Snubnose

[bluntpencil2001]

The arrangements had been made. The Chancellor's administration had approved Jan's plan to retrieve the hostage.

The Jaeger would meet the Unseelie by Freistadt base in Omega-7. The pilot, Juno Kietan, would then release Erich to Jan, in exchange for being allowed access to Rheinland space in posession of several pounds of medicinal Cardamine.

Jan ordered the crew to be wary of treachery, this one wasn't to be trusted, even if reports only showed her to be seventeen years old.

He transmitted various messages to Erich's custodian. He knew her well, he had access to a lot of apparently secret information. In some regards, he knew even more about Juno Kietan than she did. His agents were efficient, and he had the opinion that in spite of her calm speech and position of strength, she was caught off-balance. Jan was crafty for a Rheinlander.

He projected an impression of fearlessnes and strength, despite being afraid for his friend's safety.

"You will drop my pilot here, in exchange for the predetermined allowances."

"I don't trust you, how do I know you won't betray me?"

"You have my word as an officer of the Rheinland Military. I understand that you are as much a victim as Lt. Hartmann. A victim of Outcast trickery. That isn't your fault."

An abnormally large pod was then dropped from the Unseelie, scans indicating life aboard. Tractors activated...

On the Jaeger's transport deck, a medical team awaited Erich. The doors on the huge pod opened automatically, revealing a soldier sitting in the lap of luxury, surprised to see his comrades-in-arms awaiting him. Of note were what appeared to be windows showing Kusari space. Very clever hologram use, indeed.

The chief medic opened communications, "Sir, he's safe and well. Hell, he's much better than last time we seen him! That lass treated him well..."

Jan smiled with relief as he contacted Juno again, the Order were right on the 'soft heart' piece of information...

"My thanks...and Rheinland's."

He then received an incoming transmission from Admiral Hiltraud Kaiser...

"Open fire!"

He was aghast. Targetting a civilian transport vessel wasn't his idea of fair play, especially one so cooperative.

"The target is no threat ma'am. I was authorised to conduct the mission as planned. Plus, she'll raise that bounty on us."

Kaiser cut communications. 'Silence betokens consent' was what Thomas Moore would say.

Jan then switched to his own, personal, private line to Juno. He sent one million credits her way from his personal account, which the practical Commander had kept secret since joining the Order.

"For the toys en-route to Ainu that were destroyed. My apologies."

Before she could respond, he switched to an open, military channel...

"Now, I have the three Hessians who captured Lt. Hartmann aboard. You may wish to view the Jaeger's airlock..."

Jan ordered the execution to go as planned.

The three screaming prisoners were herded into the airlock...

From the Unseelie's scopes, Juno watched in mute horror as what appeared to be three men dressed in Hessian fashion were ejected into hard vacuum. Without any protection. It was disgusting to see them splatter across the hull of the Jaeger in such a terribly painful and undignified way.

She lost track of thought and barely heard Richthofen on the comms speaking to her,

"Hard vacuum does horrific things to a man. There's the zero-pressure that causes, well, explosion of the lungs and eyes and then there's the radiation out here... which literally boils the blood. Horrific. That's what happens to thugs that take slaves on my watch. I'm glad you took another approach, girl."

He might have been brutal, but he kept his word at least and he did seem sympathetic... maybe he knew who the real villains were? No shots were fired from his gunboat at least...

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