Tribble # 526
What if Phelan Kell wasn't a quisling traitor after all? What if, after being taken as a bondsman by the Clans, he only pretended to become entranced and indoctrinated into their culture?
What if, when he traveled to Arc Royal to attend his mother's funeral, he spoke privately with Victor ... and revealed that he was actually working as a deep cover agent, using his access as saKhan to gain access to the most secret of Clan data, like the map to Exodus Road, the locations of hidden Clan caches, technical schematics and research data ... which he then proceeded to hand over to his cousin?
And what if Natasha turns out to be doing the same: truly loyal to Jaime and the Inner Sphere, she's using her position in the Clan to divert materials and supplies, ensuring that there are gaps in the defenses, planting eventual sabotage, and recruiting her own fanatical band of Spiders to eventually lead back to Outreach? And the Refusal War turns out to be her plan all along, putting things in place for an eventual all out confrontation between two of the strongest Invader Clans?
What if the two traitors to the Inner Sphere turned out to be working for the good guys (ie, not the Clans) all along? And can you imagine the look on Ulric the Smug's face when he realises that his two most trusted supporters are actively working towards the destruction of his culture? When he realises that they've been manipulating him into taking the Wolves on a death-ride against the Falcons, essentially making both Clans kill one another?
***
Ranna Kerensky gasped as Phelan Ward, her lover and saKhan of Clan Wolf, steped over her fallen body. Clutching at her belly wound, the Clan Warrior ground out, "But Phelan ... why?"
The still handsome man paused, and frowned down at her, holstering the needler pistol that had turned her intestines into hamburger. "Why what? You tried to stop me from doing my duty."
Ranna shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the agony of her wounds and the blare of the Dire Wolf's general quarters alarm. "But ... you are of Clan Wolf! We are your people!" I love you, she didn't say.
"My people? You were my kidnappers! You tortured me, beat me, humiliated me, mutilated me," he shifted his shoulders, as though in rememberence of the time his back had been scourged by a furious Vlad. "I am not, and have never been a Wolf, Ranna: I am a Hound. My job is to protect the flock from the wolf: that's you." He shrugged. "Sure, you were a great lay, but after all, isn't it just 'coupling' to you people?
"I am a citizen of the Federated Commonwealth, a loyal subject to Archon Prince Victor, and I have lived among you weirdos long enough."
An older warrior stepped into the cabin. "Come on, kiddo, charges are set and our bird awaits."
"On my way, 'Tasha." He glanced down at Ranna again. "Sorry, babe, but ... I've got my duty. This way, I get to blow up a Clan WarShip along with the creme of what's left of your little cult of furries."
As he strode away, the light faded from Ranna's eyes as she heard his final words. "And give my regards to mad, bad little Nicky when you get to Hell: we'll send the rest of your twisted little family after him soon ..."