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> Dauntless, Fortress-Class DropShip
Captain Garrett Garland
post Apr 19 2007, 06:51 PM
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Only the starlight of the Vivarian system illuminated my cabin through its small window, a porthole really, barely enough to cause the steel blinds to cast shadows throughout the room. The Fortress class DropShip truly was sturdy, though it made sacrifices to maintain its strength. There were too many exposed reinforcement struts, too many sharp edges, and too much metal. Funny that such things would bother a MechWarrior, being that most lived and breathed in an environment which epitomized such things, but I liked to see variance in my environments.

Early that day I had finished negotiating the payment of our contract with the Magistracy of Canopus. The Magistracy had paid our garrison fee in full even though we had only been on-world for a bit over a week. We had also been paid a combat fee and any restitution for damage taken while engaged in combat. It seemed to me like many Legionnaires felt as if we had somehow come out worse for the wear, but how could that be?; we were wealthier and more battle-hardened. We were going to need a lot of new BattleMechs though; perhaps losing a BattleMech was a hidden shame now common amongst many of the Legionnaires as most had fallen in the final hour. I wondered if it was the same pain a cavalryman felt when his stead perished under a fusillade of fire while he was thrown clear to safety.

Having spent the past few minutes in a contemplative silence and darkness, I eased my cabin’s lights back to full and attired myself properly in uniform. Looking at the bars on my collar, I was reminded of my purpose, and headed from my cabin accordingly.

The Major’s cabin was not too different from my own—small but well furnished being that it was the premier officer’s cabin. I knocked on the door, and it opened quickly. Benjamin had been reading something, but he put it away before I caught its title.


“Captain, please take a seat. How are we fairing these days?”

“Hah, I know you’ve kept up with everything, and you did get my report from earlier today?”

“I did, it seems that we’re actually in pretty good shape.”

“Yeah, too bad our operation didn’t turn out to be the vacation I thought it was going to be.”

“So, Garrett, what can I do for you?”

“I think it’s time I return command of the unit to its proper commander.”


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Position : Captain | LEGIONNAIRES
Callsign : Fox
Current BattleMech : Shadow Hawk [55 tons] [97.2 km/h max] [120 meter jump range]
Loadout : [1x Rotary AC5] [1x LRM-20] [1x Medium Pulse Laser] [2x Streak SRM-2] [AMS] [CASE] [ECM] [JumpJets]
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Commodore Benjamin Maxwell
post Apr 20 2007, 11:38 AM
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“I think it’s time I return command of the unit to its proper commander.”

With a slight flourish, Captain Garland set a matching pair of field commander's pips atop my desk. John glanced over at them with a distant expression on his face, before returning his gaze to the porthole.

"I owe you a debt of gratitude."

"For what?" Garrett replied, a slightly bemused expression crossing his face..

"For keeping the unit together. And...for coming back for me."

"Did you honestly think we'd abandon you?"

"You would have been within your right to do so."

Garland shook his head.

"I disagree. I don't believe in leaving anyone behind."

I nodded.

"Nevertheless, thank you. And - as lovely as this godforsaken rock is, I believe we've overstayed our welcome. Have we any travel plans?"


--------------------
Position: Senior Captain | Legionnaires
Current BattleMech: WHF-3B White Flame (Lothos) [Heavy - Quad]
Loadout: 1x Large Pulse Laser, 1x Medium Pulse Laser, 2x ER Medium Lasers, 1x Anti-Missile System, Jump Jets
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Captain Garrett Garland
post Apr 20 2007, 02:53 PM
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"Well, being as the Dauntless is closest thing we have to home, and that we need to bring ourselves up to full strength once more, I’ve made arrangements to head back to Galatea. It’s our best option for outfitting ourselves with new BattleMechs, and I’m sure that someone will have a high-paying job for a mercenary company with the latest and greatest. Is there somewhere else you had in mind?"

