Voyages of INS Roanoke and its crew

[Erremnart]

Realizations 2

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Insurgent battlecruiser INS Roanoke was moored at Fort Leniex and swarm of utility ships was buzzing around it - from larger tugs using their precise stractor beams to pull out heavy turrets with their assemblies to smaller craft replacing the most damaged hull pannels and patching the worst holes.
Refit was not even half through when the first reports of injuries and accidents were coming to medical bay and damage control center.


Virginia was sitting in her office at small conference table and playing a game of chess with her executive officer Ben Sheffield and casually looked at her small datapad to check damage control teams reports. She was expecting such complications - chief engineer estimated refit to take six hours, they have been given two.
"Nine injuries and two serious injuries. No fatalities on our side.", she informed her XO and looked back on the game. Ben gave her just a small nod and moved his piece on the board. He was not attacking yet, he was just preparing his trap - moving his important pieces into positions. Virginia expected and was trying prepare her defenses for the inevitable moment when Ben will take the initiative.
Virginia hated and loved this game at the same time - strict movement rules and small 'battlefield' always put her off, but she admired elegance of how experienced chess players like her opponent made their strategies work.

When she thought that her defenses were good enough and most of her pieces were covering each other, Ben made his turn and offered her his pawn. She made a quick check across the chessboard and have not found any other piece covering him - but no, she is not going to break her defenses for this obvious bait.
But then he start offering another pawn, and another, and another - not moving his more important pieces yet, just keeping them in position. Virginia was trying to plan ahead and tried to predict from where he will strike, but even after all games they had - she barely can think two or three turns ahead. But she as adamant on not taking the bait this time.
And so he began his offensive and they both began trading their pieces and carefully prepared battleline she had prepared was falling apart while his supposedly misplaced knights, bishops and rooks moved quickly through the gaps.
"Checkmate.", Ben said eventually after he cornered her King. Virginia sighed and looked on the situation - their forces were almost equal, but hers were out of position and unable to fend off moves to defend her King fast enough.
"As always.", she replied with a sour tone.
"You will win, eventually.", he tried to cheer her up and waved his hand towards chessboard, "Look at my King - you were so adamant about defending your King and not losing that you forgot how vulnerable my King was.". Virginia looked at position of her pieces, his King and sighed deeply, "Damn it.". She hated this game, but she will play it again with him later. Something in its gameplay just fascinates her.

"So, about what we talked about earlier...", Ben changed his expression from cheerful one to serious. Virginia pulled out cigarette from a box lying on the table, lit it and immediately drew from it. She was clearly nervous, she always smokes when nervous.
"Go on.", she replied and exhalled large puff of vanilla flavoured tobacco smoke.
"Did you really give up?", Ben asked and was studying her face and reactions. Virginia was looking directly into his eyes and then slowly nodded, "Sort of, yes.".
"Do you want to step down?".
"No, I don't.", drew from her cigarette again, "I lost my cause, not my life.".
"What's the difference?".
"That I care for safety and future of my men, officers, myself and maybe even this rustbucket.", she waved her hand to point at the ship around them, "But not my movement. That died some while ago".
"What did those scumbags do with you, Crash? Do they hold your family for hostage or anything like that? Do not negotiate with terrorists.".
"No, nothing like that.", Virginia chuckled a little for few seconds and looked at him seriously again, "Should I tell you like a cultist or do you want more grounded facts?".
"I'd like to hear both.", he said with bit of amusement in his voice.
"Well, the cultist version then - The Truth.", she said a little dramatically and gave out somewhat crazed facial expression, but then continued in more serious way, "But more like pointing our valid facts about our movement now, Ben.".
"I said that you shouldn't trust them.".
"And I won't until I will see proof of their words, but... truths about our movement lie all around here in Vespucci. We fight to make Liberty more democratic, more equal, less corrupt, et cetera - but can you see it here?", she asked him as anottaher puff of smoke left her mouth.
"You can't expect paradise in middle of war, Crash.".
"Paradise? No, of course not. But do you remember when we were in the Legion? Protecting fledging world with civilians, ruling for themselves? That meant something for me, for us. We fought, we bled, we died, but we were protectors. We had their hearts... but when I walk on Veracruz now, I feel like a jailor, like oppressor, they fear me because just my word and uniform can send them into trouble. I dunno what happened between our higher ups precisely, but we lost our future in the process.".
"We haven't lost our future Crash if we will give them a good beating.".
"But we can't win hearts of their people on our side to support us more with our military dictatorship. There is no better future, no more democratic or uncorrupted government to act as an example, Ben.".
"Hmm... but what are you going to do, Crash?".
"Well, in chess - I might give you an answer, but here?", she paused for a moment to think about her words, "I have no idea, Ben. All my choices are either bad or wrong for us.".
"Tell me, when have you became such thinker? No offense, but you were following orders blindly before.", Ben Sheffield stood up and was preparing to leave her office.
"In hospital.", she replied almost instantly, "Nothing to do there aside from reading and thinking.", she smirked and nodded at him as he left.