Hachiman,
April 15, 3068
17th Recon Regiment HQ

‘Colonel Don Carlos Camacho, we of the Draconis Combine do wish you had stayed with us. As you know, the Truce of Tukaayid has completed, and the clans are free to hunt once again. Someday, we hope you will return to help defend the Dragon. -Signed Chandrasekhar Kurita...’

"Colonel Camacho?" asked Force Commander Kali. "What are we going to do now that the clans can fight again? Surely you wouldn't put us against the Tigres again without a contract?"

"Hah, the Jaguars have been mauled by both the Northwind Highlanders and the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery. (Read Impetus of War and Lost Destiny). No, we will be working for a major house now instead of Chandrasekhar Kurita's solitary factory. Already we have offers from House Steiner and House Kurita. That is, in fact, the reason for this meeting.

"Now that the Caballeros are back up from the mauling we took on Luthien, we need to take a new contract. Personally, I'd like to keep the 4 regiments together."

"Mi Coronel," asked Astro Zombie, the chief tech for the Caballeros, "you wouldn't split la familia, would you?"

"Not usually Astro Zombie," replied Colonel Camacho. "But we have lost so much. And these are desperate times, which call for desperate measures."

"Colonel," said Lt. Senior Grade Cassie Suthorn. "I think I speak for the group when I say that we are ready to follow you wherever you go. But..."

"Excuse me Lieutenant," said Lieutenant Colonel Gavilan Camacho. "What we are here to do is decide on a contract to take, not to reopen old wounds." The elder Camacho visibly stiffened at the last words from his son. "Personally, I say we take Theodore Kurita's contract. The Luthien contract pays higher, and we know her already. I also trust most of us agree that the snakes can be trusted, after what we have already gone through." Mention of the snakes sparked off side conversations regarding the 17th's jobs on Hachiman, Towne, and finally their parade on Luthien.

"Senores y senoras. We need not decide now. It would do us good for a change in scenery to accept Steiner's contract, but that is not our only problem. We are in need of personnel to replace those lost on Luthien and Towne." The Colonel's words had stilled the crowd, but they hung to the edge of their seats listening to the rest of his speech. "We are almost done with the contract from Chandrasekhar Kurita, and must choose a new one before we leave this planet. However, I want full reports from everyone on the readiness of their battalions. Dismissed."

As the officers left the meeting room, Colonel Camacho again slumped down in his chair. Patricia, what would you do? Would you follow the course of vengeance, or just let the old wounds heal?

The Colonel got up from his chair and stretched his arms. I can't think like this he said. "Astro Zombie," he said flicking on the intercom. "Ready Great White, along with Bronco and Infante Companies' mechs."

"Si Coronel," came the response almost imediately. The Colonel checked his chronometer and realized he had been thinking for almost 30 minutes.

Colonel Camacho switched the intercom over to the basewide frequency. "Attention Bronco and Infante Companies. Report to your mechs for a training exercise. Briefing in 15."

Colonel Camacho walked alone down to the mech bay. He smiled as he saw his Timberwolf being readied. Beyond it he saw the Naginata that he had switched with Force Captain Kali MacDougall after Luthien. The techs were making a rush job outfitting it with the gear for "referee" position in the exercise.

"Hola Colonel," came a voice from behind him.

"Hola Cassie. You will be fighting with us today?"

"Yes. I've finally gotten over my phobia from mechs. Astro Zombie assigned me the Shadow Hawk in the far corner."

"Good luck then," came the Colonel's reply. After checking in with Astro Zombie, he proceeded to the briefing room, 10 minutes early in fact.

While there, his mind returned to the clans. He thought about the daughter he had lost to them on Jeronimo so many years ago. That he wasn't bitter over the memory seemed to anger him. Meanwhile, he contacted the Comstar HPG.

"Please forward all transmissions for the 17th Recon Regiment to terminal ZZ-Y107."

"At once sir," replied the voice on the other end of the communication.

Returning to his thoughts, Colonel Camacho remembered how the Caballeros had performed on Hachiman, Towne, and Luthien when faced with conflict from the Inner Sphere's warriors themselves.

"Patricia..." he murmured to the air. "I believe I can finally let the past go. Good bye, senorita." He believed he had felt a burden lift off his shoulders as he said those last words. Soon, the troops of Bronco and Infante Companies entered the room.

"This will be a standard exercise, although my command lance will play as a 3rd party. Our mechs will be running standard training software, but we'll be acting as the clans. Adelante Company's referees will be fighting alongside us. Get to your mechs."

"Colonel," said Kali MacDougall, "is this what I think it means?"

"I think so. Time to finish this fight..." As he said that, he pulled up Theodore Kurita's message. "Lieutenant Suthorn, please help me for a second."

"Yessir, but how'd you know I was still here?" she asked, puzzled that her nearly silent movements had been singled out by the Colonel.

"That can't be answered. But please compose a haiku with the following intent on it."

Cassie took the rice paper and inkwell he offered her and laid them on the floor. "The message is, the waters are no longer safe."

Cassie paused a second. Looking at the gleam in the Colonel's eyes, she went to work on the haiku.

Tiger be wary,
From the waters it returns,
Ready to avenge.

_______________________________________________________________________

Luthien,
April 30, 3068
Luthien City

Theodore Kurita looked at the mercenary units that had accepted his call for warriors. One particular unit held his eye. He opened the transmission and was startled at the response. The intent was clear, and the logo beneath it even more so.

"Hai Colonel Camacho. The Smoke Jaguars and Nova Cats must be wary..."