Shadow of Her Sins, Chapter Six (cont.)
Jan. 5th, 2014 08:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jeriendhalIt was an all claws meeting in Lady Salli's office. Ali and Sgt. Longwalk faced Commander Blacksailor across the conference table, with Lady Salli at the head and the captain of the Foxen Navy destroyer on the wall screen, his image split with an aerial photo of the encampment.
“All right, this is what the Survey drone was able to give us,” Ali began. “It spotted the truck in this little box canyon, about ten klicks northwest from town. It's less than two hundred fifty meters long and twenty meters wide, with one entrance to the south and some overhangs that the pirates probably been using to hide themselves. No heat traces were visible on infrared, so they were probably all under cover, but there's plenty of footprints and a spot where they've probably been burying their trash at the extreme northern end. They've likely been getting water from a little stream about a hundred meters from the entrance.
“How many pirates are there do you think?” Longwalk asked.
“The Survey office's estimate is no more than twenty, given the amount of trash and assuming they've been hiding there since Bloody Margo's base was raided and her flagship was caught on the ground about six months ago. We know at least two score of the pirates escaped in the confusion to the wilderness, some in a flyer. We've had about a half-dozen pirates show up out of the wilderness since construction began, but those were stragglers, alone. None of them had any knowledge of an organized band of survivors, even when questioned under interrogation chemistry. If we can nail this bunch, we'll have eliminated a major threat to the colony's security.”
“Very good, Alinadar,” Salli said, looking satisfied.
“I'm curious as to why they need the truck,” Blacksailor said. “It's over a hundred kilometers from Boody Margo's old base to the colony. Assuming they walked on foot or took a flyer, why steal transportation when they have to know it would get our attention?”
“There's no sign of a flyer now, which means either they aren't the group that took it or it's suffered a breakdown,” Ali told him. “As for why they'd need a truck, the most obvious explanation is that they're trying to reach one of the planetary sensor posts. There's one about five hundred kilometers away. If they got there, they might use it to try and tap into the colony's com network and send a distress message to the remainder of Margo's fleet for a rescue. Lady Salli and I pulled the same trick after, um... Well, after we arrived here and escaped.”
“But that only worked because you still had access through their com's security,” Salli pointed out. “The colony's own network is connected to them, but the security is completely new and clean.”
“If they've got any techs trained in electronic security, they might be able to break in,” Longwalk said.
“Good point, Sergeant,” Salli agreed. She turned her attention to the wall screen. “Captain, what assets would you be able to provide in this situation?”
“Depends on what you want to do, Lady Sallivera,” the destroyer captain said. “I can drop an orbit to surface missile on them if you like, just specify whether you want conventional explosives or a tacnuke. If you want to try and capture them, that's a bit harder. I've only ten Marines aboard for internal security, since we're configured for orbital security and not boarding. I could perhaps release a half-dozen to you, along with an armed drop shuttle.”
“I can offer about the same to you, milady,” Longwalk said. “Though I think I'd prefer a tacnuke.”
“A half-dozen Marines, an equal number of lightly armed civil protection officers, plus Alinadar and Commander Blacksailor,” Lady Salli concluded. “Ali, what do you think?”
“Tacnuke,” Ali said immediately. “We can replace the truck.”
“You're certain of that?”
“They're pirates, milady. Likely hungry and desperate pirates. We go in after them, they'll fight fang and claw not to be captured. The only thing they could look forward to if they surrender is a trial and either execution or a long prison sentence. It's not worth the risk to the CP's or the Marines.”
Blacksailor was looking at Ali in surprise. “You don't want to even give them a chance to give up?”
She stared back at him evenly. “Mercy to a pirate isn't worth the life of even one of Lady Salli's people.”
“Our people, Ali,” Salli corrected.
Ali gave her a reluctant nod. “Yes, milady. What is your will in this matter?”
Salli was silent for a long moment, drumming her claws on the table as the others waited. Finally she said, “You said there's only one entrance in and out of that canyon, and the only water source is outside it, correct?”
“Yes, milady.”
“Very well. You will station a guard at the entrance. At night preferably, when they're all likely to be in their encampment resting. Let them know that you're there, and that they can't get out. Give them a fortnight or so to run through whatever food and water they have stored, which I shall guess won't be much. If starving or going parched from thirst isn't enough to draw them from their hole, then the destroyer will be permitted to drop in a missile.”
