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Post by Daniel Gage on Jan 21, 2015 3:56:29 GMT
The war veteran was obviously bothered by this. He could only keep his silence, and he knew that not taking sides was going to cost him. These cowards took her from me. They took the victory I wanted. I waited in that tunnel for days- waiting for them to come. There were no concessions for POWs. There were no negotiations. Men were sent out to die and promptly abandoned. Delaz was right, in that sense. This war never ended. They're still out there, lurking. The atmosphere around the gentle giant became noticeably darker. That thousand yard stare. Those empty dark eyes. He remembered now why he had joined. His fists clenched like vices before the Zeon logo. Words weren't needed to express his answer. Then, the unexpected happened.
"Just what are you doing with my men, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Secretary?"
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Rank: Secretary of Defense
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Post by Dominic Salazar on Jan 21, 2015 4:08:02 GMT
"Yes, the Admiral contacted us. He was the one who confirmed that Commodore Ohm's orders to us were in fact a falsehood used by the Commodore to cover for the transport of the nukes. As the Commodore's plan, to move the nukes by using subterfuge and a minimal guard to throw off suspicion, did not succeed the Admiral let us know that the Assembly would likely have questions for us. I hope you can all understand that most of my pilots are new to this level of official interest, so the Admiral no doubt was offering a courtesy by alerting us to the possibility of an interview such as this one. He then ordered us to Jaburo, the results of which I'm sure everyone is here is aware of." "Oh? Are you implying Bask was the one who gave you these orders?"There was no containing that look of amusement on your face. "Mr, Secretary, you said I would be yielded some procedural control. Amid the events that have transpired since March 2nd, certain experiences and information have been gathered by myself and my pilots. I feel that it would be a dereliction of my duty as a Titan not to pass this knowledge onto the Assembly.""Magi Squadron! Conclusions and tactical analysis of these enemy suits and their pilots for the Assembly, if you please." How disappointing. How boring. You are a boring man, Mr. Ennis. Salazar read the writing on the wall. There was nothing that could be salvaged from this. If he weren't any more rigid, he probably would've pooled onto the floor by now. "Just what are you doing with my men, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Secretary?" "Admiral Hymem. Where have you been?"
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Post by Jamitov Hymem on Jan 21, 2015 4:29:02 GMT
"Admiral Hymem. Where have you been?" In person, Jamitov looked frail. He slowly limped last his men on a cane. Momentarily, the admiral used Ennis for support by putting his hand on his shoulder. A few seconds passed, and he slowly made his way to the center. "Telling the families of my murdered men that they won't be coming home today."Despite his frailties, his voice was a booming echo. Even the House Speaker and Secretary of Defense looked unnerved by his presence. The man in the tan suit breathed a little and adjusted his red tie. "That is very gen-"The Admiral poked the secretary harshly with his cane. "Shut up you goddamn coward. You had one job, Mr. Secretary- keep the Federation safe. Keep the federation secure. What did you do? You negotiated, and the AEUG made a fool out of you. If only incompetence were a crime, then we could very easily see some justice here today." Salazar tried to speak up, looking to the crowd with a look of smug bemusement. "I'm not sure what you're saying. The AEUG stated clearly did not have possession of those nukes. The entire premise of this inquiry was to find out who actually had them." “Is anyone else willing to dignify that? Would anyone here come forward and reinterpret their actions? Does anyone else, in absence of any shame or good sense, wish to step forward and hold more inquiries?”Not a single politician spoke. “I didn’t think so."
