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Post by Lieutenant Kei-teh Kintaru on Aug 1, 2005 15:54:29 GMT -5
I had narrowly saved Saturina just in time. With a mighty kick, I sent Saburo flying away, ensure the safety of the Doctor.
“Are you ok Jessica?” I asked, locking my sight with Saburo’s.
“I’ll survive…” she faintly replied.
“WELL THIS IS ALL VERY TOUCHING! Kei-teh! It’s a shame the bullet didn’t finish you…” Saburo shouted as his self inflicted wounds on his face and neck opened wider, sending blood trickling down himself. As he mentioned the bullet, I winched at the pain. The round had buried itself right above my dagger wound. I was soon beginning to think that my right shoulder was becoming a favourite place for all attacks to land…
“HOWEVER, it’s time to end this game Kei-teh! Prepare yourself! Your end is nigh!” he continued, stabbing his sword into the ground. He then clasped his hands together. I had seen this somewhere before…
“You might be wondering where you have seen this before BROTHER? Well I’ll put your mind at rest. Remember father’s FORBIDDEN technique?!” he replied laughing insanely as the lightening above us shot down from the heavens.
“N-NO! It cant be!!!” I stuttered in utter shock.
“YES! That’s right brother! I stole the forbidden transcripts after the village slaughter! I studied them until their pages became withered with over use! I know EVERY Kintaru technique... and I ESSPECIALLY love this one...” he replied, starting the devastating technique with several odd looking hand clasps that were almost hypnotic to watch. His fingers delved between fingers, interlocking then breaking away. His hands shifted randomly, as if he appeared to be stretching his muscles. Of coarse I knew differently. Suddenly his arms shot forwards.
“CHOU-” his shouted. His hands went into a lightening fast flurry of hyper kinetic hand clasps. “-HOUKOU-” he shouted again, his arms now in a different out stretched position with a completely different hand clasp formation. “-JIN!” he finished, grabbing his blade out of the ground as he flew into the air. As he came down to earth, he curled into a tight ball, his mighty katana outstretched above his head, as he furiously flipped towards me. For a few moments I paused, unable to shift because of the shock. At the very last possible second, I raised my blade to block the attack. As Saburo finished his flipping manoeuvre, the momentum and force the blade had connected, collided into my blade with devastating results. My “Ryuu” katana was strong, however the ground below me wasn’t. The soggy mud and grass gave into the awesome weight Saburo’s attack had delivered, and caused the ground below me to… explode into a near perfect semi-sphere crater. My arms violently shook, as if I had stopped a falling mech with my bare hands. My katana vibrated uncontrollably in my hands as I sunk into the crater. My entire upper body began to strain under the immense pressure of the attack. And it didn’t stop there. Saburo leapt backwards. As he did, he instantly shot forwards, keeping his blade at his hip’s height. It protruded out, it’s deadly sharpness becoming apparent as it collided with my aching right arm. Saburo sliced open my arm, sending warm blood trickling down my arm. He skidded to a stop, twisted around and came charging behind me. Luckily, my arm guard had absorbed most of the damaged the blade dealt, as he zoomed past me and screeching to a halt as his finisheded the third part of the technique. I already knew the final part would be the deadliest. As Saburo came to a halt, he once again catapulted himself towards me, gaining ungodly speed and dexterity as he lifted himself off the ground and began to raise his left knee to his chest as he span around on an invisible axis mid air. As soon as he was within seven inches of my aching body, his left foot connected with my chest. He unsprung his tightly wound leg as he outstretched it, sending me flying over Saturina’s head and into a conveniently tree. My mind fluttered hazily as I saw my brother’s figure approach me. My eyes then shot open as I felt cold steel against my neck. Looking up I realised Saburo had lightly pressed his sword into my neck.
“Well well… it’s come to this…” he replied evilly. I remained silent, preparing for the inevitable.
