Silesia
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
12 January, 3053
Faith awoke to the sound of a message alert pinging from her comm unit. After several seconds of ignoring it, she finally rolled over and grabbed the unit, bringing up the message that called for her attention. It was marked urgent. After quickly reading it, she jumped out of bed and scrambled to collect her clothes and dress as quickly as she could.
"What is it?" Sapphire sat up and rubbed the remnants of sleep from her eyes.
"A text message. It came from a friend of mine's comm unit. She was looking into who's behind this frame job," she replied as she hurriedly pulled on her shirt.
"A lead then? That's good news, right?" Sapphire inquired.
"Maybe, maybe not. It came from her comm, but she didn't send it. She must have stumbled onto something. The people that grabbed her want a meeting." Faith tried to keep the worry from her voice. She knew where the message came from, and while it promised a resolution, she was still worried. It could easily be a trap. Either way, she had to go and find out what had happened to Paige.
"Where are you heading, then?"
"Cathay."
Sapphire blinked away her surprise. "Are you nuts? I thought you were persona non grata down there right now?"
Faith nodded as she laced up her boots. "I am. But some powerful people want a meeting, and they obviously have my friend, so I have to see what's up."
Sapphire rolled out of bed herself and began collecting her garments. "Give me a couple minutes and I'll join you."
Faith shook her head. "Not a good idea. Granted it's not as bad as bringing a DavRat into Cathay, but you're not going to be the most welcome."
Sapphire shrugged. "Oh well. I'll live. And besides, you'll need backup. Who is it you're going to meet?"
Faith sighed. "Someone with enough power to either fix things for me, or ruin them."
Li Estate, Chancellor's Quarter
Cathay
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
12 January, 3053
Faith and Sapphire had easily made their way through the upscale Chancellor's Quarter. Liao security forces were virtually everywhere, but none made even a cursory attempt to stop them. Smooth sailing, either into a solution, or into a trap.
Upon arriving at the gates of the estate of Mai Li, they had been welcomed by the door guard. Handing over their weapons, they had been led into the opulent estate, through corridors and halls meant to showcase the obvious wealth of it's owner, all in supremely Chinese style and filled with imagery of the Confederation.
"So who is this person, anyway?" Sapphire inquired.
They stopped at a set of large, intricately carved doors. "Her name is Mai Li. She's at the top of the pyramid for the Triads here on Solaris. She's also a mouthpiece for the Confederation. Much more powerful than any of the figurehead ambassadors, she's a member of the unofficial Capellan leadership here on Solaris. When she says something, it might as well come directly from the Celestial Palace back on Sian. Smart money has her as a member of the Maskirovka."
"Gee, sounds like just the kind of person I want to meet," Sapphire quipped sarcastically.
"Whatever you do, be respectful. She's in charge here, and has the Confederation backing her up. And she knows it."
The doors opened from within, and the guards ushered the pair inside. The room was dimly lit, and exquisitely decorated in Chinese style. Most of the materials were imported, and rivaled what one would find on a noble's estate on Sian. Seated on what could only be described as a throne, Mai Li was flanked by two bodyguards in precisely tailored suits of the latest Capellan style.
In spite of her relaxed pose, Mai Li radiated power and authority. She wore an emerald green silk robe, embroidered with gold, the colors of the Confederation, in an open statement about the power she wielded here on Solaris. She wore her black hair pulled back, and made no attempt to conceal the few streaks of grey that adorned her head. She gestured to a large, plush ruby red sofa that sat in front of her chair, and Faith and Sapphire both took seats, Faith bowing her head slightly.
"So, this is the girl who has caused me such trouble recently." She paused for a moment, before turning her gaze toward Sapphire. "And you have brought with you an outsider. Why? This business is our own."
Faith met Mai's gaze. "Forgive me, but she and I are...in business together. It seemed prudent to bring her along as I try to resolve this unpleasantness."
"Curious, that you surround yourself with FedRats these days. This one, and the rat you sent trying to ferret out details of recent events."
Faith did not flinch. "I find friends where I can. Recent events have made that painfully difficult within Capellan society. How is Paige?"
"Miss Townsend is unharmed, only through the good graces of his Celestial Wisdom Chancellor Sun-Tzu. Were we still guided by his mother, I fear your mole would have been put down for poking her nose where it does not belong. But Sun-Tzu, in his infinite wisdom and genius, has seen fit to grant leniency in things surrounding you."
Faith bowed her head ever so slightly. "I have no doubt the people of the Confederation will enjoy many years of prosperity under his wise leadership. We should all be happy for this."
Mai Li stood slowly. "You speak as though you are still a Capellan. Do you still consider yourself a loyal servant of House Liao?"
Faith straightened her posture. "I am, and have always been so. The incident with the Gatekeepers was motivated only out of survival. And their subsequent treachery should bear that out. I have never turned my back on the Chancellor or my citizenship."
Mai paced slowly, her graceful steps giving the impression that she almost was gliding across the marble floor. "Under Romano Liao, you were dictated to be treated as a traitor and outcast. This led to some elements within our society here targeting you. With Romano's passing, most were content not to revisit that policy, and so certain elements have seen fit to seek you out for vengeance. With this latest eruption of unpleasantness, however, the matter gained the attention of the royal court. It has become possible for certain policies to be reversed, and you to be welcomed back into the good graces of the Chancellor. If you were to demonstrate that you are contrite, I am authorized to ensure that this latest mess is cleaned up sufficiently for all parties."
Faith thought for a moment before responding. "So you'll call off the hounds, and make it clear I was not responsible for the murder of that SGB agent?"
Mai nodded gently. "The elements that targeted you mistakenly sought alliances within the Black Hills, given your residency there. Clearly, working with those Davionist elements corrupted their sense of duty and led to unfortunate choices. That will be made clear."
"As long as I am contrite. What exactly does that mean?"
"It means accepting your own mistakes in this affair. Fleeing the Confederation, taking up with Davionists, these are mistakes which cannot simply be ignored. Accept punishment for these things, and the slate will be wiped clean."
Monday, May 2, 2016
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Feedback request
I have a feedback request for my readers. I know that there are readers of this fiction, and I hope very much that you all enjoy it. With the current Faith story, I've also written and worked on a kind of side/bonus content to the Faith/Sapphire storyline. It's complete, but not edited yet. It does, however, contain rather sexually explicit content. I would like feedback as to whether or not the readers would like to see it posted, or would rather have things maintained in a more Battletech/PG-13 format. Please post comments on this thread, or send private feedback to faithmcclosky@yahoo.com with your thoughts and comments.
Silesia
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
12 January, 3053
Faith and Sapphire stumbled fairly coherently through the door of the apartment, Sapphire slapping a light switch as she passed it, activating a bank of black lights, bathing the studio apartment in odd hues of blue and white.
"I'm pretty sure those poor boys aren't even going to remember anything of their evening," Sapphire laughed.
Faith chuckled in response. "Hey, not our fault that they thought it would be a good idea to try to drink us under the pool table. I'm not even sure they were legal to be there, they were so green."
Faith set her comm unit and Sternsnacht down on the island as Sapphire tossed her keycard onto a small table.
"The Burger is kind of...liberal when it comes to checking ID. The local authorities don't care so much as long as nothing gets too out of hand." She waived Faith to a seat, and dropped herself into a chair opposite, a small glass table separating the two women. "You still never told me what you're doing down in these parts, Faith McCarron."
Faith tensed slightly in her chair, taking in the room around her with it's array of lights and oddly reflective objects. She had come to Silesia to avoid being spotted, but that had already gone to hell. She was going to have to find someone to trust. "At the moment, hiding."
"I doubt that's your long game though." Sapphire looked young, but her eyes belied some kind of weariness that Faith couldn't quite put her finger on.
"Who says I have a long game?" Faith quipped back.
"Fair enough," Sapphire conceded. "Keep your secrets for now, I don't need to know. For what it's worth, you can crash here for as long as you need."
Faith smiled wryly. "And why would you help me?"
Sapphire paused for a moment before answering. "People come to the game world for a million different reasons. Some for fame and glory, some to start over, you name it. And some people come here to get something started. I get that feeling from you. People like us have to stick together." She reached into a drawer by the side table and pulled out a small packet filled with some kind of small white crystals. "So. What do you say to a little sanctuary, even if just for a little while?"
A few hours later, Faith found her mind wandering, laying on her back, staring at the ceiling but not really looking at it. Sapphire shifted slightly, pressing herself a little closer and letting one arm rest across Faith's stomach. Small tingling sensations lingered wherever their skin touched, residual effects from the drug they had both taken.
"So, what's your long game? You're obviously not a mechbunny or a pool shark, yet you were hustling in the same hippy dive I was. So what brings you to Solaris?" Faith phrased it softly, not wanting to press or come off too pushy.
