The Ballard of Cairo
Part twenty-three: Grin and Bear it.
DropShip Wataru
Central Spaceport
Constance
Clan Ghost Bear Domain
Cairo looked out of the open airlock at the concourse beyond. A full Trinary of Clan Mech's stood before him. They weren't exactly hostile, but then they weren't exactly friendly. He turned to Jackson, O'Brien and Dancer. "Okay, looks like the reception committee is here. No sudden moves and no going for weapons unless I say so". He stepped out of the door and onto the concrete landing pad.
A tall man wearing the field uniform Clan Ghost Bear walked briskly towards them, surrounded by a point of armoured Elementals. "I am Star Colonel Frank Gilmour of Clan Ghost Bear, garrison commander of Constance. And you are?"
Cairo stepped forward and brought him self to full attention. "Lt Steven Cairo, Bravo Lance, 1st Company, Los Alamos Defence Force. I have been sent here to find a man named Sebastian Cain. I was informed that he had been hired to take part in a raid on this planet. I have orders for his arrest on charges of piracy and mass-murder in beach of the Ares Conventions". He handed over the documentation he had been given before leaving home.
The Star Colonel looked at the papers and then back to Cairo. "Well, Lieutenant, I can confirm that a Champion BattleMech matching the one described in these papers did indeed take part in a raid here last month. The mercenaries that attacked broke every rule of honourable combat. They concentrated their fire on a single Mech, they shot pilots who had ejected and fired upon civilians. I am sorry to inform you that they managed to escape".
A woman in the uniform of a Ghost Bear Star Captain came running up to the Colonel as he was finishing and spoke to him in a low voice. His eyes went wide and he issued a string of curt orders, "Bring the garrison to full alert. Order Striker Star back from the mountains and have the Techs load out our Mech's for defensive operations". He turned to Cairo, "I have just been informed that a Clan Wolf Trinary is on its way to attack this planet. They have offered no Batchall, but have just stated their intentions to take this planet from us".
Cairo turned to look at his three companions and then back to Gilmour, "Can we help?"
The Clan warrior seemed surprised, "Why would you help us?"
Cairo shrugged, "You have not done anything to us and you have given us information concerning Cain. Apart from that, I doubt that the Wolves will just let us leave".
The Star Colonel smiled, "As you wish. Some of my warriors are sick and you may take their places in the Trinary. You are in luck - it will be a glorious battle!"
Cairo smiled, "As my DropShip pilot says - any battle you can walk away from..."
To Be Continued...