This post has been edited by Captain Garrett Garland: Apr 20 2007, 04:46 PM


--------------------
Position : Captain | LEGIONNAIRES
Callsign : Fox
Current BattleMech : Shadow Hawk [55 tons] [97.2 km/h max] [120 meter jump range]
Loadout : [1x Rotary AC5] [1x LRM-20] [1x Medium Pulse Laser] [2x Streak SRM-2] [AMS] [CASE] [ECM] [JumpJets]
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Commodore Benjamin Maxwell
post Apr 23 2007, 11:51 AM
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Joined: 15-December 05
From: Tau Ceti IV
Member No.: 1





I shook my head.

"No - make it so."

Given our current predicament, Galatea was as good a starting point as any. Moreover, Colonel Taylor Reese had done us an amazing favor, and if she was still on the mercenary world, I wanted to thank her in person - and possibly enlist her help once again.


--------------------
Position: Senior Captain | Legionnaires
Current BattleMech: WHF-3B White Flame (Lothos) [Heavy - Quad]
Loadout: 1x Large Pulse Laser, 1x Medium Pulse Laser, 2x ER Medium Lasers, 1x Anti-Missile System, Jump Jets
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Bounty Hunter: Sam Grisham
post Apr 24 2007, 08:50 AM
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Joined: 2-January 06
Member No.: 34





“We need to talk.” I interrupted Charles Maxwell as he quickly twirled the holomag from out of my view - the same holomag he had been staring at all week.

“Do we now?” Charles replied, a look of slight surprise coating his face. He was so lost in his daydreaming he had barely noticed me. I sat opposite him at the dining table without a tray. I didn’t feel much like eating, and by the look of things, the aging Maxwell didn’t either. His auto-vended meal sat stone cold before him.

“I’ve been watching you stair at holomag all week since we’ve returned from out previous operation.”

“So? Your point is?” Charles frowned. I had clearly captured his attention.

“Well, word down the ol’ grape vine is that you’re retiring soon…” I said with a hushed tone. The General cocked his head back, perplexed at how I could know this information.

“Well… word seems to get around quickly, doesn’t it?” he begrudgingly replied. “I would appreciate it if you kept quiet and halted any further spread of this.”

“So it’s true?” I further inquired. Charles frowned even more before releasing a agitated sigh.

“Yes it’s true Grisham. I fact, I’ve already decided on how I’m going to spend my retirement. Now, I’m just counting down the days. My days as a mercenary General are over.” The senior Maxwell answered my question. He gripped his glass of cold, fresh water (the only fresh thing the auto-vender could spit out) and swallowed it. I knew that he would have preferred a fine scotch or maybe even a brandy, but, from the look of his eyes, I could tell he would be doing all the drinking he wanted in his retirement. The man who sat before me was now only thinking about his retirement.

“Well, General…” I said reaching into my jacket pocket. “… you have one more mission to take care of before you can retire…”

“Oh really?” He said as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the edge of the table. “And what might that be?”

I pulled out the phial and placed it in the middle of the table.

“I know that Ben is still suffering from Risiskin’s disease.” I said, much to the discomfort of the aging man.

“I snatched this from one of Ben’s good ol’ friends back on that hell hole, Kittery. Major Canio.”

“Canio… yes, I remember him…” Charles muttered.

“Yes, well, Canio was trying to barter our lives with Ben. He was holding this very phial. Do you know what’s in this?”

Charles remained silent.

“This is a Risiskin’s suppressor that Canio was working on.”

Charles expression shifted to slack-jaw shock.

“H-how?” He reached out for the phial. I instantly snatched it away from his grasp.

“Not so fast Charles. There are some conditions.”

“I’m listening.” he said desperately as he fumbled into his own jacket pocket. He with drew a cigar and placed it between his lips. His shaken hands feebly attempted to light the cigar. Be he tried, I pulled out my own lighter and lit it for him. He instantly took several drags on the cigar and began to steady his nerves.

