MechWarrior Alex Thorn
Regular
LEGIONNAIRES
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." - Winston Churchill
Posts: 176
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Post by MechWarrior Alex Thorn on Jul 11, 2005 16:44:28 GMT -5
I eased my Belial to a stop. I sat for a moment and then opened the radio.
"Captain. What is the plan now?"
The Liberty had landed near us and I could tell that there was some sort of planning going on. Things seem to be going from bad to worse, but we had to make the most of it. Instead of waiting in my 'Mech for the captain to reply I climbed out and walked over to where he, Miyamoto, and Kintaru were standing. I walked up, smiled, and nodded at the two gentlemen.
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Post by Gen Miyamoto on Jul 11, 2005 18:16:24 GMT -5
The fighting had subsided and the Legionnaires were busy regrouping thier forces. Their wounded man had come around by now and the comm lines buzzed with activity. I decided to wait for a salvage rig outside. It would be best to be out of the way.
Once things had quieted down the captain saught me out. "Hello again Mr. Miyamoto. Might have a moment of your time?"
"Certainly, I'm just keeping an eye out for your tow unit."
"Yes, about that. I'm curious what happened that braught you here."
I considered his questions for a moment. I hadn't spoken of the incidents leading up to my arrival here, nor had I considered my direction in qute a while. I felt as though I was hearing the truth for the first time, as though I were Maxwell. "I am an agent-for-hire, currently in the employ of the Davion Border Patrol, here on Hamal. I have been operating out here for about 4 months, less the time in Sundahjin. I've been mostly doing patrol missions, occasionaly police work, and my last mission was part of a long range investigation into some possible pirate hideouts. There's a lot of lawlessness out here in the dustbowl, a lot of inoccents being killed. Davion can't do much about it right now, every search party goes missing. I was the first mech element they were committing, and as far as they know I'm unaccounted for. There won't be any further investigations, it's far too dangerous during the storm seasons. My mech's leg actuators gave out, and a heavy storm made vision heavily limited. I tried to walk back to civilization, but the desert proved far too trecherous. I was lucky to be found by some To'wardid merchants bound for Sundahjin. That was maybe a month ago."
"Are you sure you can find your way back there? Are you sure it's still even there?" The captain was ready to roll out, he wasn't going to waste his time searching for mystery salvage.
"I've spent much time learning this area. I know the way, and I can find my mech. I would bet my life on it."
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Post by MechWarrior Sergei Zhukov on Jul 11, 2005 18:40:36 GMT -5
I brought the Legionnaire's fusion drives online, and felt it rumble as its systems came to full power. The 50-ton 'Mech was a new design, largely untested in combat, and Captain Maxwell had secured one through the MRBC under a program which loaned new and experimental designs to Mercenary commanders for field testing, under the provision that weekly reports were submitted to the loaning House or organization.
This particular design had a squat, boxy chassis, atop which was mounted a massive rotary autocannon. It served as the 'Mech's sole weapon, but its two clawed manipulator hands complimented the somewhat limited weapon loadout, allowing the Legionnaire to tear armor and components from attacking 'Mechs which strayed too close.
It was a very cool design.
As I piloted my 'Mech from its stall, and maneuvered toward the Liberty's main ramp, an MIT23 M*A*S*H ambulance came screaming into the main bay, stopping just outside a set of twin blast doors. Two paramedics jumped out, ran around to the rear of the vehicle, and unloaded a stretcher, upon which Sergeant Lourde lay prone, strapped down. A stomach pump line ran down his throat, and an IV dangled from his arm. The medics wheeled him down a corridor and out of sight, and I turned my attention back toward piloting my BattleMech.
Poor bastard.
I stomped down the 'Mech Bay's gantry, and into the cold Hamal sunlight.
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Jul 11, 2005 21:22:48 GMT -5
I nodded to Miyamoto as a deafening roar descended from the heavens, and walls of conical wind surrounded us as the massive salvage VTOL arrived. The pilot threw down a rope ladder, and Miyamoto reached for it. I extended my hand.
