Mechwarrior Abigail watched in fascination as Star Colonel Buhallin handed his sidearm over to the Inner Sphere bondsman. She hid her surprise at the move, and watched her training charge carefully for any sign of hesitation. There were subtle signs, a tightening of the jaw, a slight flaring of the nostrils, that told Abigail that Fiona was even more surprised than she was. Though the other woman quickly recovered and pointed the pistol at the head of the traitorous bandit, Abigail’s heart pounded ever so slightly faster as a hint of doubt as to what her trainee would do crept into her mind.

    It vanished with the loud crack of a gunshot ringing out. Fiona had passed the test. Abigail chastised herself for the brief swell of pride that blossomed in her chest at seeing the bondsman perform so well. She was too young for such things as sentimentality, she warned herself. She could not afford to take too much of a liking to the stinking freebirth, who was, after all, a mere freebirth, and a bondsman at that.

    Fiona placed the weapon on the Star Colonel’s desk and returned to her respectful stance.

    “Thank you, bondsman. You are dismissed.” With a nod, Fiona turned and left, and Lovvins and Abigail started to follow, but Buhallin stopped them. “Star Commander, Mechwarrior, please stay for a moment.” He turned to the Star Captains flanking him. “You two may go. Have someone from the labor caste come to clean up this mess.”

    The two left the room, as did the elemental guard. “Your bondsman performed admirably, Star Commander Lovvins, you should be pleased. I confess, I had my doubts about this notion of yours to keep an Inner Sphere warrior as a pet, but it seems to be working.”

    Lovvins nodded respectfully. “I assume this was meant as a test of her commitment?”

    Brikai Buhallin waved dismissively. “Neg, not of her commitment. If her loyalty should ever come in to question, it would be your duty to dispose of her and bare the shame of the failure of your scheme. I do not concern myself with such things. No, I staged this little demonstration so that I could judge her belief in this plan of hers.”

    Abigail spoke up. “Forgive me, Star Colonel, I do not believe I understand.”

    He smiled wryly. “I had to determine a course of action in response to the attack. Should I adopt the bondsman’s plan, as brought to me by the Star Commander, or resort to more traditional tactics and, for example, raze a portion of the city as a warning. I wished to know if she truly believed that this was the best course of action, or if she were merely hiding some sympathies for the population or Inner Sphere weakness or some such. And so I forced her to own the plan of action. Had she declined or hesitated, I would have razed the city. She did not, so we can put this matter to rest and begin preparations for liftoff as soon as possible.