Equilibrium
The cheering in the Ranger Command Centre was deafening when the last of the Edxi ships were destroyed on Tamber. There was work ongoing in orbit, but it seemed like the invaders teeth had been pulled, and the Fleet was making quick work of them.
Carl Anderson was overjoyed at the sight. It was his first time back in command of the Rangers, a group he was instrumental in forming and one of the reasons why he easily took the position of Defence Minister. That position, Defence Minister, put too much power in front of him, and he let himself slip back into an old way of thinking that once brought him recognition but always led to ruin. The ends justified the means was the credo that could begin describing how he saw the universe when he was on that path.
It took the government to pull him down from his position as Defence Minister this time, and after a quiet ethics review, he was allowed to return to his position as the leader of the Rangers. Everything he did for years would be monitored, but he was happy he could be useful to the people of the Haven System.
The ethics review put things in perspective, it gave him a little time to think about the bridges he almost burned forever, and with the cheers of victory all around, it felt like he had found his place again. The view from the command centre, where it was built into the side of the mountain Haven city was being built on, was spectacular. The emergency shutters opened since the disaster of the Edxi invasion on Tamber was over, and he took in the expanse of blue sky and ocean.
They were high up on the cliff side, the perfect observation spot for approaching storms over the vast body of freshwater. "Perhaps you'd like to say something, Sir?" asked one of the newest members of the command staff, Sergeant Quinn Dresden. She reminded him so much of Ayan, it was difficult not to treat her differently. She was competent in her own right, from the old Tamber Militia, she served there for three years before the organization was folded into the Rangers. He turned to the staff of nine, they were all they could keep behind to coordinate the defence.
He had nothing prepared, taking command was challenging enough without having to prepare a victory speech when that outcome was all but certain. "I've always enjoyed watching better commanders share encouraging words with us during momentous occasions. I'll be the first to say that it's much less interesting when I try to do the same." To his relief, that prompted a few chuckles and several smiles. His communicator buzzed against his wrist, it was Ayan. "I'm proud of the Rangers, the team here, and of our Fleet. I know I'm coming from disgrace, so that may not mean as much as it could, but I'm happy to be amongst you again, especially now that I've seen that you, all of you, can accomplish so much without me. This is an organization that can stand on its own, and I'm happy to be a part of this team." That was enough, he had the urge to say more, but bowed a little to show that he was finished and he was happy to hear the applause. "Now, back to work. We have units out there who need to know what parts of that Edxi ship to bring back."
He slipped off to the side as his command staff returned to their duties and answered Ayan's call. "I'm sorry, I had to address the staff. We had a minor victory to celebrate. Congratulations on your major victory."
Ayan was still in her command armour, the Strategic Command Centre was behind her. "Thank you, I'm glad you were able to get your old position back. How is it?"
"It fits, and I'm lucky, there are more good people here than when I left. The merge with the Tamber Militia was a good move. Commander Sarasin will be a hard act to follow."
"We're lucky she took a position in Fleet," Ayan said. There was every possibility that Sarasin was in the room with her. "Before we get into anything else, you'll get an alert from fleet in a moment that we're watching a cloaked scout ship move into the system. It's one of the Order ships we scanned near Iora. A SOCU ship has also spotted an Order Battlegroup in short jump range. They're waiting, but they're less than a day away."
"So, the Order fleet is on their way to take advantage of the damage the Edxi did. I'll make sure my people are ready."
"If this goes the way the simulations predicted…" Ayan started, worry etched on her face.
"We'll hold out while you regroup. Tamber and her people are resilient, and they don't like being tread on," Carl reassured.
"I was hoping we could sit down when things got quiet, but just in case that doesn’t happen for a while, I want you to know that I'd love it if you could be a grandfather to Laura. I don't think any of the damage done is so bad that things can't be mended."
"Thank you, you don't know how good it feels to hear that. I have to make things up to Alice, too, that'll take time, but I want you to have the family you deserve, so I'll do whatever it takes."
"Alice will forgive you," Ayan nodded. "It may take time, her head is still spinning a little with everything that's going on, but I don't think she holds grudges. I don't think she'd waste the headspace."
"I hope not," Carl said, turning to Quinn, who was bringing a message on her communicator up for him to see.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but the database says you know this person. They just sent me an encoded message," the image of Lucius Wheeler's face appeared above Quinn's command and control unit.
A chill ran down Carl's spine. "Do not decode that message."
"It's self-decoding, looks like it was made to do it once it was opened, ow!" Quinn said, trying to pull her left command and control unit off using the emergency latch hidden under the lip. "The medical injector just put something in my arm, and I can't get my comm-con off."
Doctor Anderson scanned her and grabbed her collar at the same time, starting to lead her to the hall. "We have to get you to containment," he said, trying to sound reassuring.
"What did it inject? I feel…" Quinn dropped to the floor in convulsions.
The scan results on his command and control unit confirmed what he suspected; there was an explosive compound forming in Quinn's blood, but it was happening faster than he'd ever seen. There was no time for him to formulate a counter-agent, or to get her to the hallway. "Everyone out of the command centre! Now!" Startled faces looked up at him for what felt like minutes, but he knew it was only a couple seconds. "Go! Go! Go-"
Doctor Carl Anderson's link to the fleet terminated, Ayan stared at the blank space where her father's hologram had been blankly, stunned. A voice behind her called out to everyone in the Strategic Command Centre. "I just picked up an explosion in the Ranger Command Bunker. I need verification!"
A tear rolled down her cheek as she heard someone from the analyst pool reply; "Verified! Command was just hit. We're scanning, checking the damage."
Ayan's knees gave out and Leon caught her. "You were just talking to your father, was he there?" he asked quietly.
Ayan nodded, regaining her feet and leaning on the railing in front of her. "He was beside the…" She put her face in her shaking hands. There was no time for this, the Order was on their way. A kerchief was put between her fingers, Leon could make almost anything she wanted magically appear. Ayan wiped her tears and pushed her grief away as best as she could. "He's gone."
The room filled with analysts and commanders was silent. Captain Sarasin, recently promoted from Commander as she took her position aboard the War Forge, moved to Ayan's side. "I'm sorry, the Ranger Command Centre is destroyed, and access to the vehicle bays is obstructed. We can't find survivors."
A horrible thought occurred to Ayan as she remembered that Sarasin was responsible for bringing the Tamber Militia into the ranks of the Rangers. It took more determination than she remembered exerting to stand straight, pull her jacket down so the bottom was level, and speak clearly. "Captain Sarasin, you are relieved of duty and will be confined to the brig until we complete an investigation on this incident." She looked to the nearby armoured soldiers. "Take her into custody and transport her to the brig forthwith."
Captain Sarasin allowed herself to be led away, offering only a curt; "I understand," as a parting comment.
The entire staff was silent, some going back to work as many watched Captain Sarasin as she was quickly marched out. "It was the best call," Lamonthe offered quietly.
"Maybe you should take a minute," Leon offered, accepting the return of his damp kerchief.
Ayan looked across the silent faces in the large, round chamber. "I probably should. Let's get this fleet ready for the real invasion. The Order of Eden are coming, this is a clear sign of that."