CnC Chpt 15

==Cat and Crescent - Chapter 15 -==
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===New Beginnings===
Deva City, Bingham Prefecture
Moab, Lyreton, Rimward Periphery
Saturday, October 9th, 3024 
"You look great, dear," Remihel said. The unaccustomed words felt strange to say, but he relished the novelty of it. "Very fine."
 
"Thanks," Josie said, though she still fretted over some of the last-minute changes. She'd struggled to piece together a workable Blue Crescent Rangers uniform, and eventually gave up. She paired her tartan skirt and sash with a borrowed blue jacket, refreshed the pink in her hair, and called it good.
 
"Remember the plan?" Remihel asked.
 
"Aye," Josie replied, nodding nervously. She pulled at the sleeves of her jacket. "I'm secretly the one in charge."
 
"That's right.." In the Magistracy of Canopus, the women held all the reins of power. That culture pervaded the entire country, relegating males to purely subordinate roles. Canopians got so enamoured of the idea that they didn't know quite how to handle the idea of a man in charge. Any male leader must be merely a puppet of a hidden and cunning woman. And so, Remihel decided to show them exactly what they expected. "You ready to go in?"
 
"Ready." Josie took a deep breath and squared off her shoulders.
 
Remihel opened the door of the Outrider and walked around to open the passenger side for Josie. The improvised military vehicle stood out in the parking lot of Deva's most expensive restaurant - camouflage green, marked with the blue crescent symbol on its armored doors. They'd removed the heavy machine gun from its pintle, but otherwise, it retained its warlike appearance. Compared to the pint-sized three-wheeled chingchees on Moab's roads, and the much rarer cars imported from the Inner Sphere, it looked like a brute.
 
The El Palmar restaurant overlooked the beach, and Remihel smelled the surf. Across the bay, barely in view, Remihel saw the Mandrinn's palace, with its imposing Capellan walls and the prefecture flag at half-staff. A good location for a high-class restaurant, he decided.
 
A tough-looking woman in a suit, dark sunglasses stuck over her eyes, stood outside the door. She didn't fit the scene, and she didn't try to. Remihel felt other eyes on him, though. Probably another observer hidden in a parked car.
 
Josie tucked her arm in Remihel's elbow, and steered him straight at the bodyguard. "Evening!" she said. "We're not late, are we?"
 
The bodyguard didn't respond, but compared their faces to a readout on her wristcomp. "I'm bringing them back, Lady Centrella," she said.
 
Maybe fewer bodyguards than I thought, Remihel mused. They walked back through the restaurant and Remihel only spotted one possibility. With the political turmoil, El Palmar's patrons chose to stay home.
 
Lady Ana Maria Centrella chose to sit on the back patio. A good choice for the view, but bold - her bodyguards probably didn't approve. She rose to greet Remihel and Josie, extending a cinnamon-brown hand. "Captain Greenbrier," she said cooly.
 
"Good evening, Lady Centrella," Remihel said. He shook her hand firmly. He smelled her perfume - a floral scent he couldn't place, but which reminded him of the wildflower preserve back in Blackfoot. It nearly threw him off his prepared speech. "Allow me to introduce Cornet Josie Wallace. She's the second-largest shareholder of the Blue Crescent Rangers, one of our best mechwarriors, and - most importantly - my girlfriend."
 
"It's a great pleasure to meet you, Lady Centrella," Josie added.
 
"Likewise. Please, call me Lady Ana Maria." She waved toward the empty seats. "And thank you for meeting with me. I'd hate for my trip to Lyreton to be wasted." Remihel detected a passive-aggressive note in her voice. "Now that Denis de Souza is no longer in business."
 
Josie let Remihel hold her chair as she sat down at the table. "You didn't want to work with him anyway," she said. "He was only one step up from a pirate. A bit of a brute."
 
"True," Lady Ana Maria agreed. She inclined her head thoughtfully. "He wasn't my first choice. But did you have to kill them all?"
 
Remihel pulled a disk out of his uniform jacket, and extended it across the table to Lady Ana Maria. "Here's a copy of our BattleROM recordings from the battle. There's nothing out of order here."
 
"Ah. I'll review this later," Ana Maria said. She pocketed the disk. "I don't wish to be confrontational. But at least with de Souza I knew what I was dealing with! Your Rangers... you are an unknown entity."
 
"We're re-forming the unit," Josie said.
"I've got four mechs," Remihel added. "And Chief Lottie - she's my chief tech - indicates she'll be able to put a Shadow Hawk together from the salvage. Maybe fix up one or two of the other mechs. We also have two Warrior attack VTOLs, a Pegasus hovertank, and a bit of lighter equipment."
 
A server interrupted, ready to take orders for drinks. Josie immediately grabbed one of her cues. "Remi, you ought to order the lychee wine. It goes well with the fried mushrooms."
 
"Oh, very well." Remihel agreed, and allowed himself to be led along.
 
Lady Ana Maria waited until the server left. "Do you have a dropship?"
 
Josie handled the easy question. "We have a six-month lease on a modified Danais. We also captured the Reavers' Leopard. It's too small for our current force, and not in great condition. Remi and I inspected it this morning, and it needs a lot of repair." She smiled at Lady Ana Maria. "Fortunately, Lyreton has a good shipyard. We still need to discuss what to do," she said, and tossed Remihel a look. "But my idea? We'll finish out the lease on our current dropship, and we'll repair the Leopard. When the lease expires, we sell the Leopard and buy a Union-class."
 
"That's probably what we'll end up doing." Remihel said.
 
Lady Ana Maria smiled. "I hope you'll notify me when you're ready to sell... and buy."
 
"Oh!" Josie said. "Of course. We'll need to find a good deal, though."
 
"Naturally. But I won't be outbid." Lady Ana Maria leaned forward and raised her right hand to her chin. The motion looked simple, but Remihel knew it had to be calculated. She wore a sizeable diamond ring on that hand. A glittering bracelet on her wrist showed off the Magistracy's three-star symbol. Remember who I represent, she hinted.
 
Remihel didn't know if Josie saw it. But he certainly paid attention.
 
Drinks arrived, and a local salad. El Palmar didn't offer a menu - they served four courses. Josie, with a bit of fondness, noted she'd eaten here previously. "My sixteenth birthday," she said. "We got the best shrooms. And they made Pojo!"
 
"What's pojo?" Lady Ana Maria asked, smiling politely.
 
"Monkey balls with avocado." Josie said. "Served on a piece of seaweed. A local delicacy. I wonder if they're serving it tonight?"
 
The pojo arrived a few moments later. Lady Ana Maria looked uncertain. Josie's eyes danced with delight, and she gave a happy sigh as she devoured her serving. Remihel tried not to think about it too much.
 
"I suppose I'll get down to business," Lady Ana Maria abruptly said, and quietly shoved her pojo off to one side. "The Magistracy of Canopus sent me to open discussions with the Reavers about a contract. Short-term, but quite profitable. And afterward - if you're successful - there might be more paying work."
 
Remihel nodded. "The Blue Crescent Rangers are at your service, then, Lady Centrella. We're ready for any challenge that you care to throw at us."
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THE ENDThere is however additional short story lined to this main one that is minor continuation. Which is Training Day.
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Chapter 15