The Blood of Kerensky

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The Blood of Kerensky

Post by Alex Kerensky »

Stensele's Ag-Center, Alleghe
Free Rasalhague Republic
16 March 3050


The fleeting image of a a squad of foot soldiers ducking into an abandoned building caused Star Commander Alex to twist the torso of his Timber Wolf and send a stream of laser fire at the forms of men. The stuttering pulse of light banished the shadows from the roadway, painting a clear picture to the Clan Wolf Mechwarrior that he had missed his targets. He cursed and centered his 'Mech's torso.

"Bravo Assault," Alex said into his radio, "be advised that we have infantry occupying the buildings."

"Copy that, Bravo Leader." The voice of Point Commander Soton Torshi echoed loud and clear in Alex's neurohelmet. "Detaching Bravo Seven to clear out the buildings."

"That is good." Alex glanced at his radar screen. "Bravo Six-One and Eight-One, take your points and spread into those alley ways, then meet up at nav point baker." A series of affirmatives from the Elemental Point commanders followed his command.

The Star Commander sighed as he toggled his HUD from infrared to visual light. Everything changed from the blues and purples of a cool landscape to the grays and blacks of a city. Alex hated urban combat. As soon as the defenders had announced that they would be defending the starport, Alex knew that city fighting was imminent. Damned urban combat, too messy.

Despite his dislike of the battlefield, Alex could not help but feel elated that he was participating in the Invasion of the Inner Sphere and creating history. Three hundred years ago, General Aleksandr Kerensky of the Star League Defense Force led eighty percent of the Star League Army from the Inner Sphere into the Periphery. There, the general helped create a warrior society called the Clans. The Clans were tasked with one goal: return to the Inner Sphere and liberate it from the corrupt rulers that had destroyed the Star League.

Star Commander Alex commanded Bravo Assault Nova of Supernova Assault of Clan Wolf's 37th Striker Cluster. He was part of the elite warrior caste of his Clan, one of the most powerful and influential Clans. Now, he was leading his unit in Clan Wolf's first major assault on an Inner Sphere world and given a chance to prove his worth to his Clan. Alex's spirits could not be dampened by anything, not even urban combat.

A red light flashed a secondary display, alerting Alex that an enemy unit had been detected. His eyes flicked to the radar and back again, seeing the faint image of a camouflaged tank hiding between two buildings. His computer immediately tagged the tank as an ancient Rommel tank. Alex's mind recalled the weapons load out even before the computer displayed it on screen. Heavy AC, LRM 5, and a laser.

"Bravo Leader, reporting enemy contact. I count five, six, maybe seven armor units. Bravo Nova, engage the enemy." Alex settled his crosshairs on the form of the tank and pulled his triggers.

The tank rolled forward from its defensive position even as Alex's weapons discharged. Twin bolts of man-made lightning streaked out to spear the tank in its side. Armor ran in streams as the cerulean beams devoured the tank's protection. Even as the particle cannons discharged, the tank's turret swung into line with Alex's Timber Wolf.

The heavy OmniMech rocked as 120-millimeter shells shredded the armor over its legs. Alex jerked his 'Mech to the right, then forward to compensate the rapid change in his center of gravity.

Even as he took a step back, he noticed the roar of aerospace fighters overhead. A scream from his computer alerted him to an air assault, telling Alex that the fighters were not friendly. No matter, we will clear the ground. Our air cover will handle the sky. We will conquer. Alex smiled grimly as he resettled his targeting reticule over the Rommel's smoking form. And so, the Inner Sphere will be ours.
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Post by Pryde »

Isis Sinclair pulled her Shilone into line with the rest of her squadron as they flew high over the battlefield. Below her the battered remains of the starport were consumed by the chaos of war. Fires burned, buildings were destroyed, and the corpses of the brave infantrymen foolishly defending their planet against the alien invaders littered the paved roadways. Who are they? Why are they doing this, Isis asked herself again for the third time since her fighter had launched from the Scimitar's base of operations.

Isis knew that Skinner was a fool when he told the invaders that he would be defending the Starport. So many innocent people were going to die now because of that man, and Isis was going to have to watch it all happen. According to the Ares Conventions, large population centers were not supposed to be used as warzones, but Skinner had insisted that defending from the city was the best possible choice.

"Approaching the enemy position now," Lt. Chang's voice rang over the comline, he sounded somehow unsure of himself. "Delta flight form on me and prepare for a strafing run against the enemy mechs."

"Roger that, lieutenant," Isis replied over the radio in her neurohelmet, "Any idea who these guys are?"

"Not a clue, Sinclair," Chang replied, "Their insignia doesn't match any unit that I know of, and their mechs are completely alien... Alright, here we go, people, keep a loose formation and follow me. Target the lead mech first."

A series of affirmatives filtered through the comline as the four aerospace fighters angled in towards the enemy ground pounders. Isis rested her targeting reticle over the lead mech as her fighter zeroed in on him. The alien mech looked almost like a Catapult, but it had arms like a Marauder. As her computer calculated a firing solution she switched her LRMs over to the same firing bracket as her Medium Lasers and her Large Laser. A sharp tone alerted her to a target lock and she pressed the trigger. A trio of lasers lanced out to strike the mech on it's left leg while a salvo of twenty LRMs peppered the machine all along its torso.

When the dust cloud had finally cleared Isis gasped in horror. Her attack did little more then to scratch the paint off of the mech's low-slung cockpit. "Delta one, hit confirmed, but that thing's got one helluva thick hide," she announced over the comline.

"Affirmative, Delta two," Chang replied, "Get out of range and bring her around for another attack--Wait a minute, I've got inbound fighters heading our direction. Change of plans, people, engage those fighters and bring 'em down."

"Roger," Isis replied as she snapped her Shilone to the left to avoid a series of return fire from the enemy mechs. A shrill siren erupted in her cockpit, alerting her to a missile lock from one of the ground targets. She sent her fighter into a sharp climb and punched the throttle forward, wincing slightly as the sudden g-forces pressed her against her command chair. The Shilone rocketed into the sky as a salvo of missiles followed it. Some of the missiles fell short while the rest exploded on her left wing, causing minor damage to its armor.

Isis rolled her fighter to the right and leveled out on a plane parallel with the horizon. Four red blips on her radar indicated the position of the enemy fighters, and the rest of her squadron was already moving to engage them. A thousand meters and closing, Isis told herself quietly as she watched the range count down. Then suddenly the enemy fighters opened fire on them, and Isis was so taken by surprise that she made no attempt at all to get out of the way.

A trio of Large Pulse Lasers lanced across her right wing, melting the armor there and sending drops of molten slag to the earth below. 700 meters, Isis thought to herself in shock, but that's impossible! They couldn't possibly hit me at that range! The enemy fighters opened fire again, though this time Isis juked her fighter up and to the right, just barely missing the alien invader's hastily fired PPCs. Finally, the range meter counted down to 400 meters and Isis opened up with her LRMs and her Large Laser. The enemy fighter juked to the left, causing her Large Laser to go wide. Her LRMs, on the other hand, continued to track the target and peppered the fighter all along its nose. The explosions tore chunks of armor from its forward fuselage and along its right wing.

The two fighters passed each other and Isis broke hard to the left, swinging her fighter around for another attack. "Guys, I've got a little problem here," the rookie's voice suddenly broke in.

"What's wrong, Nelson," Chang asked, "Do you need assistance?"

"Uh, negative, lieutenant, I think I've got... Wait a minute," there was a long pause as electrical interference garbled the comline, "Direct hit... Stabilizers damaged, losing altitude... I--I can't control it!"

"Eject, Nelson," Chang was literally screaming.

