Epilogue

 

Kyle Vaduva’s reputation has been restored along with his frozen bank accounts, US passport and his (formally) lost lover.  Now officially ‘retired’ from the C.I.A., what to do now?  Disney’s offer of employment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is too good to pass up.  With a world class team at his disposal he is a chance make a difference.  Neither he or Cat like working for corporations, but Disney is one of the better ones.  The Mouse has been good to them and working to stop greedy corporations from screwing the relatively defenseless people of the favelas is a ‘good’ cause.

Both Kyle and Cat want to ‘get out’ of the ‘biz’.  They have money, friends and each other.  There is nothing left to prove.  The two view this new assignment as their ‘retirement” job.  Their line of work is deadly in the extreme!   After this it will be time to move on.  They just have to survive one more job.

And while the Team sails to Rio de Janeiro aboard the Windfall, the rest of the world (and solar system) careens towards war.

World News Service – Flash!

MARS REPUBLIC ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW WARSHIP – MSS ISIDIS

Friday, September 1, 2045

The Republic of Mars announced the launching of their long awaited warship the MSS Isidis. This vessel has been under construction since 2037. Its building has been started and stopped a number of times due to budgetary and technological problems. The Martian Space Forces have not released any intelligence about the new ship deeming any and all information top secret. Many reputable think tanks have expressed doubts whether this new ship even exists. Since Mars refuses to release even the most general information or picture of the new vessel, the theory of this as a ‘phantom ship’ has been gaining popularity.

A number of unofficial photos of its construction have surfaced but these often show different shapes and designs. Many of these are suspected of being misinformation put out by the Martian government itself. The EU’s space arm is not considering this announced launching as a hoax. In fact officials in Brussels have called for sanctions against the Martian Republic for increasing tensions in the Dark and threatening peace in the solar system. Admiral Herman Seydlitz, EU chief of staff for their space navy dismissed the announcement with the reminder that the European Forces can now easily put an end to the “renegade state in control of our colony on Mars.”

Rear Admiral Jomo Omondi, commander of the Martian Fleet and hero of the Martian War of Independence, responded to Admiral Seydlitz’s comments with this: “Brave words from a commander of a fleet whose only victory is against a pair of hastily armed shuttles (refering to the EU’s incomplete conquest of Mercury). Let them come. We shall return them in coffins!”

The new Martian vessel is designated as a light cruiser. The Isidis will become the flagship of the Martian Fleet. Beyond that no other information on this new ship has been released. Both the United States and the Russian Federation have made no official comment on the announcement.