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Post by Yazan Gable on Jan 22, 2015 0:02:35 GMT
Jaime’s head still smarted from the smack to the back of the head from earlier. He had taken Commander Ennis’ rebuke without comment, mostly because he knew deep down that his CO was entirely correct. But it was so goddamn frustrating to have to put up with bullshit. It turns out that the proceeding seemed to be entirely that. No one really seemed to care about the actual breakdown of the fighting, instead choosing to take part in a dickfighting contest. "Magi Squadron!" Ennis called out as the images were copied to the main screen in the Assembly chamber, the Zeonic insignia dead-center. "Conclusions and tactical analysis of these enemy suits and their pilots for the Assembly, if you please." It was refreshing to actually hear an honest and direct question, accompanied by an order from his commanding officer, but it was quickly drowned out by the dickface in charge interrupting and getting into a shouting match with a newly arriving Admiral Jamitov. The real issue, the one about actually taking it to the AEUG but no one seemed to want to interrupt. Getting in between serious heavy hitters could be disastrous. ‘It is the prerogative of fools to speak the truths that wise men dare not say.’
The proverb floated unbidden into Jaime’s head, and he could feel his fist clench. “Well, I’m already in the dog house. Maybe I can getting credit for having more balls than brains.”
Jaime stepped forward, clicking his heels together as he entered a formal salute, barking out as if he was speaking to his drill Sergeant. “Ensign Jaime Neston of the 15th Tactical Mobile Suit Squadron. Battle analysis suggests the enemy is capable of fielding Mobile Suits on roughly equivalent specifications as the RMS-108 Marasai. These machines have been fielded in number, suggesting Research and Development and Manufacturing capabilities at an uncomfortable level. Their use of nuclear weapons shows a willingness to use weapons of mass destruction.”
Jaime paused for a second. He was quite possibly about to do something very, very stupid. “Furthermore, their knowledge of the flight plan and timing relatively unguarded and infinitely outgunned transport suggests intelligence networks that are…extensive. Intercepted open channel communications in our last encounter contained words to the effect of “Ask your CO what happened to a Titan named Rick Nero”,combined with the implication that said enemy pilot had knowledge Titan operations. This normally would have been included in our debriefing, but is has been delayed to accommodate these proceedings.” Jaime added a second pause. “These factors combined suggest that, as Admiral Jamivtov stated, the Anti-Earth Union group presents as far greater threat than initially presented, and present a clear and present danger to the Federation.” Jaime finished his salute and stood at attention. “Sirs.”
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Post by Katharyn Holcroft on Jan 22, 2015 5:28:56 GMT
The more Katharyn sat there and listened to Salazar, the more the man pissed her off. She wasn’t particularly politically savvy, but she knew a hypocrite when she saw one, and to her Salazar was a hypocrite, trying to use the nuclear attack on Jaburo by the AEUG to score political points by undermining Jamitov Hymem.
I was right. She thought viciously, this spineless political piece of crap is trying to pin everything on US. After everything we did…the nerve of that bastard. Then Jamitov himself entered, and she was struck at how frail he seemed, not at all the impression she had gotten of him from their briefing. He’s a tired old man…but still a strong leader.
She smirked when Admiral Hymem called out Salazar for his cowardice, but the final straw for her came when Salazar spouted off some feeble line of bull about how the AEUG had claimed to have no possession of the stolen nuclear weapons. She had been making an effort to keep her mouth shut, but she’d had enough.
“Just how much of a goddamn moron ARE YOU, Salazar?” She exclaimed harshly, her voice carrying across the enormous room as she stood and glared at the politician. “The ANTI-EARTH Union Group told you they didn’t have the nuclear weapons that were onboard a ship they attacked and seized, and you BELIEVED THEM?! That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Five years ago, if you’d asked Delaz whether he had stolen a tactical nuclear warhead from the Federation and he told you he hadn’t, would you have believed him too?”
She took a deep breath, calming down only slightly. Although she had doubts as to Salazar’s intentions, she suspected he was intelligent enough to recognize a rhetorical question. She didn’t give a fuck about his justifications. Her goal was, by equating the AEUG with the Delaz Fleet - and therefore with Zeon - to shake him, and to remind the bastard that while he was sat on his lazy ass on Earth, they were out there trying to fight an enemy much more dangerous than the Delaz Fleet had been.
