Journal of the Silver Daggers by Jill "Falcon" Kerrmor

[stnylan]

Week 1/1 - Status Report

So we got to Claybrook. Nice enough place, but we are very small fish. I hate paperwork, but at least by the time I got here we've gotten the new company name all squared away and registered, and nice even million in the bank.

So there are five us pilots left of the old crew. The rest, well I ain't that much more than a Rookie myself, but heavens they are so green they make me feel almost thirty. But then, that is why Mitch left us all behind on the helljob. So who are my crew?

Well there is "Graceland" - Maria Robertson, aka The Kuritan Krook as some of the old timers used to call her.
Next "Khepri" Christine Bolton, a Capellan just trying to make a living. But what kind of callsign is "Khepri"?
"Rifle" Willem Long - A Taurian "noble", but he wears it so lightly not even Darius has taken offence yet. Also, can't hit a Fortress drop-ship at point blank range.
Finally there is "Warlord" Concepcion Persson, who is most happy with a tech manual out when he's meant to be driving.
And there's me of course.

Give mechwarriors, and five mechs.
Enforcer ENF-4R
Vindicator VND-1R
Panther PNT-9R
Firestarter FS9-H
Spider SDR-5V

Not the more frightening line-up you ever saw, but it'll do.

I've told Farah to start trying to sort out the power core of this flying wreck. She's made it here, so while she needs bracing the Argo ain't likely to fly apart on us just yet. But one really bad power spike ... given how quickly the good doctor got to work I think she agrees.

Darius meanwhile says he has us our first contract. Going to check that out now. See ya soon.

 

[stnylan]

Week 1/1 - Operation Rookie Mistake

Look, I can call these ops what the damned hell I want. Well, I hadn't though of calling them anything to be fair, but on the trip back up I thought it would be neat, and the name's appropriate.

So the Mariks and Liaos ain't really all that good neighbours. Sure the Sucession War ended, but everyone knows it won't be long afore another one kicks off. So the Capellans are meant to have sent a small lance of rusty mechs out here to annoy the Mariks. They wanted us to deal with it. Sounds easy enough.

I mean, it ought to have been easy. Turns out it was two Jenners and an SDR-5K. We dropped with me in the Vindicator, Graceland in the Enforcer, Warlord in the Firestarter, and Rifle in our Spider. Me and Gracie got a nice firing position on a ridge, Rifle found the OpFor, and then Warlord went in to try and raise some fire. He did that well enough, and made himself the biggest target on the planet. Well it could have been worse - we only lost the arm of the mech and Warlord himsef is fine. We wasted the OpFor - though not afore that bloody spider kept jumping behidn Graceland. A few internals on the Enforcer, but nothing serious. The Firestarter is going to take a bit of doing though.

We got a pretty pile of salvage out of it though. I called dibs on a bit of Jenner, and the Mariks gave me twice as much again quite happily. Of course, we managed to headshot one and legged the other, so there was plenty to go around. Then they throw in an MG and what was left of the SDR-5K ... which by the time I melted its core with my PPC wasn't much.

We end up ahead, and Yang thinks with a bit more scrappage he could get a working Jenner out of this. I've told him to get the Enforcer back up and running soon as - he thinks he can do it a couple of days.

 

[stnylan]

Week 1/2 Yang's discovery

So I wake up still pissed off by Warlord busting up the Firestarter, and Yang meets me with the biggest grin I have ever seen on his Capellan face. "Boss" he says, "you know that pile of scrap in the far corner of the Bay we hadn't got a chance to clearing yet?"

For the record, it wasn't a pile. It was a entire section of the Bay itself. Yang had said he didn't want to do anything with it until we finished travelling just in case everything fell down. I thought he might have been being lazy ... but that's not usually his way.

"Yeah" I said, trying to find something - anything - with caffeine to drink.

"I thought we had to clear it out, might find something to fix the Firestarter."

"You did?" I say, a bit excited.

"No - something better."

Damned was he right. Not just anything under all that but a fully equipped bloody Assassin. And in a crate by the feet - well, something like a crate - some LosTech autocannons. Can't use them right now, but damned. Put a smile on my face even bigger than Yang has on his.

Important thing is, Yang reckons he can get this new mech operational in just a couple of hours, so I told Darius to bring me that contract list again. We are dropping again.

 

[stnylan]

Week 1/2 - Operation Cephalapod

Don't really know what the word means, but I heard an old fogie say it once and I thought it sounded cool.

I like me this Assassin. When we got it all fired up we realised there was some sneaky software in it - this thing tracks targets the way Darius thinks he counts cards. Not much punch, but what it has it lands.

