406 replies to this topic

[SageOfBattle]

Rainbow Stables Battlemech Bays
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19, 0639 hrs

Examining his security papers, Maligo turned to face the open door of the hangars, a security guard checking the credentials of anyone passing through it. His hard work seemed to have finally paid off. After numerous days of working with a normal reserve-line technical crew and even more job applications, one had finally returned with an offer. The Rainbow Stables were in need of skilled technical staff, and Maligo’s reputation on the reserve teams had cemented his candidacy. After presenting the papers to the guard he was allowed in, only to be swept away by a lead technician.

“You’re the new guy right? Mr. Valetudo? Good! You’re right on time.”

“Ummm…. It’s good to be working with you?” Maligo offered, confused at how fast he was being swept up.

The lead technician pointed to a Battlemech, of which the model name eluded him at the moment, sitting in a berth, techs swarming over it. “This guy’s going into battle later today. Our weapons config specialist is down with a flu or something. Your resume said that you had experience programming Fire Control Systems right?”

“Only a bit but-“

“Good enough!” He handed Maligo a radio and patted him on the back. “The weapons need to be function tested, grouped and the FCS targeting system needs to be colminated. You’re now the leader of team 5, congratulations, they’re on channel 5, now get to work.”

With that, the lead technician walked off, leaving a very confused Maligo behind.

“Errr. Okay…. Thank you?”

EDIT: Spelling fix

Edited by SageOfBattle, 08 July 2012 - 06:38 AM.

[ChaosGrinder]

Solaris Mech Space
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th, 07:50 Hours

She actually wanted to fix some minor issues, just to having them done, but she ended up cleaning her Hangar Bay, sorting the tools and picking up scrap left by Rick.

" He´s drinking a loooota beer man", she said to herself, sitting down on one of the tool crates, stretching.

She thought about what to do next with her Bunny, where to go and who to shoot . She had buisness to do here, but that could wait, it wasn´t imminent. First she had to repair her gear, then she could see what´s next. And with that thought she fell asleep.

[Thom Frankfurt]

Rainbow Stables,
International Zone,
Solaris City, Solaris VII,
April 19th, 6:13 hours.

DeMarkus stood staring at the name on the placque mounted on the door in front of him in utter bewilderment. Blinking his eyes he looked away then looked back at his teammates name again hoping he misread it. No, the name was the same.

Jack Churchill.

With a sigh DeMarkus closed his door and with manilla envenlope with the maps, photos, and known info on the Dump in hand, left. He strolled through the common room giving it a more apprecitive look, then headed out into the hallway. Marching down the long corridor he passed by two maintence workers slaving away at lightly scrubbing down the whiteish walls without a second thought. Riding down the elevator he chuckled to himself.

Jack Funkin Churchill... Great.

With the ding the doors opened up on the lobby allowing D to enter what Kaylee refured to as the 'Gray Room.' Looking it over he understood why she called it that, even the dark haired beauty smiling at him from behind the receptionists desk was clad in gray. The only two things not gray on her was a nametag that read 'Cassandra' and a small rainbow pin next to it.

"Hello sir, may I help you?" She spoke in a funky accent which left DeMarkus taken back.

And people say that I have a crazy accent....

"Umm... yeah. I'm DeMarkus Frankfurt. I's supposed to be's gettn a's ride out's to a Dump." He smiled as she got a look of utter concentration on her face.

"Yes. I'll have someone swing the auto around." She spoke in prefect Russian, which caught D off guard. He nodded then looked out the tinted double doors.

"Hey yo. I'lls be's out in da mechyard." He shot back in Russian to which Cass smiled and nodded.

He walked into the small office ajoining the 'Grey room' and mechyards causing two techs to look up at him from their computer terminals, one of them was Randal who nodded at him then pointed out into the yard in the direction of a crimson Commando. An ugly much abused looking machine with a black piece of hardened steel welded over half it's face. One-Eye. DeMarkus smiled at the sight of his machine. He then wordlessly left the two grease monkeys to whatever they were doing on the data terminals and stalked off in the direction of the Commando.

Grily pop music blared from the external speakers on the mech, but the tunes were largely drowned out by the thunking click of an aircompressor and hiss of air blowing around under the upraised armored panel of the Commando's foot. He cast a glance at the two blond techs raising scaffolding around the mech then looked back to the foot as the sound of airblowing died. Backing out slowly, a jumpsuited and goggled Kaylee emerged from within the housing. Covered with a light coat of dust and grime Kaylee looked about and seeing DeMarkus smiled and waved.

"Hi!" She beamed in her normal bright cheerful way. DeMarkus glanced at the two techs erecting scaffolding then arched an eyebrow.

"Oh, that's our helpers.. The balding one is Chris, and the other one is Eddie." She leaned in close and whispered conspiritorially. "They're brothers."

"What's you's doing?" He nodded at the compressor.

"Oh this? Well, the actuator was getting choked up by dust from the proving grounds. I'm just blowing it out and going to lube it up. As well as all the actuators..." She tucked her hands into her pockets and rolled back on her heels.

