Part 777: Let's Read: Main Event - Part 19
Let’s Read: Main Event (part 19)Chapter 19
Harlech, Outreach
26 September 3054
Days elapsed since book start: 148
Mercenaries recruited since book start: 6
Mercenaries recruited off-screen: 1
Things accomplished since book start: 1 (
Protagonists introduced since book start: 7
Protagonists mentioned but not yet introduced: 1
Antagonists introduced since book start: 1
Antagonists defeated since book start: 0
Chapters spent on Northwind: 5
Chapters spent on Solaris: 10
Chapters spent on Outreach: 4
Jeremiah and the other Black Thorns have been detained for an inquiry into the death. After two hours, Jeremiah’s “patience was beginning to wear thin.” Still, he (and the other Black Thorns) manage to not take it out on each other.
Jeremiah Rose then wonders about the Dragoons’ honor. He knows his unit isn’t technically at fault; but he also knows they’re on the Dragoon homeworld. It turns out the guy Esmeralda punched is magically still alive, but in the hospital. ALL GUILT ABSOLVED, BLACKLIST AVERTED.
The Dragoons have lumped everyone together in a room (even the unaffiliated Captain McCloud) and pretty much just dumped them. It’s not clear whether this book occurred before or after the Dragoon civil war, but my money is on ‘before’.
Jeremiah then contemplates McCloud’s situation and whether or not he still has his vague and undefined relationship with her. She, being completely and totally in love with him, will continue to be a recurring character.
Jeremiah then contemplates shooting his way out of the Dragoons’ headquarters since they left him his pistol; an act that would immediately result in his being killed by <Redacted>. He then wonders whether the Dragoons’ decision to leave him armed was an act of confidence or arrogance.
… I’m going to go with ‘neither’, it’s an act of respect (something Jeremiah doesn’t understand). They’re treating the Black Thorns as if they’re not criminally incompetent until they’ve had an opportunity to review all available data. Once again, Authority is going out of its way to accommodate Jeremiah’s colossal ego and dickishness; and once again Jeremiah considers them stupid for doing so.
Major Shelly Brubaker, a Dragoon of extremely high rank (he pretty much answers only to Jamie Wolf) then enters the room. Which of the Black Thorns do you think will fuck up this encounter?
Brubaker offers his hand to shake, and Jeremiah immediately contemplates snubbing him. He decides to shake Brubaker’s hand on the off chance that pretending to be calm under pressure will annoy the Dragoon more than open hostility would. No, seriously.
Main Event posted:
Rose considered snubbing the gesture, but reconsidered giving offense. Grace under pressure always seemed to annoy people who did not have it
Jeremiah then gets irritated because Brubaker does not apologize on behalf of all Dragoons everywhere to appease Jeremiah’s fragile ego. Brubaker then announces that the Dragoon captain was in the wrong for striking out with a melee attack and thus Esmeralda and the Black Thorns will not be punished for Esmeralda’s retaliation. He then says that the practice field officials disqualified both teams because she broke the rules; which immediately pisses Jeremiah off.
Main Event posted:
“If it matters, the field supervisors have disqualified both teams.” Rose was not surprised. They would look after their fellow Dragoons first, even those who broke the rules. “As the head of Contract Command, however, I have overridden their report and entered your unit as the victor in the engagement.”
So yes, Black Thorns win. Slidewhistle.
Brubaker then compliments Rianna and Angus’ destruction of the Crusader; and chastises them for their suicidal idiocy in doing so. The Black Thorns are then free to go. Jeremiah then
Jeremiah does not provide the dinner, Ajax does. It’s Chinese food, of course. Take out, in paper cartons.
We then learn that this book occurs after the Dragoon Civil War; and that the Black Thorns are now at the top of the Wolf’s Dragoons shit list. They’ve been challenged to combat by twelve separate Wolf’s Dragoons companies, counting tank companies. They’re also treating McCloud “badly”, but that’s pretty much bullshit since it’s just a case of inspections taking marginally longer and some rudeness from technicians. Oh no, a rude tech!
Angus then asks if everyone wants to disband; their only prospect is Borghese. Hawg is the first to pledge his support, but he’s currently being fed and that’s all he really cares about. Everyone else then salutes and it’s supposed to be heartwarming because they’re all 100% behind Jeremiah; but really it’s just stupid and melodramatic.
Jeremiah then propositions McCloud because he ‘needs her ship’. How romantic. She almost rejects him, but doesn’t because he’s the main character. They then resolve to go to Borghese, and the chapter ends.
Then the chapter ends.
END OF PART 1