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It had been a long time since Doc was at Lividia Shipyard, his last trip when Med Force One underwent some upgrades. But, with the dissolve of the Consensus, interest in his Enterprise came to surface. Velvet was blossoming and looking to expand and medical was what it really needed. He had reservations but also saw room to grow. He wasn't lacking funds, not at all. It was a chance for a bigger picture.
As he flew through Omicron Kappa aboard Med Force Three, he prepared himself. His notes, files and himself. He put on his finest robes and cleaned himself up. He had spoken to Mellissa Jones several times but never met her face to face. While his reputation was solid with her and Velvet, he still put on his strongest, professional face. The trip, which started at Freeport One, also gave him a chance to meet with the ship's commander, Alicia Cook, and to meet with his Freeport medical staffs so a stop at Freeport Five was included.
Alicia was Bretonian. Years earlier, she left the Crown's service for a freer life. When Doc came onto the bridge of the ship, she smiled and stood in front of him as she began to "dress" him.
"John," she said in her thick, Bretonian accent as she adjusted his collar, "you so need someone in your life if for no other reason to dress you."
He just laughed.
"I have been saying the same of you," he replied, "but you stay uncommitted."
"True," she replied. Finishing with his collar, she motioned him to an open chair on the bridge as the approach to Lividia shipyard was just beginning.
"Lividia Shipyard, this is Med Force Three requesting docking clearance," said the helmsman.
"Med Force Three you are clear for docking on platform two," was the answer. Once docked, Doc made his way to the airlock and finally onto the station where he was met by a security detail.
"Gentlemen," he nodded to them, shaking their hands, "I believe I am expected in the second conference room, deck 3-B."
"Follow us," was the answer and he was escorted to the conference room.
Sat in the conference room, Melissa waits for Doc to arrive. She spends a bit of time playing around with her PDA and sends off a few internal messages to her teams before settling back down to a coffee she had made earlier. By the time Doc and Alicia would come into the room, she'd be sat in one of the leather chairs, leaning back. Almost allowing her head to slip off the back. As they arrive, the door is open, as they're a few paces away from entering, Mel wakes up as if on high alert despite her relaxed state. Wearing a more casual attire this time around form when Doc and Alicia last saw her. Jeans, a white t-shirt and trainers, her hair flowing free as always. She gets up and nods her head to them as they come in.
"Doc, Alicia. Good to see you both again. Come. Take a seat, I feel we have a lot to talk about. Seems a lot has changed since I was just a mere administrator for Freeport 11. Welcome to Livadia, by the way. Hope you guys had a good flight?"
She invites them to sit down and signals the security team to leave them be. As they do, they close the door behind them. Mel look at Alicia and Doc, and waits for them to sit down first.
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"Thank you, Miss Jones," he replied to her with a smile, taking the fingers of her left hand and gently kissing the top of it. Alicia just smiled and shook her head.
"I must return to my ship," stated Alicia. "While we're here, we're going to have our navigation computers upgraded so if you will excuse me." With that, she gave bow of respect and returned to her ship.
Doc went behind Melissa's seat, holding it to push it in once she was seated. "I insist" is all he said. He then went to his.
"Do excuse my delay. I was.....detained in New London and had to arrange transport to Freeport One where Alicia picked me up and we made a stop at Freeport Five. Beyond that, things were uneventful."
"I did not know that you were no longer the administrator of Freeport 11," he continued, "I do not know whether to congratulate you on moving up to administrating a large group or be scared for you. I have been in that bucket myself."
He then stood up to pour a drink and looked to her. "A drink?"
As Melissa sits down, she's surprised by how well mannered Doc is, almost forgetting how they first met. She chuckles as she takes a seat and for a minute is a bit speechless. She waves goodbye to Alicia, almost sad to see her go so quick but she smiles back over to Doc as he asks about the drink. Her voice friendly and soft, her Cambridge accent, although more faint than before, is still prominent.
"Depends what we're drinking, Doc. Coffee, tea, water or something a bit more mature? Either way, could murder one. As far as not being Administrator, Velvet has grown to be a beast in it's own right. I've recently made a few mistakes and overstepped some boundaries, but it's been a learning curve. Just hope I've learnt a bit more long term."