"Your still wanting to go through with this?" She asked. DeMarkus opened his mouth to reply but the approach of one of the guards stopped him. The guard had a deep purple shinner and an eye swollen shut.

"Hey Mac, you that Capellan? Your car is waiting... this way." The beat up knuckledragger stated in a rather flat dejected tone. Then began walking off towards the offices.

DeMarkus looked into the worried face of Kaylee and shrugged.

"Don'ts aworry Kay... I'lls be's a back soon. We'lls talk den" With that he turned to shadow the guard as he walked off.

Edited by Thom Frankfurt, 09 July 2012 - 08:37 PM.

[RogueSpear]

Proving Grounds,
International Zone,
Solaris City, Solaris VII,
April 19th, 11:42 Hours.

Jack jumped Taysider in a twist with the jump jets and some crazy footwork he'd never quite been able to get right, for the umpteenth time since a Snake had used it against him on the periphery, he used the torso twist of the Urbie to complete the 180 and burn a short bar into the wall, just over a 180m distant with his small laser. Landing midstride, he swept the mech to the left with barely a hitch. 20 years of hard fighting had Jack well able to deal with the balance issues of a minor limp. In rapid succession, he punched holes through the building, the Urbanmech's new AC-10, fitted that morning shaving nearly a full second off the previous load time. 'S nice to hae up tae code equipment. He'd had the older gun for nearly 8 years, it must have been more knocked about than he'd noticed.
Jack sighed. So many things needed to be done differently now he was in normal space. 'Civilized'. In the Periphery, having a working gun made the difference between life and death, not having a new one. Begrudgingly, he was somewhat proud of Dan. The gun now mounted on the Urbanmech certainly needed calibrated, he doubted he could hit the centre torso of a mech reliably, but knocking down walls was no hard task. He made a mental note to get Dan to elaborate - he'd been told a swift tale of how the so new it shone Imperator cannon had been sidetracked from being installed in another mech or found under a tarp or something. Truth be told, Jack had just been astonished at the sight of the weapon mounted in an unarmoured barbette on the side of his mech. Dan had been running diagnostics on the targetting computer, trying to figure out why there were next to no returns on his screen at the time. Something had been muttered about how he didn't need armour yet and to shoo.
It was certainly a strange day for Jack so far.
Sighing, Jack looked to the collection of news vehicles mounted in plain sight along the ridges of the ground. All clicked and whirred as they transmitted pict captures and half hearted monologues from reporters. His radio occasionally beeped as it signalled incoming text transmissions. No doubt more reporters suicidally asking if he'd intended to crush their fellows. Fools didn't even have escorts.
Journalists.
Jack took a sip of the water currently filling his neurohelmet's flasks, by tacit agreement with Von Bremen. His one regret from this whole escapade was not the new weapon, it's unarmoured housing, the lack of whiskey, the newscasters recording his every move, his leg...
It was the bloody stupid rainbow bands painted in a smiley face across his mech.


The Dump,
<Corresponding area, Thom, let me know what to edit this with>,
Solaris City, Solaris VII,
April 19th, 13:21 Hours.

Jack wandered into the Dump. Frowning, he looked over it. There were at least a dozen death traps he spotted outright, less if it was a straight one to one, but it was obviously a vicious arena for infighters. Slowly, he began to wander around it, buying a sausage in a bun from an astonishly hopeful vendor. Spitting out a chunk of the unidentified meat, Jack sat in the top tiers, plotting. Eventually, a figure appeared next to him and helped himself to a seat.
"So you're not the Hangman, he was here earlier. But your guard has the same silly band. So who are you?"
Turning to face the oriental, Jack saw a black clad stables guard with a rainbow patch squaring off against another with a blackened hand standing thirty feet above them and cursed his preoccupation.
Why dae ye even care about this c*nt?
"Ah'm the man wha's pumpin' yer ma. Gang awa' wi' ye, *****." He rumbled as the fool went rigid with anger at the gibe.
"Angering me does not bode well for your stablemate."
"Annoying me doesnae dae anythin' fer ye." Jack rolled his head to face the pinched faced 'champion'. "Ah don't know the Hangman, ah'm just keekin' at the arena. If ah wanted tae hae a blether wi' ye, ah'd have telt ye. But ah dinnae. And fae what ah see..." He snorted and hawked a loogie down the stands before him. "G'luck tae ye neighbor."
"Neighbor?" Sneered the oriental. "Isn't the cliché 'friend'?"
Jack shrugged and stood. "Wha' sez yer me friend? Jist mind if'n the Hangman doesnae knock ye down, ye'll be scrappin' Vicious soon enough. An' that..." Jack raised an eyebrow. "Ah've ne'er found one wha' actually expected what he got."
With that he clicked his fingers at the rainbow guard above him and wandered off, ******** *** **** over his shoulder as he cheerfully wandered out.

Rainbow Stables,
'The Grey Room'

International Zone,
Solaris City, Solaris VII,
April 19th, 15:58 Hours.

