Forging Freyja - Chapter 6.1

Lummatii
Lothian League
Marian Hegemony
The Periphery
12 May, 3149




     Sweat dripped from her brow as Freyja sat on a cool stone at the foot of the giant war machine that stood parked under the shadow of a jutting ledge, out of the baking heat of the sun pounding down from overhead. The Phoenix Hawk still radiated heat, and the occasional pops and cracks of cooling metal broke relative silence that hovered over the area. She had stripped off her cooling vest and let her hair down, and was letting the gentle breeze cool her down as it passed over her sweat drenched body.

     She had just finished the bottle of sports drink that claimed to be citrus flavored, and was pondering the results of a hypothetical taste test between it and the coolant running through the double strength heat sinks of the Mech that stood beside her when movement caught her eye. An ever so slight cloud of dust was rising, marring the natural beauty of the plains in front of her. After several seconds, she could make out a small four-wheeled vehicle, clearly making it's way towards her.

     She brushed off the thought of trouble. If it was trouble, she wasn't armed, but could easily scurry back up into the safety of the Phoenix Hawk's cockpit. It was probably work. Or supplies for the mine. As the quad bike pulled up and it's passenger dismounted and removed his helmet, she discovered it was neither. The slightly lanky figure ran his hand through his amber hair.

      "Master Peter, you must be a glutton for punishment, out in this heat," she said without standing.

     The boy approached, carrying a cooler of some kind. "The heat isn't so bad when you're moving, And it's only like this maybe one month of the year, Wait until winter hits." he said, squinting to adjust to the sunlight. "I finished with my studies for the day, so my mom had me run some food out here, figured you might like a break from the usual fare. Besides, you're a Mechwarrior, I thought you'd be used to the heat."

     She smiled slightly. "Riding a fusion reactor is more of a dry heat, and it tends to cook you from the feet up, rather than that sun out there. I'll take the food, though." She unwrapped the sandwich from the cooler and took a bite, noticing the boy glancing up at the motionless Phoenix Hawk. "You ever take her out for a spin?"

     He shook his head. "I've been in the cockpit loads of times, usually when my dad would put it though it's startup sequence, to keep it loose and all. But I've never piloted it. Never had a trainer, most of the folks we've had around here were just IndustrialMech pilots and such." He paused for a moment, seemingly unsure of himself. "Next year though I plan on signing up with the Marian Hegemony Armed Forces. I'll get proper training then. Maybe get a chance to take this thing out for some real action."

     Freyja chuckled softly. "One thing at a time, master Peter."

     He kicked at a stone by his feet. "How long have you piloted a Mech?"

     She took a few more bites of her sandwich before answering. "Since I was about your sister's age. Once I got the feel for it, I found all the time I could to practice, or ride simulators. It's like anything else, do it enough, you'll get good at it."

     "Have you ever been in a battle?" he asked almost eagerly, then seemed to catch himself. "I mean....I don't mean to pry. I've no idea how you came to be out here with us or anything, I just...well...I'm sorry."

     She sighed softly. "It's alright. I didn't get captured in battle, if that's what you're wondering. I was just riding a transport that got hijacked by pirates. But yes, I saw action once, I was probably about your age and traveling with my mother's unit, we got hit hard up by Davion raiders and they needed every warm body they could get. It's not as glorious as you'd think or anything though, I mostly hung back, took pot shots, and tried to stay out of the way. I was terrified, truth be told." She paused. "And I don't know why I'm telling you this." She used finishing off the sandwich as an excuse to stop her storytelling.

     "I could help you with the rest of today's work, you could maybe show me some piloting stuff, like basics." he asked with an expectant look in his eye.

     She stood up and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "I don't think that's a good idea. Your father would have my head if I took you around those mines, BattleMech or not, master Peter."

     He cocked his head slightly. "I could order you to do it. You'd have to obey me, you know."

     She frowned and set her hands on her hips. "Yes, you could, master Peter. Of course, I'd have to confirm it with your father first, but hey, I'll climb up and get him on the radio."

      Having had his bluff called, Peter looked down dejectedly. "No, it's alright. You don't have to bother him. I should be getting back anyway." He started to walk back towards the quad bike.

     What she did next surprised even her. "Master Peter," she waited until he stopped and turned, "I've got to be back in time for dinner, your mother's request. But after that, I'll have to be taking the Hawk out for some maintenance runs out of the hanger. I might need some help, if you know of anyone who could lend an hour or two."

     He could barely contain his smile. "I think I might know someone."