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Chapter 31 - This is the Way the World Ends - Wolf Skinners (3024)[]
The Approaches to Ar-Rabigh
Astrokaszy
28th August, 3024
2030 Local Time
Though the ad hoc unit had been traveling for roughly 12 hours, it had been to the west, so the sun wasn't quite as low as it would have been if they had stayed in their original time zone. The Wolf Skinners had listened to the spirited negotiations Captain Renzi conducted with the locals and had to admit he held his own. In the end, the Emir granted them permission to bivouac on the abandoned landing field east of the town. As the company approached, a periscope tracked them from the ruins of the control tower. A lance of jeeps led by a Stinger drove out from the town to meet them.
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Stinger Light 'Mech
Captain Renzi dismounted his Thunderbolt to meet the incoming party and motioned for the Major to join him. Somewhat surprisingly, the pilot of the Stinger didn't dismount, but a bearded young man with a red sash stepped out of the second jeep.
Aliyah ar-Rabigh inhaled sharply when she saw him. "The Amirzade! The Emir honors you!" she breathed, her hand over her heart.
The negotiations continued, with Captain Renzi gesticulating at least as wildly as the local princeling. The Major managed to get a few words in edgewise, and it was one of those occasions that brought negotiations to an abrupt halt. Waving his bodyguards forward, the Amirzade gestured to the BMRV and started walking that way.
Aliyah squealed in delight and said, "It is as I told you! He wants to see the BattleMech parts you took from al-Mazrea!"
Smoke to Lieutenant Ranjeet on the lance freq, "Lt, Do we trust them?"
Keep his eye out for bushwackers
"What is the saying? Hope for the best, prepare for the worst?" Ranjeet closed his eyes and exhaled.
"Until they demonstrate otherwise, I don't know if we have a choice."
The Approaches to Ar-Rabigh
2035-2045 Local Time
The Emir's heir easily hopped up on the deck of the Recovery Vehicle as the techs removed the tarps covering the 'mech parts. He clapped his hands and smiled broadly. Raising his voice so all could hear his words, he said, "Rabigh is grateful to you for ridding us of these enemies! Please, Major, Captain, accompany me to see my father, and bring those responsible for felling our foes with you! The procession through the town will be quite satisfying!"
Major Skinner conferred with Captain Renzi quickly, and hastily issued some orders before allowing himself to be hoisted up to the deck of the Recovery Vehicle. An aide scurried from the princeling's jeep with speakers and a microphone.
Over the local push, Captain Harris said, "Ramjet, you have command of the laager while the Major, Lieutenant Stevenson and I accompany Captain Renzi and his wife to see the Emir. We're taking a squad of ours and a squad of Renzi's with us for security in the APC, but you'll have the rest of the platoon, and all the rest of Renzi's crew to work with. They've been here before and can give you a feel for what to expect. Have Bianci zero in her Recon Camera to keep as much of an eye on us as possible."
While those orders were being passed, Lieutenant Stevenson was shutting down his Vulcan, and the locals were getting organized to return to the town, with the Stinger in the lead. The heir intended to ride on the deck of the Recovery Vehicle and was encouraging his guests to do the same. Overhearing that, Master Truck gave very clear direction to Sergeant Blu to take it easy on the way into town.
Ar-Rabigh
28 August, 3024
2045-2130 Local Time
As the Emir's heir promised, the procession through the town was memorable and satisfying. The Stinger in the lead used its speakers to rouse the crowds, and once assembled, the heir addressed them in Astrokaszy's unique dialect of Arabic. The cheering was continuous once started, with the adulation directed almost exclusively at the MechWarriors on the back of the Recovery Vehicle. Renzi and his wife shrugged to each other and simply basked in it, returning the waves and cheering with good humor.
Captain Harris was unsure at first, but quickly got into the act. Lieutenant Stevenson put on a good show, but felt his self-doubt redouble. The Major stood next to the heir, and simply mirrored the rather more practiced heir's waves to the masses. His security was rather more nervous, but didn't see any brandished weapons. All the knives they saw were firmly in their sheaths, and the various firearms were holstered or slung. Renzi's security was significantly more relaxed about the whole thing, but remained just as alert.
For their part, the crowd was jubilant, and pressed all the way to the gates of the Emir's fortress.
Ruined Airfield on the outskirts of Ar-Rabigh
2045-2130 Local Time
Once the convoy had departed for the town, another group of vehicles approached the laager as it was setting up. Smoke would more properly call them jalopies, but they all seemed to be running smoothly. The locals that debarked these vehicles lacked red sashes, and walked toward Renzi's crew first. Lieutenant Novak quickly debarked the APC with a pair of troopers for security and strolled over to see what the commotion was about. She quickly determined the locals were merchants gauging the size of the laager to see how many stalls they'd bring out in the morning. Renzi's infantry were vigorously advocating for certain stalls, and against others. Apparently, not all the "meat on a stick" in Rabigh was actually fit for human consumption (though that was just as vigorously disputed by the locals). Of course, not all the merchants would be coming to sell things. Some would also be looking to buy whatever the Emir didn't put down an offer on first. Novak wisely kept her mouth shut while the initial negotiations were taking place. It remained to be seen if any of the MechWarriors would join the conversation.
Chapter Notes[]
Primary chapters and narration are by main author, Daryk
Section spoken by Smoke was written by DOC_Agren
Section spoken by Lieutenant Ranjeet was written by SANSd20
Section spoken by Blu was written by truetanker