Jack shifted uncomfortably before the double banners, each depicting linked logos of the five successor states on a flamboyant, multicoloured theme as the young girl fixed his mic. In the last hour he'd been scrubbed down, sobered to the point of Knurd, dressed up, and worst of all, trimmed to perfection. HIs beard was perfectly cropped, despite reaching 6 inches from his face at the lowest point, it gave him the distinct impression of nobility, which coupled with the dress uniform some lunatic had knocked out in the previous day, had Jack worrying.
Erin stood smirking to one side with a glass of wine while she politely disengaged a reporter, her eyes never leaving his face as she looked for a screw up.
Von Bremen flanked him, occasionally muttering advice like 'Stand straight, maintain a constant attitude, ignore any question not on the cards' and 'Don't imagine them in their underwear, if any of them are pretty I don't want to know what you'd do."
A dozen LCAF guards watched the entrances to the room, and from the shiner and vaguely familar face sported by one of the functionaries scurrrying about he assumed the staff were guards to.
He was painfully aware of the fact he had only been allowed to wear a short knife to match his kilt. Finally, the reporters lined up, the cameras whirred, and the annoying rabbit in the suit gave him the thumbs up. Jack looked down at his cards and began his formal apology.
"Uhhhh..." His voice trailed off and he winced.
He gave another false start, and another.
As the cameras transmitted live across the globe, he said, "Ah'm really sorry. I foocked the van 'cos o' a radar error. Uhhhh...Mr. Von Bremen? Ah cannae read 'er writin'." The neatly trimmed beard twisted in embarassment as he held up the cards. "Help?"

Cherry Babies Strip Club,
International Zone,
Solaris City, Solaris VII,
20:58 hours.

Jack heaved a sigh of relief as he entered the house of negotiable affection. Despite the quartet of guards his earlier embarassment had earned him as Von Bremen grumpily decided to ascertain he wasn't trying to ruin the stable's reputation again, he was feeling much better just for being near semi naked women and a live bar. He found it reassuring that despite his unexpected friendliness to the Capellan that his superiors still thought he was trying to ruin them. Certainly not his proudest moment, but he found it amusing they would rather believe he was a petty dick than that he couldn't read.
Right up until he thought that of course.
Moodily, he supped at his ale as the four guards stood at attention behind him and a nubile young lady rubbed up against him with a 100 C-Bill note in the horizontal lower crux of her panties. Even getting away with that didn't cheer him up as the lights fell. On the stage several women wandered out. An hour later, Jack was no longer moody, two birthday-suited women with not unrespectable racks pressed tightly to each other in the center stage. Blinking, Jack realized his leg was no longer what was being rubbed up against, and that he had been holding his mug in silence for at least twenty minutes.
Staring into the somewhat ignored lady's eyes as she moved to cushion him between her ample assets, he soothed his parched throat with a swallow of the thick booze.
"So, want tae be takin' this to a backroom and help me stroke off?"

Edited by RogueSpear, 13 July 2012 - 06:32 AM.

[Sparks Murphey]

Rainbow Stables Office
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th 09:25 Hours

Bertie grinned as Frederick approached. He looked tired, though Bertie couldn’t actually think of a time he’d seen him particularly animated. “Well then, shall we sell our souls?”

Bertie snorted, “Only if we get a good price. Come on, let’s go.”

---

The chairs were lumpy. Not overly so, in a way that you’d notice immediately, but subtly, so that over the course of whatever it was you were here for, you’d come to realise that whatever you did, you’d be uncomfortable. These were the chairs of an experienced and canny negotiator. Or someone who didn’t care about the person on the other side of the desk. Bertie hoped it was the former rather than the later.

He’d been in such chairs before, negotiating as a lone wolf mercenary. This time, however, he had an advantage: there were two on his side, and only one on hers.

“I’ve had a look over the details of your package last night,” Bertie began, “And it’s a joke. You seem to be getting just about everything in this deal. Heck, the only reason I’d still be piloting my ‘Mech seems to be that you’re too cheap to hire a monkey to drive it in my place.”

Always start strong. Make them think you do just want to be settled and gone, but in rejection not acceptance.

Erin raised a scornful eyebrow. “Really, Mr Walker? And I take it you have suggestions, since you’re sitting in my office?”

Bertie jerked a thumb towards Frederick. “Firstly, this is my associate Frederick. Since at the moment you seem to have a half-disintegrated Commando and an UrbanMech pilot who can’t pilot his way out of a paper bag, I want someone who actually knows how to drive a BattleMech watching my back on the field. If you can’t convince him to join, I’m out.

“Secondly, my daughter will need accommodation and after-school care, which your stables will be providing. Since health insurance for her was your big hook to reel me in, I’m assuming you’ve already thought of it and are going to be putting it in place, but somehow it managed to slip out of the legals.”

Erin started to say something, but Bertie held up a finger and carried on.

“Third, I get to veto any matches you set up for me. If I do, I don’t get paid, but I won’t be put in showboat match that recklessly endangers me for the sake of the spectacle.”

“Vetoes? If people got to bow out of a match whenever they thought they were in danger, there’d never be any matches run on this world,” she shook her head, “It’s not happening.”

