Letters from Home (DFA Legacy)

Jaxun let out a slow breath as his technicians cracked his armor and two of the Laborers helped him step out of it. The rest of his point were surrounding him and their armorers were helping them out as well. They had done the job and carried the day. The first Castle Brian was theirs. The Glory was theirs.


“Well Done, Star Commander.” Luna Hazen congratulated him on the success of their operation.


“You as well, Star Captain.” He returned the offered salute.


“I believe the Star Colonel said you a message.”


“From whom?”


“Unknown, but it carries a high enough security stamp that he didn’t want to trifle with it.”


“Very good, I will take it here.”


The technicians hastily put together a monitor and hooked up the connections to pipe the message through.


“Go for Jaxun.” He said to the techs.


The face that stared at him through the monitor was a face he wasn’t sure he would ever see again. He looked older than Jaxun remembered, and his face was creased with wrinkles.


“Galaxy Commander.” He said slowly.


“Star Commander.” The ancient face replied.


“It is good to see you again, quiaff?”


“Aff, my young friend. I have been turning the galaxy upside looking for you.”


“My trial went well.”


“I know, my eyes and ears have been keeping track of you, but we lost you after Erewhon.”


“Aggressive Gene Therapy and Re-Education, Sir.”


“I can see that. You are still a smidge on the short side.”


“Sir?” Jaxun’s blood pressure started to spike.

“It is a joke, Jaxun, calm your anger. I never imagined you would be selected for Elemental reconstruction. You wear it well.”


“I brought down a King Crab today.”


“You and your point brought down a King Crab today, i heard.”


“How?”


“There’s a Goliath Scorpion observer embedded with Khan Critchell’s staff. He keeps me apprised of things.”


“We are going to rebuild the Star League, Ivan.”


“We are going to do something, that is certain.”


“You should come home. Your place is with us, with the Clans.”


“I am finishing my current mission, then i am going to make my way home.”


“We have much to discuss.” Jaxun said to the older elemental.


“You still have much to learn, but I am certain you will take to this life.”


“I look forward to it, Sir.”


“And I look forward to seeing you again in person, Jaxun.”


The connection blinked out, and Jaxun felt a swell of pride. Ivan had been one of his first teachers, and now they were more alike than ever…


Elsewhere


“Mackenzie, you have a call.”


“I’ll take it here.” She was sitting in her favorite chair in her quarters aboard the dropship.


“Mackenzie, it is good to see you again.”


“Ivan, what the hell is going on?”


“Regarding your brother? I had no idea he had made the type of impression on the Khans of the Falcons to undergo genetic therapy. It is a rare honor.”


“They turned him into…”


“A monster, like me?”


“That’s not what i said Ivan. They turned him into something else, against his will.”


“They did, and they gave him the full faith and confidence of the Warrior Caste when they did so. Be proud of your brother, like i am.”


“Oh, I am proud of him but that doesn’t mean i don’t want to choke the life out of him for putting us in this predicament.”


“Oh, this is not Jaxun’s fault. If it is anyone’s, it is mine.”


“What?”


“I knew the invasion was coming. I could have done more to make sure you were posted to units away from the Invasion corridor.”


“You could not have predicted this outcome, even with that big brain of yours.”


“Oh, I know you and your brother are singular talents, compared to the majority of the Inner Sphere. You have value and worth, and i knew the Clans would see that.”


“Is Mom angry?”


“Yes, your mother is astonishingly angry.”


“I have to try to explain this to her...somehow.”


“She is not angry at you.”


“What? Jaxun was my responsibility.”


“And you are both my responsibility. I suspect that she will be angry at me for a while, but your father is currently catching the brunt of her anger.”


“Why, what did Dad do?”


“It is more of a what he has not done. She keeps agitating for him to gather a trinary and come to get you and your brother.”


“Can he do that?”


“It is possible to declare a Trial of Possession for specific warriors and your father has enough pull with Clan Wolf that he could put it together.”


“Why hasn’t he?”


“I suspect that the Ilkhan is keeping a close eye on the Clan Wolf forces and would countermand any orders that your father would use as a pretext to come and get you.”


“So this is that Politics thing that i don’t get at all?”


“Mostly yes, but i suspect that some mischief may occur that will change that situation soon.”


“Like what?”


“Oh, that would be telling.”


“We lost Mason, Ivan.”


“I heard. It is a shame.”


“He turned against the Clans.”


“Some people are not meant for life with the Clans. I hope his lady friend handles it well. She is very young to lose someone.”


“Oh God...Farraday.” Mackenzie hadn’t thought about her since the battle. It had been a heavy day for everybody. “I need to go find her.”


“Take care of your friends, Mackenzie, they will take care of you.”


“I will talk to you again soon, Ivan.”

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