Manor House, Outskirts of Ceres City
Capella
November 22, 3053
Kato returned to find that not much had changed. He had said goodbye to Hiro and the rest of his family before he’d departed for the War College as then expected to depart within a few days of the investiture. He had been worried that the additional accolades that had been given to Kato would have caused Hiro’s hostility to flare up again. It was evident that he was less thrilled with getting a Barduk rather than Sheng title. That said, he had no family of his own, so passing along any title at the moment was moot. So, while satisfied with his new station might be an overstatement, mollified certainly applied and the hostility that might be driven from this would be directed elsewhere. Kato had not requested or lobbied for the additional honors which mitigated things in his favor.
He had been happy to learn that the Maskirova had departed two days after his investiture. With them gone along with his extended family, the manor was much more peaceful. He would need to finalize the officers for his Atayde Guard force at the estate. Getta Milos had been impressed with what she had seen of Capella, and he’d been surprised to discover she spoke fluent Mandarin. He intended to offer her an officer position which would mean a promotion. It would also give Carey a familiar face to hang onto while Kato and the rest were away.
One of the first orders of business he wanted to attend to upon returning though was the matter of the assassination attempt. He’d heard nothing from his grandfather while he was gone and was sure that Benton was not happy about the lack of information. He had sent word ahead that he wanted to speak to his grandfather about it upon his return and was told to attend him in the receiving hall. Arriving he discovered that most of the rest of his command staff were present, some were still trickling in. With them, speaking with Kasei was Lt. Zin. The Lieutenant notices Kato almost immediately and smiles. “Good. You’re here. We can begin.” Kato glances around to figure out where everyone will sit when Zin gestures to the throne on the dais. “I believe that is where you belong.” Glancing over at his grandfather, Kasei nods. “You are the noble in residence, and this is your hall.”
Kato nods and starts heading that way. Those who know him best realize it’s a bit uncomfortable for him, but he ascends and sits comfortably, his eyes on Zin. “I am guessing you have news then.”
“Oh indeed. We’ve captured the assassin and gotten a full confession from her. One you will hear shortly as well. I have a couple of my men bringing her in.”
“And who is she?”
Zin smiles contentedly. “A MIIO agent.”
Mudd frowns. “MIIO? I told Kato I didn’t think it was necessarily you, but while I have other enemies, MIIO feels like a stretch.”
Zin snorts. “If I were going to assassinate you here on Capella, it wouldn’t have been in anything close to the slap dash method she used. Besides, if I were going to do it, I’d want you to know it was me.”
“You did say it would be awful if a tragic accident happened to me as it almost did to Hiro, though for you to take the coward’s way out by attempting to poison me…” Benton points out and then goads, trying to get a rise out of Zin.
The lieutenant waves it off. “A bit of verbal sparring given the courtesy requested by two decorated members of the nobility,” he explains. “You think I’d be so crude in my threat or use such a base method?”
“Well, no,” Mudd responds. “But your Tong ancestors and my family have been trying to kill each other for a millennia, so perhaps you tried something new?”
“Why bother when I could kill you with my bare hands?”
“So you admit to planning to kill me here?”
“No, it would just be so easy to do if I chose.”
“Gentlemen,” Kato interjects, “It is fair to point out that the ‘clumsiness’ could in fact simply be a bit of misdirection to throw suspicion off the obvious choice, because it is a little too pat.” Kathrin enters along with Malthus chatting quietly before joining the others in chairs towards the front.
Zin’s smile is genuine, “Ah. Nice to see your sensitivity to tactics and strategy extends beyond the battlefield and into politics. It’s hard to get any more deadly than politics. You have good instincts. Still need to be refined, but I believe that’s what Rush said too.” Kato didn’t bother asking how Zin learned about the details of a private conversation with the House Master.
“We should really see about finding a way to end the feud with our generation, don’t you think?”
The lieutenant actually pauses to consider. “Well, given you’re showing enough openmindedness to follow a Capellan noble into battle and to faithfully serve him, perhaps there is room to bury the hatchet.”