“So… Kei-teh… would you say I had preformed our father’s secret technique perfectly? To the “T”…” he said, beginning to manically laugh. I swallowed hard, wanting to say so much to him… but I didn’t have the stomach to reply.
“According to his transcripts, the first attack of the combo is supposed to stun the opponent. Then the second and third attacks are supposed to slice your sides open. Then the final attack is meant to… clear your upper body away from the lower body. A subtraction of weight…” he continued, bursting into another fit of laughter.
“Admittedly, I purposely fouled up the second and third attack so I could finish you like this… face to face so to speak…” he replied, sighing like a man who had just ejaculated.
“Well… looks like this is the end…” he giggled. “… Fair thee well Kei-teh Kintaru…”
My mind became empty as I waited for my life to end. I felt no fear… I felt no sorrow… I felt nothing. Just… empty.
Such a cruel fate to have my life taken away by my brother… Oh well… It’s not as if fate had dealt me a perfect hand to begin with…
(*CHOU-HOUKOU-JIN = Ultimate Roaring Blade*)
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Post by Dr. Jessica Saturina on Aug 1, 2005 16:43:08 GMT -5
Rain had started to fall as Kintaru saved my life. I watched as the terrible battle between Kei-teh and the brother he thought long dead began once again. It was horrible sitting there watching this battle. Knowing all the thoughts that must be running through his mind. The betrayal of his brother upon his entire family. His brother still being alive, and fighting on Ren's side. Kei-teh must be devastated, but he still fought on no matter what.
The rain was coming down harder. There was lightening bolts flashing across the sky as their battle raged on. This had certainly been a very strange turn of events. One day I'm in the battle field surrounded by a battle of giant Mechs, now here I am in the forest, watching a melee combat between two brothers.
I was helpless to do anything. All I could do was sit there shivering and cold watching my friend in this battle to the death, and it didn't look like he was going to win. I prayed hard. Praying for help to come. Our communication devices had been taken from us long ago. I had never felt so helpless.
My mind drifted back to the others. Ren, Victor, The Great Elder. I still could not stop thinking about how Victor had given his life to save mine. What a noble thing that was. He didn't know me, certainly didn't owe me any honor he had bestowed on me. Then my thoughts went to the other battle. I wondered what was happening with them. I hoped that The Great Elder was gaining ground or at least holding her own. These men were pure evil incarnate, and nothing would stop them if they could help it.
Suddenly my mind was brought back to the battle in front of me. It was horrible. Saburo had the upper hand, some kind of awesome maneuver he had learned. Poor Kei-teh was down on the ground. Saburo was standing over him, the blade of his sword at Kei-tehs neck. This was it, the end was near. I couldn't watch. There was nothing I could do. I was helpless, I hated myself in that moment. I sat cold, wet, and shivering on the ground about to watch my good friend be killed, and there was nothing I could do.
"Oh Kei-teh my friend I hope you can forgive me ..........
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Post by Assassin Saburo Kintaru on Aug 1, 2005 16:52:04 GMT -5
“Well… looks like this is the end…” I giggled. How exciting! “… Fair thee well Kei-teh Kintaru…”
I began to press the sword into Kei-teh’s neck. I had hoped for desperation to fill his eyes. Instead I saw a large emptiness… an entire void that was missing from his expression. He looked neither alive nor dead. There was nothing he could do about his predicament. He had accepted his fate. This whole display sickened me. I WANTED him to BEG for mercy. I WANTED him to be angry… to be crying… to self loath. I wanted him to deject the fate that was dealt to him. Instead he took it coolly, and that had pissed me off more than ANYTHING! The world around me filtered into a deep blood red as the words began to paint themselves onto an invisible canvas. The words appeared like seeping water through fabric, telling what NEEDED to be done. The words seemed to take their voices, as if to chant.
