Chapter 25. Burning Galaxy
19 Mar 2021Black Llama
March 19, 3307Mars High, Sol system
I put down my mobile after reading the latest Galnet posts. A couple of private investigators have been looking into the NMLA issue, and one of them states that "If the NMLA can worm inside the most shadowy security organization in known space, they could be anywhere. And none of us are safe.” I completely agree.
I lean back on my seat, hands behind my head, and look across the docking bay. Brightly lit, with touches of red lighting everywhere. It's my first time on Mars, and like many others I do get a bit emotional when visiting the Solar system, cradle of Humanity. I'm here for a bit of rest, after rescue operations in Li Qing Jao starport in Earth orbit.
My mobile rings softly: a message from my Sol Workers' Party liaison. For my efforts in rescuing people stranded on the burning station I'll be awarded the rank of Vice Admiral, just after I complete some errand or other for the Federal Navy. "Sorry there won't be any fanfare or ceremony", the message goes on, "but you need to understand that the current situation does not allow for such things." Indeed it doesn't. It's fine - these ranks, and their Imperial equivalents, are mostly symbolic anyway. I already have my Corvette, and owning a battlecruiser is certainly not a possibility, so...
I remember the people lining up in Li Qing Jao, waiting for evac: most of them shaking with fear, some with horrible caustic burns or lost limbs. Federal security personnel stood near, stun batons at the ready, to maintain some sort of order and prevent a stampede towards the evacuation ships. Dark combat masks hid their faces, but I noticed the hands of a few of them were trembling too. Fear probably, rage perhaps?
What now, I wonder, as I watch the people and vehicles moving about on the other side of the bay. A Dropship emerges from its hangar bay and starts preparations for takeoff. Li Qing Jao is still a disaster zone, but other attacked stations are moving into repairs stage. A multi-government agency has been formed to fight the NMLA, but who knows if it isn't already infiltrated by them?
I too have been to Serene Harbour, seen the place with my own eyes and retrieved the information logs left behind there. The strike team that rescued the 'Theta group' prisoners had full Imperial military gear and override codes which are only available to top-rank Imperial officers; this was no gung-ho terrorist band. But they didn't just break out their comrades. They killed everyone else, including all the other prisoners. Some of those prisoners would have been dissidents, enemies of the Empire, Federal agents... but the word of the day was 'no witnesses'. So they all died. And now, hundreds of thousands across all major superpowers have died too, in the name of "liberation". What are these guys thinking? As long as they were only an Imperial problem, they could have found shelter and support among Alliance and Federal factions, but now... Unless...
Unless they are doing this on purpose. Unless they want to see the galaxy burn, at least the Human-inhabited part of it. Hudson is blaming Winters, Kaine attacks Mahon, Patreus clashes with Blaine, and nobody trusts the Marlinist colonies. And the runaway elements of Jupiter Division may be operating in secret, biding their time. I'm thinking that the only party that could benefit from all this are the Thargoids. Wait... could they really be behind it all? Could it be that the NMLA is actually a Thargoid infiltration unit with the objective of keeping Humans busy, killing one another, and out of Thargoid space?
I don't know what to do next. I had been planning a long-range expedition, a visit to Colonia maybe, but I kept pushing it back as I hoped to find something, anything, about Maggie. Then there was also the Galactic Summit, and now after the attacks there are plenty of requests for help.
Maybe Mila is right. Perhaps I'm just chasing after ghosts.