CHS2-15

==Chapter 15 - Book 2 – Chappy's Howling Siegers==
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===A Lead to Cache===
Siegers HQ
Capital City
Ballentine, Federated Suns
August 25th, 2788
It had been almost a month since that coordinated attack from the enemy from the air and the three land attacks. After the enemy was defeated, they just disappeared. It bothered Matthew extremely not knowing where the enemy was. The other objective was just as elusive the Siegers had been here since middle of June and no sign of the cache father had left them. There were only three planets in the system besides Ballentine two were vacuum terrestrial and one was a gas giant, there was also a small asteroid belt. No evidence of a space dock or space port so far in orbit at any of the planets, no signs of anything man made for that matter. Last report from his fleet commander was they had finished with the nearest planet named Gomes’s Planet and was moving on to the next planet called Maple River. Matthew went back to the coordinated attack last month something about it bothered him, how did the enemy know the dropships were coming down the gravity well and knew exactly where to attack to hit the weakest patrol units. The Siegers were just fortunate enough to have reserve units that could do a quick response and back up those armor units. After uncovering the spy, his wife. Matthew would prefer not to think the Siegers had a traitor in the unit, but it was possible that the enemy had infiltrated the planet’s militia. He made a mental note to talk to the militia commander at the next meeting. His assistant knocked on the door and entered, “Sir, Fleet Commander is on the line for you.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.”
He tapped a code into the ComPad and the Fleet Commander’s face came into view.
“Captain Phung, report.”
<<“Commander, I think we found it, Sir.”>>
“You think? Please explain.”
<<“Yes, Sir, there is a low valley on the surface and in the valley, there are several active turrets, we estimate at least thirty. 
There is no sign of any other equipment or weapons that we know of. That was the last report the scout team sent before they enter what appears to be the kill zone. 
None of them made it back. We are on our way back to you, I figured you would want to spin up a mission to take out the turrets and see what there is to see there. 
We should be in orbit by the 1st of September.”>>
“Roger that, Captain, thanks for the find I will send up a force, we will meet you up in orbit with the Conquering Wolves',' Chapman out.”
With that he severed the line and went to work putting a force together that would not hurt the defenses of the planet.
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September 1, 2788
Local Time: 1000 GST
Major Bruce and Major Tournier was outside the makeshift Headquarters watching their commander take off in the Dropship Conquering Wolves with a rag tag 2nd Battalion full of misfits and Greenies, Lt. Col Chapman said it was for experience that the new guys needed some battle time and what better way than a zero g atmosphere and automated gun turrets. The dropship disappeared into the sky, and both went back inside to vent to their coworker and friend the XO, Major Pople.
“Haleigh, why is he doing this? I understand why he left you in charge you’re the XO, but Ethan and I should be with him instead of the unproven 2nd Battalion”, Major Dalton Tournier said.
Major Pople looked at them, “You know that the 2nd Battalion will be one of you guys’ command after we fill the 3rd Battalion next year.He wants to make sure that the 2nd Battalion is ready.”
Major Ethan Bruce glanced at the maintenance man fixing the light fixture for the second time in three weeks.
“All the more reason one of us should be up there to protect his back.” he said.
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Colossus Class Dropship
Conquering Wolves 
Ballentine System
Lt. Col Chapman was sitting on the bridge as the Dropship took off for orbit to link up with the Siegers’s Fleet specifically the Beast of Terra. 
The situation on the third planet in the solar system was unknown. Intel located a base in a deep valley, but there was an automated security system that was not SLDF tech. 