[glow=yellow,2,300]“KILL HIM!”[/glow]
[glow=red,2,300]“SPLICE HIS NECK WIDE OPEN!”[/glow]
[glow=pink,2,300]“END HIS LIFE!”[/glow]
[glow=green,2,300]“DEATH TO ALL SCUM!”[/glow]
[glow=orange,2,300]“MURDER THE KINTARU BASTARD!”[/glow]
Yes I know…
[glow=red,2,300]“DO IT!!”[/glow]
Yes… I am… slowly…
The mental conversation continued as I felt the sword begin to prick him. Yes, it was time. He was going to die at my hands. SLOWLY. Adrenaline began to flow fluently around my body as my excitement began to grow. I barely noticed the extreme amount of rain that had began to fall. My excitement was mounting up to what was to be a slow plunge into my brothers tender neck. Yes, this was going to be delightful!
“Saburo! This is Omega-1... I’m calling… a RETREAT…”
My headset crackled into life, causing me to jump and suddenly retract the blade away from my brother’s neck. He gasped for air, but retained that mocking expression upon his face. A tiny amount of blood trickled down his neck, which he made no attempt to wipe away.
Master…
“Come to my position…” he commanded.
“DAMMIT!” I shouted into the skies. I wouldn’t have my chance to kill Kei-teh now… General Ren needed me.
I could just…
No… I had a better idea.
I crouched down to my knees, levelling up with my brother as the heavy rain began to soak us through.
“Now you listen brother… and you listen good…” I began as Kei-teh remained silent.
“I BEAT you… OKAY?!…” I shouted, slapping him quickly. His expressionless face mocked me once again.
“You are WEAK and pathetic. You’re a disgrace!” I continued, standing to my feet.
“You don’t deserve a respectable death…” I said, turning my back on my worthless brother who laid soaked on the ground.
“… the next time we meet… it will be a battle to THE END!” I shouted, taking my leave as I leapt into the trees above. I caught a glimpse of the woman running to Kei-teh and addressing his wounds. How pathetic… How disappointing. As I frantically began leap from tree to tree, my promise caught up with me. I SWORE I would kill all Kintaru… I WILL kill him… next time.
However… to some degree I had delivered something far worse than the end of his life. I had taken away his pride. He couldn’t defeat the Master… and he couldn’t defeat me, his own brother. Yes, the pain I had dealt him was nothing compared to deprivation of his pride. I chuckled to myself lightly. THAT was the deadliest blow I had struck.
I came back to the opening where the Master and the Elder were battling. To my shock, I had noticed General Ren had been badly beaten. Just as Xiuying was about attack, I delve between the two, blocking her off and causing her to stop in her tracks. The old hag looked at me with utter confusion. She was probably freaked out by my self inflicted wounds… how touching for her to care so much. I took a few steps back to talk to my glorious leader.
“Master… are you ok? How bad is it?” I asked, keeping my eye on the old woman.
“Never mind that, just help me get out of here…” he replied quietly… shamefully.
“Certainly sir…” I concluded, pulling out a couple home made devices.
“I’m sorry to interrupt this battle, but the Master is to come with me…” I said to the Elder, throwing two smoke bombs onto the floor.
“Until next time!” I shouted as the bombs exploded into a huge plume of smoke, ending with my laughter fading away as I grabbed General Ren to help aid him in our retreat. He was more badly wounded then I thought. After several minutes of escaping in the rain, I stopped to assess the Master.
“Sir… is everything--”
“What do you fucking think Saburo?!” he shouted, pushing me aside.
“I’m sorry my liege… I didn’t mean to---”
“Enough talk… we have failed in our primary objective…” he said as he pressed a button on his data pad, removing the Null Sig effect from the hidden two-man space pod.
“However…” he replied, sounding optimistic. “… We’ve lost this battle Saburo… but the WAR is far from over…” he concluded, entering the space craft. I smiled to myself as I entered, taking the pilots position. Though our cause looked doubtful, the Master certainly knew how to improvise… and knowing him, he would have another plan up his sleeve.
“Set our coarse back to the Trestin. When we return I’m going to have several words with Faulkner…” General Ren said, strapping himself in as I engaged the engines and throttled them up.