So a Marik noteable had this job for a friend of his, small contract to make sure his shipment gets through. Of course the route from his factory to the shuttle landing site isn't that safe. Especially not with this low-level fighting going on. And it just so happens the chap thought there might be a Capellan mech or two out there.

I saw one or two - he thought there was a lance or two. Our Marik contact said they were fairly sure that wasn't the case. Perhaps a mixed lance of mechs and vehicles, but given how poor Capellan logistics are out here probably not in the best of shape.

With me in the Assassin Graceland got to play in the Vindicator and Rifle kept the Spider. I benched Warlord and let Kephri come out in the Falcon. Mmm, might need to rename that mech. Only one Falcon in this company, and that's me.

Well we get to our drop-site, and the bloody businessman is on the com saying his factory is under attack. We sprint out there as fast as the actuators can bear to find ... nothing. And no evidence of anything either. Of course now the rich git just clams up, and hops into his convoy. So we start escorting it and lo and behold there is a hostile down there. A hostile.

A single Firestarter with barely enough armour to cover the internals. It didn't last long, but I think it must have got an alert off because as the convoy was approaching their shuttle we detected another mech powering up - a Locust 1M. It got one volley off that scratched the paint of the Vindie and that is about it. We got what was left of them, for what it is worth (and not much at that) - though the Marik noteable who hired us threw in a bonus, so it could have been worse.

 

[stnylan]

Week 1/3 - Operation Mushroom Dancer

So for today Darius cooked up a contract from a Capellan. Seems like all the fighting out here has given some opportunties for more free-wheeling. Some might call them entrepreneurs. Well, very entreprenurially a group of them had taken hostage this painter. I never heard of her, but then that's not surprising. I don't actually think she was all that famous - but she was much appreciated by a local Capellan bigwig on account of being her daughter. Which was why she was held hostage, of course - only said Capellan bigwig decided to spend his money hiring us than paying the ransom - which is fine by me.

We dropped with the same lance as yesterday. OpFor proved to be a full lance of Mechs (one Jenner JR7-D, two locusts (a -1S and a -1V) all led by a Wolverine WVR-6K) plus a couple of support vehicles in the form of a Galleon and a Striker.

The strike was a bit annoying firing from behind obstacles and whatnot until Khepri lined up a gorgeous PPC shot. The Locust -1V was a bloody pain to take down though. It took about as long to crush it as it did the Wolverine at the end, even with this nice targetting system. Really, it was a fight of three parts. The starters was the -1V and the Galleon. The mains was taking out the Jenner, the other Locust, and the Striker. Though by then the Wolverine had finally gotten close enough to engage. Graceland kept that busy whilst the rest of us took out the others. Jenner got a pretty good salvo off on me, but the armour held up.

Then we all turned around and pegged up to the Wolverine to get its attention before it tore Graceland's Vindicator right open. As it was it gouged away all the armour on the right-hand side just about, but did nothing serious. Graceland had the pleasure of seeing it off as well.

Unfortunately there wasn't too much of the Wolverine left to salvage, but I baggsied that for the Daggers when the op was over. They then allocated us some more Jenner aparts - Yang tells enough to give us a brand new Jenner if I want it - but I told him to park it in the hold for the moment.

Think I am going to suggest Rifle becomes our main-scout. He's been doing a good job in that Spider.

 

[stnylan]

Week 1/4 - Ops Pigeon Drop & Shift Left

We're leaving Claybrooke, but we're going out on a high, and probably just in time. What a day. A busy day. For starters we ran not just one, but two ops.

Well, the first op wasn't that much. See, the guy who hired a couple of days ago to protect his business-friend is a local Free World notable called Lord Aaron Carson. I get the impression he is a bit of a local heavy hitter, and well regarded. Anyway, his friend, apparently impressed by our performance, has gone out and hired a trio of newbie pilots and cut-price mechs, and begged Lord Carson to get them some training. Through the local agent Lord Carson decided to see if we would be interested in the work - since it paid well for little risk. I thought why the hell not, and so Operation Pigeon Drop was born.

When I say these guys were new, I mean one of them only got into a proper mech for the first time yesterday. Until then it had been all simulators. As for the mechs themselves - I've seen worse, but not often before a drop. Certainly old Mitch would have never sent us out in anything like that. I took my Assassin, and the newbies came in a Commando COM-2D, a Panther, and an Urbie. The foes - some Capellan funded bandits apparently - were two work out LCT-1Vs. I let the kids get both kills after softening them up each time.

I guess they'll do, if they survive long enough. They have to work on their callsigns though - I mean who the hell wants to be known now and forever as Guano?!?!?!