"Wait, I--I think I... No!" Nelson's scream was cut off by a sudden surge of static, and Isis felt the urge to scream when she saw his green blip fade from her radar. She swung in low behind the enemy fighter that had killed Nelson and unleashed a full barrage of her weaponry. Her medium lasers lanced along the invader's left wing and aft while her missiles peppered its engines. Her Large Laser went wide again and Isis cursed with frustration. The enemy pilot broke right and Isis followed him, quickly lining up another shot and firing again. This time her Large Laser blasted the enemy fighter in it's right fuselage as her Medium Lasers speared into its tail.

A wave of heat washed over her and an alarm suddenly sounded in her cockpit, warning her that her fighter was overheating. She let her Shilone's heat-sinks disipate the excess heat somewhat before lining up another shot. But before she could depress the trigger the shrill sound of a missile lock sounded in her ears. The enemy fighter she had been engaged with before had swung around to her left and now had a solid weapons lock on her.

Twin PPCs blasted her Shilone, blowing huge chunks out of the armor along her left fuselage as the man-made lightning continued to dance over her fighter causing havoc with her sensors and electrical equipment. A trio of ruby lasers darted into her left wing burning away the rest of the armor there as a salvo of LRMs detonated along her fighter, sending it into an uncontrollable spin. Isis fought with the controls in a desperate attempt to level out, but her left wing had sustained too much damage.

The ground was rushing up at her, and she knew that she was going to die, but something in her told her to keep fighting. She continued to struggle against the controls and her Shilone began to slowly right itself, but she was quickly losing altitude. Finally, giving up she hit the ejection switch, but to her horror nothing happened. The firing circuit was obviously damaged during the last assault. She pressed it again and still nothing.

Unwilling to accept the end she continued to pull back on the control stick, slowly bringing the nose of her fighter up and leveling it out with the horizon. If nothing else she planned to crashland the plane in an open field just outside of the city. The ground continued rushing up at her, and she quickly put down her landing gear in anticipation of a rough landing. Unfortunately, her landing gear malfunctioned and only two out of three had successfully deployed.

She didn't have much time to think about it, however, as her fighter slammed into the ground and lurched to the left, spinning around as what was left of her port wing dug into the earth. The fighter skidded along the grassy plain until finally it slid into the treeline of a nearby forest and came to rest at the foot of a large tree. Isis was knocked violently against her command console, and as her fighter slid to an abrupt stop her vision faded into darkness...
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
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Post by Alex Kerensky »

IC:
As he descended his cockpit via a the chain ladder, Alex made sure that he kept away from the open heatsinks dotting his Timber Wolf's torso. He had seen the type of injuries resulting from physical contact with such technology and had no desire to join the list of warriors who had suffered the burns. He neared the hard tarmac of the spaceport, and Alex dropped the last meter.

Around him, the rest of his Nova were disembarking from their war machines. He spotted Conrad, who piloted an Adder, and Starmet, the pilot of one of the Nova's three Ice Ferrets. Scattered inside the cavernous 'Mech bay were some Elementals, the huge genetically enhanced armored infantry of the Clans. Alex spotted one who still wore his armor and approached the infantryman.

"Greetings, Point Commander," Alex said to Soton Torshi. "A glorious battle, quiaff?"

"Aff, Star Commander." Soton stood several decimeters taller than Alex and easily outweighed him by an equal amount of kilos. "These Inner Sphere mercenaries proved to be no match for our warriors. We shall cut straight to Terra in far less time than anticipated."

Alex smiled at the Elemental's enthusiasm for he shared his desire and anticipation at being part of the ilClan, the Clan that would make first contact on the sacred soils of Terra. "I hope so," Alex replied as he followed Soton out of the hanger. "It will be great to put these freebirths where they belong."

As the two crossed the cracked and cratered landing field, Alex spot several groups of prisoners being escorted from a vehicle. He pointed at their direction. "Shall we meet them? See what these barbarians are like face to face?"

Soton snorted. "You go consort with them. I will not dirty my hands with their filth. Besides, I need to check on my men who were injured."

"Tell them I wish them fast healing," Alex replied. He nodded at the retreating Elemental and approached the line of prisoners. He looked for the person in charge and discovered that she was a member of the Technician Caste. "Technician, may I speak with these bondsmen?"

The technician nodded and bowed her head. "As you wish, sir."

"Thank you." Alex watched the line of weary prisoners of war and chose one at random. He matched the pace of a red haired aerojock, or at least he assumed she was a pilot. The prisoner wore the remains of a G-suit with coolant tubes running down the side. "You, what is your name?" Alex asked.
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Post by Pryde »

Isis tugged precariously at the small cord wrapped around her left wrist as she was pushed along in line with the other prisoners. She had been surprised to find out that the alien invaders were actually human... Or at least they appeared to be human. In actuality, the way they talked and the way they acted made them seem quite alien. She quickly cast a sidelong glance at the armed guard walking near her, scanning the man from head to toe. The man had an obviously smug and superior look on his face and when he looked at her Isis could literally see the disgust in his eyes.

"You, what is your name," someone asked her suddenly, startling her slightly. She turned to look at the speaker and noticed that he had more stars on his collar then the other one. A superior officer then, Isis thought to herself, probably going to interrogate me.

"None of your--" she was cut off suddenly as the guard nailed her in her side with the butt of his rifle. "Star Commander Kerensky asked you a question, freebirth," the man sneered at her.

Isis gingerly rubbed her side as the pain slowly faded. Probably wouldn't be a good idea to try that again, she thought as she nervously bit her lip. "Isis Sin--" She was cut off again as the guard rammed the butt of his rifle into her cheek, knocking her to the ferrocrete floor of the hangar.

"Your name is Isis, nothing more," the man shouted, his face livid with rage.

Isis clenched her fists tightly, a sudden wave of anger swelling within her. In a rash move she launched herself at the man and speared him in his midsection. The man was knocked backwards off balance and fell roughly on his back as Isis landed on top of him. She raised her bonded hands over her head, and swung them down at the man's face, determined to beat him no matter what the cost. Suddenly Star Commander Kerensky reached out and took hold of her wrist, stopping her attack in mid swing. "That is enough," he told her firmly, "I think you have made your point. Stand up, Isis, and get back in line."

Isis grudgingly did as he asked and turned around just in time to see several armed guards rushing towards her with their weapons raised. Kerensky quickly waved them off and told them that he had things under control. The guards nodded and turned to head back to their post, but not before throwing Isis a savage look. Isis ignored the looks and continued to watch Kerensky curiously as he turned to address the assembled prisoners...
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
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Post by Alex Kerensky »

OOC:
Um, Alex is going to address the prisoners? But he is only a Star Commander.... :)

IC:
Alex turned and prepared to address the prisoners, but he stopped. It is not my place to say anything. Star Captain Jule Carns should be the one to speak. Instead, he turned back to the woman who had identified herself as Isis. "Isis, who took you bondsman? Do you know?"

OOC:
Pryde, you can make something up. Or something. Dunno.
Pryngles
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Post by Pryde »

OOC: I kinda figured that might have been why you wanted to talk to them, but oh well... :P

IC: "Isis, who took you bondsman? Do you know?" the Star Commander asked her curiously. Isis merely shrugged as she casually brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Some short big-headed guy named Althar," she told him nonchalant before turning back to look him full in the eyes. "Look, I'm not going to tell you anything so don't bother interrogating me," she said firmly as she crossed her arms over her chest...
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
I <3 MCATs
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Post by Alex Kerensky »

IC:
"As you wish." Alex dismissed Isis with a nod and turned to walk away. He looked up and stopped suddenly, finding that a small man was standing in front of him. He had the large head characteristic of Clan aerojocks and wore a gray jumpsuit and a scowl immediately appeared on his face.