“And how did things go with the Kintaru brat?” he questioned.
“… Quite interestingly…” I replied after a long pause. Before we knew it, the craft took flight and shot itself into space…
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Post by Wedge Lourde on Aug 1, 2005 16:55:03 GMT -5
"Yes sir."
With that, I darted towards the bridge. I had a task at hand. I took the elevator down to the bridge, and strode in. Captain Wolf sat at a terminal, and two were available.
"Yeoman Hobson, please join me at a scanner terminal."
A slim figure sat up from one of the two navigation stations, and he and I walked towards the terminals.
"Hobson, we need to find MechWarrior Kintaru's signal, or his Hackman. I suggest you activate the Beagle Probe while I search. Also, use the ship's sensors and scanners. Heat, anything."
"Yes sir."
"Alpha-4 to Captain Maxwell. Sir, I heard the pilot you were talking to mention Clan scouts. May I talk to him?"
"Star Captain Bekker, at your service."
"Star Captain, can you give me the transponder codes so that I may contact the scouts?"
"MechWarrior, look at this."
I swiveled in my chair to see a fuzzy picture of a man.
"Citizens of Valasha - I bid you good morning. A new day, and with it, a new era, has dawned..."
"Good... mission accomplished... but... we need to find Alpha-2 and 5."
I ran a look through scopes, and even looked through city-wide cameras that Hobson had hacked into. No sign of a Hackman anywhere. I chuckled as I clicked through a shot of the Crab 'mech still laying there. I would have to note that as salvage to the 'techs.
"Alpha-4 to Medical Crew. Can you confirm the last known location of Doctor Saturina? She and MechWarrior Kintaru have gone missing."
"Roger that, Alpha-4. This is doctor Edwards. I beleive she and Alpha-2 went into some kind of..."
"Some kind of... What, Doctor?"
"Hold still!"
"Sorry, some kind of tunnel or sewer system"
"Did you get that, Hobson? Search the city's directory for a Sewer company."
"Yes sir. 2 Hits, the Sistema Inutil Meridonal, or SIM, and a rat control company."
"Translate."
"The Sistema Inutil Meridonal is the Southern Waste system."
"I'd say we got a match. Go to the site and hack into the network. Upload the security feeds to me."
"Yes sir."
6 streams of different security checkpoints sat affront me. I brought them to inividual boxes, and searched through. I began to doubt, when the first five were clear, then the last one depicted a broken 8' circle grate, and the feet of a 'mech. I zoomed out, and a battle-scared Hackman sat. I sent the photograph to Hobson's terminal.
"Identify this certain entryway."
"This certain tunnel is called E37"
"Alpha-4 to Captain. Kintaru's Hackman was found at the entrance to tunnel E37."
I rised from my seat, and wiped a bead of sweat off my forehead. Things were going to start getting crazy.
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Post by Kathryn "SplitTail" Wayne on Aug 1, 2005 17:12:05 GMT -5
We are all packed up maam and ready to move. The last Dropship the Jinmu Tenno, will stay behind and wait for Star Captain Bekker.
Understood. Take us up.
Yes maam.
The roar of engines filled the Dropships Mech Bay as it lifted off and began it's acent to the Samurai's Destiny.
Twenty Minutes later we docked and began to offload Mechs and various Salvage into the massive Frigate's Cargo Holds.
My personal Radio crackled and came to life.
This is Star Captain Bekker, we will be dusting off shortly once we complete Search and Rescue Operations for the missing Legionnaires. Estimated time, 45 minutes.
Understood Star Captain. Maintaining our current position in orbit. We will await your arrival.
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Post by Dr. Jessica Saturina on Aug 1, 2005 17:54:18 GMT -5
I couldn't bring myself to watch my friends end. I sat waiting, thinking when he was done he would surely come after me.
Suddenly I heard the mad man screaming something. I looked up and Saburo was going away. I looked in Kintarus direction. I couldn't tell if he were dead or alive from were I was. I jumped up and ran to him.