“Commander Ennis and Jaime’re right.” She continued more calmly, but her tone of disdain made it clear how she felt about Salazar and men like him. “The AEUG is not some rag-tag bunch of pirates in One-Year-War hand-me-down mobile suits. I’ve fought the Remnants - I know what they’re capable of. These Anti-Earth bastards have got major backing, way beyond just the Remnants. And if their goddamn name didn’t make it clear enough what their real goal is, I should think that the fact they nuked Jaburo would make it clear that they’re the most serious threat the Federation has faced since the Principality of Zeon.” Katharyn, of course, had not fought in the One-Year War. She had been too young. But she hadn’t been too young to not realize the breadth of the horrors perpetrated by Zeon - Operation British, the invasions of Earth. Especially the invasions. She had lived through it, after all. The murder of her father and most of her friends in New York by Zeon forces. At the same time, she thought about what she had learned during the last battle, which still unnerved her. The idea that Anderson could turn traitor...she dismissed the thought. Irrelevant and not helpful. And the fact that Neston'd even brought it up unnerved her, though nothing of it showed.
She wondered about Salazar’s motives. For all she knew, he could be an AEUG sympathizer himself. And it was high time to put that self-righteous prick in his place. That bastard'd had the gall to try to cast doubt on their loyalty to the Federation...time to see if he liked it when someone did it to him. She glared around the room, standing ramrod-straight as she did so. Then she turned her attention back on Salazar, and there was an icy contempt in her voice as she spoke next. “Rather than trying to score political points with meaningless finger-pointing and trying to blame someone else for your idiocy, why don’t you REMFs do something productive about helping us deal with these bastards? Or is there a reason you’re trying to undercut the Titans, Mr. Secretary?”
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Post by Julian Miller on Jan 22, 2015 21:36:57 GMT
As the words left Ennis' mouth, seemingly damning Commodore Ohm and the Titans in the eyes of the panel, Julian bristled. While he was no huge fan of Bask, the man had proved to be a brute at best and incompetent at worst, he was still a leading member of their organization and one of Jamitov's closest confidants. Even if this version of events placed most of the blame on the Commodore didn't the Lieutenant Commander realize that political animals like these would use anything and everything to weaken the Titans? You couldn't win with people like these. The pleased look on Salazar's face was only proof to that and was why he chose to remain silent after the team was asked to comment on the images of the AEUG forces.
It was then that Jamitov appeared from the shadows in the nick of time, turning this hearing on its head and robbing Salazar of his advantage. The admiral always had this ability, leaving his foes speechless in front of him and Salazar was no different. Regardless of what excuse the Secretary tried to bring up, Jamitov cowed him and his lackeys through sheer force of will. Personally Julian realized that their supreme commander wouldn't stand idly by when men under his command were being raked over the coals like this. His appearance would likely save them from causing any real damage.
Just as the situation seemed to resolve itself, however, one member of the team threatened to ruin it all. An obvious scowl appeared on his space appeared on Julian's face as Katharyn suddenly unleashed a torrent of insults at Salazar. Just who the hell did she think she was talking to him like that? Sure the Titans were an elite unit and sure Salazar was a civilian but he was still the goddamned Secretary of Defense and Kartharyn was nothing but an Ensign. As far as Julian was concerned she was way out of line in her attitude, regardless of whether what she said was true or not and would need to be reminded of that later. For now he only hoped that Ennis or Jamitov would be able to triage the situation or end this farce.
This panel had turned into nothing but a sideshow and a tremendous waste of time.
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Post by James Ennis on Jan 22, 2015 23:05:48 GMT
Ennis bared his teeth in a predatory smile as Jamitov turned the tables on Salazar and Jaime - finally, the kid was learning - made the points Ennis himself was looking to make. Even Holcroft's outburst, out of line as it was, had its uses: these were not people used to being castigated publicly by their 'lessers', particularly Salazar, and it likely had put them off-balance. Ennis wiped the smile off his face and stepped forward.
