“To make sure that i understand you correctly, we have been given an opportunity to explore this world for the next three days and you think the best usage of our time is to go wandering around these barbarians and seeing how they live, quiaff?” Ayat Icaza asked her companion with a look of thinly veiled contempt.
“Aff, but it is more than that. There are natural wonders in this world that we are the first Jade Falcons to ever lay eyes upon. It is our obligation to see these, and to find a way to share it with the rest of our Clan.” Luna Hazen answered her.
“These are primitive savages, who barely understand the concept of civilization.” Ayat said with a roll of her eyes.
“And we are going to crush them beneath our heels and return the Inner Sphere to the glory of the Star League.” Star Commander Farraday said from the backseat of the large ground car they were riding in. The two mechwarriors exchanged a glance and Luna shook her head. If you were going to design the prototypical Elemental, Farraday made an excellent point of reference. Larger than most, and with the muscles needed to rip the armor plating off a battlemech with her bare hands, Farraday was a welcome addition to the battlefield. The debate floor, was not her field of battle, however.
“They are simple, and backwards, but is that a result of deliberate willfulness or a lack of exposure to a better way?” Luna’s brow furrowed. “There are many worlds to conquer, and this one is just the beginning. We have to understand the world in order to turn it to the best advantage of our people.”
“That sounds like a job for the merchants, the technicians, and the scientists.” Ayat’s eyes narrowed.
“And you would like to leave the future of our clan in the hands of a lab rat, a grease monkey, and a shopkeeper?” Luna replied, letting the comment hang in the air.
“No reason to start talking about things that break with the way of the clans.” Ayat said with a low chuckle.
Luna looked up in the rearview mirror and saw Farraday’s head bobbing up and down. She must have put in her headphones during their conversation. That was probably for the best. At some point during their trip, She started to violent thrash her head back and forth, and Luna pulled the car over to make sure she wasn’t having a seizure.
Farraday yelled over the music “ARE WE THERE YET?” Ayat glared at her, and Luna shook her head.
“Turn the music down, Farraday.”
“WHAT?”
“Turn down the music, Farraday!.” Ayat repeated Luna’s request.
“WHAT, I CAN NOT HEAR YOU?”
Luna grabbed the Elemental by the ears and shook her face violently. “THEN TURN DOWN THE MUSIC!”
“HANG ON, LET ME TURN DOWN THE MUSIC.” Farraday looked up at her. Ayat was near her boiling point, but Luna just shook her head. “What were you saying?” Farraday asked the two of them again.
“Farraday, please keep your music turned down in the car.” Ayat asked her.
“But it is very good music.”
“That you are fond of, Farraday, Ayat Icaza and I are not as fond of it as you are.” Luna said quietly.
“That is because you have not heard enough of it.” The Elemental hit a button on her music player and the tiny speakers started blasting the extremely heavy industrial sound into the car with a high enough volume that it started rattling the windows.
Ayat reached into the back of the car, and grabbed the music player. With a quick motion she tossed it through an open window. “Drive, Now.” She glared at Luna.
“Hey, I was listening to that!” The Elemental started to reach forward, but the acceleration of the car pushed her back into her seat.
“And if you feel that strongly about it, i will happily meet you in a circle of equals!” Ayat said firmly.
“Farraday, When we get back to the capital, I will have Thane make you a new one, and if you are a good travelling companion today, Ayat Icaza and i will be happy to listen to your new music at a later date.”
“Bargained Well and Done.”
Luna could feel the shock and ire from Ayat’s direction, but she had been the one that had thrown Farraday’s music player out the window. Luna was wondering when Ayat would request Surkai. Farraday probably wouldn’t think to request it, and that was fine. The elemental was extraordinarily uncomfortable in the back seat of the car and it had been a feat of agility just to get her into the vehicle. They all had a role to play in the battles that would come. She did have to wonder how Bekker’s mission for the Star Colonel was going. He would have made a much more enjoyable travelling companion than the Elemental. .
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