Sapphire didn't speak for several long seconds. "I'm a mechwarrior, same as you. Haven't seen all the action you have, but I've seen enough. I needed to start over, get away from things, carve out something of my own. Or at least carve something out on a different path."
So it seems I'm not the only one running. "You don't have to go into details if you don't want."
"You fight the clans at all?" Sapphire wasn't asking in a probing way, something in her voice said that she was looking for understanding, empathy.
"Not much, but a little. Enough to know it's a survival game. Most of my action has been against the FedSuns. It's a different ball game. Down there I can be a top dog. The clan front made me feel like I was in a puppy mill. Part of the reason I came to Solaris, it gave me much more sense of being in control. I could choose the fights, and I knew I was going into my element. The clan front was like being thrown to the wolves." She paused for a moment, remembering the bitter fighting she had seen the first time that she had been a part of the Inner Sphere task force fighting the Clans at Tukayyid. It had been a weeks long meat grinder. Lots of good people had gone down, mostly for nothing. "I take it that's where you fought? You're Lyran, if I had to guess."
"Finsterwalde, in the Bolan province. My dad is a mid level noble with too much money and even more sense of importance. When I started wanting to become a mechwarrior, he pulled strings and got me into the Nagelring. I graduated in '49, just in time to get posted before the Clans hit."
While Capellans were used to the notion of their nation being pounded and overrun from birth, it was a different story entirely for the mighty Lyran Commonwealth, and the newly formed Federated Commonwealth. "Wait, Nagelring, class of '49? Wasn't that the class that-?"
Sapphire nodded. "Yeah, the Archon-Prince graduated from. I was even posted to the 12th Donegal Guards. We were on Trell I when the Falcons hit in April of 3050. We got Victor off-world, but then got cut to pieces over the next few months. Pretty much everyone I fought with was either killed or captured by the Falcons. A few of us managed to get off-world around the end of the year. The AFFC brass offered to get us desk jobs and what not, a few even went back to the front. Me, I accepted mustering out and came here."
Faith deliberately stayed silent, not wanting to push Sapphire any further than she was willing to go.
"At first I had big ideas of forming a merc unit and finding....I don't know, some kind of redemption. But I came here instead. Fought mostly scrub matches, enough to patch together a mech and earn a living, but I've never really felt ready to strike out on my own back out there into the fight, into the real fight." She lifted herself up and rested on her elbows, looking towards Faith. "That's why you're here, aren't you? You could make a killing on the Solaris circuit. You did it before. But you want back out there, don't you?"
Faith rolled it around in her head for a few seconds, deciding just how much she wanted to reveal. "I made a big killing running with Lords back a few years ago. Most of it is stashed away, safe and sound, along with my old Catapult. But the Maskirovka is watching all those accounts."
Sapphire furrowed her brow. "What happened? Thought you were a big shot."
Faith let out a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, so did I. When Davion started caving in the border, my old XO came here to Solaris to recruit me. Maybe it was silly, but I went back. Problem was I kept the Solaris attitude. Flash and flair, braggadocio, it earns you reputation here, but in a closed society like the Confederation, it earns you enemies. My team was assigned to help out a Gatekeeper unit in the St. Ives commonality. Their leader was a blowhard and an idiot, and I made sure he knew I thought so. And of course, when the Feds came knocking, the greenhorns folded like a house of cards in their piece of junk mechs. I got my team out, along with remnants of the Gatekeepers, but old Blackhand didn't want to take the blame. He got hold of some of my med screens. I was popping adrenals, dust, opiates, you name it. Gave me an edge. But it was enough to blackball me and blame me for the loss. 'Unauthorized use of performance enhancers in the face of the enemy' they called it. They were going to throw me in the brig, probably some dungeon, so I ran. Got out with the help of a good friend. Then I ran here."
Sapphire ran a hand through her hair, black streaked with highlights of bright purple. "Weren't those the guys that managed to defect to Kurita?"
Faith nodded. "Yeah. It went a long way towards clearing me. The Mask doesn't have a price on my head anymore. But that's not the same as being trusted in the Confederation. Things have been a little better since Romano died and Sun-Tzu took over, but I still can never go back. Too many rumors, too many enemies. So I'm here, trying to make enough money to get on my feet and get my assets back."
Sapphire gave her a quizzical look. "Why don't you just form a merc unit and get back into the fight?"
"There's a few complications. First, around the time of Tukayyid, I got pregnant. I have a little girl back in the Confederation. I can't do very much until I can get her back. The Mask will hold that over my head as long as they have her. Second....someone here on Solaris is after me. My last fight, they sabotaged my mech, and now they've framed me for the death of a Gaming Board agent. So....that's why I'm hiding here. I've got a few feelers out. I have to figure out who it is, and deal with it before I can do anything."
Sapphire laid down next to Faith once more. "Well, I'll help any way I can. And when it comes to forming that Merc unit, consider me recruit number one."
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
12 January, 3053
Faith and Sapphire stumbled fairly coherently through the door of the apartment, Sapphire slapping a light switch as she passed it, activating a bank of black lights, bathing the studio apartment in odd hues of blue and white.
"I'm pretty sure those poor boys aren't even going to remember anything of their evening," Sapphire laughed.
Faith chuckled in response. "Hey, not our fault that they thought it would be a good idea to try to drink us under the pool table. I'm not even sure they were legal to be there, they were so green."
Faith set her comm unit and Sternsnacht down on the island as Sapphire tossed her keycard onto a small table.
"The Burger is kind of...liberal when it comes to checking ID. The local authorities don't care so much as long as nothing gets too out of hand." She waived Faith to a seat, and dropped herself into a chair opposite, a small glass table separating the two women. "You still never told me what you're doing down in these parts, Faith McCarron."
Faith tensed slightly in her chair, taking in the room around her with it's array of lights and oddly reflective objects. She had come to Silesia to avoid being spotted, but that had already gone to hell. She was going to have to find someone to trust. "At the moment, hiding."
"I doubt that's your long game though." Sapphire looked young, but her eyes belied some kind of weariness that Faith couldn't quite put her finger on.
"Who says I have a long game?" Faith quipped back.
"Fair enough," Sapphire conceded. "Keep your secrets for now, I don't need to know. For what it's worth, you can crash here for as long as you need."
Faith smiled wryly. "And why would you help me?"
Sapphire paused for a moment before answering. "People come to the game world for a million different reasons. Some for fame and glory, some to start over, you name it. And some people come here to get something started. I get that feeling from you. People like us have to stick together." She reached into a drawer by the side table and pulled out a small packet filled with some kind of small white crystals. "So. What do you say to a little sanctuary, even if just for a little while?"
A few hours later, Faith found her mind wandering, laying on her back, staring at the ceiling but not really looking at it. Sapphire shifted slightly, pressing herself a little closer and letting one arm rest across Faith's stomach. Small tingling sensations lingered wherever their skin touched, residual effects from the drug they had both taken.
"So, what's your long game? You're obviously not a mechbunny or a pool shark, yet you were hustling in the same hippy dive I was. So what brings you to Solaris?" Faith phrased it softly, not wanting to press or come off too pushy.
Sapphire didn't speak for several long seconds. "I'm a mechwarrior, same as you. Haven't seen all the action you have, but I've seen enough. I needed to start over, get away from things, carve out something of my own. Or at least carve something out on a different path."
So it seems I'm not the only one running. "You don't have to go into details if you don't want."
"You fight the clans at all?" Sapphire wasn't asking in a probing way, something in her voice said that she was looking for understanding, empathy.
"Not much, but a little. Enough to know it's a survival game. Most of my action has been against the FedSuns. It's a different ball game. Down there I can be a top dog. The clan front made me feel like I was in a puppy mill. Part of the reason I came to Solaris, it gave me much more sense of being in control. I could choose the fights, and I knew I was going into my element. The clan front was like being thrown to the wolves." She paused for a moment, remembering the bitter fighting she had seen the first time that she had been a part of the Inner Sphere task force fighting the Clans at Tukayyid. It had been a weeks long meat grinder. Lots of good people had gone down, mostly for nothing. "I take it that's where you fought? You're Lyran, if I had to guess."
"Finsterwalde, in the Bolan province. My dad is a mid level noble with too much money and even more sense of importance. When I started wanting to become a mechwarrior, he pulled strings and got me into the Nagelring. I graduated in '49, just in time to get posted before the Clans hit."
While Capellans were used to the notion of their nation being pounded and overrun from birth, it was a different story entirely for the mighty Lyran Commonwealth, and the newly formed Federated Commonwealth. "Wait, Nagelring, class of '49? Wasn't that the class that-?"
