Part 765: Let's Read: Main Event - Part 7
Let’s Read: Main Event (part 6)Chapter 7
Solaris City, Solaris
3 August 3054
Days elapsed since book start: 103
Mercenaries recruited since book start: 2
Mercenaries recruited off-screen: 1
Things accomplished since book start: 0
Protagonists introduced since book start: 3
Protagonists mentioned but not yet introduced: 1
Antagonists introduced since book start: STILL 0
Chapters Spent on Northwind: 5
This chapter opens with Jeremiah having already spoken to Brachall (and presumably having slept). He is now having a meeting with a Mr. Warwick (who won’t turn out to be a werewolf, I’m afraid). Warwick lives in a big house, and the way Jeremiah words things makes it seem like we’re supposed to hate him for being successful. Jeremiah then ruins this by telling us that he’d immediately started spying on Mr. Warwick to try to learn as much as he could about the person he was going to hire himself out to.
Despite having “only twenty four hours” to learn about Mr. Warwick (I guess Jeremiah still hasn’t slept) and the information being ‘incomplete’; Jeremiah knows pretty much everything there is to know. Warwick also has a bodyguard who is taller than Jeremiah Rose, which immediately throws off Jeremiah’s whole game. Point to Mr. Warwick.
Our hero needs to be ‘bigger’ than everyone in order to feel superior to them.
We then learn that “any other man” would have been awed by this ostentatious mansion and intimidated by Mr. Warwick; but instead Jeremiah Rose finds the whole situation irritating. See? He’s special, he knows what everyone else would do in this situation and rather than doing the same thing he just gets grumpy.
Maybe he should’ve slept before going to a job interview. Just sayin’.
Anyway, Warwick is tiny which immediately makes Jeremiah feel superior enough to snark at him. Honestly, Warwick just strikes me as being like any other Inner Sphere noble: rich, powerful, and a little self-centered; yet not stupid enough to blow his entire fortune on trivial things. The fact that he is slowly winning money on Solaris actually speaks volumes for Mr. Warwick’s abilities; but Jeremiah is convinced the man is a vain, self-important asshole.
Pot. Kettle.
Main Event posted:
“If you’ll accompany me, we can begin our dinner. I’m sure you’ll understand if I’m forced to dispense with some of the normal formalities. With the upcoming match, I suddenly find myself in much demand.” […] Rose discovered, with some delight, that he could look over Warwick’s head and still see perfectly.
“I should think you would find that very gratifying,” Rose said, making Warwick stop suddenly and turn toward him.
“I beg your pardon, Mister Rose.”
Jeremiah Rose. Dickhead.
Anyway, we learn that the upcoming championship is a ‘team championship’… probably to keep Kai Allard-Liao from winning for his third (at this point)-straight year in a row.
In typical comedy-fashion, Jeremiah Rose is seated at one end of a mile-long dining room table; with Mr. Warwick at the other. We’re once again supposed to hate Mr. Warwick for this, but really—people who have parties need big tables; and by seating Jeremiah at the other end, Mr. Warwick is granting him some degree of equality rather than putting him into a ‘lesser’ position.
Mr. Warwick then crosses himself and issues a silent pre-dinner prayer. Gee, what an absolute douchebag.
Fuck you, Jeremiah.
Anyway, Mr. Warwick then talks about the benefits of team vs. team duels (first benefit: no Kai Allard-Liao). His reasons make a lot of sense: more action, more betting, and owners can register teams which means they can take out injured or sick Mechwarriors and badly damaged ‘Mechs rather than forcing pilots to fight an enemy while crippled physically or mechanically.
Main Event posted:
“And the pilot, does he win?”
“The pilot? Well, sure, the pilot wins. He’s part of a team and has his lancemates to back him up. Somebody will be there if he makes a mistake.” Warwick smiled triumphantly. It all sounded all right, but Rose had broken in enough rookies to know that real teamwork, the kind that solves more problems than it creates, could take months to develop. […] His opinion of his host, and the power brokers backing this plan, sank to a new low.
We then learn that Mr. Warwick has five pilots and five ‘Mechs, but none of his pilots have the ‘spark’… the
Mr. Warwick then states that he’s done some information gathering of his own, and has come to the conclusion that Rose is either a wannabe, a pirate, had his service record buried for top-secret hush-hush state reasons, or was a warrior in ComStar.
Mr. Warwick is prepared to give Rose the ‘Mech he pilots in the final match, free and clear. He’s not prepared to divulge the type (it’s a Charger), but he will say that it’s assault-weight (it’s a Charger). Jeremiah Rose immediately rejects this offer.
Main Event posted:
“I say no.” Rose stood, forcing the chair out in the same motion. Warwick’s eyes went wide as if the only possible answer to his proposal could’ve been an unqualified yes. Rose wiped the corner of his mouth for emphasis and threw the linen into the chowder. “I haven’t been long on Solaris, Warwick, but I know you. I know men like you. I’m not desperate enough to cast my lot with you, even if you seem to have all the answers. Thanks for the hospitality, but I’ll see myself out now.”
“Rose, don’t be a fool!”
“I may be a fool,” Rose shot back, “but you’re a chopped-off little runt with delusions of grandeur.”
Rose then walks out, leaving Mr. Warwick confused and angry at the insults. Jeremiah then threatens Mr. Warwick’s life on the way out the door.
Then the chapter ends.