The Only One That Matters

The Only One That Matters
Story information
Author	Steven Lockley, Steven Savile
Pages	10
Type	Short story
Product	Total Chaos
Illustrations	(unspecified)
Content
Era	Jihad era
Timeline	11 October 3067

The Only One That Matters is a BattleTech short story credited to Steven Lockley and Steven Savile in the imprint. It was published as the opening fiction in the 2012 Total Chaos scenario book.

Plot summary

Narrating the story in the first person, the mysterious Askai meets a prospective future client in a diner in Harlech, Outreach, on 11 October 3067. The client is one Mr. Wooden, a person self-described as having an "influential role" in Interstellar Expeditions, and accompanied by a man Askai initially dubs "Ugly" and whose name is later revealed as Hon.

When queried about his ties to his former employer, Askai affirms they are severed "like a bloody stump", but refuses to offer more details. His internal monologue mentions his former mentor-turned-traitor and that his former employer wanted him for information he possessed, and others probably wanting him dead over having those secrets revealed.

Just as Askai and Wooden are ready to seal a deal, three gunmen storm the diner and start shooting. Askai realizes that they aren't hitting anyone though, and divines that they are looking for him and seek to provoke him into reacting, apparently wanting to catch him alive. He feels the attack has written "Word of Blake" all over it. After taking cover on instinct he manages to shoot all three attackers in a brief firefight, but is himself wounded in the process.

Within a few seconds afterwards, he and Wooden determine that the only other person who knew that they were meeting here today was Hon - who indeed produces a gun and tries to shoot Askai, but is himself shot dead by Wooden.

Having saved each other's life, Askai and Wooden agree to start the negotiations over at another place.

Featured Characters

• Askai
• Mr. Wooden
• Hon

Notes

• Wooden's first name is not given (nor is Wooden necessarily his true name) and his position is only hinted at, but there is in fact a Interstellar Explorations CEO named Reiner Wooden.

References

• Total Chaosl, pp. 4 - 7