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[Dreammirror]

Year: 2835
location: unknown
With the small click of a button, the window panel lowered silently, revealing the plethora of stars, ever silent and cold, sparkingly their beauty as light, millions of years old, reached the eyes of the woman who stood gazing. Tall yet beatiful, her blond hair cut short in standard Star League approved style, the woman sipped her tea, placing the data pad from her hand onto the desk. Thousands of small, pin sized lights flashed as work continued apace outside; the naval yards busy with action. The skeleton of the Black Lion was begining to take shape, though the end process was still several months yet before it would be ready for service.
A knock on the door ended her quiet contemplation. She picked up her data pad, and leaned against the desk. "Enter" she said. The visitor entered and revealed a middle aged man of greying dark hair, tall and dusky, wearing a white lab coat, he too carried a data pad and greeted his friend without the usual military decorum reserved by the rank and file. "Good Morning Sarah". I hope the shuttle ride up was not as nauseous this time"? I can speak to the medtechs if you wish, they might have something to help...." she cut his line short with a curt wave of her hand. "No thank you Brian". "You would think after all this time and the line of work I am in, I would be used to it by now, but space flight still gets to me". "I have plently of dramamine still though; it will be fine" she said. "You mentioned you wanted to see me before the staff meeting later this afternoon"? Sarah replied as she sipped her cup, scanning her datapad briefly. Brian walked in and took the visitor's seat, plugging his data pad into a wrist mounted device. Manipulating this with his right hand, halographic images sprang forth above it, revealing a number of blinking files. With practiced ease, he began bringing up images of mechs, ships and vehicles. "You wanted an update on Project Mercury I assume"? You can tell the council it is going well. The work I started with Richard all those years ago are begining to bear fruit". "Richard Tchernovkov"? Sarah asked. "Yes". "One of the most brilliant scientist I ever met". "Well, besides me of course" he chuckled. "He and I used to collaborate on the Mercury Project concept, even before all this got going". "I remember". Sarah added. "Didn't that squirrely kid Kevin hang out too, with you both"? "You know, the one from the Sea Foxes that was setting up their internetwork infodump system" What was it he called it? Chatterfox?" "Chatterweb, my dear" Brian replied. "No idea if he will get off the ground but the principle was sound". "By the way, that "squirrely kid" had a duel master degrees in both computer science and economics "before he turned 16. "I would not doubt in the slightest he will keep his eyes and ears open on that project if he can". Sarah considered his words and added--"So you think Richard & Kevin will continue to develope the Omni-Pod concept too"? "Of course." he said matter of factly. "It is the single greatest developement for battlemechs since their inception in 2439". "And yet, no one noticed this"? Sarah asked incrediously. "Some of the greatest inventions in the world sometimes go under the radar for a time. History is full of such moments" he added.
"That is why I wanted to see you today before the meeting". The Mercury Project is on schedule and going well, as are the naval yard warship projects for when the time comes..." he trailed off. "No, what I wanted you here for today is this....the most important change in history that was, like the Mercury, overlooked by most...but not me". Not anymore at any rate" Brian typed a series of commands and an image of the KGA-2B Kanga hovertank appeared, rotating in sharp, crisp lines of emerald green. "The Kanga"? she asked. "Granted, it is a good concept; a vehicle with jump jets offers amazing flexability, but..." Brian cut her off--"That is not the true beauty of it however". "The jumping ability was only the tip of the pure, utter genius that is the KGA-2B Kanga". I have to saluate those ******** over at Nirasaki". "Here, let me bring it up". Brian altered the holographic image and a computer system image now rotated slowly. "So what am I looking at that is all that"? she asked slowly. "The Future"... he replied slowly, almost in awe. "This is the AL 2200 Track -NAV Artificial Intelligence". The first, and quite possibily only truely artificial intelligence ever created that worked". "I have made this my top priority". "Wait! Sarah cried. "Mercury is your top concern". she stood up from leaning on the desk. "Dammit Brian, you know I support your research projects but you know you have to clear this kind of stuff before going further" She stated matter of factly, frowning with displeasure. "Mercury IS important" he added, standing as well, and facing her. "I know that", he reassured her. "Trust me, it will be completed on time, I promise". "This however, is LEAGUES beyond what Mercury could ever hope to accomplish". "If the clans come for us..." he was cut off by Sarah. "Not IF Brian, WHEN" she corrected him. Brian shruged his shoulders. "Whichever way it plays out, that future will not be written by mechs, but by warships". Having all the regiments in the world will not matter if they can be bombared from orbit'. "Total war Sarah" he said lightly. "It will be a war of annilation, like they tried to do to us, but worse". "Much, much worse."
The initial research is amazing. The proto AI has already suggested several new and innovative designs, new designs Sarah, and thats just the first generation AI. Just think of the possibilities. All new and improved warships, operated fully by AI that can and will preform better than any human crew could ever hope to do. Look at how well those crude SDS systems preformed us back during liberation of Terra? Those were dinosaurs compared to what I have here today". they both stood gazing at the schematics, ship design possibilities, weapon improvements on a dozen different AI suggested programs. "If we are truely to not only survive, but to bring the Star League back to the Inner Sphere one day Sarah, we have to consider using the weapons we have. This base, the respository for all the dark, dirty secrets the Star League gathered in the event of just such an event as the coup. This IS the future Sarah. We have only to seize it, mold it, and most importantly, not to fear it. Allow me to continue this Sarah and I promise you, someday, when the true Star League in Exile is ready, we will return to the Inner Sphere and to the clans both, with Warships beyond count, beyond measure. Our forces will darken the skies and "fear itself will be our weapon". The last thing the clans will know before they die, is that they failed". "That they were destroyed by the very thing they feared the most. As their clans burn, and their people die for what they did to us, the last thing they will hear is...WOLVERINES!" Brian stood, shaking with the fury of his conviction, his belief. His images now stilled, gone. The most brilliant mind Sarah had ever known, stood before her. The gift of this place, this world, this system was a godsend to her people. They could, if they wish, hide forever here. Recreate the Star League in miniture. Make it a reality again, and let the clans and the Inner sphere both rot. But that was not in her nature, nor the oath she swore to General Kerensky and the League so long ago. She was not that forgiving, nor that nieve. The clans would eventually find them. And they would never let them live in peace. No. There could never be peace. General Sarah McEvedy of the true Star League in Exile, once Khan of Clan Wolverine, knew her friend was right. The only path ahead was clear. In order for her people to live, the clans must die. "I hope Brian, that you are right. That you can control these..things". "Pandora's box once opened, is not so easily closed". Turning to face the window, she stared long and hard at the view. Automated machines churned out weapons of war, the penicle of human science in man's quest to kill one another. All in serene silence, absent of morality, of humanity. I wonder what history will remember of me this day, she wondered to herself silently. "Make it so". she said quietly.