"A Star commander, I see," Althar said. "And what were you doing consorting with my bondswoman?"

Alex blinked once and shrugged. "I asked her her name, nothing more. What does it matter?"

"It matters because she belongs to me! Do not try to take her away and try to cover up your own failure in not capturing any bondsman."

This time, Alex was confused at the aerojock's response. He had heard that Althar was not exactly right in the head. The pilot was older than most, but his skills as a warrior had kept him from being relegated to garrison duty. The Mechwarrior shook his head. "You are confused, Althar. I did not come here to steal your glory." He turned and stepped away.

Alex heard Althar speak once again, but this time it was not addressed at him. Rather, Althar's words were directed at Isis. "You, bondswoman! You will not talk to anyone else again without my permission. Is that understood?"

The Star commander sighed and continued on his way. Damn Crusaders, he thought.

OOC:
Okay there.
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Post by Pryde »

"You, bondswoman! You will not talk to anyone else again without my permission. Is that understood?" Althar shouted at her. Isis shot him a vicious look and spoke to him with acid in her voice, "I'll speak to whomever I please."

Suddenly Althar reached out and backhanded her to the floor again. "You will do as you are told, freebirth," he roared, almost frothing at the mouth with rage. "And you will discontinue your use of contractions as well, is that clear?"

Isis gently rubbed her cheek as she slowly stood and faced the man defiantly. "I said is that clear, freebirth," the man shouted again.

"Crystal," Isis hissed at him. Again Althar was livid with rage at her defiance and he raised his hand to strike her once more. But suddenly someone else reached out and took hold of his wrist, stopping his blow before it even started. "That is enough," the newcomer snarled at him...
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
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Post by Tyria »

The conflict unfurled quickly before the Warden’s eyes, and he knew Althar and his bouts of anger quite well. If no one were to stop him, his bondswoman would sport many bruises upon her face. That was something that Mikel did not intend happen to the woman. He had observed her fiery nature from afar, and was rather confused at her behavior. Then again, Mikel had never truly understood the inhabitants of the Inner Sphere all too well. Without hesitation, Mikel restrained Althar from hitting the woman again.

“That is enough,” he spoke firmly, as Althar turned to face him.

The aerospace jock hastily swept Mikel’s grip from his wrist, his hazel eyes glaring at the Mechwarrior. Mikel’s gray-blue eyes returned a cold and stern gaze. Silence was the only communication between the two before Althar hissed, “Do not tell me how I should treat my bondswoman. She is mine, and I will treat her as I will!”

“That is what I fear,” Mikel’s tone was stern as he restrained himself from striking out at the aerospace jock.

Althar laughed at his words, “They are mere freebirths, it does not matter how they are treated.”

“Well, if that is the case then you would not mind if I challenged you to a Trial of Possession, quiaff?” Mikel inquired, displaying no emotion whatsoever.

“Neg, I would mind!” Althar snarled. “She is my bondswoman and you cannot take her from me!”

“Is that cowardice I hear, Althar?” a hint of mockery in Mikel’s voice.

“If that is how you want it, then fine! I accept your challenge,” Althar spoke defiantly; a scowl seemed to permanently adorn his features.

“Very well, we will fight unaugmented, and the venue shall be here. Is that acceptable?”

“Bargained well, and done,” Althar agreed, over-confidence clearly expressed through his tone.

As the two had agreed upon the challenge, the onlookers that were in hearing range had gathered about them in a circle. Others seemed to take notice of the gathering circle as well, and instantly knew that a challenge had been made. Mikel’s mind instinctively began calculating what Althar’s weaknesses and strengths were. They would be most important in this challenge, for Mikel did not intend to lose.

“You first,” Althar offered, positioning his body in an awkward stance.

Odd… Mikel noted. I will have to take great caution with him.

Taking several steps forward at an even place, Mikel recalled every bit of training experience that he had endured throughout his lifetime. Only one though rang clear in his mind: All enemies have a weakness, abuse it to your advantage. His eyes searched for any openings in the pilot’s stance, realizing immediately that he was well off balance.

Feinting a punch to Althar’s face, Mikel forced the man to react to the strike. He brought up both arms so that his forearms protected his face from the strike. Allowing his knuckles to slightly brush against Althar’s flesh, Mikel lashed out with his leg. Out of stupidity or being blind to the attack, the aerospace jock completely fell for the move. Mikel jumped back out of instinct as the man got to his feet.

The small-framed pilot was obviously not accustomed to unarmed combat, and Mikel noted that as one of his weaknesses. Out of anger, Althar lunged at his opponent; his attack was a low punch to Mikel’s stomach. Brushing the strike aside with his right forearm, Mikel’s left hook connected hard with Althar’s temple, rendering him dizzy and stumbling about. The pilot was determined though as he clumsily stepped toward Mikel. He shook his head several times, attempting to clear his mind of the shock.

Mikel sighed inwardly, knowing that one final hit would render Althar unconscious. The pilot’s vision was blurred and his eyes seemed to glaze over just slightly. He was in pain from the previous blow, but he did not expect Mikel’s next strike. A perfectly executed side kick connected with Althar’s head. He was thrown to the side, his body limp as he slid outside of the boundaries of the circle and into the crowd who made way for him. Mikel simply nodded to the felled man, the adrenaline circulating in his blood stream slowly dispersing as he glanced about the thinning crowd.

“You no longer belong to Althar, now,” Mikel spoke to Isis briefly, gesturing toward the pilot’s body.

Without waiting for a response from the woman, Mikel left her to her thoughts, and to return to his quarters.
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Post by Pryde »

"You no longer belong to Althar, now,” the necomer said to her before walking off. What was that all about, Isis asked herself quietly, confused by everything that had just transpired. She didn't have much time to think about it when a nearby guard pressed his rifle into her back and urged her forward.

"Move along," he commanded in a gruff voice. Isis and the rest of the prisoners were then taken to a well-secured bunker and placed into individual cells. Individually they were each taken into a secured room and interrogated at length for the next three days. Isis' memory of these sessions was waning because of some type of drug the Clanners were using, but she knew that she was telling them things. She knew, but yet she couldn't stop herself.

Finally on the fourth day they were set free, and were escorted to a special barracks erected for the bondsmen. There they were given new uniforms and told to clean themselves up. Afterwards they were put to work in the mech hangar bay under the guidance of the chief tech. The prisoners with technical expertise regarding mech repair were given limited access to the Clan's mechs, and ordered to repair only the little things. The rest, Isis included, were set to work fetching tools and various other materials the techs requested. Isis found the work grueling and hated every moment of it.

At the end of the day she lay in her bunk half asleep, her muscles soar from all the heavy lifting she did. In her hands she cupped the silver locket that she wore around her neck. Inside the locket were tiny holo pictures of her parents, a gift they gave to her on her sixteenth birthday.

"You're never going to seem them again, ya know," someone told her from behind.

Surprised Isis whirled around, half sitting up to find Brent looking over the top of her bunk. Brent was formerly a mechwarrior with Skinner's Scimitars, and slept on the bunk below her. He always seemed to sport a cheery attitude and was generally very nice. Isis liked him, but she tended to find his cheeriness a bit annoying at times. However, there was nothing cheery about the look he gave her now.

"I don't believe that," Isis told him firmly.

"You should," Brent insisted, "I don't think these guys are going to let us go any time soon, so you might as well get used to being a prisoner of war."

"We can escape," Isis said hopefully, but to her dismay Brent shook his head.

"If we try to escape we will only be killed in the process."

