RENC2-1

=Chapter 1=
==Random Events (Nebula California) - Take 2==
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An empty plain near a river
Toreel, Nebula California
2nd February 3153,Local Evening
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Daniel's perspective
Daniel was re-assured by the presence of song birds on this world. It was a rarity in his travels of human occupied space. Their gentle songs and chirps were a welcome distraction from the bustle of the others setting up a temporary camp.
"I'm still surprised you let me and my group come with. If I were in your position I would have found the timing too suspicious and probably branded me a spy." Gavin came up next to Daniel.
"Not even Alaric and his Wolves are that clumsy to time things like that. Besides it's not how they think or do things." Daniel answered.
"Still the same message?" Gavin surveyed the landing zone.
They had tried raising the colony, but failed to get a response on the typical Star League frequencies. The ones used by IE though got them a landing zone and a rather cryptic message.
"Yeah. 'Stand by in your appointed landing zone'. I would think that they would be a little more talkative." Daniel answered.
Then they saw a faint shape coming over the horizon. Obviously a mech of some sort but for all it's size it was still too far away to identify by naked eye as yet.
As the sun moved behind the mech it drew closer. The song birds were silent now and only the gentle breeze remained as the rest of the refugees took notice of the imposing figure of a mech.
The unmistakable visage of an Atlas in the growing darkness sent chills down Daniel's spine.
As the flood lights came on to illuminate the field where it stood the machine went into an obvious standby mode and a rope ladder rolled down.
The pilot was wearing a full body cooling suit and was obviously female.
Her slight but very pleasing build seemed out of place even among Mechwarriors but even just the way she climbed down the ladder betrayed a grace and fluidity of movement that Daniel found somehow alien.
"Is she a trueborn somehow?" Gavin seemed to pick up on it too.
"I haven't heard of any working for IE but that's not exactly something they would advertise. So maybe?" Daniel was forced to admit.
The pilot came over to Daniel and began unfastening her helmet.
Her large black pools for eyes caught Daniel's attention.
"I bring the greetings of The King of Everything, his holyness Kevin Wellman. I am Ainna Oakheart. Captain of his Royal Guard." The woman said in a sweet voice.
"Her ears." Gavin managed to mutter.
Daniel made himself look. Someone had obviously done a lot of gene-editing to get these sort of results and must have really wanted to bring about Elves.
"I'm Daniel Ulman. This is Gavin Elrich. So what does Kevin expect from us in return for us taking up residence here?" Daniel kept himself composed.
"He has decided as long as you bend the knee and pay an appropriate tax you may claim from where the river forks with the river itself serving as another border to the forest edge. The last border will be what you can control without his aid." Ainna's voice was still sweet, but somehow devoid of any real emotion.
"Seems a fair enough deal." Daniel smiled.
"Excellent. He expects your representative at his throne room by midday tomorrow. He will go over the specifics then. He bade me to give you this." Ainna handed a datacard to Daniel.
Without giving Daniel a chance to say anything she walked back to her machine and began climbing the ladder.
"Well that was different." Gavin shivered in the growing cold.
"Yeah. There is a lot more to this world than I thought. Some of those reports may not be so fantastical after all." Daniel answered.
"So what's they expect from us?" Alice came up to them.
"Swear fealty to their kingdom, taxes of some sort, and the weird part is our southern border is up to us. Said what ever we could control without his aid. Almost seems too good really." Daniel rubbed his chin.
"That's the weird part to you? What about the so called Captain of his Royal Guards? Someone went through a lot of bloody trouble to make her look like an Elf." Gavin's shock evident.
"Out in the periphery they got merfolk. Elf doesn't bother me too much. But yes that they have that level of gene-editing and cosmetic surgery is both a good sign that we actually chose wisely , but a bit worrying that there is going to be more to this deal than we thought." Daniel shook his head.
"Guess you'll find out tomorrow. You've been appointed full time." Alice smiled.
"I had a feeling that was coming." Daniel sighed.
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