FRS Chpt 23

==Falcon Rising - Chapter 23 -==
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===Terms of Engagement===
Date: 3052Location: In transit, Aegis Class Heavy Cruiser, CFS Jade Talon
"It is good to see that you are awake," Darya Pryde stood at the foot of my bed while Gray poked her head up by my arm and began licking my hand. "I was concerned that you would be unable to uphold your end of things." 
 
"Sorry I worried you," I smiled a bit. "But I am alive and well."
 
"You are indeed alive. But the medics tell me that you are not quite as whole as you say."
 
"Give me a few months and I will be back up to peak condition. Now, we need to talk."
 
"What would you speak of?" A bit of anger flashed behind her eyes. "It is not as if you have been willing to actively explain anything before."
 
"I understand," I sighed, resting my head back against the end of the bunk. "So I'm going to lay things out for you one at a time, and then we need to make a decision about how we move on from there."
 
"Continue," Darya locked eyes with me, her arms still crossed.
 
"One, before all of this," I gestured to the medbay and tried to encompass everything. "And before I was stranded on a farm, I was married. I had children," I closed my eyes for a second as the memories flowed back through my mind. "Then I was alone, for nearly fifty years I spent time alone, eking out and building a home in a place that didn't even have a name."
 
I paused to make sure she understood what I was saying. 
 
"Two, I'm old," I chuckled. "Darya, I'm old enough to be your grandfather. And despite opening up to the idea, I still have reservations about having that sort of relationship with someone that's that much younger than I am."
 
"Three, and this is the most important one to me," I took a deep breath. "I'm not one to just engage in a sexual relationship. I didn't do that before I got married, and I haven't even had sex in…" I paused to do math before shaking my head. "Far too long. So if we do this, it's not like a Freebirth and a Trueborn, it's not as a random relationship where we just go our separate ways after coupling," I matched her gaze. "I don't do things halfway, if we do this, you're stuck with me for as long as I live. After I'm dead?" I shrugged. "Do what you will. But if you want to make this work, it will take just that, work. I'm old, and I find that just because I can change, that doesn't mean that I necessarily will change. So, I'll give you some time to make your decision, just let me know exactly what that decision is." 
 
"You fool of an old man," Darya shook her head as she moved to sit on my bed. "I was simply waiting for you to tell me what it is that you wanted. I considered taking what I wanted, and then leaving it in the wind, but I reconsidered after speaking with a Widow, of sorts."
 
She then leaned in and gave me a searing kiss, her tongue prodding at my lips for entry as my tongue met her own before she pulled back.
 
"Get better soon," She called over her shoulder as she walked away, a sharp whistle calling my dog over to her side. "You have a lot more to look forward to, after all."
 
"At least she wasn't an elemental," I smiled to myself. "Now that would have been interesting."
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===New 'Mech Assignment===
What followed that day was weeks of physiotherapy as the doctors helped me acclimate and rebuild lost musculature. Now that I wasn't considered old and worthless or near dezgra, I was granted the full capabilities of Clan medicine. Which conveniently included several methods that slowed the aging process. 
 
And given that I pushed myself hard, by the time the Falcon Guard had made landfall along with the 2nd Falcon Jaegers and the others who had survived Tukayyid I was nearly back in the condition I had been before. 
 
"Unfortunately, there are not enough Omnimechs to replace those lost on Tukayyid available at the moment," Aidan briefed both myself and the remaining living officers of the Falcon Guard, his eyes trailing over each of us, pausing at Star Captain Joanna, Star Commander Jula Huddock, and myself. "Those of you who still possess your 'Mechs will be given priority for repairs."
 
"And what of the losses that we have taken?" I asked. "How are we to proceed?"
 
"We will make do with what we have at the moment," Aidan stated. "We have been instructed by Khan Chistu to focus on rebuilding our forces. That said, we will also be preparing for the trials that are to come. The Steel Vipers have been at our throats since they were deployed to this invasion corridor. We will meet their challenge, and break their fangs with our talons. I intend to secure their supplies for our use."
 
 "And how will we accomplish this?" I asked. "We have no full cluster to bear at the moment."
 
"We are going to be adopting your model, Star Commander," Aidan smirked. "Omnimechs work, and are malleable to each scenario that we might face. But, given the circumstances, and the availability of said 'Mechs, we have turned to an alternative with the factories and resources that we possess, Joanna."
 
Aidan nodded at the Star Captain.
 
"The Khans have ordered that our Brian Caches be opened, and we will begin receiving shipments from the equipment that was stored shortly. While there are some older Omnimechs that will be distributed, the majority of them will be older designs," Joanna continued. "However, most of these will be traditional Battlemechs. Should we prove victorious against the Vipers, you may claim an Omnimech should one be a part of the isorla. But until such a time as more become available, we are restricted."
 
"After we have completed our objective, we will begin preparations for the Inner Sphere retaliations," Aidan stepped forward. "We fought against Comstar's forces on Tukayyid, we did not face the nations of the Inner Sphere. They have no reason to abide by the truce that we are bound to. And I expect they will shortly see fit to strike. But they will not find us lacking."
 
The rest of the briefing went over what was expected of us over the next few weeks before Aidan caught my attention, waving both Joanna, Jula, and myself over. 
 
"We do not possess many Omnimechs as part of our resupply," he looked at Jula and me in particular. "But you two handled yourselves with distinction, and should you desire it, the few that we were granted, you will be given."
 
"I would prefer a Warhammer," I shrugged. "Give the Omnimech to someone who is better talented with it. Although, I would like to have this one upgraded with modern technology."
 
"We can arrange that," Aidan replied. "There is plenty among the salvage that we have obtained from the Inner Sphere, just as we have pulled some from our reserves."
 
"I will take one of the Omnimechs," Jula replied. "My Executioner is best used as parts to maintain other machines."
 
"We will work out the details later," Aidan looked at the three of us. "But for now prepare for a Trial against the Steel Vipers. I expect we shall take them by surprise, but I would rather be prepared for them to abandon zellbrigen should they believe that we will come to possess their supplies, quiaff?'
 
"Aff," we replied, taking his nod as dismissal as we went to our barracks. 
 
There were only two left alive among my Star from Tukayyid, and we would be consolidating the Cluster into three Trinaries. Four, if you included Aidan's command Star. 
 
But there was work to be done, and if I wished to advance, I would need to prepare for this upcoming battle with the Steel Vipers. After that, we would see how things went.
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