Trololo - A BT SI

This had been set up over at Space Battles for awhile, but since Xenforo sucks I've decided to also place it here. Enjoy.

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Ahem...entry one...day one.

Well...another one for the Meat Grinder.

Hello there SB. This is GundamChief. You can call me Chief or Gundam, I prefer Chief.

You know the drill. A Rob got interested in what was happening at SB and saw all of the people who were giving such “entertaining” shows to his/her fellow Robs that He/She just had to join in.

So...here I am. To start with, I was at home in Alaska, just finished a day of working in the yard. Doing prep for the winter to come, and the upcoming five month vacation to Florida when suddenly...I black out. Just like that. One moment, reading, next, waking up in the middle of a forest.

Naturally I was calm....

(He wasn’t, he was panicking like a frightened fawn )

After I took a deep and careful look at my situation, I realized that either I was dreaming or I had...well...let’s be honest, I’m more open minded to the possibility of weird shit happening then most so it wasn’t a stretch to say “I wasn’t in Alaska anymore”. The question was where?

I’m still not sure even now, but it didn’t take long after that to find the root cause and what I was in for. I started walking along the forest, looking for landmarks, hills, sounds of water, etc when lo and behold...I find this.



Yes. I can take pictures. I’ll explain that in a bit. I find this machine and was in awe...and inwardly felt more than a bit of my inner fanboy squeal. That’s when I noticed the large container to the left of the machine and saw a letter. Allow me to quote.

Ahem “Comrade Captain ChumBucket. Seeing that you found my little gift, I won’t waste too much time explaining. This machine as you may well know is called a Heavy Gear. The model is famously known as the Hunter and is pretty much the first combat Gear ever made. Along with this is a lot of stuff in a box. Most of it is tools so you are self sufficient and allows you to do your task more efficiently. What’s your task? Why...to cause Destruction, Mayhem, and make a grand nuisance of yourself to everyone you come across. Sounds simple doesn’t it? heh. Well....we’ll see if it is or not won’t we? In addition to all of the crap in the box and the machine I’ve decided to make it a bit easy for you to start with. Instead of making you learn how to use all of this stuff, I’ve implanted the necessary knowledge into you. Only the basic knowledge though. You want to be better, you gotta work for it. Also don’t be too scared when you meet the locals. Their rust buckets come from a golden age long past. ’on that note....’Sayonara, don’t let the dragons bite’ >:3”

...There’s emphasis on that last sentance for some reason, and I don’t like that.

Anyways, so here I am with a Gear, and a box of equipment. and no clue to where the hell I am in the world. If I’m even still on earth.

Well...I’ll start with what I have learned so far after the letter. I looked at the gear and it was pretty much brand new from what I could tell. Not used or anything. Looked fresh from the factory. It was fully armored and fully equipped. Weapons and everything. So I got my Autocannon rifle, a rocket launcher, grenades that are gear sized hand grenades, anti-personnel grenade launcher, and a vibroknife. I haven’t gotten inside yet so I can’t give a status report on function, but I’m gonna assume it’s functional since...Rob’d be lame if he/she gave me a broken Gear.

The Container is made to be placed on the gear to like a backpack, so I can carry all of my stuff with me. The stuff inside is mostly survival gear on and off the battlefield, but there’s some electronics in there. One of which is how I’m talking to you right now. In addition to knowing how to use the gear, I know how to use my stuff. the item I’m using right now is a “Field” class Dataglove. Comes from the Heavy Gear universe. Pretty much a glove that covers your entire arm and acts like a Pipboy, only with functions to interact with other machines and computers via wireless, is in fact a personal computer and with a variety of other function.

This in addition to another item, an Electronic Transcriber, is allowing me to dictate this to the Dataglove and send it to you.

I’ll just give a list of what I have and be done with it. If you guys have the books you can find them easily enough.

“Field” Dataglove
Electronic Transcriber
Audio Reciever
Audio Recorder
Information Pad
Personal Assistant (PDA basically)
Trivideo Recorder
Trivideo Receiver
a Wrist Watch /)
Medical Belt & Scanner
Drug Packet (contains all sorts of stuff.Painkillers mostly, though I got some sleepers and euphoric drugs too)
Medical Kit
Personal Hygiene Kit
Load Bearing Equipment
a Tent
Water Condenser
a few survival Blankets
Water Purification Tablets
a Field Stove (love this thing)
a Backpack
a few flashlights and flares
a few weeks of field rations (M.R.E.s......Meals Rejected by Everyone )
a Mechanical kit for maintenance and modification
a tech-rig for basic repair work on...everything really.
WEP Army Omnitool
a gun Cleaning Kit
an entrenching tool
and a Gear Pilot suit/helmet

Now we get to the toys.
A "Pexton Collins" 13mm Magnum Revolver with 15 boxes of rounds. Each carries 20 rounds. so I got 500 rounds for this baby. Hellboy...move aside

and grenades...got a bunch of them too.

I got five of each type that exists in the Gearverse.

I have 5~

Jamming grenades
Flashbangs
Concussion
Incindiary
Fragmentation
and Gas grenades which are divided into three types. Smoke, Tear gas, and Nerve gas.

with all of that in mind...I put on the pilot suit, strapped on the revolver and the gun harness that came with it and took a few grenades (2 frags and t2 flashbangs) and looked around.

That brings us to where we are now. I can see a hill about 12 miles away which rises up about 500 feet or so. It’s pretty flat on top as well and not steep so I’ll be able to see all around me from there. If I can find a town or something maybe I can find out where I am and what world I’m on.

Chief signing off for now.

Entry two, day one.

Well, I got a few things to say.

First...this machine is made of awesome. It’s like driving...I don’t know...it isn’t like any feeling I can verbalize. Power, ability, freedom, control, etc. Too much to describe.

Second, I got to the top of the hill within 15 minutes and looked over the terrain to see what I could. It was forest as far as the eye could see...until you spot what appears to be a city near a mountain in the distance to the west. The sensors read the distance as about 83.68 km.

I never really liked using the metric system, but I think that’s about...50..ish miles away.

Going at half speed so I don’t crash, I can reach that in about an hour and...20 or so minutes.

I’ve read what you guys have written, and...dang. Battletech. Makes sense...and the emphasis on the whole dragons and ‘farewell’ in japanese makes sense. Especially since I turned on the radio when I got on the hill and started searching for broadcasts on the AM/FM frequencies.

Right now I’m kinda listening to some lady speaking japanese about...something. I know only a few words in regular conversation so I’m lost really.

So...I guess I’ll head over there, but stay on the outskirts and away from the locals until i can stash this machine somewhere. Then I’ll head into town and see what I can learn. Find out where and when I am, though we know it’s in the Combine. That’s one thing I can confirm now that the lady just said “Draconis Combine” a few times.

Also...just so you guys know, I’m in a 4.1 meter tall robot. It’s basically protomech sized. So I don’t know how I would be OCP. This thing when it comes down to it is a less explosive, more reliable, and cooler looking Armor Trooper (VOTOMS). As far as taking damage....yeah...don’t want to test that at all really. I can say for certain however that I can actually take hits from the weapons of this verse and survive...but I have no idea how well that would be. Not gonna test it if I can help it.

Well...might as well get going.

End Entry.

Third entry, first day.

Okay. Good news and bad news.

Good news. I know why Rob gave me all of the electronic equipment. More important, I know where I am, and most importantly I know when I am.

Bad news. I know where and when I am, and already I got attention of the locals.

Tell you what happened. First I got to the outskirts of the city but stopped a mile away in the forest. Long walk but better than being spotted. I didn’t want to take the chance of being seen however so I took the local flora and used it as makeshift camouflage for the machine. I already have survival training in real life so I was able to cover it well enough. It’d be hard to see it unless you were 100 feet away. Even took the time to cover it up from being seen from above.

I then put on normal clothes and covered the Data-glove up a bit and took my PDA and Info-Pad. I may have needed them (and I did). It took half an hour to get to the outer area of the city before I was able to walk in. I was rather wary though as I noticed how modest most of the casual wear people had. Me…I was loud. I was wearing what I had on at the time I was “abducted” by Rob. I stood out as much as Naruto Uzumaki in a serene forest. Didn’t help I was wearing an “Orange” zipper hoody either to fit the image.

Seeing I was getting too much attention, I got out of the main drag and took most back alleys that I could and started looking for anything that looked like internet access. I saw nothing. Hell, they had payphones that used coins and had a dial wheel. So this place wasn’t quite up there technologically as Luthian would be. I looked for Libraries, stores, anything that could give me a clue. News papers were useless because it was all in Japanese, and I could read less of the language then speak.

I finally hit pay dirt though when I found what looked like a café. I looked inside and saw that it was…exclusive. Business people. With how I dressed…no chance of getting in without being ousted. But it didn’t matter. They had computers, and my Data-glove and Info-pad could access them via wireless. It occurred to me that they may not have wireless…but then again they could. One computer did, and I broke into his/her system. So glad Rob gave me the knowledge to use this stuff. I couldn't muck up anything without giving myself away so I merely did something that wasn’t obvious, and that was look at the time and date at the corner of the screen.

March 25th, 3019.

So…yeah. I’m in the Draconis Combine, during the third succession war. Not good on many levels. The guy then started to do stuff because he was accessing a military database and it was…online…or something. I don’t know what BT has for Internet.

Anyways, this is how I learned of the world I was on. Nowhere. I was on a planet called “nowhere”. At first I laughed at the absurdity of the name. Then, using his net I accessed something that allowed me to find a map of the inner sphere. It turns out “Nowhere” is on the ass end of the combine on the border of the periphery. As far as from Earth as I’m ever going to be. It’s also in the Pesht district. I dunno what that entails exactly militarily speaking but it was the DC…so obviously it mean there was gonna be some military presence.

That’s when things started to go south for me. I disconnect and start to leave when I find myself facing down 4 men and 1 woman. They were all dressed in…I guess what acts as fashion for gangsters because that’s what these were. They were all wearing their “colors” and looked at me like a piece of meat.

One started to swagger and speak in what seemed to be an intimidating accent, it was lost on me though since he spoke in pure Japanese. It was obvious to him as well since the lack of my reaction and look of “wtf?” He then spoke English, asking me what I was doing. I merely said I was tying my shoes and he gets into how he doesn’t appreciate the fact that I, an “ochiba” thought I had a right to get on his gangs turf. I don’t know what the word meant but it was obvious he thought I was a member of a rival gang as he went on.

He got into my face…and promptly got pistol whipped. He went down and I pointed my revolver at the others. This, for some reason, was strangely unexpected for them because they backed right off. In hindsight, I think it wasn’t due to my attacking, but the fact that I had a gun. I wasn’t about to question it though, so I promptly kicked the guy, and then back out of the alley and then ran off, putting the gun away as I was in the street and seen by most people.

That wasn’t the end of it though. I got a few blocks before I was assaulted again. These people knew the streets better than I did so of course they’d catch up fast. The guy I hit was really pissed off, and bleeding, and was the primary attacker of the bunch. I was able to defend myself though since I have a Red Belt in Tang-Soo-Do, and it turned more or less into a martial arts brawl. Fortunately I was the more skilled of everyone, with bleed face as the only other skilled one. Like any fight though, it escalated to weapons with knives.

Then it got worse. As they surround me ready for the kill, I hear a siren, and in comes the police. Wearing Red and white striped uniforms they call in on a radio and start talking in fast Japanese in authority and start to move forward. It seemed the ones surrounding me were about to back down when without warning 8 more of the Greens (gangs color that was trying to kill me) jumped in and on the cops. Then it comes back to me. Seeing things were going from bad to worse…I said “Fuck it” and pull out a flashbang.

