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X92 BLACKBIRD
The X9 Night Murder was a call-sign assigned to an unmarked black operations star attached to Smoke Jaguars Sixth Jaguar Dragoons. The entire star consisted of a highly classified 'Blackbird' stealth prototype variant of the Stormcrow that equipped an electronic countermeasure suite, an advanced MK-III targeting computer and four jump jets. During an operation in Clan Jade Falcon territory to sabotage valuable fuel-cell manufacturing facilities the X9's Star Captain James Hyon Suk made a number of mistakes and commanded his star to self destruct before they were immobilised. At the last moment, Desman Chrisholm, pilot of point two aborted the sequence and allowed himself and his mech to be taken by Jade Falcon forces. Clan Jade Falcon did not announce this capture nor condemn the incursion, instead continuing to deal with the Smoke Jaguars who remained unaware that the Jade Falcons had made a bondsman of Chrisolm.
X92 remained hidden in Jade Falcon holdings with some of its improved electronic warfare technology informing updates to other mechs. It was decades later, after the fall of the Smoke Jaguars when the X92 was put back into espionage services under the command of a capable MechWarrior named Ronan Sender. Ronan was unusual in his sibko in that he saw honor in gathering intel and assassinating targets, these dangerous solo tasks that by all counts should have eventually resulted in his death instead lead to him becoming a master trainer in advanced mech piloting for Jade Falcon ristars, all of who came to revere him and his methods. Those that trained in traditional clan combat often refused to associate with the students of Ronan, but none could deny their effectiveness when they were called into action.
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VAPOR BLADE
Operation Vapor Blade was an assignment of Clan Snow Raven's 97th Raven Striker cluster and involved tracking and destroying mobile missile bases over vast regions of scorching sand dunes. Although the attacks would be conducted at night the escort mechs were outfitted with light ballistics to provide long range defence during the one hundred degree Celsius sixty seven hour days. The operatives suffered a major setback when their departure dropship was shot down. For thirty days they hid in outcrops, ambushed patrols and scouted the superior enemy formations that were attempting to close in on them. Despite demonstrating incredible tactical proficiency while malnourished and sleep deprived, the operatives accepted a demotion without grievance for the loss of their dropship. This selflessness was later endorsed by Khan Lynn McKenna in her memoirs as an exemplar for Clan Snow Raven warrior conduct.
Edited by jjm1, 14 May 2017 - 12:46 PM.
