[center][h3][b]Classified Installation - Agdemnar[/b][/h3][/center] “Damn,” Emile started, “Looks like they’re not phoning it in this time, huh?” Arthur took his eyes off the hologram of the fleet battle overhead to shoot a glance at his partner, “No shit. Still, I wouldn’t count on a lightshow tonight. One of them will pull out before anyone else gets involved. They always do.” “Maybe,” Emile muttered, “But that’s a distraction if I ever saw one. Think a shipment is on its way?” Before Arthur could voice a reply the bases own comms chimed, “[i]Attention all personnel. An incoming spacecraft has been detected. IFF and encryption key identify it as friendly. All members of the tactical team are to report to the main hanger[/i].” “We’re up,” Arthur groaned as he pulled his helmet on. Emile switched off the portable hologram and pocketed it before doing the same. In the time it took the two to jog down the narrow corridors to the hanger, which was more of a hole in the ground with a retractable roof than a proper landing zone, they were joined by four others. Six people, and fully half of the bases staff. All six lined up in the hallway outside the hanger, and not one bothered to speak. At least, not until the whole base shook from the stealth shuttle’s landing. Once it was down the tactical team funneled into the hanger with weapons drawn. It wasn’t that they didn’t trust their IFF’s, or their encryption keys, or the subtle warmth that alerted them to the Utopians in the shuttle, it was just that not a one of them wanted a lecture from the base’s commander after this. Physical punishments were uncommon among Utopians, but perhaps as a means of compensating for that the species was known throughout the Galaxy as being capable of some rather creative, and horrendously long winded, scoldings. There were limits to procedure, though. Once the shuttles cargo ramp was lowered and a pair of friendly faces greeted them the soldiers lowered their guns on instinct. Utopians were capable of a great many things, but threatening each other? Even unintentionally, it was something that just didn’t happen. Emile was the first to pull his helmet off, but the rest followed suit. “Welcome to our fine hole in the ground gentlemen!” Emile grinned, “Here’s hoping you’ve brought us some moving in gifts.” One of the other soldiers, a woman with short cut [i]chrome[/i] hair slapped the back of Emiles head and stepped forward, “Apologies. Outpost 3 welcomes you. Our commander is occupied monitoring the battle, so I’ve been granted the authority to receive your delivery.” One of the men stifled a laugh while the other nodded and gestured for his companion to retrieve their cargo, “That’s no problem. I trust you’ve got the authentication key?” The woman held up a small card and stepped up to hand it to the pilot, who slotted it into the heavy looking box on antigrav plates his companion had brought out. Almost at once the box’s lid popped open with a hiss, and the soldiers crowded around it. Emile and the woman pulled the lid off, but it was Arthur who whistled when he saw that was inside, “They’re not fucking around. You seeing this Jess?” The chrome haired woman’s faintly glowing yellow eyes widened, “Nukes.” The pilot who’d actually appreciated Emile’s humor smiled at the soldier, “Hope you like the present.” Emile, at least for once, had no reply to that. Jess straightened and pressed a finger to her temple, “We’ve got the package Commander. Yes it’s been opened, you want us to move it? Alright.” With a sigh Jess regarded the weapons, each one of them capable of leveling a city, and each one weighing half a ton. She shared a knowing look with the other soldiers and relayed the order, “We’re moving them to the armory.” Beyond a few groans, the soldiers didn’t bother to voice their complaints. After all, they had a job to do. Even if Nukes were heavy. [center][h3][b]Worldplate Elysium - The Utopia System[/b][/h3][/center] Adriana read the report projected in front of her with a wide grin. It wasn’t that she’d expected anything different from the Commonwealth, of all nations, but whoever said you couldn’t be pleased by the fulfillment of your own expectations? One speech and Treaty of Detente was dead. It seemed half the galaxy had followed the Commonwealth’s announcement up with their own. Not that she would be making any such announcement, or letting the other Chosen make one for that matter. She’d been Chosen to coordinate the application of the Compromise as it pertained to military and intelligence matters, and in her mind this counted as one of those. Of course, Dejan would disagree, but it was fitting for the leader of the diplomatic Chosen to epitomize their most aggravating tendencies. Then again, Dejan was fun. Especially when he was being a thorn in her side. Adriana spun her levitating chair around to gaze out her window at the rows upon rows of ship wombs that surrounded Elysium. With a smirk she tapped the hologram being projected from her own collarbone and opened a communication line to the diplomatic Chosen’s office. Scarcely a second later none other than Dejan answered, “Adriana? What a surprise. I hadn’t expected you to try and complicate my job for at least another day.” “Oh Dejan,” Adriana pouted at the projection in front of her, “You wound me. You should know I’d [i]never[/i] miss a chance to ruin your day.” Dejan rubbed at his temples, his hands appearing in Adriana’s projection just as they touched his head, “I know what you’re going to ask Adriana. We’ve deflected for years now, but if you activate all the ship wombs the major powers are going to notice. We can’t hide our mobilization and if we don’t withdraw from the treaty we’d be attracting far more attention than I’m willing to accept.” “Attention? From who?” Adriana mocked playfully, “Dejan within a week the only members of the treaty will be those violating it or those too impotent to dare. I’d like to try passing for the latter, but even if that’s not possible what do we gain from announcing our intentions to the galaxy? Besides, you know I like attention. It’s been so [i]boring[/i] pretending to care what the galaxy thinks. I can’t amuse myself killing illiterate telekinetics forever, you know.” “Thanks for that, by the way. The monthly Asrian demands we better police our people are my [i]favorite[/i] to deal with,” Dejan sighed, “Fine, we’ll deny it for as long as we can. I assume you’ve already had your pilots upload their designs to the ship wombs?” Adriana put on an innocent face, “Before calling you Dejan? Never,” She winked, “But if a few pilots have decided to jump the gun, well you know how they can be?” The look on Dejan’s face would have made Adriana’s week, if it wasn’t for the fact that she was finally getting her fleet back. The man pursed his lips, opened his mouth to issue a retort, and gave up before a breath passed his lips. He asked resignedly, “Do we have the materials to cover rearmament, at least? If we have to solicit another nation for resources I’d rather know [i]now[/i].” The impetuous smile on Adriana’s face vanished and the insolent Chosen grimaced, “We have enough stockpiled for a fleet. Maybe two, if we’re lucky. When it comes down to it though? No. We’ve mined nearly all our systems dry. At least, that’s what Elaine tells me.” “All right,” Dejan paused and leaned back before replying, “We might be able to negotiate with the Federation, it’s always easier dealing with Humans. No matter how far we’ve come they at least think like us, for the most part. If I have to deal with the Lokoid…” Adriana could only nod sympathetically. There were few species as aesthetically offensive as the Lokoid, and that didn’t even cover their psychology or habits. She let the silence linger for a moment before shaking her head and signing off, “Well, it’s been a pleasure as always Dejan, but duty calls. Fleets to build, operations to coordinate, days to ruin. You know how it is.” Dejan took the opportunity to glare at his counterpart before terminating the link wordlessly. It was enough to elicit a chuckle from Adriana. Difficulties or not, [i]interesting[/i] times were ahead. She’d been bored long enough.