Grenade came as a shock to them, which became panic as I pulled the pin and dropped it into the group and covered myself. The bang was painful despite covering up. It served my needs though as I kicked the closest people away and helped the staggering cops back to the alley, prompt dropped them and ran as fast as I could back to my Gear. It was a good thing I ran at that moment as well since it wasn’t 10 seconds later that I heard more sirens and saw what was an IFV pass me by. The DCMS was called in.

Well…that was my time in the city. I realize how much I may have just fucked myself just so you know. Hopefully the consequences aren’t too great for me to handle.

Oh. Looked into that “Ochiba” thing. evidently it means “Fallen Leaves”. Turns out my Hoody is orange and that’s the gang color of the Fallen Leaves Gang. The gang that attacked me were called the Green Spiders. “Midori Kumo”. So that explained that.

Note to self…wear less conspicuous clothes.

End entry.

March 25th, 3019, Entry 4.

Well...I managed to get 10 miles from the city now and am camping for the night.No reason to bust my ass anymore then I have today.

Only got 4 Flashbangs left but otherwise, my stock is good. Using the stove to heat up dinner and currently am in the tent typing this out. The ground is actually soft because of the beds of moss in the area so it’s pretty comfortable.

I used my audio receiver, a little earphone sized device that can pick up radio signals up to a 100 km range. Listened to the first english speaking station I found and it was mostly music, interlaced with snippets of news. Seems the DCMS cracked down on the Spiders a bit after my jaunt since military hardware (my Flashbang) was involved and the police, otherwise known as the Civilian Guidance Corps, are working to root out the rest of the “nest of vermin”. Seems they crack down hard here. not surprising considering, but it’s that “Different when you’re there” sort of deal here.

While I wait for dinner to get cooking I’ll reply to some of the stuff I see you guys put down. Some interaction would be nice after all of the work I just did moving to and fro.

hpackrat said: ↑
Next city you go to, make sure to not only change your clothes but also wear a disguise. Your face might have been recorded. Get a machete or a sword so that you'll be less conspicuous. Next thing is to go to the HPG station & get yourself registered as a merc with Comstar then find nearest spaceport in order to hitch a ride off-world most soonest. Hopefully, you'll be able to sign on with some mercs or if worse comes to worse, sign on with a tramp freighter as security. If you can't find a ride off-world, you might have to sign on with a local bigwig as a temporary measure until you can sign-on with a merc group or merchant. See if Uncle Chandy has a local corporate branch.
hpackrat said: ↑

Edit: You should see if you can't disguise your Hunter as a loadermech. Industrial mechs are relatively common & come in ultralite packages.

Eh...maybe. In order to get a disguise I’d need to go in anyways as I am to get the stuff to make the disguise. Aside from Camo-Cargo pants...not much else I have isn’t loudish.

As for being a merc....yeaaaaah no. They got the Wolf’s Dragoons because they were a military asset to use and were far more skilled then pretty much any outfit in the sphere. Even when employed people rarely treated them with respect aside from their liaison and a few others.

As for a loader-mech....uh...that won’t work. Due to how things went for the last few hundred years, Industrial Mechs are just as rare if not more so than the Battlemech is at this point of the timeline. I remember that much. also, there ain't no way I would be able to pass this thing off as such. It clearly is new, doesn’t look at all like a loader-mech (lacks the forklift hands), and design philosophy doesn’t match an industrial mech let alone any mech made in the inner sphere.

Also. Ultra-Light Mech? Most Industrial mechs are as large as Battlemechs, the only small mech I’ve ever seen that wasn’t Battle armor, or a protomech, or a Battlemech, was that construction mech that looked like a backhoe mated with a bulldozer.

Thanks for the suggestion...but that ain't possible to do in this period of the timeline.

Hellfire1 said: ↑
Your pretty much fucked. Almost any crew served infantry weapon is enough to take out a gear. Your at least lucky they don't have access to any of the high end personal weapons that.could do the same thing. A hunter vs 20guys with plasma rifles would not end well except maybe in an open field.Your best bet is to sell the thing to a reputable manufacturer as another prototype ultra light mech.

Yeah...however, I will point out that...

A: The weapons you refer to are currently rare as hell due to tech being lost. With the exception of SRM launchers.

B: Not as powerful as one would think since the weapons they have are actually about what’s needed to even damage a Heavy gear (if what Rob implanted is correct).

C: Plasma Rifles don’t exist yet and were a clan weapon first.

D: Ultra-light mechs don’t exist yet as far as I know. But then I never read on them so I know Jack about them. Or maybe I know but know of them in a different way.

Chris O'Farrell said: ↑
Anyone know any ROM recognition codes to throw at the local HPG to draw on ComStars accounts to hire a Jumpship/Dropship to get you the frack out of the DC into the Lyran Commonwealth?

and they won’t notice this on some backwater planet because?...

LordsFire said: ↑
If he's looking for a ride off-world, breaking a bank's electronic security is a much better idea than trying to break Comstar's. Right now, Comstar has the best E-war, though Hanse Davion will be competing with that shortly.

Best plan I can think of is something like the following:

1. Hack ATM, take funds, or if you are sure you can, hack the bank to create an account from scratch with large amount of listed funds; only do this with a bank that's multi-world, your account will be explained as originating at one of the off-world branches. Either way, you need a lot of money, not obscene amounts, but a lot.
2. Find roster of incoming/outgoing transport vessels.
3. Locate landing field out in ass end of nowhere.
4. Store all your Gear's weapons in that big ol' storage crate.
5. Hire small dropship to come out and pick you up from remote landing field, just as they're heading outsystem.
6. Follow transport chain out to either Fedsuns, or Lyrcom. Either way, it'll take you most of a year to get out, especially if you ride along the periphery. The Third Succession War is in the process of dying out now, and in 3020, Katrina Steiner is going to try for peace. It won't work, but it'll be a part of the TSW finishing up; by 3022 it'll be effectively over, though not completely until 3025.
7. Through this, with weapons concealed, you should be able to pass your Gear off as a Loadermech designed for hostile work environments, like rescue operations around volcanoes, etc, etc. You can at least try.
8. Get yourself to New Avalon and Hanse Davion. He's a big tech-head, and showing something as unique as your Gear might even get your a personal audience. At the least, you'd be able to get a hell of a lot of pay in exchange for letting them just study the thing. He's even enough of a believer in personal rights, that he won't try to seize the thing just out of hand. (Though if you tried to take it to Takashi Kurita or Mad Max he'd stop you.)
Best plan I can think of just now.

1: The money I might be able to do...but bear in mind I am not a hacker, so it’s not gonna be so easy.

2: I might find one...but this city lacks a space port so I have to find that first.

3: Uh...

From 3 on is where we face problems. Wishful thinking this early. So I’ll just keep it in mind.

hpackrat said: ↑
Dude, they take one look at the Hunter they'll laugh at it. As far as the average Spheroid is concerned, its an ultralite & they consider ultralites not being worth anything in combat. I doubt you could even sell it as anything but a replacement mech for a very desperate mechwarrior. They don't realize how versatile it is cause they haven't encountered the Clans yet.

Yeah..this is currently a time where there haven’t been any new innovations in “Centuries”. When the Merlin comes out, everybody freaked because “WOW NEW BATTLEMECH!”

While I disagree on that point...yeah on the rest.

[quote]Chris O'Farrell said: ↑
NAIS might be encouraged to play with it and look for a Niche use of some kind, and find some cool technology inside worth far more to them then the Gear in of itself.
[quote]

Chris O'Farrell said: ↑
Oh, and if you DO make it up to a House Lord, don't forget HELM HELM HELM HELM. Ask for a 5% cut finders fee and you'll be f*#(king set for life.

A cheap, mass-produced mini-mech that does work nearly at the infantry level but able to take on mechs....yeah, I think they’ll find that niche pretty fast.

As for Helm...until I’m secure, I’m not even touching that. Besides...New Dallas is closer.

Hellfire1 said:
Yeah, there are only 40+ or so different infantry weapons that would wreck his shit in this time period.
Most of which are ineffective unless they can damage vehicles, or Battlemechs. which means all heavy weapons such as machine guns as far as infantry ballistics go. the weapons are actually rather limited from what I remember. That’s not to say they won't have them though...since if they are made to fight mechs then they will certainly be able to fight me.

Not that I’m looking for a fight mind you.

On the note of the Engine. The V-Engine would basically be an XL-ICE by their understanding and would be very much desired. Especially one that can pretty much run on anything that is combustible, making fueling problems much less a problem. How it’s applied is up to them were the time to come.Vehicles would most benefit from it as well as poorer people who can’t afford Fusion or even Fission.

As for the whole Computer thing...yeah, their computer control system is also part of the neural network system in this thing and it’s Nanotechnology. Something Battletech doesn’t have much of in that regard. Plus the thing doesn’t need a Gyro because it reads my sense of balance via the neural network and without the clunky control helmet that Battlemechs need.

The armor on this thing just so you all know is actually pretty strong stuff. It’s made and manufactured down to the molecular level in some parts. It’s made to resist ballistics, lasers, particle accelerators, missiles, and vibro weapons all at the same time. It’s practically like Armor in the battletech, aside from the fact it’s made to be flexible. So really, I’ll be fine, so long as I don’t actually go looking for trouble. Bearing this in mind, remember that the armor was meant to be destroyed by other Gears, which means as resistant as it is to such weapons, I can put out as much as I can take.

Oh. Food. Brb.

*AFK*

Back. That wasn’t “too” bad. I’ve had worse.

Anyways. I plan to go back tomorrow, and try to see about doing some of those suggestions. At the very least I need to find the spaceport on this world and see about the military forces.

On that Note. Night.

End Entry.















Progress Saved. Point accumulation report.

5 points - Fighting Local gangs and involving authorities.
5 points - instigating the loss of a faction (Green Spiders)
1 point - Causing discomfort to tight-assed society.
1 point - causing a ruckus overall to what would have been a normal day.

total points: 12.

End Report

0800 hours, March 26th, 3019, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 5

Been learning a bit on how to use this thing. Got it to automatically register things now such as date and time. Also been looking over the Gear late last night, since I actually had the time to look at the thing personally.

I decided to look at what you guys "replied" before going into town again and trying a few more things such as getting money, finding the spaceport, etc.

PsyckoSama said: ↑
So what exactly do points earn you?

And how many points would you gain for power surfing a crashing DCMS jumpship into the imperial palace while playing The Bloodhound Gang's "I hope you die" over all channels?

O_o ....huh? Points? What are you talking about?...and as rediculously cool as that sounds, why would I try to do that ?

VhenRa said: ↑
You realise Heavy Gear Mecha mount relatively pitiful weaponry (Hunter has a what? 25mm Cannon and some Rockets in standard loadout) right? They are basicly a modern IFV on Legs... and while the armor is good by their standards... well. Its crap by Battletech standards. Mostly because it acts like REAL Armor. Either the incoming round bounces off (IE: Most anything around 20mm range or lesser grade stuff) or it punches right through and your machine dies.

*facepalms*

You're not being helpful at all. You might as well be saying "You're gonna die bitch, and it don't matter what you say."