She chuckles and looks down, as if ashamed of what she'd done.
"I hope tensions with the Maltese will ease over time, they're good people. And well... Since trying my hand at diplomacy, realise my position is still in the field, not in the office. Speaking of being in the field, what have you been up to? Feels like ages since we spoke."
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"While I like a good Scotch, we are working so coffee sounds good," was his answer. He went to pour two cups of coffee.
"My history with the Maltese has been largely positive," he began as he poured the first cup full. "I have always let them be. When I was administrator of TAZ, Baffin was a regular trade route for cardamine and slaves. While I disapprove of both, I turned a blind eye to it to keep the peace." He started pouring the second. "In fact, I have had more problems with house governments, namely Bretonia, than I have had with anyone else."
He took the cups and brought them to the table, setting one in front of her. "The Maltese as a whole are best left to themselves if you have nothing to offer them. Just do not even be a small threat to them or their allies or you will have problems. I have put back together a lot of people shot up by them in my hospitals so take that as a warning."
He then realized he didn't ask how she wanted her coffee and went to take the cup. "Silly me. How do you take it?"
Melissa chuckles as he mentions the problems with Bretonia, shaking her head as if knowing exactly what she wanted to say would probably not be appropriate. On the question of coffee, she chuckles lightly, replying in her usual soft and friendly tone.
"Just as it comes, please, Doc. I mean, as far as Bretonia goes, I dare say my views of 'home' as it were has completely changed since leaving my time in the Liberty Security Force. The Maltese, like you say, are honestly best left alone. It's a shame, because I do see a possibility and future of the recent rise of Cuatroce to be something that can be very beneficial to everyone in the Southern Omicorns, some of us in the Taus and maybe even the Sigmas as well. I still believe that despite our current disagreement, things can definitely start looking up."
She chuckles again, this time a lot more lightly. She looks at Doc, as if scrutinizing him for a moment and then goes back to just looking at him a bit more normally.
"I feel there's more to Bretonia and you than you're letting into though Doc, however, that's by the by, if you will. My concern is what the initial contact was regarding. With the fall of the Consensus, I actually see this as a positive for people who consider themselves more of a Zoner. Seclusion and freedom are really the two ideals that the Zoners look for. And while I consider Velvet a Zoner organisation at it's core, I myself am not such a person. I see the concept of turning a blind eye to things like the slave trade as you alluded earlier, even now... It just goes against my moral compass. I'll ignore it for the sake of not wanting to bring harm to my people... But morally, if it wasn't for Velvet, I would be going out my way to liberate said slaves. No one deserves to live in chains and shackles at someone else's behest."
She takes the coffee from Doc, inviting him to sit down, realising that she was rambling on a bit. Instead, she clasps her hands together and looks at him directly, speaking in a bit more of a blunt tone, going straight to the point.
"Then again, we're not here to discuss morality... Medforce Enterprises is in need of a new backer, correct?"
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He sipped his coffee and nodded as he tasted it. "I would not say that Med Force Enterprises is looking for a backer in as much as we are a partner. A recent donation has made it so that I have funding well past my retirement. We have always worked in the shadows and quite honestly, it has been needed considering many frown upon either our clients or the research we do."
He sipped his coffee again. "Very good" he said of it.
"Now, I think we need more presence. We have the funding, we have the equipment, we have the knowledge and the best medical staff and researchers anywhere. Velvet needs a strong medical asset and we would flourish with a growing Velvet."
He paused a moment. "That said, I do have my concerns though. I have worked to hard to watch it all go wrong."
"I fully understand why you'd be worried. We're not like most of the Zoners in Sirius. I mean, we're barely Zoners as is by definition. We're a much more organised military organisation, however, that doesn't change our roots and those roots, from what I know, are dear to you. If it means anything, we can offer and guarantee protection to you. We can assist were needed with manpower and logistics. But, what I cannot guarantee is that Zoner neutrality. I mostly blame my excessive moral compass."