“I’m not talking about running away from danger,” Bertie growled, his hackles rising, “I’m talking about half-***ed attempts at making this into a performance rather than a sport. Risks are fine, but Bertie Walker Attempts to Fight Three Atlases Armed Only With a Flamer is bull****. I doubt I’d need to pull this out more than a handful of times in a year, if you don’t get cocky.”

A faint smirk touched her lips. “Five times? No way. You get one veto, that’s it.”

Bertie groaned inwardly. He hadn’t meant to start negotiating about this.

“One? So you set me up with a single ridiculous match so I use it up first thing? That’s no different from none. Three, and if it should come to a fourth, I walk.”

Erin sat back in her chair. “Alright. Before I go any further with our negotiations, since you are a condition for Mr Walker’s agreement, what is it you want, Mr....Frederick?”

[Vulpesveritas]

Rainbow Stables Office
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th 09:26 Hours

Frederick sighed, twirling a pen through his fingers, and caught it when Erin spoke his name. "Call me Vulpes, if you will, and I have my list here as to my requirements for me to pilot among your stable. And before you try to claim me as a nobody pilot, please keep in mind my military background and my match the other day before you turn me down for my demands."

Frederick took a breath, handing over a list, and moving his shoulders in such a way as to broadcast authority, proceeded with his demands.
"First of all, I will request that I have assistance moving from my current location in town, and that not only my accommodations within the stable be paid for, but also that my lease be paid for. Second, that I am allowed the first Wednesday of each thirty day cycle off, no questions asked, for personal reasons. Third, that I be given full control over my 'mech for a match, regardless of what kind of match you put me in. No one is going to put me in a set-up I feel uncomfortable with, so I choose my 'mech and equipment. Fourth, that I be able to keep a minimum of two-thirds of my pay from matches. Finally, keep in mind that if Bertie walks, I walk. No questions asked." Frederick finished, breathing calmly, hoping that this be settled cleanly.

Edited by Vulpesveritas, 08 July 2012 - 10:22 PM.

[guardian wolf]

The Dump,
Solaris City, Solaris VII,
April 19th, 14:21 Hours

Dylan was atop the stands surrounding the Dump. He had tracked the Cappellan to be headed to here, and Von Bremen, was with him. He surveyed the area with binoculars, the assassin would strike here. That's where he'd make the shot, or kill, whatever she had in mind. Nothing, he felt as if he should be at ease, but that was what happened right before someone died. It was quiet, and Dylan had noticed even the man manning the stand, took a hint, and left. He looked around, and tried to spot the perfect shooting point, where he'd take the shot. He was not used to being the hunted, and it really pissed him off. If DeMarkus was going to have a chance, he had to find the assassin, before she got a chance to kill him. He checked his watch, the panic button was still on, and the time was 14:30, DeMarkus was going to be here soon, and Dylan figured he just as well tell him now. He was going to walk down the stands when he saw it, a small red dot, that skittered across the stands, headed right for him. He did not think, but reacted, and ran. He looked for its source, and found it, inside the arena. Of course, the perfect place that no one would look, and what is one shell casing from the next, no one would have noticed. Dylan dived, and heard the crack of the rifle, he was behind a storage room of some kind. He heard another crack of the rifle, and then heard a hissing sound. Cursing his luck, he dove down a flight of stairs, and tumbled. His one thought as he hit the railing of the stands, was that he hoped DeMarkus got the message, and got help. Dylan smacked his panic button, drew his pistol, and set to look for him in the stadium. He hoped that he was not too late.

[Thom Frankfurt]

Rainbow Stables Office
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th 09:26 Hours

Why you two.... sniveling....spineless.... worms.

Erin graced the two men with a charming smile. She then took a sip of tea while she gathered her thoughts and reminded herself to play it cool. She gently placed the cup upon a saucer on the corner of her desk, then leaned back into her chair and folded her hands into her lap. Her eyes became two sapphire slits.

Deal with the easy one first...

"Fair enough Mr. ah, please excuse me, Vulpes. I'll have two of guards here assist you in your move. Your lease will be paid. You'll have your personal days off. And will have say in any match that comes your way."

She chuckled. Then looked at both of them

"All the warriors here have say in their matches. If you feel uncomfortable with anything, please let me, or Randolph know and we will do what we can to rememdy it promptly. I'm not sending anyone up against an Atlas in an undergunned Wasp, well unless that's what you want. Your machines and lives are too valuable to throw away in matches like that... I'm not sure how they do things in the other stables, but here at Rainbow Stables you'll have no need to worry about that.

Erin cleared her throat and took another sip from her tea. She held her hand out in an offering gesture to the tea cup.

"Are you sure you don't want any? I've had this shipped, at cost, from Kaifeng, it's rather good." She smiled then took another sip.

"Where was I? Oh yes. Yes you have say in who or who you don't fight... but, If you signed all the paperwork agreeing to a fight, then back out," She glanced Bertie's way "It will be all on you to pay the forefit fee."

Veto.... what a fool. Better grow a backbone or kiss your Enforcer bye-bye.

"Mr. Walker, your daughter, Heather will have accomedation. And we'll even go a step further than 'after school care' we'll provide her with a private tutor. This will save you on cab fare, worrying about keeping schedules, and neglecting your duties here. And you'll won't have to worry about Heather rubbing elbows with the delinquients in any of the local schools..."