Thanks -_-

Support Lasers are fairly common in this part of timeline so those are also a threat. Support Lasers = Anti-Vehicle Laser Weaponry. Plasma Rifles are NOT Clantech. They are CappieTech (And thus automatically infused with the fiat of Sun-Tzu "My enemies never respond in kind when my crazy Sister uses WMDs on them" Liao)

....oh yeah...they are Cappelan tech. *thinks* yeah you're right on that.

and as for the rest....like I have a CHOICE here to not face this stuff? you make it sounds as if I have one.

AllI can hope for is my "Crappy" mini-mech can withstand it when the time comes...Don't I?

LordsFire said: ↑
I think, Chief, there's a problem here, where it sounds like you're trying to argue the effectiveness of your war machine, versus war machines that have as much armor mass as your entire machine weighs.

BT armor is notorious for it's absolutely unreasonable performance, are you trying to argue that your Gear's armor is even better? Are you trying to argue that while you wouldn't be able to take as many hits as a full size 'mech, you'd be able to take a hit or two, then rely on mobility to stay out of further line of fire? (Whether this be when dealing with man-pack or mech-based weapons.)

I'm "Saying" that I'm not as bad off as people think I am, that while I'm not in a battlemech I'm not totally and utterly screwed.

I don't know how much I can take, but from what little I know of battletech armor and what I was injected about Gear Armor, the two are comparible.

I don't want to test it. I may not have a choice though if Brob has anything to say about it. I'm just holding on to the thin thread of confidence I have here.

Are you trying to argue that your Gear would be extremely cost-effective to pit against mechs in swarm-tactics, and small enough to deploy more effectively against infantry in urban environments?

It would probably help us understand your intentions, and help you plan accordingly, if you were to clearly articulate exactly what you think the advantages and disadvantages of your Gear over current war machines is.

Uh...isn't that how Battlearmor and Protomechs are generally used?

*sighs* I can't articulate what advantages and disadvantages I have becasue all i have on Battletech is from novels, and game books. The Gear stuff is in my head so all I can do is present what that is about and what it can and can't do.

All I know is this.

The armor is made to take on weapons that are comparable to the Battletech counterparts. So maybe the gear is not as weak as you guys think.

The machine can dash on the treads at 108 km/h so it's already faster then most mechs, so speed and manueverability are my best options in a fight.

the weapons, while smaller and on the weak end of the scale are likely able to hurt whatever I use them on, upwards to Battlemechs. So I'm not without a bite.

All I have been trying to say, is that contrary to what everyone here is saying, I'm not totally screwed.

hpackrat said: ↑

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Patron 25th Century ultralite.
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Guardian_(BattleMech)

Trust me. Ultralites are nothing new to Spheroids. They just don't consider them combat effective thus are regulated to industrial work. Also, not all loadermechs have forklifts, only some of them.

Edit: Not having the resources to disguise your Hunter as a loadermeach is a reasonable excuse though. Best check the local databases to see how common ultralites are in that setting. If your pipboy can access info on a secure server then it already did the hacking for you. Hmm, you might be able to hack bank records without needing to be in the city. Comstar tends to have a near-monopoly on planetary communications as well.

I can't use those links. I'm in another universe. If you want me to see the information you need to post it here.

Also, it's a Data-Glove

As for hacking...the only reason I think I got in there was because I was riding on someone else. I haven't actually tried cracking into the system. Which is what I'm gonna try and do when I go to the city again. Also, I have to be in the city. while I have wireless, I don't have a large range. This is like looking for Wifi, you have to find a connection, the guy I rode with as far as the connection went had military connections, so chances are he has some special computer or...something. Anyways, I'll know when I try.

Norgarth said: ↑
Heavy Gear technology is science based, Battletech technology is magic based.

Physics is BT's Kryptonite, and just as infusing Superman with Kryptonite would kill him, infusing physics into BT causes it to implode. (BT much prefers it's magical 'fizzicks')

:p not helping.

hpackrat said: ↑
Which is why its best to treat the Hunter as a protomech in order to better fit within the setting's parameters

which is what I'm doing. though I'm more likly to treat it as a Votom since I don't know how tough it really is just yet.

PsyckoSama said: ↑
Which is why I'm actually reverse engineering the protomech rules to make Gear Construction rules to serve as a general baseline for his gear.

I'll tell you now, gears are kinda nasty.

Nice to know my situation is helping move forward the future :p

Hellfire1 said: ↑
High end military electronics that have the same effect as the tons of active compensators that make up a targeting computer are measured in grams or less because you have to be able to fit them in peoples skulls.

It sounds like they may have a very limited niche before the advent of power armor makes them obsolete if they completely replace the armor and don't use any energy weapons, the power amps would weight to much.

huh?

Gears in no way resemble a protomech except in rough size. They're distinctly lacking in a direct neural interface with the pilot that lets them pull off insane dodges.

Protomechs or Gears? Pretty much said a few times that Gears do have neural interface.

Anyways.

Gonna go to the city now. I'm gonna try and get information about Nowhere before I even attempt to hack stuff. If things go south, then at least I'll know where the nearest dropship is. As well as the military situation on this world.

End Entry.

----------------------

1314 hours, March March 26th, 3019, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 6

Well....got good news and bad news.

Good news is I know where the Spaceport is, I know the level of military presence on this world (which I learned simply by listening. no hacking required), and I have a digital copy of the world map in my Data-glove and in the Gear's Navigation Computer.

Bad news. The spaceport is in the largest city on the planet (named Kerdesso) and is 1214 miles away.

Second, between here and the spaceport is the base where most of the world's military is primarily stationed at. It is currently the home of the 6th Regulars. So they exist here and now. Their numbers are less then listed but still quite a force. They have a single battalion of battlemechs from what I could learn an armored battalion and an infantry regiment. I don't know what they have for units.

Lastly. Tried to hack the bank. Didn't work. It wasn't because the what they had for protections stopped me. They were rediculously thin. What stopped me was that I was went into something that someone else was using at the time and it tipped them off. So I disconnected and left before CGC came calling.

I'll try to see if I can post a world map later or something. There are towns along the roads towards Kerdesso so fuel may not be an issue. Being seen is.

Gotta go.

End entry.

1430 hours, March March 26th, 3019, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 7

I just got a message from Rob.

" Alright. Here's a task. If you succeed, I'll explain a few things. You take this Video disk and go to the media station in town. At exactly 5 PM you play this during the news when the most people will be watching. Then get out of town fast. If you make it to (Coordinates) then you succeed at my task. Oh, and use your Gear for this since you have no other means of transportation "

So yeah...appearently I got things to do now. I have the disk in my hands and looks like a normal DVD, though half the size. It's 2:30 now so I got two and a half hours to do this.

Since I'm here.

LordsFire said: ↑
Okay. Just a quick thought for if someone catches up with you and your Gear, you could tell them something like follows:

You don't know the means by which you got to Nowhere, but you're from Earth, and the mech you're here with is not that unusual an example of the technology of your time. If they ask why you've been lurking around, it's because you've been trying to figure out where you are, what's going on, and what you can do with yourself.

Not lying, but not telling them so much that they'll think you're crazy, either, and most likely, they'll think you were in stasis at some SL depot or something. They're much more likely to keep you alive if they think there's useful knowledge in your head. Since you do, you should be able to survive. If you do get caught by the DCMS, see if you can maneuver yourself into being stuck in with Theodore Kurita, he's your best bet for getting fair treatment, and is, y'know, an honorable man.

I don't intend to be caught. That may not be applicable either just so you know.

VhenRa said: ↑
Since the rest of the 6th Regulars is not here (They are kinda missing the requisite for a Drac unit ASF Support and the rest of their Mechs) and its described as the Home of the 6th Pesht Regulars BATTLEMECH Regiment (The rest being other units administratively attached to the 6th Regulars) I would predict they are off fighting the Davion/Lyran/Pirate menace.

The point we were trying to make is quite simple. Even if your machine was equal in technology to a BattleMech (And that is debatable, but lets assume it was)... its entirely the wrong scale. Its like assuming a Light Tank of WWI is equal to a Light Tank of Today (Well, 80s, Stingray for example). Even if it wasn't horribly obsolete in terms of technology... it still is way damn too small. Your Hunter is what? 6-7 Tons? There are BattleMechs who's skeletons and Myomer are that heavy, their engine is close to triple your mass, mount multiple weapons that are the same mass as your machine... and carry as much armor as your machine weighs. Oh... and can keep up with you on foot. Not if you switch to treads but on foot, sure.

....

VhenRa said: ↑
Even if your machine was equal in technology to a BattleMech (And that is debatable, but lets assume it was)

Okay....who among you guys knows more then Jack and Shit about the Heavy Gear Universe? Because I just realized that while you all know quite a bit about Battletech, you all know little to nothing about Heavy Gears and for some reason are IGNORING what I am saying despite having ROB INJECTING DATA INTO ME...

So really. Someone?

hpackrat said: ↑
Bad luck on your first hacking attempt. Try a different bank on the far side in the evening when people aren't around. Also, no reason why you're only limited to wireless connections. Your data-glove should have options for hard connection.

"Designed as one of the first LoaderMechs created in the Free Worlds League by Atrean Robotics. The Patron was designed as an ammunition reloader for the League's first BattleMech design, Icarus. The Industrial 'Mech was high successful as logistical support role for later Icarus II, which propelled Atrean Robotics into expanding its production facilities to sixteen worlds in the League.

After phase out of the Icarus II, more general purpose model of the Patron entered service, replacing the original Icarus specialized models. Few specialized models being found in various museums in the League. The Succession Wars did not boded well for Atrean Robotics. They went out business from sheer destruction of the age, resulting in the Patron faded away in annuals of history."


"The 15 ton 'Mech utilizes its hand actuators to lift ammunition racks into BattleMechs. To help it move equipment and ammunition around, it equipped with Lift Hoist mounted in its right torso. It was also equipped with a Sprayer in its main body, to cool down overheated BattleMechs returning from the field. It carries .87 tons of insulated Liquid Storage for the sprayer in its cargo bay. It has been optimized for night operations by having a Searchlight mounted on its left torso.

The 'Mechs power plant, Fuel Cell powered Vlar 30 rated engine is capable of moving 'Mech at 32 kph. It is light protected with 1.5 ton of commercial armor, which makes the 'Mech highly vulnerable to damage."

The Guardian Ultralite by Silver Shield Security which should be present in that era mounts 5 MGs & can move 65kph.

As you can see, ultralite industrial mechs aren't unknown, simply uncommon depending on the industrial level of the planet. Your Hunter's rifle can be easily tucked away though your missile pod might need some work, depending on whether it would be recognizable as a weapon. If it has covers then people might think it's just a fuel tank since you're using XL ICE. Speaking of which, a nice future upgrade might be to swap engine for a really small fusion engine, depending on relative power production capacities. Hmm, on the other hand, armed industrial mechs aren't unknown so you shouldn't have problems on less strict worlds. Does the planet have any mercenary activity?

I don't know about the fusion engine. The Hunter is pretty small as it is and at this point of time the IS only has standard Fusion engines. Bear in mind that although ICE is hardly ever used in Mechs, they can be and are powerful enough to provide energy for the lasers and such (when the neccesary power converters are installed). the hunter can use energy weapons...Heavy Gear verse ones anyways (not that I have any). I might be able to modify local weapons to work on my machine though. Hell...maybe even get SRM Launchers as arm weapons. We'll have to see.

As for Merc activity, nothing I heard about.

Gonna get ready for this "Task". Even though I want to do it as much as drink poison, I might as well. I might just learn something about how to get home, or at least get offworld.

