Price of Neutrality I

Lupus had witnessed a smaller medical ship being hunted by a larger unmarked ship, Roy went to the communication room and used the short-distance communication relay to try to contact the medical ship. He had to use the short-range antenna since the long-range one was destroyed during the bomb explosion.

Roy had managed to pick up the distress signal the medical ship was sending, they were being attacked by the Young Aryains, a Neo-Nazi terrorist organization in space.

After the defeat of the Nazis in World War II, the UN was formed to prevent a repeat of the World Wars. To ensure this new world order, the UN Security Council was created, comprising the United States, the USSR, China, Britain, and France. The most important players of the Allies.

While the US and USSR are at each other's throats, engaged in a prolonged Cold War of East and West, they often veto each other's proposals in said Security Council. However, one of the rare points of cooperation and agreement is their stance on fascism. With the two deadliest conflicts in history still being recent events, the great powers of the world were united and determined to prevent any chance of anything like it repeating.

As humanity expanded into space and new self-governing colonies formed new nations, some tried to revive the ideas of fascism and Nazism in space and on these new planets. The US and USSR with their military might crushed all attempts at revivals of the ideology of darkness and together forced those who believed in these despicable ideas into retreat and hiding. Using the might of the UN Security Council and wide support from all UN member states, these extremists found no support for their ideas.

Fascists couldn't form a nation or colonize a planet so a radical group known as the Young Aryans was created by these extremists and they hid across the galaxy. The Young Aryans were a neo-Nazi secret society built on oppression, false ideas of racial superiority, and delusional grandiose visions of world domination. They operate by ambushing weak and low-equipped ships in space such as medical ships or ones carrying aid or relief.

In fact, this medical ship was transporting doctors to help combat an epidemic on Planet Vrelo. However, the surprise attack by the Young Aryians left the medical ship's warp drive destroyed, now it was defenseless and without the warp, they couldn't escape. The only hope was to run and pray they would run into someone.

Lupus had accidentally bumped into this chase on their way to the Yugoslav space station. Brigham as captain had a new problem on his plate, should Lupus intervene and help the medical ship or leave them at the mercy of evil.

Brigham had assembled the whole of Lupus and they were ready to discuss.

"I've looked at the Neo-Nazi ship," Emidio said, "and they have a weaker ship than ours. While my father is a lot of things, the Solatium corporation makes good stuff. This vessel is fairly state-of-the-art and it's a fully capable small warship. The enemy ship is outdated and was most likely stolen from some warehouse where they would put away old models. If we were to engage them in space combat we would have the upper hand."

"If there is one thing I hate more than commies," Roy cracked a knuckle, "It's Nazis. We should absolutely jump at them and save the medical ship."

Ana grinned, "I fully agree! These fascists clearly didn't learn their lesson how it went down for them in 1945. we ought to give them a repeat lesson! We even have the more powerful ship!"

"I don't think we can." Curro shook his head, "According to article 3 of the constitution of the Dominion of Nova Occasio The Dominion declares permanent political and military neutrality in all international and intergalactic affairs. All of its civil servants, military personnel, and diplomats are bound to uphold the principle of neutrality. We would be breaking constitutional law if we engaged the Nazis here."

"Isn't the United Nations unanimous in their condemnation of fascism?" Roy frowned at Curro. "Even the Security Council can agree on this issue, the neutrality is there to keep us out of the Warsaw Pact and NATO, not to prevent us from intervening in a case like this."

Curro shook his head once more, "You're wrong, if we look at the text and interpret it says, all of its affairs, including this one." Curro raised an eyebrow, "I am kind of disappointed in you Roy, as a strict legalist, I thought you would hold the constitution to be something sacred."

Roy crossed his arms and started thinking, he didn't have a response. His principles of adhering to the rules were wrestling with an internal feeling that was screaming at him to help the medical ship, especially against a group like the Young Aryan neo-Nazis that view all people of African descent as inferior. Their ideal society is one where someone like Roy doesn't exist.

"Screw the Constitution!" Ana yelled out and tried to encourage Roy. "Who cares what that piece of paper says, politicians wipe their asses with constitutions all of the time, we are out here in space. We are not on Nova Occasio so it doesn't apply to us, we have the stronger ship!"

