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[color=Olive]"That's quite enough, Mechwarrior, rein it in,"[/color] Colonel Wayne stated with a hard edge in his voice. [color=Olive]"Once we're done here, we're going to need to spend some time reviewing the finer points of operational security. Furthermore, if our new friend here is telling the truth, then he was a grunt who probably wasn't informed of any sort of high-level intel regarding the FPA. If he's [i]not[/i] telling the truth, then it stands to reason that anything else he tells us will be false."[/color]

The Colonel was already concerned about Rivers' stability after seeing the playback of his outburst in combat. By comparison, this breach of etiquette might be considered minor....[i]if[/i] 'Hugh' here was in fact on the level. If the intruder was a spy, however, he had just handed him information that, in the wrong hands, could be used as leverage against the Green Knights.

[color=Olive]"Now then...."[/color] Gaius said, appraising the newcomer, [color=Olive]"You walk alone, with no weapons, no wires, no bugs, no communications equipment with the outside world, into a cave full of heavily armed and desperate mercenaries. And you tell us a story that sounds like you're trying to convince us you once caught a fish 'this big.' Which leads me to believe one of two possibilities. Either you're the worst spy I've ever seen....or you're telling the truth."[/color]

He'd of course only ever seen one actual spy, a mole who had been leaking information to the DCMS during action in the Draconis March. Her story had been airtight, her alibis flawless. Ultimately, that was what had exposed her: her stories were [i]too[/i] perfect, too close to what the Davion officers had wanted to hear. All it took was the right amount of cynicism and paranoia to blow her cover, but by then, she had lured three 'Mech companies to their deaths.

Hugh's story, by comparison, was ridiculous, but still carried the scent of telling the Colonel what he wanted to hear. A former FPA officer willing to lend his services, someone who had the lay of the land in a way that the Espian Guards and the Crimson Fists could never hope to match, and even had his own 'Mech...even if was only a converted IndustrialMech. If this man really was who he said he was, he could prove a valuable asset to the Green Knights. If not, he could bring down disaster on them.

[color=Olive]"You've given me a tough call to make, Hugh,"[/color] the Colonel admitted. [color=Olive]"I'm responsible for the lives of every man, woman, and child who came to Espia on my ships, both those here in the cave, and the ones we intend to get back. If I take a gamble on you and you turn out to be a mole, then I've signed their death warrants. Probably the most practical solution to this problem would be to have Sergeant Dalton lead you further down into the mine and put two rounds in the back of your head. If I do [i]that[/i], though, and you really are telling the truth, then all I've done is murder an honest man looking to help. The [i]smart[/i] call, maybe, but not necessarily the [i]right[/i] one."[/color]

He paced back and forth for a moment, considering all of his options, before he spoke again.

[color=Olive]"Here's my decision,"[/color] he declared. [color=Olive]"I'm going to consider myself cautiously optimistic in your case, with an emphasis on [i]cautious[/i]. We can't risk you revealing our location to the outside world, so you're staying with us. Sergeant Dalton? Until I say otherwise, I want no fewer than two sets of eyes on him at all times."[/color]

[color=SandyBrown]"Sir, consider it done, sir,"[/color] the large imposing soldier said, his voice and his glare intoning that he would suffer no nonsense.

[color=Olive]"And that goes both ways, Sergeant,"[/color] the Colonel added. [color=Olive]"Your boys make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, but also make sure nobody tries to do anything stupid to him."[/color]

The Sergeant nodded, no change in his icy demeanor.

[color=Olive]"Now, the good news? We're not pirates, and you're not being Shanghaied,"[/color] he continued. [color=Olive]"When operations are concluded, you'll be free to go, or to sign on for the long haul. You do your fair share of the work? You'll get your fair share of the pay. The more valuable you make yourself, the more value you'll get once the job is done. I'm not just taking a leap of faith here, Hugh- I'm making an investment. And if I get a return on my investment, we'll all get along just fine."[/color]

Taking a step closer, Gaius looked him squarely in the eye.

[color=Olive]"But make no mistake: if I get so much as a funny feeling that you intend to betray or harm the people under my command, I will not hesitate to kill you myself. Is that clear?"[/color]

Not waiting for a response, he turned to the rest of the Green Knights.

[color=Olive]"As for the rest of you,"[/color] he addressed his Mechwarriors, [color=Olive]"you've all had a long day, and we've got good reason to celebrate tonight. And I'm happy to report that one of the supply crates included recreational materials for the Espian Guards. Music, holovids, even a few cases of beer. Tomorrow, we repair our 'Mechs, we refill our ammo bins, and we get ready for the next sortie. But tonight? I think you've earned a few hours of fun. Green Knights, [i]dismissed![/i]"[/color]