Exodus Ch. 3

 

Bannockburn

Skye

Lyran Commonwealth

31 May, 2767

 

               Carli laid back and closed her eyes, letting her heart and breathing return to normal as the cool night breeze blew over her through the open window. Just enough of Roger’s arm lay against hers to bring back that feeling of security that she still didn’t understand why she found in him.

               “You’re sure your orders are going to come down tomorrow?” she asked.

               “Damn near certain,” he replied. “Regular units got their move orders today, and we were all told to expect orders and assignments to be drawn up as soon as they figure out what they’re going to do with us. It can’t be long now.”

               “Then it’s off to the Rim World’s Republic?”

               “Somewhere around there. The General made it pretty clear that the cease fire didn’t apply to the Republic, and that we’d be occupying them in short order. I still don’t understand why we’re not all heading straight for Terra. Cut off the head and the body dies.” He mused.

               Opening her eyes, she rolled over and snuggled closer to him, letting her leg wrap around him and pressing herself against his bare chest, still glistening just a bit from the aftermath of their earlier lovemaking. “You should trust Kerensky. He knows what he’s doing. If there’s anyone that can handle this…whatever this mess is, it’s him.”

               Roger stifled a tiny laugh. “You sound so certain; how come you’re not signed up with the SLDF?”

               Many around the League, and nearly all of the SLDF personnel she’d had contact with in the last few days had shared Roger’s desire to strike quickly for Terra and remove the Usurper from the throne and to restore the Hegemony to its rightful place at the center of the Star League, not this newly declared Amaris Empire.

               But Commanding General Aleksandr Kerensky had seemed to have decided to take the cautious road, to deal with the Usurper’s realm in the Periphery before attempting to storm the Hegemony proper. It made sense to her. It would give time for the House Lords to mobilize their own forces to help in the liberation when the time came and ensure that an enemy dagger was not poised at their back in the form of Amaris former Periphery realm.

               “We’ve had that discussion before, Roger. I’ve always been bound for the Commonwealth Armed Forces. It’s been my path ever since I decided I wanted to be a MechWarrior. Besides, we’ll both get our chance to see action once Kerensky turns his eye toward Terra.”

               Roger shook his head. “You seem so confident the Archon is going to take action. Don’t be so certain. The House Lords are petty. They won’t get involved unless they have something to gain.”

               She raised an eyebrow. “We have nothing to gain from removing that weirdo from the throne and ending whatever this scheme of his is?”

               “Steiner won’t see it that way. Nor will any of the other Lords. Why expend resources and risk weakening themselves just to restore the status quo. And that’s if there’s even any Cameron’s left alive. Most coups are bloody, and there’d be a big, huge vacuum at the heart of the League for the General to step in and fill. And you know how they feel about him. Why not let the SLDF do the hard lifting, maintain their own power, and only have a weaker central authority to deal with?” He paused for a moment. “No, they won’t act.”

               “I have more faith in the Archon and the General than that. You’ll see. Once you deal with the Rim Worlds, you and I will be fighting side by side again,” she countered.

               He squeezed her gently. “I hope you’re right. I’ll remind you of those words when I head this way again.” He traced a finger slowly in an aimless pattern over her back. “Any word on your posting? I’d have thought assignments would have been posted by now.”

               Closing her eyes once again, she savored the silence and his touch for a few seconds before responding. “I’d have thought so too, but this mess has everyone on edge. The Hegemony going black played havoc with the markets, and the economy is the number one priority for the Archon. Everything else has slowed down. They say we’ll get our postings by next week.”

               “It will be a Skye Rangers unit; we both know that.”

               Carli shrugged. “The question is which one? I want to make sure I’m in one that sees some action, not stuck here guarding the Isle. I didn’t join the military to be stuck on Skye my whole career.”

               “Don’t worry, Carli. I’m sure we’ll both see our share of travel before this thing is over.”

               She kissed his neck. “Well, if you’re going to run off in the morning, the least you can do is make tonight count.”