However, while I was doing that the rest of the crew were off on their own adventures. See the Capellans wanted to take out a local district security chief, to further de-stabilise the planet. Mind you the backwater region they had in mind seemed pretty unstable already from what I could tell, but hey it paid well. Of course I didn't want to annoy the Mariks, but if they thought I was training their newbies I figured maybe Sumire would be able to sneak the others to the AO.

Warlord took the newly repaired Enforcer, and everyone else stayed the same. The OpFor were in three groups conducting a sweep of some frozen valleys. One group had a Javelin JVN-10N and a Vulcan VL-ST. They ran into these two first, the next was had a Locust LCT-1M, Jenner JR7-D, and a Panther PNT-9R. Finally the target himself was lumbering around in a Hunchback HBK-4G

Apparently the only real tricky moment was when Rifle went too far forward and the Vulcan got behind him and stripped off most of his rear armour, but not much bled through in the end. Apparently Warlord cored the Javelin with a single salvo. The Hunchback was trickier to take down - they most stayed beyond range of its AC-20 and eventually persuaded it to come out the woods and then swarmed it.

Main thing is they had fun. Whilst they were doing this I had been running the kids through some poor training drills, and then Sumire picked us up in the Leopard.

After it was all said and done I got a query from Lord Carson, asking if we were intending to stick around in the system. I told him I hadn't planned to, and then the bastard smiled and said he thought that was for the best, and wished us well. Clearly my ploy didn't fool him, but equally he doesn't much to mind.

Well, we're on our way out of here. I've told Sumire to take us into unclaimed space - to Arn in fact. It'll be a good next step, but will take about a month given how travel times. Enough time though for Farah to make the Argo a little more ship-shape, and Yang to repair the Firestarter. We can't quite properly restore it though on account of coming up short a flamer. And with all the fancy gear you can score here (for the right price) there isn't a flamer to be found. We'll think about alternatives.

 

[stnylan]

Week 5/3 - Arriving at Arn

We're on the final approach to Arn. Been a slow month travelling, on the whole. Yang fixed up the Spider and the Firestarter, less that one Flamer. Farah sorted out the worst of the power problems, re-installing conduits and cables all over the Argo. She even managed to get reliable power to some parts of the ship we basically left alone - including the simulator suite. I had intended her to reinforce the structure, but the sim-pods I figured would do everyone good. Mostly it was a matter of running yet more power lines and some engineering help from Yang with pods' mechanisms. Things are a bit rudimentary, but still pretty good.

Mind you, I also learned this trip why Mitch was always scowling. See, ten days or so ago I was going to see Darius about something and suddenly came across Graceland and Warlord going at each other hell for leather. I have to admit my lungs got some good exercise getting their attention, and then I dragged them into the galley to find out what was going on.

Apparently it was because Graceland had been giving Warlord a hard time 'cause of losing the Firestarter's hand, and Warlord had been boasting of coring that Javelin last op, and one thing led to another and then they both blew the top. Oh, and Warlord too apparently wasn't happy that he thought Graceland hasn't been pulling her weight in the chores department, which I don't doubt might be the real cause of the dispute. Well I remember a reaming Mitch gave me two days after my 18th and I went to town on them both, and then told them their had rubbish duty for the rest of the voyage to Arn. Joint duty. Also told them every night in the pods it was both of them against the rest of us.

And the hell thing is it appears to have worked. They are both laughing with each other now - especially since that sim-exercise a couple of days ago where they took the rest of us out three times on the trot. Speaking again of the sims I had us run through a certification course yesterday. The results pretty much as I expected - myself, Graceland, and Khepri have improved out shooting - I've even managed some multi-shots which I figure might come in handy. Rifle has been practicising his piloting, which given he seems really eager to continue scouting seems sensible. Warlord, well nothing obvious yet, but in our games he kept trying to extend the life of his mech under fire. He ain't there yet, but if he keeps it up.

As for the mechs, I've chosen to name my Assassin Sunrise, and Graceland is calling the Vindicator the Lady V. Time to see what this planet holds

 

[stnylan]

Week 5/3 Operation Foxglove

It might have been worse. I was dozing at one point earlier, and dreamed we came up against a Black Knight of all things - which promptly cored Rifle's spider and that was that. So it could have been worse.

Darius found us a deal working for the local scum - and made a good point too, believe it or not. It pays not to entirely piss off the underworld. And the various ruling bodies on Arn mean well, but they're not important. Anways the scum wanted us to clear a planetary lance out the way. Turned out the lance was a couple of Wolverines (a -6K and a -6R) and a Centurion CN9-A. Damned but I want another Centurion like the family had, like the one that bought my entry into the Mitcheneers - but that was a CNT-AL.