That left Matthew with three options, first his father used a previous base that was made by the Davion military. Second father used Davion or some other nation’s tech to hide the equipment for whatever reason. Or third, a third party discover the treasure and placed their own security system. Whatever the option Matthew was taking the 2nd Battalion with him, they will have to destroy all the gun turrets before entering the base to see what was there. His father did not list what type of ships was mothball here hopefully there was a couple of DropShips, his unit was growing and right now after the four months being on Ballentine he would not be able to take all his equipment due to lack of cargo space. If the Siegers’ fleet gets bigger though, where are they going to get the manning and how will he pay for it. The dropship just left the atmosphere, a pen floated up off the table in front of him, noticing he grabbed it then looked up to the view screen the Siegers’ fleet came into view, four ships strong normally the ships would stay at the charging stations to conserve fuel, but it seems like every mission he needed them in orbit, and this was no exception. The Destroyer had been off investigating Gomes’s Planet while the Beast of Terra sat here protecting the unarmed jumpship. The smallest of the ships just poked its head out having been hidden from view, the Wolfwind, the unit's Nightwing surveillance ship had just came back from checking the furthest planet of the system.
“Sir, a message is coming in for you from Captain Phung.” announce the comm operator.
“Pipe her through, Lieutenant.” Lt. Col Chapman replied.
<<“Sir, I just heard from home, they received our communique and are sending additional navy personnel most will be greenies. All don’t have much experience, but I expect them within a month or two.”>> 
With that the Captain severed the line. Matthew sat back in his seat and watched as the crew docked. A few months ago, they had sent a coded message to the home of the Chapman future home aka Devils Breath, communication with the planet is a long process since it was off the books of all the star charts and the HPG was InOp on purpose. Couriers had to receive all messages on Risin and then deliver back home. Matthew still could not comprehend the extent of manpower, war machines, and network his father had built over the years. Rumors had existed about black ops and some navy admirals that had side gigs. He wondered what his father really left him.
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Siegers HQ
Capital City
Ballentine
A man dressed in the maintenance outfit left the compound of the joint Headquarters of the Siegers and planet Militia, doing what he always did he got into his transportation and headed to the bar near his house. Walking in he observed the surroundings. 
The bar theme was that of scantily clad women trying to make a buck, being a regular all the girls new him and new to stay away except for one, his favorite. 
Ambrosia moved toward him looking like she was the big hungry cat looking to hunt and he was the prey. Five-foot eight inches in heels she could look him in the eye straight on, her purple color eyes and blue hair just did something to him. 
“Hey baby, there is a man in the corner waiting for you.” she said as she placed her small hand on his chest and moved slowly down. “Will you have some pleasure after he is gone?”
She knew that he could not resist her, he tried every time but never could. “Yes, we will, but first I need to talk to my friend.”
He moved to the corner booth and slid in, placing a small object on the seat in-between him and the other guy.
“Here is what you asked for, it’s very informative.”
The man took the device and then laid an envelope down in its place.
“Have fun spending that on her, she is pure perfection.” 
With that he left, leaving the maintenance man with enough cash to last all night with Ambrosia.
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High Orbit
Ballentine
Beast of Terra slowly powered up her engines and moved out of orbit after the Conquering Wolves dropship docked with her. 
Even at full power it was going to take 8 days to reach the third planet, Captain Phong sighed since downtime always meant a thousand questions from her commander about home. 
Luckily right now she had duties to perform, and the commander was still on the dropship. Moving pass the only moon for Ballentine, the Beast of Terra lumbered slowly towards the third planet.
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===Divide and Strike===
Beast of Terra
High Orbit of Maple River
Third Planet in Ballentine System
September 9th, 2788
The great warship slowly orbited the rock of a planet why it was called Maple River, Captain Phung did not know. 
What she did know was her Commander was ready to leave the ship and investigate the base.
“Sir, the area of the base is to hot there are extensive AA guns along with Gauss and LRM turrets all active and already tracking us. 
The dropship will land about 5 clicks from the base good luck and good hunting.”
“Roger that Captain, Siegers let’s roll! Fall in line once we leave the dropship remember your training this is a .2 gravity planet so we can move faster and jump further, Chapman out.”
With that the dropship undocked and moved toward the planet.