"He was a Davion noble up until a few months ago, and our forebears served together in Echo Company of the 741st."
"Well, he's not a Davion noble anymore, he's a Capellan noble and you're still following. May still be worth burying the hatchet."
“I was thinking more a ‘Mech duel to the death.”
“Well in that case, that also could be arranged. Though of all your family you actually show promise. I’m not sure I want to destroy you.”
“As much ‘fun’ as this is watching the two of you throw insults back and forth, can we get down to dealing with the actual issue? MIIO is a convenient choice given our run in with them recently, again almost too pat,” Will Moon adds. “And you’ve had plenty of time to manufacture evidence or even a scapegoat if you wanted to. Why should we believe this is the real deal?”
“Because it is, and you’ll get to hear it straight from her mouth… and here she is now.”
The timing is uncanny, and it’s unclear if he signaled the other two commandos or if they truly did just happen to appear as if on cue. A familiar looking blonde woman enters flanked on either side by Death Commandos. There are a couple of things that strike you immediately. Other than perhaps a bit tired, she looks none the worse for wear. No bruises, cuts or bandages are in evidence on her face, neck, or arms or elsewhere through the clothing. No telltale signs that needles were used for injections and her eyes are bright and clear which would eliminate being on drugs. Her pallor is healthy, and she doesn’t look like she’s been malnourished. Perhaps more surprising, she is not restrained. No handcuffs, bindings, collars, or fetters limit her movement and while her eyes start scanning the room immediately upon entry, cataloguing people and details, she makes no effort to escape though exudes a self-confidence that’s surprising in the situation.
As she and her captors near the front, Zin steps into view, having screened himself from observation using the other people present. Seeing him she staggers as if struck by a physical blow, clearly terrified of Zin, and eyes actively scanning for a way out – to be anywhere but in the presence of that man. To help ensure that something untoward doesn’t happen each Death Commando takes hold of her upper arm on her side effectively trapping her here.
“Lt. Hitzig. This is the woman you saw in the restaurant and who has been confirmed to have delivered the poisoned chess set?”
Kathrin nods. “It is. And I can prove…”
Zin looks at her pointedly and raises a hand to stop her. “Why don’t we let her confess and then you can corroborate what you know, shall we?” Kathrin turns and looks at Kato who shrugs slightly. “Ok.”
Zin smiles once again. “Splendid. Now Mandy,” he says turning and addressing her, his gaze causing her to flinch back. “Why don’t you share with me what you’re doing here, starting with who you are and who your target is.” He steps back, letting focus fall squarely on her.
She swallows and looks around, settling to look at Kato who’s seated as if in judgement of her. She glances back at Zin, shudders and begins. “My name is Mandy Pattergee-Hasek, MIIO. I was part of the forces on Vanra that attempted to destroy Colonel Atayde and attacked the rest of his command to get to him.”
“Here?”
“Here my target was Roger Banzai,” she notes her face hardening as she stares at Roger, “who operates under the alias of Benton Mudd. My district commander believed it would be unconscionable to allow someone with direct ties to Dr. Banzai to fall under the sway of the Capellan Confederation. It would be better for him to be dead than betray us!” she states with venom. Roger seems taken aback.
“I wouldn’t betray my family like that.”
“And you would have gotten a hero’s funeral and likely a Federated Commonwealth Medal of Honor for your sacrifice!”
“But I’d be dead!”
“But your loyalty would have been assured!”
"And who is your district commander?" Mudd asks.
"Kommandant Teresa Flynn," Mandy answers. She looks at Kato. "I know she meets regularly with Leftenant General Sarah Delittle."
Roger looks at Kato. "Isn't that the general that hates you?"
Kato shrugs. "One of two. She's the one in the Capellan March on Valexa as opposed to General Nial Slattery who's on Tsitsang."
"You sure know how to pick them, don't you Kato?"
"This is likely to sour the Kommandant on coming after you. All of you. Three attempts, three failures. Not good for one's career."
