FRS Chpt 10

==Falcon Rising - Chapter 10 -==
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===Disgrace of Defeat===
Date: September 3050Location: Leskovik, Federated Commonwealth
"There will be an investigation," Darya cautioned as I escorted the recovery vehicles back to the dropships. "I expect they will exonerate us, but until then we will be under suspicion."
 
"I am just grateful that we managed to locate the majority of the trinary," I glanced at my sensors at the few Omnimech limping ahead of us. "Real shame about Roshak though," I said sarcastically. "I was hoping he wouldn't make it."
 
"Roshak genestock only rarely produces reliable warriors," she replied. "That he was arrogant enough to ignore the advice of his scouts means that he will likely find himself stripped of his position."
 
"Half of the trinary will be unable to fight for at least two months, and that includes almost all of our Star," I checked the sensors again, if I were one of the defenders, I would hit us now while we were wounded.
 
"The investigation will determine whether we are Dezgra or not," Darya scratched Gray's ears. "Regardless, there will be consequences for all that were involved."
 
We entered the area under direct control of the 2nd Falcon Jaegers. A Binary falling into an escort position, led by the Star Colonel's Summoner.
 
"Once you have reached the Mech bay you will power down and surrender your 'Mechs," a stern voice ordered. "This Trinary is being detained pending an investigation."
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===Starmates in a Investigating===
"Written reports are to be submitted within the next twelve hours," the Star Colonel stood with her arms crossed as Darya and I climbed out of my 'Hammer. "The trinary is to be detained until the investigation is completed."
 
A point of Elementals confiscated our sidearms and any blades we possessed before escorting us to an enclosed room with the standard report forms before us.
 
"There is to be no speaking of any kind until you have submitted your report. After it has been completed, you will be escorted to a cell where you are to be held until the investigation has been completed."
 
I sat down at the table and cracked my neck and knuckles before petting Gray for a bit, tapping the pen between my fingers nervously for a few seconds before I started writing.
 
It had been decades since I'd written an incident report, but it's you never forget once you've been properly taught.
 
After documenting everything that had happened in the patrol, I set the pen down, rubbing at my sore wrist before raising my hand to signal that I was finished.
 
"Follow me," he filed the report away before gesturing for me to follow him, Gray padding silently beside me as we reached the designated cell. "You will be here until further notice, any wounds will be seen by physicians based on order of severity."
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===Getting know each other!===
"I see they have placed us together," Darya raised an eyebrow as she entered the room under the watchful eyes of the Elementals.
 
"Seems like," I shrugged from where I lay on the ground, Gray's head resting on my chest. "I assume that everything in the cells is recorded."
 
"Indeed," she said as she stripped off the light jacket she'd been wearing, revealing her tank top and shorts underneath. "Now, tell me, what was life like outside of the Clans? I have heard that you were found on a remote world alone, and I would know what your experiences were."
 
"Whelp," I sat up, shifting Gray's head to my lap. "I spent a lot of time alone," I began. "Prior to the Exodus, I was just your average civilian. But after the Manassas suffered a misjump…"
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"Your tale is interesting," Darya sat on the other bunk, her brow furrowed as she thought about my story.
 
"Now, I have made several attempts to couple with you after our bouts of twining," she glared at me. "I would know why you have avoided such."
 
"Don't get me wrong," I looked her up and down. "You're very attractive. But I'm old enough to be your grandfather. And it'll take a bit more than a bit of eye candy to make me break down and decide to pursue a romantic relationship again."
 
"What would coupling have to do with a romantic relationship?" Darya asked, a bewildered look on her face. "It is merely a an enjoyable experience."
 
"Maybe for you," I leaned back against the bunk, allowing Gray to warm me in the cold air of the cell. "But I did not start out accustomed to your ways. And I will not acclimate to all of them. Particularly your custom of coupling with no other recourse," I smiled. "The only way we engage in recreational activities is if we start with a relationship."
 
"I will not pretend to understand at the moment," she locked eyes with me and smirked. "But when I do, you will be mine."
 
"Lord save me from horny Clanners," I closed my eyes and laid back on the floor, the cool ground easing some of my lower back pain as Gray curled up into my side.
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"Hit," Darya said, tapping the floor.
 
"And that's a bust," I laid out a jack. "Dealer's win again."
 
"This is such an interesting game," she said as I reshuffled for another round of Blackjack. "Do you have any more games that we may use to pass the time? Or do you have more stories?"
 
"Well, I didn't used to like card games all that much, but I do know how to play a few others," and did I tell you about how I encountered and captured her kind?" I gestured towards the Octo-Wolf curled up in the corner.
 
"Neg," she shook her head. "None are familiar with how you tamed her. And few are willing to approach after the tale of how she assisted with you fighting off your assailant."
 
"Here girl," I instructed, patting her down and offering her a treat when she obeyed. "This is Gray, I know her species is not actually canine in nature, but given their characteristics, I named them Octo-Wolves. Given they have eight legs and all."
 
"That much is obvious." she snarked.
 
"I first encountered a pack when I was tracking an isolated Elk, and when I had followed it for a few days, I noticed that there were other tracks around. So I laid a few snares, and accidentally caught the pups of the litter. Both a male, and a female. Unfortunately, the pack fled after I captured them and they also managed to get the Elk I was after, so I brought them home and began feeding them, and after twenty years of training and breeding, I had a full pack that would assist around the farm. Gray here, she was the runt of the litter, so I had to baby her a little so she would survive."
 
"She was the runt?" Darya looked at Gray, realizing that her shoulder came up to the middle of my ribcage . "How large were her pack mates?"
 
"They are only a bit larger than she is," I replied. "Given I nursed her, it meant that she was not as stunted as she would have been otherwise. But she did bond to me in a special way, so I trained her more than her siblings," I scratched the aforementioned dog's neck and she thumped the floor with the legs on the opposite side. "But she got a bit spoiled in the process."
 
"Would you mind showing me some of her training?" Darya asked. "We will be spending a large amount of time here, after all."
 
"Might as well." I shrugged. "It is that, or more cards."
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