BattleTech Legends: Binding Force by Loren L. Coleman

Author:Loren L. Coleman [Coleman, Loren L.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2011-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The Zone, Tarrahause

Tarrahause District, Kaifeng

Sarna Supremacy, Chaos March

23 July 3058

Aris slumped back in his seat, one hand curled tight around his glass and the other hidden conspicuously under the table as if he had a weapon concealed. He stared down into the dark liquid. Every minute or so his eyes lifted briefly to scan the room, looking for danger or opportunity and never inviting company. It was both an appearance and an attitude, neither of which was unfamiliar to the patrons of this bar. That was the kind of place Monte’s was, and Aris was beginning to feel much too comfortable there.

It had surprised him how quickly he was able to fit in among the residents of the Zone’s downtrodden but streetwise citizens. The place and people were eerily reminiscent of his early life on Randar. He still felt alone, unused to being separated from the family of House Hiritsu. But he no longer felt afraid or out of place.

Aris searched the dimly lit bar again. From his booth he had a clear view of both doors and most of the room. This was a hangout for the younger crowd, and as the clock ticked away into late afternoon, business was beginning to pick up. Still no sign of Li Wynn, though Li had promised to return within two to three hours. Had to check on some business prospects, he’d said. Aris saw a few others he’d been introduced to over the last few days, but they went about their business and left Aris to his.

Three days. Aris had spent that first day picking up spending money and acquiring something other than beach clothes. He had also discovered that something so simple as a visiphone call wasn’t going to get through to Franklin or Beijing, so scratch that plan. The next day he’d tried amateur radio, only to discover that anything with the power to reach Beijing was monitored. And of course no local radios would be configured for the Hiritsu radio net. Trying to buy radio crystals that covered the appropriate frequency bands, those reserved for military use, would raise way too much suspicion. Aris would have to steal them, or else have Li hook him up with whatever passed as the local black market.

ComStar had washed out yesterday afternoon. With House Hiritsu in control of Franklin and Beijing, the fate of Kaifeng no longer seemed certain. ComStar had opted out of the conflict, determined to remain neutral for fear of angering whichever was the final winner. Oh, they still provided off-world communication, the rates for HPG messages appropriately adjusted for what they called Hazardous Area Transmissions. But they refused to provide any inter-city communication. Aris could try relaying a signal to Randar and back to Franklin, but that would take more time and, of course, more money.

He cursed softly into his drink. He remembered when ComStar had been a little more confident—a bit more aggressive. Now Word of Blake apparently had them worried, especially since the Blakists had recently taken Terra away from them.

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