[center][b][h2][color=f26522]Jonathan McCord[/color][/h2][/b][/center]


Jon shrugged at the first question. “[color=f26522]You’d be surprised.[/color]” He said. His country accent was evident in the long vowel, [i]i[/i].  “[color=f26522]Most of them just want someone to take care of them.[/color]” He weighed saying more. What he was giving was the truth about many that worked for Cassandra within the walls of the Rose Hotel, but they were just the day to day, hour and salaried. Many could have cared less about whose flag was hanging outside of the administration building as long as they got a paycheck and could still go to a movie or a bar when they wanted. The real machinations occurred at the top of the ivory tower. The broken drama and backstabbing that had taken place within the AVC board of directors was for Cassandra to disclose as she so desired. He looked at Marit. She was smart and had a little attitude on her too, which he also liked. Cassandra’s timing in relation to her involvement with the Knights was something he was sure Marit could correctly discern without him spelling it out. He let her keep talking.

Yuzhny Portveyn was an absolute cluster and now included a large crater. He wouldn’t mention that he had been there and only missed that rendezvous by a few minutes, but he did see the, “People’s Hammer” miss a few licks because their barrels had run dry. There was a rumor the Crimson Fists’ [i]Hunchback[/i] was to be on station fighting alongside the NPDRE for an easy photo-op where the medium mech’s AC20 would have run wild in the urban fighting, but the Knights’ raid had deprived it of promised ammunition and the Fists had elected to hold it back as a result. Jon glanced for a moment back over towards the Knights’ Von Luckner. He had thought on it a few times. How things could have gone a lot differently that day. The Hunchback would have been an easy kill in the open expanse near the stadium, but if he had put it down, there was a strong chance he and Cassandra wouldn’t be in present company. True or not, it was still out there and they were here. “[color=f26522]Lotta' good people dying,[/color]” He said, answering her next question. The words were plain and included a sense of reverence for the dead. He didn’t look back at her when he said it as the scene of chaos around Yuzhny Portveyn reminded him of other places he’d been and seen the same thing or much worse. “[color=f26522]Lotta’ bad ones too though.[/color]” He added, looking back at her and Raven.

He relaxed a bit and considered the rumor mill for what it was worth. Soldiers liked to talk and it was easy to get the scoop from both sides when you spoke the same language. He had an AVC workman’s jacket that let him blend right in as a neutral party to the warfighter on both sides. “[color=f26522]Huffin’ and puffin’ and the usual big talk mostly.[/color]” Jon added in relation to the effectiveness of the Knights’ raid. “[color=f26522]I think y’all hurt’em more than they’re lettin’ on.[/color]” He recalled another passing conversation as the words came out. “[color=f26522]I know they're really pissed about having to dig up a buncha’ mines and airlift some containers.[/color]”     

[@Starlance]