Chap 26- News
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"I'll get in touch with who I was with before this bad story." Bruce answered when his son asked how the clan would help the Scorpions, the reunion was over and everyone was going back to his work "The dear Chrom will be happy to see me again."
"Who?" Vice was skeptical "Are you sure he'll be helpfully? Mars cut all the bridges with everyone during the war."
His father looked at him seriously "Listen to me. It has been a hard time for everyone. The Plutarkians attacked other planets at the same time and Chrom too had been forced to care of his crew and planet. The difference between Mars and Uraria is the dimension. Uraria is as big as Jupiter, its population is more numerous and, despite the difficulties, it had been able to protect itself from the Plutarkians better than us. Oh! And better we don't speak about the Urarian tech level!"
"Yes but why should they help a planet that can barely produces for its population? What they'll get in change?"
Bruge grinned "A long alliance and, in the future, the reopening of the old commercial relations." he answered as it was obvious.
Vice frowned "But it'll take a lot of time!"
"Everything needs it. First of all we must fix the relations with the Scorpions. Or they'll obstacle us no stop." the clan leader thought.
"But Solana agrees with that?" the one-eyed Gladiator peered at his father "And why didn't you tell us before?"
"You have always agreed." Bruce responded simply "In addition we are not speaking of a relation that the entire clan would accept willingly." the offensive words still whirled in his ears "For this reason I did everything in silence and see what would happen."
"And what about the ambassador? Do you have any idea?" asked his son.
"We can't send a man." the clan leader sighed "Our body sizes are scary enough and not everyone is able to stay calm for an entire month without making troubles."
"And so you'll send a woman. Who?"
"Unh, want have a drink?" Bruce proposed suddenly "You know, I think there are people that have a big potential but they don't use it." he commented walking to Lucy's bar, his son followed him still perplexed, why his father changed topic? When they were at the bar they sat at the counter where Lucy was cleaning the glasses and ordered a drink, then Bruce continued his talk "We need someone used to relate to others, above all if they're hostile."
Vice nodded grabbing his drink and sipping it "I don't know a lot of people by this point of view. Sharon'd be a perfect ambassador, she could find a match point. But I don't think Modo would accept to send her there, then she have to take care of the child."
"Indeed, in addition I didn't think of her." answered his father "We need find someone that has a lot of patience."
"What are you up to?" Lucy horned in, she finished to work at the counter.
Bruce muttered vaguely "I was just thinking of you."
His son opened his eye wide "No wait... Lucy?"
"Yes." the clan leader answered with a big smile "I told you I need someone with big patience and the capacity to deal with hostile people."
Lucy looked at both and Vice was more perplexed "Yes but what does she have to do with it?"
"Lucy has been a nurse. She dealt with all kind of people, she has a big patience and you yourself told me that she cared of a Plutarkian like every patient." Bruce responded "She only must stay there and communicate to us how the things are going. Meanwhile she must conquer their trust and with her patience it will work. Then she's perfect as ambassador."
"Ambas-what?" Lucy squeaked confused.
Bruce recapped the situation "So, you have the needed quality for this employment."
"But are you sure?" Vice was dismayed "That clan hates us. If we send a girl..." the mean look of Lucy froze him.
"I take it." said the girl with determination. Her eyes were still on her cousin. She never tolerated when people underestimate her.
Bruce smiled cheerfully "Good! It was easy! Now we only need communicate everything!"
Vice sipped his dink in silence and when Lucy was gone he spoke again "You know, I think that one month of time is too short." he commented attracting his father's attention.
The black mouse pricked up his ears "I know but this thing is to be solved soon. One month is for them, not us."
But his son wasn't convinced "I continue to think that is too short. And for the helps? Is one month enough? You know we must change their mind, then we'd need at least three or four months." he finished his drink and went ahead "In addition you and Solana know each from a pair of years, but I'd say that this time isn't enough. I remember you that from the success of your wedding will depend also the relation between the clans."
