On the other hand, Ferris would soon learn Blair was pregnant with twins, and Roy had one ten-year-old son, a fourteen-year-old daughter, and a twenty-year-old daughter and thirty-year-old daughter?! Evidently, Roy spent more time with Blair than his quest for his fabled Farm Truck?

Making his previous assumption that Blair would have found him one already incorrect? From the guesses so far are that the twins are likely boys, meaning Roy would have three boys and three daughters..

“Her faking her death on a whim and running away with Roy was bound to happen.. eventually? And six kids no less? I only have one-but I doubt I could be considered much of a father. Duty & Sacrifice.. I’ve seen far too much of that for one lifetime. There's almost never a proper reprieve, only complications and casualty reports..”

Ferris soberly humored, oddly enough he was thankful his cloned child was still an infant and in cryo. Had she already grown up he’d no doubt be considered a deadbeat? However, he’d almost prefer that fate if she was healthy..

Prompting the two to enjoy the lasting silence, at least until a formally dressed alliance reporter made her way to him, leaving Captain Banks to shake hands and depart soon after to reunite with his wife..

“Captain Welsh, a moment of your time? Aria Nova, with Alliance News. I was there when Ensign Bakes gave you that ‘peck’ on your cheek, do you have a minute?”

Aria swooped in, leaving Ferris no choice but to put the bottle down in place of a champagne glass. Taking this as a yes, she activated her camera drone, greatly reduced the brightness and cleared her throat.

“Captain Welsh, New Harvest has always been a mystery, coupled with recent events, can you tell us how The N.H.R Chardonnay, a legendary ship in its own right, had earned the ire of an Arcadia? And what is the state of its crew? They must have fared well considering your presence here-”

Despite her words, she had arranged them in such a fashion that it sounded out of concern and honest curiosity.

“New Harvest is a neutral colony on the rim, born from the brightest minds of humanity and kept hidden due to the fear of history repeating itself. Think of Arcadia for an example? Their mission was the same in that regard. As for The N.H.R Chardonnay, I fear this was our first maiden voyage”

Ferris professionally answered with a layer of calm.

“Are you saying Arcadia views New Harvest as a threat? I find it difficult to believe, knowing their history-”

Her voice revealing innocence born of ignorance, however, it was a clear and obvious facade as Ferris pointed to his head.

“Arcadia, I highly doubt. As for the rogue elements, shortly after entering cryo, I was shot in the head. Had it not been for extensive lifesaving care, revival would have been deemed an impossibility. And when I finally woke, I lost a century of my life. I believed this maiden voyage to be an attempt for I and my crew to strive for a hopeful future. Instead that hope was slashed?”

Ferris naturally didn’t reveal anything more than what he had formulated in that moment, while as for The Chardonnay, it and its crew, alive and dead, were being returned to New Harvest. And in the end, Ferris had arranged it so that Arcadia appeared complacent.

To allow rogue elements to act so freely and so publicly wasn’t something Arcadia would have ever stood for.

However, now that the perpetrators were being ‘dealt’ with back on Arcadia, Arcadia would have to respond or at the very least make a statement in regard to the unjustified & deliberate attacks on a ‘research’ ship.

And that of New Harvest that many now believed to be an advanced human colony kept hidden away for their own safety, which was now even declared a necessary due to recent attacks?

If that wasn’t all, he altered ‘some’ evidence to show that an Arcadian Frigate attacked and mercilessly killed ‘miners’ defending their mining compound that ‘resided’ on New Harvest, before ultimately altering the recording of him being beaten through his helmet’s Hud.

And by The Seventh Temple Assassin no less after the heroic intervention of a heroic Curator who responded to the researcher outpost’s distress call before ultimately losing his life. Before finally revealing a bloodied nursery..

It took a great deal of altering and censoring, however enough was authenticated, and there was still enough evidence to suggest the act did in fact happen even if to a lesser degree?

As to why he had transferred these censored and altered reports, recordings, and pieces of evidence that appeared not only authentic but even genuine.. he felt it would add an added safety net and ‘media’ coverage to paint New Harvest in a different light and warrant its secrecy.

After all, it wasn’t much of a secret outside of where it was and what they did there? And naturally when it all hits the air, many people would be understandably outraged, including some Arcadians and Curators having realized a century old secret was brought back from the grave.

That could only be interpreted as this: New Harvest, a colony 'allegedly' built from the brightest minds of humanity hidden away due to the dangers of what that technology may bring, were targeted by Rogue Arcadian Elements who viewed their innovation and technology knowhow as a threat to their Arcadian Supremacy.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

As a result, the colony was suddenly & deliberately attacked by naval and ground forces of Rogue Elements of The Arcadian Assembly. Its nurseries butchered, its miners bombarded with plasma, its researchers beaten to death, and its leaders assassinated, forcing them into the dark age much like The Curators had done humanity.

This was naturally Ferris’s goal to ensure that safety net and added mystery for New Harvest. Even if it could be ‘partially’ debated and insinuated that the Arcadian Rogue Elements had their reasoning?