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1st Sword of Light - Headquarters
Location—unknown
Ballentine
Lord Jinjiro Kurita, heir-designate of the Draconis Combine was sitting at the table with his top advisors, things had not gone badly but they weren’t going as planned either. The goal was to disrupt the supply lines and kick around some R&R Federated scum. This Mercenary unit was causing a problem though. Bigger than initially reported and with an actual fleet of warships Jinjiro was about to call it a day and move off planet. When his advisor came to him with a report from the spy within the militia headquarters. This was the time to strike, his unit was divided into two camps one was in a small town called Blospool, the rest was with him camped in a deep ravine 50 kilometers from the capital. He looked at his advisor.
Tai-i Chuwon I need to send a message to my forces; it will need to be by messenger I don’t want a transmission to be intercepted.” 
“Yes, my lord, what is the message?” Chuwon said.
“I need them to break camp and move here ASAP half of the mercenary unit is off world with their commander the time is now to strike.” Jinjiro said.
“Sir, if I may what about that force that left shouldn’t we be concern where they left?”
“Even though the recording did not specify why he left it does not matter. Since we have been silent these last few months, they might think that we are broken and took a battalion to another contract, because that is what mercs do, follow the money they have no honor.”
“Yes, my lord.” Chuwon bowed and then moved swiftly to prepare for the journey.
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Siegers HQ 
Capital City
Ballentine
Major Bruce moved into the CIC it had been eight and a half days since his commander left. He moved up to Major Pople to ask if there has been any activity, when he notice the same maintenance man working on the same light fixture. In a low voice he said to Major Pople
“Why is that guy fixing the same fixture?”
“It stop working again this morning.” Pople said
“That is too weird. I am too suspicious, specially after what happen at Hesperus follow me, but don’t act suspicious.” Major Bruce whispered.
The maintenance man was fixing the faulty fixture again he was thinking to himself that he needed to find a better way to be in here eventually they would get suspicious when he looked down and saw two Majors looking up at him. When he turned around to get off the ladder there was the sergeant at arms with his hand on the gun holster.
Major Pople talked first. “We need to search you and your equipment.”
Major Bruce notice that as the maintenance guy got of the ladder. He tighten his left fist and looked like he was going to make a run for it, so Bruce came up from behind and locked the man’s arms together. 
“Oh no you don’t, now what is in that left hand.”
In his hand was a small recorder, Bruce hit rewind then play and heard all he needed to hear. After five hours of interrogation the maintenance guy gave up the location of the enemy base, at a town called Blospool.
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Maple River
Third Planet in solar system
September 10, 2788
Lt. Colonel Chapman had taken a day to survey the base, being careful not to trigger any of the defense he noticed that there were clusters of gun turrets scatter throughout the compound. “Beast, Chappy I will need you to spin up the two squadrons load them up with bombs put them on alert we might need them if we get pinned down. We will be advancing into the compound within the hour. Expect jamming if we need the fighters one of the guys will come back to this location to communicate. Chappy out.” With that he severed the line and then told the 2nd Battalion the plan.
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1st Sword of Light - Headquarters
Ballentine
Jinjiro Kurita looked on at the eight heavy flatbed trucks each with a mech on them and covered up with an anti-radar blanket. 
Jinjiro looked at his most trusted advisor and friend, Tai-i Chuwon and gave him a scroll with his family seal on it. 
“Get there as fast as you can tell them you are taking command and then move them out to here. Once we are all together, we will attack the Capital and defeat the mercenary scum.”
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Siegers HQ
Ballentine
Major Haleigh Pople, Major Dalton Tournier, and Major Ethan Bruce sat around the table debating on what they should do.
“Look our commander has been friends to all of us for a long ass time, we are friends, he always preaches we are equals, but you are the XO Haleigh which means you are in charge, we have an opportunity to take out the enemy, satellite imagery shows about two company worth of mechs plus some gun turrets I say we take the whole battalion and crush them.” Dalton said passionately. 
Ethan looked at Haleigh and nodded in agreement then said, “We keep the armor battalion here and the infantry for protection and continuation of the academy training. Then go and kick some butt.”
Major Pople looked at the intel from the spy and the satellite pictures, “Ok, let’s do this.”