“I’m a reasonable man Charles. I don’t want money.”

“Every man has his price Grisham.”

“I want your help. WE need to return back to Sheratan. You need to take back what is yours!” I gripped the phial tightly in my fist. “Once you do, we can begin testing the drug.”

“That raises an interesting point Grisham…” Charles grumbled. “… how do we know that this isn’t just some placebo?”

“While we were away on our previous mission, I spoke to a contact here on Galatea. He began to do simple testing on the drug to determine whether or not it was a fake or something we had already seen before.” Once again I reached into my pocket. “Here are the results…” I handed a small piece of paper over to Charles. He analysed the results carefully.

“My god… this is unlike anything I’ve seen before.”

“Exactly.” I replied as Charles continued to read through the sheet. After he read it, he looked up at me, his glasses on the end of his nose and his ageing, piercing eyes looked into my own.

“What do you get out of this Grisham? Why are you so interested in helping Ben and me? If you don’t want money, what do you want?” Charles asked inquisitively.

“Because I know someone who is infected with Risiskin’s.”

Silence filled the air.

“I get it… if we can make a cure, we can cure your friend.”

I nodded in reply.

“Every credit that I’ve earned for the past five years has gone towards her… Her condition is far worse than Ben’s. She has lost the use of her legs, her breathing isn’t always very good… and the medical bills! They keep mounting higher and higher.” I paused taking in a deep breath. “You have to understand Charles, I’m not helping myself. I’m helping the woman I love.”

Charles remained silent. He folded the results into his pocket.

“I need time to think about this…” Maxwell stood up from the table and took leave.

As I sat alone I caressed the phial that held the only chance to save both Ben and my beloved…
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Captain Charles Maxwell
post Apr 26 2007, 11:23 AM
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AEGIS DIVISION | Commander
Rank: General



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Group: Crayven Securities, Inc.
Posts: 108
Joined: 16-December 05
Member No.: 4





My boots thudded heavily on the deck plating as I walked as briskly as I could across the mess hall, stopping only once I had reached the far bulkhead. With a sharp thud, my outstretched hand slammed against the ferrosteel wall, my head hanging limply before me as my chest was wracked with a coughing fit. I stared at the lit cigar in my hand, debating whether it had been the stress as of late, or the cancerous drug addiction, which had caused it. Either way, I wasn't giving up smoking any time soon. It was the only thing that kept me sane. Which was more than I could say for Grisham's proposal.

Take back what's rightfully mine? Take on Crayven? Sheer madness.

I again stared at the test results. They seemed legitimate enough, but any clever snake oil vendor could fake a certificate of authenticity with little chance of immediate discovery. I couldn't believe the mercenary was trying to extort me with so little proof. He clearly didn't realize how lucky he was that this was the Dauntless, and not the Dreams of Avarice. Had this been a Corporate vessel, I would've simply ordered the vial confiscated, and him confined, and run my own tests to determine the claim's legitimacy.

But, semantics aside, what did Grisham stand to gain from the fall of a corporate giant?


If he's thinking it'll mean a favor or two from the Board, then he's out of his mind. As soon as I'm out of the picture again, things will go to shit, and he'll have more problems on his hands than he's ever known. It is an inevitability.

I began to realize that Grisham had given me more questions than answers, and I needed clarification. I returned to the table.


--------------------
Position : Commander, Aegis Division
Callsign : Eden
Current BattleMech : CPLT-C1 Catapult
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Captain Garrett Garland
post Apr 27 2007, 02:58 AM
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The Dauntless rattled as her huge mass displaced Galatea’s atmosphere, her hardy engines staving off much of gravity’s pull. I stood on the bridge, a mere bystander as the ship’s crew skillfully navigated the spheroid to the surface. Deft hands flew across console controls the flurry of activity quickly peaking just before touchdown and then tapering off as various system checks were run.

