The Cairo Saga, Book 2: The Solaris Irregulars
Part 18: Diplomatic talk

Silverdale
Alshain
Ghost Bear Dominion

Star Captain Kabrinski led Cairo's party into a large meeting room decorated with works of fine art. There were paintings of Mechs and landscapes, but the one that caught Cairo's eye was a simple picture of a ringed planet, half of the globe in the shadow of night. He was so engrossed in the painting that he didn't notice the door behind him opening: it was Sinead's coughs that span him round to face the new arrival, a tall man wearing a simple jump-suit marked with the Ghost Bear emblem.

The man smiled "I am Khan Bjorn Jorgensson, of Clan Ghost Bear. Welcome to Alshain, Captain Steven Cairo."

Reacting instinctively, Cairo came to attention and saluted the Ghost Bear Khan. He allowed himself to relax a little "I thank you for your greeting, Khan Jorgensson, and for you generous offer to repair the Spirit Sight. Hohiro Kurita of the Draconis Combine entrusted me with a package for you, but it was taken from me by your security agents."

Jorgensson smiled again "Do not worry Captain, I have received the package, and you may tell the people of the Draconis Combine that it was appreciated."

Cairo forced himself to relax more "If I may ask, why did you insist that I accompanied the Spirit Sight here?"

The Ghost Bear Khan ushered his gests to some comfortable chairs "I read the report of your trip to Constance. You should know that Star-Colonel Gilmour was greatly impressed with your conduct and prowess as a MechWarrior." He signalled to an Elemental by the door, which quickly left the room. "But that is not why I asked you to come here: I need to know the true extent of the Word of Blake Jihad. My intelligence agencies tend to rely on picking up civilian transitions, but I would feel better hearing it from a warrior who has fought in the war."

Cairo took a deep breath "The war goes badly. Word of Blake, and their Marik and Liao allies have taken a vast number of worlds in the Chaos March, the Lyran Alliance, the Federated Suns and the Draconis Combine. The few units that have managed to make any sort of organised stand against them have been destroyed completely."

Khan Jorgensson looked at Cairo for a moment "You speak very plainly for someone who is talking to a potential enemy. With the Inner Sphere busy fighting Word of Blake, it would be easy for my Clan to attack and take worlds."

"Easy, but not honourable." Cairo smiled, "I am not a trained diplomat, or am I even a native of the Inner Sphere. I come from a periphery world that almost no one has heard off. I have no real feelings for the Inner Sphere, or for the Clans, but I know that Word of Blake is a danger to the very existence of humanity as a species, and must be stopped. From what I have been told and have read about the Ghost Bears, you are a Warden Clan, and feel that your destiny and duty is to defend the Inner Sphere from some unknown enemy. I say this to you: Word of Blake is that enemy!"

The Ghost Bear Khan smiled "I could not agree with you more, Captain Cairo."

To Be Continued...