Curro rolled his eyes, "Ana I know you are a communist and don't care for the rule of law, but that's not how things work, why don't you tell her Roy."

Roy lowered his head, "While in international space, the laws of the vessel's country of origin apply, the constitution is enforced even when in the cosmos if you're are on a Nova Occasian ship…"

"C'mon, you have to be kidding me!" Ana flailed her arms, "What good is that damned constitution if it prevents us from stopping evil people from abusing others. Everyone, you have to think this is crazy, captain what about you?"

Curro shrugged, "I didn't make up the rules." Before Brigham could say anything Curro turned to his best friend and said, "We might have the stronger ship but attacking the Nazis would put us at unnecessary risk."

Brigham gritted his teeth, he was fighting his own internal battle. On one hand, his heart had felt that Lupus had a moral obligation to intervene and save the medical ship, they were in a strong position but Curro kept making good points. Was Brigham about to break the constitution and potentially endanger the crew to save some nameless doctors?

The captain bit his lip and said, "I want to hear what everyone else thinks before I make a decision."

"I don't know about this one Brigham," Khalid scratched the back of his head, "After getting shot in the leg with a bunch of needles, I think I had enough fighting for the rest of this trip. I wanna go home."

Ljubiša shrugged, "If bro is against fighting so am I. I'd like to come back home in one piece."

"I think all of you know what my opinion is," Hitomi said, "I think we should ignore them and continue to the Yugoslav space station. Every man for himself."

"I have to agree," Lei Mei reluctantly said, "I don't think we should intervene."

"Not you too Lei Mei…" Ana looked at Lei Mei with disappointment. "Didn't you want to help Ovis and Serpens on Hrkar, why would you abandon these doctors? This would be a lower risk endeavor than the Hrkar rescue."

"That was different, those were our schoolmates, and these are some random doctors. Not only that, I don't want us to get in trouble by breaking the law."

"Brigham they are all wrong!" Ana appealed to her captain. "You must see that the only right thing to do is to intervene, it's not a high-risk mission."

Brigham took a deep breath, "I feel you Ana but what do we do about the law, I don't want to go to prison for breaking the constitution and I assume neither would you. Do you see your future in a prison cell or kicked out of the military?"

"Actually Curro is wrong!" Roy jumped, a light bulb went off in his head and he had an epiphany. "We are not breaking any laws even if we fight."

"Care to explain?" Curro looked at Roy with frustration.

"You said article 3 of the constitution binds neutrality civil servants, military personnel, and diplomats. It is a good thing we are neither of the mentioned groups. We don't need to be neutral."

Curro grimaced, "What are you smoking Roy? We are in the military! It literally says military personnel."

Roy shook his index finger and gave a cheeky smile, "Not quite. We had our initiation day ceremony. However, only after we finish this exam we would officially be part of the military. All of Lupus are still ordinary schoolchildren under the law. Ergo, we don't need to worry about upholding the neutrality of Nova Occasio. It is why Ana and I are allowed to advocate for NATO and the Warsaw Pact because we are not yet part of the military."

"This is a bogus legal theory!" Curro raised his voice. "Your interpretation is all wrong, it clearly says-"

Ana snapped her fingers and cut off Curro, "Excuse me Curro, who are you to call this interpretation wrong? Are you the constitutional court of Nova Occasio? You're not. Until we get their opinion we won't know whether Roy is right or wrong!"

Roy high-fived Ana and said, "Exactly. We might end up in some law books and legal literature if we go with my theory!" Roy grinned.

Curro started losing patience, "Even if we go with your crazy legal theory and break our country's neutrality, if we were to engage the neo-Nazis in space combat, our lives would depend a lot on Emidio who operates the propulsion. That is the key to successfully dodging their attacks."

Emidio took a step forward and said to Brigham, "I know I haven't been the best at operating the propulsion, but don't factor that into your decision. I promise I will focus and I won't make any mistakes, I can handle it! I think we should intervene and stop them! We should always help those in need!"

Curro was getting increasingly agitated, "We have no experience in space combat!"

"They probably don't have much either if at all," Emidio said. "The only combat they see is harassing small ships like the medical one, we have the superior state-of-the-art vessel which is fully equipped to take them down."

"This is crazy Brigham," Curro grabbed Brigham's hand.

Brigham had to make a decision.