"Kintaru? Kintaru my friend can you hear me?"
He was alive and conscious but barely able to speak above a whisper. "Yes, I hear you Jessica."
"Oh my god Kintaru, thank god you are alive. I'm so sorry I could not do anything to help you during the battle, but I will not let you die now. Hang on my friend, I will get you through this."
I looked around. I did not have my medical bags with me. I pulled out my blouse from my jeans. I began to pull strips of it off, Wrapping the strips around the worst wounds. God I so badly needed my bags .... The rain was still coming down hard, I pulled Kintaru over to some shelter under some trees. I leaned him against the tree and sat next to him.
"Hold on Kintaru, I'm going to have to go for help, I can't help you without my medical bags. Please just try to hang on till I get back."
Just as he opened his mouth to answer, there was a noise in the bushes. I was scared, I was afraid it was Saburo come back to finish us off. A small silhouette appeared out of the bushes, it was The Great Elder. I smiled to myself. Maybe things were going to be alright after all.
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Aug 2, 2005 8:19:27 GMT -5
“"Alpha-4 to Captain. Kintaru's Hackman was found at the entrance to tunnel E37."”
“Copy that, Alpha-4. Good work. Please join me in AeroTech Bay 2.”
”On my way.”
I snapped my comm unit closed and made my way across several decks, to one of two cargo holds where the Liberty’s AeroTech assets were berthed. As I entered the bay, I could immediately tell that my options were going to be severely limited. Most of the VTOLs and fighters sat on their landing pads in various stages of disassembly, as technicians serviced their internal components in the typical maintenance round which followed each operation. Only the huge salvage VTOL remained prepped and ready for deployment, and in this storm, it would hardly be my first vehicle of choice.
However, it would have to do. It would be hours before the process was completed, and we didn’t have that much time.
As I made my way to the massive, four-engined aircraft, MechWarrior Lourde sprinted up beside me, carrying a datapad bearing the coordinates of Kintaru’s Hackman. He glanced at the salvage VTOL dubiously.
”Sir – with all due respect – are we taking that? In this weather?”
I nodded grimly.
“Strap in.”
A deafening whine sliced through the bay as our craft’s massive engines came to full power. I glanced at Lourde, who was tightening his harness as he steeled himself for the turbulent ride ahead of us.
”Angels and ministers of grace defend us.”
I chuckled, and pushed the craft forward out of the bay. Immediately, a torrent of rain assaulted the VTOL’s canopy as we tore into the night. Although dawn was upon us, the sky was nearly pitch-black, and visibility was almost zero. I switched the VTOL’s enhanced-imaging system on, and a staticy wireframe of the terrain was overlaid on the HUD, with Lourde’s nav point projected as an emerald-green diamond.
“That’s better…” I murmured, to a look of concern from the slightly-nauseated MechWarrior.
A thermal vent jolted us violently from our cruising altitude, and in a manner of seconds, we dropped nearly five hundred meters. The VTOL’s turbojets screamed as they compensated for the sudden change in forward momentum, and I fought the yoke as it threatened to steer the craft out of control. Several bolts of lightning struck us, sending EMP waves through the cockpit as their massive current was dissipated through the VTOL's advanced grounding system.
“How are we doing, Lourde?!?” I shouted over the driving rain and roaring machinery.
”Pretty good, sir – the nav shows clear – I suspect this storm sent most of the ground forces packing. We can touch down safely.”
I nodded grimly.
“How much time do we have left?”
Lourde checked the mission clock.
”Eighteen minutes, sir.”
We were really pushing it this time…
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Post by Wedge Lourde on Aug 2, 2005 10:47:27 GMT -5
The loud rumble of the engines and the rain made it intensely hard to hear anything
"Ow we Doing, Lour?" I could barely make it out. I did get How We Doing, though.
”Pretty good, sir – the nav shows clear – I suspect this storm sent most of the ground forces packing. We can touch down safely. E37 is just beyond that building."