"Good luck," I mouthed, not attempting to be heard over the prop wash that drowned out all other sound. With a firm handshake, Miyamoto scaled the ladder, and disappeared into the chopper. As it dove into the midday haze, I turned back toward MechWarrior Alex.
"Captain. What is the plan now?"
I removed my sunglasses, and slipped them into my left breast pocket.
"We do what we came here to do. We've been given a rough idea of the direction we need to head in, which will, ultimately, place us at the Tikonov Union spaceport. There, we anticipate we will meet the hijackers head-on. Technician Forrester and his team are flying out to the last known location of Miyamoto's BattleMech, with the objective of getting its legs repaired or refit. With any luck, he'll be meeting up with us shortly, and we'll then be able to plot the location of the spaceport with a greater degree of accuracy.
"Based on what the hijackers have accomplished thus far, I advise you all to expect anything. We're down several pilots, and there's no way to know what their exact numbers are - we've received various reports, putting their numbers anywhere between four and twelve BattleMechs - to say nothing of any support vehicles they might have brought along.
"Keep an eye on each others' sixes - and if your armor drops to critical - get out. Heroics will only get you killed."
I glanced at the MechWarriors standing before me.
"All right - saddle up. And good luck out there. Let's all make it back alive."
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MechWarrior Alex Thorn
Regular
LEGIONNAIRES
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." - Winston Churchill
Posts: 176
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Post by MechWarrior Alex Thorn on Jul 11, 2005 21:49:12 GMT -5
I nodded as the captain explained the situation. Then after he finished I climbed back into my 'Mech. A smile cracked across my face. Once again back into battle. The battlefield. Home sweet home.
I powered my 'Mech up and radioed in.
"Echo-4 to Echo-1. Powered up and ready to go."
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Post by Wedge Lourde on Jul 11, 2005 21:51:41 GMT -5
After intense surgery, rehealing, ect., I was ordered to try basic body functions, such as touching my toes, moving my arms, and more. I felt much better, but every muscle and bone in my body hurt. It was a hard enough fight to stand up for the required 60 seconds. But atleast I was still in one peice, and I had a faint memory of these 'Legionnaires'. I inquired, and I was shown photoes and the dossiers of my fellow lancemates. Taylor. Josef. Holms. It all came together. I made a checklist in my mind of the Legionnaires I knew: Mamba Maxwell Kintaru Schuster Alex Holms Zhukov Josef Taylor Garland Wolf ...
It all came back. I rembered all the faces. Places. Missions. I was a Legionnaire. I walked out of the Infirmary to find Captain Maxwell to report. I'd doubt that he wouldn't be glad to see me. Everyone. I was back. And I had a job to do.
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Post by Dr. Nathan Edwards on Jul 12, 2005 7:19:53 GMT -5
I was sitting at my desk, reviewing an ancient text on balloon angioplasty - a barbaric process - when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sergeant Lourde rise from his biobed, and stagger out into the corridor, dressed only in his hospital gown, with IV lines and bandages dragging behind him. I sprung into action, dashing after him, and catching him by the shoulder just as he made the turn into the main corridor. Crewmen stared as the drugged, near-naked Sergeant began yelling unintelligibly, and I made several sheepish gestures to calm them down as I escorted Lourde back into the infirmary.
"Now, now, Sergeant - you're not nearly well enough to be moving around like this. Lay back down and try to get some rest - if you're bored, I'll arrange to have Technician Wyatt bring you some holovideos."
I administered a muscle relaxant to Lourde's IV, and assisted him back into bed.
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Nicholas Schuster
Regular
DECEASED
"Blakists are like a virus. And WE are the cure."
Posts: 139
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Post by Nicholas Schuster on Jul 12, 2005 9:41:41 GMT -5
I steered my Shadow Cat into formation behind Captain Maxwell as he led us into the wasteland once more. Sergeant Zhukov's brutish-looking Legionnaire kept me company as I stared into the lonely landscape. There was nothing at all to break the eye...Suhdanjin had long ago fallen behind us, and the sands of the desert were all that remained. Privately, I wondered if Captain Maxwell knew where he was taking us. All he had to go on was a description of the route...Miyamoto hadn't been certain, the actual coordinates having been locked away in his BattleMech's memory before it failed. I hoped that he would find us soon, if only to add another set of guns to our rapidly-dwindling brigade...