Sapphire nodded. "Yeah, the Archon-Prince graduated from. I was even posted to the 12th Donegal Guards. We were on Trell I when the Falcons hit in April of 3050. We got Victor off-world, but then got cut to pieces over the next few months. Pretty much everyone I fought with was either killed or captured by the Falcons. A few of us managed to get off-world around the end of the year. The AFFC brass offered to get us desk jobs and what not, a few even went back to the front. Me, I accepted mustering out and came here."
Faith deliberately stayed silent, not wanting to push Sapphire any further than she was willing to go.
"At first I had big ideas of forming a merc unit and finding....I don't know, some kind of redemption. But I came here instead. Fought mostly scrub matches, enough to patch together a mech and earn a living, but I've never really felt ready to strike out on my own back out there into the fight, into the real fight." She lifted herself up and rested on her elbows, looking towards Faith. "That's why you're here, aren't you? You could make a killing on the Solaris circuit. You did it before. But you want back out there, don't you?"
Faith rolled it around in her head for a few seconds, deciding just how much she wanted to reveal. "I made a big killing running with Lords back a few years ago. Most of it is stashed away, safe and sound, along with my old Catapult. But the Maskirovka is watching all those accounts."
Sapphire furrowed her brow. "What happened? Thought you were a big shot."
Faith let out a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, so did I. When Davion started caving in the border, my old XO came here to Solaris to recruit me. Maybe it was silly, but I went back. Problem was I kept the Solaris attitude. Flash and flair, braggadocio, it earns you reputation here, but in a closed society like the Confederation, it earns you enemies. My team was assigned to help out a Gatekeeper unit in the St. Ives commonality. Their leader was a blowhard and an idiot, and I made sure he knew I thought so. And of course, when the Feds came knocking, the greenhorns folded like a house of cards in their piece of junk mechs. I got my team out, along with remnants of the Gatekeepers, but old Blackhand didn't want to take the blame. He got hold of some of my med screens. I was popping adrenals, dust, opiates, you name it. Gave me an edge. But it was enough to blackball me and blame me for the loss. 'Unauthorized use of performance enhancers in the face of the enemy' they called it. They were going to throw me in the brig, probably some dungeon, so I ran. Got out with the help of a good friend. Then I ran here."
Sapphire ran a hand through her hair, black streaked with highlights of bright purple. "Weren't those the guys that managed to defect to Kurita?"
Faith nodded. "Yeah. It went a long way towards clearing me. The Mask doesn't have a price on my head anymore. But that's not the same as being trusted in the Confederation. Things have been a little better since Romano died and Sun-Tzu took over, but I still can never go back. Too many rumors, too many enemies. So I'm here, trying to make enough money to get on my feet and get my assets back."
Sapphire gave her a quizzical look. "Why don't you just form a merc unit and get back into the fight?"
"There's a few complications. First, around the time of Tukayyid, I got pregnant. I have a little girl back in the Confederation. I can't do very much until I can get her back. The Mask will hold that over my head as long as they have her. Second....someone here on Solaris is after me. My last fight, they sabotaged my mech, and now they've framed me for the death of a Gaming Board agent. So....that's why I'm hiding here. I've got a few feelers out. I have to figure out who it is, and deal with it before I can do anything."
Sapphire laid down next to Faith once more. "Well, I'll help any way I can. And when it comes to forming that Merc unit, consider me recruit number one."
Saturday, April 23, 2016
The Grateful Burger
Silesia
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053
As soon as she heard the sound of the cue ball striking its target, Faith knew she had made the shot. The sound of the final ball dropping into the corner pocket was confirmation.
"Thank you for your donation." she flashed a wry smile to the large hulk of muscle who had taken her up on a bet at the pool table, and quickly pocketed the 100 c-bill purse. In a place like this, there weren't many guaranteed marks that she knew she could hustle, but the overly brawny, and exceedingly boisterous man that she had just beaten was one.
She had needed time to breathe and figure out her next move, and she had also needed untraceable cash. After fleeing the Reaches, she knew that Cathay and the Black Hills wouldn't afford her much cover at the moment. She had too many contacts and ties there to blend into the shadows at the moment. She had settled on Silesia, as far as she could get from things, as a spot to hunker down until she got her bearings and figured out just exactly what was going on.
The Grateful Burger was an eclectic establishment, to say the least. The ownership were some kind of neo-hippies who seemed to relish in their image of going against the grain. Unlike most Solaran bars or restaurants, there were no feeds of the games shown, with most of the vid feeds displaying a mixture of niche games and music of questionable quality from various "underground" sources.
The clientele was an even more varied mix. In addition to a sizable number of bohemian types, an assortment of bikers, tourists, goths, punks and oddball gamers generally called The Burger home. The back of restaurant was currently dominated by a rather large group of youths playing some form of card game that seemed only slightly less complicated than the inner workings of an HPG to her.
She made her way to the bar, putting down a few S-bills and attracting the bartender's attention. He was a fairly short, wore his hair obscenely long, wore some kind of odd headband, and small circular glasses that seemed to her to be worn way too far down his nose to actually be helpful in looking at anything. "What can I get for you, sunshine?"
Ignoring the fact that her mood was anything but sunshine at the moment, she ordered in spite of his overly happy attitude. "Scotch, neat. Whatever you have handy. And make it a double."
While she might stand out somewhat among the diverse patrons of the Burger, at least everyone here was trying to stand out in some way, making it a slightly safer place to hang out while she waited to hear back from a few contacts she had pinged for information. More importantly, you weren't going to find many mech fans in a place like this, making the likelihood of her being recognized very low.
"There you are, friend." the bartender said as he finished pouring her drink. She nodded, grabbed her glass, and headed back to the pool table to await either news from her contacts, or her next victim. It was getting late in the evening, and soon the bar would be flooded with an influx of patrons.
"Up for a game?" she heard a female voice ask from behind her. She turned to see a woman holding a 50 Kroner note. It was a little hard to judge her age under the makeup, but she was young. She was dressed in a kind of fashion that Faith supposed was some kind of blending of steampunk and the kind of cyber-goth-revival that was currently popular among a segment of the youth along the Free Worlds border. Faith didn't notice any obvious weapons, but it was hard to judge among the numerous buckles and straps that would be a security attendant's nightmare at the drop-port.
"Sure. I trashed the last guy, so you can break," Faith said as she set her own 50 S-bill note on the table. Faith patiently waited while the woman lined up her shot and fired the cue ball into the racked balls.
"That was easy pickings before, taking on that hulking brute of a biker," the woman said as she repositioned for her first shot. "Don't think I'll make the same mistake he did."
Faith chuckled. "And what was that?"
"Underestimating the opposition. He figured it would be easy pickings. Hell, he was probably so busy checking out your ass that he didn't even notice the Sternsnacht." She sunk her first shot and moved on to lining up her next.
"So packing makes me a shark? That makes most Solarans pretty good players," Faith retorted.
The woman carefully lined up her next shot. "No, but it should have at least made him ask questions." She sunk the shot and stood back for a moment to scope out the table. "Like what a former top-notch mechwarrior in the games is doing slumming it down here in Silesia. Especially after she just trashed an Enforcer a few nights ago."
Faith fixed the woman with a glare. Even without the questions, something tripped alarms about this woman. She might be dressed like a mopey angst-ridden Lyran youth, but she carried herself in a much more serious and threatening way. "Maybe I'm just trying to have some fun and avoid the mechbunnies."
The woman sank her shot. "Donnie, a couple of shots of Party-kill over here when you get a minute. We'll take the bottle." She glanced at Faith briefly. "If you were just running from mechbunnies, there are plenty of places you could do that in the Black Hills. Hell, there's probably plenty of places in Cathay that would suit the bill, even with the rumors that the Cappies hate you at the moment. No, I'm betting that you're down here scoping something out, or laying low for some reason."
"Yep. You caught me. I'm looking to re-create Woodstock." Faith quipped. The woman missed her next shot. Faith surveyed the table while a waitress brought over a tray with two shots of blue liquid and a nearly full bottle of Party-Kill Heavy vodka, setting it down on the small table nearby as Faith's opponent handed the server an S-bill note. Faith quickly downed the rest of her scotch while she looked at the table.
"Look, I'm not trying to spook you or anything. Do what you want down here. Just pointing out that I'm smart enough to know that not everybody here is exactly what they appear," the woman said, softening her stance slightly.
Faith made her first shot, then walked over to the table and picked up a shot glass. She waited for the woman to join her, and the two downed the shots. The blue liquid burned fiercely, more from it's relatively low quality than any particular potency, in spite of being mockingly named after a brand of PPC. They slammed their glasses down, and the woman glanced at Faith for a moment. "My name is Sapphire, by the way."
Over the next hour or so, the two women alternated shots at the pool table and the cheap vodka bottle. They had just finished a game when a pair of men, boys really, approached them from the direction of the throng of card players in the back.