"You intend to just give up?" Isis asked him increduously.

"The war is over for us, Isis, we're part of them now."

"I will never be part of them," Isis surprised herself by screaming at the top of her lungs. She looked around a bit embarrassed before turning back to Brent. "Look, I'm sorry... Please, just leave me alone," she told him quietly.

"As you wish," Brent replied, "but you better start taking my advice and forget about your past. That part of your life is over now." With that his head ducked below her bunk and out of sight. For a long while Isis lay there pondering over Brent's words. Was this really the last time she was ever going to see her parents again?
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: California

Post by Tyria »

Stensele's Ag-Center, Alleghe
Free Rasalhague Republic
20 March 3050


A quick dip in the bottle of paint and a stroke finished the small painting that Alex had applied to the cockpit of his Timber Wolf. A landscape covered the area beneath the access hatch and stretched to the front and side viewports.

Alex replaced the lid on the bottle and swished his brush in some solvent before drying the bristles on his jumpsuit leg. He stood and stretched his back before climbing down the repair gantry. A sound from his left caused him to turn in that direction. Alex greeted the warrior with a nod. "What brings you here, Mikel?"

“I am troubled,” Mikel replied rather quietly, taking a seat upon a sturdy supply crate. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Alex and inquired, “Have you ever taken any bondsmen before, Star Commander?”

The Wolf commander thought for a moment. "Neg, I do not think so. I have gotten into the habit of head shooting my opponents, whether that is a good or bad thing." Alex pulled a crate over and sat on it as well. "Why do you ask?"

Rubbing his chin in thought, Mikel finally responded, “I am now questioning why I challenged Althar in a Trial of Possession the other day. It was, perhaps, out of anger or frustration, but even then I have never intended to own a bondsman.”

"I see. Well, perhaps you were trying to protect her from Althar? We all know how bad Althar can be. But is there something wrong with taking a bondsman, quineg?"

“Neg, but this is my first bondsman…” Mikel pondered a bit. “You spoke to her, quiaff? She is my bondswoman now, and I do not even know her name. Did she tell you what it was?”

"Yes, she did." Alex chewed his lip as he tried to recall the name of the bondswoman. "Isis, I believe. Yes, Isis. How has she adapted to her new life?"

“I am not sure yet, but I believe she has not yet adapted. I have not seen her since the Trial, and I was hoping to visit her today. Do you think she will express the same hostility to me as she did to the others?” Mikel inquired.

The Star commander shrugged. He had little experience with bondsmen and absolutely no experience with Inner Sphere prisoners. "I am not sure. These Inner Sphere people are very different. I guess there is no way to find out except to go see her."

Mikel nodded out of comprehension, “I hope that she has calmed down a bit… Thank you for your help, I greatly appreciate your listening to me.”

"Not a problem, Mikel." He stood. "Good luck with your bondsman."

“Thank you once again, sir,” Mikel replied, nodding his head once before rising from the crate.

Leaving the Star Commander to his previous task, the Mechwarrior hurried from the ‘Mech bay. His strides were rather long, but he maintained an even gait. Mikel fumbled his bondswoman’s name over and over again in his mind. Isis… he thought before moving on to what Alex had said. The inhabitants of the Inner Sphere boasted distinct differences to the Clanners. Their usage of Bloodnames without a Trial seemed odd to Mikel, as did their usage of contractions.

That, however, was the least of his worries. His mind was now preoccupied with how Isis was faring. It had been three days since Mikel had spoken to the bondswoman and he wondered if she even remembered who he was. Do not worry about that Mikel reminded himself as he entered the barracks in which all bondsmen were held. A guard acknowledged his entrance, pointing absentmindedly to a roster and a sign-in sheet.

After picking out Isis’s name among the lengthy list of bondsmen, Mikel proceeded down several corridors and up flights of stairs before he reached the area in which she should be currently housed. Taking slow steps, Mikel prolonged the time in which he reached the room number. Rapping gently upon the door, he awaited for someone to answer the door.

OOC: Sorry if some things are off, and also my apologies if my posts begin to slow down. Hectic week before break for me.
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Post by Pryde »

Isis had nearly fallen asleep when a sudden knock at the door to her room snapped her back into reality. For a moment Isis wondered who it was that could have been knocking, but it eventually dawned on her that it had to have been a clanner. All the prisoners assigned to this bunk were here already."I don't know why you're knocking," Isis snapped at the door, "We're the prisoners here, not you."

She's right... Mikel thought to himself as he opened the door. The quarters were dark inside, but he could make out rough silhouettes of the cots that were lined up against the walls. Cautiously, Mikel stepped inside. His gait was light as he murmured into the darkness, "I would like to speak to the one named Isis."

Isis sat up in her bunk and slowly climbed down to the floor. "And just what is it you want to talk about," she asked defiantly, as she approached the clanner.

"I merely want to ask my bondswoman a few questions, that is all," Mikel replied evenly, unnerved by the woman's tone. "After all, we will be spending quite a lot of time with each other and it would be a shame if I did not know anything about you, quiaff?"

"Don't you think it's a little late for a social get together?” Isis asked hotly, eyeing the man curiously. Just what does he think he’s trying to pull, she asked herself quietly.

Mikel straightened slightly, crisply replying, "I do not believe so. This is the only time when you do not have to attend to other duties, quiaff?"

"Alright, what the hell is that supposed to mean, anyway?" Isis asked irritably.

"What does what mean?" Mikel replied, rather surprised at the woman's bitter words.

"Quiaff," Isis snapped, "You've been saying it for the past five minutes!"

"Please do not use contractions when speaking to me..." Mikel advised, wincing slightly. "As for the definition of quiaff... It is used when one is expecting an affirmative answer. Quineg is just the opposite, where one is expecting a negative answer to a question."

Isis started suddenly then stopped as she pondered the man’s strange request. When she spoke again her voice was softer and her tone sounded confused. “What’s wrong with contractions,” she asked curiously.

"Contractions taint the beauty of the language..." Mikel replied thoughtfully, again noticing the woman's use of contractions. "I highly advise that you do not speak like this with the others."

“I’ll speak however I,” Isis began hotly then suddenly stopped herself. “Sorry,” she apologized sheepishly, “but I will speak however way I wish with the others.”

From behind her she heard someone groan and then shift noisily in their bunk. “You want to get to know me then fine,” she said as she turned back to Mikel, “but let’s go somewhere more private.”

Without replying, Mikel turned and led the way down the corridors. He expected Isis to follow him, and hoped that he had gained at least a small amount of her trust. In any case, if Mikel remembered correctly, there should be a lounging area on the main floor. He heard the woman's light footsteps trail behind, and noted that her gait was rather hesitant. From this, Mikel knew that he had not yet gained Isis's trust. Perhaps she thought that he was deceiving her in some odd way. No matter, Mikel and Isis finally arrived within a sparsely furnished lounge room. Several chairs were scattered about a metal table. Mikel gestured to one of these seats, "Please, sit."

Isis did as he asked then cast an expectant look at the man from across the table. “So what is it that you want to know,” she asked, “and I really hope you don’t plan on using drugs this time.”

"Drugs will not come into play, as long as you do not use contractions," Mikel smiled rather good-naturedly, but immediately composed himself. "Your name is Isis, quiaff?"

Isis nodded, surprised at the man's sudden humor. Maybe these clanners are human after all, she thought quietly to herself. Surveying the room with a disinterested cerulean gaze, Mikel realized that he was unsure of what to say to his bondswoman. "Where are you from?" he asked finally.

“I was born on Tharkad,” Isis replied, “Look, are we just going to play twenty questions all night, or did you have something that you really wanted to discuss? And you still haven’t--have not told me your name yet, either.”