End Entry

2200 hours, March March 26th, 3019, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 8

Well...it's official. I wasn't happy with my omnipotent kidnapper before...now I hate him. I LOATHE HIM....I want to take my Gear's Rifle and unload the entire magazine into his chest and face. As everyone and myself had figured...the disk was some shit. I'll explain via Narrative.
----------

I close down the Journal program on the Dataglove and sigh. Looking at the disk however I was brought out of the depressive mood and frowned, knowing full well it was likely some crap that would only bring me more trouble.

Knowing how this usually goes via SpaceBattles and the fact that I was more or less facing a Q like being, and could easily be forced into this or left alone and have to suffer the consequences for it, I pocket the disk and get ready for whatever lay ahead.

I get dressed in my pilot suit, almost all white with a black visor, put on my Tech harness and then did the preliminary checks to the various systems and functions of the Gear to make sure everything was working properly. Most importantly I made sure the CPU was properly connected to the seat Neural Networking system. Without this I wouldn’t be able to move around as fluidly as I should, let alone even stand up, as it takes the pilot’s input and
translates it to actual movement. I also set up the C.L.S. (Combative Learning System) that comes standard with every Gear. It’s what allows the CPU to learn over time from a combination of visual and sensory data fed into it. The result was a machine that not only anticipated and corrected movements of the Gear as the pilot was controlling it, but also increased its ability to take various actions on its own that even the pilot cannot anticipate. Though the data I have been implanted with says that CPUs are not in fact sentient, pilots treat them as if they were due to this. If a pilot uses a CPU long enough, the device actually becomes as smart as a well trained dog. Or so its been described.

It makes me question however if more effort was placed into it, if the machine could in fact gain self awareness. As I finish my work I for some reason am reminded of Big-O and Yukikaze. then I remember a tidbit from my implanted memories and knowledge. A perfect example of a CPU that has gone to the extremes I imagined is the legendary Bowser, a very old Hunter-class Gear that almost has a personality of its own. It has been known to move by itself when threatened and can express simple "opinions," mostly with unsavory gestures learned from the troopers it served alongside. I grin at that. It would be interesting if my machine developed a personality. In time it will.

With the checks finished I look at the time and it’s 1530 zulu time. One hour and thirty minutes to go. If I was careful and took my time I should get there and so on in thirty minutes. I pack up my belongings into the special container unit and then get inside of the machine, it closed itself and began to go through startup. The main problem I had with the Gear so far was the slow startup time. It took a minute for all of the systems to activate completely and go through their checks. It was necessary though as it was thorough and needed in case something was off. The VR cockpit lit , as did the controls and switches and of course the VR screens showed me the various levels of readiness and the outside world with the addition tactical data in the style of a HUD, though relevant tactical and battle readouts are superimposed over the landscape by order of priority.The VR cockpit of the Gear was pretty cool. It reminded me of the three dimensional cockpit in a mobile suit, only it was for my head than anywhere else.

Radar, was currently in semi-passive mode. Emitting pulses to still work as radar but with a lower chance of alerting enemy forces. The radar system is filled with sorting and discriminating circuitry used to cut through the electronic fog generated over the modern battlefield by a multitude of communication and ECM devices. All radar except the most basic models of Gears includes Track-While-Scan (TWS) capability and variable sweep width, along with "intelligent" pulse-scanning procedures for increasing area coverage.

Infrared, Accelerometers, Motion and Vibration sensors, Densitometer, and Magnetometer were in various modes, active or passive. Motive systems were functioning and ready to go. Weapons systems were go. Everything was ready. I took note however of fuel. I had used 72 km of my 500 km range already. This left me with 428 km of use unless I went with Tactical speed with the SMS (Secondary Movement System) for a long period of time.

Looking at the chronometer, the time was 1540. Fifty minutes. I turn on my Navigation and was then...surprised. this machine had a GPS, that I knew, but it required the use of a satellite to work. Yet here it was with a connection. I turn it on and I beheld the sight of up-to-date visual data from a satellite in orbit. I was in mute shock that I even HAD this and only noticed when it beeped at me a designated target. It was the news station I was supposed to get to, as well as an overhead view of the ground.

I stare flatly at it, obviously my benefactor was throwing me a bone...before letting loose the wolves. Still...this will make getting there and out far easier than it would have been. I look at it in depth for around ten minutes, looking at all of the routes in and out of the city, and of course see if I can find Kerdesso. Turns out I can’t since the city was on another part of the continent. I found a road system that leads to it along with the various towns and villages in that direction. So I have a destination after I do this. It’s a matter of getting there without being chased by whatever the DCMS throws at me if worse comes to worst.

I place on the container which was a bit like a fanny pack and start walking, which then turned to running. It takes 15 minutes to get to the edge of the forest and near the city, I quickly realized I was really dependant on the GPS for what I’m about to doas on the way here I made the habit of switching back and forth between it and everything else around me. It was simple enough to handle though. I begin walking into the city, using back alleys and avoiding vehicles, camera’s and most importantly people. It took the better part of the hour to get to the station, and by then the time was 1648. I had twelve minutes to spare, but I was pretty sure I had to go inside as there wasn’t any way for me to hijack the airwaves and send the data, even from where I currently am. I put the Gear into a nearby alley and keep it out of sight by having it kneel. It was hidden by dumpsters and by being in what was a dead end. The dumpsters had chutes above them so no one comes out to dump directly into the things, and it’s far enough from the parking that no one would make the effort to dump what is essentially car trash. No one will come over here unless there was a specific reason...but then again I don’t count on that hope, so I keep the gear active and put it into lock mode. Now I’m the only one who can open it up.

Getting inside was...a bit hard, but I had the Tech harness, so it was relatively easy to break the door a bit. Then I had to find where I supposed to go, which was the hard part since I was looking at hallways that made no indication of where I was. That was until I found the stairwell.There was a listing of what was on what floor and since it was in the back of the building it was relatively empty. I had to dodge a guy but he was slumped over like he was doing a job he’d rather not do. I get to the 5th floor which held Control and the studios. Control was where I was heading to and I was finding it impossible to get there. There were far too many people wandering around doing things, especially since it was close to news time. That’s when it hit me though, I just wait for the right moment. When the news was on people will be paying far too much attention to making the show go right to care about some guy in a white pilot suit. In fact...that might work to my advantage. Mechwarriors wear little to nothing because of the heat and while I am a pilot, I look nothing like MechWarrior. I also don’t look like DCMS so...yeah.

The show starts and they were..speaking english. Starting out with the tops stories of the day. Something about an annual festival regarding some guy from back when. I pull out the disk, ready to put it into a machine and walk into the room as quietly as possible, and failed in my sneaking. I was spotted immediately and the guy harshly whispers at me “Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?”.

I hesitate before the I got it into my head “....make them do my work.” and stood up more confidently and hold out the disk. He looked a bit confused before I pointed over to the studio and he put two and two together. He frowns and says “We got all the footage we need. Get out.” and made to get rid of me with a push out the door. That was until I pulled out the gun. He stared blankly until I cocked the hammer. That got the attention of a few people closer to me who then recoiled at the very large firearm. Looking at the man again I wave the disk and point again at the studio. He hesitated until I pointed it and activated the laser sighting on his crotch. That got him moving. I hand it to him and he quickly puts it into a player and hits a button. The screens go blue for a moment and the studio is confused. Now everybody in the control booth noticed the man in a white suit with a big gun. I felt terrible honestly...but I have to do this. I waited and then I, along with who knows how many viewers, to our horror saw what was on the disk.

It was straight out of south park. Before me I saw the image of a pants less cartoon Takashi Kurita, in full Samurai dress wearing the Draconis Combine Mon on his shirt, sexing up a sheep, moaning in his his high pitched cartoon voice about how “Livestock were the true love of all samurai”.

Yeah...I was about as horrified as the audience, but for entirely different reasons. To them the Coordinator was a man akin to the emperor and all but a living god. It would not be out of place comparing his figure to that of Kim Jong Ill in North Korea, and he was being shown fornicating with an animal in the most grotesque, and satirical manner possible to an entire region if not the whole planet. To say I was boned would be the understatement of the year. I watched a few people in the booth actually faint watching this and one guy actually barfed. I wanted to laugh...I really did. At the cartoon, and just how screwed I really was at that moment. Instead I wheezed my laughs which were silent due to the helmet and just made me look like I was finding this hilarious to everyone else.

That was the moment Security came calling and I had to leave. I was about to just run out the door before the idiot who loaded the disk into the machine grabbed my arm. A side kick to the solar plexus and then to the face sent him to the ground and I ran out. the security guards were around the bend and about to come to the booth, and I opened fire. They ducked and dove for cover while I ran around a corner to the stairwell again. In the stairwell I started going down stairs and used an old trick I saw in “The Fugitive”....or was it “Red Heat”?...anyways, instead of running down the whole way, I just jumped from level to level. going over the railing and to the stairs on the lower, adjacent level. I got down a lot faster then the guards were able to, but stopped once they started firing at me.

I get out and run over to the Gear and get the hell inside. It re-did some checks as the machine came to a stand and I started to move it out of the dead end. When I got out the guards had come out at that moment and froze in shock at the very large robot that stood in front of them. I point my gun in their direction to scare them away, and it worked...kinda. One guy actually had the gumption to pull out his pistol and fire at me. It was like firing bbs at a tree. It just made some bangs and maybe left marks, but otherwise it was fruitless. Once he ran out of ammo and I reached for him, he got the fact he wasn’t gonna win this and ran inside. Radar then pinged and I activated the GPS. I had cops coming my way as well as a few armored vehicles. Looks like someone either got the call out or was about to have their heads roll. I didn’t intend to have that head b mine. I hit the accelerator and went into SMS mode and I took off. The first vehicle on the scene that saw me knew what it looked like to have 8 tons of metal robot come at you over 100 kmh. He veered off and I kept going until I hit the street where I had direct access to my exit points.

It wasn’t hard to listen in on the radio as my Gear sorted out the chatter and music stations. I got the police band, but not the military. It was enough though, they were coordinating their efforts with the DCMS to find the assailant. My near run in however got everyone’s attention and now they were looking for a as they described “Modified Industrial Mech” and I snorted amused. I hit the main roads and there were of course cars going to and fro, and to make it worse...it was rush hour. On one hand...this worked out for me pretty well as I wasn’t limited to the roads. On the other, I had to avoid hitting pedestrians and not cause damage to myself by causing collateral damage. The sirens however were loud enough to get everyone’s attention and get them the hell out of my way. The GPS showed the cops were trying to cut me off at so and so street but thanks to GPS I could see where and veer off down an alley way or go into a different direction. It was to say the least pissing them off. The DCMS however started getting in on it as well and unlike the CGC, they didn’t mind collateral damage, though they tried to avoid killing pedestrians. Getting away from them was harder, and when I finally got out to the main roads out of the city to the north, and traffic start to go faster, that’s when the firing started. I had chasing me a Wheeled APC which was keeping up pretty well since I wasn’t going at full speed and most everybody was getting the hell out of our way.

