such an attitude from Suzanne. It made her feel as though she was a stranger, an uninvited guest.
“Don’t worry about that now, see to it she gets a shower and a change of cloths,” Suzanne ordered. “She should be well rested for when ‘Alpha Team’ arrives with my Wraith.”
Suzanne then gestured to Craiden.
“Take that one into custody…” she ordered, then muttered, “Might just save the Doctor from being prosecuted for crimes against the Consortium.”
Dakota’s mouth opened in shock at the idea.
Just as the mottled woman started to turn in Dakota’s direction, the hologram began to unravel. Before Dakota could even make eye contact, she was gone.
Dakota’s face was flushed red, and she felt like crying in frustration with her ‘sisters’ draconian attitude towards her.