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Post by Wedge Lourde on Jul 12, 2005 12:21:37 GMT -5
"Doctor, I feel fine! I must fight with my lance-no... my friends! I don't need more rest!"
"Sargeant, this is serious. You are in no condition to fight. If something scares you, your mental status cannot handle it, and you will go into shock! Your brain is not well enough."
"No, I don't Doctor, and I WILL fight! I'm... Will... With... Fight... will.. friends... wit... h..." I said, as the last of Dr. Edwards's novacane nummed my body, and sent me into his hands. He carried me over to the bed and gave me an oxygen mask in case I forgot to breathe in my sleep.
I had a dream about life on Kentares IV. My family was all still alive. We were celebrating my 13th birthday. My thoughts stayed on my mother, who I missed the most, and who I had greived over for months about her dying... I missed my mother...
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Jul 12, 2005 12:29:52 GMT -5
As the sun began to set across the lifeless Hamal desert, I stared at the map that was overlaid on my HUD. According to the approximation given to us, we should have been approaching the ruins of the city which once surrounded the ancient spaceport - but all I could see was sand. I toggled on my light amplification, attempting to use it as a makeshift image enhancer, but to no avail. It merely turned the sand and sky a manky shade of lime green. I switched my comm unit to VOX, and spoke into the mic.
"Echo-1 to Sigma-1...are you reading anything?"
"I don't see anything yet, Echo-1. But there is a dune up ahead, however, and based on our telemetry, the spaceport should be a little over a kilometer beyond that. We might see something at that time."
"Copy that, Sigma-1. Keep your -"
Suddenly, gravity gave way, my 'Mech stopped moving forward, and the desert rushed up to swallow my Hellhound. With a terrific crash, and a bone-jarring impact, I found myself at the bottom of a deep pit. Sand rained down onto the roof of my 'Mech as I sat, momentarily dazed, trying to process what had just happened. The frenzied voice of Lieutenant Kintaru exploding across the comms answered my question.
"Echo-3 to all units - Echo-1's stepped in a 'Mech trap - hold your position while we...oh, shit."
"What is it? Report!"
There came no reply. Only an image, patched in from Kintaru's forward camera.
Kintaru had sprinted ahead a few hundred meters, before realizing I was no longer beside him. Standing atop the dune, he had spotted a Fafnir, sitting just outside our sensor range. Bearly visible through the evening haze, it scanned the horizion, evidently still unaware of our presence. Just beyond it lay the spaceport, a haunting maw carved into the earth filled with gutted buildings and scattered debris.
My current predicament was bad, but it paled in comparison to the quandry which laid before us. Equipped with a devastating suite of ER Large Lasers and twin heavy gauss rifles, the 100-ton Fafnir was more than a match for anything the Legionnaires were currently fielding.
Damnit!
"I see it, Echo-3. Looks like we found the hijackers."
"Echo-1...this is Delta-2. Maybe the Legionnaire can pull you out of that pit..."
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Post by MechWarrior Sergei Zhukov on Jul 12, 2005 13:48:59 GMT -5
"Copy that. What do I need to do to help you?"
"Well, sir," I replied, maneuvering the bulky Legionnaire to the edge of the pit, where I peered down at Captain Maxwell's Hellhound, "the walls of that pit are obviously too steep for you to walk out. But the ground's pretty soft here - you should be able to use your lasers to cook up a gentle enough slope that your Hellhound can make its way up to surface level, with some assistance, of course."
I waved the Legionnaire's clawed manipulator hands for effect.
"These are pretty beefy hands, sir. They were designed for combat with other 'Mechs. If I use them to grip your 'Mech's bracing points, I should be able to help you walk up out of the pit."
"Roger that, Delta-2. Good thinking. Let me see what I can do on my end."
Within a few minutes, the soft glows of Captain Maxwell's laser suites could be seen emanating from the pit. Because of the heat they generated, he had to cease firing several times, to allow his BattleMech's heat sinks to catch up with him. Finally, as the sun sank below the horizon, the task was complete, and the Captain had whittled himself a crude, but effective slope.