And it keeps her close... just in case.

She awarded them with another charming gaze.

"Now, if there are no more concerns...." She made the move to pull out some pretyped contracts for them to sign...

[Sparks Murphey]

Rainbow Stables Office
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th 09:26 Hours

Well, that went better than expected. Nearly too well. It wasn’t often you found contract partners who were willing to give you more than you were asking for, and when you did, it was usually because they were shafting you with the other hand. Bertie’s gut told him to walk away from the table, but...

...legally, it seemed legit. Heather would get her health insurance, and some tutoring that he couldn’t have hoped to get her otherwise. He’d have a say in all his matches. He’d get paid, not brilliantly, but quite well, and better than most of the crummy merc jobs he’d been doing. Sure, he might get burned, but he was already in financial difficulty, and this would clear that up. At least he knew to be watchful for the knife in the back.

He signed the contract.

“Alright, I’ll go prep my Enforcer to move it over here. We’ll move our res stuff in this afternoon.”

[Thom Frankfurt]

The Dump,
Solaris City, Solaris VII,
April 19th, 11:12 Hours


"So what'cha think, Mac?" Larold asked causing DeMarkus to look up from from where he was sitting, brooding over the map in his hand just in time to see the musclebound chaperone take a bite out of a hotdog. Immediatly the guard got a bitter look on his face and spat out the mouthfull of 'dog (literally) DeMarkus chuckled as Larold scaned the food in his hand with a curious look then tossed it to the side with a look of utter disgust.

Dog, cat, or rat.... that's what you get from buying from a shady vendor, the day before an event.

D sat the photo down and looked out over the abandoned waste facility, a five square kilometer stretch of well... junk. Looking it over he was able to ascertain the orgins of some of it, a rail car here, a refridgerator here, water heater there, but for the most part it was just like any other dump, just unidentifiable waste. Small roadways wound through the place, little pathways really, topped off with gravel. All of the paths eventually lead to a huge mound of garbage that dominated the center of the 'arena.' Looking to the East he saw what his maps/photos labeled as a twisting maze of stacked compacted cars. To the West he saw what was once the head offices and administration buildings of what was once known as Hunts Brothers Waste and Recycling INC.

All in all, he thought it was a great place for a fight. The tight turns of the car maze offered a great spot for infighters to ambush the unwary. The 'Mound' was a good spot for spoting or raining down long ranged missile fire, while the rolling plains of junk offered some degree of cover from it. And the roadways offered some degree of fast travel in the rough terrain of the Dump. And it was big enough to allow lance on lance fights.. If he was to take a guess, he'd say that it was the rather remote location that was the onlything holding it back from being used as one of the Circut 1 arenas.

The Capellan nodded as the image of One-Eye and Jack's Urbie blasting away opponents in team double matches danced before his minds eye. Finally DeMarkus answered Larold's question as the guard made the look like he was trying to get a bad taste out of his mouth.

"It's a playground for da demented." Markus quoted from one of the songs saved onto his Commando's computer.

From the direction of Solaris City, a massive Cargo VTOL slowly appeared. As it turned on final approach, the logo for Solaris Broadcasting Communications came into view. DeMarkus gathered up the photo's and maps as it neared and touched down over by a cleared off space at the far end of the spectator's grandstands. The doors flew open disgourging men who ran hunched over to a well weathered SBC bungelo.

More film techs?

Thinking it over, there would need be a small army of technicians to monitor all the camera remotes hidden amognst the garbage of the arena. Then an editing crew to splice together something decent to send off to be aired. Then he thought that considering the logistics of it, and how infrequently battles were fought there, maybe it wasn't as good of a locale afterall. Then there was the grandstands that would be cramed full of spectators that endured the hour long drive to watch 'the robots fight!' to consider. A stray missile or particle cannon blast could make the PR nightmare of Jack's crushing the media van look like a tea party. He made a mental note to do everything he could to pick his shots so they wouldn't go anywhere near the bleachers... He only hoped Min would be as obliging.

Gathering up his stuff he looked at the Rainbow Stable infantryman that accompied him out to the Dump and smiled seeing him still waggling his tounge out trying to get rid of the hotdog of questionable orgins taste out of his mouth.

"Hey man. Let's get outta's heres. I know dis place dat makes an awesome enchilada.... I'll's treat."

Edited by Thom Frankfurt, 12 July 2012 - 08:29 PM.

[RogueSpear]

Rainbow Stables Mechspace
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th, 14:02 hours.