"I did mention, Mr. Secretary and members of the Assembly, that my pilots were not trained for this front as you are? You'll receive no compromises or half-truths or gentle deliveries from the front-line soldiers tasked with defending you. And why should you? Would my Enisgns being polite and deferential save you from that?" Ennis said, pointing right towards the Zeonic insignia at the center of the big screen. "Do I need to remind this assembly that Axis sits, fat on the resources of the asteroid belt and with a shorter journey to Jupiter, outside of our reach? That the EFSF's 0080 attempt to destroy Axis failed miserably? That an Axis fleet salvaged materials and experienced pilots from the Delaz Fleet?"
Ennis spread his arms wide as he raised his voice to carry to the entire assembly.
"That cancerous fragment of the Principality of Zeon can bide its time as it wills. And what are we faced with in the meantime? New model mobile suits with newly designed weapons. Ships throwing aside the Federation flag and firing on their former comrades. Luna effectively in open revolt, a fortress against us. A nuclear weapon has seared the Earth once again. And amid all the traitors and the rot are the ghosts of Zeon still haunting us. Axis bides its time, and in the meanwhile her partisans use the AEUG to weaken us for her eventual return. Honored members of this Assembly, this is no crisis. This is no time for panels or infighting. This is a war. As the Admiral says, it is this Assembly's job, and the job of the Titans, to protect the Federation and its people."
Ennis lowered his arms, his hands clasped behind his back as he stood at ease.
"It's time to go to work. Sirs."
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Post by Yazan Gable on Jan 24, 2015 4:12:36 GMT
Jaime did a quick double take as Holcroft, of all people...
Well it was a shock. Holcroft had always been reserved during training. She was always incredibly serious, incredibly devoted to the cause and that was something Jaime would never have held against her. The idea of having her open up gradually, of seeing that pretty face soften...well those were thoughts for another time.
Instead, Jaime got a front row seat to watch Mount Katy blow. If there was any worry that he: had stepped out of line with a blunt, but perfectly honest and professional analysis it was quickly swept away by Holcroft essentially telling a powerful politician to shove his head up his ass while playing with himself.
"If she's lucky, I'll have a partner on mech polishing duty."
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Post by Dominic Salazar on Jan 25, 2015 3:29:35 GMT
“Just how much of a goddamn moron ARE YOU, Salazar?” She exclaimed harshly, her voice carrying across the enormous room as she stood and glared at the politician. “The ANTI-EARTH Union Group told you they didn’t have the nuclear weapons that were onboard a ship they attacked and seized, and you BELIEVED THEM?! That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Five years ago, if you’d asked Delaz whether he had stolen a tactical nuclear warhead from the Federation and he told you he hadn’t, would you have believed him too?” "Gentlemen, I believe this woman lost her composure." Salazar chuckled attempted to crack a joke and lighten an already tense situation. Nobody in the Assembly was laughing. That made him a little irritable. His hand went for the tie on the neck. The room wasn't getting warmer. “Commander Ennis and Jaime’re right. The AEUG is not some rag-tag bunch of pirates in One-Year-War hand-me-down mobile suits. I’ve fought the Remnants - I know what they’re capable of. These Anti-Earth bastards have got major backing, way beyond just the Remnants. And if their goddamn name didn’t make it clear enough what their real goal is, I should think that the fact they nuked Jaburo would make it clear that they’re the most serious threat the Federation has faced since the Principality of Zeon.”“Rather than trying to score political points with meaningless finger-pointing and trying to blame someone else for your idiocy, why don’t you REMFs do something productive about helping us deal with these bastards? Or is there a reason you’re trying to undercut the Titans, Mr. Secretary?” "That cancerous fragment of the Principality of Zeon can bide its time as it wills. And what are we faced with in the meantime? New model mobile suits with newly designed weapons. Ships throwing aside the Federation flag and firing on their former comrades. Luna effectively in open revolt, a fortress against us. A nuclear weapon has seared the Earth once again. And amid all the traitors and the rot are the ghosts of Zeon still haunting us. Axis bides its time, and in the meanwhile her partisans use the AEUG to weaken us for her eventual return. Honored members of this Assembly, this is no crisis. This is no time for panels or infighting. This is a war. As the Admiral says, it is this Assembly's job, and the job of the Titans, to protect the Federation and its people." "I can't even bring Blex and Kowen in to explain themselves. Now there is only one man in this room who know what really happened. You brought this upon yourself, Jamitov! Have about you tell everyone here the truth!" The Secretary of Defense and the Admiral arguing had implications. Everyone in the room saw the writing on the wall.
