Far Gate Nebula

"Welcome to Fargate."   "Why is it called Fargate?"   "Because behind there, we don't know what to call things."   "Oh, all the power of a Star-Colonel, but no imagination."   "I see you have a bright future ahead of you, as a tabloid columnist."   "Oh, to the quick, I am wounded."   "Seriously, we don't have good data for beyond the gate. No reliable explorers returned. Those that do have the wildest stories."   "So this is the frontier, then. And that?"   "That is a peculiar problem, they've come out of the Far Gate, in a Coalition Speedy Courier."   "Where we had never officially been before."   "Exactly."'   "Well, no one said life as a military correspondant would be easy. Where do I stow my dunnage?"   "Dunnage?"   "Gear."   "Oh, you're on deck 12."   "Goat locker?"   "Goat locker."   "When do I speak to the passengers of that courier?"   "You don't."   "What?"   "They're not stopping here, they filed a flight plan for Nek-Mo-Ti Orbit, and it's been granted."   "You have id for the people aboard?"   "Why?"   "I want to talk to them. Provided they're not just a military expedition. Someone's been keeping secrets, being fully transparent would help your station's reputation."   "I'll see if I can arrange that."

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"Courier Ether Rider, this is Sbir Kemvlar of the Massimo Tides do you read me, over?"   "We read you Massimo Tides, what's this about?"   "Who am I speaking to, Ether Rider?"   "Cadre Officer Guberdot, Massimo Star Force, attached Coalition First Star Fleet, what's this about?"   "I'm told you have civlians aboard." That was a guess on Sbir's part, but a calculated one.   "There are no civilians aboard, Massimo Tides."   "Then how did you refuse Star-Colonel's invitation to dinner, Cadre Officer? Only if you're carrying non military personnel are you allowed to refuse, I checked the regs."   "Just who is this guy?" Interjected Lusitania, as she walked back out of the cabin she shared with Lunqui.   "A paper journalist."   "Oh, so he smells a story, huh? Are we a story?"   "Not yet, and I'm supposed to keep you out of the news until I get you to Nek's orbit."   Linnaeus walked out of his cabin next.   "Sis, the best way to get a journalist out of your hair is to be boring. Except you're not boring."   "Better ideas?"   "I'm boring, Lunqui is boring."   "No, neither of you are boring, you're too close to Massimi to be boring."   "What, you've never?"   "Never met genetic matches to that degree, no. You're like the long lost brothers and sisters we never knew we had."   "Hmm, but that assumes he knows there's more of us. And genetics aren't visually identifiable."   "What are you thinking bro?"   "I could pretend to be an Antoo?"   "Red skin, horns, yerch."   "The horns are natural, the red skin is a gang membership statement."   "He was a gangster?"   "Well, more like a political party member. Which sometimes commit crimes on Antoo, they're not that peaceful."   "And we're Massimi?"   "A Massimi journalist can't tell you apart, not physically, you can't pretend to be from one of the stations though, the accent, the culture, you have that all wrong..."   "Oh, but could I pretend to be a Massimi envoy then?"   "Your companion could pretend to be an accountant, they aren't very talkative."   "But a single accounting standards question, and I'm flubbed."   "I claim rights of diplomatic immunity for Lunqui."   "Oh, on what grounds?"   "He's the first Economic Secretary of our new Embassy."   "What, but..."   "Listen, you give financial advice to this guy, who happens to be the next Emperor of Kagomei. If you got trouble giving financial advice, I am going to need a good explanation..."   "I'm a finance advisor, not an economist!"   "I am not going to hold out, I need advice now!"   "Luci!"   "Yes, Linus?"   "Amarat, on the jade bank, says it's urgent!"   "Amarat?"   "Luci, you got Lunqui with you?"   "Yeah, why?"   "Lunqui, you stay there, you don't do anything stupid, and you and Shibué keep Luci and Linus safe, we're sending 300 pilders your way, someone threatened the lot of you with a terrorist bomb plot."   "I've got a security detail here, bro, found the Massimo Emissary, he's got twice-fifty soldiers keeping an eye on me, appreciate the extra soldiers, but we aren't unprotected."   "You never call me bro..."   "Have you even explained Kannaveral or Herevallin to these people, bro?"   "No, we felt explaining religion to a place that had a culturocracy without religion was going to be a hard sell!"   "Oi, I keep forgetting, their idea of our theocracy is going to have... warts..."   "What's this religion you mention?"   "We Arndans share a single belief, in extradimensional beings of untold power, and how they created the material, perceivable world."   "And this belief, you share across all 8 billion of you?"   "Yes, some have immediate, in-person proof, others believe because they are vouched for, but all, for good, or for ill, believe."   "And those are your new embassies to the Antoo?"   "Surely, it's only fair, you tried to impersonate some of our chaplains..."   "Did we?"   "You tried to impersonate the heir to the throne! Thankfully, no one was fooled."   "But, impersonating such individuals is... morally wrong?"   "I've only read a few of your law codes, but, in the Coalition, isn't there a principle where impersonating someone of authority is morally worse?"   "Oh, yes, that is certainly true."   "In this case, not only is Kon Veneer's authority highly respected because of his deeds, which are morally superior, but also reinforced by his ability at leading others into doing greater deeds."   "Who is this Kon? I thought you meant this Amarat character?"   "It's the same person, only he achieved two radically different, equally impressive forms of authority."   "Oh, so him being a chaplain?"   "Him being the head chaplain of a five division force? Aumhava over 5000 soldiers?"   "Oh shit, he's a Star-Colonel?"   "No, he's... forgive me if I mistranslate this, he's a star-divisional command master chief petty officer."   "Command master chief?"   "There's one non-com officer higher than he is, that non-com officer was kept busy inventing new weapons as an engineer, and has not engaged your forces in over two years..."   "Why not?"   "Meihomei felt that the lost of prestige if she were captured would be a crippling blow, as her three Merit of Honour medals were the most anyone had ever achieved for actual work short of saving a ruler's life."