"Mikel," he absentmindedly replied before settling his gaze solidly on Isis. In a more serious tone, he continued, "Your customs confuse me, and that was what I originally wanted to inquire about. Text can only explain so much, particularly when written from our point of view. I was hoping that you would be able to better explain your... life. I believe that should wait until another day, my visit has lasted longer than I anticipated."

“That’s it?” Isis asked incredulously, “You call me here to ask me about my ‘life’ and now all of a sudden you’re done?”

"There is always another day to speak... You were hesitant to speak with me in the beginning, mind you," Mikel evenly replied, not allowing Isis's anger to faze him. "I will speak with you in the morning, and excuse you of your duties during that time period. In any case, I hope you will be more cooperative next time.”

Isis didn’t respond to his last remark, but simply let him escort her back to her quarters. It was probably better that he accompanied her anyway since she wasn’t exactly sure how to find her way back. But once they were there he simply said goodnight and then left her alone in the corridor. She looked after him curiously for a moment, unsure of what to make of him, before stepping into the small room and crawling into her bunk. It didn’t take long for her to fall into a deep relaxing sleep…
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Post by Alex Kerensky »

Stensele's Ag-Center, Alleghe
Free Rasalhague Republic
21 March 3050


The punch drove his block back into his face, causing stars and bright lights to explode in his head. The warrior staggered backwards before regaining his balance. He turned to face his opponent, smiled, and launched a series of fast attacks.

Alex slid forward and struck a high kick to the side of Star Captain Harrell Vicker's head. The Star captain blocked the blow with his forearm but left himself open to the jab that Alex threw at his face. The Star commander's fist snapped Vickers' head back and was quickly followed by a crescent kick that rocketed Vickers to the ground.

The Star captain crawled to his knees and shook his head to clear it. He spat onto the hard 'Mech hanger floor and slowly stood. "You will pay for that, surat."

"We shall see," Alex replied before he was thrown on the defensive by the hard assault that Vickers launched. The Wolf warrior had a difficult time blocking and deflecting the flurry of punches and kicks. After a particularily swift flow of jabs, Alex managed to knock Vickers backwards enough that he could begin to counter attack.

And then he woke up staring at a blurry representation of the ceiling of the 'Mech bay. A dark form blocked out some of the lights, and Alex's eyes gradually focused enough to realize that the form was someone's face.

"You are back," Dothia of Alpha Assault Nova said. She gently grabbed Alex by his arms and helped him to his feet. "You have been out for almost an hour."

Alex groaned as he stood and tried to speak. His jaw ached and his head swam. "I have? What happened?" He tried to take a step forward but his legs almost collapsed. Dothia slowly helped him regain his balance. "I remember pushing him back and then blacking out."

The dark haired Mechwarrior chuckled as she half dragged, half led Alex out of the 'Mech bay. "Well, you were about to attack or something when the Star Captain stunned you with a punch to the jaw and followed quickly with a roundhouse kick to the back of your head. You are lucky that you are still alive."

"I see." The wooziness in his head slowly started to subside and Alex managed to take a few steps on his own. "Remind me not to challenge the Star Captain to Circle of Equals any more."

Dothia sighed as she led the wounded Wolf towards the infirmary. "He may hate the Spheroids and you may not like that, but you need to be smarter; you are causing far too much trouble in this unit. Especially since you seem to like the freebirths. Regardless, here we are. I have other duties to attend to. Remember, we will be lifting off at 0900 tomorrow."

"Thank you," Alex said to the retreating Mechwarrior. He winced as a spear of pain flashed through his head. He sighed and looked for the medic on duty.
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Post by Pryde »

Isis watched in stunned horror as the Star Captain rained blow upon blow on Alex's head. The Wolf warrior tried desperately to block and deflect each blow, but he could barely keep up with Vickers' speed. After a particularily swift flow of jabs, Alex managed to knock Vickers backwards enough that he could begin to counter attack. Unable to do anything Isis could only watch as her new bondsmaster fought for his life.

Not long ago Mikel had been given an order to transfer out of this unit and instead of taking Isis with him he asked that Alex take her as his bondswoman instead. Alex grudgingly agreed and Isis had not seen or heard from Mikel since. A loud punch to Alex's jaw brought Isis' attention back to the fight and she gasped in horror as Vickers delivered a devastating roundhouse kick to the back of Alex's head. The Wolf was knocked unconscious by the blow which pretty much ended the fight.

Contemptously Vickers left the circle and wandered off without saying a word while several other mechwarriors huddled over the still form of Star Commander Alex. It took some time for the man to regain consciousness and when he awoke Isis breathed a sigh of relief. I don't even want to imagine what they would have done with me if he had died, she thought to herself. A female mechwarrior was talking with him and gently helped him up onto his feet. Isis moved in closer to hear what they were saying, but she only managed to catch the last few remarks of their conversation.

Wordlessly she followed the two mechwarriors out of the mech bay and down the corridor leading to the infirmary. After they had entered the medical bay Dothia turned to Alex and said, "He may hate the Spheroids and you may not like that, but you need to be smarter; you are causing far too much trouble in this unit. Especially since you seem to like the freebirths. Regardless, here we are. I have other duties to attend to. Remember, we will be lifting off at 0900 tomorrow."

"Thank you," Alex replied as Dothia was leaving, then winced slightly at the pain he felt in his head. He sighed heavily then turned to look for the medic on duty. Isis silently crept up beside him and though her expression was neutral her voice was quite firm. "Was that really necessary," she demanded of him, "You could have been killed, you know. Why not just file a report with your superiors and have them deal with it? That is how we would have handled the situation in the Inner Sphere. Someone like Vickers would have been court-martialed for that kind of brutality..."
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Post by Alex Kerensky »

IC:
The Wolf warrior sat on a padded bench as the medic peered into his eyes with a small flashlight. As the medic checked that he was indeed okay, except for the multiple bruises and headache, Alex answered Isis's questions. "What the Star Captain did was not brutal. It is simply the way of life, as is my challenging him to a Circle of Equals. Within such a duel, disputes are solved. Going through the paper trail is for clerks, not warriors." Alex rolled his eyes in annoyance as the medic listened to his heart beat. "Besides, I've faced worse during my sibko years."
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Post by Alex Kerensky »

JumpShip Stealthy Kill
New Bergen, Rasalhague Province, Free Rasalhague Republic
3 May 3050

Normally the hummings of the WarShip systems would have drowned out the clomps that his booted feet made on the deck plating, but this time, Alex found himself capable of hearing his steps as they echoed down the corridor. He was not sure if this was simply due to the long periods of reflection that he now found himself in or if it were a side effect of space travel.

After leaving Alleghe, the 37th Striker Cluster began the long trip to New Bergen in the Rasalhague Republic. Here, the Cluster would join the 279th Assault Cluster in the bidding that would determine which unit would be allowed the honor to attack the Inner Sphere world. Though Alex was excited to participate in another battle, for that was why he had been born, his talks with his bondswoman had opened his mind.

During the month long journey, Alex had spent much time speaking with Isis, asking her questions about the Inner Sphere and her life before her capture. The talks had been informative and Alex learned many things he had never been taught in his sibko years. The Spheriods do not seem all that much like barbarians.

However, perhaps the most startling revelation was the memories that Isis triggured. She is so similar to Tanya. They possess similar personalities and determinations. It is unsettling. As he had talked to her, Alex was reminded of his late sibmate, Tanya. The two had been close, closer than friends; it was as if they were the same people. Yes, they are very similar.

