Lummatii
Lothian League
Marian Hegemony
The Periphery
3 February, 3150
Count Gunnar Logan sat straight in his chair, facing the holoprojector in his office, which currently displayed a standby message. Off to the side, out of sight of the camera, Freyja stood in her mechwarrior leggings, top, and combat boots, with a parka over it but unzipped. Her golden hair was meticulously braided and hung over her left shoulder, a stern, firm expression on her face as Gunnar nodded to her.
A few seconds later, the stubble-covered face of Raiden Trogg appeared on the other end of the holo screen. He gave a mischievous smile. "Mr. Logan, I trust that arrangements for my visit are in order?"
Gunnar fought back his disdain for the villain and smiled. "Indeed, Mr. Trogg. The drop port is standing by for your arrival. I trust my payment arrived without incident?"
Trogg nodded. "All verified. I see you even threw in a bonus."
Gunnar cocked his head slightly. "Just making sure everything is smooth between us. I don't like disruption to my routine."
The pirate leader spread his hands wide. "You're all payed up, Count. Just my kind of citizen. I'll bring a couple of wenches by that I picked up at the last....inspection we made of a passenger liner that drifted too close to our patch of space. Maybe you and I can break 'em in a little, I hear you're one for the ladies."
Though he could see the anger seething off of Freyja, her fists clenched, Gunnar gave no outward sign. "Of course. Once things get settled. Just a friendly word of warning, you might want to be prepared to ride out hot once you land. My people here in the capital are all settled and know their place, but word is some of the rabble out further in the countryside aren't too happy with your rates and are spoiling for a fight."
Trogg burst out laughing. "Well, I guess it's nice to see some of them have balls. Might be sporting to shoot them up a bit. I'll handle it. I guess I'll see you after I swat them!" Trogg's image dissolved in laughter.
Logan stood up and walked over to Freyja. Her expression was grim. "I'm going to kill that bastard, Gunnar. I swear."
Gunnar nodded and put his hand on her shoulder. "I know you will. Just save some for the rest of us, okay?"
She chuckled and nodded, and they made their way together toward the large bay where the resistance mechs were all waiting. As they walked, she gave him a sidelong glance. "Ask you something?" she waited until he nodded before she continued. "Ever since you pulled me out of the river, you've looked at me....I don't know....differently somehow. Is everything alright between us? I mean, I know I apologized for not trusting you. I hope that's not going to get in the way of things with us."
He ran a hand through his dark auburn hair. "It's nothing like that. I know you've been under a lot of stress, more than I can imagine, lately. We're fine. I promise."
She paused and faced him as they reached the doors leading to the mech bay. "What is it then? Something is different."
He looked to the side and inhaled deeply before meeting her gaze. "Ask me when this is all over, and we'll talk about everything. You have my word."
She locked her eyes with his, as if trying to measure his soul somehow. Finally she nodded. "Alright. I guess that just means we both have to make it out of this mess alive."
He smiled, and she thought she detected just a hint of relief in his expression. "Deal."
They entered the bay, and passed several motionless war machines until they reached a Phoenix Hawk and a Hatchetman standing side by side. She caught sight of Peter Bakker making his way over towards one of the converted industrial mechs. "Master Peter," she called out, waiting until he turned and spotted her, then jogged over in his own mechwarrior gear to where the two of them stood. "You're heading the wrong way, Master Peter. Your family Hawk is right here."
He looked at her with a puzzled expression for a moment. "I thought you were going to pilot it. You've got way more experience than I do."
She smiled softly and reached out a hand to rest on the boy's shoulder. "But it's your family's mech. It's your mech. Besides, after recent events, this Hatchetman over here has turned out to be without a pilot, and we can't have that. So you better get the Hawk warmed up."
His smile could have melted the planetary ice caps. She was about to send him off, and Gunnar off to his Black Knight, when another voice spoke up from behind her. "Don't you run off just yet either, young lady."
She turned to face Ned Bakker, with his wife at his side. "What are you doing here, sir? I thought you would be off making sure everything was battened down and in order back at the estate."
He nodded as he pulled an envelope out of his jacket. "Aye, we will be shortly. We'll catch a ride back and make sure Madeline is safe, and all the staff is buttoned up tight in case things go crazy. But there was one thing we had to do before we left." He handed the envelope to her.
She looked at it quizzically. "What is it?"
He looked at Clarissa, then back at Freyja. "They're your official documents of manumission. It's your legal release from any and all slavery contracts in the Lothian League and Marian Hegemony. Officially signed and filed this morning at the capital building."
She looked at the two of them, then at Gunnar, then back to the Bakkers. "I don't understand, I mean, you didn't have to."
Ned took Clarissa's hand. "Yes, we did. You've already done more for our family than you'd ever need to in order to earn it. And now you're going to go out and fight for us and a whole lot of other people. We can't ask you to do that as anything other than a free woman."
She stood with her mouth slightly open for a moment, then jumped forward to wrap both of them in a hug. "Thank you. I will do right by the both of you. I promise."
After a few seconds, they finally released each other. It was Clarissa who then spoke up. "Just come back in one piece. Drive those scum off, and come home safe."
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