Tharkad
April 29th
John let out a long slow sigh as he stepped into the office. His blue eyes narrowed as he stared into the face of the man that had taken him in when his homeworld had turned out to be too dangerous. This man had welcomed him into his home and made a place for him within his family. The old man smiled up at him as he came in. His face drooped slowly as John pulled the pistol from his holster.
“How are your classes going, John?” Ivan said with an ease that bothered him.
“We need to talk, now.” John managed to force out of his lungs.
“What would you like to talk about, John?”
“You’re a Clanner, aren’t you, Ivan?”
“Yes, I am a member of the Clans, and i have been for my entire life.”
“You’re not even trying to deny it?”
“John, you remember when you were much younger that wanted to take a name of your own, and that someday i would tell you everything?”
“Your people are invading the Inner Sphere, how can you be calm?!” John raised the pistol.
“Because i have to be calm. Without clarity of thought, mistakes occur.”
“They took Jaxun and Mackenize!”
“And i am doing everything in my power to get them back, if that is what they choose.”
“What do you mean if that’s what they choose? Why would anyone choose to be one of them?”
“The Clans have a very different way of conducting life, and that can be appealing to some. My sources tell me that Mackenzie and one of her comrades are doing very well in Clan Jade Falcon. I have an idea of how Jaxun is doing, but he is a little harder to make contact with.”
“You are talking to these people?” John’s blood pressure was spiking higher and higher.
“They are my people, and i care for what happens next. The war that hit the Inner Sphere so far is a prelude to a much larger conflict. If we do not do our part to protect the Inner Sphere, we will lose everything.”
John had closed the distance between the two of them and the pistol was wavering in his hand. “How can you say that? You’re a spy?”
“I am a lot of things, John, but i care about the Inner Sphere and it’s people. I care about you, and your sister. I care about Aya, Francis, and Barton and his siblings. I care about Mackenzie and Jaxun. Your great aunt is my wife, and my daughter is your cousin. You are family, which is a word i did not understand before you and your friends showed up on my doorstep in the middle of the night.”
The pistol clattered onto the desk, and John buried his face in his hands. The older man wrapped his arm around the boy and pulled him in close. “It is okay, John.”
“How do we stop this war?”
“Well, if you really want to stop the war, you can come with me and find out.”
“Go where?”
“The Homeworlds. I have a long overdue appointment that i must keep.”
“You’re leaving? What about Amelia?”
“She’s coming with me, so is Vara.”
“What about my sister?”
“I have made arrangements with an old friend to keep your siblings safe during our trip.”
“You aren’t going to take them with you?”
“No, John, i plan on returning and putting our lives back together after i settle things in the homeworlds.”
“How long?”
“Not entirely sure. If you come with me, I will have to make some arrangements for your schooling.”
“What about Aya, and Cameron, and Barton?”
“I was going to ask you all if you wanted to go after classes ended. I was also not planning on bringing a gun.” He smiled softly at John. John had always worn his emotions on his sleeve and tended to let himself get wound up. It had been an interesting experience watching him grow up.
“I am sorry, Ivan.”
“And you are forgiven, John. Now if you want to come we will have to make some arrangements, and you will have some schooling to do while we travel.”
“Okay, i think.”
“And we have one other detail to finish up.”
“What’s that?”
The old man smiled and John swore he saw his voice catch in his throat for just a moment. “Your Trial of Position.”
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