Elsewhere
Aya was sitting in the memorial garden on the east end of the Nagelring, scratching out the words of her essay for her class on Leadership. Ivan had been drilling the lessons into her head since she was a teenager, but being a leader and talking about leadership were two different things…
“Hey Sis.” Barton smiled at her as he pulled up a chair.
“Bart, how did you do on that tactics test?”
“B+, Dr. Jowarsky found my tactics to be sound, but that i should expand out from just “Go Fast, Shoot Straight, Don’t stop moving.”
“You will not be able…” Aya started.
“To outrun land mines, i remember that lecture from Ivan every time i take a mech out in unfamiliar ground.” Barton scratched the back of his neck gingerly.
“Have you noticed John...being weirder than normal?” Aya asked him quietly.
“You have to be way more specific, your fiance is his own category of erratic behaviors.”
“I mean more tightly wound than normal.”
“Ever since the invasion started, he’s been running in a higher gear, yeah,” Barton answered her.
“I hope he hasn’t gone and done anything we can’t explain.”
“Us, Explain things?” Barton chuckled at her.
Aya rolled her eyes at her friend. “We’ve gotten out of dumber scrapes by talking to people.”
“Yeah, well, Ivan helped too.”
“He does that pretty well.” Aya smiled again as she saw John pass through the doors heading towards them. Her smile faded quickly. John had been crying, and he looked like a mess. “Oh, what fresh hell is this?”
“We need to talk.” John said breathlessly.
“About what?” Barton asked his friend.
“Ivan.”
“What about him?” Aya asked him, trying to figure out what had spooked him.
“He’s a clanner.” John said with the weight of the world.
“I know that.” Barton said quietly.
“Yeah, i think if i remember the words correctly, he’s an Elemental.” Aya nodded at Barton.
“What?” John almost turned inside out, “How long have you known?”
“I suspected he wasn’t normal for a while, but once i heard the reports about the ‘toads’ coming in with the invaders, it made sense. I’ve seen people that size coming and going from Ivan’s home for years.” Aya said with a chuckle.
“Ivan’s eight feet tall, weighs almost 500 pounds, and i think he can flip over a locust with his good arm. What the hell else would he be?”
“And you’re okay with all of that?”
“He took us in, and gave us a home when ours wasn’t safe.” Barton said with a confused look.
“Ivan’s a little different, but he treated us well, and he made sure we have had all the opportunities in the universe. Do you think four periphery noble kids from the other side of the Inner Sphere would have ever gotten anywhere near the Nagelring without him?”
“I don’t know.” John let out a sigh.
“Look, you need to dial this anxiety back about a dozen notches, lover. Ivan’s been good to us all over the years, and if/when he wants to explain himself, that’s his choice.” Aya smiled at John.
“He...asked me if i wanted to go with him.”
“Where?”
“To go find Mackenzie and Jaxun...and maybe visit their homeworlds.”
“Wait, What?” Aya asked him.
“I always knew he liked you best.” Barton sniffled sarcastically.
“I sort of forced the issue, i threatened him with a pistol earlier.” John said as the color drained from his face again.
“You did what?” Aya almost roared. Barton nodded his head and proceeded to slap John around his head and shoulders repeatedly.
“Ow, hey, quit, stop that.” John put his hands up to protect himself.
“Did you lose your mind? He’s an instructor here, and he took us in! Why would you do that?”
“Yes, i know, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.” Barton was still slapping his friend repeatedly.
“Oh for Fuck’s sake, John.”
“He wasn’t even mad. He said he wanted to talk to all of us, tomorrow night.”
“About what?”
“Seeing if you guys wanted to go with him, and Aunt Amelia.”
The three of them looked at each other for a long moment. That was not something they had ever expected. Aya pinched the bridge of her nose.
“How could we pick and go?” She asked the two of them.
“I can have a bag packed in like 15 minutes.” Barton smiled at the two of them.
“This isn’t a time for joking around.” Aya was starting to freak out.
“Look, let’s get our school work done or we know, for a fact, that Ivan will find something astonishingly unpleasant for us to do. I for one, do not want to sort a hangar full of junk ever again in my life. So let’s get that done and see what mischief tomorrow brings.” Barton said with a relaxed grin.
“Who are you going out with tonight?” Aya asked him quietly.
“The Cadet Corps Commander.” Barton smiled.
“The Hansen boy?”
“Mmhmm, i hope we have a fun evening punctuated by a close, physical inspection.” Barton chuckled at the two of them.
“Eww.”
“At least i never got caught having sex by 7 year old brother.” Barton smirked at her.
“You two are really okay with this?” John interrupted their banter for a moment.
“Well, I can freak out about it and fret for days, or i can see what the situation develops into and make a calm, clear decision.” Aya said slowly.
“Ivan’s been extraordinarily accepting of me, and i see no reason not to extend the same courtesy. He’ll tell us what we need to know eventually. Or he won’t. Either way, it’s up to him.”
“Who’s going to tell Cameron?” John said slowly.
“Tell Cameron what?” Cameron scowled as she stepped into the conversational range.
“It’s about Ivan.” Aya said slowly.
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