We had dropped with me in Sunrise, Warlord in the Enforcer, Graceland in Lady V and Rifle in his Spider. Rifle goes ahead to take a peek, and damned if the Cent's AC/10 doesn't hit him mid-torso and into his insides. Damned fine shooting.

Of course, we had some pretty good shooting ourselves. Not so much to tell of the fight except we kept it highly mobile - going first for the Cent (if nothing else it was closer), then to -6K, and finally the -6R. The Cent took some punishment, but then Warlord manage to get his AC/10 right into the cockpit of the -6K. The -6R in return opened up his left torse front and back, but never quite managed to cuts his way through, and we finally took him down shortly afterwards.

Our employers were happy anyhows. Got about half a -6K out of it for starters. I passed on getting anything off the Cent - it just wouldn't be the same.

Yang tells me it will be but a day for the Spider to up and running, and a couple more for the Enforcer. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

[stnylan]

Week 5/4 Operation Jolly Jupiter

So the local lowlifes generally go around calling themselves The Verdant Dawn. I doubt anyone outside of Arn much cares what the name is, and most folks even here will just say "pirate" or "scum" or something original like that. But I have to say I rather like "The Verdant Dawn" - for guts if nothing else. Anyways they wanted us to help them with a follow-up op from yesterday's fun and games - destroying some important convoy. Except I got the impression the convoy wasn't the real objective, but the distracted caused by its destruction was. The agent - who goes by the callsign Verdant Calling if you can believe it - made some hints about more long-term work, to which I replied we were mercenaries and tomorrow we might be on opposite sides.

He took it fairly well, and I think got a bit of an arrangement here in Arn. For the next few days anyway. Meant accepting less c-bills and salvage for this job, but I think it will be worth. Darius kept grumbling about it so I know he approves.

I kept the same team. That'll have to change the next op - Khepri needs to get out. Put Warlord into Kestrel and off we went. Oh, about Kestrel. Yang gave me an earful (in private) earlier for mixing up our beloved Panther and a Falcon. He began all charming and sly - that is when I knew I was in trouble. By the end of it felt like I was in school again. But I'm still calling our Panther "Kestrel".

The convoy was guarded by a Crab and a Firestarter - the convoy itself consisted of a Galleon and three strikers. Fortunately they were all as green as us - or greener. The Firestarter proved a particular pain - jumped behind me at one point, stripped off some back armour and took out one of Sunrise's jets. You might say I was a bit annoyed. The Spider took quite a bit of damage too from being primaried by all those strikers. Rifle said by the end of the op it was definitely getting a bit wobbly.

For all that we did well enough. We took down the Firestarter first, and then the Crab. The Crab took bloody forever - not helped by both Warlord and Graceland forgetting how to aim. Still, whilst Rifle and I darted about the place those two marched in lock-step. We ended up effectively dismantling the crab piece by piece. After that the convoy wasn't much trouble at all, with Graceland in Lady V soaking up quite a bit of the damage. Warlord and Graceland are working really well together again.

Yang says it will take a day to sort out the Spider, and a couple more to do Sunrise since he's got to fit and calibrate a replacement jump jet. I'm going to review the contract list and make a decision what to do.

 

[stnylan]

Week 5/5 Operation New Start

Had a request from one of the local government entities come in over-night - another training gig. I told Khepri he could do it in the Kestrel. Sounds like he had a better class than I did. Not in terms of mechs - he had two urbies and a Commando to herd, but after he reported the Commando pilot actually showed some genuine promise.

The area they were sent to sweep turned out to have a banged-up Javelin JVN-10F. The Urbies were bringing up the rear. Kephri had just leapt onto a promontory and gotten in a good volley, which the Commando kid added to with his own volley, when suddenly an unknown drop shuttle turned up and deposited a Locust LCT-1M sporting Davion colours. Seems like the training gig had interrupted a meetup of some sort. The Locust pilot didn't seem to know what to dow whilst Khepri and the kid finished off the Javelin. The Urbies then turned on the Locust - out of four shots only one connected, but you can't expect much out the Urbie targetting suite. Khepri got the final kill after the Commando finished opening up side of the Locust just before.

Meanwhile I think I've managed to line up a couple of more jobs with the "legit" locals. Sunrise will be up and about tomorrow, and I've told Yang to slap an extra ton of armour on the Firestarter so there is no spare weight. No Flamers in the local shop here either - as there been a mass giveaway or something?