It let loose with it’s two chain-guns at me. With me weaving in and out and about at high speeds, it was having a hard time getting a bead on me, though most of it came close. I retaliated by swinging around and moving backwards at high speeds, using the rear view mode to make sure I don’t hit anything, and letting loose with my 25mm Autocannon rifle. My first shot went wide and pocked the ground behind the APC, wasting a good three round burst shot. The APC retaliated and took advantage of my standing still to aim to get a hit on me. One machine gun hit me directly in the center and some of my armor flew apart on me. I was still good however as the other machine gun missed and my damage assessment system says the damage was minimal. I returned the favor and sung to the left and fired at its side. I scored hits on it and ended up removing the rear left tire. It was moving still but it might as well stop for the spinning it was starting to do. I dodge more fire from its guns and when I was out about 100 m I swung around and hit the accelerator. I was going full speed and nothing short of a VTOL would catch me at this point. Well...that or a light mech, a faster vehicle or an ASF...I didn’t detect those things though so yeah, I was safe for the moment.

For the next three hours I go away from the city and towards the north. I get off the main roads about 5 minutes after the whole escape and go into the woods. Most of the terrain was good so I didn’t have to slow down much aside from the trees. Forests on this world were a bit wide, no tightly packed amounts of trees as I was used to. Or maybe it was just this part of the forest. In any case, I move about 322 km from the city and now only had about 60 km of range left. I need more fuel soon. for now though, I was deep in the woods and safe ...I hoped. I set up camp.

-------------------------------

and that brings us to now.

Now that I had time to relax and think things through....I’m really not happy. I’m pissed really.

*Sighs deeply*

VhenRa said: ↑
I know quite a bit about Heavy Gear... they use damn internal combustion engines of some sort on their machines. That means they have nowhere near the power avaliable for propulsive power. The armor CANONICALLY (in the 2nd Edition Technical Manual) is stated to be COMPARABLE to a modern MBT for the Hunter. (Pg Reference: Page 74, Technical Manual, 2nd Edition). (A Gear is between 10-20 Armor rating for HG Rules, T-72 = 16, Challenger = 22, M1A1DU Abrams = 25.). It might be insanely light... but a Gear is nowhere near well protected enough to survive on a BT Battlefield when such level of protection is cut apart by a Medium Laser canonically for Battletech. Now... if this was an Aller MBT on the other hand... I would honestly feel sorry for a Mech to go up against it because the damn thing has absurd firepower, armor that borders on the sadistic...

Yeah...not in the mood to debate it. Obviously it can take a few hits though since I took a machine gun to the chest. Also, there's a third edition now, and going by that logic (with what I know about the game) that means you need to roll above the Armor Rating to do damage at all to the thing, and even then you only take of one point from each hit. Going by that logic, that means each hit from a 25mm does one box of damage. a 25mm autocannon in batltetech is basically an AC-2 of the smallest caliber so it does 2 damage. Which means each box represents 2 points of armor. Which fits since...in third edition of the RPG it says that the armor is 15/30/45. So by that logic...I have either 30 to 45 points of damage I can absorb all together. Which doesn't include internal structure.

Anyways....don't want to argue this becaus eI'm tired from all of this running I jst did.

....even my grammer is slipping.

Carrnage said: ↑
The video disc is either going to be a challenge to a lot of people, or a bounty on your head, or if the ROB is a prick directly taunting the DC

Yeah...

Chris O'Farrell said: ↑
Oh they would notice eventually. But lets look at facts here.

You are in the middle of a tightly controlled society that will NOT let you get off world, the Combine have extensive travel restrictions until Theodore really gets going in the 3050s/3060s. You generally live and die on the same planet you always live on. Unless you are one of the wealthy/socially elite/military crushing enemies of the Dragons.

You cannot simply walk into a Spaceport and ask for a ticket to Steiner or Davion space, THAT gets a visit from the ISF.

Crazy as it sounds, ComStar, if you were somehow able to fake a priority ROM code and give orders to delete all records of your presence and not pass it up the chain is ideally positioned to get out wherever you want to go as they have the resources and super-legal status to pretty much do whatever they want. Of course there is the slight problem of GETTING this code, but saying that you want to got to FedSuns or LyrCom space with this Lostech Ultralight mech and you can easily make it to Terra from there, would probably do in a pinch. If your hacking equipment is Über beyond Btech computers, you should be able to get a ROM recognition code out of the HPG stations systems.

Otherwise, you could try to hack some kind of authorization to get offworld, but you'll also need to hack yourself an indentity, probably some kind of ISF or OP5 clearance to keep those guys off you, and you still have the problem when you get to the far more populated, paranoid and secure border worlds of getting across the border.

Nope on getting off. Especially at this point.

We'll have to see what happens now. Damned Rob.

Only if they can somehow retrofit its armor to make it survivable.

I mean you can always TEST it, perhaps the reality of Btechs uber armor is nothing like we have all been theorizing for so long and it really IS as poor as some evidence suggest. But if it IS able to present the balastic protection and energy weapons protection a lot of people think it does, wellllllll ... when a Wasp can outrun you and outguns you.... *shrug*

Seems to be as tough as I was lead to believe. Though that was just a machine gun, not a laser. Aslo, the wasp is a large, and slow turning machine. I'm not . I can also go from fowards to backwards in an instant so long as I do it right.

I wasn't suggesting you touch it NOW. But its a far better choice than New Dallas...unless of course you just happen to know exactly WHERE on a frigen Earth sized planet that is a radioactive wasteland, you are going to find the old Terran Hegemony boneyard that was clearly no visible without a great deal of searching by a very well equipped Search team looking for a very long time, and probably still just happened to stumble onto it through pure chance.

Helm has at LEAST Five SLDF Tech Battlemech Regiments, plus supporting forces hidden away, in excellent condition and just needing basic tech work to reactive them...plus the priceless memory core. We know exactly where it is, how to get into the base without blowing it sky high and its simplicity itself to have a special forces team confirm the cache location and then drop a hundred dropships from nowhere, load up everything over a week and get out before the FWL even knows there is anything going on.

If you want a giant chip into the game that will let you sit in the same room and talk to Hanse Davion, before retiring to say Argyle on a glorious country estate with as many stunning Canopian women as you could possibly want sharing your bed, well...

I have to survive first...but yeah...at this point I'm gonna hit the...wait a minute.

*AFK*

....Rob just gave me a letter....I'll read it outloud.

"Hello my little Gearhead.

I realize that the last thing you want is my woderful person to appear to you at the moment, so instead you get to repeat what I say to your followng viewers."

....

" indeed I aknowledge the fact that SB is somewhat following you and trying to make heads or tails on unimportant things such as fitting the setting when I could make battlemechs shoot streams of bubblegum if I wanted it to be so . Speaking of bubblegum, I suppose you are wondering about what it was I had to tell you. Well, I'll make it brief....or boxers if you prefer. You are here to create meyham, destruction and troll the hell out of your enemies. That you know. What you don't know until this moment is three things.

Number 1. You are being "Graded" on this. That right! Graded. Whenever you do this stuff you get a grade, and the better the grade, the more points you get. Oh yes. Points. What's this about? simple. The points are to put it simply...your money. As you go about doing things, you get points and these points can be used to "Buy" things. things like Modifications to the gear, to yourself, to your weapons, powers and abilities that do and should NOT exist in battletech, etc.

which brings us to #2. As you can plainly realize, as great as this is to have, it doesn't really help your otherwise....and you cna only troll one world for so long. So there's a special thing here. When you earn enough points...you open a gate. You ripp a hole in space and time and open a wormhole like a stargate, only you are doing it the Heavy Gear way. You cannot control where you go or how far you go, but after you get enough points...you can leave the world you are on via worm hole. Makes the whole "Get a drop/jump ship ride" kinda pointless. Just how I want it. Also, everytime you go to a new world, you and your gear get fully restocked and repaired. Well, healed in your case.

and now lastly, Numero Threeo. You have just been seen all over the inner sphere."

...........WHAT!!?

"Yeah..I'll let that sink in for a moment.......Moment done. You have just been seen on every TV/Hologram/etc in the innersphere. It was a in the format of a TV show and it shows your adventures ina one hour long show."
*Begins to hyperventialte*

"Now before you pass out on me, be aware of two other things. One, they don't know who you are. NO ONE knows who you are. They only saw you in your piloting suit, and no features were seen. They saw everything else though. So long as you have the suit on, no one wil EVER find out who you are....well I'm gonna let you pass out now. Good luck ^w^

Signed

your loving R.O.B."

.......*Thump*



*AFK*




End Entry. Self Shutdown.

1400 hours, March March 27h, 3019, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 9

Ugh...

Had a terrible night. I just laid on my back, taking in all I had learned from the letter until I was too tired to think. I went to bed and tried my best to sleep it off. I had too much on my mind though, and ended up tossing and turning all night.

After I woke up and got some breakfast in me, I decided to learn all I can about the “points” I had earned and how I can use them. It took a bit of time, but I learned that I can only access the system with my Data-Glove. As it turns out, I did earn more points from the adventure I had yesterday, but not as much as you would think.

I had earned the following.

Taking Control of a location of minor importance: 5 points
Leading Local Law Enforcement and Military forces on high speed pursuit: 10 points
Freebie points for successfully enacting a mission. Note: You didn’t come up with the plan, so you don’t get what you potentially could have gotten. 25 points. Potential points - 2500.

So I currently have 52 points to spend. I could have had 2512 points...

I tried to learn what action gives how many points, but I couldn’t find anything, so I have to depend on the judgement of my watcher. That or I haven’t looked in the right places.

I then looked for a list of what I can “Buy” with the points I have. The list is part of the main menu of this “Point System Program”, and it was quite extensive.

There are four menu choices. Personal, Gear, Weapons, and Basics.

The “Personal” menu is pretty much what it sounds like. It involved mods and abilities for myself. Contrary to what I’ve been reading from all of you, there are no “Powers” so to speak. The best way I can describe it is that these mods increase the natural abilities I already have, ones that all people possess. I’m not gonna list them all out here because there’s a lot of them.and I haven’t read through them all in detail. I will simply say that I can increase my physical capabilities, my mental faculties, and with enough points actually increase my natural luck. the points needed to buy these modifications or additions range from 20 points to 100 points. The most expensive are well over 200 points. I will tell you though, I am tempted to purchase abilites like “Accelerated Healing” and “Increased Strength”.

The “Gear” menu is all about modifications to the gear itself, as well as the ability to buy new gears. The mods from what I can tell are mostly mechanical changes rather than additions to what I have already, but that isn’t to say there isn’t alot of additions to be had.Some of them I’m really tempted to get already, such as the Super Charger. There’s also a Turbo Charger mod, and when combined with the Supercharger becomes a Twin Charger. One of the few additions that have caught my attention is the “Flight Pack”. Basically I get retractable partial wings and an attachable jump pack.

Along with the mods for the gear is the list of Gears which I can purchase. All of the Gears ever made from the Heavy Gear universe are in this list. Northern, Southern, Earth, Badlands, Paxton, even the Black Talons who basically are the “Gundams” of the Heavy Gear universe. The Gears however are massively expensive. The cheapest ones are from the Badlands, which are more labor gears then combat ones, and they cost 500 points and up to 1200. Paxton, which is a manufacturer of second rate gears cost 1000 points and upwards to 3000. The Black Talons are the most expensive machines on the whole list. The Cheapest one costs 2500 points. The most expensive is 5000. So if I want a new toy, I have to earn it.

The “Weapons” menu is much like the “Gears” menu. I can buy modifications for my weapons, or I can buy whole new weapons. There’s not much more to say aside that I would like to purchase a Gatling Laser, and that I am currently very tempted to get the “Ammo Lock Removal” mod for my rifle. My rifle is a 25mm Riley M-222 Light Autocannon, and it fires in three round bursts. This mod would make it a full auto, and allow a higher rate of fire, at the cost of using ammo up much faster and losing a bit of accuracy with longer bursts. There’s also the “Belt Feed Add-on” to give me four times my current ammunition capacity, but I can’t afford that yet.