"Yeoman Hobson! Can you upload E37 please!"
"Mr. Lourde, please don't shout! I must say, though it is awfully loud in there!"
"Yes sir! Uploading as Nav Alpha."
I didn't care what else he said, but I made out av Alpha, or Nav Alpha
" Captain! We need to land at Nav Alpha!"
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Aug 2, 2005 12:45:34 GMT -5
The VTOL touched down with a loud crunch. I could tell we had landed on something, and crushed it quite thoroughly, but the point was, we were down. Regardless of the amount of property damage inflicted in the process.
I swung the pilot's door open, and stepped out into the driving rain. Instantly, my clothes were soaked through, and my hair dripped down into my eyes as I tried to shield them with my hands. Lourde ran around the nose of the VTOL to stand beside me, spitting water from his mouth and wiping his eyes as he, too, braved the maelstrom.
"Have you got anything?!"
A clap of thunder drowned out his response. I gave a confused look, and he pointed into the darkness. Against the intermittent flashes of lightning, the silhouette of a Hackman could be seen, its canopy open and ladder tossed out. We slogged toward it through the flooded street, and as we drew nearer, it became apparent that it was, in fact, Kintaru's BattleMech. Lourd scaled the ladder to peer into the cockpit, flipping a few switches before he returned to the ground. The canopy swung shut, and the Hackman's running lights flickered to life. As he made his way back toward me, I gave him a quizzical look.
"The cockpit was pretty badly flooded, but salvagable!" Lourde exclaimed. "I turned on the bilge pump to get rid of the water, and the transponder, so that the MechCommander can find the thing!"
I nodded an affirmation and pointed toward the sewer grate. Water was rushing into it at a torrential rate. I had my doubts that we'd find much on the other side. I checked my chronometer. Ten minutes.
"And Kintaru's in there?!"
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Post by Lieutenant Kei-teh Kintaru on Aug 2, 2005 15:10:12 GMT -5
Saburo took his leave, his words forever imprinting onto the carbon paper that was my soul. They were irremovable remarks that would last with me till my dieing days. My beloved brother… someone I looked up to when I was a small child… had sided with the very man I swore to kill. And worse still, Saburo aided that… monster in slaughtering my friends and family. I was utterly shocked. I felt as if… I had lost all emotion. I was empty on the inside. Though I could feel my heart beat and the warmth of my soul… I was dead. Jessica began to tend to my wounds that had just lost all feeling to them. My body recognised “discomfort” to some extent. However, I did not. My mind blocked out her soothing words that all Doctors seemed to have stored in their heads as my memories of the events that unfolded today replayed in my mind. The battle in the city… Meeting Victor… The battle with the Great Elder… Confronting Ren… Reuniting with my Brother… Fighting Saburo… The loss of Victor… and my… defeat at the hands of another Kintaru.
Fate… had dealt me a shit hand indeed… I gently murmured to myself, my words echoing within my reeling mind. I was so overcome with shook that I didn’t even realise the Great Elder was standing next to me. I felt her lightly tap my aching shoulder. My eyes moved up to recognise her. She looked down at me with a small smile as a laid slumped against the tree stump.
“Are you ok… Kintaru?” she asked in a tone I had not heard in my brief time that I had known her. It was a near kind tone, with all the sweetness of a loving grandmother could offer. Then I realised… she recognised me as “Kintaru”.
“Did you just…” I began to ask, my eye widening slightly.
“Yes I did… your actions today settled my worried mind. Though you lost the Trail of Right, you won something far greater.” she said as the rain slowly began to stop.
“And what might that be?”
“You won your honour. You won your right to be recognised as a “Kintaru”…” she replied crouching down to my level. She then reached into one of her breast pockets and produced a red ruby like stone.
“… And more importantly… you have won this…” She held the glittering gem in her open palm, allowing me to reach and take it from her.