"Hey, you ladies want to play a round of doubles?"
The two women exchanged a predatory glance out of the corner of their eyes. "Rack 'em up, boys"
Silesia
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053
As soon as she heard the sound of the cue ball striking its target, Faith knew she had made the shot. The sound of the final ball dropping into the corner pocket was confirmation.
"Thank you for your donation." she flashed a wry smile to the large hulk of muscle who had taken her up on a bet at the pool table, and quickly pocketed the 100 c-bill purse. In a place like this, there weren't many guaranteed marks that she knew she could hustle, but the overly brawny, and exceedingly boisterous man that she had just beaten was one.
She had needed time to breathe and figure out her next move, and she had also needed untraceable cash. After fleeing the Reaches, she knew that Cathay and the Black Hills wouldn't afford her much cover at the moment. She had too many contacts and ties there to blend into the shadows at the moment. She had settled on Silesia, as far as she could get from things, as a spot to hunker down until she got her bearings and figured out just exactly what was going on.
The Grateful Burger was an eclectic establishment, to say the least. The ownership were some kind of neo-hippies who seemed to relish in their image of going against the grain. Unlike most Solaran bars or restaurants, there were no feeds of the games shown, with most of the vid feeds displaying a mixture of niche games and music of questionable quality from various "underground" sources.
The clientele was an even more varied mix. In addition to a sizable number of bohemian types, an assortment of bikers, tourists, goths, punks and oddball gamers generally called The Burger home. The back of restaurant was currently dominated by a rather large group of youths playing some form of card game that seemed only slightly less complicated than the inner workings of an HPG to her.
She made her way to the bar, putting down a few S-bills and attracting the bartender's attention. He was a fairly short, wore his hair obscenely long, wore some kind of odd headband, and small circular glasses that seemed to her to be worn way too far down his nose to actually be helpful in looking at anything. "What can I get for you, sunshine?"
Ignoring the fact that her mood was anything but sunshine at the moment, she ordered in spite of his overly happy attitude. "Scotch, neat. Whatever you have handy. And make it a double."
While she might stand out somewhat among the diverse patrons of the Burger, at least everyone here was trying to stand out in some way, making it a slightly safer place to hang out while she waited to hear back from a few contacts she had pinged for information. More importantly, you weren't going to find many mech fans in a place like this, making the likelihood of her being recognized very low.
"There you are, friend." the bartender said as he finished pouring her drink. She nodded, grabbed her glass, and headed back to the pool table to await either news from her contacts, or her next victim. It was getting late in the evening, and soon the bar would be flooded with an influx of patrons.
"Up for a game?" she heard a female voice ask from behind her. She turned to see a woman holding a 50 Kroner note. It was a little hard to judge her age under the makeup, but she was young. She was dressed in a kind of fashion that Faith supposed was some kind of blending of steampunk and the kind of cyber-goth-revival that was currently popular among a segment of the youth along the Free Worlds border. Faith didn't notice any obvious weapons, but it was hard to judge among the numerous buckles and straps that would be a security attendant's nightmare at the drop-port.
"Sure. I trashed the last guy, so you can break," Faith said as she set her own 50 S-bill note on the table. Faith patiently waited while the woman lined up her shot and fired the cue ball into the racked balls.
"That was easy pickings before, taking on that hulking brute of a biker," the woman said as she repositioned for her first shot. "Don't think I'll make the same mistake he did."
Faith chuckled. "And what was that?"
"Underestimating the opposition. He figured it would be easy pickings. Hell, he was probably so busy checking out your ass that he didn't even notice the Sternsnacht." She sunk her first shot and moved on to lining up her next.
"So packing makes me a shark? That makes most Solarans pretty good players," Faith retorted.
The woman carefully lined up her next shot. "No, but it should have at least made him ask questions." She sunk the shot and stood back for a moment to scope out the table. "Like what a former top-notch mechwarrior in the games is doing slumming it down here in Silesia. Especially after she just trashed an Enforcer a few nights ago."
Faith fixed the woman with a glare. Even without the questions, something tripped alarms about this woman. She might be dressed like a mopey angst-ridden Lyran youth, but she carried herself in a much more serious and threatening way. "Maybe I'm just trying to have some fun and avoid the mechbunnies."
The woman sank her shot. "Donnie, a couple of shots of Party-kill over here when you get a minute. We'll take the bottle." She glanced at Faith briefly. "If you were just running from mechbunnies, there are plenty of places you could do that in the Black Hills. Hell, there's probably plenty of places in Cathay that would suit the bill, even with the rumors that the Cappies hate you at the moment. No, I'm betting that you're down here scoping something out, or laying low for some reason."
"Yep. You caught me. I'm looking to re-create Woodstock." Faith quipped. The woman missed her next shot. Faith surveyed the table while a waitress brought over a tray with two shots of blue liquid and a nearly full bottle of Party-Kill Heavy vodka, setting it down on the small table nearby as Faith's opponent handed the server an S-bill note. Faith quickly downed the rest of her scotch while she looked at the table.
"Look, I'm not trying to spook you or anything. Do what you want down here. Just pointing out that I'm smart enough to know that not everybody here is exactly what they appear," the woman said, softening her stance slightly.
Faith made her first shot, then walked over to the table and picked up a shot glass. She waited for the woman to join her, and the two downed the shots. The blue liquid burned fiercely, more from it's relatively low quality than any particular potency, in spite of being mockingly named after a brand of PPC. They slammed their glasses down, and the woman glanced at Faith for a moment. "My name is Sapphire, by the way."
Over the next hour or so, the two women alternated shots at the pool table and the cheap vodka bottle. They had just finished a game when a pair of men, boys really, approached them from the direction of the throng of card players in the back.
"Hey, you ladies want to play a round of doubles?"
The two women exchanged a predatory glance out of the corner of their eyes. "Rack 'em up, boys"
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Hartford Gardens
The Reaches
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053
Faith had awoken less hungover than she expected. She wasn't entirely sure the same could be said of Paige, but she certainly couldn't fault the intrepid young reporter for lack of enthusiasm. After a quick brunch, Faith finally managed to rid herself of her new found sidekick and made her way back to the arena, where her mech was still berthed. She didn't really expect to find any further evidence of whoever was behind the sabotage of her mech, but she needed to check on the status of the repairs regardless. She did not have her next match arranged, but at the low level she was fighting matches at currently, a fight could appear on fairly short notice, and right now, she needed all the fights she could get.
At this hour, the arena itself was fairly empty, only techs and stable personnel were to be found. The facilities themselves were relatively well kept, but it was still the Reaches, and not Solaris City proper, with all of the baggage that came along with that. The money wasn't as big out here, but the fights were easier to come by, and the quick cash and screen time were helpful in between what matches she could secure on the main circuit.
She checked her weapon with security at the door, then made her way inside. She had hardly made it in the main entrance when a rather nondescript man in a dark bland suit headed her way. He oozed bureaucrat in so many ways it wasn't funny, and she knew she was in for an annoying time. As he reached her, he pulled out a badge of some sort.
"Faith McCarron?" he asked in that annoying way that nobody you actually wanted to talk to ever did. She nodded and he continued. "I'm Frank Miller, Solaris Gaming Board. If you have a moment, I'd like to talk to you about your last match?"
She sighed. "I don't, but I don't think that would stop the SGB, so let's talk on the way to the hangar bay."
The two began walking towards the bay. "I understand from your press conference post match that you decided to not use your mech's weapons. Is that correct?"
"Did it look like I used my weapons?" she retorted. Being flippant might not have been the best approach to take, but she was in no mood for bureaucratic banter.
"While it's certainly your prerogative to use whatever weapons you wish, we received information that perhaps some sabotage or fixing of the match was involved. I'm sure you understand, we take these allegations very seriously."
They reached the bay, and she made her way towards her mech. "Look, I'm sure you do. And yes, somebody messed with my mech's systems prior to the match. But I handled it."
Miller frowned. "Why didn't you report this?"
Faith stopped abruptly, resting her hands on her hips. "Because I can handle it. The last thing I need is people from the Gaming Board poking around and tipping off whoever is after my ass. I figured it was best to keep it quiet. If I have a target on my back, I want to-"
She was cut off by the thud of a heavy pistol firing. It echoed loudly through the mostly cavernous bay, making it difficult to determine where the shot came from. The target was easily identified, as a round slammed into the back of Mr. Miller's head, sending him flying to the ferrocrete floor and spattering blood everywhere.
After briefly recoiling, Faith dropped to a crouch and scanned the surrounding bay. She peered in the direction the shot appeared to come from, and saw only a pistol laying on the ground. She recognized it immediately. Shit. Whoever is after me has a serious hard on for taking me down.