Galatea had much to offer the Legionnaires. We would need a contract eventually, but first we needed to refit ourselves, and we had the funds to do it properly this time. Galatea, more than any other world that I knew of, was a true treasure-trove of BattleMech technology. The market was decentralized so you really had to hunt for what you desired, but you truly could find any BattleMech, any piece of equipment, and any kind of person to hire. The Major would be spending most of his time securing a contract, so that left me to handle BattleMech and weapon acquisitions. However, I fully intended to let each MechWarrior, at least those whose contracts stipulated that they were not providing their own BattleMechs, find their own, as long as we could properly balance the company with an array of weight classes. They would, of course, need to request a funds transfer and I would ensure that their selection was within our budget, but I knew that if each warrior could choose his horse, he’d fight that much better.

With the Dauntless anchored and berthed, I set out with technician Forester to find a replacement for my dead Warhammer.


Post in Galatea if not actually on-board.

This post has been edited by Captain Garrett Garland: Apr 27 2007, 02:59 AM


--------------------
Position : Captain | LEGIONNAIRES
Callsign : Fox
Current BattleMech : Shadow Hawk [55 tons] [97.2 km/h max] [120 meter jump range]
Loadout : [1x Rotary AC5] [1x LRM-20] [1x Medium Pulse Laser] [2x Streak SRM-2] [AMS] [CASE] [ECM] [JumpJets]
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Bounty Hunter: Sam Grisham
post May 5 2007, 04:27 PM
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Bounty Hunter
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Posts: 44
Joined: 2-January 06
Member No.: 34





The sound of the opposite chair’s heels screeching against the solid floor adverted my attention from the photo I held dearly in my hands. As I looked up Charles Maxwell came into my view.

“Well? Have you thought about my proposal?” I immediately asked. It was my turn to hide away my treasured photograph. I buried it deep into my pocket as I locked eyes with the only man who could possibly change the outcome of my love’s sealed fate.

“I’ve thought about it Sam…” he began. He interlocked his aging fingers into his hands and grasped them tightly. “… and I’m not one-hundred percent convinced.”

I stared wide-eyed.

“What?”

“You are raising more questions than answers. For starters, how do you plan to bring down Crayven? Do you realise how mad that sounds?!”

I frowned at Charles.

“Secondly, how can you afford to take Crayven down?! It would cost MASS amounts of money to culminate any means of defeating them.”

My frown wound tighter.

“Thirdly, and most importantly, what do you hope to achieve from all of this? Special treatment from the board? If you had that in mind, I certainly cant imagine my submitting to ludicrous demands or whatever you can conjure up from that imagination of yours! That is out of the question!”

I leaned forward across the table and allowed for a moments pause.

“The best way to kill a snake is to cut off it’s head. Then the rest of the body becomes useless…” I began. Charles looked back with a questionable look about him. “…I have, in my possession, proof of Caswell’s past dirty dealings. I have a paper trail that could put him out of commission and, hopefully, into a prison cell.”

“You have paper work that links directly to Caswell? How - no - why do you have this?” The aging Maxwell began to show interest.

“I‘ve had a past run-in with him. I had a contact look into my suspicions. He confirmed them. Caswell has had some dirty dealings indeed…”

Charles quickly appeared to be in deep thought. I wasn't what he was thinking, but I had instantly captivated him.

“Although this evidence DID cost me a pretty penny, it wont cost you a dime.” I pushed myself closer to Charles. “But as you said earlier, everyman has his price. All I want is for Crayven to look after my friend. I cant afford her medical costs anymore… I’m so desperate that I’m willing to have you test this stuff on her - and so is she.”

Charles’ eyes remained locked with mine.

“I’m not asking you to do this for me Charles. I’m asking you to do it for Emily…” I said as I reached into my pocket. I scattered the photograph onto the table. The picture showed a young woman, thin as a stick, smiling weakly at the photographer. She wasn’t surrounded my loved ones, but rather she was surrounded by the machines that kept her alive. Maxwell held the picture in his hand shaken hand. The picture must have stirred long repressed memories of his wife who, as I had secretly read, died of Risiskin’s disease. Perhaps Emily even mirrored his wife’s final days.