Bruce stretched himself with a big movement "I know. But I'm sure of my decision. I think that delaying and wasting time is counter-productive. Soon we'll solve the problem and soon we can continue our projects."
"The building of the Recovery Station?"
"And also the Central of Interception." Bruce pointed out "The satellite will send a signal that in turn is sent to one of the Stations that are the closest to the place of the finding. We'll need a big crew, our young mice won't have problems with the work, I suppose." he chuckled followed by his son.
"Then you should go to visit Sharon. You didn't go to the village since that night. Arthan's provocation would make you very mad." Vice turned up his nose "You have a point, he played on a very personal thing."
Bruce grinned "The best is that he was wrong."
His son opened his eyes wide "How come?"
His father giggled amused "He was wrong."
"Yes but... where did you go when you weren't at the village?"
"At Solana's obviously. No wait..." Bruce shushed "Wait... you thought that me and she..." he stared at Vice who nodded. He smiled embarrassed "Oh no no! Oh Mother Mars, we has been together but... no. We didn't crossed the line." he muttered "She's a girl of the old school and it's okay for me."
"Oh... then after the marriage." his son commented as the question was obvious "Well, not bad. But then why did you get angry and beat him?"
The black furred mouse grinned "Because I'm the clan leader and I don't love the insubordination, above all with someone like Arthan. Being the leader I can decide how to punish him. Jumping on him and punching him is the minimum. I don't want he spreads lies about me. In addition we risked to show to the Scorpions the presence of problems in our clan." he silenced for a pair of seconds "I'm ok that Arthan challenges me, it's a right of every young member of the clan, but not during similar situations. If they would notice this kind of things, they'll know how to destroy us from the inside. And you know what kind of tensions are among the families."
Vice nodded, just thinking it of what could happen gave him the gooseflesh.
"Dad is lucky to have the support of the majority of the clan." Commented Sharon annoyed, Modo told her about the reunion "If it wasn't so, probably the Council could depose him." she tied a bib around Jimmy's neck and put a plate of warm soup in front him and sat at the table, nervous, delaying on her meal.
"Depos... why on Mars? Isn't the charge hereditary?" Modo looked at his wife, incredulous, the fork was at half way from the plate to his mouth.
The lady black mouse nodded "Yes but the inheritance is confirmed only when the family is able to keep the charge. My father's family did it and kept it. My father is improving some aspects of the Code that the Council of these conservative mice accept very hardly. Oh and what we can say about my grandad? Surely this news made him furious without counting that this situation stinks."
"Well yes, marrying Solana for the good of the clan isn't nice but I don't think your father had decided it only for this reason." the grey mouse said "Do you doubt him?"
"Of course not! I know he does it in good faith, he's not mean and I don't think he's using Solana. But until some months ago he said he doesn't want get married and now he comes out with that thing. He's sacrificing himself for a common peace, a very fragile peace, it won't simply sweep aside the resentments. And I fear he would be unhappy because of a decision made in hurry." Sharon explained with her ears dropped "Solana is perfect if we see the requirements that a Gladiator wants..."
"But?"
The black lady delayed, sighed "I don't know. I don't think it's fair. That's all." she answered dryly.
Modo smiled patiently and took her free hand and brushed lightly her slender fingers "Don't bother yourself. He knows what he's doing. He's capable and won't be unhappy. Solana will give him everything she can. She's a very sweet girl."
"She is."
"Like you."
Sharon opened her eyes wide "It's... it's not true!" her ears and nose become red.
Her husband laughed "It's true! You have a sweeter gaze since Charley is born. And now don't try to play the grumpy! You aren't able anymore!"
The black mouse didn't answer and ate her lunch under the worried gaze of Modo and then she calmed down "Truly I'm worried for the position of my father. With this choice he's risking too much."
Modo sighed "I know. I saw how the others reacted. I feared a fight or something similar. The clan is literally split in two."
