Date: May 3025<br/>Location: Siege Perilous: Aboard the Cobblestone Road<br/>Tagging: Kurumi Tatsu Kurita<br/>Content: The Scenic Route<br/><br/>A warning that is almost but not quite a threat.  Well played.<br/><br/>Cavanaugh nodded.  "I'm pretty much the only game in town for rapid shipping,"  he said.  "With an escort, the only way to take down a cargo is to commit serious assets, which will tell you something about who wanted the cargo stopped.  As far as the planet goes..." he chuckled.<br/><br/>"You're taking command of the Draconis troops, which makes you an instant rival for the top seat.  A large portion of the Davion command is sitting in the back seat right now, including their highest ranking officer, so he will also be watched to see if he has what it takes to handle the big chair.  Currently it is held by Margrave Colonel Marquis, a man with a confusion last name in social circles.  According to rumour, he's here by choice.  Equally according to rumour but far more easily verified, he is an highly skilled pilot and in his first encounter with an enemy force was responsible to destroying the entire command lance of an attacking company and did it solo.  He's equally adept politically.  His chief rival within his own faction is Derek Hoffmann, a man of similar social rank but inferior military rank.  Both men present as social generals but neither is as incompetent as they would have you believe.  Hoffmann may frequently appear drunk but it is an act.  He also has a history with one of the officers in your forces.  It ended badly and there is nothing more Daimyo)   Tai-i  Higgins would like to do that face him on the battlefield."<br/><br/>He adjusted one of the controls, peered out the window and then returned his attention to Kurumi.  "In any case, it is very likely that Hoffmann will ask you to dance tonight.  He will judge things based on your response and may use the opportunity to discuss 'matters of importance'.  Militarily there isn't much difference in the weight of the mechs between three of the four factions.  Liao comes in a distant last, mainly because one of the lances they field is made up of Urbanmechs.  Of course that means there is one thing Liao owns that is very heavily defended.  Where those mechs go will tell you something about what they are trying to protect.  I wouldn't put it past Duke Major Liao-Chang to use that expectation to have people slavering over a box of rocks.  She's won the loyalty of her warriors and the majority would take a bullet for her.  The rest would try and push her out of the way."<br/><br/>His head swivelled to look at her.  "Any questions so far?"<br/><br/><br/><br/>