She quickly ran over and scooped up the pistol, then sprinted out of the bay. Whoever was after her didn't want her dead at the moment, obviously, or they would have taken her down instead of the hapless SGB agent laying dead on the mechbay floor at the moment. Still, she didn't want to stick around. It was a clumsy frame job, but it was a frame job nonetheless, and she intended to be long gone by the time the authorities arrived.
This is going from bad to worse, girl. You better get on whoever this is, and fast.
The Reaches
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053
Faith had awoken less hungover than she expected. She wasn't entirely sure the same could be said of Paige, but she certainly couldn't fault the intrepid young reporter for lack of enthusiasm. After a quick brunch, Faith finally managed to rid herself of her new found sidekick and made her way back to the arena, where her mech was still berthed. She didn't really expect to find any further evidence of whoever was behind the sabotage of her mech, but she needed to check on the status of the repairs regardless. She did not have her next match arranged, but at the low level she was fighting matches at currently, a fight could appear on fairly short notice, and right now, she needed all the fights she could get.
At this hour, the arena itself was fairly empty, only techs and stable personnel were to be found. The facilities themselves were relatively well kept, but it was still the Reaches, and not Solaris City proper, with all of the baggage that came along with that. The money wasn't as big out here, but the fights were easier to come by, and the quick cash and screen time were helpful in between what matches she could secure on the main circuit.
She checked her weapon with security at the door, then made her way inside. She had hardly made it in the main entrance when a rather nondescript man in a dark bland suit headed her way. He oozed bureaucrat in so many ways it wasn't funny, and she knew she was in for an annoying time. As he reached her, he pulled out a badge of some sort.
"Faith McCarron?" he asked in that annoying way that nobody you actually wanted to talk to ever did. She nodded and he continued. "I'm Frank Miller, Solaris Gaming Board. If you have a moment, I'd like to talk to you about your last match?"
She sighed. "I don't, but I don't think that would stop the SGB, so let's talk on the way to the hangar bay."
The two began walking towards the bay. "I understand from your press conference post match that you decided to not use your mech's weapons. Is that correct?"
"Did it look like I used my weapons?" she retorted. Being flippant might not have been the best approach to take, but she was in no mood for bureaucratic banter.
"While it's certainly your prerogative to use whatever weapons you wish, we received information that perhaps some sabotage or fixing of the match was involved. I'm sure you understand, we take these allegations very seriously."
They reached the bay, and she made her way towards her mech. "Look, I'm sure you do. And yes, somebody messed with my mech's systems prior to the match. But I handled it."
Miller frowned. "Why didn't you report this?"
Faith stopped abruptly, resting her hands on her hips. "Because I can handle it. The last thing I need is people from the Gaming Board poking around and tipping off whoever is after my ass. I figured it was best to keep it quiet. If I have a target on my back, I want to-"
She was cut off by the thud of a heavy pistol firing. It echoed loudly through the mostly cavernous bay, making it difficult to determine where the shot came from. The target was easily identified, as a round slammed into the back of Mr. Miller's head, sending him flying to the ferrocrete floor and spattering blood everywhere.
After briefly recoiling, Faith dropped to a crouch and scanned the surrounding bay. She peered in the direction the shot appeared to come from, and saw only a pistol laying on the ground. She recognized it immediately. Shit. Whoever is after me has a serious hard on for taking me down.
She quickly ran over and scooped up the pistol, then sprinted out of the bay. Whoever was after her didn't want her dead at the moment, obviously, or they would have taken her down instead of the hapless SGB agent laying dead on the mechbay floor at the moment. Still, she didn't want to stick around. It was a clumsy frame job, but it was a frame job nonetheless, and she intended to be long gone by the time the authorities arrived.
This is going from bad to worse, girl. You better get on whoever this is, and fast.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Hartford Gardens
The Reaches
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053
There's a reason I didn't become a tech. No, there are many reasons I didn't become a tech. Faith had been poking around the innards of the Phoenix Hawk for nearly three hours. It wasn't that she didn't trust the techs, but she didn't exactly trust the techs. Something had gone wrong in her mech, and as soon as the armor plates had cooled enough to explore the systems, and her obligatory press conference had taken place, she had come to the hangar bay to try to figure out exactly what.
She had just about given up on the idea of finding it herself, pondering calling in a independent tech to take a look at things, when she spotted something out of place. Gotcha!
"Hey, smooth move fudging the truth at that presser." The reporters' voice caught her off guard and she nearly smacked her head against one of the mech's endo-skeletal bones. Distangling herself from the mech's innards, she climbed out and made her way down to the ground level where Paige stood, hands crossed across her chest.
Against the far wall, Faith saw herself from the media event earlier, displayed on a tri-vid. "What happened? What happened was that Strader was bush league. I knew I could take him, so I did it without weapons. Haven't seen the numbers yet, but I think the audience will love the show."
"It was an opportunity. Everyone in this town likes a show, and my explanation gives them one. Plus there's no point in calling out whoever tampered with my ride. I don't know who it was, but until I have them in my sights, not much point in making it public." She did her best to wipe the grease and grime away with a rag as she spoke.
"So it was sabotage! I knew it had to be." Paige exclaimed, quite proud of herself for the confirmation of her discovery.
Faith sighed, "Yeah. I just figured it out myself. Someone got in there and spliced a little relay into the wiring on my fire control systems. Cut off the signal to the weapons, but fed a ghost signal back to the targeting computer telling it that everything was fine. That's why it never showed up on my displays, even after I realized my guns didn't work."
Paige shifted her stance. "Well? What are you going to do about it? You have to figure out who did it."
Faith frowned. "Yeah, I know. But it's not going to be easy. I can't just go poking around asking questions like some reporter."
Paige leaped at the opening. "But I can. Come on, I sense a partnership here. I can help you with this, and in return, you can let me in on some of your story."
Faith laughed as she walked toward the locker room. "You really don't give up, do you? Alright, but I don't want you poking around stirring up some hornets nest. I have some rebuilding to do on my career here, and I don't need land mines blowing up on me."
"You've got a deal, partner!" Paige said, grinning from ear to ear.
Federated Hotel
Black Hills
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053
The two women slammed their shot glasses down on the table at the same time. They had already finished the first bottle of cheap vodka, and had started on the second. Faith was far past the point where she wanted to test her ability to walk without endangering herself, and judging from the giggles, so was Paige.
"Fuck writing an article, we could make your story into a book. You've had so much crazy shit happen. I always thought maybe if I had to, I could write a book on my father. He was the champion back in '32. But you've got it beat." Paige said.
Faith took a few seconds to blink away the fog of the alcohol before responding. "I wouldn't go that far. I've been around a bit, that's all. And I damn well hope there's a few chapters left in my book, girl."
Paige leaned back in her chair, visibly taking a moment to reorient herself. "Yeah, well you might want to watch your back for a while if that's the case. You've obviously got a target on your back, and until we can figure out who's after you, things are going to be dicey, I'd wager."
Faith ran her fingers through her hair. "If you were betting, where would you put your money?" She slowly and deliberately picked up the bottle and scooped up the pair of shot glasses on the table between them.
"No way to know without digging. Could be Hasek's boys not taking a liking to having a Cappie in their ranks. Could be Cappies mad at you for all your shit back home. Hell, could be somebody we haven't even heard of just wants you gone for some reason, like money, and are just playing someone to get the deed done. Whatever, it's gonna take more sniffing around."
Faith sighed. "Yeah, no shortage of people on my shit list."
Paige laughed. "I know the feeling. So...one more for the road?"
Faith shot her a grin, and started slowly pouring two more shots. "You're plastered. No road for you, not unless you want to end up in the gutter."
Paige replied with an exaggerated wave. "I'm fine. You've gone shot for shot with me"
"I punch above my weight class, what can I say," Faith quipped as she slid a shot towards Paige. The two women downed their shots, Paige coughing slightly at the end of hers, as she began to stand, wobbled slightly, then let herself fall back into the chair.
"On second thought, maybe the road isn't such a good idea."
Faith very deliberately stood up, bracing herself against the table as she made her way over to the small island that delineated the boundary between the small kitchenette area and the main living area. She picked up Paige's coat at tossed it towards her, before stumbling towards the bedroom. "See you in the morning, newsgirl."
The Reaches
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053
There's a reason I didn't become a tech. No, there are many reasons I didn't become a tech. Faith had been poking around the innards of the Phoenix Hawk for nearly three hours. It wasn't that she didn't trust the techs, but she didn't exactly trust the techs. Something had gone wrong in her mech, and as soon as the armor plates had cooled enough to explore the systems, and her obligatory press conference had taken place, she had come to the hangar bay to try to figure out exactly what.