Kato looks away from the fanatic to Hitzig. “It’s true Colonel. She is Kommandant Mandy Pattergee-Hasek. I knew I’d seen her before, and I had. I just started looking in the wrong place. I was convinced - correctly - that I had seen her in gun-camera footage, which I had. I had assumed that it was in fact mine. It wasn’t. It was Captain Moon’s. She piloted the Battlemaster in MIIO’s ambush of the Rangers on Vanra and punched out when her ‘Mech was destroyed. Moon had been trying to capture her, but she slipped away. I’d reviewed the footage after the ambush. It’s why it took so long for me to find it.”
Mandy turns and looks at Kato. “Please! You understand loyalty in service to a State!” She throws herself to the ground in front of the dais Kato sits on. “You’re an honorable man, I beg you for mercy! Spare my life.”
There is silence for a few moments while Kato considers the possible outcomes and ramifications. Ultimately, he shakes his head. “No. You have forfeited any claim to mercy through repeated attempts to kill members of my command through ambush and deceit. You have said death is a way to preserve the loyalty of the condemned. I will grant you what you have offered Roger.” Zin watches the events unfold with interest.
“As Mandrinn of Ceres City and Commanding Officer of the Numenorean Rangers, you are sentenced to death for multiple assassination attempts and the murder of Soon-hee Yu.” He stands and strides from the dais down the steps, loosening the sword in his scabbard. “Bring her,” he commands, and the two Death Commandos bring their charge with them, Zin and the others filtering out behind him. He leads them out of the manor entirely and to a small clearing close to the manor’s entrance. “I will not sully the grounds of my home with your blood.” He fluidly draws the ancestral dao as the two death commandos force her to her knees, the back of her neck exposed. “I grant you a minute to make peace with your God or whatever higher power if any you believe in.”
Mandy takes the time granted to her, head bent her whispers audible only to herself. Her whispers go on for several minutes, though Kato seems content to let her do so. Eventually she finishes and nods once slightly, head still bent. Kato’s strike is quick and true. The blade cleaves her head from her body, killing her instantly. He stands silently for a moment, head bowed perhaps offering a prayer for her soul or whatever may come. He pulls out a cloth and cleans the blood from the blade, then looks up at the two Death Commandos. “Please make sure her remains are returned to her family and send a note to her district commander. Let him know that she died in loyal service to the Federated Suns and that her actions and sacrifice warrant recognition with a posthumous award.”
He looks around at the Rangers present making eye contact with each briefly before commenting. “I take responsibility for this. It is my job as your commanding officer to see to your safety and wellbeing. I don’t intend to fail you.” With that he leads the group back into the manor as the Kommandant’s remains are prepared with honors.
Returning inside a bit worse for wear Moon started to formulate an idea. It quickly vanished however. He had been working out how he could've gotten her maybe a bit of leniency. Maybe a strict labor position in prison or used her as a bargaining chip? Will might believe in the FedCom, and would have preferred for her not to die, but that was strike three. The woman held no honor and after hearing the reason she acted, he was convinced even more she wasn't worth saving.
He spoke up. "Hard thing to do Kato. Glad my cam footage helped. I wasn't sure what you were after since we didn't have a great description. I didn't think too much of it since MIIO should've called them off. Again, trust MIIO with a grain of salt." He pauses, then offers, "We could've got something out of the FedCom possibly, but I'd sure not want her to be back at us again. Wish I had went out with them and gotten a good look. She definitely had a face to remember."
Thinking to himself that Flynn had now sent three kill missions on the Rangers and would not get mercy from Moon. There wouldn't be a tribunal, only a body in an alley.
"At least she gave us the name of the regional director. That's something."
Kato nods. "Someone to watch out for. General Delittle is stirring up a fair amount of trouble. We can hope Mandy was right, and Flynn will stop dancing to her tune. I'd rather not have to keep watching out for MIIO assassins."
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Topic: Operation INVESTITURE - "11. Pointed Questions" (Read 399 times)