As he walked down the corridor, Alex realized that he felt a closeness to Isis, as if she were Tanya. As soon as he identified the feeling, Alex knew that it was a feeling of protection, what an older brother would feel for a younger sister. Alex recalled with a smile that one brief moment of time, the one time when he had risked his own life to defend his sibmate.

“Hold!” Sibmaster Maraxus called. “Your goal in this exercise is to knock your opponent to the ground. Once you are on the ground, you are considered dead. Attack!”

And attack we did. All around me, the surviving members sparred. The clattering of wood on wood echoed into the morning air. Sometimes, a cry of pain would mix into the clattering.

I hefted the wooden staff in my right hand and eyed my opponent. Tanya was the one who faced me. She wore her brown hair cut short and stood with her feet should width apart. Her blue eyes flashed with her characteristic air of amusement. Nodding, I beckoned her to attack first.

Tanya smiled before opening her attack. She snapped the butt end of her staff at me, intending to catch me just below my ribs. However, her strike was slower than I thought normal. She usually slowed her attacks when sparring against me. Even had she struck at me with more force, I believe I could have blocked the blow. So, easily, I deflected the attack with my own staff and launched an attack of my own.

This exchange continued for several minutes. She would strike and I would block. Then, I would strike, and she would parry. She was rather good at defending herself. Most of my attacks were blocked, and those that made it through were dodged. Gradually, the other cadets succeeded in toppling each other and had gathered to watch our little duel.

I began to press my attack harder, which she succeeded in defending against. However, Tanya never did press her own attack, even though I dropped my defenses. All she did was continue her weak attacks. This bothered me. I was worried that perhaps Tanya may not have the heart to be a warrior. I did not want to see her wash out of training. I was not the only one to notice Tanya’s lack of initiative, however. Maraxus soon broke into the fight.

“Halt!” he shouted. Tanya and I froze in our sparring. Maraxus stepped forward and wrenched the staff from her hand. “What do you think you are doing? Surat, why are you not pressing your attack?”

I could see that Tanya had bit back her first answer. Still, her voice came back firm. “Sir, I did not see any openings.”

“You lie,” my instructor answered. Maraxus tossed the wooden staff away. “Cadet Alex had holes in his defenses that you could pilot a ‘Mech through.” He stared into Tanya’s eyes. “And explain why you pulled back your attacks. Why did you not strike him with full strength?”

This time, Tanya looked over at me. There was a strange look in her eyes, and her voice faltered as she answered. “I did not want to hurt him.”

Maraxus laughed at this answer, which set my teeth on edge. I did not like him laughing at my sibmate. “No, that is not it. You are actually a coward. You do not have what it takes to be a warrior. You are a waste.”

Had Maraxus stopped there, I do not believe anything of significance would have taken place. However, he did not stop there. His next actions surprised everyone in the sibko. He struck Tanya. Maraxus landed a solid blow to her chest and followed up with a backhanded blow that sent her to the ground.

I was utterly shocked at his actions. I knew sibmasters and other trainers to be harsh, but I never experienced something so blatantly barbaric as the striking of my sister. Sure, Maraxus yelled at us, threatened us, even challenged us to the rare Trial of Grievance. But he never blatantly attacked one of us.

My shock soon turned to pure rage. I was appalled that he would punish her for so trivial an action. For Kerensky’s sake, she was merely showing concern! How is showing concern unClanlike? There is nothing in our teachings that forbade concern. I thought sibkos were supposed to be close. I thought we were supposed to care for each other.

These thoughts shot through my mind as Maraxus simply began kicking Tanya as she lay on the ground. I could not just stand there and let him beat my sister senseless. I had to do something. But what could I do? The only thing I could do was physically removing Maraxus from the conflict. But would I dare strike my instructor? For my sister’s sake, yes, I would.

As Maraxus leaned back to deliver another kick, I stepped forward and shoved him away. Even though my voice was strong, I did feel a slight trickle of fear. What would happen if I challenged Maraxus to a Circle of Equals? As quickly as the fear came, it disappeared. I was a cadet of Clan Wolf. I was one of the best warriors ever bred. I could do this.

“Sibmaster Maraxus, for the unprovoked attack of a sibmate, I, Cadet Alex, challenge you to a Circle of Equals.” I said this all in a strong voice while using my body to shield Tanya. She groaned slightly as two other members of our sibko hauled her to her feet.

“What is this? You are going to defend her? Very well.” Maraxus straightened his jumpsuit and faced me. “This will be our Circle of Equals. Come, attack.”

I walked warily towards him. For obvious reasons, I knew I needed to be cautious. Maraxus was a warrior; he had already tested out of his sibko. I was a cadet. He had years of battlefield experience. I had no such experience. However, I was younger. Therefore, my genes were, theoretically, superior to his. I also had anger and rage on my side. I needed to defend my sibmate. I decided that I must win. And so I fought.

The first exchange of blows was unspectacular. He punched or something, and I blocked. Nothing special. In fact, most of the battle went like this. I would attack, and he would counter. He would attack, and I would counter. The only spectacular thing came at the end of the battle, and it would determine the battle’s outcome.

Maraxus spun and delivered a high kick to my head. To this day, I do not know why he launched such a move. High kicks were generally for show, or so I was taught. Regardless of his reasons, I caught his foot and twisted it, making him fall to the ground.

Maraxus dropped to the ground and rolled to regain his feet. At this time, I quickly delivered a blow to his head. My foot caught his face just as he rolled to face me. There was a brief grunt, and I saw his head snap to the side. His body went limp.


The running feet of a Tech brought Alex's head up and broke his train of thought. As he turned to avoid the rushing lower-castman, Alex noted his surroundings and knew that he was close. He turned into the next corridor and came to a locked hatch. Nodding to the guard on duty, Alex opened the hatch and stepped through.

Assembled in neat rows were bunkbeds, all neatly maded. Foam pillows sat at the head of each bed while the sheets were tucked under the mattress. At his entrance, the occupants of the quarters all snapped to attention. All were female, as was the case when bondsmen were separated by gender. All were dressed in the same gray jumpsuit. And all had a tripple cord wrapped around their right wrist.

Star Commander Alex walked past all of the bondswoman until he came to Isis. He nodded at her and beckoned for her to follow before leading her out of the quarters. Once in the corridor, he turned to his bondswoman. "We will be docking with the Dire Wolf shortly. The officers of the 37th will be transferring over to the Dire Wolf to observe as Star Colonel Marcos places his bids for New Bergen. I wish for you to accompany me and observe the process."
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Post by Pryde »

"You know, I'm beginning to wonder about you, Isis," Caitlyn told her from behind. Isis paused in the middle of smoothing a crease in her bedsheets long enough to turn and face her friend.

"Wonder about what, Kate," Isis asked, slightly confused by her friend's remark.

"I wonder if you remember where your loyalties lie. You're getting awfully close to that bondsmaster of yours," she replied, her eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion.

Isis gave her a light-hearted laugh before turning back to adjust the sheets on her bed. "He just asks me questions about my life and I answer them, there is nothing more between us," she replied.

"I'm not so sure about that, Isis," Caitlyn said as she crossed her arms across her chest. "I hope you haven't forgotten who you are and who he is. He's the enemy and you're his prisoner, don't ever forget that! He's just using you for information."

"Alex would never--" Isis snapped, whirling around to face her friend, but she stopped herself suddenly, her words hanging soundlessly in the air. "He is just curious about our customs, Kate. He just wants to know more about us, that is all."

"Listen to yourself, Isis," Caitlyn replied in an exasperated voice, her hands falling once again to her sides, "You're even beginning to talk like them! I haven't heard you speak a single contraction in weeks!"