She chuckles and shakes her head, realising what she's about to say, but before she speaks, she looks at Doc, absolute honesty in what she's about to say.
"If you are concerned with remaining as a Zoner, OSI would by far be the best option for your group if being a Zoner is still your concern. However, we have recently opened a research and development division within the organisation, as part of our rapid expansion. This really would be the thing that would keep you. With a specific vested interest in dealing with Nomad related illnesses and infections, this could be monumental for even basic medical work."
She pauses, and smiles in an uneasy manner, taking a sip of her coffee. As she puts her cup down, she bows her head respectfully, as if remembering she's sat in front of a living legend. Her voice a lot more
"I will clarify something though, despite what I said earlier, Velvet will always remain a 'Zoner' organisation, even if we have been more than just about the Zoner ideals. We've recruited everyone as well from all walks of life. Brtonians, Gallics, Libertonians, Rheinlanders, Kusraians, Freelancers, independant pirates who've been looking for a new lease on life... Thing is, a merger or partnership would be beneficial to both of us. I just want to make you aware of where Velvet as an organisation is heading. This doesn't change our primary and secondary goals from when we first formed. Realistically, Velvet wouldn't be interested in doing anything other than leaving you to your work as well as extending our protection further, should it be needed. Beyond that, I would see Medforce Enterprises it's own separate entity."
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He listened as she spoke. Earlier conversations with people in the Taus were coming to light. He sipped his coffee before he spoke.
"OSI is a corporation," Doc stated, "One that works in supply and transport and admittedly, I have had my differences with them, most notably when Bretonia took Gran Canaria. I will leave that one there."
He settled into his chair a bit more, resting his cup on his knee. "Moral compass is that thing that as Zoners, we often have to put on the shelf. As I said before, I do not approve of cardamine use or slavery and the Maltese knew this. They were allowed to pass through Baffin in transport but were not allowed to dock on a base. If they did, all slaves were to be freed. Unethical? Maybe but as a Zoner, I am not going to go to war over principles."
"We have one big thing in common," he continued, "our recruiting. All of those you mention have also joined us in Med Force. Even if they are not medical staff, they fly transports, work in engineering or whatever but all put aside their differences to work together for a common goal. Now, I would like to work with Velvet under the Med Force name. It is, after all, our identity."
He sipped his coffee and his face was one of a question. "Now, on my way here, I ran into someone who shall remain nameless. They feel that Velvet is warmongering in the Taus. I get it. Gallics out there do not make things easy. Would you care to elaborate on this?"
A soft chuckle passes her lips as Melissa listens. As Doc finishes speaking she gently takes a sip of her coffee and sighs.
"I think people get slightly confused between warmongering and sticking up for your people. That moral compass I mentioned... This is something I have to learn to let go of at times but even now, it's not something that I see happening. Warmongering is not on the agenda, never has it, nor will it ever be. I can hazard a few guesses on the sort of people that would be saying this. Even then, their petty wish to watch us fall will only be their own time wasted. I guess the people who spoke to you about our 'warmongering' failed to mention that two Freeports were threatened along with countless lives would have been at stake for sake of an ego. I spoke out against it, and here we are."
She chuckles, shaking her head, realising that maybe Doc and Melissa are a bit more similar than she first thought.
"It's funny. Even now, I hold no ill will to the Outcasts and their allies. But what I won't tolerate or stand for, is someone threatening another person and their people and expect to get away with it. I guess the people who also called me a warmonger failed to mention the cause for me taking a stand, was a simple violation of a No Fire Zone here in the Delta system."
Melissa smiles in a friendly manner, as she carries on in a bit more of a bold but still friendly tone.
"I guess this is why, although Velvet is a Zoner organisation, I do not follow Zoner ideals as strictly as some. I would rather call out injustices when and were they happen. Guess that was one thing the LSF instilled in me that I'll never drop. As far as I see it, Doc... There should be no reason to stop you from choosing to operate under our banner, but our reputation is not one of strict neutrality, as we have tensions with other factions. Another thing that I would want you to be aware of, since IRG's disbandment, Velvet's recent look into R&D may also be of some use for you in your own research as well."
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