 

[stnylan]

Week 5/6 - Operation Rabbithole

The saying goes there is more than one way to skin a cat. So just because the Mariks and Liaos don't technically own the space around doesn't mean there are not still competing. Seems the Mariks gave the locals a bit of cash to build up a comm and support centre in a subpolar region of Arn, only under the table because of politics. And then the Capellans sent a good looking agent to seduce the landholder - a nobel scion newly into her inheritance. Well, cut the details but now a Marik facility was on land the Liaos controlled. Enter us.

Seems Lord Carson from Claybrooke had sent a message to suggest hiring us. Given that I am fairly sure the local agent has now realised we were the crew that took out that lance and convoy but a few days ago - or at least can make a reasonable guess - I don't think he was happy. Not that he had much of a choice.

The op was fine except for a bloody Javelin scraping off all my hand armour with its fist. Back to the Mech Bay for Sunrise - but only for a day. Apart from that -10F there was a Jenner, but they never had a chance. After all, the Capellans couldn't really commit a full lance and somehow maintain their cover story.

So the locals get their Marik-built base back - I think there is some local law about the State requisitioning property used for piracy or something like that they are dusting off to confiscate the land title. Maybe this'll be a lesson to the girl at the centre of all of this - not to get her head turned by a pretty face.

I gave Rifle the day off - and Warlord got to play in his old Firestarter again. Afterward he asked me if he could give it a name. I asked what - he said Triple-F - on account of only having 3 Flamers. Graceland was giggling behind him as he was saying this mind. I said sure - I mean we can always change it back if we ever want to.

 

[stnylan]

Week 5/7 - Operation Cornwallis

Last night we got a message from one of the local government regional administrators. Apparently since some folks took out one of their security patrols a few days ago a lance belonging to a group of terrorists calling themselves the Verdant Dawn...

Of course he knew - he was smiling in the vid message when he laid out his pitch. And I ain't got a problem with taking money from both sides. It was a simple job. For it I rested Khepri, telling Rifle to take Kestrel. The Verdant Dawn lance consisted of just 3 mechs - a Locust LCT-1M, a Javelin JVN-10N, and a Commando COM-1B. Have to admit I liked taking the COM-1B the Mitcheneers had out for a spin. Fine little mech. Something very satisfying about a Large Laster in a package of 25 tons.

As it was Warlord jumped ahead quite a bit. I swear if we ever get a Hatchetman and he's still alive, he's going right into it. But he had a blast - frying up the Javelin and then melee-ing both the Commando and Locust (though he missed the Locust with his kick - we all ribbed him mightly for that afterwards you bet). Actually it was a bit of a Melee brawl all round as both the Javelin and Commando got up close and personal. Though only one of their punches connected as well. Myself and Graceland wondered if it were a male thing.

Otherwise not much else to tell. They scraped armour, but could get to our internals. They died, and we came away that much richer at the end.

But I think our time on Arn is nearly done. I've told Yang to start getting the Enforcer spruced up, and Farah is just about finished bracing the Argo's structure. Redecorating and conditioning the Lounge will be the next job. Not sure after that - but maybe something for Yang in his 'Bay. He's been muttering about what he could do but for this and that - and there is something oddly threatening about a muttering Yang let me tell ya.

 

[stnylan]

Week 6/1 - Operation Sunday Service

So I yet to really work out the politics of the Reach, but I do know that Arn's are a complete mess. Some factions of the government are clearly aligned with the Mariks, then you have the Verdant Dawn, and then you have the ones aligned with the Liaos. It was them who hired us today, to take out a Marik convoy.

Khepri's turn into Kestrel. A bloody useless convoy - it got strung out all over the place. We cleared out the two lead vehicles almost (though note quite) before we engaged the escorting Firestarter and Scorpions. Warlord did his "up in their face" thing - had a little internal damage scored against him for his troubles but nothing serious. I managed to leg the opposing Firestarter which made me smile. Graceland in the Lady V basically stood athwart the road whilst the rest of us attacked from the blanks. Worked pretty well.

But the really exciting bit came when we were divying up the spoils - a Flamer! The enemy Firestarter was pretty wrecked, but we were still able to extract an intact and working Flamer. I dibs'd it - the local agent seemed sure I was going to go for the Firestarter wreckage, but c'mon. The lack of Flamers out here so far (ok ok I know its only been two systems) has been bothering me.

We've got one more contract lined up here in Arn. With a bit of luck by this time tomorrow we'll be outsystem to the jumpship.

 

[stnylan]

Week 6/2 - Operation Ptarmigan

Another round of working for the Verdant Dawn. They wanted us to do "something loud and fatal" to some local government security troops. More distraction for operations elsewhere, no doubt. As it turned out the OpFor was a single lance of Commando COM-2D and three (!) LCT-1M - which just goes to show I guess beggars can't be chooser when it comes to Lance composition.