“But… what is this Great Elder? It isn’t the Jade Map Stone…”
“It is NOT the same Jade Map Stone my great ancestors gave your tribe 110 years ago Kei-teh… what we gave away did not open the tomb… it was a key to something else WITHIN the tomb. This… item… is the main reason the tomb was built. It was built to house that… ghastly item. The key that you now hold in your hands is THE key to open the tomb. It also contains the explanation as to how to read the secret coordinates that the Emerald Jade Map Stone. This, young Kintaru, is the RUBY Map Stone.” she said, with much emphasis in her words. My eyes began to fill up with tears as sudden emotion gripped me like a mighty fist of life.
“… Thank you… Great Elder…” I replied, swallowing hard as all my emotions filled me up like a sudden blast of fresh air.
“But… what about Ren?” I asked, noticing Xiuying was injured herself. Her smile spread across her face even more.
“Don’t worry about him… but I know this isn’t the last we’ll hear of him…” she said, casting her eyes into the sky as the clouds began to disappear.
“Kintaru… I want to ask you something--” the Elder began to say before being cut off by a loud whining sound. Suddenly a large spot light engulfed the area we stood in. Above us flew a mighty VTOL. It wasn’t obvious at first if the VTOL was friend or foe… but we soon realised who the flying machine belonged to. As it gently settled down in the area in front of us, Captain Maxwell and MechWarrior Lourde came rushing out of the metallic bird’s cockpit. Myself, Xiuying and Saturina gave out a loud sigh. We were finnaly going home.
We had boarded the craft and began out ascent as day light broke sky, the sun’s light glistened over the war ridden city. Finally… it was over. Saturina had gone up front to have a few words with the Captain as Xiuying and I sat opposite each other.
“So… it appears we have won…” she said quietly. “… Though I had no doubt The Reach would lose…” she finished, brandishing that wicked smile of hers.
“Congratulations…” I said slightly weary. My time in this planet had completely worn me out. After a long pause The Great Elder lent forward.
“Kintaru… I have something to ask you…” she said in her quietest tone. I raised an eyebrow as she came closer, pressing a finger on her lip to signal my silence. She then crept forward and spoke some very hushed words into my ear. As she finished speaking, my expression changed to a very questionable one.
“… It DOES require a lot from you Kintaru… but I feel it is imperative that you AT LEAST consider what I have asked of you…” she said, sinking into her seat. I was totally stunned by her request. I began to mull it over straight away.
Should I?… Shouldn’t I? Didn’t my honour stake on this?
After several minutes of flight time, we finally reached our destination: The Liberty. The VTOL came into a careful arcing manoeuvre as we settled into the Mech bay. As the mighty bird began to wind down, its engine turbines coming to a slow stop, I had, there and then, made my decision. As everyone began to leave the VTOL, stepping out of the side door that allowed passengers to leave, I stopped Maxwell.
“Sir… I have something to ask you…” I began to say, as Xiuying stood behind me, smiling away happily to herself. The Captain raised an eye brow.
“Certainly Kintaru, but make it snappy, we’re setting off in--”
“But that’s just it sir…” I interjected. “I… Sir I’m asking if I can stay here, with the Great Elder--”
It was Xiuying’s turn to butt in.
“The boy is an excellent combatant at a NOVICE level--”
Good old Xiuying I thought to myself, rolling my eyes.
“However… HE is a Kintaru, and their task in the Inner Sphere was to be great protectors of the Jade Stone Fortune. However, he requires MY training if he wishes to defend the Jade Stone Fortune! That bastard Ren will be undoubtedly looking for the location of the tomb as we speak! It is imperative that the boy is kept here for training!” she said, stamping her foot lightly as to emphasise each word. Maxwell gave us a dumb struck look. I then piped up.
“Sir… the planet that the tomb is located on appears ever three months… If we arrange to meet there in three months… we need to make sure that NO ONE can gain access to the tomb…” I said, pleading.
“Sir… all I am asking is three months leave… it’s for the good of the Inner Sphere.” I said, gaining a small “stamp” of approval from Xiuying, who I darted an evil glair at. Se returned the glare with one of her own.