The last of the menus “Basic” fulfills my basic needs. It is here that I can purchase ammunition, repair my gear, get fuel, purchase new personal equipment, and things like food, water, toilet paper. I think this is a “when you need it and can’t steal it” option for the most part.

There’s likely more that I do not know about, but I’ll learn.

Now that you are filled in on the “Points and Purchase”, there’s something else I need to share. The reason for the a late reply is that I was sent a video by ROB. From what he told me, this will happen after every episode. I watched it and I had a fit. I laughed, I cried, I nearly curled up in a fetal ball and pissed myself in terror. It was simply titled “VIP Episode Reactions”. It showed how a number of important people, including the various Successor Lords reacted to the highlights of my “Show”.

Now you get to see it too.

===

March 26th, InnerSphere.

It started out a normal day. The stellar nations that made up the entirety of human space were doing their normal daily routines, as were the people inhabiting these nations. On one world within the Draconis Combine, a MechWarrior was in meditation as he sought balance before going into battle. On another world in the Lyran Commonwealth, a businessman was making a backdoor deal with a local bureaucrat and noble in order to get ahead of his competition. On yet another world, in the Tortuga Dominions, a girl was walking the streets on a cashrun and hoping not to be noticed.

None of these people had anything in common with each other, but an event would transpire that would give them all one thing in common. All worlds of the Inner Sphere were going about life as they always had, when without warning they all began to be bombarded by an unknown and untraceable signal that made communication nearly impossible. A whirlwind of confusion and chaos soon set in as everyone affected tried to make sense of it and find out why this was happening. The many military forces were placed on high alert and scrambled to face a foe they had not seen coming. No one was prepared for what was happening, but they were even less prepared for what came next. The “Show” began to air on every television, radio, and holographic display. Regardless if it was in a home dwelling, or in a Battlemech, the show came on the air, and for the next hour the Inner Sphere was subject to it.

After the show was finished, the signal disappeared and everything went back to normal. With the lines of communication open once more, they exploded as people enmass began to jam the airwaves, hard lines, and hyperspace pulse to talk about what had happened. Overall, despite the lack of a surprise attack or invasion, it was enough to gain the attention of the most highest ranked individuals of the Inner Sphere, up to the Successor lords and Comstar. Every leader of every nation of the Inner Sphere, would later find out that the entirety of human space was affected, in their own manner find out why.

===

March 26th, 3019, Atreus, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League.

Janos Marik watched with a small smirk as the show showed the satire that was a cartoon. It wasn’t everyday you watched some mild entertainment from nowhere and the subsequent embarrassment of an entire realm. An hour ago, he was discussing the plans regarding the Dragoons operations on Hesperus II, then everything went haywire. At first Janos was surprised and wondering if it was his world was under attack as a pirate signal suddenly, and completely interfered with every form of communication on Atreus. He couldn’t reach out to anyone, not the military, not his staff, no one, but after an hour of time passed...it was over.

Now that he was calm and no longer worried about the safety of his people, he saw what the fuss was about. His eyes shined with mirth as he heard what the true love of the Samurai was and couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘That ought take him down a peg or two.’ he thought to himself. The subsequent scenes of the chase through the city showcased the capabilities of the small mech this “Stig” character was piloting. While overall, ultra-light mechs weren’t looked upon as a viable combat vehicle, this footage was intriguing to say the least. As the file of the show came to an end, Janos began to continue his work from before, but added a few more things to his agenda. ComStar has a lot to answer for, especially in light of this broadcasting ability.

===

March 26th, 3019, Sian, Sian Commonality, Capellan Confederation.

Steel gray eyes stared out at the intruding hologram that had for the last hour dominated the throne room, eyes that captured every detail it could as the “show” finally came to a close. Maximilian Liao, leader of the Capellan Confederation, and Celestial Light leaned back and asked a simple question “...Can we make that machine?”

The man across from him bowed and replied “I believe we can my Lord. We have the technology, though it is mostly geared towards the creation of Battlemechs. It wouldn’t be difficult however to alter this to create the necessary ultra-lights. Through that, and some research we could in a years time build a machine similar to that one we had witnessed.”

Maximilian nods “I expect monthly reports on your progress. I can foresee the other states looking into their own attempts at duplication in this technology. We will beat them by leaving the gate before they even hear the call.”

The man bows lower “Your wisdom shall bear fruit when the others only begin to sow their seeds.” With a wave from Liao, the man leaves the room.

Candace Liao stood, looking to her father as he settled into a thoughtful stare. It wasn’t long before he spoke “What do you think of this ‘Stig’ character?”

She blinked and replied “I think he is too audacious to live for long. His true appearance being hidden behind that white facade is likely the only thing that may keep him alive, for the time before Kurita comes to collect his head.”

Maximilian nod “I too thought as such, but I have sensed that he will live for awhile yet. The fact that the broadcast happened in the entirety of the inner sphere shows a level of organization, and ability on part of the people who the Stig have working with him.”

Candace could only nod in agreement. It had occurred to her as well, but obviously her father had more faith than she did. She knew that Takashi wouldn’t let this go until the man had met his end however, as the Stig had pretty much insulted the Combine and the Coordinator across all of worlds of humanity. It was a slap to the face that it was seen outside of the Combine, and now the entire state would have to save face. Though she didn’t know for sure, she was certain that a significant amount of resources would be spent to accomplish this task.

Maximilian interrupts her thoughts by continuing on “His machine however is what most intrigues me.”

Candace looks to him, and he continues “Did you see how it was handled? How fast and effective it was despite its small size? That’s a Cappellan machine. Like our nation, we are the smallest, but despite that we have effectively held our own against the giants that besiege us, and we did it with skill, audacity and unseen power. Aside from that, its obviously more advanced than it appears to be. To be able to move that fluidly, fight that well, and at such a small size. I can see it making its mark, and we need to grab a hold of the reigns before the others catch onto this.” he finishes with finality.

With not much else to say, Maximilian and Candace separate to continue their duties. Candace however makes her way over to a servant “Where did Romano go?” she asked. Her sister was watching the show as much as she and her father were, but she was strangely silent and for some strange reason her eyes shined whenever she saw the Stig on screen. She could only imagine what went through her sister’s mind and none of what she saw was meant for more sane minds.

“The mistress has returned to her quarters my lady. She has sent for a seamstress as well.” the servant replied with a bow. Candace looked confused and asked “A seamstress?”

“Yes my lady. It seems she wants them to create a full sized-”

===

March 26th, 3019, Tharkand, Donegal Province, Lyran Commonwealth.

“-Plushie?” Katrina Steiner asks curiously as her daughter Melissa makes the suggestion.

Nodding in reply, the bright eyed 8 years old continues “Yes, it’s only a matter of time before someone, somewhere gets the same idea. We might as well beat them to the punch.” She looked particularly proud of this idea, and in a way, she had good reason to. she had overheard how it was seen all over the Inner Sphere from her mother’s counselor's, and realizing that there would likely be kids like her who thought as she did, it was only a natural step.

Katrina smiled as she took her daughter’s hand into hers “I think you’re right, but it might be a bit creepy don’t you think?” It was one thing to make dolls of animals, fairytale creatures, and even battlemechs, but having one made of a strange man in a white suit for children would be somewhat alarming.

“Well...maybe...maybe start with his machine?”

Smiling wider “I think that would be best. I’ll definitely pass it along to the right people.”

Satisfied, Melissa hugged and kissed her mother before she left to go about her normal schedule.

Katrina sighed and stood up, returning to her desk and continued her conversation before her daughter came in. “Where were we?”

“Discussing the implications of the signal, particularly the effects it has had.” spoke the head of the LIC. Katrina nodded, already remembering what they were talking about, but needed something to get her back on track. “Right. So what does the Norns have to say currently?” She spoke of the sixth branch of the Lyran Intelligence Corps, whose main duty was to watch over communications, particularly ones from the other powers. Their work often advised the Archon in making the right choice in protecting the Commonwealth, based on what they gathered from Commonwealth operatives around the Inner sphere.

“At the moment, the entire Sphere is in a buzz about the broadcast and every house has currently raised their alert levels to their highest. We aren’t currently in danger of an attack as every state is on the defensive, but it won’t be long before someone starts to consider taking advantage of the situation and possibly make a move in haste. As it is however, we could repel any such attack as we too are at the same alert levels.”

Katrina nods “It would be suicide for anyone to make a move right now, last thing this current succession war needs is to go back to the ways of the previous two.”

That caused a grimace all around. the devastation of the previous succession wars had led to the loss of almost all the Star League technologies the Inner sphere had once possessed. Now a “Scavenger” mentality had existed, where old technology was found and then scavenged to keep what they had going.

“We don’t believe it will come to that, but we’re prepared, all of our forces are on defensive positions so that we won’t be considered the instigators.” If the current succession war flares up, it won’t be because of the Commonwealth.

Katrina had a small smile graced her normally stolid face when she commented, "Oh, what I would give to see Kurita's face right now..."

===

March 26th, 3019, Luthien, Kagoshima Prefecture, Pesht Military District, Draconis Combine.

Like so many others around the Inner Sphere, Takashi Kurita was interrupted during a meeting with his Warlords in the Black Room by the sudden intrusion of an unknown signal and subsequent “show” began. Like so many of the leaders of the inner sphere, he thought it to be an attack and dismissed the council meeting in order to organize Luthien military forces for an attack that would never come. It wasn’t until later in the day that the full implications of what had happened came to light, that a signal of something horrifying and embarrassing to the whole of the Combine had taken place, and that it was broadcasted all over the Inner Sphere. The implications alone of that lead him to send the ISF into asking ComStar some very pointed questions, who themselves were very flustered and currently investigating the event. In the meantime, Takashi, who had not watched the broadcast decided to watch it personally.

Back in the Black Room, Takashi and the Warlords watched the show. As it went on, it was of note that Takashi himself watched impassively while General Kester Hsiun Chi, Warlord of Pesht, watched in anger if hard scowl on his face was anything to go by. It was a combination of things that caused this anger, but mostly it was embarrassment that it was happening in his jurisdiction and being shown to them. Nothing however, prepared them for what they were about to see when the Stig took over the news station. The Stig took over the control station and then placed the disk into the disk player which the men knew was used to show edited clips and events that happened at a different time and could not be broadcasted live.

The cartoon came on and it had everyone watching. The horror and shock apparent as the cartoon of the coordinator himself was depicted in cartoonish fashion and then showed fornication with a sheep, who meeped in what was a mixture of surprise and pleasure.

Takashi’s rage however wasn’t obvious, but any man who knew him however would be very quiet as the fire Kurita’s eyes flared. The Warlords were such men, and sat stock still, doing their best to look like statues. It wasn’t until the only spoken sentence of the cartoon was spoken that Takashi allowed his rage to be seen, in the most simple of ways. In his hand was a cup of Sake, and when the words were uttered...it shattered under his grip. This simple act was enough to send the minds of the Warlords reeling and quickly think of all they could to deflect the Coordinator’s rage away from themselves. and towards the Pesht Warlord who they knew would likely take the blame due to the location of the planet in the broadcast. It got worse when the coordinator clenched his fist and his eyes now openly glared at the hologram. It was seeing the Stig holding his helmet in silence as he appeared to be holding in uproarious laughter, that was the final straw.