We dropped with Warlord back in the Enforcer, Rifle in Kestrel, me in Sunrise, and Graceland in Lady V. As it happens the OpFor managed to surprise us - caught us in a pretty little ambush that might have been serious if they had something other than three missile Locusts. As it was one of them did manage to hit my rear torso after the trap was sprung, but that was the only serious damage we took. I headshotted the one that shot me, Warlord cored the other on that side, and the other two - well they didn't last long either.

Got a huge haul of LRM5s from the salvage detail, and enough parts to make our own LCT-1M - though I'll tell Yang to stick it into storage. But with that we are done on Arn for the moment. Next stop a few days away in Joppa.

Week 7/6 - Arrive at Joppa

So we are here. The transit was pretty easy. Yang fixed up Sunrise and the Spider, and put the Flamer on Triple F. I thought about trying to personalise our loadouts, but to be honest nothing really appealed. Might see what is possible after this trip. Farah also finished setting up the Lounge, so I told her to work with Yang to see if they could get some of the funky Automation features working in the Mech Bay.

I've recertified us Mech pilots too. Rifle in particular is learning on how to use advanced sensor gear to get a lock - he's not there yet but soon I hope. Khepri - I've asked him to hold off on specialising yet. We've been lucky taking no injuries thus far, but I want Khepri to give us someone who is "alright" at everything. We'll see.

From a first glance at the Contract list looks like a lot of Capellan activity here - but the first one that caught my eye was from our old friend Lord Carlson. Well, at least he pays on time.

 

[stnylan]

Week 7/6 - Operation Panipat

So I decided to take Lord Carson's contract. Seems like a local lab did a little bit of industrial espionage against one of his friend's companies back in Free World space, and he wants them taught an object lesson by wrecking their facilities here. Of course, they were expecting some sort of response.

We dropped with Rifle in the Spider, Warlord in the Enforcer, myself in Sunrise and Graceland in Lady V. The OpFor - well if these guys are going to stir up the nest of a guy like Lord Carson they need to upgrade their security. Well, now they need to replace their security, but you know what I mean. Safe to say a Locust LCT-1M, Jenner JR7-D, and Javelin JVN-10F plus a few turrets are not enough against a full lance of moderately capable mercs. I was a bit unlucky when Sunrise took a few internals to a leg when I got primaried by a missile turret, but that was all.

So Sunrise will be back in the Bay for a couple of days. Not a problem. I've been in contact with this Liao agent who says they have quite a bit of work lined up for us. Seems like the Capellans want a good bit of chaos in this system, which we can surely provide.

 

[stnylan]

Week 7/7 Operation Beartrap

So it seems that the Capellans want to conduct a bit of a campaign here on Joppa, and apparently we're the unit to do it for them - if we want to take their money anyway. I was talking to Rifle about it last night, and we both concluded essentially why not?

The mission today was really something of an opening salvo in this - remove a military base to create opening for further operations. Given this was a significant asset the locals had it well garrisoned, but Capellan intelligence gave us a window when half its force would be out on patrol sweep. For the drop I decided to take out Triple F, but otherwise our lineup was unchanged. Lunar missions always enhance the effectiveness of a good brew-up. I feel a little bad for benching Khepri, but the simple fact he is playing backup now.

We came up against their garrison lance quickly enough - another Firestarter, two Spider SDR-5Vs, and a Jenner. Triple F was the life and soul of the party, as it were. Well, we both primaried each others Firestarters. We were lucky though in that thiers was a bit isolated at first contact, and we were able to take it down before it could get a shot off. I then got shot up a little by the Jenner, which I then started cooking - though I did take a few internals along the way. Warlord and Graceland ended up smashing into the Spiders with their fists.

The enemy lance down, I decided to circle round the base some. We had fought the lance roughly south-west, but we ended up approaching from the nor-nor-west. It was only as we took out about half the defending turrets did Darius alert us to chatter that the other garrison lance was coming back - but we never saw them. We took out the remaining turrets and finished smashing up the base, and then extracted back to our pick-up point the same way we entered.

Quite glad we didn't have to face a second lance. As it is Triple F will need but a single day in Yang's tender care. If we needed to tussle with another lance ... not sure that would be the case. Plus we've got more work ahead of us yet. By the sounds of it the Liaos really need a larger company than ours - but apparently there aren't any large companies around here right now so they are making do with us (and no doubt a few others).

 

[stnylan]

Week 8/1 - Operation Tycho Brahe

Having knocked out the security base yesterday, Marina Liao (an actual genuine - if remote - Liao, no less) - who appears to be the head Capellan honchesa in this vicinity - wants us to go after another base. This time it is a research/light industrial unit used to supply both the local government and "other factions we do not wish to benefit from its continued existence". Which I took to mean the Mariks, though I suppose technically it is anyone not Liao.