She had just about given up on the idea of finding it herself, pondering calling in a independent tech to take a look at things, when she spotted something out of place. Gotcha!
"Hey, smooth move fudging the truth at that presser." The reporters' voice caught her off guard and she nearly smacked her head against one of the mech's endo-skeletal bones. Distangling herself from the mech's innards, she climbed out and made her way down to the ground level where Paige stood, hands crossed across her chest.
Against the far wall, Faith saw herself from the media event earlier, displayed on a tri-vid. "What happened? What happened was that Strader was bush league. I knew I could take him, so I did it without weapons. Haven't seen the numbers yet, but I think the audience will love the show."
"It was an opportunity. Everyone in this town likes a show, and my explanation gives them one. Plus there's no point in calling out whoever tampered with my ride. I don't know who it was, but until I have them in my sights, not much point in making it public." She did her best to wipe the grease and grime away with a rag as she spoke.
"So it was sabotage! I knew it had to be." Paige exclaimed, quite proud of herself for the confirmation of her discovery.
Faith sighed, "Yeah. I just figured it out myself. Someone got in there and spliced a little relay into the wiring on my fire control systems. Cut off the signal to the weapons, but fed a ghost signal back to the targeting computer telling it that everything was fine. That's why it never showed up on my displays, even after I realized my guns didn't work."
Paige shifted her stance. "Well? What are you going to do about it? You have to figure out who did it."
Faith frowned. "Yeah, I know. But it's not going to be easy. I can't just go poking around asking questions like some reporter."
Paige leaped at the opening. "But I can. Come on, I sense a partnership here. I can help you with this, and in return, you can let me in on some of your story."
Faith laughed as she walked toward the locker room. "You really don't give up, do you? Alright, but I don't want you poking around stirring up some hornets nest. I have some rebuilding to do on my career here, and I don't need land mines blowing up on me."
"You've got a deal, partner!" Paige said, grinning from ear to ear.
Federated Hotel
Black Hills
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
11 January, 3053
The two women slammed their shot glasses down on the table at the same time. They had already finished the first bottle of cheap vodka, and had started on the second. Faith was far past the point where she wanted to test her ability to walk without endangering herself, and judging from the giggles, so was Paige.
"Fuck writing an article, we could make your story into a book. You've had so much crazy shit happen. I always thought maybe if I had to, I could write a book on my father. He was the champion back in '32. But you've got it beat." Paige said.
Faith took a few seconds to blink away the fog of the alcohol before responding. "I wouldn't go that far. I've been around a bit, that's all. And I damn well hope there's a few chapters left in my book, girl."
Paige leaned back in her chair, visibly taking a moment to reorient herself. "Yeah, well you might want to watch your back for a while if that's the case. You've obviously got a target on your back, and until we can figure out who's after you, things are going to be dicey, I'd wager."
Faith ran her fingers through her hair. "If you were betting, where would you put your money?" She slowly and deliberately picked up the bottle and scooped up the pair of shot glasses on the table between them.
"No way to know without digging. Could be Hasek's boys not taking a liking to having a Cappie in their ranks. Could be Cappies mad at you for all your shit back home. Hell, could be somebody we haven't even heard of just wants you gone for some reason, like money, and are just playing someone to get the deed done. Whatever, it's gonna take more sniffing around."
Faith sighed. "Yeah, no shortage of people on my shit list."
Paige laughed. "I know the feeling. So...one more for the road?"
Faith shot her a grin, and started slowly pouring two more shots. "You're plastered. No road for you, not unless you want to end up in the gutter."
Paige replied with an exaggerated wave. "I'm fine. You've gone shot for shot with me"
"I punch above my weight class, what can I say," Faith quipped as she slid a shot towards Paige. The two women downed their shots, Paige coughing slightly at the end of hers, as she began to stand, wobbled slightly, then let herself fall back into the chair.
"On second thought, maybe the road isn't such a good idea."
Faith very deliberately stood up, bracing herself against the table as she made her way over to the small island that delineated the boundary between the small kitchenette area and the main living area. She picked up Paige's coat at tossed it towards her, before stumbling towards the bedroom. "See you in the morning, newsgirl."
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Hartford Gardens
The Reaches
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
10 January, 3053
Faith had gone over the systems in the Phoenix Hawk twice. Everything seemed in perfect order. She even deviated from her normal tendency to abbreviate the startup sequence, and went through things totally by the book. Everything looked solid. She couldn't help but shake the sense of uneasiness in the back of her mind, however.
She had no particular reason to trust Paige Townsend, the reporter who had brought her the warning that something was up. Then again, she had no reason to doubt her either. Paige was a small time reporter for a small time print news outlet on Solaris. For whatever reason, she had taken a dogged interest in Faith's story upon her return to the gaming world, but Faith supposed that Solaris must be littered with thousands of reporters looking for the break of a lifetime to jump start their career to bigger and better things in the highly competitive news market.
Faith flipped on her comms in time to hear the tail end of the stadium announcer's introduction of the two combatants. Her opponent for the night was one Malcolm Strader. She had studied his recent fights, and he was small time. She knew that she could handle him, in spite of the fact that her 3S-Phoenix Hawk gave up five tons to Strader's 4R-Enforcer.
Her board lit up green, and the gamemaster's green light followed a second later. She strode her mech out confidently into the lush green of Hartford Gardens. The Reaches arena was fairly small, and so combat would be joined relatively quickly. The terrain alternated between light trees and stretches of green open terrain. The only real cover came from a series of walls high enough to hide a mech, but generally not long enough to provide lasting cover.
Strader was a cautious fighter. Combined with the lower top speed of his Enforcer, she was confident he would not push things too aggressively. That would be her edge. She had a significant speed edge over him, even without engaging the mechs MASC system, and her jump jets could launch her 45 ton mech 60 meters further in a jump than Strader's own.
She pushed her mech into a run, quickly pushing past the shallow lake in the center of the arena, and bringing her mech to a halt behind one of the massive concrete walls. She flipped her sensors over to passive mode, and flicked the switch to activate the sensitive seismic sensors located in her mech's feet. Then she waited.
She did not have long to wait. In under a minute, the telltale sign of mech footfalls pinged her sensors. Strader was approaching cautiously, moving through the light woods on the other side of the wall. With her sensors on passive, and her mech motionless, she could get the slip on him.
As he reached the edge of the woods, he increased his speed slightly, taking him along the wall on the opposite side from her waiting mech. Just a few steps further..... When the pings of his mech's steps mad him right where she wanted him, she hit her jump jets and vaulted over the wall.
She landed in a perfect position, raising her mech from it's crouch 50 meters from Strader's Enforcer, flipped her sensors to active, and dropped her crosshairs onto the tempting target of his weak rear armor. The cross-hairs pulsed gold with a lock, and she hit her main trigger to fire an alpha strike into the hapless enemy mech.
Nothing happened. She glanced at her readouts again, everything showing green still. She hit the trigger again, then her secondary trigger. Nothing. By now, Strader had spun himself around, rather clumsily, and fired a burst from his class 10 autocannon. The shells found their mark, rocking Faith's Phoenix Hawk. He swung his large laser into line and carved a line of damage into the torso of her mech.
Whatever had happened, her weapons weren't working. At this rate, she was not going to last long against Strader. Hurriedly, she slammed the throttle forward and closed the gap between the two mechs before Strader could think to trigger his jets. She slammed her mech's shoulder squarely into the larger machine, sending it toppling towards the ground. As soon as she had cleared the falling enemy, she hit her jump jets, sending her mech sailing over the wall and coming down in the meager cover of a stand of trees.
Shit is going south fast. I hate to dump the ammo, but it's only a liability to me now. She hit the release on the ammo bins for her machine guns and anti-missile system, and the ammo jettisoned with a clunk. If I'm going to win this fight, it's going to have to be the old fashioned way.
She spent the next to minutes dodging fire from Strader. He was keeping his autocannon fire to a minimum, husbanding his precious ammo for a better shot. The large laser struck home several times, but mostly be was keeping her at bay. If she could not get close to his mech, she had no chance.
If lady luck had been laughing at her until now, she suddenly changed her mind and began to smile on Faith. As Strader moved slowly to reposition himself for a better shot, smoke and flame engulfed his mech's right leg. He had struck a mine, several of which were randomly seeded around the arena grounds by the arena staff. It caught him off guard, sending his mech falling to the ground once more.
Faith pounced at her chance, hit the MASC activation circuit, and sprinted her mech full speed toward the prone mech. It's pilot struggled to get the 50 ton machine to it's feet, and had almost succeeded in doing so when Faith's mech smashed full speed into it, sending both mechs falling to thr ground and tossing Faith hard against her harness. The Enforcer landed on it's back, with Faith's Phoenix Hawk on top of it.