“General Chi” Takashi spoke in a deep and flat tone. He needed no confirmation that he was heard, he knew very well the man was listening “I want this man brought to me....alive. Anyone else involved in this... abomination is to be liquidated. You are to take personal responsibility for dealing with this outrage. Is that understood?”

“Hai my Coordinator.” replied the General. He had not needed to add that we wouldn’t fail as he knew the price of failure. Normally the older man was more privy to what was happening in his district, but the normal quiet that described Pesht often allowed him to observe what happened in the other districts, as well as the other successor states that surrounded the Draconis Combine. This event however had not only been a stain upon the Coordinator, and the whole of the Combine to the entire Inner Sphere, but also to himself personally. This was a loss of face for everyone, but he ultimately would be responsible unless he succeeded in capturing this man and bringing him before Takashi Kurita in person. He, and possibly his entire family would have to commit seppuku in order to allow the Coordinator as well as the DCMS of the Pesht District to save face.

Without a word Takashi stood up and left the room and the Warlords behind. They breathed a sigh of relief after the man was gone from the room. Takashi walked up the staircase, past his DEST commandos and into the nondescript hallway that was part of the Palace. The thoughts on his mind were of many things, such as how to keep control of the situation and his investigation of ComStar which he had no doubt the other states would also do. Mostly however was what he was going to do to the man who had with such audacity insulted him before all of the Inner sphere, and how he would use that same exact method to show the entire Inner Sphere what happens when you court the Dragon’s wrath.

===

March 26th, 3019, New Avalon, Crucis March, Federated Suns.

The glass filled with champagne once more, a well pleased smile rested upon the face of one Hanse Davion as he spoke up with a chuckle “Rewind to 43:50 and play it again.”

The tech complied without a word, a smile upon her own face as she rewound the file to the one point that was currently sending everyone involved into bouts of laughter.

“Ooooh Rivestock is the Truuuuuuuue ruve of aww Samuraiiiii”
“Baaa!”

“Yes! My Bushido is creary too much for you!”

“Baaa!”

“Samurai sword cuts rery deep!”

Complete hysterics echoed throughout the palace, before Hanse threw back his glass, draining its contents in one long drag. Then, thrusting his glass out to the side for a refill he had but one thing to say...

March 26th, 3019, Terra, North America, Hilton Head Island.

“Again...”

The adept bowed and began to rewind the file once again for Julian Tiepolo, and the rest of the Precentors of First Circuit. Precentor ROM was also in attendance, as the situation was deemed serious enough to necessitate his presence.

Images repeating over and over on certain parts, as if they would allow some unseen detail to appear. It was within a few minutes that the Precentor of Tharkand spoke up.

“Anyone else notice that there doesn’t seem to be a camera crew?”

Eyes turn to him and looked back to notice that little detail. Despite all of the images and scenes...a show that looked like it was recorded by a live broadcast, there was in fact that lack of detail. The Precentor of ROM however was dismissive.
“This format is old and well established. There is nothing exceptional about this beyond this ‘Stig’s’ vehicle and their method of broadcast.”

“Nothing exceptional?” Precentor Tharkand asked his colleague. “These action sequences would have killed any such crew, even under the best of circumstances.”

“All I see here is a skillful application of espionage techniques, hidden and drone cameras, applied to the mass media. This speaks highly of the abilities of the organization that arranged this spectacle, but compared to what we already have seen of their abilities, discussing how they recorded it is nothing more than pointless minutia.”

“Pointless minutia?” Precentor Tharkand exclaimed, “You believe it to be pointless minutia?!”

“You have confirmed that this had actually taken place?” Julian asked Derion, his tone putting an end to the argument between his two subordinates before any heat could rise.

The hooded man nodded, his features hidden from view, better to hide the flurry of emotions that were apparent were one to see him fully. “Precentor Kalmun of Nowhere confirmed that the events did in fact take place, however he was unable to confirm whether or not the signal originated from his HPG. He’s doing a full system and hardware check of the HPG to find anything out of place.”

Precentor of the various states also confirm that the signal seemingly came from nowhere and overrided all communications across the Inner Sphere, from the core worlds to the Periphery, even in places considered backwater worlds where technology had reverted to near medieval levels. There was even reports that the signal was received by jump ships and drop ships in transit, and even in uninhabited systems. The mystery deepens as one takes into consideration what is required for that to be even possible.

With all they could currently gather Julian looks to ROM and then to all of the other Precentors “I’m authorizing Protocole Black-Omega. Until we find out how this was done, the security at all HPG stations is to be maintained highest level of alert. All HPGs will make a daily full diagnostic of all systems to look for anything out of the ordinary. All communication traffic in the Pesht District is to be monitored, regardless of source. Any and all signs that could lead us to the perpetrators is of this event is to be analysed and brought before this council, no matter how unlikely.”

Looking to Rom, Julian continued “All of our assets in the Pesht district are to be kept on high alert, until further notice, as this situation continues. This ‘Stig’ individual is to be taken alive if at all possible, but under no circumstance is he to be permitted to fall into the hands of the House Lords. The technology that allowed him to make this broadcast would be invaluable to our holy order, but the consequences of it falling into the hands of the Successor States are too dire to even imagine.”

He paused for a long moment letting his orders sink in before adding, “I cannot understate how serious this situation is to be taken, and if I believe that any one of you is treating this with anything less than the upmost level of seriousness and care, I’ll find someone who will. I believe that we very well could be overlooking either the advent or the conclusion of Blake’s vision. We stand at the threshold of either total victory, or complete obsolescence, and as such, this is a task that we cannot afford to fail. You are all-”

==

March 26th, 3019, Atreus Zenith Point, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League.

“-dismissed.”
Jaime watched calmly as his officers filed out to go about their duties, the excitement of the day now done over with. With the jump in a few hours Jaime had the time to do his finalization work.

Looking to the side, he saw Natasha Kerensky still standing to the side, her eyes shining down at the frozen holographic image of the gear as it moved backwards, and firing its weapons at the APC. Turning towards her, Jaime took a small look at the machine again and asked, “So what are your thoughts?”

“I think it looks like a hell of a ride,” she said with a smile, “Not to mention it’s far ahead of anything the locals are capable of making.” she paused, “Hell, while I am no Scientist, I think they would be hard pressed to build something like it back home, though I’m not exactly sure what to call it.”

“Oh?” Jaime asked. It was always hard to stop the woman when she was on a roll, but he too saw the lines of similarity between this machine and Battlearmor. It’s obvious however that this wasn’t quite the same at all.

“Well, at a glance I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually lighter than most of the Ultra-light range and it looks too small to mount a Gyro. Maybe you could call it super heavy battle armor, but it seems to be piloted rather than worn. Honestly, if I had to call it anything, I’d place this machine in a category all its own.”

Jaime nodded in agreement. “The from what little the techs could analyse so far, the rifle looks to be some form of Extra-Light Micro Autocannon, possibly around the AC-2 range. It’s range seems to be heavily reduced compared to the ‘mech mounted version, but as that the full sized version probably weighs as much that machine, its a feat of engineering. Doubly so when you consider that rifle seems to be a modular, self-contained unit.”

He paused for a moment before continuing. “The Rocket Packs seem to be similar in concept to those used by the Pentagon powers prior to Operation Klondike, but considering how simple a weapons system they are, its nothing to trace the design by. What really gets me though, is that it’s seems to be powered by an ICE engine.”

Natasha blinked and looked at him. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Jamie replied, “I had three teams of techs look at it twice, along with the few Scientist caste we brought with us, and all of them agree that it is based on some form of fantastically advanced, dramatically oversized two cylinder internal combustion engine...” he snorted. “One of them went as far to compare it directly to the V-twin engines used in classic Harley Davidson motorcycles.”

“So that explains the port on the skirt hanging over the things ass, its actually...”

“The gas tank,” Jaime completed as he leaned against the table and frowned, deep in thought. “The technology is not all that different from our own, and they’ve even said that theoretically, its no more advanced than anything already used in the Sphere.”

“Theoretically?” she asked.

Jamie held up his hand, motioning for her to wait. ”They argue that it seems that it is based on the same, fundamental principles we all used, but took it in an entirely different direction.”

Natasha blinked and looked back at the machine with new eyes “So someone has been working on this for awhile then.”

Jaime nodded “And that is just the tip of the iceberg. The machine was just the showpiece, but the real implications lie in the broadcast itself. From what we have gathered from our sources and from our employer, this signal had in fact affected the entire Inner Sphere. Every device that displayed visual information in some way was tuned in and altered to show this broadcast. To top it off, it appears that the signal was live.”

Natasha’s jaw opened and closed a few times. Words dying each time as she took in the full implications of that information.

With a small smile, he leaned away from the table and continued “That was my reaction. Which begs the question of how it was possible. The resources, the time and planning, the personnel, and the sheer effort put forth is beyond anyone but whatever organization pulled this has all of these qualities.”

Natasha leans back “It would have to be as powerful as one of the houses for that.”

Jaime looks at her with his eyes “Or like us.”

Natasha’s eyes became hard and she asked “You think it’s another mission? One of the other Clans sent in to gather their own reconnaissance?”

“No. Baring some innovation, the vast majority of Clan technology is simply a progressive improvement on what was used by the Star League. The machine shown here uses much of the same fundamental technology principles as the Inner Sphere, but it has evolved in a entirely different direction.”

Natasha relaxed and again leaned on the table “So we either have a group who managed to innovate while the rest of the Inner Sphere regressed, or we’re looking at an outside third party.”
“I’m taken to believe this is an outside player. They do not believe that it is some form of advanced prototype. According to them this vehicle seems to be a mature design, possibly mass produced, based on long established principles. Even more so, when you said it couldn’t fit a Gyro, you were right. According to analysis of its movements, the machine seems to be inherently unstable, depending on some form of advanced computer control system rather than a gyroscope.” He frowned. “One of the techs went as far to say that any comparisons between this machine and a ‘mech should be seen a case of parallel, not linial technological evolution...”

Natasha blinked..and noticed she was doing that a lot and rubbed her eyes “So...if it’s a parallel evolution...then that could mean that either we are looking at a group that decided to restart from scratch, or we are looking at a development that predates the Star League itself.”

Looking at Jaime, she asks “How long of a development would we be looking at? A few centuries at the least?”

“Maybe. There are several theories. The first is that, like us, they were founded by a group fleeing the fall of the Star League. Another is that they were founded by a group fleeing the Reunification War. Some say that they couldn’t have diverged until some time after 2350, as their machine wouldn’t be practical without the use of a myomer musculature, but lets be honest with ourselves, if they could develop a battlemech analogue on their own, who’s to say they couldn’t independently invent myomers or figure out some other way to do it?”

"So basically we don't have a clue, only that they've been separated from the Inner Sphere for a fantastically long time, long enough to develop an entirely unique technological base only superficially related to our own."

Jamie nodded. “Which raises another, far more unsettling question. If they’ve been hiding away for this long... Why now, and why like this?”

1430 hours, March March 27h, 3019, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 10

Well, glad you all enjoyed it. I'm now worried as hell. I got one House lord wanting my head, one house lord daughter possibly wanting my "other" head, Comstar wanting my body, and so on.

My reactions.

Janos: I expected more...but then the gy just came out of a civil war, was embittered, and has a tons of stuff to deal with. So I guess I shouldn't expect too much from him.

Laio: That was both expected...and unexpected. Did anyone else see some...admiration in their? Romano making a man sized plushie/body pillow of my Stig form...god help me.