However, it was difficult to do so to the billions of mothers who learned of the butchered nurseries, Researchers learning of the innocent unarmed researchers beaten to death for defending their research, Miners learning of hard-working men and women being burned alive by Plasma.

And Security Officers & Veterans dying to protect them all while wearing former unit patches from not only The Alliance, but The Freestar Confederacy, United Colonies, United Territories, The Freeworlds, and even The Novenary States for an added measure.

All of whom were honest men and women who too wanted the betterment of humanity, their artificial screams, combat recordings, medic logs, casualty reports, and so much more to pull at their heart strings.

Ferris didn’t want just a safety net, he wanted their sympathy, their thoughts and prayers and nothing more. That alone would force many ordinary Arcadians to feel the same, and perhaps even some Curators while ensuring New Harvest’s Secrecy.

Naturally, it was never truly a concern, and he had only done all of this purely because he found it entertaining, and it should assist to some degree? And with that done with, Aria despite hearing all of this and not shedding a tear was ecstatic! There was no greater prize for a journalist.

All she needed to do was send it back to the network, have them authenticate it and give their approval, then next the documentaries, news segments, and those wacky conspiracy theorists will pop up from the woodwork and add to the flames..

However, she needed one final touch?

“If all this is to be believed.. and New Harvest continues to make breakthroughs, will humanity ever see it? Will we ever see another New Harvest Research Ship after this incident? And will The Researchers of New Harvest remain in its borders forever fearing similar incidents?”

Aria passionately interviewed..

“Yes.. New Harvest will continue what it has always done, only I fear some research may be more restricted than others as it pertains to safeguarding against misuse, and interfering in other research fields that if introduced will endanger the researchers and science as a whole by restricting, advancement, and potential innovations”

Unfortunately, she wanted me and he didn’t need her to tell him that as her expression and signals did so in her place.

“New Harvest will slowly begin releasing the appropriate articles, research notes and overall findings and theories where it pertains to medicine, slipspace theories, and other additions & improvements in regard to ship engines, slipspace drives, and similar fields. New Harvest has no desire to hamper innovation, or restrict potential avenues even our scientists are unaware of”

To put it bluntly, not only was he taking the safest and most well thought out approach, but he did also so by doing more than Arcadia did in the present, preventing historians from comparing their actions to the actions of The Arcadians where it related to stunting The Federation.

What’s more, he could force The Alliance News Network to make this story their priority, at least as much as was allowed through board meetings alone? And with that said and done with, he noted he may need to send representatives to said board meetings..

However, that was for another time as after the interview finished up a United Colonies Reporter followed by that of a United Territories Reporter appeared out of the woodwork.

…

An hour later..

It took Ferris far longer than he should have to complete the following interviews before mingling with a random group of representatives in an effort to escape any further interviews.

However, it would now appear he found himself in the section of the.. ‘rich’ lobbyists and investors. One of which he realized he knew, and sadly before he could escape this predicament, he felt someone clinging to his arm.

“Ferris! Now aren’t you looking fabulous? Sit, sit! How I’ve missed you! Jacob told me everything about you before that fateful day?! God was he handsome back then! Everyone, everyone this is Ferris! My nephew but not by blood!”

It took only a moment for him to turn around and realize who it was.. to put it bluntly his father spoke of her when he was a child, however as he was four and his father went down with his ship some months later, he obviously hadn’t paid much attention to it.

With that in mind, he knew who she was.. Lady Angelica Lisben or rather Aunty Angie, while as far as appearances went, she looked to have stopped aging in her late twenties and was quite attractive, however considering he knew enough about her to sink a ship he didn’t find her so..

She wasn’t an Arcadian per say, rather she was a dancer & ‘entertainer’ in another life? When that was, no one knew, while she was most definitely not a Curator or Ascendant making it all too bizarre considering the circumstances?

Now as for how she knew his father, she.. slept with him..

And whether it be a ballroom, nightclub, or any matter event she was the life of the party and changed mannerisms as if she had a split personality, only she didn’t and could outdrink, out assassin, and out spy the best of them.

Her existence didn’t have an explanation, while Ferris was reluctant to even get involved with her as the ‘nobles’ born of ancient families welcomed him for the next hour before discussing problems and events only they were so accustomed of.

The issue with this however was not because he never found himself in such a situation, rather these.. ‘Nobles’ were damned near-pretentious? He has mingled with individuals and titans of the industry far above them, however the only exception being they’re self-aware enough not to boast or speak of matters so openly.

As to why he called them Nobles, it was an insult to be sure, but not one without a modicum of self-acknowledgement? He didn’t hate them, he didn’t despise them as they weren’t doing much harm, rather it becomes cripplingly tedious the longer he’s around them.

And before he knew it, Angie had made up an excuse and dragged him to an isolated corner.

“Ferris darling, your mood is spoiled! Tell me what’s troubling you-oh dear your ship! A thousand apologies, it was cruel of me to force you to socialize with those pompous sort! Even crueler because I was the one who brought that dreadful cruiser here-”

Angie’s tone would immediately change as she pinned him against the wall, naturally he couldn’t help but chuckle before it dawned on him he couldn’t move? That didn't bode well..