[dcs_p]”Thought you might come. Even got ready for you, I did.” Norbert’s wide grin
showed his bright pearly white teeth, yet another trait he was known for. They
flashed like a stark white beacon from within his full bushy beard of shining red.
“It took me awhile to realize I had your vast piloting experience on my side,”
Mike smiled back, licking his lower lip in trying to hide his anxiety about the
evening’s fight. “What can you tell me, old friend?”[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Norbert moved back out of the doorway and waved the Colonel in with a sweep
of his small arm. His quarters looked the same as any other to the untrained eye.
However the experienced veteran had actually rigged up several booby traps,
hidden weapons, and even a sensor system based on body heat signatures.
Decades of constant military life had taught Norbert much about caution. He was
not going to let anyone get the drop on him after all these years.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]”I don’t know how much I can tell you,” Norbert confessed, “but I can tell you as
much as I’ve learned, old friend.” The smaller man smiled. And Mike Strider couldn’t
help but feel some relief.[/dcs_p]
…
[dcs_p]Borg rummaged through the data files on his computer’s display as fast as he
could. He wanted anything valuable that might be brought to Devon Carns’
attention before the duel started. Something had to be found which concerned
the commander’s regular battlefield tactics, something helpful to Devon. Borg
had a great responsibility to Devon.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]More importantly, he had a duty to his Clan.
Unfortunately he had not been satisfied with the investigation of Mike Strider’s
betrayal of the Nova Cats. Things were getting pretty ugly. Thus far, what dirty
secrets he had uncovered had caused harm to not only the Inner Sphere
commander but also the Nova Cat Clan as well.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Borg had not anticipated the possibility of a backlash from within the Clans, a
swipe that could strike Devon at any moment. He was certain it would come if
Steel Viper Star Captain Sasha Breen chose to inform her superiors of Devon’s
actions…or rather lack thereof. According to his own principles, Devon had
waited until Borg’s evidence had proved conclusive. It was reasonable behavior
when considering how serious the charges directed towards Mike Strider might
be.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Sasha Breen had been itching to make the Trial of Refusal official long before,
when only the first bits of revealing information had been uncovered by Borg’s
team of info gatherers. She had threatened Borg more than once that she could
choose to add the findings to her regular Watch reports. The Clan intelligence
service would then share the data shortly thereafter amongst all the Clans. It
could then spark a chain of events that might very well swiftly bring punishment
down on Devon’s head.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Normally Borg was not a man to mess with, let alone threaten. He was an expert
data collector. His own abilities had co-produced what was now the main
data-gathering agency in the Strider’s Strikers mercenary unit, the SSIC. He was
the type of guy who could dig up something damning on anyone. Even scarier, he
was an expert interrogator who tended to “talk things through” without much
regard for his suspects’ health.[/dcs_p]