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Chapter 4[]
Dead Man's Hand: Family Values[]
Wolf's Dragoons HQ
Harlech City, Outreach
Contested Space (Chaos March)
October 1st, 3057
"....and our people on Kowloon have confirmed this?" Jamie Wolf asked, looking at the hardcopy report in his hands.
"As best they can without risking discovery." Wolfnet Director Michi Noketsuna nodded, "Kowloon has always been a closed society. The original colonist, ahem, acquired a number of JumpShips with the aid of the Pathfinders Corps and jumped well out of what was at the time. They claimed space deliberately picking a system that is difficult to navigate to in order to flee persecution on Terra. They are inherently untrusting of outsiders, and fanatically loyal to their Duchess. I could have my agents dig deeper, but..."
"No. It is paramount that they are not discovered." the Mercenary commander shook his head, "In fact, I want you to make sure that nobody else discovers the truth: as far as the rest of the galaxy is concerned, Dead Man's Hand are on Kowloon to rest and refit before returning to their regular trade of raiding the Occupation Zones. Nobody is to know the truth."
"Sir, if I may be so bold, my job would be far easier if I knew exactly why this... Team, is so important?" the spy master suggested, "Stopping the investigation into what happened on Sweet Water..."
"A man who has already been sentenced to death was killed. Does it really matter how his end came about?" Wolf asked, then shook his head, "I am sorry, but this is a... matter of personal honor; a duty I took upon myself for an old friend. I can not break that trust, even for you." He paused, then added, "I give you my word, as a warrior, your commander and your friend, that there is nothing dishonorable in what I am doing."
"Understand, Okyakusama." Noketsuna bowed his head, "I will see that it is done."
Wolf waited until the other man had left, and the door was securely closed again, before he allowed his mask of professionalism to slip, and he let out a low chuckle.
"Oh Natasha, what will you think of this?" he reached into his desk, and pulled out a single-use cypher pad, "I only wish I could see the look on your face when you find out..."