Dan groaned in frustration. He'd checked every lead and connection on the radar system, checked the targetting computer, even got some new tech with some piloting experience called Maligo to walk it around with the armour off so he could see if anything was getting bumped around. Nothing. The damn thing was still barely getting a return from anything other than terrain. Mechs and electronic readings just weren't showing up at all - except for weird terrain features. Crawling out of the Urbies exposed innards, he hauled himself onto a gantry. Cracking his back and arching his shoulders he let loose another groan, this one in relief as his joints loosened up. He wished he smoked or drank like Jack or something. He'd literally just bought some of these parts!
He sighed as he watched the powerful magnet crane across the bay lift a sheaf of armour plating into place. Wearily, he headed off to the cafeteria. After waiting in line, he grabbed himself a pair of sausage rolls and a bottle of milk, paid for them and headed back to the bay. Munching down the last of the first roll, he took a swig of milk, heading back towards Taysider, past the broken wreck of the Champion and the battered Jagermech. New parts were being delivered for the Jagermech, the last that Jack had purchased before his big fight. Dan knew there was a gyro arriving, and some of the more delicate electronics. He'd need to finish going over the full list of problems with the mech. The main problem was how much abuse it had taken without a proper refit - parts of the skeleton itself were needing yanked, most of the armour that remained was subpar periphery crap Jack had bought to hide how much damage had actually been done to it. Half the internal electronics had been fried by at least one PPC blast. There was even a bore hole through one of the lower ammo bins - Lucky for Jack it must have been empty at the time.
Abruptly he choked bits of sausage and pastry over the gantry onto the Jaegermech and the labourers hauling crates below. The magnet! Had the magnet crane been used for the targetting computer? I ordered armour and ammo as well, did they just haul it all at once with that damn crane?
Sprinting along the gantry, he ignored the annoyed shouts from below him as milk from the dropped carton rained down on the workers too. Swinging into the Urbie, he pulled a screwdriver off his belt and began working on the side of the computer's casing. A few minutes later he scrambled out for a diagnostic pad, scrambled back in and linked it to the computer's SSD. Seconds later he groaned. It had been partially wiped - definitely the damn magnet crane.


Rainbow Stables Mechspace
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th, 14:38 hours.

"Get that bloody crane out of here! Your incompetents have already ruined one targeting computer and directly caused that f*ck up at the proving grounds!" Dan roared at Randall.
Randall spat disparagingly at Dan's feet. "Bullsh*t. It's only used for armour and ammo, and lifting limbs. No fool would've picked up yer computer."
"Oh really?" Dan held out the diagnostic pad defiantly. Say that to these readings on the SSD. Oh and here," he flicked back to the device's memory and stuck it out again. "To these original readings. Worked perfectly fine before, doesn't now."
Randall shrugged. "Whatever, not my issue. Your funkup, not the crane. If that crane picked it up, you told it to." He sneered. "Probably did it just to protect that drunk of a pilot."
Dan and Randall proceeded to shout and roar at each other as the whole bay ground to a standstill to watch and listen. Eventually Dan threw up his hands and called over the railing. "Maligo! You do software on FCS right?"
"He's working on -"
"SHUT THE F*CK UP!" Dan roared back at Randall, shoving him backwards. Calling down angrily to the new tech, "Maligo, can you help or not? Half the SSD is wiped because of this sh*thead."

[Thom Frankfurt]

Rainbow Stables Office
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th 09:26 Hours

Erin smiled as Bertie scratched his name down upon the contract with the pen, she was positively beaming as she watched the rather bored looking Vulpes follow suit. Signing his name in huge letters across the whole bottom of the paper and added a fancy flare of penwork as he dotted his I's and underlined his name in broad bold strokes. She then stood up and taking both contracts, held them to her breast like she would cherish them.

“Alright, I’ll go prep my Enforcer to move it over here. We’ll move our res stuff in this afternoon.” Her Walker stood and made to leave. Erin cut him off.

"Wait. Before you leave, let me be the first to officially welcome you to Rainbow Stables. You two are now part of 'team one.' "

She smiled at the confused looks on their faces and she did her best not to straight out laugh at them as the look of understanding dawned on them.

"You'll be teamed up with, and housed with Mr's Churchill and Frankfurt.... I believe you know them? You know, the 'Urbanmech pilot who couldn't pilot his way out of a wet paper bag, and the owner of the half disintigrated Commando.' She did her best to maintain a serious look on her face and held up a well manicured hand to forestall their protest.

"Don't fret you two. Despite what you may think, those two are both ace pilots. Despite the poor state of their mechs and that pr nightmare out on the grounds. Mr. Churchill owns two heavy mechs, a Jaegermech and a Champion. The Champ, he won that in the arena. He took it out in that Urbie of all things. And as for the Capellan, he arrived here on Solaris less than two months ago with nothing but a needler pistol, and now he owns a battlemech. Reguardless of your persoanl feelings, have to admit they aren't doing too shabby..."

"So go ahead and get your mech's prepped. And I'll have some men come to help assist you two in your move. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to see to."

Edited by Thom Frankfurt, 15 July 2012 - 11:50 AM.

[Thom Frankfurt]

Rainbow Stables Mechyard
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th, 14:38 hours.

"EDDIE!!!" The shout rang out over the poppy girl music causing Kaylee and Eddie to both look up at Chris from the manlift where they were working lubing up One-Eye's left hip actuator. Perched up on One-Eye's shoulder he had a great look around the yard and was pointed at a scene of gathereing techs. It looked like a fight was going down.

"I GOT TEN KORNER ON THE UGLY ONE!!!" He added as he took a seat to enjoy the fight.

