Chapter 2
"It's just to see someone sacrificed so blatantly for points scoring." Gibson fumed as he practically inhaled his breakfast. The inn's owner placed two pints of beer on the table and withdrew quickly. Technically his inn wasn't open for business, but Baltazar was only one step removed from a pirate stronghold and he knew better than to argue when two blood stained men appeared on his doorstep and demanded food and drink. "That kid stood no chance and he knew it, there was no honour in killing him, no purpose, it's just bloody murder to force him to keep fighting."
"I'd have thought a soldier would be at peace with the idea?" His companion replied amicably, eating his own breakfast at a more restrained rate. "When we signed up we knew we might be asked to give our lives for the cause."
"Well yes, but you're supposed to dress it up a bit, tell them they are risking their life for something important, fighting to protect something worth dying for. Not just say, your death will work to my political advantage so go over there and die." Gibson replied, contempt for the Baltazarian's actions clear in his voice.
The other man leaned back and folded his arms thoughtfully. "But is there really a difference?"
"Yes…no…I don't know." Gibson threw his arms up in frustration. "It shouldn't matter but it does." He complained as he sank back into his chair.
"I know what you mean." His companion replied. "Anyway, I never introduce myself, I'm Captain Max Rivers of the 11th Atrean Dragoons, currently the military attaché to the House Marik trade mission."
"Ahh the mission spy, explains how you know who I am." Gibson replied bad temperedly. "Captain Samuel Gibson, 4th Davion Guards attached to the Fed Com trade mission, but you know that already."
"True, but it is bad manners to come out and say it." Max replied coolly.
Gibson stopped and thought for a moment. "Sorry I'm not having a good morning, you just did me a good turn and I'm being a total arse. Mind if we start from scratch." He held out his hand. "Captain, Samuel Gibson, 4th Davion Guards, not always a total bastard. Thank you for the assistance. Can I buy you a drink?"
Max smiled and took his hand. "Captain Max Rivers, 11th Atrean Dragoons, totally not a spy." Both men laughed. "And I will take you up on that drink."
The barman put another pair of drinks on the table, Gibson dropped some bills into his hand as payment. "So how in the Inner Sphere did you end up this far west of Earth?" Max asked.
"I'm one of the 4th's 'Crisis Men', good in a fight but a touch of a liability in court." Gibson replied. "My Colonel prefers to put me on detached duty in peace time. Cuts down on the number of duelling injuries to the rest of the regiment. Yourself?"
"I volunteered, my wife's pregnant, I thought it best to put a few light years between us until she's calmed down." They both laughed. "I joke, someone had to go and I pulled the short straw. Originally we were both going but obviously the pregnancy put pay to that."
"Comes with the job doesn't it. I missed my daughter's birth. Kind of a kick in the teeth but I was on a deep raid of the CC when my wife found out she was pregnant, couldn't just nip back for the birth. Didn't actually find out till after the fact." Gibson replied sympathetically. "How's your wife taking it?"
"Melissa's taking it quite well. She's a mechwarrior herself and we're assigned to different units so we're kind of used to the separation. Still I'd like to have been there." Max sighed. "I have an arrangement with the local ComStar rep. I've already paid to have the message transmitted so I'll know as soon as she gives birth."
"Well that's something then." Gibson raised his glass. "To families, may they continue to put up with us and not throw us out into the street."
Max laughed and raised his glass. "I'll toast to that." He checked his watch. "We'd better get to work, someone's going to notice our absence if we stay much longer."
"True, well good to meet you Max, hope everything goes well with your kid." Gibson got up to leave, but something made him stop, his tone changing back to serious. "Incidentally, why did you stop me? I could have got the entire trade mission chucked off planet right then and there. Would have left all the Germanium for your guys to snap up."
"True." Max replied. "But then that would have left your people feeling aggrieved and they might well decide to use force to settle the issue, goodness knows Mariks and Lyrans don't need an excuse to come to blows. In the long run, a fair deal is better for everyone involved."
Gibson nodded. "Well put. Safe journey Max."
"You too Sam, you know they will be coming for you right."
"Oh yes, I'm counting on it."