Rifle and I had another long chat. Or rather, he came to me and said he thought Khepri should go on this drop. His argument was that (a) Khepri needed the experience if he wasn't going to go to rust, and (b) it was important not to create the idea of favourites. I was going to argue it, but then he clinched it with simply "and he can shoot better than me". Which is true.

So we dropped with Khepri in Kestrel, and I took out Sunrise again now she's up and running smoothly again. Reminds me we really need to think up names for the Spider and the Enforcer. I wonder what any bored future folks might suggest? Not that I will hear you of course, but hey.

All in all it was a smooth drop. The base was garrisonned, but with a third-string lance that probably should never have come off the bench. Two Locusts - a -1S and a -1V, a Commando COM-1B, and a Spider SDR-5K. Actually the Commando pilot knew his job - he got a direct hit on Warlord - beautiful sniper shot. But the armour held, and shortly thereafter I softened him up and then Warlord disarmed him - literally. AC/10 to the left torso, Large Laser to the right. But the guy was brace - he raced forward to hide in a radiation cloud and then came out to headbutt Warlord, wasting more armour (but still nothing more than that). Warlord, well he then put split what was left of the mech in two and that was that.

Still, I kinda hope that guy survived - though if he did he will bed in a medbay for months. He showed spirit.

The other three didn't trouble us at all, and after that is was identifying and mopping up turrets afore they could fire, and wrecking the place. Once the location was duly wrecked Sumire picked us up and here we all are back up in the Argo. Yang says he will have Triple F online again by tomorrow, and just as well. There's more work according to Marina.

 

[stnylan]

Week 8/2 - Operation Hong Kong

Well, I'm dictating to Rifle in the Argo's medbay. Bloody hell I hurt. Our first major injury, and it had to be me.

How did I get here? Well, Marina Liao had intel on a heavy local lance - usually above our current league - but she had more intel that an unknown party was intending to raid it. No doubt making use of the chaos caused by our base forays. This other lance were being dropped by an unaffiliated set of mercs, not in their own ship. So Marina wants us on the ground to see what is going on, and to ensure no one is left standing.

No doubt our biggest contact to date. I decided to leave Sunrise on the Argo. I piloted Kestrel, and I stuck Rifle in Triple F - I figured a Firestarter would be more useful in these lunar environments than a Spider, or even Sunrise.

We dropped and made a cautious contact with the local lance - just on sensors, and then we skidaddled back, though not afore a Javelin JVN-10F caught sight of us. We could tell there was a heavy mech though. Thought for a moment we might have blown in, but then that other drop showed up. A Davion lance from the little we saw to start with.

Well to begin with we just let them shoot each other up, and then we began to sidle around to the East of the action, wanting to get some shots in, and in the process discovered that local Heavy was bloody Warhammer. Beautiful machine, but not when it is staring at you in an unfriendly manner. Fortunately it was mostly interested in shooting at a Davion Griffin. We began to make it feel welcome.

I don't know if the Davions thought we might be allied, 'cause to begin with they didn't pay us much attention, and the locals were getting stuck in right and proper. We managed to get two salvos off on the Warhammer though before it could really react, and by then it had lost its side. I really wish we might have been able to leg it - but to no surprise the Davions had it primaried as well, and for all being the biggest mech on the field it was the first to die.

The locals had a second JVN-10F - and those two pilots weren't too shy about pushing the heat. More than once their heat signatures bloomed like crazy - something the Davion Firestarter was happy to help along. God it was a mess. A real pell-mell kinda engagement. Rifle got behind the Davion Griffin and poured two salvos of heat into it. Later he worked over the local Phoenix Hawk in a simiar fashion.

What's that Rifle? I haven't said what the lances were? Of course I have. Anyways, after we wrecked the Warhammer we moved into do what else we could, and then that Davion Firestarter decided to torch me. I was pushing my heat up to the line - this knocked me right through. And its machine guns peppered my cockpit, hence why I am laid up here like a bloody invalid - because I am a bloody invalid all covered in bandages and stuff, and shot up with meds. Still not sure how I manage not to lose Kestrel's arm, Yang tells me the entire left side is burnt through. Fortunately the rest of the crew saw the job finished off.

Yeah Rifle I know. More meds. Just let me finish this, okay?

I've told Sumire to find us somewhere else to play. I'm out for the foreseeable, but with a bit of travel Kestrel will be up and running again. Going to refit Sunrise as well, as soon as I can decide on whether I want her short or long range.