"And the fact that the Seniors support Ponga isn't good. Luckily in our clan has height the law of the majority and the power of the Seniors isn't so strong, exceptional cases excluded." Sharon commented "But Ponga can just raise this situation to a special case and do in a way to convince the Seniors to give him the charge."
"He can do it?" Modo almost chocked.
Sharon nodded with gravity "He only needs to evidence the mistakes of my father and it's a done deal. But the Seniors wouldn't take a decision with levity. Changing leader is dangerous and it might spread the discontent among the members being it a very aspired charge. Then what happened about 19 years ago could happen again." she explained "The males of the other families will claim to have a chance and would start a competition dragging the clan into the havoc."
"And the Scorpions might take advantage." Tried Modo.
"Yes. It's a very delicate moment. I hope anything won't happen." when she finished her meal, Sharon stood up and put the flatware into the sink "I feed Charley and I go to sleep." she stretched herself with a whimper, she massaged her back under the attentive gaze of her husband but then she stopped "Wait, I forgot. You received something today." the grabbed a letter from a little table "I received one too."
Modo took and opened it, he read it and stood still for some seconds "The Organization of the United Galaxies will give a reimbursement to all the mice that took part of the Resistance against the Plutarkians." he muttered "Unh... this is unexpected. Why only after two hears the end of the war?"
Sharon arched her eyebrows and shrugged "I don't know. I think they first raised the funds. The Plutarkians were a plague for the cosmic order, they're among the most dangerous races and the OUG considered appropriate rewarding who helped to their fainting. Remember that our satellite killed a lot of them making them armless and Camembert is still in prison."
The grey mouse run his hand on his head "Wow, it will be a great help then!" he reflected "Moneys are always good!" he rushed to add wen he felt the peering gaze of his wife and thanked the Mother Mars when she went into the bedroom "I won't need to save moneys then..." he sighed deeply, relieved, and finished his lunch under the curious eyes of Jimmy "After lunch we go to watch a film, okay?"
The ginger mouse smiled and finished his warm soup, he waited patiently that Modo finished to wash the dishes. Then the child run in the living room sitting with a jump on the sofa. Charley had given as gift some Disney films and Jimmy couldn't stay in himself to watch them.
After the talk with Vice, Bruce come back to Solana's home, it was time to transfer her to the Village. According to the rules, the girl would live with her husband-to-be until the great day. When he arrived Solana welcomed him warmly "How it has been? They said something?" she asked anxiously, her blue eyes on him.
Bruce hardly calmed her down "It's all okay." he said putting his hands on her shoulder "But now calm down." he led her into the living room and invited her to sit on the sofa and talked about what it had been decided omitting the exaggerated reactions of the members that were contrary. He didn't want that Solana would know about the tension in the clan.
Solana relaxed and let herself falling against the soft seatback "I thought they could assault you. I know to not be widely accepted." she said "But now I have a thing to tell you and I'm not sure it's a good news."
The black mouse was attentive "It depends on what it is."
The girl adjusted her curls, nervous "I contacted my brother to know how it was going there. He told me he's the new clan leader because Striker died and he was chose as his successor. It makes the things harder." she know how much Raphael hated the Gladiators, the worst it was it: being the clan leader he would have a bigger influence on the Scorpions.
But Bruce didn't seemed to agree "Are you joking?" he exclaimed slyly "This totally change the cards on the table!" he leaned towards her and kissed her with intensity "This is a wonderful news!" then he recognized what he had just said "No well... I'm sorry for your dead leader, obviously. I meant..."
Solana silenced him covering his lips with her fingers "I got it, don't worry." she said "Everything you have in your mind, I hope it has a sense."
The black mouse grinned "Yes it does! And the best is that we won't do anything!" he exclaimed under the confused gaze of the ginger girl.
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Yay! Chapter finished. A short one but I think that we discovered something =P Didn't we?