“Yes, milady. I'll coordinate with Sgt. Longwalk and the Marine commander to set things up. We should be ready to go by nightfall.”
“Very well.” Salli turned towards Blacksailor. “Commander, I formally request that you give Alinadar access to her weapons locker. If the pirates offer a determined front, I need her to be able to defend herself properly.”
Blacksailor looked like he was about to object, but then simply nodded and said, “I'll release whatever she'll think she needs.”
“Thank you, Commander. Everyone else, this meeting is adjourned. Alinadar will contact you all in two hours time. I suggest you use it to brief and prep your own people.” She signed off with the destroyer captain and stood up. As Blacksailor and Longalk exited the conference room, she laid a paw on Ali's shoulder, “Ali, stay a moment.”
Ali turned towards her, coming to attention. “Yes, Salli?”
“What were you on about, not willing to offer surrender to the pirates? They were your people once.”
“Not anymore, not for a long time,” Ali said. “And I know what they've done, would do in the future, if given a chance to escape.”
“The quality of mercy is not strained,” Salli said, looking thoughtful.
“Hu?”
“A human quotation, advocating mercy towards a venial merchant, who belonged to a social class thought to be inferior to others.” Salli leaned her paws on the back of her chair. “You were a pirate once, Ali. You were given a second chance. Would you not extend that same chance to your former comrades?”
Ali sighed, her eyes dropping towards the floor, not meeting Salli's. “I didn't deserve that chance, milady. Neither do they. If you'll excuse me.” She slipped out the door before Salli could object.
TBC
“All right, this is what the Survey drone was able to give us,” Ali began. “It spotted the truck in this little box canyon, about ten klicks northwest from town. It's less than two hundred fifty meters long and twenty meters wide, with one entrance to the south and some overhangs that the pirates probably been using to hide themselves. No heat traces were visible on infrared, so they were probably all under cover, but there's plenty of footprints and a spot where they've probably been burying their trash at the extreme northern end. They've likely been getting water from a little stream about a hundred meters from the entrance.
“How many pirates are there do you think?” Longwalk asked.
“The Survey office's estimate is no more than twenty, given the amount of trash and assuming they've been hiding there since Bloody Margo's base was raided and her flagship was caught on the ground about six months ago. We know at least two score of the pirates escaped in the confusion to the wilderness, some in a flyer. We've had about a half-dozen pirates show up out of the wilderness since construction began, but those were stragglers, alone. None of them had any knowledge of an organized band of survivors, even when questioned under interrogation chemistry. If we can nail this bunch, we'll have eliminated a major threat to the colony's security.”
“Very good, Alinadar,” Salli said, looking satisfied.
“I'm curious as to why they need the truck,” Blacksailor said. “It's over a hundred kilometers from Boody Margo's old base to the colony. Assuming they walked on foot or took a flyer, why steal transportation when they have to know it would get our attention?”
“There's no sign of a flyer now, which means either they aren't the group that took it or it's suffered a breakdown,” Ali told him. “As for why they'd need a truck, the most obvious explanation is that they're trying to reach one of the planetary sensor posts. There's one about five hundred kilometers away. If they got there, they might use it to try and tap into the colony's com network and send a distress message to the remainder of Margo's fleet for a rescue. Lady Salli and I pulled the same trick after, um... Well, after we arrived here and escaped.”
“But that only worked because you still had access through their com's security,” Salli pointed out. “The colony's own network is connected to them, but the security is completely new and clean.”
“If they've got any techs trained in electronic security, they might be able to break in,” Longwalk said.
“Good point, Sergeant,” Salli agreed. She turned her attention to the wall screen. “Captain, what assets would you be able to provide in this situation?”
“Depends on what you want to do, Lady Sallivera,” the destroyer captain said. “I can drop an orbit to surface missile on them if you like, just specify whether you want conventional explosives or a tacnuke. If you want to try and capture them, that's a bit harder. I've only ten Marines aboard for internal security, since we're configured for orbital security and not boarding. I could perhaps release a half-dozen to you, along with an armed drop shuttle.”
“I can offer about the same to you, milady,” Longwalk said. “Though I think I'd prefer a tacnuke.”