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Maple River
Third Planet in solar system
The 2nd Battalion broke up into the three companies and got into position, the plan was for delta company move in from the west. Echo company from the east, and Fox company from the south they were to move in simultaneously and move to the center where the main control unit was supposed to be located. All the companies were finally in position and Matthew order the unit to advance, the unit moved in and was met with radio jamming and gun turrets. 
With an inexperience group such as the 2nd Battalion it was difficult to gain ground on the gun turrets. Matthew and his command lance move forward took a few turrets out Delta was right behind them, but through the burning buildings and smoke took a wrong turn and was headed north instead of east. Heavy fire took out three pilots of Delta that’s when it always happens under extreme stress and hardship an individual finds peace and bravery deep inside and becomes a hero. Fire lance was caught by crossfire pinned down by four quad large laser turrets on the right and three dual gauss rifle turrets to the left the lieutenant in charge froze, it was his command and first action that he had seen, the other three pilots were pinned against the wall Private Madilyn Papatamelis sat there in her cockpit frozen, laser fire overhead shook something inside her. Deep inside her she heard her father voice from when she was a kid encouraging her when she was trying to work out a problem. A loud explosion shook her back to reality she grabbed the controls of her Zeus and started to move out, the Lieutenant was too into himself to notice. The other two privates looked on confused on what Madilyn was doing. Madilyn target the three gauss turrets with her LRMs and Lasers moving to her right to avoid the laser fire from behind she dispatched the Gauss turrets without too much damage to her unit, getting into a zone of sorts she spun around and charged the four laser turrets, when the other two privates saw this, they got up and followed her. 
Lieutenant Pena remained against the wall frozen with fear. Private Papatamelis knew what was at stake joining the Siegers during the Rocky contract she had bought into their doctrine; the Lieutenant though was brand new coming aboard just before they left Hesperus, she had never really trusted him. Papatamelis then notice the other two in her lance following her moving around the corner she spotted the commander and decided to follow him, since he never showed fear. The battalion took heavy damage but for the most part they fought bravely and slowly took over the compound. Lieutenant Pena regained conciseness from his panic attack, his lance was nowhere around him. His radio was not working buildings, walls, and mechs scattered throughout the makeshift streets. He got control of his mech and started moving cautiously making his way toward the outside of the compound. The battle was still going on he could see mechs moving through the smoke, in fact he saw the commander's 'mech with a missing arm moving and firing with six other mechs following him. The lieutenant made it out of the jamming zone and called the Beast of Terra. 
<<“Beast of Terra, this is Lieutenant Pena, I am calling in air strikes. Destroy everything...most of unit is gone. I might be the only on left”>>
Captain Phung gazed at the screen not believing what she was hearing, the Colonel dead, she could not believe that. 
With the jamming still ongoing she was not able to receive any data, and there was so much smoke and fire down there that imagery was spotty.
“Lieutenant, are you sure of the information, I cannot verify your claims.”, she called down
<<“Just do it, or we will all be dead.”>>, Lieutenant Pena radioed 
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Colonel Chapman rolled around the final corner his right arm gone and most of the armor in the head destroyed. 
The rest of his lance was fairing about the same and another lance had attached itself to his the one in the Zeus had impress him. 
She had come around the corner guns a blazing saving his lance and since then she had kept his lance backside free of any problems. 
The objective was near but what caught Matthew’s eye was the building just before it, sensors showed gigantic spikes in energy and a frequency output that matched their radio frequency. 
The jammer he thought, he light signal his lance to destroy the building as soon as they did the comms was up, but not soon enough, the Beast of Terra had just fired its missiles toward the planet. 
Someone had called for a bombardment thinking we were all gone, Matthew thought. 
“Siegers, this is Colonel Chapman, move out of the area double time avoid all conflict the ship has launched bombardment missile!!”
Lieutenant Pena heard the message, then heard the battalion talking over the net it was chaos what had he done, what had he done.
