The Solaris Irregulars
Part 2: The Deal
DropShip Wataru
Zenith recharge station, Solaris VII
Lyran Alliance
Clark looked at Clearwater "What do you mean 'We need your help'?"
The ComStar Precentor rubbed his forehead "Most of our forces are up along the Clan border. We have no unit's of sufficient size or experience to stand up to Word of Blake anywhere near here. We're still trying to calm things down from the Fed-Com Civil War. There is fighting across the entire Chaos March, and the Jade Falcons are keeping us busy on Blair Atholl. I've just come from there myself; I had a message to deliver for an old friend." Clearwater seemed to drift away for a second, but got back to business "There is the equivalent of ten regiments on Solaris VII: MechWarriors with hundreds of hours of experience and top of the line machines. You just won the open-league; they respect you. If you go back as Cairo and ask them to help us, some of them will. I can arrange transport and supplies for an army, but I don't have the troops."
Clark leaned back against the hatch "Cairo is dead, he died in the Coliseum. I'm Steven Clark; I've never won a championship."
Clearwater looked at Clark, who saw the fire in the older man's eyes "Word of Blake has to be stopped. Do you think that they will be content with the Chaos March? Or even the Inner Sphere? You walk away now and one day they will come knocking on your door back on Los Alamos, and there will be nothing you or anyone else will be able to do about it!"
Sinead stood up "I'll help. I lost some good friends on Outreach."
Clark looked at his wife "If you think, for even one second, that I'm letting you get involved in this, you're mad."
Sinead slapped him "I may be your wife, but you don't own me!"
Clark rubbed his cheek "I'm not saying that I own you, but you are pregnant, remember? Word of Blake does have it in for the two of us, and I doubt that they will want to take ether of us prisoner." He turned to Clearwater "I'll help you, but you get Sinead to a safe place. That's the deal."
Clearwater nodded his agreement as Sinead jumped to her feet "If you think I'm leaving you to take on Word of Blake without me, you're very much mistaken! We've fought together before, and I'm not going to risk losing you by not being there to watch your back!"
Clark went to argue, but the look in his wife's face persuaded him to back down. He turned to Clearwater "Look's like you got your self two volunteers. I'll go tell the rest of the crew."
Clark called a meeting of the entire crew in the Mech-bay, the only part of the ship that could hold all of them at one time "You all know what has happen to Outreach, and what Word of Blake is up to. Sinead and I have agreed to help Precentor Clearwater to try and raise an army back on Solaris. None of you need to join us on this endeavour, in fact I ask you to think about finding somewhere to hide. If any of you wish to stay, take one step forwards. Those of you who want to leave can take the next JumpShip heading your way with no recriminations."
As one, the crew of the Wataru stepped forwards.
To Be Continued...