Acting quickly, she managed to bring her mech to it's knees and proceeded to club the enforcer repeatedly with her now useless arm mounted large pulse laser. It took several blows, but finally one struck home on the mech's head, splitting the cockpit like an egg and smashing Strader into unconsciousness.
The Reaches
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
10 January, 3053
Faith had gone over the systems in the Phoenix Hawk twice. Everything seemed in perfect order. She even deviated from her normal tendency to abbreviate the startup sequence, and went through things totally by the book. Everything looked solid. She couldn't help but shake the sense of uneasiness in the back of her mind, however.
She had no particular reason to trust Paige Townsend, the reporter who had brought her the warning that something was up. Then again, she had no reason to doubt her either. Paige was a small time reporter for a small time print news outlet on Solaris. For whatever reason, she had taken a dogged interest in Faith's story upon her return to the gaming world, but Faith supposed that Solaris must be littered with thousands of reporters looking for the break of a lifetime to jump start their career to bigger and better things in the highly competitive news market.
Faith flipped on her comms in time to hear the tail end of the stadium announcer's introduction of the two combatants. Her opponent for the night was one Malcolm Strader. She had studied his recent fights, and he was small time. She knew that she could handle him, in spite of the fact that her 3S-Phoenix Hawk gave up five tons to Strader's 4R-Enforcer.
Her board lit up green, and the gamemaster's green light followed a second later. She strode her mech out confidently into the lush green of Hartford Gardens. The Reaches arena was fairly small, and so combat would be joined relatively quickly. The terrain alternated between light trees and stretches of green open terrain. The only real cover came from a series of walls high enough to hide a mech, but generally not long enough to provide lasting cover.
Strader was a cautious fighter. Combined with the lower top speed of his Enforcer, she was confident he would not push things too aggressively. That would be her edge. She had a significant speed edge over him, even without engaging the mechs MASC system, and her jump jets could launch her 45 ton mech 60 meters further in a jump than Strader's own.
She pushed her mech into a run, quickly pushing past the shallow lake in the center of the arena, and bringing her mech to a halt behind one of the massive concrete walls. She flipped her sensors over to passive mode, and flicked the switch to activate the sensitive seismic sensors located in her mech's feet. Then she waited.
She did not have long to wait. In under a minute, the telltale sign of mech footfalls pinged her sensors. Strader was approaching cautiously, moving through the light woods on the other side of the wall. With her sensors on passive, and her mech motionless, she could get the slip on him.
As he reached the edge of the woods, he increased his speed slightly, taking him along the wall on the opposite side from her waiting mech. Just a few steps further..... When the pings of his mech's steps mad him right where she wanted him, she hit her jump jets and vaulted over the wall.
She landed in a perfect position, raising her mech from it's crouch 50 meters from Strader's Enforcer, flipped her sensors to active, and dropped her crosshairs onto the tempting target of his weak rear armor. The cross-hairs pulsed gold with a lock, and she hit her main trigger to fire an alpha strike into the hapless enemy mech.
Nothing happened. She glanced at her readouts again, everything showing green still. She hit the trigger again, then her secondary trigger. Nothing. By now, Strader had spun himself around, rather clumsily, and fired a burst from his class 10 autocannon. The shells found their mark, rocking Faith's Phoenix Hawk. He swung his large laser into line and carved a line of damage into the torso of her mech.
Whatever had happened, her weapons weren't working. At this rate, she was not going to last long against Strader. Hurriedly, she slammed the throttle forward and closed the gap between the two mechs before Strader could think to trigger his jets. She slammed her mech's shoulder squarely into the larger machine, sending it toppling towards the ground. As soon as she had cleared the falling enemy, she hit her jump jets, sending her mech sailing over the wall and coming down in the meager cover of a stand of trees.
Shit is going south fast. I hate to dump the ammo, but it's only a liability to me now. She hit the release on the ammo bins for her machine guns and anti-missile system, and the ammo jettisoned with a clunk. If I'm going to win this fight, it's going to have to be the old fashioned way.
She spent the next to minutes dodging fire from Strader. He was keeping his autocannon fire to a minimum, husbanding his precious ammo for a better shot. The large laser struck home several times, but mostly be was keeping her at bay. If she could not get close to his mech, she had no chance.
If lady luck had been laughing at her until now, she suddenly changed her mind and began to smile on Faith. As Strader moved slowly to reposition himself for a better shot, smoke and flame engulfed his mech's right leg. He had struck a mine, several of which were randomly seeded around the arena grounds by the arena staff. It caught him off guard, sending his mech falling to the ground once more.
Faith pounced at her chance, hit the MASC activation circuit, and sprinted her mech full speed toward the prone mech. It's pilot struggled to get the 50 ton machine to it's feet, and had almost succeeded in doing so when Faith's mech smashed full speed into it, sending both mechs falling to thr ground and tossing Faith hard against her harness. The Enforcer landed on it's back, with Faith's Phoenix Hawk on top of it.
Acting quickly, she managed to bring her mech to it's knees and proceeded to club the enforcer repeatedly with her now useless arm mounted large pulse laser. It took several blows, but finally one struck home on the mech's head, splitting the cockpit like an egg and smashing Strader into unconsciousness.
Federated Hotel
Black Hills
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
10 January, 3053
At first, Faith was unsure if the terrible buzzing sound was real, or in her head. Without opening her eyes, she knew that the horrible pain in her head was most certainly real, and no matter how hard she tried to block it out and fall back asleep, she failed.
After what could have been five minutes or five hours, she wasn't quite sure which, she finally made the mistake of opening her eyes. The Game World was almost always dreary and rainy, but as her eyes opened, she would have sworn that the systems sun was parked five meters outside her window. Of course, the fact that she had left the curtains open was not helping matters. Then again, the empty bottle of scotch laying on the floor at her bedside probably was the main culprit.
"Fuck off!" she shouted. Turning her head away from the window helped, but not much. It did, however, clue her in to the buzzing sound that had been plaguing her. Her comm unit, laying beside her on the bed, continued to drone on, calling for her attention. Attention that she was in no mood to give at the moment. She picked it up and flung in generally in the direction of the window. It did not help the buzzing, or the light pouring in.
After a few more minutes, she summoned up the will to sit up, stubbing her toe on the empty bottle. Cheap shit, anyhow. She glanced over at the clock. Almost 1300 already, damn. She had a match this evening, scheduled for 2100 in one of the Class 3 arenas out in the Reaches.
Half an hour later, after a lukewarm shower and a handful of oxy-pills, she felt somewhat better. Or at least hungry, which was a good sign. She slipped on a pair of dark fatigues, a tank top, and her Sternsnacht, pulled her hair back into a somewhat rough ponytail, and headed out the door.
On reaching the lobby of the hotel, she made her way to the desk. It wasn't the highest class establishment in the city, certainly a far cry from her suite at the Solaris Hilton she had enjoyed on her previous stay on Solaris, but it got the job done. It was generally clean, and more importantly, it enjoyed a somewhat lower profile, something she was looking for at the moment.
"Anything for me today, Rick?" she asked the desk attendant. She had now been here long enough that the staff knew her, and she paid her bill religiously, so they were friendly.
"Not today, ma'am. But you have a....um...visitor." He gestured toward the front door. A woman was already making her way toward Faith. Great maker, what did I do to deserve this?
Faith started towards the door, and the woman fell into step beside her. She was probably around Faith's age, with dark hair and a light skin tone that pegged her most likely as a native of Solaris dreary weather. She was dressed casually, pulling her comm unit out of the pocket of her dark brown raincoat. "My fight isn't until 2100 Paige, and it's out in the Reaches. Can't a girl grab lunch in peace?"
The woman chuckled. "The adoring public knows no hours, and so neither does the press."
They made their way out onto the street, and much to Faith's disappointment, the reporter kept pace with her in spite of her efforts to quicken her step. "It's the 31st century, I thought print media was dead." Or maybe I just hoped.
"The Federated Suns has the highest literacy rate in the Inner Sphere. Or at least that's what the big boys over at FCNS always say. But the news is a cutthroat business here on Solaris. An intrepid reporter has to stay on her toes to make ends meet, you know."
Faith pushed her way through the door at the corner Arby's, which, aside from a few people that were obvious tourists, was fairly empty. She made her way to the counter and tossed a few D-bill notes on the counter. "Whatever the Hanse Davion special is, as long as it's greasy."
"Make that two."
Faith stared at the reporter.
"Hey, uncovering the truth makes a girl hungry. Kind of weird for a Cappie to be eating greasy Arby's burgers though, isn't it?"
Faith put her hands on her hips and sighed. "I told you, Liao threw me out on my ass. You don't believe me, there's a Triad member with a broken nose over in Cathay who can vouch for me."