"Oh for crying out loud." Kaylee facepalmed herself smearing a glob of golden lubricant across her face.

[Vulpesveritas]

Rainbow Stables Office
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th 09:27 Hours

Vulpes returned a smile and as he walked out, turned, and made a fluid, mildly flirtatious, and overall polite bow to Erin just before he left the room, waiting outside for Bertie. Mentally chuckling, he raised an eyebrow. "well, I suppose we get to bunk with the flunkies. Wonder what they're like." He said lightly, as he started to head out of the building. Calling a taxi, he waited, as he would have to get his things in order to move his 'mech from it's hanger.

[Thom Frankfurt]

Rainbow Stables Mechyard
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th, 14:45 hours.

Kaylee watched on as the group of onlooking and instagating techs finally broke up after the one tech swallowed his pride and walked off from Greasy. Randal continued to taunt from his where he was while his small click of chuckleheads laughed and cheered him on. Saddly she shook her head, it was another Jimmy all over again.

Beep. She pried her eyes away from the bully and his goons to look down at the noteputer riding upon her hip. Annoyed she rolled her eyes and peeled off the muck caked elbow length latex gloves. She took it up and looked at it curiouslly.

A message from Mar? He never messages anyone.

She opened the message and read it over.

Kaylee. dinner, 5ish...taco place. Invite everyone. And see if you can invite Jack, the Urbie pilot. Thanks Sweetie.

Smitten, she quickly replied.

Will do. See you at 5. Miss you.

Smiling she sent the message then looked at her two helpers.

"Hey guys, that'll have to be enough for right now. Mar invited us all to dinner. Go get cleaned up."

Still glowing she activated the control to lower the manlift then began to run off in the direction of the Urbanmech. She looked over the place for the bearded mechwarrior she'd seen piloting the mech. She didn't find him, instead she found the 'pretty' tech who just narrowly avoided a fight. As she approached she cast a nervous look Randal's way, he'd skulked off back into the office, but still could be seen shooting withering glares Dan's way. He met eyes with Kaylee and the frown deepened.

Oh great he see's me.

"Hi, I'm Kaylee!" She beamed at him like how she always approached strangers with hand extended for a shake.

"What was all that about?" She cast another nervous glance Randals way..

[SageOfBattle]

Rainbow Stables Mechspace
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19, 1438 hrs

"To these original readings. Worked perfectly fine before, doesn't now."

"Whatever, not my issue. Your funkup, not the crane. If that crane picked it up, you told it to. Probably did it just to protect that drunk of a pilot."

And with that, Maligo watched as civility went out the window with the two in their little discussion. He knew exactly what the two were arguing about. The day before, Maligo had watched as a team of techs had mounted an Urbanmech’s targeting computer with a magnetic clamp crane during his interview. He had protested against it, having made the same mistake himself several years earlier, but instead Randall had simply threatened to fire him before he even started his first day, leaving him with not much choice but to stand by and watch. Instead, he chose to prepare for the impending storm as soon as he saw Dan make a beeline for the mech, stocking a cart with all the needed tools to reflash a targeting computer’s memory.

As expected, the call soon came. "Maligo, can you help or not? Half the SSD is wiped because of this sh*thead."

“Right, right, hang on.” He took the cart up the maintenance lift to the cockpit gantry. As he passed Randall, Maligo took the opportunity to emphasize his point. “Sure, the mag-clamps will be fine, the shielding will protect it! Idio t.”

Randall, in response waved his hands in the air, swore and walked away. Maligo turned to Dan and took the diagnostic pad. “And I just bloody well set this thing's software up this morning too.” He flipped through the multitudes of error codes, each one pointing towards a different error. “Well, for starters, it thinks the Autocannon is destroyed, but at the same time, it says you’re loaded with close to 2000 rounds of ammo for it. The best I can do is try to restore it to factory defaults by reinstalling the firmware, then you’ll have to set the thing up for yourself again.” He scrolled down some more. “Beyond that, there could be some parts that are fried. The EM shielding is designed to defend against PPC impacts, not direct magnetic field application. If you’re okay with it, I could take it apart and check and have it put back together in about an hour.”

Edited by SageOfBattle, 15 July 2012 - 07:39 PM.

[Jeremy Hunter]

Cherry Babies Strip Club
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th (still)

Izzy was gently shaken from her nap by a familiar brunette.
"Hey. Your shift ended ten minutes ago. Sleeping at home's way better then this place."
"You were on my stomach." She said flatly. The girl chuckled and helped her up. "True."
Izzy pulled away and headed for her locker, pulling out her things. So far she had seen a few different people, some of them barely paying attention to some who were gawking at her with lust. Not that it mattered; none looked like a MechWarrior.