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Post by Jamitov Hymem on Jan 25, 2015 3:47:34 GMT
"I can't even bring Blex and Kowen in to explain themselves. Now there is only one man in this room who know what really happened. You brought this upon yourself, Jamitov! Have about you tell everyone here the truth!" “You can't handle the truth!"“You damn invertebrate- look around you! These men in the room are no longer interested in you instigating a political crisis in the shadow of such a tragedy. Leadership brings loyalty, Mr. Secretary. Your own officers are taking your example, scheming, and leaking intelligence to their contacts in the AEUG."“For the sake of beleaguered government, for the sake of all mankind, I ask you, Mr. Speaker, to put forward the Liedman Act and call a vote.."Arrangements were made, people were bribed, and pressured. There was no way Salazar could've read the extent of Jamitov's influence. Slowly, the Speaker nodded- breaking his expression of indifference. "I would like to hereby call the Liedman Amendment, a bill to transfer all command from of the Earth Federation Forces to the Titans, to the floor. All in favor vote aye."As the lights on each desk turned green, there was no mistaking what happened; democracy was nowhere in sight in this assembly. What the others saw happen was clear: Jamitov had shown his hand just forced the Earth Federation government into submission. The Admiral himself drew his pistol on the ex-Secretary and gave his men the order to the pilots. “Throw him out."
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Post by James Ennis on Jan 25, 2015 21:24:49 GMT
"Well holy shit, the Old Man finally did it," Ennis thought as he bore witness to what was nothing less than a coup. Bloodless, more or less, but a coup all the same. And Ennis had helped make it happen.
The implications were heady and frightening all at the same time, and added more variables to the calculation that had been running in his head since the nuke went off, but for now he chose to live in the moment. After all, it wasn't every day that he got to help dethrone Bask Ohm's strongest political ally.
"Lieutenant Miller, Ensign Holcroft. Escort Mr. Salazar from this Assembly. Now," Ennis ordered firmly. After seeing his performance at Jaburo Ennis could trust Julian to be professional, and keep Holcroft in check. But including Holcroft, who'd just lambasted Salazar publicly, was a calculated insult that he knew the ousted Secretary would not miss.
Ennis looked to Jamitov and nodded respectfully. On the surface, the Titans would finally have the strength and support they needed to try and root out the AEUG rebellion before Axis could take advantage. Beneath it, the implications . . .
"Long live the king . . ."
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Post by Julian Miller on Jan 25, 2015 22:41:40 GMT
Julian failed to hid his shock when he observed Jamitov suddenly usurp control of the Federation from Salazar and the other officials in one swift stroke. His usual calm and collected facade fell away as his eyes opened wide in stunned shock and his mouth was left slightly agape. Never had Julian ever entertained the though of something like taking place and now that it had? He was horrified. While the more oblivious might have seen this as Jamitov usurping the Secretary of Defense alone, Julian harbored no illusions as to what was really going on.
Jamitov had just taken control of the Earth Federation.
Immediately his hands tightened into fists as the Admiral ordered his team to remove Salazar from the room. While he wasn't a fan of the man by any means and thought that he shouldn't be in a position of power when his loyalties were questionable at best, this wasn't the way to go about getting rid of him! Personally he was glad that Ennis gave him the order to take the former SoD out, he wasn't sure he could trust Katharyn from doing something stupid. Frankly Julian didn't know who he could really trust at the moment. Was the rest of the team really ok with what was going here?