OK Rifle, I'm done for now. Send me to sleep - and make sure you transcribe this accurately - y'hear?

Dear Commander - I trust you find the above transcription accurate. For any "future folk" please excuse the rambling nature of the above - the Commander was not in full control of her faculties. For clarity the three lances were as follows:

Daggers
Kestrel (Falcon)
Triple F (Rifle )
Enforcer (Warlord)
Lady V (Graceland)

Locals
Javelin JVN-10F
Javelin JVN-10F
Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
Warhammer WHM-60

Davions
Javelin JVN-10N
Spider SDR-5K
Firestarter FS9-H
Griffin GRF-1N


Lord Willem Long "Rifle"

 

[stnylan]

Week 8/7 - On course to Lyreton

Some I am (mostly) out of the Medbay. I am going to leave Rifle's little entry for the record.

So, the day after we break orbit I get a transmission from Marina Liao wanting to confirm a few details of the engagement, which I think we did to her satisfaction. She said she would put in a good word for us - always useful - and then she said something actually interesting. "If the Davions are going to make a move in this part of the Periphery, we could help you find it very lucrative". Nice to be in demand I guess.

Of course, as unaffiliated we might just up shooting Capellans as well.

Kestrel just finished getting repaired. And Yang and Farah finally got the basics of the automotive features of the Mech Bay sorted out, so I told them to give it a trail run in Sunrise's refit. I had two ideas - essentially take all the weapons off her and fit her out with a single Large Laser, and up her armour with the extra ton of weight saved. That was tempting - and I may well fit her so at a later date. But I figured whilst we still take missions that feature a lot of lights something with a bit more punch might be necessary, so I came up with this:

The one real problem is this can only fire 8 full volleys from those SRMs - but with a decent shot those SRMs out to put some serious damage on a foe. We got the fancy Medium Laser in Joppa, and it should keep it doing at least something even when the launchers are dry. Still I wouldn't want to be piloting a Locust on the receiving end of my Sunrise's attention when she is done.

Also on Joppa we got a Large Laser that had been tinkered with to make it more accurate - we'll stick that in the Enforcer.

All in all by the time we arrive I should be nearly ready to get back into the game, and the others will be well rested.

Final news I guess is I told Yang to try and bring the second Mech Bay online. It'll be expensive - both to clear and to maintain (he'll have to hire extra techs), and while I don't think I will fill it just yet a little more tactical flexibility and reserve in terms of mechs certainly isn't going to hurt. I've promised everyone we'll upgrade the lounge afterwards.

 

[stnylan]

Week 11/3 - Arrival in Lyreton and Operation Yellow Flag

Well we are here. The transit in-system was not entirely without system. Just a day out from orbit we got accosted by a ship with piratical intentions. The "protection" fee wasn't too bad - just 50K - but Sumire bless her was itchin' for some action. So I pretended to be still be boozed up on pills and painkillers and the like. Bless him but the pirate captain totally bought if. Of course, it helped I made sure I had a hefty dose of something on screen whilst he watched to make it more believable. Sumire meanwhile and pelted off to the Leopard, done a very quite start-up (shielded by Gamma pod I think) and then suddenly popped off from the Argo, drifted away, lit up the pirate and said over comms "Hello Sunshine" as she unleashed some LRM affection.

I do like Sumire.

I've given everyone a bonus as well, and an even heftier one for next month (though they don't know that yet). Won't want to keep this largesse up, but I figure we deserve it.

Contract pickings in Lyreton are a little thin, but it'll be enough to get us some cashflow and to test Sunrise's new configuration. Darius, the git, insisted I'm still not allowed out on combat duty today. It doesn't make matters better that he's right and I wouldn't let one of others go, but I reckon tomorrow my scores will be back inline. Meanwhile Marina Liao came through for us - the local Capellan agent in Lyreton, a chap named Brindemo, sent us a scan pretty much as soon as we made orbit.

It was an easy enough job - disrupt a local mining operation with the not-so subtle hint that further disruption might follow if Capellan interests are not respected. Opposition was light - three half-broken down vehicles and a Firestarter. I sent Rifle down in the Spider, Khepri in Kestrel, and the other two in their usual rides. The first time Sunrise is rested it is going to be by me!

All went well - except the Firestarter managed to pepper Rifle's spider at one point and a fluke round from its machine guns cracked through the cockpit cover and hit Rifle in the shoulder, breaking the humerus pretty thoroughly. Graceland repaid the Firestarter by smaking its left side off and then burning out the torso with her small laser, but Rifle is now confined to medbay just like I was. Seriously going to have to consider hiring an extra pilot. That's tonight's homework, to see what options there might be out here.

Otherwise the Spider was fine. Go figure.