Somewhere else?
Ivan sat up with a start...he felt his heart racing and slowly ran his fingers through his hair. What had he been doing? Where was he? He felt a body stir next to his and smiled softly.
“Good Morning sleepy head.” he said slowly.
“Shut it. I’m still sleeping.” The soft voice answered him. He slid into the slippers waiting next to his bed and pushed firmly on the person sharing it. He heard a loud thunk as she hit the floor. “Damn It, Ivan.” Vara came roaring up over the bed with a punch in mind. Her fist crashed into Ivan’s jaw and he smiled as they tussled.
“Come now, SaKhan, is that anyway to greet your Khan?” He chuckled at her and spun her around. A sharp series of elbows rocked his ribs and she slipped out of his grasp. More punches and elbows were thrown between the two of them as they slammed each other around the sleeping quarters. Fifteen minutes later they had destroyed the bed, most of the furniture and were laughing their way towards the medbay aboard the Dire Wolf. The labor caste workers were already on their way to replace the damage to their room.
“Ulric Kerensky, my Friend!” Ivan smiled at the leader of Clan Wolf as they passed each other in the corridor.
“Ivan Kirov, it is good to see you again.” The Wolf Mechwarrior smiled back. They clasped arms and embraced like warriors. “We are off on the grand adventure, quiaff?”
“Aff, i am curious to see what the Inner Sphere has done to itself in the interim of our departure.”
“It will be a long trip. If you could manage to restrain yourself and limit things to breaking the bed less often, i would appreciate it.” The Khan said with a smirk.
“If you had built beds for Elementals, this would not be an issue.” The giant smiled down at him.
“True, but then we would not have anything to chat about in the halls of my ship.”
“And a boring experience that would be.” Vara elbowed him in the side, “We have pressing matters to attend to elsewhere, Ulric Kerensky.”
“Indeed, i think she broke one of your ribs.”
“Would not be the first time.” Vara elbowed him in the ribs again. He grimaced a little and bowed to his fellow Khan. The pair made their way to the sickbay and the scientists on duty groaned.
“Not Again…”
Later
Ivan and Vara sat amongst their counterparts from the other clans and perused the operational plan provided by the Falcons spies. Leo Showers studied their faces and tried to read the situation. The Falcon’s scouting mission had ended disastrously, with the entire Falcon unit going dark in the 3030s. The last scouting report gave them a picture of the Inner Sphere, but not a clear one.
“The Invader clans are moving along this axis to strike here, here, and here.” Leo said quickly, pulling up the display of the Inner Sphere.
“Indeed, we will be ready when our troops arrive.” Elias Critchell said slowly.
“Ready for what?”
“The barbarian dogs of the Inner Sphere…” The Falcon Khan said with a grin.
“Let’s try not to get anyone killed before we make it to the Inner Sphere.” Ivan said slowly. “This journey will take a couple of years to finish from here to there, and i suspect that the Inner Sphere will not have developed our cultural traditions of warfare.”
“Meaning what?” Bjorn Jorgenson said with a confused expression.
“We don’t know if they are going to break out biological, chemical or nuclear weapons as a means of resisting our invasion. These ‘barbarians’ by all accounts maintain the same fighting doctrines as our beloved Star League. That means we could be dealing with a Total War situation.” Ivan said to the assembly.
“Advice, then?”
“Combat drills the entire way there with as many horror scenarios as we can create to try and identify what the people of the Inner Sphere are likely to do in response.” Vara answered the Ilkhan’s question.
“See that it is done. Your contributions may ensure our swift victory against these rabble.”
“As you say, Leo Showers.” Ivan said with a slow smile. The assembly broke up after that and Ivan retired to his office to begin planning the scenarios that would train the rest of the clans.
Sickbay
Amelia was reading the reports that Harlan had provided for her while listening to the music that Ivan loved. It was terrible, with how close his body was, but how far away his mind had travelled. They’d get him back...she hoped.
“Would not be the first time.” Vara elbowed him in the ribs again. He grimaced a little and bowed to his fellow Khan. The pair made their way to the sickbay and the scientists on duty groaned.
“Not Again…”
Later
Ivan and Vara sat amongst their counterparts from the other clans and perused the operational plan provided by the Falcons spies. Leo Showers studied their faces and tried to read the situation. The Falcon’s scouting mission had ended disastrously, with the entire Falcon unit going dark in the 3030s. The last scouting report gave them a picture of the Inner Sphere, but not a clear one.
“The Invader clans are moving along this axis to strike here, here, and here.” Leo said quickly, pulling up the display of the Inner Sphere.
“Indeed, we will be ready when our troops arrive.” Elias Critchell said slowly.
“Ready for what?”
“The barbarian dogs of the Inner Sphere…” The Falcon Khan said with a grin.
“Let’s try not to get anyone killed before we make it to the Inner Sphere.” Ivan said slowly. “This journey will take a couple of years to finish from here to there, and i suspect that the Inner Sphere will not have developed our cultural traditions of warfare.”
“Meaning what?” Bjorn Jorgenson said with a confused expression.
“We don’t know if they are going to break out biological, chemical or nuclear weapons as a means of resisting our invasion. These ‘barbarians’ by all accounts maintain the same fighting doctrines as our beloved Star League. That means we could be dealing with a Total War situation.” Ivan said to the assembly.
“Advice, then?”
“Combat drills the entire way there with as many horror scenarios as we can create to try and identify what the people of the Inner Sphere are likely to do in response.” Vara answered the Ilkhan’s question.
“See that it is done. Your contributions may ensure our swift victory against these rabble.”
“As you say, Leo Showers.” Ivan said with a slow smile. The assembly broke up after that and Ivan retired to his office to begin planning the scenarios that would train the rest of the clans.
Sickbay
Amelia was reading the reports that Harlan had provided for her while listening to the music that Ivan loved. It was terrible, with how close his body was, but how far away his mind had travelled. They’d get him back...she hoped.
No comments:
Post a Comment