"Listen, Kate," Isis began in a low voice, "I am first and foremost a proud citizen of the Inner Sphere, I would never dream of abandoning my family, or my nation. But here we have no power, we do not have control of our lives anymore. There is no hope for us, we cannot escape and they will kill you if you try. It is foolish to cling to false hopes!"

"You may have already given up, Isis, but I cannot. I hope you enjoy your life with your new masters," Caitlyn replied harshly before turning away and heading back to her bunk. Isis was about to call after her, to get in the last word, but she was interrupted by the arrival of Star Commander Alex. At his entrance every woman in the room snapped to attention, more for fear of being beat rather then any show of respect. Alex passed each woman by until he stood in front of Isis.

"We will be docking with the Dire Wolf shortly," he told her, "The officers of the 37th will be transferring over to the Dire Wolf to observe as Star Colonel Marcos places his bids for New Bergen. I wish for you to accompany me and observe the process."

"As you wish, Star Commander," Isis replied respectfully. Alex gave her a nod and she stepped out of line then followed him from the room. As they walked down the corridor leading from the barracks Isis gave Alex a side-long glance. His expression seemed troubled and his eyes stared distantly ahead.

"Is something wrong, Alex," she asked suddenly, concerned about his strange behaviour, "You do not seem to be yourself today, quiaff?"
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Post by Alex Kerensky »

IC:
The Star Commander paused for a moment before answering. "I have just been reflecting on how you remind me of a former sibmate of mine." Though Isis did not ask to go on, Alex chose to do so. He was unsure why he did so, but he spoke regardless. "You resemble Tanya so much. In the sibko, Tanya and I were best friends. I guess she is whom you would call a younger sister, though we were the same age. I looked over her and served as her protector.

"The way you are just reminds me of her." The warrior paused, knowing what Isis would ask. "During my Trial of Position, I was paired with her. I achieved three kills, though the trainers counted it as two. Tanya was able to down one of her opponents but at great cost to her self. She died from her wounds. That was many years ago.

"Again, I see so much of Tanya in you. I guess I just miss her and the times we spent together." Alex sighed. "But such is the Way of the Clans. Such is life."
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Post by Pryde »

IC: "I'm sorry, Alex," Isis replied, her speech falling back into her old pattern, "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Alex's expression darkened somewhat, so Isis quickly decided to change the subject. "So what exactly is it that you wanted me to see," she asked him, "What is bidding?"

OOC: Necroposting at its finest... Well that, and I decided we needed more Battletech threads on the first page. ;)
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Post by Balsa »

OOC:
Woah, wtf. :P

Anyways, I'll have a post later. Along with the two other necro-Btech threads.

Good job ressing these dead things. At least now I don't have to find my corpse and fight my way through the instance. :P
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Post by Pryde »

OOC: That's what priests are for. ;)
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Post by Balsa »

IC:
"No, it's fine," Alex replied. "Bidding is the process by which we decide how many forces will be used to take a planet or objective. The cluster commanders compete among each other to try to win the fight with the least amount of units."

The Star commander turned a corner and led his bondswoman to the lift. "We'll be heading with the other commanders in my Trinary to the Dire Wolf. There, you can witness the bidding process and I'll explain it as it goes on. I think it'll make more sense if you can see it in person."

OOC:
Crappy post, and I can't really do much with the bidding thing because I don't have my Wolf Clan Sourcebook on me. :cry:
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Post by Raptor Duk-Val »

ooc: just read any of the Blood of Kerensky books
"That which does not kill you merely postpones the inevitable."

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Post by Balsa »

OOC:
No, I mean, none of them focus on the bidding for New Bergen. The WCSB goes into that. I understand the bidding process fine. :)
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Post by Pryde »

OOC: So, will your WCSB be readily available later on, then? 'Cause I'm at a loss for what to do right now. If you manage to get your hands on the book then feel free to fill in all the little details about the bidding process so my character can comment on them. :P
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Post by Balsa »

OOC:
Yeah, it's in my desk in my dorm. I'll have something posted tonight.
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Post by Balsa »

The shuttle was full of the other 37th Striker Cluster officers. Star Commander Alex nodded at several of his fellow warriors before leading Isis to the back of the craft. He sat and gestured for her to sit as well.

Previously during the trip to New Bergen, he has asked her about her military training and life with the fighting forces of the Inner Sphere. He hadn't really gotten to know about her life before her military enlistment. Because the transfer would take close to a half-hour, Alex decided that now was as good a time as any to find answers to his curiosity.

"Isis," he began, "what was your life like before joining your unit? Did you have any sibmates or other relatives?"

OOC:
Yay, stall tactic. :P
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Post by Balsa »

OOC:
Waiting on you, Pryde. :P And, how did you want to do the explanation of the bidding process? Dual post?
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Post by Pryde »

OOC: Hmm, I dunno how long it will be before we finally catch each other online... So, uh... Go ahead and do a full post of the bidding process, and I'll just have Isis ask you questions about it after it's all done.

IC: "My life before joining my unit?" Isis repeated, a bit surprised by his sudden inquiry, "Um, well... I lived on Arc Royal with my parents. My dad was a retired mechwarrior, and my mother worked at a nearby school. I had an older brother who was a member of the Kellhounds, but he..." She stopped suddenly, biting back a sudden rush of tears. "Anyway," she continued after a moment's respite, "I had always wanted to follow in his footsteps, but I was never quite good enough with a 'mech, and my marks at school weren't high enough for the 'Hounds."

She stopped again, unable to banish the memory of her brother's death. "I'm sorry," she said suddenly as she looked away, "but I don't want to talk about it right now..."
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
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Post by Balsa »

IC:
Alex nodded, understanding and curiosity flooding his mind. He both understood what Isis was feeling, as Tanya had perished so long ago, but he was also interested in why she felt such strong emotions. Even though he had been very close to his sibmate, the Warrior understood that death was the Clan way of life. For her people, death is more than just a part of life.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the Clanner said, though he knew that his words were empty. I cannot know what she is feeling. Seeing that no other Warriors were watching or paying attention to them, Alex gave her what he hoped was a comforting embrace. His action shocked him: the embrace was as alien to him as he knew it must be to her.

The intercom suddenly blared to life, the pilot announcing that the shuttle was ready for departure, and Alex withdrew his arm. "We are leaving. Let's buckle in."
"Mr. T once defeated Chuck Norris in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. In retaliation, Chuck Norris invented racism." -- my brother
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Post by Balsa »

IC:
The shuttle docked with the Dire Wolf, and Alex led Isis along the various corridors and lifts to a small observation room. The room was sparcely furnished, with only a row of seats and a table occupying the room. One wall was replaced with a panel of glass that overlooked the bridge, while another wall contained a porthole, showing the vastness of space beyond the protective hull.

The Clanner motioned for Isis to take a seat before he sat. He pointed at a throng of Clan officers as they gathered around a large circular piece of equipment. Over six meters in diameter, the holographic projector projected images over three meters high, and was now displaying various data concerning troop movements and force numbers.

"That," Alex began, "is a holotank. It is a large computer that can be used for a variety of purposes. Besides being used as a training device for our armored infantry, the holotank can be used to display live-images from battles and other scenes. Right now, we are using it as a way to facilitate bidding."

Two individuals entered the holotank. One wore a goatee that matched his almost white hair, while the other was obviously of African ancestory. "There, you can see Khan Ulric Kerensky and ilKhan Leo Showers. They are likely discussing the preliminaries to the bidding process."

Seeing Isis' confused look at the term "bidding," Alex proceeded to explain. "Bidding is a way for us to determine the amount of forces required to take an objective. Commanders 'bid' or compete among each other to try to attack with the least amount of forces possible. The one who can take the objective with very few troops wins a great honor.

