“Verdammt mir nicht was zu tun, Mädchen.. (don’t fucking tell me what to do, girl.) ” Anna said in near perfect german, “ Anna said in near perfect German, taking Yellow’s hand in hers, and sitting next to her, “Ich kann sagen, es dauert eine Maut auf Sie … sehen, ich bin nicht ganz herzlos. Es hat dich verletzt, das zu tun, nicht wahr? (I can tell it takes a toll on you… see, I’m not entirely heartless. It hurt you to do that, didn’t it?)”
While she often came across as cold, calculating, and callous, deep down, Anna was a very compassionate person. Only those close to her knew this side, like her brother, but this was a special case. While she did hold an attraction for Red(M), and initially thought she herself was straight, her interactions with Yellow had caused Anna to develop a small crush on the cute medic. Even if it wouldn’t last, Anna was sure she would ask Yuki about this.
Yellow took several slow, deep breaths and clipped her pistol before answering.
“I swore an oath, Frau Anna. To do no harm to others. And yet I just killed someone, even though he had a very solid point.”
The Fleet Admiral clenched a slim hand on her thigh. “We failed your people. Even though what we did was to stop another, more chaotic evil…”
Yellow trembled in suppressed frustration. “I didn’t do enough to help. I should have.”
The SS trooper spat in Yellow’s face, grimacing as he tried to free himself.
“Stupid foreigner bitch, trying to poke her fucking nose in the business of the homeland. You should’ve just left us alone.” The assassin growled, “Foreigners caused all our problems. You left us to the pirates when we asked for help, you quarantined and left us to fucking starve.”
Yellow shook her head sadly, after her personal shield had flashed briefly as it deflected the spit harmlessly.
Xenophobes, especially fanatical ones, were often impossible to reason with. And if she let him go, he would only go on to harm more people.
A saying her now-aged mentor in the days back before she’d become Fleet Admiral came to mind, one Yellow had always struggled with accepting.
Sometimes, to save a life, she had to take one.
“I’m sorry. Bitte verzeih mir.”
Before anyone else watching could even say a word, Yellow drew her unfolding, heavily upgraded Caduceus Blaster with incredible swiftness, setting its charge to lethal.
The assassin only had time to appreciate Yellow’s sorrowful but determined expression as he stared down the barrel of her pistol before a bolt of searing gold-white energy burned squarely between his eyes.
The stasis field containing him fell, the assassin’s body disintegrating into gold particles of light around Yellow.
Strange, how even something like a mercy kill could make Yellow look so ethereal.
Yet, now the Fleet Admiral seemed drained, as she dragged herself to a nearby empty medical bed and sat on its edge. Yellow raised a hand as Anna approached.
“Wolf?!” Red(F) squeaked with surprise as she supported Wolf’s weight even as his face remained buried in her cleavage. She hurriedly brought him over to the couch, laying him on it. “Rest first, I’ll go get hypos…”
“Wait.. the GDI is sending military aid?” Wolf asked, “Well, this is new. I thought they had declared neutrality…”
“Just FYI, you do realize that could provoke a counterattack, and the Hand can tune their shields and shielding to deal with your weaponry and shields, yes?” Wolf asked, looking concerned, “Something I discovered in battle.”
He took her hand, and kissed her lips. It was a short but sweet kiss, showing he still loved her.
“I’ll rest up… and I’ll need to message Green to meet me in Hyrule.” Wolf said, getting up, and bowing to Red(F). Without another word, he left.
As it happened over the next few days, Fleet Admiral Green had indeed planned to take Second Fleet to engage the Scorpion’s Hand fleets. However, Wolf’s information had him reconsider.
Green met Wolf over at Hyrule, the severe-looking Fleet Admiral looking at him as he folded his arms behind his back. “Female Red told me about your information, Emperor. I’ve diverted most of Second Fleet to another system to await a unified Coalition armada.”
“Every member state’s sent a sizable portion of their own fleets. We haven’t seen a combined fleet this large since Coruscant. If those demons want to kill us all, I’d like to see them try.”
At a look from Wolf, Green only returned it with a cold emerald stare. “I’ll give it to you straight, Emperor. Nothing good ever seems to come out of these supernaturals, especially these demons. Coruscant taught me that. It taught us all. It’s us or them, and we can’t afford to lose.”
Ordinarily, the Initiative and the Coalition would be open to negotiation and establishing economic aid as recompense for the quarantine despite its necessity.
However, the news of demonic involvement has Coalition members extremely alarmed. Serious discussion is underway for a potential full mobilization, and contingency plans for the survival of member races are being laid down in the unlikely event of a Scorpion’s Hand victory.
The possibility of open war being unanimously declared by the entire Coalition is growing day by day.
“An understandable outlook, Commander,” Red nodded, “and one I had surmised myself to be the case. We appreciate your understanding, and you will find that the Xenos in Initiative society are indeed peaceful.”
Red let his salute drop, his escorts following suit.
“In any case, if you wish to learn more about the Initiative we will be more than happy to enlighten you and your Brothers along the way.”
As the two groups entered the current sector of the Ring, Red inclined his head towards Vespus.
“If I may enquire, Commander Linneaus, which Chapter do you and your men represent? I apologise for my less-than-stellar knowledge of the Astartes Chapters. Also, I would like to inform you in advance that we heavily integrate what the Imperium would call Abominable Intelligences into many aspects of our civilisation.”
“Fear not, however, as they are universally structured to respect sophont life. Their purpose is to aid and live alongside us, never to harm.”
“That was the same logic we put into the Men of Iron back during the Dark Age of Technology,” the Techmarine commented. “That did not stop them from rebelling against us for reasons we still do not understand to this day. I should hope that you have enough good sense to have a contingency plan in the event that your Abominable Intelligences rebel against you.”
“As for what Chapter I represent, I am a member of the Blood Ravens chapter of Space Marines, as are my Battle-Brothers,” Vespus answered. “We are not a particularly famous Chapter of Space Marines, but we are effective in what we do.”
“A prospect all of us are very well aware of, sir.” One of the Final Line guards commented. Red nodded along in his agreement.
“Indeed. Contingency plans are a staple of our strategic planning, even for those situations.”
Hearing Vespus mention that he and his fellow Astartes were of the Blood Ravens, Red frowned slightly as he tried to recall what the Initiative knew of them.
Given the sheer number of Space Marine Chapters in Imperial space, even GDI had not much information on the Blood Ravens.
Though, what little they did have stood out. Missing equipment and the odd scavenged weapon or two. Given the scarcity of information GDI had to work with, and their deliberate lack of involvement with the Imperium as a whole, that was the best they knew of the Ravens.
“I will take your word for it, then.” Red simply stated as he and his escort led the Space Marines through the lively space of the Ring.
Most of the GDI citizens passing them, whether xeno, machine or human, greeted the party amiably. All in all, a peaceful yet vibrant atmosphere.
“The Ring is both a civilian megastructure and military bastion. An equator-spanning orbital Hive City, if I am to compare it to Imperial habitats.” Red explained.
“It also mounts Eden’s primary anti-space network of defenses. Hundreds of dreadnought-scale Relay Guns, defense batteries, antiproton lance arrays and automated fighter drones.”
“To us in the Initiative, Eden is our own Holy Terra. No expense will be spared in order to ensure the safety of our people and our home.”
Initiative Archival Network 