Maxwell looked at us, pondering my request…
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Aug 2, 2005 16:01:56 GMT -5
“Sir… all I am asking is three months leave… it’s for the good of the Inner Sphere.”The good of the Inner Sphere…The words reverberated through my head. Mercenaries weren’t supposed to care about such a thing – we were supposed to care only about profit, salvage, and scoring bigger and better contracts – to hell with the consequences – and yet, ‘the good of the Inner Sphere’ was the same mantra that governed my life as well, and often forced my hand in choosing compatible Operations. And yet…in an ironic twist of fate…the ideal that was supposed to preserve lives was about to cost me another Legionnaire – one who had grown exceptionally close to all of us in recent months. The danger inherent in Kintaru’s decision to remain on Valasha could not be understated, and I found myself at odds with my responsibilities as a commanding officer versus those as a friend.“Kintaru – given what we’ve been through recently with General Ren – and the fact that Valasha could very well fall to the old regime once again – are you certain that…” My comm unit chirped. I flipped it open.”Maxwell. Go ahead.””Yeoman Hobson, sir. Puerto Valacia control is ordering us off the launch gantry – they say that they appreciate our services, but that we’re no longer wanted here. They’ve threatened military intervention if we do not comply.”I rolled my eyes.”Yeoman, I’ve seen their ‘military,’ and frankly, it’s…underwhelming. All right. Tell them we’ll be making our exit in sixty seconds.””Aye, Captain.”The Liberty’s drives began to whine sharply as Yeoman Hobson brought them to full standby. Kintaru looked at me imploringly.“…Lieutenant…” I struggled with the decision.“…good luck.” A wave of relief and gratitude spilled across Kintaru’s face.”Three months, Captain. I assure you I won’t let you down.”I nodded, and snapped a salute. Kintaru returned it, and I shook his hand, embracing him briefly before walking the pair to the AeroTech bay’s exit ramp. Doctor Saturina jogged to catch up with us, her lab coat fluttering behind her as she approached, finally pulling Kintaru into a long hug as he and the Elder descended the ramp.
”You be careful out there,” Saturina whispered, tears welling up in her eyes as she let go.
Kintaru nodded
”You too.”
As the pair disembarked, the gantry retracted, and the Liberty gave a mighty heave as it began to ascend into the heavens. Saturina and I stood watching from the hatch as long as we could, Kintaru and the Elder dwindling to tiny specks, and the city of Puerto Valacia growing smaller and smaller, as we rode a column of fire into the depths of the cosmos once more.I just hope they don’t let you down…
"Personal Log, September 26th, 3068: After an emotional departure from the Outworlds Alliance, we have returned to the familiar surroundings of the Chaos March, and our home on Sheratan, for a period of well-deserved rest, relaxation, and recovery, and to mourn the lost, and bury the dead. The past two Operations have been far more brutal than anything the Legionnaires have experienced in recent history, and I have begun to question the viability of continuing to endanger the men and women of this command with increasingly risky – albeit well-paying – contracts. The amount of dissent which took place during this Operation was troublesome, to say the least, and I believe that the bulk of the next three months will be spent trying to get a feel for what the crew’s true morale level – the one which manifests itself only during off-duty hours and in hushed tones – really is. If I cannot foster faith in those who serve alongside me – then I have no business being their commander. The Ghost Bears have also accompanied us to Sheratan – their presence largely unnoticed thanks to the advanced Clan technologies employed by Star Captain Bekker’s unit. It would seem the good Captain is interested in a piece of BattleTech once employed by the late Hadrian Isis – and the trade he has offered in return is tantalizing. I’m scheduled to meet with him this afternoon.” I switched off the recorder log, and reached for my uniform jacket. As I did so, I hesitated, as my eyes drifted to the casual, civilian track jacket which had hung unworn in my closet for nearly a year. I walked toward it, and laid my field jacket on the foot of my bunk.Maybe it’s time to unwind… – END –
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