BattleTech: Iron Dawn: The Rogue Academy Trilogy, Book One by Jennifer Brozek

Author:Jennifer Brozek
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
Published: 2019-04-15T05:00:00+00:00

21

INTRUDER-CLASS DROPSHIP TACHIKAZE

NEW EXETER SPACEPORT

EMPORIA

FEDERATED SUNS

7 APRIL 3150

1510 HOURS

This time, Yoshizawa’s interview of Zachary Vogel and his second, Esme Blanc, was not in his stately meeting room. It was aboard the DropShip Tachikaze, the one Sho-sa Nagaaki Ukita favored. The vessel, whose name meant “wind from a swinging sword,” was one of the troop transports. It had the most room, and it also housed many of the tools of Nagaaki’s intelligence trade. Most of the important intel came from unwilling subjects. That was what the sho-sa had been busy with over the past day.

The interview room was a working office on a DropShip, and not anywhere near as comfortable as his normal meeting room. Everything that could be bolted down was, including the metal desk. Nothing hung on the walls. A stylized Combine dragon had been etched into the door.

Yoshizawa paused when he saw Sumi waiting in the corner, next to the desk. She stood and bowed as he entered. Her presence was unexpected and unwanted. However, he knew he needed to thread the needle between the courier and the shingiin with careful words and deeds.

The door closed behind him, leaving the four of them in awkward silence. The woman’s deed done, there was nothing to do but continue on. Yoshizawa gestured to the two chairs. “Please sit.” Then he gestured to his unwanted guest. “This is Dai-i Sumi Yoshida. She will be observing.” That last was more to instruct Sumi than to inform his prisoners.

Again, Sumi bowed. “A pleasure to meet you both, Lord Zachary and Lady Esme.”

“And you, Commander,” Zachary said.

“Were it under more pleasant circumstances,” Esme added with a faux-rueful smile.

Then that is how it will be, Yoshizawa thought. A polite conversation between false friends in unpleasant circumstances. He had planned to take a harder route, a more questioning approach. But with Sumi’s interference, he would have to take the disappointed-father approach.

We will have words over this.

Yoshizawa sat and allowed the silence to grow while alternating his attention between Esme and Zachary. He ignored Sumi altogether. Esme appeared uncomfortable, while Zachary waited as if he hadn’t a care. Later, after the interview was done, Yoshizawa would have Nagaaki watch the recording to figure out their tells. Of course, if things went the way he believed they would, pretend politeness and courtesy would end, and the familiar fear-filled politeness would ensue.

“Who is Count Aldric Ritza?” Yoshizawa directed the question to no one in particular.

Neither Zachary nor Esme spoke.

“Come now. This should be an easy question. Who is Count Aldric Ritza?”

This time Zachary shook his head, shrugged, and gestured to Esme. “You’re more of a historian than me.”

Esme mimicked Zachary’s shrug. “Aldric Ritza is a member of House Ritza.” She consulted the ceiling. “Son of Lord Liam and Lady Catherine, longtime patrons of Emporia from New Avalon. Aldric was House Davion’s representative to Emporia from time to time, whenever the First Prince’s edicts needed a bit of a deft hand in making sure they were implemented across the Federated Suns.

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