Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-One: Time Skip(2)

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-One: Time Skip(2)

Kentares IV, May 25th, 3030

"The biggest thing to remember from our time here at Marksman Academy is that even though we may be going to different nations and different areas of service we can still stay connected. We have the largest group of mixed nation graduates in history, and that means something, it means that we have a real chance of making this peace last. And I think that's probably more important than us being skilled in the ways of war. Thank you guys for making this a fun five years of learning." Melissa said with a smile before before handing the ceremonies back over to Sheppard…

–

–

"Dad, Mom!" Melissa squeezed her parents in a big bear hug. "I'm so glad you guys made it!"

"We wouldn't have missed this even if the entirety of the Draconis Combine were in between us." Katrina responded with tears in her eyes. "You did fantastic."

"Hey sis," Elsa greeted her older sister. "Looks like I've got to beat your grades."

"You can try little sis." Melissa grinned while messing up her little sister's hair. "Where's Adam mom?"

"He couldn't get the time off approved." Katrina said.

"No, he forgot to put in the leave request in time." Arthur chimed in with a chuckle. "He just got busy and forgot, he did send some letters with us though.

"Well, I'll read them while we're on our way back to Tharkad." Melissa said with a grin.

"You're being assigned to the 4th Royal Guards under Frederick." Katrina said. "Your uncle has been looking forward to this for the past year or so."

"Why them?" Melissa asked. "I thought you didn't want me anywhere near actual combat and conflict."

"I may have had some people correct me on that issue." Katrina glared at her husband. "Now, where are the good places to go bar crawling?" Katrina smirked. "We have a tradition to keep."

That night…

"Come on Melissa, you can do one more shot!" Natasha Kerensky cheered her on. "You've got to beat your mother after all!"

Katrina and Melissa had found Natasha and a couple of others early on and had ended their bar run at the bar that was frequented the most by the Ducal Guard. Then they proceeded to try and drink each other under the table.

"She can't keep up with me." Katrina taunted with a smirk. "I've got age on her."

"I've got the faster metabolism." Melissa said as she slammed another shot down. "Your turn."

Unfortunately for the two Steiners, Natasha had been recording the entire night, and would be using this as blackmail for years to come.

"Barkeep, just bring out the bottle." Katrina said after they emptied the remainder of their shots at the table. "And put it on Duke Hull's tab."

The Barkeeper just shrugged and brought out the remainder of the bottle of whiskey that the two Steiners were halfway through.

"Just for that I am not sharing Mark's hangover cure with either of you." Natasha told the two drunk blondes. "But, you may not like his cure anyway so it is not that much of a loss." She shrugged.

While Natasha had drank some alcohol over the course of the night, she was the designated driver and so had remained sober.

"Hey Natasha," Katrina slurred. "I think you're no fun."

"And I believe you are drunk." Natasha stated with a smirk. "I think that you'll find me very fun in the morning."

May 26th, 3030

"My head." Melissa muttered as she woke up bleary eyed, with a massive headache, and nauseous. "I won though!" She raised her fists in victory.

"No," Her mother said from the other couch, "I think we both lost."

"Why?" Melissa asked, and then had her question answered as the emergency lights and sirens began to flash.

"This is Natasha Kerensky, we are proceeding with our monthly unscheduled invasion drill, please make your way to your designated areas and await further instructions."

"Dammit." Melissa said as she stood up and held her head. "Follow me mom."

The two Steiner Blondes made their way to the elevator they were supposed to head to in case of an actual invasion.

"Why did we think last night was a good idea?" Katrina asked.

"Because it was fun until you made fun of Aunt Nat." Melissa retorted. "You should know by now that she always gets payback, if you wanted an easy morning you should have brought Uncle Mark on the crawl with us."

"Fair point." Katrina replied. "What goes into Mark's hangover cure anyway?"

"You don't want to know." Melissa responded with a wide eyed look. "Let's just say it's the reason I've only been drunk once before this."

"Does it work though?" Katrina asked/

"Yes, it's pretty effective." Melissa said over the sirens as the elevator began its descent into the mountain complex. "But it'll have to wait until we get out of the estate."