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===Assault at Blospool===
Town of Blospool
Ballentine
Full frontal assault was Major Pople battle plan. Heavy resistance was to be expected, but most were tanks and light mechs. 
Going street block by street block was going to be biggest worry. There was a picket line just outside the city, but it was manageable, and the Siegers were slowly taking the enemy out.
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Five miles outside of Blospool
Tai-i Chuwon convoy just enter vision range of the battle, he cursed himself for not getting here faster. Somehow these mercenaries found out about this town, his lord will not be happy. His second in command asked what they should do. 
Chuwon thought about it for a second, two heavy lances were all he had, they could sneak up and attack from behind and allow what is left of the light unit to escape. Or he could turn back and tell his lord that the unit was lost before he got there. The second option was really a no go since he could not trust his lance mates not to tell. He turned to his men, “Lets unload our mech, we will sneak up behind and attack let the rest of our men disengage and retreat then we will too.” The moved up closer to an old iron works factory and uncovered the mechs, started them and moved into position.
Major Bruce and his lance was pushing the enemy back into the town. Major Tournier and his lance were a few meters away doing the same thing they were right in the middle of the offensive line. The rest of battalion including Major Pople and her lance was bowing into the city making the front line look like an inverted C shape. Major Bruce and Tournier started to get damage on their backside turning they both notice 8 heavy mechs moving in fast. “Siegers, we have enemy on our six.” The weapon fire was getting heavy and Tournier mech was taking a pounding, he repeated his call. “Again, I say we have enemy on our six I need Beta company to….” Transmission was cut off, Major Bruce looked over and saw that the head of the mech was taken completely off and laying about 20 meters behind the Omega. Then the Omega tilted to the side and fell. The cockpit was still in the head and no evidence that the injection seat was activated. Major Bruce moved around to the back of the down Omega to get a better look at the head, while dodging and firing at the enemy. There he saw more than he wanted to, one of his closest friend dead ripped open from mid-section to the head no way he felt that or even knew what happened. 
Major Bruce got on the SeigerNet, “Major Tournier is down! I repeat Major Tournier is down! Beta Company follow Alpha and me lets take these bastards out.”
Major Pople came on line, “Take them out, Charlie Company will take care of the rest of the enemy on the other side of town. There will be time to morn our fallen comrade and friend.”
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Siegers HQ
Ballentine
Master Sergeant Evanna O’Curry-Tournier working in the transportation department was in the process of acquisitioning emergency personnel and vehicles to move into Blospool, felt a sense of apprehension followed by great pain and sadness. This has never happened to me she thought, something is very wrong she finished the order and sent it. She then pulled up the live SITREP of the battle in Blospool, typically she didn’t listen to the battles but something was up. It was then that she learned her husband and father of her three children had been killed.
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Town of Blospool
Major Bruce successfully push back the enemy 'mechs that came to the battle late. In fact, looking across the battlefield the enemy has all fled, well what was left of them. Off in the distance he saw the emergency VTOL making their final approach. Major Bruce looked back at his friends mech and the severed head with body parts just covering the cockpit, as a MechWarrior you always knew that you were on borrowed time but seeing this made him question his decisions.
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===The Aftermath of Chaos===
Maple River
Third Planet in solar system
All the missiles were coming down to the planet fast Captain Phung was watching the progress, then all the channels across the board cleared of all jamming static, she knew instantly that someone had destroyed the jamming signal. 
“Siegers, this is Colonel Chapman move out of the area double time avoid all conflict the ship has launched bombardment missile!!”
Captain Phung heard the message, then heard the battalion talking over the net it was chaos what had she done, what had she done.
The missiles hit the planet destroying buildings the impact was so hard the surface cracked and caved in at several locations throughout the base. The Siegers were in full sprint or jump jets at full strength trying to outrun the bombardment.