The eager boy behind the counter returned with two baskets, each containing a greasy mass that passed for a burger, and fries that helped explain Hanse Davion's heart attack last year. Faith grabbed hers and made her way to the booth furthest in the back of the restaurant. To her dismay, Paige slipped into the seat opposite her.
"I'm still sure there's way more to that story. And one day I'll get it, trust me. But that's not why I'm here."
Not waiting to finish the mouthful of burger she was working on, Faith shrugged her shoulders. "Ok, I'm dying of anticipation," she mumbled.
"I still have a million questions. Like why you're starting out slumming it when 2 years ago you were a hotshot on everyone's radar. Or why you're hanging out in the Black Hills. Or why you're not sporting the 4th Tau Ceti logo anymore. Or where that shady chick that always used to hang around with you is. But hey, don't mind me, I'm just nosy."
Faith scoffed, "I hadn't noticed."
The woman smiled a genuine smile. "Charm goes with the territory. But thanks. And no, I'm not here to grill you about any of that stuff. I'm here with a juicy tidbit of information."
Faith gulped down a mouthful of Timbiqui root beer. "So you're here to share it out of the goodness of your heart, right?"
"I didn't quite say that. But this is something you'll want to know. And I figure if I help you out, you'll be more willing to talk." She didn't wait for Faith to respond before she kept going. "Your fight tonight is against a fighter from Blackstar. In theory, they're as Fed Suns as the rest of us, but everyone knows Drew Hasek-Davion is Hasek to the core, and they're...well, they're Haseks."
Faith frowned. "What does Fed Suns politics have to do with me?"
"Politics has to do with everyone. You should read the paper more. But anyway, the Haseks power base is the Capellan March. They see Liao as the boogeyman behind everything. Hell, they don't even see the Clans as being as big a threat as Max Liao's ghost."
"Then they are idiots. I've fought clans. They're bigger and badder than anything in the Rimward side of the Sphere."
Paige nodded. "That may be true, but that's not the point. The point is I'm not the only one who's got questions about your past. Lots of Capellan March types would rather see you meet a nasty fate rather than go anywhere here in the Black Hills. Now, Blackstar is a big stable, and they might think twice about pulling something in one of the major arenas. But they've got pull in Davion circles, and your fight is out in the Reaches, where the gaming board is a little less omnipresent."
Faith stopped eating. "So you're saying they're going to try some shady shit?"
Paige nodded again. "I don't know exactly what. I've got connections, but they only go so far, you know? There's all kinds of chatter that you're going to get what's coming to you, but it's real scant on the specifics. Just watch your back. I'd hate to lose a juicy story, you know?"
Black Hills
Solaris VII
Lyran Commonwealth
10 January, 3053
At first, Faith was unsure if the terrible buzzing sound was real, or in her head. Without opening her eyes, she knew that the horrible pain in her head was most certainly real, and no matter how hard she tried to block it out and fall back asleep, she failed.
After what could have been five minutes or five hours, she wasn't quite sure which, she finally made the mistake of opening her eyes. The Game World was almost always dreary and rainy, but as her eyes opened, she would have sworn that the systems sun was parked five meters outside her window. Of course, the fact that she had left the curtains open was not helping matters. Then again, the empty bottle of scotch laying on the floor at her bedside probably was the main culprit.
"Fuck off!" she shouted. Turning her head away from the window helped, but not much. It did, however, clue her in to the buzzing sound that had been plaguing her. Her comm unit, laying beside her on the bed, continued to drone on, calling for her attention. Attention that she was in no mood to give at the moment. She picked it up and flung in generally in the direction of the window. It did not help the buzzing, or the light pouring in.
After a few more minutes, she summoned up the will to sit up, stubbing her toe on the empty bottle. Cheap shit, anyhow. She glanced over at the clock. Almost 1300 already, damn. She had a match this evening, scheduled for 2100 in one of the Class 3 arenas out in the Reaches.
Half an hour later, after a lukewarm shower and a handful of oxy-pills, she felt somewhat better. Or at least hungry, which was a good sign. She slipped on a pair of dark fatigues, a tank top, and her Sternsnacht, pulled her hair back into a somewhat rough ponytail, and headed out the door.
On reaching the lobby of the hotel, she made her way to the desk. It wasn't the highest class establishment in the city, certainly a far cry from her suite at the Solaris Hilton she had enjoyed on her previous stay on Solaris, but it got the job done. It was generally clean, and more importantly, it enjoyed a somewhat lower profile, something she was looking for at the moment.
"Anything for me today, Rick?" she asked the desk attendant. She had now been here long enough that the staff knew her, and she paid her bill religiously, so they were friendly.
"Not today, ma'am. But you have a....um...visitor." He gestured toward the front door. A woman was already making her way toward Faith. Great maker, what did I do to deserve this?
Faith started towards the door, and the woman fell into step beside her. She was probably around Faith's age, with dark hair and a light skin tone that pegged her most likely as a native of Solaris dreary weather. She was dressed casually, pulling her comm unit out of the pocket of her dark brown raincoat. "My fight isn't until 2100 Paige, and it's out in the Reaches. Can't a girl grab lunch in peace?"
The woman chuckled. "The adoring public knows no hours, and so neither does the press."
They made their way out onto the street, and much to Faith's disappointment, the reporter kept pace with her in spite of her efforts to quicken her step. "It's the 31st century, I thought print media was dead." Or maybe I just hoped.
"The Federated Suns has the highest literacy rate in the Inner Sphere. Or at least that's what the big boys over at FCNS always say. But the news is a cutthroat business here on Solaris. An intrepid reporter has to stay on her toes to make ends meet, you know."
Faith pushed her way through the door at the corner Arby's, which, aside from a few people that were obvious tourists, was fairly empty. She made her way to the counter and tossed a few D-bill notes on the counter. "Whatever the Hanse Davion special is, as long as it's greasy."
"Make that two."
Faith stared at the reporter.
"Hey, uncovering the truth makes a girl hungry. Kind of weird for a Cappie to be eating greasy Arby's burgers though, isn't it?"
Faith put her hands on her hips and sighed. "I told you, Liao threw me out on my ass. You don't believe me, there's a Triad member with a broken nose over in Cathay who can vouch for me."
The eager boy behind the counter returned with two baskets, each containing a greasy mass that passed for a burger, and fries that helped explain Hanse Davion's heart attack last year. Faith grabbed hers and made her way to the booth furthest in the back of the restaurant. To her dismay, Paige slipped into the seat opposite her.
"I'm still sure there's way more to that story. And one day I'll get it, trust me. But that's not why I'm here."
Not waiting to finish the mouthful of burger she was working on, Faith shrugged her shoulders. "Ok, I'm dying of anticipation," she mumbled.
"I still have a million questions. Like why you're starting out slumming it when 2 years ago you were a hotshot on everyone's radar. Or why you're hanging out in the Black Hills. Or why you're not sporting the 4th Tau Ceti logo anymore. Or where that shady chick that always used to hang around with you is. But hey, don't mind me, I'm just nosy."
Faith scoffed, "I hadn't noticed."
The woman smiled a genuine smile. "Charm goes with the territory. But thanks. And no, I'm not here to grill you about any of that stuff. I'm here with a juicy tidbit of information."
Faith gulped down a mouthful of Timbiqui root beer. "So you're here to share it out of the goodness of your heart, right?"
"I didn't quite say that. But this is something you'll want to know. And I figure if I help you out, you'll be more willing to talk." She didn't wait for Faith to respond before she kept going. "Your fight tonight is against a fighter from Blackstar. In theory, they're as Fed Suns as the rest of us, but everyone knows Drew Hasek-Davion is Hasek to the core, and they're...well, they're Haseks."
Faith frowned. "What does Fed Suns politics have to do with me?"
"Politics has to do with everyone. You should read the paper more. But anyway, the Haseks power base is the Capellan March. They see Liao as the boogeyman behind everything. Hell, they don't even see the Clans as being as big a threat as Max Liao's ghost."
"Then they are idiots. I've fought clans. They're bigger and badder than anything in the Rimward side of the Sphere."
Paige nodded. "That may be true, but that's not the point. The point is I'm not the only one who's got questions about your past. Lots of Capellan March types would rather see you meet a nasty fate rather than go anywhere here in the Black Hills. Now, Blackstar is a big stable, and they might think twice about pulling something in one of the major arenas. But they've got pull in Davion circles, and your fight is out in the Reaches, where the gaming board is a little less omnipresent."
Faith stopped eating. "So you're saying they're going to try some shady shit?"
Paige nodded again. "I don't know exactly what. I've got connections, but they only go so far, you know? There's all kinds of chatter that you're going to get what's coming to you, but it's real scant on the specifics. Just watch your back. I'd hate to lose a juicy story, you know?"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)