“A half-dozen Marines, an equal number of lightly armed civil protection officers, plus Alinadar and Commander Blacksailor,” Lady Salli concluded. “Ali, what do you think?”
“Tacnuke,” Ali said immediately. “We can replace the truck.”
“You're certain of that?”
“They're pirates, milady. Likely hungry and desperate pirates. We go in after them, they'll fight fang and claw not to be captured. The only thing they could look forward to if they surrender is a trial and either execution or a long prison sentence. It's not worth the risk to the CP's or the Marines.”
Blacksailor was looking at Ali in surprise. “You don't want to even give them a chance to give up?”
She stared back at him evenly. “Mercy to a pirate isn't worth the life of even one of Lady Salli's people.”
“Our people, Ali,” Salli corrected.
Ali gave her a reluctant nod. “Yes, milady. What is your will in this matter?”
Salli was silent for a long moment, drumming her claws on the table as the others waited. Finally she said, “You said there's only one entrance in and out of that canyon, and the only water source is outside it, correct?”
“Yes, milady.”
“Very well. You will station a guard at the entrance. At night preferably, when they're all likely to be in their encampment resting. Let them know that you're there, and that they can't get out. Give them a fortnight or so to run through whatever food and water they have stored, which I shall guess won't be much. If starving or going parched from thirst isn't enough to draw them from their hole, then the destroyer will be permitted to drop in a missile.”
“Yes, milady. I'll coordinate with Sgt. Longwalk and the Marine commander to set things up. We should be ready to go by nightfall.”
“Very well.” Salli turned towards Blacksailor. “Commander, I formally request that you give Alinadar access to her weapons locker. If the pirates offer a determined front, I need her to be able to defend herself properly.”
Blacksailor looked like he was about to object, but then simply nodded and said, “I'll release whatever she'll think she needs.”
“Thank you, Commander. Everyone else, this meeting is adjourned. Alinadar will contact you all in two hours time. I suggest you use it to brief and prep your own people.” She signed off with the destroyer captain and stood up. As Blacksailor and Longalk exited the conference room, she laid a paw on Ali's shoulder, “Ali, stay a moment.”
Ali turned towards her, coming to attention. “Yes, Salli?”
“What were you on about, not willing to offer surrender to the pirates? They were your people once.”
“Not anymore, not for a long time,” Ali said. “And I know what they've done, would do in the future, if given a chance to escape.”
“The quality of mercy is not strained,” Salli said, looking thoughtful.
“Hu?”
“A human quotation, advocating mercy towards a venial merchant, who belonged to a social class thought to be inferior to others.” Salli leaned her paws on the back of her chair. “You were a pirate once, Ali. You were given a second chance. Would you not extend that same chance to your former comrades?”
Ali sighed, her eyes dropping towards the floor, not meeting Salli's. “I didn't deserve that chance, milady. Neither do they. If you'll excuse me.” She slipped out the door before Salli could object.
TBC
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Date: 2014-01-06 02:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-06 08:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-06 08:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-07 11:22 am (UTC)Leftenant not Lootenant? '-p
no subject
Date: 2014-01-06 12:10 pm (UTC)On the other hand, we are talking about a group of Red Margo's (former) pirates here. Something that far too many works of fiction tend to gloss over is that pirates tended not to be very nice people (no matter how much the Red Vixen tried to cultivate her Lovable Rogue persona, I suspect most of the people she robbed for fun and profit would disagree, and she was just about the nicest of the bunch)... And as stated earlier, Margo was considered a nasty piece of work even by other pirates.
... But then again, it's been how many years since she got taken down? And the only sign that they've been around at all is the occasional missing truck? If there were an accompanying rash of missing persons reports that'd be one thing, but as it stands they haven't been living up to their reputation of murdering psychopaths, so a little restraint in containing them while we find out what we're dealing with probably won't risk much harm. I think Salli's right on this one.
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Date: 2014-01-06 12:59 pm (UTC)That said, Salli is right. There's an arse-load of self-loathing coloring Ali's recommendation. The reasons for which Shall Be Revealed closer to the climax. Suffice it to say she had good reason to be in a near feral state when the Red Vixen captured her.
And even Margo was a little bit scared of her...