"Okay, Delta-2. Now what?"
"Now," I replied, "I try not to fall in there with you."
I carefully piloted the Legionnaire down the slope that Captain Maxwell had whittled into the earth. As I did so, he moved his Hellhound as far up the slope as he could manage. I locked my 'Mech's legs, and extended its manipulator arms toward the shoulders of the Captain's Hellhound. It was difficult work - the hands were made for hacking and slashing - not performing ginger tasks - and I didn't want to do any unnecessary damage to the stout BattleMech.
Fortunately, I was able to take hold of the Hellhound's shoulders, and wrap the Legionnaire's huge fingers around them. By this time, my cockpit was almost touching Captain Maxwell's, and radio communication had given way to a simple exchange of hand gestures. I flashed a thumbs-up to the Captain, who returned the gesture with a finger countdown from "three." At the moment he reached "one," I threw the Legionnaire in reverse, and he throttled the Hellhound forward. The two 'Mechs strained against the hill in tandem, and I could hear the ferrosteel structure of the Legionnaire straining as massive stresses were exacted on it. The Hellhound's feet slipped repeatedly on the fallow soil, but eventually, got enough traction to begin to move the behemoth. Slowly, our two BattleMechs worked their way out of the pit, coming to rest atop the sandy escarpment once more. I released Captain Maxwell's Hellhound from the Legionnaire's grip, and manipulated one of its hands into an approximation of a "thumbs up."
"Well done, Sergeant. Thank you. That 'Mech is already starting to prove its worth."
I smiled to myself.
"Yes sir. It sure seems to be."
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MechWarrior Alex Thorn
Regular
LEGIONNAIRES
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." - Winston Churchill
Posts: 176
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Post by MechWarrior Alex Thorn on Jul 12, 2005 14:47:54 GMT -5
I watched as Zhukov helped the captain out of the pit. With the captain out we could now resume the operation. The only thing that was worrying me was the Fafnir. If those people had a Fafnir then there was no telling what else they had in the way of 'Mechs.
I fell in line behind the captain and we pressed on towards the base. I prepped my weapons and put myself on high alert. We were going to really have to watch each other on this one.
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Post by Lieutenant Kei-teh Kintaru on Jul 12, 2005 15:47:44 GMT -5
"What is it? Report!" said the trapped Maxwell.
What I had seen made my heart jump into my throat. I moved my Hackman to the top of the sand dune just a few meters in front of the sand trap Maxwell was entangled in. I zoomed in and broadcasted a still image of a dreaded Fafnir mech. As I zoomed even closer, something else made the whole world stop in my mind. I had to blink twice to realise it. Then horror sank in as I recoiled in my chair. I was hyperventilating, I was so grieved with shock, horror… and absolute anger. Strolling away in the opposite direction of Fafnir… was General Ren. The sole person I had wanted to punish for murdering my family. The very person that had caused countless nightmares and self loathing for what I should of done to help prevent the attack on my village. This monster was the person I SWORE to kill.
He stopped mid walk and turned his head, looking over his right shoulder. As I zoomed in closer… it seemed as if he was looking directly at me. An evil smile spread across his horrid face, enraging me more. My heart thumped away in my chest. Behind me Zhukov had just managed to pull Maxwell out of the sand trap. Many of the lance members cheered and congratulated Zhukov on the rescue, however I couldn’t hear a thing. .My hearing was deafened by my heart beat. I was slowly driving myself insane with rage.
“Do I wait here? Or do I charge? Do I wait here… or do I charge…………… DO I WAIT HERE OR DO I CHARGE?!” I eventually screamed my thoughts into words.
“…Echo - 3 are you ok?” someone said over the comms.
I charged down the sand dune towards the Fafnir… towards the Space port… towards REN. I screamed out until my lungs were depleted with air.
“REN!! I’ll kill you!!! You murdering bastard!!!”
The Fafnir sprang into life and fired two gauss cannon rounds, which fortunately fell short. I ignored them… I didn’t even notice them. I didn’t care.