“How… how far in is she?”

“She’s lost the use of her legs. Her breathing sometimes needs to be aided by machines. All doctors can do now is make her comfortable.”

I studied the aging man as he stared deeply into the photograph. I sat anxiously awaiting for his response.
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Captain Charles Maxwell
post May 7 2007, 04:11 PM
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AEGIS DIVISION | Commander
Rank: General



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Group: Crayven Securities, Inc.
Posts: 108
Joined: 16-December 05
Member No.: 4





Hundreds of horrific memories surged from the dark recesses of my mind, rising from the cavernous abysses where they'd been locked away for years, to present their grotesque forms once again. The hospitals. The surgical bays. The endless streams of medications, pumped into Alyssa's body in a futile attempt to forestall the inevitable.

The funeral. The empty house. The difficult explanation to nine-year-old Benjamin. The terrifying reality of having to carry on without the love of my life at my side. I knew exactly what Grisham was going through. I didn't want anyone else to have to endure it. Not if I had the chance - however remote - to change things.

Moreover, I'd done enough wrong in my life. Saving Emily - and possibly Benjamin - might be an opportunity for me to find an absolution. With a heavy sigh, I leaned forward on my forearms.


"I want to see this 'evidence' you claim to have before I'll commit to anything."

Grisham nodded, and handed me a ragged data pad. I looked over the information displayed on its battered screen. It was fairly damning - containing information concerning the theft of a BattleMech from a war museum, the bombing of an arms dealer's workshop, and an attempted payoff of Grisham to keep quiet about what he'd seen, and a bizarre series of transactions all apparently authorized by Saxon.

Unfortunately, this was nothing unusual for the Crayven Corporation.


"You do realize that, if this gets investigated, the entire company could be put in jeopardy?"

Grisham nodded.

"I'm willing to take the chance that the planetary governor will want a single scapegoat. Aside from which, according to the fiscal reports, the company brings in too much money for Sheratan to make shutting it down worthwhile."

"And you think that scapegoat will be Saxon?"

Grisham smiled.

"Of course it will be. You're dead, remember?"

The bounty hunter had a point.

###


[ Outgoing Coded Transmission ]
[ Transmission Protocol: Scorpio ]
[ Security Level: Tacit White ]
__________________________________________________________


To: Harris, Ron 'Butch' (rbharris@secureserver.excelsiorcorp.avtp)
cc: Harris, Ron 'Butch' (inbox@cypher.csvastridnx01.ves)
From: Maxwell, Charles E. (cemaxwell@cypher.mvdauntlessxv6700.ves)
Subject: Eyes Only

Mister Harris -

I certainly hope this message finds you alive and well. When last we spoke, you and Colonel Reese were embarked on the Astrid at Galatea. You spoke of a movement to remove General Saxon from his position within the company, although at the time, there was no concrete action plan. At the time, I advised you that I would not be participating in this operation. This has changed. I've come into posession of some information concerning Saxon's business activities that might be enough to incapacitate the company on the Sheratan end. Sam Grisham and I are planning to approach the Sheratan government with this and hopefully get the company's operations suspended temporarily while an investigation is launched. That will take care of the homeworld side of things. However, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Saxon is hunting for you, and I have a feeling he's not too far off - he's going to want that ship back. And the intel I've sent you will do little to assist you with the military action I'm certain is coming your way. Fortunately, the Legionnaires have as much to gain from this as you and I do. We can help you raise a defense, but we're not going to be able to go at it alone.

What is your status?

Charles

- TRANSMISSION ENDS -


--------------------
Position : Commander, Aegis Division
Callsign : Eden
Current BattleMech : CPLT-C1 Catapult
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