Mason was sitting in his quarters, working on the report he was supposed to put together for Brikai when he heard a heavy fist knocking on it. Farraday just comes in… He opened the door and stared into the chest of an elemental.
“Mason Kadir?” The larger man said quietly.
“I am Mechwarrior Mason, yes?” He answered. He didn’t recognize the man, which felt oddly out of place. He thought he knew all of the Jade Falcon officers.
“I am Star Colonel Gregor Baba, of Clan Goliath Scorpion.”
“What can i do for you, Star Colonel?”
“First, you could invite me in, i do not believe you would want the rest of your new companions to hear this.”
“My apologies, Sir.”
“It is more for your benefit than mine.”
Mason nodded and opened up the door so the Elemental could join him. “So what can i do for you Star Colonel?”
“Right before you were captured here, you received a piece of mail from offworld, yes?”
“Yeah, Mackenzie’s uncle Ivan sent me a book.”
“Do you still have it?”
“Yes, i had it in the cockpit of my mech when i was captured.”
“May i see it?”
“Why?”
“Because i asked you very nicely?” Gregor said with a smirk.
Mason shook his head and pulled the book out of his packed gear. They were getting ready to move on to the next planet, and he had been dutiful in getting ready.
“Why, what’s so important about a book?”
Gregor held the book softly, running his fingers along the cover. “Ivan has lost his mind.”
“How do you know Ivan?”
“He was a coworker of mine for almost 20 years. I am a member of the Goliath Scorpion Watch.”
“That’s the intelligence service, right?”
“Aff.”
“How did you run into Ivan?”
“You are still recovering from the trauma you took from the SRMs you took to the head of your Summoner, quiaff?”
“A little, that’s not an answer to my question though.”
“Ivan’s a Goliath Scorpion. He’s the oldest living Seeker that i have ever heard of, and when last seen, was the head of the Seeker movement.”
“Seekers?”
“They look to the fallen Star League for answers to lead us into a brighter future.”
“Sounds...almost noble.”
“They are good people, mostly.”
“What does that have to do with this book?”
“It’s one of their oldest and most prized relics. I have no idea why Ivan would have given it to you.”
“Wait, what?”
“It’s a book the Great Founder wrote, that one is actually signed by him, and there are notes and anecdotes from nearly 250 years of successive owners. The Seekers have maintained it as one of their most prized links to the past. Just owning the book means that the Seekers will come looking for you.”
“Well I don’t want it…”
“I am not sure i would take that tone. It’s an object of almost religious significance to an organization populated by atheists. It’s an important touchstone for that culture, and through the power of mischief...it’s fallen into your hands.”
“Why?”
“My guess? Ivan gave it to you as an escape clause. You could offer its return to the Goliath Scorpion Khans in exchange for a host of things.”
“Like what?”
“That book has been thought lost to the majority of the Goliath Scorpions since Ivan disappeared into the Inner Sphere. When he was reported dead at Misery, they thought it was lost forever. Getting it back could motivate my people to do a great deal of things. With Mackenzie’s father in his position with the Watch, the Wolves might be convinced to help them press their claim to the book and its owner.”
“This sounds like a political nightmare.”
“Welcome to the fun of having a bloodname.”
“Take it, I do not want this.” Mason pushed the book back into his hands.
“Sorry, i can’t claim it, I am not a member of the Seekers.”
“I am not either!”
“You have quite a terrible case of Schroedinger’s.”
“That’s not funny.”
“It’s a little funny. The good news is, i suspect that if you find a ranking member of the Seekers, You could pass the book into his or her custody and they would take it off your hands for safekeeping. Said officer would likely require you to join the Seekers officially, but that’s a matter to discuss with said officer.”
“And if i were looking for an officer like that?”
“My suggestion would be Ivan himself, but Harlan Meyers is a Star Colonel, and is pretty much Ivan’s heir apparent to the Seeker Creed. He’s in the area...somewhere. I know he is heading this way at some point.”
“To Anywhere?”
“To the Falcon OZ. Well, all of the OZs. Ivan ordered a general recall of his entire Galaxy and their attendant units last month. I suspect he will be heading this way soon. Harlan was sent ahead, i think he’s looking for your friends in the Dead Man’s Hand.”
“Why?”
“Ivan ordered him to go find them, why he would have done so is anyone’s guess.”
“Ivan had a Galaxy?”
“Ivan still has his Galaxy and the half dozen or so Mercenary Units that he funds and patronizes.”
“Why?”
“No one’s been capable of taking it from him.”
“The clan way?”
“He’s an interesting hybrid of Clan customs and Inner Sphere thinking. I would love to get him in a room and ask him a million questions about how your culture works.”
“Why?”
“Because he knows both of our cultures extremely well. That plus a brain that can organize a planetary assault on the fly from a suit of elemental armor with a radio and a map of planet is rare among the clans.”
“Is he really all that?”
“And more. Someday, ask him the story about how he managed to get himself arrested on Atreus for getting caught in bed with Janos Marik’s daughter Kristen.”
“What?”
“It’s a good story, he tells it pretty well.”
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