Lieutenant Pena sat there in his mech and watched the bombardment fire, smoke, dust from the destroyed buildings and ground spread out across the base. Left him wondering how he was going to live with himself for killing everyone he grabbed his personal blade and looked at it, through tears or sorrow, shame, and cowardness he saw his only way out, he lifted the blade and looked outside one last time. Through the smoke and dust mech figures started to form. Lieutenant Pena wiped his face and refocus his gaze, yes those are mechs, first one to be identified was the Nightstar with two missing arms and damage legs the commander marched on. Then his lance became visible, what shocked him more was the next mech one he recognized, the Zeus after that more mechs came through, but he only counted twenty mechs out of the forty that went in, how many was because of the defenses or his doing he did not know.
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Next Day
Col Chapman lead the discovery team down a deep shaft toward the air lock, all the after SLDF security system had been disabled all was left was the family code to open the hanger, with the ground giving way on the surface it was yet unknown if there was any damage to the underground base. Matthew looked at the screen and said out loud, “Well here goes nothing.”
The door opened to a massive hanger some of the light came on and revealed what he had hope for, but also what he dreaded. Fifteen Warships and Dropships were in the hanger, but damage to most of them happen when the ground gave way. All but one warship was damage in fact, until the repair crews could inspect they would not know what was fixable or salvageable. Matthew accessed the computer inside the hanger and pulled up a manifest list.
Baron Destroyer X2
Aegis Heavy Cruiser
Wagon Wheel Frigate
Dreadnought Battleship
Vulture cargo Dropship
Dictator Command Dropship
Dictator Mech-Carrier Dropship
Vengeance Fighter Carrier Dropship X2
Behemoth Cargo Dropship
Matthew looked at the list and the parts that accompany them and shook his head, how in the hell will he man these how can he afford this fleet. His father was truly trying to make up for his mistakes as a father and soldier Matthew thought.
His communicator beep, “Chappy here”
<<“Sir, communication from the planet, the Wolfwind is inbound burning fast I request that you come back to the ship to greet them.”>>
“Roger that, Captain”
Matthew wondered why the Nightwing Surveillance ship was coming and why it was burning fast and furious to get here, what happened on the Ballentine to have this happened.
The two warships slowed and match velocity speed with precession of veteran professionals, they docked the airlock open, and Matthew saw the last person he expected, Evanna, Major Tournier wife. When they locked eye contact and Matthew saw the sorrow in her eyes, he knew immediately why she was there and what had happened. He rushed up to her grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into him, all he could say was sorry for a few minutes, then he asked how, she told him. Matthew turned back to Captain Phung, “I must go back to the planet I will go back with the Wolfwind have my mech and my lance mechs moved to the storage bay on her, please oversee this operation including what is left of the 2nd battalion. Keep me up to date.” With that he turned toward Evanna again and walked back to the Wolfwind.
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Siegers HQ 
Ballentine
September 12, 2788
Local Time: 0800 GST
The 1st Battalion, Armor Battalion, Infantry Force, and the 1st AeroSpace Wing was all lined up, all flying their perspective colors. The personnel where all next to their equipment in full military honor dress. Rarely did the Siegers put on a show like this and even more rare was a mercenary unit that had dress blues. The Siegers’s civilians looked on all being reminded of loved ones that they had already lost or the potential to lose a loved one in the future. The planet’s government officials were in a place of honor with the Commander of the Siegers, the planet’s civilians were also in attendance to pay respects to a man that helped them defend their planet. The funeral for Major Tournier had in affect stopped the world from moving.
The convoy with his body had just entered the military formation, once the convoy got to the front Matthew and Dalton’s wife would have a few things to say and then he was to be placed in status until the unit made it to their final destination. Ever since it was made known to the unit about the secret planet it was decided all Siegers that died in combat would be held in status until they got to Devils Breath where at that point they would be honored and their wishes of either burier or cremated would be carried out and then they would be put in a place of honor for family and friends to visit them. The percussion continued moving closer to the grandstand where Matthew and the family was situated. Bagpipes filled the air with a haunting and rhythmic tune as they marched the convoy up to the dropship. With tears in his eyes Matthew started to talk about his friend Dalton Tournier.
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Book 2 - 015