Posted 28 May 2014 - 04:00 PM
+++
Begin transmission
Comstar HPG txt file com.
Origin: Andurien, Free Worlds League space
Destination: AH compound Outreach
+++
I think I found him, he doesn’t look the same and you would never mistake him for a mech
pilot by watching him. Looks like he was burned pretty bad sometime. Doesn’t talk or
socialize much, but I will try and confirm his identity. Marik intelligence seems to have
put the affair to rest and I don’t think extraction will be a problem. Will confirm upon
departure.
Falcon
+++
End transmission
+++
Falcon carefully examined the dirty large man sitting in the corner drinking ale. He had
replayed all the possible scenario’s over in his head and didn’t see any other option than
the direct approach. Osprey had warned him what to expect if it was Dano and he felt
threatened. “He has a fight or fight reaction, he was always found of saying that if you
ran it just meant you got shot in the back”. Falcon got up and approached the man watching
his reactions, “Mind if I take a seat here?” Falcon asked, “It’s not against regulations
so help yourself.” the man replied back. “Not exactly friendly are you” Falcon commented,
“Doesn’t pay to be friendly or ask questions here, Marik take trouble makers on this
planet seriously and the best option is to work hard, follow the rules, and keep your head
down. I’m nothing but an agro-mech driver name of George. I don’t use drugs, need women,
or want to overthrow the government, so unless you really want to waste your time way
don’t you just ****** off.” Falcon looked at the man and said “Well that’s not quite what
I heard Dano.” The man seemed to freeze, his eyes narrowed, muscles bunching and Falcon
was wondering if he had made a big mistake with this approach when Dano seemed to all of
sudden just relax and lean back in his chair. “That’s not my name and if it’s the guy I
think it is he died 10 years ago.” Falcon stared at the man and said “Well if you’re not
him you’re his twin brother.” The man took a long swig from his ale and fixed Falcon with
a stare as cold as ice. “Ok, I used to be called Dano a long time ago, now I’m George
agro-mech driver. I don’t want any trouble and if you’re with the Marik secret police,
might as well shot me now, cause I got nothing to say.” “Whoa hold up there, I’m not with
the purple chicken intelligence, I’m with the Atlas Hunters” Falcon explained. Dano popped
forward like a big cat pouncing on his prey and said in a low hiss, “There are no Atlas
Hunters, they are either all dead or scattered throughout the known universe.” Falcon
looked him straight in the eyes and handed him the note that Osprey had told him to use if
it got dicey. Dano took the thin scrap of paper and carefully started to read it, his eyes
got misty for the briefest second and then he crumpled the note and looked straight back
at Falcon saying “OK, who are you and what do you want from me?” Falcon visibly relaxed
and said “First I want to verify you are who we think you are and secondly I want to get
you off of this dung heap.” Dano looked thoughtful and scratched his chin, “Well I can’t
say that leaving this sector of space would cause me any anguish, but why go to the
trouble of getting a broken down old agro-mech driver off planet.” Falcon leaned forward,
“Ironhawk and Osprey have established a base and are collecting all the survivors to
restablish the company. Payback is due in full and it’s time to start with accrued
interest. They are also trying to gather all the intel they can about exactly what
happened to Eagle.” Dano sat back and took a deep draught from his ale then looked Falcon
hard in the eyes, “Ok, I think I can help you on both accounts. If you can get me off this
rock with all my personal possessions, I’m yours. If you can’t, then I’m staying.” Falcon
looked relieved, the toughest part of this mission might just be over. “Ok, that doesn’t
sound too unreasonable, we’ll cover the details of the liftoff last, just tell me
everything you remember about Eagle.” Dano leaned back and got a hazy look in his eyes as
if he were reliving the entire event. “I was in Gungnir lance with my JM6-A and Osprey
leading, when everything went to hell. I had to yank the cord out of my IFF to get
lockon’s on those Liao ********. Corey went down hard when Liao sprang the trap on us his
Raven took multiple AC-20 hits in the cockpit and the mech just exploded. Their were 3
lances of the Liao traitors on us and I was pounding any mech around Osprey as hard as I
could with LRM’s trying to keep them unbalanced. I lost track of Tengu and thought he
might have got out but who knows. Osprey was in that butt ugly shadowhawk of his the one
with the AC-5 and AC-2. Looks like he welded everything but the kitchen sink on it.
Anyways, he was running between them popping everything that moved and I was thrumming
them with missiles every chance I got. I saw Osprey drop a Raven, a Cataphract and an
Atlas before it got too hot for me. They had taken notice and I had an Awesome, a
Cataphract and a Hunchies coming round to take me out. Osprey was legged by that time and
I lost all track of him. I was busy circling the Cataphract pounding him with streaks and
medium lasers and punching at the Awesome with the LRM’s every time he got outside 180
meters. I killed the Cataphract and the Awesome looked like his front armor was gone and I
thought Dano you might just make it outta here when hell light up my cockpit. The Hunchie
punched my back armor out and blew the engine, I hit the ejector and guess what.
Nothing…that’s right freaking nothing. My mech falls hard on it’s side and the cockpit is
starting to burst into flames. The door won’t open and I’m starting to burn. I must have
been screaming over the comms because the next thing I see is Eagle coming barreling
through those Liao mechs in that light of his. I see him run right past them taking a
beating and coming right at me with those lasers locking onto my cockpit. I thanked God
that I wouldn’t burn to death and my release would come from the skipper. He was a father
figure to all of us and when the chips hit the fan, we knew he would always be there to
bail our asses out. He fired and I closed my eyes, but he didn’t hit the cockpit, he
blasted the bottom of it out and was able to snuff out the bulk of the flames while giving
me an escape hole. I moved through that rupture like a greased pig and got up to look
right into the lasers of that oncoming Awesome. Hell I thought, maybe it was better in
that cockpit when the mech’s chest just seemed to explode. Skipper took him down while he
was licking his lips to smack me. After that I started running for the crop fields, found
a place to lie down and hide and watched Eagle make snacks outta 3 more mechs and then ran
off again towards the smoke. I was able to find a sympathetic farmer that took me in hid
me and nursed me back to health. I’ve been working for him as an agro-mech driver ever
since. “ Falcon just stared at Dano for a few seconds and then said “Wow that’s an amazing
story, I’m sure Osprey and Ironhawk will want to hear it firsthand.” Alright, I have a
dropship at the port and we’ve got trade goods and supplies loading. We’ll be lifting at
dawn, will you be there?” Dano looked at Falcon and smiled and said “You bet your wings on
that, here’s the manifest for my gear, I have a 65 ton agro-mech all packaged up and
waiting in a cheap warehouse, it’s been there for the last 10 years waiting for the right
ship to come in. I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”
+++
Begin transmission
Comstar HPG txt file com.
Origin: Andurien, Free Worlds League space
Destination: AH compound Outreach
+++
Found him alive and well… will be departing at dawn…. He said to tell Osprey he’s coming
in and bringing Cupid with him….said you would know what he means.
Falcon
+++
End transmission
+++