"Does that make sense?"
"Mr. T once defeated Chuck Norris in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. In retaliation, Chuck Norris invented racism." -- my brother
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Post by Pryde »

"I am not entirely sure," Isis replied, watching the proceedings intently. "Why not simply attack the planet with your full force? You will take fewer casualties that way, and have a better chance of forcing the planet's government to negotiate."

"This is true," Star Commander Alex replied. "However, by doing so, we resort to the barbaric ways of fighting, the same tactics and strategies that caused the fall of the Star League. Also, using so many troops is a waste of resources. Why use more when you can accomplish the same goal with less?"

"But why even fight at all," Isis asked, simply not grasping the concept of this whole invasion, "Why are you here invading the Inner Sphere? Is this war not also barbaric? Just what exactly are you fighting for?"
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
Balsa is not a lie!
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Post by Balsa »

IC:
Isis' question caught Alex offguard. He had to think a moment before replying because he wasn't quite sure why they were fighting. He only knew what he'd been taught during his cadet days, and those lessons didn't make the most sense.

"Well," the Star Commander began hesitantly, "your House Lords caused the fall of the Star League. They are corrupt. We are here to destroy that corruption and return the Star League to its former glory."

PPC:
Mmm... need some time to research crap for this upcoming post. :P Namely, how New Bergen was lost to the 37th. Plus, I'm leaving to mooch food off of people. :)
"Mr. T once defeated Chuck Norris in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. In retaliation, Chuck Norris invented racism." -- my brother
Pryngles
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Post by Pryde »

Isis was a bit insulted by Alex's response. The way he looked at it was so simplistic that it was almost laughable. "Forgive me," she began, "but my House Lords did not cause the fall of the Star League. That happened three hundred years ago, those leaders are dead, and the animosity we have for each other due to three hundred years of warfare have driven each nation so far apart from each other that it is impossible to even consider that the League will be reborn... And where I come from you don't go around making assumptions of people without knowing them first. Not all of our leaders are corrupt. Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner have set aside their differences and united two nations. They've made the first steps towards peace, and the devotion they have for their people is known by all. He loves his people, and in return we love him. How can a man that inspires that much loyalty from a nation be corrupt?"
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
Balsa is not a lie!
Posts: 9877
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2004 2:43 pm

Post by Balsa »

OOC:
Balsa casts Rank1 Resurrection!

IC:
"The Usuper inspired such loyalty from his people," the Wolf retorted. "Was he corrupt?" Before Isis could respond, he quickly cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Quiet, they are beginning."

Two figures stepped up next to the Khan and ilKhan. The female, her nails painted back, stayed with Ulric while the other sided with Osis. The leader of the Wolf Clan nodded to the Smoke Jaguar, and the two new figures started punching numbers into the computer.

"The one with the ilKhan is Marcos Radick, commander of the 37th. He has just countered Lara Ward's bid of a full Cluster to take New Bergen." As Alex explained the process, various colored symbols popped up on the display screen and disappeared. "There, Lara has just slashed a star from her bid."

As the two opposing commanders continued, Alex turned away from the scene and diverted his attention back to Isis. "They are basically cutting away from their allotted forces to see who can attain the world with the fewest resources. Not only does this keep waste to a mininum, but it also forces the attacking force to fight at its best."

After several minutes, the display screen flashed once, and Lara shook hands with Marcos. Alex sighed, and Isis, clearly confused, nudged him. "What's wrong?"

In a dejected voice, the Wolf replied, "Marcos lost the bid. Lara and her 279th will have the honor to storm New Bergen." He shrugged as he led her out of the room. "Since talking with you, I've come to see the Inner Sphere as something more than just barbarians, but not being able to participate in this battle is a bit discouraging."

As the door hissed closed behind them, Alex forced a smile on his face. "But, enough of that. Shall we get some food?" At her nod, he led her down another hallway, following signs that showed plate and fork icons. "The stuff served aboard ship isn't the best, but it is edible and likely better than whatever they are feeding you. Speaking of that, how are you adjusting to life?"
"Mr. T once defeated Chuck Norris in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. In retaliation, Chuck Norris invented racism." -- my brother
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Post by Pryde »

"Adjusting to life?" Isis asked incredulously, "I am a prisoner, how am I supposed to adjust to that?" Alex seemed about to say something, but Isis held up a hand to forestall him. "I know, I know," she told him, "I am a Ghost Bear now, and if I serve my clan well enough I will be inducted into the ranks as a full fledged warrior. But the fact remains that the others will still look upon me with scorn. It does not matter what I accomplish or how far I go, I will never be their equal. That is a life I am not sure I can live."
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
Balsa is not a lie!
Posts: 9877
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2004 2:43 pm

Post by Balsa »

"When you attain the Warrior rank, others will treat you much better. Granted, the larger problem is the nature of your birth. You are Inner Sphere, and so technically a freebirth."

"And what exactly does that mean," Jeana asked as they entered the mess hall.

The Wolf warrior grabbed a tray and led his bondswoman down the serving line. "Trueborns, like me, are born in an iron womb and raised in a sibko. Freeborns are conceived through natural means, and are thus inherently inferior."

"Inferior my ass!"

Alex held up his hands to stop her from objecting even more. "Technically, freeborns are because they do not carry the genes of great warriors. But, there have always been objections. Hey, I am just telling what we Clanners believe. But, that being said, most Clan folk view freeborns as less than human."

"Great," Isis sighed as she followed Alex to a table. "So, not only am I a bondsman, but I'm also inferior in your eyes. And this helps me how?"

The star commander considered this a moment while chewing on some reconstituted vegetables. "I guess, if you can prove yourself a warrior, you can prove to others your worth. It is a worthy go, I believe."
"Mr. T once defeated Chuck Norris in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. In retaliation, Chuck Norris invented racism." -- my brother
Pryngles
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Post by Pryde »

Isis leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "And how do you suggest I prove myself a warrior? Beat someone up with my mop? Somehow I do not think that would be very convincing."

Alex looked at her first then cast a glance down at the tray sitting in front of her, noticing she had not touched it since they sat down. Isis wasn't feeling particularly hungry at the moment, she always lost her appetite whenever she was on edge and the whole inferior remark Alex made certainly did the trick. "Look," she continued, "as happy as it would make me to be free of this cord around my wrist I cannot betray my family and my principles. My loyalties lie first and foremost to the Federated Commonwealth and to Hanse Davion. If I had found a way to escape I would have done so by now, and nothing would make me happier than to send you clanners packing myself." Just then she shot out of her chair suddenly and slammed her palms onto the table. "That is my home out there you are destroying, in all of the talks we have had have you even stopped once to consider my feelings about that?"
"Ol' Doc doesn't hide, he hibernates." -- Doc, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"What do you call it when you kill someone and take all their stuff?"
"Adventuring!" -- Tallis and Hawke, Dragon Age 2.
Balsa is not a lie!
Posts: 9877
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2004 2:43 pm

Post by Balsa »

"No, I have not." Alex looked around, noticing that several other warriors had glanced over at the commotion Isis was making, but a quick nod and they returned to whatever they were doing before. "Isis, please, calm down. You must understand, you are one of the Clans now, and this is your home." The Wolf paused as he forced some irritation away. "Look, I am sorry about what is happening to your former people. In my culture, it is not customary for bondsmen to cling to their old Clans, so I had not considered that you would feel this way. I apologize for not asking your feelings on this matter. What can I do to help?"
"Mr. T once defeated Chuck Norris in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. In retaliation, Chuck Norris invented racism." -- my brother
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