After she had put her locket around her neck, Nicky accosted her outside. "Hey. Wanna get something to eat? I'm always famished after my shifts."
"Uh...I need to find the 'Mech stables."
"Why?"
"I want to fight in my 'Mech."
"You got a mech?!"
"Sentinel."
"Woah..." She sighs. "So, you'll leave the Cherry if you get picked up?"
"Maybe. Might stay, depends on if anyone keeps me there."
Nicky nods. "Hey, here's the place." She pulls izzy into a deli. "Their sandwhiches aren't half bad."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Uh, my job to watch the newbies? And since you're new to Solaris, since you brought a entire duffel in the day you got hired..."
"Nice eye."
"I like watching everyone."
Izzy stayed silent after she ordered her sandwhich. She didn't feel like talking anymore, and this bubbly girl was making her confused. She sighs and just eats.
She'd figure out more about why Nicky was acting so nice later. No one acted this nice without an agenda...
Not since Sora.

[guardian wolf]

Rainbow Stables Mechbay
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 20th, 06:55

Dylan got up out of his bunk, he'd been saved narrowly, by Davin's timely arrival. He could not believe his stupidity in that situation, and then wished it was as simple as it was before, back in Clan space, where all he had to do was fight, in his mech, where he belonged. He shook the thought from his memory, and focused on the here and now. He had made sure that his fight was on the 22nd, it was a three way free-for-all. Sounded like 2-on-1 in the beginning and whoever's lucky wins. Dylan cared not what odds he was up against, and was sure that he could overcome them, just like he did on the Homeworlds. He put on his jacket, and strapped his laser pistol in its customary position under his left armpit. It was 0700, and he made his way to the mechbay. He mentally glanced back as he tried to remember what to check as a tech before his fight. He was a warrior of the warrior caste, and therefore not used to doing his own maintenence, but, command had requested that each mech pilot become more familiar with the inner workings of their mechs. It was a small gesture, but the manuals they had been given, saved him days on classes they took. He approached the mechbay, and the smell of coolant, armor, DU slugs, and other items welcomed him, as if he were home. He spotted his Flea, and approached it, starting what was going to be a long day of maintenence.

[RogueSpear]

Rainbow Stables Mechspace
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th, 14:42 hours

Dan turned to look at the other tech. "Wait, you were messing with this mech this morning before I got here?"
Milago looked surprised. "Uh yeah, I saw Randall lift this thing with the crane yesterday, so I got it prepped to reset it but then I got distracted-"
"Shut up," Dan waved his hands in front of his face to cut off the explanation. "Listen, I don't mean to be a jerk, but this is my mech. I'm responsible. So before you touch mechs, you clear it with me okay?"
"Uh yeah, sorry." Mumbled Milago.
"Same goes for the Jaeger and the Champion. I'm going to have a word with Randall's boss. These aren't Stable mechs, they don't get touched unless I approve it." Dan pinched his nose. "I'm sorry. Just...just a thing you know?"
"Hi, I'm Kaylee!" Dan wheeled round in surprise and saw the bouncy, tech girl who'd caught his eye a time or two in the bay holding out her hand.
"Uh hi, I'm Dan. Abnett. Dan Abnett. Uhhh..." He wiped his hands on the backs of his leg, simultaneously wiping sweat from his forehead as he shook her hand and realized she was talking over his mumblings. "Uhh...just...uhhh..." He sighed. "Look I don't have a nice way of putting it, that incompetent screwed up, damaged one of my mechs and directly caused a PR disaster that got my pilot in a world of shi-uhh..." He bit off the expletive, "The ummm...grief. A world of grief." Look at her face Dan, "Uh...Maligo, can we talk about this later? If you can get this sorted I'd really appreciate it. I'll buy you a beer." Without waiting for an answer he turned back to look at the pretty girl, hurriedly letting go of her hand as he realized she was awkwardly waiting for him to stop shaking it. "Sorry! Lot on my mind. What can I do you for? Do for you. Yes. What can I do for you?"
Dammit Dan, you are just the bloody worst with women.

[Thom Frankfurt]

Rainbow Stables Mechspace
International Zone
Solaris City, Solaris VII
April 19th, 14:42 hours

Kaylee pumped Dan's hand enthusiasticly. But did feel a bit annoyed as the distracted tech went about conversing with his assistant.

"Uh hi, I'm Dan. Abnett. Dan Abnett. Uhhh..." He wiped his hands on the backs of his leg, simultaneously wiping sweat from his forehead as he shook her hand and realized she was talking over his mumblings. "Uhh...just...uhhh..." He sighed. "Look I don't have a nice way of putting it, that incompetent screwed up, damaged one of my mechs and directly caused a PR disaster that got my pilot in a world of shi-uhh..." He bit off the expletive, "The ummm...grief. A world of grief." He turned to look at the other tech, "Uh...Maligo, can we talk about this later? If you can get this sorted I'd really appreciate it. I'll buy you a beer."

She looked him in the eye then let her eyes drift to where he was still holding her hand shaking it absentmindly. Dan then quickly and not too gracefully let go of her hand.

"Sorry! Lot on my mind. What can I do you for? Do for you. Yes. What can I do for you?" He managed to spit out with difficulty.

"Hey, relax sweetie." She patted him on the shoulder. "You are Jack Churchill's technician, correct?" She made her weird face. "DeMarkus just wanted to invite him to dinner. Some Mexican place that he absolutely loves...." She rolled her eyes "I'm sure that you can come too."