Once they reached the hidden complex underneath the mountain, a blissful silence filled the air, and they made their way to the area that their slates told them to head to.

"Surprise!" Echoed through the room as they walked in.

"Sorry about the hangover." Mark said after the noise died down a bit. "But y'all insisted on the drinking binge and we already had this party planned with Arthur."

"Just give me that." Melissa told Mark as she took the cup that he was offering to her. "I won't be happy I drank this, but if it makes the world stop moving so much then I'll do it." She held her nose and tipped back the spicy concoction.

"What is in that?" Katrina asked as she finished off her own cup. "I mean, it works but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to taste anything for the rest of the day."

"Like three kinds of extremely spicy hot-sauce mixed in with an electrolyte mix and lots of water." Mark replied with a smug grin. "If it keeps you from getting drunk again then it's worth it, warning though, it takes a little bit to settle and I wouldn't eat anything until it has."

May 27th, 3030

"Here's your graduation gift Mel." Melissa's uncle Mark said, "Sorry it took so long to finish it."

"What on earth did you do to that Alacorn?" She asked as she walked around her new tank. "There's still three gauss rifles here, but how did you get the free tonnage to add a machine gun and two lasers?"

"Well, we spent a lot of time and money refitting the extra light fusion engine over to an extra extra light fusion engine." Mark replied with a smile. "It's not technology we can fully reproduce on the factory scale just yet,but for single projects like this we can."

"Anything else I should know about this beauty?" Melissa asked as she climbed onto the tank painted in the 4th Royal Guards parade colors.

"I added an extra ton of armor." Mark replied. "And I had to clear the refits with Katrina before she would let me give it to you."

"There's CASE in here?!" a voice echoed from inside the tank as Melissa explored it.

"Figured you might need it with the machine gun ammo that we crammed in there." Mark replied. "We also included two 'mechs and another vehicle to round everything out, one more Alacorn modified in the same way so that you have a pair of them, along with one of our new Toro's and a Marauder MAD-2T refit fresh from Taurus."

"I thought you hadn't fully worked out the kinks on mass producing the LBX-5." Melissa said as she popped her head out of her tank.

"Sharpshooter didn't work out the kinks." Mark shrugged. "But some genius over there with TTI did figure it out, and now we purchase them by the lance."

"Thank you Uncle Mark." Melissa wrapped him in a massive hug. "Hopefully I don't have to put this to use anytime soon."

"Si vis pacem, para bellum." Mark replied. "Better to have it and never have to use it in a war than to need it for a war and not have access to it."

"I know what that means." Melissa replied, "I speak more languages than you remember?"

"I remember," He chuckled. "Let's get everything set up for you to give this baby a test run."

"I get to blow things up?" Melissa's eyes lit up with glee. "Where do I sign?"

"Letting you hang out with Colonel Carter was a bad idea." Mark shook his head. "I should've known better."

May 30th, 3030

"Hey Mark," Katrina knocked on the door frame of my office. "I need to discuss something with you."

"I keep my door open for a reason." I said with a smile. "What's up?"

"I'd like to discuss a marriage proposal with you." She responded. "You don't have to make a decision now, but I would like to try and get Elena and David together to see if they would be compatible."

"I can see where you came up with the idea." I said. "But wouldn't Jonathon Davion be a better choice to bind the two nations together?"

"I was going to see if Adam and Jennifer would be a good match in that case." Katrina replied. "This way we have the connections through second and third children in case of people trying to claim dynasty usurpation."

"I'll support the plan if you can find a way to include the Taurians." I said after a moment's consideration. "And it's conditional on the children agreeing to it."

"Of course it's conditional on our children agreeing." Katrina said with a small glare. "I already accomplished a good portion of my goals for my nation. This is just a way to help ensure that the peace lasts."

"Alright." I said, "Lay out the entire plan for me while I try and get Zarantha and Natasha in here, Natasha needs to be informed, and Zarantha might be able to help us tie the Taurians into this."

Author's note: Dana and Hanse have three children so far to explain some things. Jonathan Davion is their firstborn, with Jennifer Davion (Named after Hanse's mother) being their second child, and Julian Davion.