“Legionnaires, Echo - 3 has split off from the group! Take down that Fafnir! Support Echo - 3!” Maxwell cried over the comms.
“This is Delta - 2, perusing Echo - 3, over.” Zhukov replied, as a volley of rounds spilled over his mech, heading towards the enemy Fafnir. The Fafnir had a flurry of sand and dust engulfing him. The Fafnir switched its attention to the Legionnaire Lance that was lined up on the sand dune. Surely they could take out one Fafnir without me?!
I carried on charging towards the old space port, blinded with rage. The distracted Fafnir continued to fire it’s volley of attacks as a forced my Hackman into its speeds that were thought to be inaccessible. Obviously they did not have an enraged pilot with a plan at it’s controls. As soon as I came with in 20 meters of the entrance Ren walked into, I halted the mech in a near idiotic way that could of caused my Hackman to stall and topple over. However, I managed to counteract the weights and ploughed my mech into the sand, causing the feet of my mech to burry themselves up to their ankles. I slammed open the cockpit door and leapt out of my now lop-sided mech and sprinted towards the last place I saw Ren. All around me, the sounds of battle and expositions where blanked out by my enticing rage that had consumed my very thought. I did however manage to acknowledge the Legionnaire mech doing a similar parking manoeuvre next to my Hackman. I didn’t want to involve the others, but it appeared that Zhukov was tagging along. However, I didn’t concern myself with the possible complications of another person following me. My goal since I was nine years old was awaiting me somewhere within the Oracle.
"REN! I’m coming!” I said to myself as my slight grin crept across my face. It wasn’t a grin of joy or happiness. It was a grin of pure insanity.
As I flung myself into the Space Port enterance which lead to the Oracle, to everyone's horror but my own and Zhukov's, six Raptors emerged from their marriage like null sig and moved in to support the Fafnir…
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Post by Technician Wyatt on Jul 12, 2005 15:48:51 GMT -5
"Sergeant. Sergeant Lourde."
I gently prodded the Sergeant's shoulder until he came around. He stared at me through hugely dialated pupils for a moment, and then screamed.
Evidently, the drugs were still working.
"Sergeant, the Doc asked me to grab some holovideos for you from the lounge. I don't really know what your interests are, so I got you a bunch of stuff...'The Solaris Plasma-Cutter Massacre,' 'Two Deaths and a DropShip,' 'Bambi: Reloaded,' and my personal favorite, 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Sergeant Lourde just stared.
"Well, I'll leave 'em on your night-stand if you decide to watch them.'"
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MechWarrior Alex Thorn
Regular
LEGIONNAIRES
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." - Winston Churchill
Posts: 176
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Post by MechWarrior Alex Thorn on Jul 12, 2005 17:11:17 GMT -5
We were all getting ready to head to the base when Kintaru bursted out of formation. I heard the command come over to comm to give him cover. I pushed my Belial forward. I fired my Gauss Rifles at the Fafnir. My Gauss Rifles werent as powerful as the Fafnir's but they could still do damage. Once they recycled I fired them again.
We were all firing upon the Fafnir. As lasers, Gauss Rifles, and missles swarmed the 'Mech,dust rose around it. As we raged battle against the Fafnir a horror came across the dunes. Six Raptors all disengaged their null sigs.
I stopped for a split second. We were now majorly outnumbered. This was going to be one hard fight.
"Echo-4 to Echo-1. Sir, how do you propose we do this?"
I turned hard left to dodge a round from the Fafnir's Gauss Rifles. I was then hit with a laser. I couldnt tell where it came from, because of all the 'Mechs. I looked at my armor reading. The torso of my Belial was in the yellow and the left arm was in the yellow. Then another hit came and sent my right arm to orange.
I turned to the nearest Raptor and opened fire with an alpha strike. The two pulse lasers hit the 'Mech in the left leg. The crossbow SRMs overshot the Raptor and the two Gauss Rifles plowed right into the cockpit. The 'Mech stumbled and fell over. Either the pilot was dead or seriously injuired. I then hurried to go after the next 'Mech.
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