Immediately following the event of Operation Liberty Bird , T.R.Edwards and his aid Benson try to make sense of their failure to entrap the Squadron Ghost Bear into their schemes. Having prearranged to either force the Squadron to submit to his rule, or to make haste to attempt a rescue of the Command group lead by the Hunters at Praxis , the squadron severed communications and chose a course of action. A course that Edwards had not foreseen, nor had he prepared. The Master
of Chaos
“Well, that didn’t go as planned!” The silence in the
aftermath of what they had just borne witness to, finally broken. Though no
sooner had the words left his mouth, Benson instantly regretted his actions.
“No, no it certainly did not.” General Edwards replied dryly.
Seated at his dais, fingers steepled against his chin in contemplation.
“S..S…Shall I declare them Sir? The mutinous scum that they
are, enemies of…” Benson stammered
in fear, desperately seeking to find the correct wording to avoid Edward’s wrath.
“No….Not at this time.
Their actions are troubling, they do not match with the expected
profiling that was constructed. I need
to know why that would be? Edwards replied, still staring at the static filled
screen. Moments before it had been providing them both with a visual feed to
the command center of a Robotech Masters
Factory satellite.
His mole, an unfortunate individual by the name of Ventom , had been acting as his mouth
piece. A fortunate discovery, the man
bore the terrible ill effects of Invid Experimentation. Chitinous carapace, armoured plates replacing
much of its skin, interwoven with extensive cybernetic implants. Implants that
had permitted the creature an unparalleled level of interface with
technological control systems.
The creature had been invaluable to their cause, keenly he
felt it’s loss. Not for any sentimental reasoning, it was but a tool. Though
far too valuable a tool to have wasted for no appreciable gains.
“Where did we obtain the majority of our information on this
Xander ?” The question posed by Edwards, presented out loud to the
room. It took Benson an
uncomfortable amount of time to realise that the question was not rhetorical,
and he was the only staff member capable of answering.
“ Cosgrove , he
held all of the personnel files for the members of this Ghost Bear Squadron . Clearly, he must have entered favourable
information, misrepresented them!” Benson
replied crisply, happy to have diverted the blame to someone incapable of
challenging his accusation.
“And it never occurred, not even once, to fact check?”
Devoid of any emotional inclination, Benson
physically recoiled from Edwards reply. This was when he was most dangerous, coiled
like the snake that he was. Panic seizing
Bensons heart in a vice like grip,
he floundered for the words to save himself.
“My Lord, we do not have the personnel. My General, my Lord,
our reach is extensive, but far from well established.” Tears welling in his
eyes, body shaking, Benson’s voice
squeaked out miserably. “It’s has been difficult to recruit, it’s not as though
we can simply build the obedient personnel that we need!”
“What did you just say?” A tic playing at he corner of his one
good eye, the only change in Edwards masked
expression.
Prostrating himself
before the dais on which Edwards sat,
Benson whimpered. “I have sworn my fealty to you my Lord, Lord
General! I beg your mercy, I beg you permit me to serve you! I can still be of
use!”
“We shall see about that.” Edwards replied with disinterest. Sighing in a mixture of disgust
and disappointment he waved Benson to
stand. “Perhaps what you have said holds a kernel of truth. Our allies on the Plenipotentiary Council will need to be
made aware of this development, we shall be forced to seek their
assistance. You realise that this
weakens us in their eyes?”
“Perhaps not my lord General…” Benson sniffed, composing himself. “What if it were in their
interests to investigate?”
“I have not been officially
awarded that rank yet. That hinges on the outcome of events at Praxis. ” Edwards cautioned his aid.
“The Muses , those
entertainers that we utilized for winning over the NCO’s. I happen to know that
several senior staff fawn over them.” On his knees, voice growing stronger as
he regained his confidence, Benson continued.
“What if they happened to decide to take a tour of OUR newly acquired Robotech Factory ?”
“Get to the point Benson ,
we don’t have the time and I don’t have the patience.” The irritation in Edwards voice failing to mask his
curiosity.
“Once the Muses
were aboard, what if the station were to fire apon the military escort ship?
Then this Xander would be seen by
all as the traitorous creature that he truly is! Not to mention that he had
resorted to kidnaping!”
“Our if they were to die by his hand…Nothing unites the
masses like grief and the need for vengeance! However…” Edwards painfully drew out the pause, playing with the man. “You KNOW that Grant stole our only fold capable warship, how did you foresee any
sort of vessel getting there? Do we even know where these singing toys called
the Muses are?” Edwards words shredding his confidence, once again he felt his neck
exposed to this executioner of men.
“ CABELL !” Benson squeaked out the words. “That
old Robotech Scientist had an unhealthy interest in the ladies. That Pervert
may know where they are!”
“Very well, we shall visit him together, for I have other
matters to discuss with him.” His face unreadable, Edwards rose towering above his aid. “Get up man! Clean yourself up,
you look pathetic. We must go and visit this old sexual predator and see if he
has any value to us.”
Stained with dust and tears, Benson feebly drew himself from the floor, he would live another
day. He would not be discovered in some alley, victim of a terrible accident.”
“How do we deal with any information that this rogue
squadron might issue Sir?” Benson enquired
timidly.
“Yes, time is of the essence. The negotiations for the cease
fire with the Invid Regent lie less
than a week away. All communications
are to be intercepted by this facility for Fact
checking and verification , prior to general release. I must be seen as the ONLY viable candidate should a Terrible
Accident befall the command group
at Praxis. ” Checking the lay of his
uniform in the reflection of the viewing screens, Edwards fell back into the narcissistic poise to which Benson was so accustom.
“I suggest that you set up a bed in the corner Benson , you will be spending your
nights here. You will be reviewing and editing our official release of this Xander’s message.”