BattleTech: Redemption Rift by Jason Schmetzer

Author:Jason Schmetzer [Schmetzer, Jason]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs

Chun and Fraser were doing shots by the time Castle reached the Bluestone, a modest pub just off the military reservation in Blue Rock. The Spider’s Web had pretty much taken it over soon after landing on Thestria in December. Castle waved off their invitations and claimed an empty booth along the wall. He’d shed his cooling vest and replaced it with a dark blue tee. Thestria was blessedly warm enough that he could wear just his shorts and a shirt and not freeze to death in four seconds.

The Bluestone was decorated in mid-I’m-too-tired-to-care. The tables were worn, varnished bluewood, as were the bar stools and the bar itself. A couple flatscreens were tucked into the corner, and a full HV tank stood near the door. A digital jukebox was filled with the four-year out-of-date pop hits from New Avalon. It was the sort of place that took its atmosphere from the people inside it, not from the décor.

“A Tipstone, Abby,” he said when the waitress came over. She nodded and left. All of the Dragoons jocks had learned to leave Abby alone within ten minutes of stepping inside the Bluestone. Abbey’s father Carl owned the pub, and Abby waitressed to make her spending money while she did her vocational schooling. Thestria was too small for a university, but there was a law college.

Carl had retired with forty years in the AFFS infantry. He’d gotten out a sergeant-major, and still looked like he could lift the bow of a Regulator tank by himself. No one made passes at his daughter. The few who’d been the object of her affections always politely declined. Carl was always watching.

“Thanks,” he said distractedly when his beer appeared.

“You’re welcome,” Eric Gamble said, sliding into the opposite bench of the booth.

“You’re not Abby,” Castle said.

“Carl will be pleased you can’t tell the difference,” Gamble said.

“I—” Castle frowned. “Come to rub it in?”

Gamble tipped his own Tipstone bottle up and then set it down. “Nope. I came to thank you—my boys needed the shit pounded out of them.” He lifted his bottle again and tilted the mouth toward Castle. “The arty getting you was a lucky break. I’ll take all I can get. But your boys and girls hit us like a damn tidal wave after you went down.”

Castle rolled his eyes as he picked up his beer and held it high. “Misery can suck it!” he called. The other Dragoons raised their bottles and glasses and echoed the ritual toast. Chun and Fraser each did another shot. Castle lowered his bottle and sipped. Tipstone was a pale lager, but it didn’t have much of a bite.

“You still won,” Castle said.

“Barely.” Gamble took another drink and looked around the bar. It was nearly full with off-duty Spider’s Web jocks. A group of infantrymen played darts in the corner. From the looks of things, Carl was going to need a new wall around the dartboard soon. Castle looked at Gamble while Gamble looked at everyone else.

He was Castle’s age, maybe a little older.

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