Captain Cross' Office

[Slimalou]

[INS Montana in Omicron Nu]

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SOURCE: INS-Montana, Omicron Nu System.

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Cross pressed send on the message he had just finished compiling to the Order. The captain leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh, he still had to play diplomat for a while longer. He hoped that the Handler of the battlegroup would be understanding. If he left on bad terms with DTR then the Order might rethink their choice about taking them in. A beeping from his office door broke the captain out of his thoughts.

"Enter." Cross called out to the door.

His XO entered and saluted. Cross retuned the salute.

"Sir, I have something for you from the crew." James began walking towards the captain. "But it seems like you've been busy yourself."

"The ship's "Commissar" contacted me. Turns out he has been monitoring communications around the ship as well as security cameras, even ones for the my eyes only." Cross commented in a rather deturbed voice. He noticed his XO looked towards the camera in the room. "I had it turned off."

"I was not aware we had a commissar or board sir." James replied holding his date pad up and screeching through the officer logs. "Let alone how he got access to message meant for you sir."

"Its all news to me as well James." Cross answered. "It would seem for the little time the Corsair techs had with our systems they where able to sneak in a few backdoors."

"I'll have one our own scrub the system." James answered but Cross held up his hand.

"I rather not make them even more suspicious then they are already. I would rather keep things peaceful."

"As you say sir."

A moment passed. "You said you have something for me from the crew?"

"Yes sir," James then place his tablet on the captain's table. Captain Cross picked up the tablet and began to scroll through the very long list of names. "Its a signed petition from a mass majority of the still insurgent crew. They want us to break away from the Battlegroup and join some other faction. From what I gathered from the ones who presented the petition to me, many of the original crew are feeling like we are becoming what the Liberty propaganda has portrayed us as, and do not want to become simple pirates , and the other majority feel like the corsairs are just using us."

"And the more zealous?" There were always those who would take things to far in any group.

"A few demonstrations that I had the marines disperse." James answered, before pointing out a few pictures taken.

There was a semi-large group of people holding up signs that said "If the corsairs don't want us why should we help them?", "The Montana is our home not a pirates den", or "Corsairs are the new Navy!". It was a Marrok feared, people were starting to push aback against his decision to accept the Corsair's aid and plan for them.

"Is this a bad time?" Avery Simmons asked entering Cross' office.

"Captain Simmons." Captain Cross greeted his fellow captain, standing from his chair out of respect for the more seasoned captain. "No so much, we are dealing with inter ship strife at the moment."

"Yeah, some of my boys and girls have mentioned as much." Captain Simmons commented taking a seat in one of Cross' guest chairs. "That aside I was coming up to thank you in person for letting the crew of the Helena has some R&R aboard the Montana. Arbiters have a lot more space then our comparatively cramped Judicator. Having a promenade level is probably one of the best decisions the designers had for the newer Arbiters, I tell you."

"It does help the crew unwind after a day's work." Cross agreed, agreed before changing the topic. "There is something I could use your help with Captain."

"Oh?"

"The Montana is looking to transfer itself to the Order. The Order for their part has shown interest, the corsairs on board... partially a commissar, don't like the idea."


"A commissar!? What is this the Coalition!?" Simmons called out surprised. "The hell does the corsairs think they are doing putting a political officer on a Liberty space ship! I pray to God that this guy's job is not what the name implies!"

"Yes, I am not to happy about finding out about this either. I don't recall any mention of this during our first meeting."

"Neither do I, sir." James added.

"Aaah, I'll let you deal with it Cross." Simmons relented remembering he was not on his ship. "So what do you need from me?"

"Well, to make a list of reasons short, a larger majority original crew are starting to have second thoughts about joining the corsairs, we lack a drydock to major repairs and finish are refit, and the Montana is unsuited for the missions DTR has in mind for the battlegroup. As of now we are trying to get the Order to take us in, and they seem interested. Yet at the same time we don't want to leave the battlegroup on bad turns which can cause a problem with Order and Corsair relations."

"And you would like the Helena to take your place in the battlegroup?" Sammons summarized. "With the insurgent people on board not like the corsairs more and more, something bad might happen."

Cross nodded.

"Quite the pickle you've got yourself into there captain." Sammons went on. "I will admit, the crew of the Helena are looking to give the Navy a beating and I would be lying if I said most of them aren't looking to make Liberty hurt for that they did to Vespucci."

Sammons became quiet for a few moments before speaking. "Tell you what Captain, I'll talk it over with the crew and I'll give it an honest thought. I agree that Montana is unsuited for lunching raids without a lot of support, and without a shipyard to come back too..." Summons let his words hang.

"Thank you captain. The Montana is in your debt." Cross thanked the other captain.

Captain Simmons let out a chuckle. "Don't think me just yet..."