Dodge City Sheriff's Office (Opalescent Reflections)

==Description==
This is a short side story set in the Opalescent Reflections series, in form a letter reporting problems with Clanners on world.
----
===Main Story===
Dodge City Sherrif's Office
Dodge City, Engadin
14 June 3061
To Christian Månsdottir
 
Christian, when I heard the madness that was called the 'Cockpit' the Enders fellow kicked up I thought it would mean a return to our Ronin Wars madness. I was so very wrong. It's worse if you can believe it. Towns go to bed under the umbrella of one clan then wakeup under another after duel or challenge that happened in a bar. It is ridiculous. And of course, Dodge is right in the middle of all the big enclaves so we see it all. This probably tints my perspective ten ways to Sunday but damn it this is my home and I'm living this chaos!
 
And it's practically ritualized. Festus, my deputy, is former Smoke Jaguar. Ended up a hermit after 'adjourning' form the Clan after Rasalhague. He keeps trying to explain it to me and whoever will listen.
 
Anyhow, he managed to convince the city to build a small circle of equals in the middle of our entertainment district (if you can call 3 bars, some shops, a theater and a library an entertainment district). It worked for what it's worth. Clanners use the spot to settle disputes instead of causing a ruckus at the bars. Saved its worth in damages in the first month after its construction.
 
Convincing the overgrown children to use it took only one real challenge, but cost Kitty her porch dinning sets. The challenge was only about who would be responsible for damages to boot. Sparked a whole heap of trouble though.
 
Getting the clans involved to even entertain the concept of a universal law for warriors and civilians will come with time. The edge territories are changing ownership so fast and frequently the clanners leave local law enforcement to us sheriffs and our deputies. Functionally we tell the belligerents where they can fight and where they can't. Took a whole heap of work to get the them to agree to that as I'm not clan born but eventually all of the clan kahns in the sphere had a sit down about it. I suspect that this agreement will only be applied to areas in frequent conflict. Festus says it will be forever. Current thoughts by more learned individuals think it will last to a point of cultural assimilation (whatever that means).
 
Anyway, you put it, food has to get to the table. Part of the agreement is that in addition to covering damages to the locals and their environment, outlier settlements get to tax trade in some form being a portion of whatever is traded. Which means since the collapse of the C-Bill after the interdiction we are left with a barter system. If the needs can't be covered by the means, its usually easy to trick find some 'noble' and 'selfless' warrior to challenge another enclave for the resources.
 
Dezgra Smoke Jaguars are all too common though. Had a run in with a damaged Supernova the other day. It and its binary were terrorizing and looting homesteads near Timons Vale. They were also using the wrecks and caches in the area to stay repaired. One of the few times I have seen the enclaves work together. Went to each enclave trying to form a posse to run them to ground. I ended up in charge of a mixed clan force trinary with a star of aerospace to scout. The only forces available were fresh sibkos and there wasn't time for the 'proper' trials (and subsequent repairs) for leadership. Not to mention the fact I had 3 different clans to work with. The collective decision was I would act as force commander as the agreements in place gave me jurisdiction. My Falconer was also the heaviest 'mech.
 
Long story short, we found and downed one of the devils of Rasalhague. He had either stayed or was left behind to hold the planet when Showers went off his rocker to capture targets from the Diamond Sharks. If you want details watch the movie. Literally. The cockpit is swarming with studios trying to find the next Enders. We happened to have such a crew with us. They used our gun camera footage for the mech combat. I'm told it was cheaper that way.
 
The Clans were 'kind' enough to repair my Falconer. Even ended up with a few upgrades. Tell the Steiner-Davions and TharHes sorry not sorry for the maybe leaked schematics. Festus pulled off a trial that should keep the rights to the data and the production in our hands. If it were the one of the houses, I'd KNOW the data was stolen but the clanners are strange.
 
Your friend,
 
Matt Dillion
 
(PS tell your niece congratulations on the marriage!)
-----
--FINI--
----
Dodge City Sheriff's Office
Dodge City Sheriff's Office