Date: May 3025<br/>Location: Siege Perilous: Starport Tarmack<br/>Tagging: Open<br/>Content: Welcoming Committee<br/><br/><br/>At the foot of the landing ramp for each drop ship, a man in uniform waited.  In neither case was it a welcome or familiar uniform or, for that matter, even a dress uniform.  Those well schooled in the uniforms of the enemy recognized the men greeting them as  Hauptmann of the LCAF Terrestrial Air Service.  They were pilots of the sort that never reached space, restricted as they were to aircraft that required an oxygen rich atmosphere to operate.<br/><br/>"On behalf of Margrave Colonel Averill Marquis of the Lyran Commonwealth's Armed Forces, welcome to Percival, capital of the planet Siege Perilous," both men said at roughly the same time.   "Transport is waiting to take you to the welcome feast."  Both men indicated an area of the tarmack where a single Kharnov sat,  flanked by a pair of attack helicopters.  All three were painted in Steiner colours.  A man could be seen directing the loading of cargo onto the transport vessel  He seemed to be being very specific about what was getting loaded and what was not.  Already a large pile was forming beside the Kharnov.  It didn't seem to matter which drop ship was the source of cargo.  If he didn't want it on his transport, it wasn't getting loaded.<br/><br/>He turned when the newcomers approached and smiled.  He snapped of a textbook perfect salute.  "I am Kommandant Richard Cavanaugh of the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces," he said.  "The equivalent would be a Sho-sa within the  Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery and a Major within the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns.  I'm no relation to Baron leftenant Philip Cavanaugh of the Federated Suns, who I'm sure you'll be meeting shortly.   You've already met Hauptmanns Angelino and Parrish.  They'll be escorting us this evening.   I've had all your essential luggage loaded, so if you'll find yourself a seat we'll be leaving shortly."<br/><br/>Richard was pale skinned with dark hair, similar to the inhabitants of Trellwan but his use of a surname suggested that he was from elsewhere.  His flight-suit was clean but lacked any attempt to dress it up.  It, like his Kharnov, was mean more for function than fancy.  His eyes swept over them, taking their measure.  "Shogun Tai-i, would you care to join me in the cockpit?  You'll find the view a little more interesting."<br/><br/>His omission of Kurumi's surname was deliberate, that much was clear, given the thoroughness of his own introduction.  Whether it was an attempt to protect her from the Davion contingent or to isolate her for another purpose wasn't clear.  What was clear was that he fully expected them to get aboard the Kharnov.  Even from the outside it was easy to see that the transport had been fitted with a spacious and comfortable passenger area forward of the main cargo area.  He didn't seem impressed by their prestige.  In fact, he seemed quite relaxed in the presence of so many powerful people.  Perhaps he was just used to being around them.  Perhaps it was something else.