Not wasting a moment, Julian brushed past Katharyn and approached Salazar before she could do the same. Walking behind the bench to the disgraced politician's side, he placed a strong but not painful grip on the man's shoulder. He didn't want to hurt Salazar, after all, but knew he needed to put on a show for Jamitov and the others to see. Still that didn't stop him from giving a momentary glance towards Jamitov's outstretched pistol before returning his attention to Salazar.
"Please sir, you need to follow me right now."
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Post by Yazan Gable on Jan 26, 2015 23:32:21 GMT
Things happened in a whirlwind. At first Jaime was just speaking his piece. He had hoped that it would slide a bit of ammunition back to Commander Ennis or Admiral Jamitov....he really didn't expect some kind of movement to completely knock the scumsucking politician out of power. Jaime was hardly a student of politics, but he could appreciate a good ambush when he saw one. Salazaar was being escorted out and now the Titans....his people were now in charge.
"Commander Ennis...did that really just happen?" Try as he might to fight it, a grin flitted over Jaime's face. "Or is this just a really good dream?"
The Titans were in control now. No kowtowing. No fighting for funding. People were doing to take the Zeon threat seriously from now on. And right now, Jaime was on the team of those in Jamitov's good graces. He himself had spoken up...
If Jamitov wanted a group that he could trust completely and fully, Jaime privately suspected that every member of the team would have run through fire for the man and the Commander. Now...they march to the gates of hell.
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Post by Katharyn Holcroft on Jan 28, 2015 4:51:00 GMT
‘You’re damn right I’ve lost my composure, you spineless worm.’ Katharyn thought furiously as Salazar tried to squirm his way out with a half-hearted joke that amused nobody. But she said nothing. Then Commander Ennis spoke again, turning the spotlight back on the true enemy, and what the responsibility of the Titans was: To excise the cancer of Zeon from the Earth Sphere once and for all.
But the real surprise came from the Speaker, who suddenly called a vote on a bill to transfer command of the entirety of the Earth Federation Forces and place them directly under the authority of the Titans. For a moment, all she could do was stare at the Speaker, then at Jamitov, utterly taken aback at the sudden swiftness of this development. Then the implications of this unexpected change hit her: This meant that from now on, the Titans had access to all of the very considerable resources of the Earth Federation Forces, both on Earth and in Space, to allow them to accomplish the task for which they had been created. The political implications of Jamitov essentially staging a bloodless coup d’état that had essentially given him control of the Federation itself were largely lost on Katharyn, who knew very little about politics, and cared even less. The key factor that occurred to her was that this meant things like what had happened with the Metula would not happen again. Now, they would really be able to bring the fight to Zeon and their AEUG lapdogs.
Katharyn could not help but smirk not only at the news, but as she watched Jamitov draw a gun on Salazar and ordered him removed from the premises. However the expression was fleeting, soon replaced with an expressionless mask as Commander Ennis then ordered her and Lieutenant Miller to escort Salazar from the building.
‘Now,’ she thought with a kind of grim satisfaction, none of which showed in her expression, ‘things are about to change.’
Again she idly wished she had taken her pistol with her instead of leaving it in the armory, but she dismissed the thought. Miller brushed past her without a glance, and she ignored him. Still without saying a word, her expression carefully neutral, she fell in a step behind him as he placed a hand on Salazar’s shoulder to get him out.
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Post by Dominic Salazar on Jan 30, 2015 3:45:42 GMT
"Keep your hands off of me."
He made a threatening gesture to his two captors. For a moment, the man built on composure had lost his nerve. He was out of the job, and the Federation was now in the hands of a contemptible enemy. He straightened out the collars of his tan suit before making plans for an exit.
"I'll have no part in your charades, Jamitov. Remember- If things start crashing down on this assembly, it'll be your folly!"
The ex-Secretary about-faced and began his self imposed exile. The others didn't need to keep him out. However, should he ever return, it would mean yet another regime change in a malaised government.
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