Stiener: heh. Enterprising brat . You're right. I should get her a gift, preferabbly an autographed one...maybe when I establish myself a bit more though. Katrina....DAYUM....MILF.... I'm gonna advertise that from now on.

Kurita: I expected this...but damn...

Davion: I expected this...but damn

ComStar:...this is the one that made me go fetal. Like it was bad enough to have the DCMS after me, now I got ROM after my ass!? O_O ....help....

Dragoons: Uh....so close yet so far...they described the whole "Heavy Gear" universe pretty well, aside from the fact that it's all wrong.

Otherwise...yeah. Take it as you will.

anyways. To answer some questions and bring up some things you need to know.

Although I can use energy weapons, they have energy capacitors. So like my ballistic weapons, I will have a limit on how many times I can fire, but I have lasers, pulse lasers, and particle accelerators. I suppose I could grab some

I do have the list for the NuCoal gears. They are on the high end of the price bracket. The Chassuer Mk.II is 3500 points. That tank gear...I stand corrected. The most expensive Gear is not 5000, it's 6000.

I can't get a fusion engine for this machine. It's not in the list of mods and changes. There is one thing "Like" it however that has startling implications.

Bio-Energy Power-plant: An energy converter that uses the pilot’s own psychic or life energy for power. When this option is chosen, Movement Speeds and Deployment Range are reduced to zero. Instead, the maximum speed is equal to the pilot’s personal willpower rating (a gauge is built into the cockpit that shows levels of synchronization) and is then doubled. The weak-minded fool who tries to steal the unit equipped with this system will find that it just doesn't seem to work for them for some reason. The Deployment Range of such a craft is equal to the Synchronization level of the pilot times ten. Cost: 2000 points.

Yeah...think on that for a moment. BIO-ENERGY POWER PLANT. Literally no need for fueling and so on...I don't think I could go Shinji or Kamina...but the potential is there I think. I don't want to think about it right now.

As for stealth, I have lots of options. I can get Drones, ECM, ECCM, Stealth armor (absorbs radar waves and so on), and yes I can get holo-tech for my unit to blend it. it's very expensive though.

As for Armor, I got quite a few options. I got Ablative armor, Reflective armor, reactive armor, etc. The most powerful armor type however was the Electromagnetic Armor. The stuff is like Gundanium alloy, it can take ANYTHING that's thrown at it.

EM-Armor: The unit's armor is designed to deflect and dissipate the intense energy delivered by weapons like shaped-charged warheads, particle beams and lasers. Armor is 50% stronger then standard armor. Cost: 500 points.

As for fueling, there is in fact a fuel efficiency mod.

Fuel Efficient: The engine and systems are extremely efficient due to changes in how much energy is taken from a certain amount of fuel. Three stages. Stage one increases current range by 2 times. Stage two increases base range by 5 times. Stage three increases base range by 10 times. Cost: 100/500/1000 points.

I would make a list...but I gotta type it all out. No copy/paste for me. So expect a list the next entry....maybe.

Question regarding buying Gears, I found out something awesome. It seems every Gear has dimensional technology in them. It's limited to the gear and Gear equipment (and incidently any equipment in my gear fanny pack), but so long as I desire it, it can go into and out of a dimensional storage. Kinda like Guyver. So If I run out of ammo for my rifle, I can call on more ammo, or another weapon. If my gear is damaged, I can switch it out for a different unit.

there is one limitation to this. Each "system" (weapons is one, gears is another, etc) is limited to one use per week due to the energy neccesary for transportation from one world to another. I can however upgrade this to 5 times a week to 10 times, to as many times as I want. but it costs 1000/5000/10,000 respectively.

Speaking of dimension tech. I found out how much it costs to go from world to world....a measly 100 points. It's limited to only myself and my gear though. Nothing else can follow. so I'm already halfway there.

Lastly, about getting my own ship...yeah...after a bit of looking I found out I can actually get other vehicles from Heavy Gear, but they are much more expensive then gears are. ASFs are around 3000-12,000. Same for Tanks, and so on.

Also one vehicle on the list that is NOT heavy gear but in fact Battletech.

For 50,000 points...I can get a Behemoth class Dropship that has been modified with gravitic systems to land on planets and....ready for it....has a Particle Ripper. It's a FREAKING BATTLETECH STYLED GATE SHIP!!! Due to the differences in technology between Gear and BT...the technology has been miniaturized somewhat and placed in the Behemoth. Still a large as hell drop ship, but dude...

*silence*

yeah...coming down from that now.

Anyways...I need to get gas and there's a town nearby for me to get some. So if I'm gonna earn points...might as well start there. Here's my plan. I'll go to town and use something...maybe a sewage truck to "spray paint" a crude drawing of Kurita with his pelvis behind a crudely drawn sheep. while everyone is freaking out...I take my fuel and get the hell out.

I know this is stupidly dangerous, potentially, but it seems ROB wants me to go in this direction. I might get bonus points for making the DCMS and CGC spin out on poo slicked roads and ending it in a pile up Blues Brothers style.

Also...from that recording of Takashi...I dunno about you all but I don't really want those people to die. They just happened to be there when I did my crap...so I might help them, regardless of opinion.

What say all of you?

end entry

1800 hours, March March 27h, 3019, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 11

I'll admit right now...I can be an idiot.

I was looking over my GPS at the nearby towns when I noticed something on the edge of a nearby town 40 km away. It was an automated gas station. It was also near some back roads, thus away from the main traffic.

So I went there and stopped about 200 yards away in the woods to check it out. Turns out it had one camera (which I stayed of LOS of) to keep an eye on the place and nothing else. The pumps themselves had the standard computer encryptions, card slot and even a money slot.

So...I threw mud onto the camera, hacked intot he thing, and filled up. Glad I ain't paying for it, cost 181.23 Ryu. Speaking of..I used my tools to unlock the thing and pretty much stole all of the cash in it. So I now have currency to spend when not being 'Stig' and now am with a full tank.

As far as getting off the world ASAP...I think that might be a bad thing to do at the moment. Reason being I haven't been on this world long enough to make any meaningful earnings. Which I know ROB wants. I susspect if I tried to jump I could end up somewhere worse where I'm guarunteed to run into trouble and with no points for said trouble. So I think I'm gonna stick around. There is also another reason for doing so. I've been listening to the radio (Normal Radio, not military) and I heard that the 'conspiritors' of the terrorist act that had shocked the 'region' have been arrested and are being 'removed' tommorow. You saw what Takashi wants, so we all know what that means.

I don't know about yu guys...but I think the Stig should have a reputation of not killing or getting people killed for his actions. I'll certainly fight and possibly kill if people come after me directly, but I don't think people should die because of the things I'm being made to do. So...I think I'm gonna go in tommorow and basically 'convince' them to not blame them for my actions. I'm pretty sure I'll have to make a spectacle of it as well, if only to make it clear who they should 'really' be going after.

Oh. minor note. I now have 55 points. Stealing gas fell under the mayhem tag, and earned me three points.

hmm....I seem able to afford some mods now, Ammo Lock removal is the 50 pointer, allows my AC to fire at Ultra-AC rates. But then I could buy ammo, there's AP, Flechette, HEAP, SLAP, paint , and so on.

Might wait on that.

End entry.

1900 hours, March March 27h, 3019, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 12

Well, bad news. The 'terrorists' are still in that city, and they'll 'remove' them there tommorow. Which means I got to get back there and I got to start...soonish if I want to be on time.

*sighs* No good deed goes unpunished.

I'm gonna have to get ammo sooner then later anyways. I only have three magazines worth, and one is partially used already from before. So I'll hold off on procuring full auto. I'll do that when I have more ammo then I need. also no on the inferno rounds. I can buy Gear sized grenades and rockets that run the gamut, from frag to EM and Plasma, but not so on AC ammo. Ammo for the AC is about the same as what the Sphere has though I got more options. As for paint rounds on goverment buildings...maybe for big pictures..but that would be more useful in painting the cockpits on battlemechs and vehicles as far as I'm concerned.

Goober rounds, nope, but I have glue grenades/warheads. All I can do is stop/incapacitate really. It's meant for vehicles and gears as well so I'm dubious about using them on infantry. As for additional sights for my rifle/s, I don't really need them due to the sensors built into the Gear already. I can sight on a football sized target 2 km away with my gear main camera alone. The Sniper rifles for Gears however have a 'scope' that allows up to 10 km zoom, though I know they can't reach that unless you are much higher then your target in elevation.

Speaking of vehicles, Striders and the CEF units are available. So advanced and larger mechs are available for purchase. Just have to pick and choose and save up.

Make sheep more hated? uh...I think making Takashi do any barnyard animal that moves is more fun then villifying sheep . Though I could always insist on painting a sheep on something as a constant reminder. That eventually will just piss the hell out of everyone.

As for Paxton Gears, I said cheap second hand, not cheap in points. The machine you are refering to is 1800 points. It's got less armor then the hunter, but it has systems that make it more able to hit its target then the hunter and it's a hell of alot faster. Even the Chassuer Mk.II is slow compared to this machine. It suffers agility problems due to it's SMS though. It's also woefully under equipped in weapons, only a medium AC and a Vibro-knife and a TAG. This machine is a raider, speedy hit and run machine.

To early to decide on a Gear at the moment. Right now I gotta think about what exactly I'm gonna do tommorow. I might use what points I have to purchase, not ammunition but grenades. The cost for grenades is different then ammunition. For ammo you get 1/4th of a magazine's worth for 5 points. In my case that's 15 rounds. Five 3-round bursts. Grenades however come in three's since that's all I can carry on my gear at any time. It costs 10 points for standard grenades, and 20 for the more exotic ones (EM, Plasma, Napalm, etc).

So...20 for Glue grenades, and 10 for Smoke grenades. Leaves me with 25 points for other stuff. Spend that 5 points to get full ammo in what I already have loaded. Maybe spend what's left on armor...then again I didn't take much damage from that APC...so I might leave that. Spend points on fuel since I got to get back to the city, and I might be out when I get there. Unless...

*AFK*

Okay...here's what I'm gonna do. After I do what needs done, and I get out of there, I'll spend what points I earned on fuel as I go. I know I'll have earned some after this, and I think it's best as I might have to run and not stop.

What say you?

end entry

2000 hours, March 28th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine

Entry 13

Well. I got good news and bad news. The good news is I accomplished what I had set out to do. the people that were to be ‘liquidated’ were spared and publicly forgiven by the local government. They were declared “Victims” and given full pardons. So they get to live their lives, hopefully better than they did considering how close they came to the end.

The bad news is that I’m now being taken seriously by the locals. I’m no longer a ballsy troublemaker who’d managed to piss off the Coordinator. I’m now a genuine threat to the ‘public serenity’ and a threat to national security. So, in other words, I’ve graduated from being a police problem to a military issue, which means less squad cars and APCs, and more Tanks, ‘Mechs, and ASFs.

It could be worse though. Considering how things turned out, I could have had my head blown off. It came close enough anyways. Let me show you what happened to get you all up to date.

-----------------------

1910 hours, March 27th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

I turned off the data glove and moved to pack up everything I had used. It took a short time as I wasn’t set up to stay for the night. It was a good thing, in light of what I was about to try and do. With everything packed and the container in place on the Gear, I took off into the night. I turned on the night vision and thermal imaging to make navigation easier.

I reached the outskirts of the city at about 2340 hours. Thankfully, the execution wasn’t until 1700 the next day. That meant I could get a full night of sleep and then some in preparation for a good day’s heroism. Sadly, the trip put a solid dent in my fuel levels, but moving at night had kept my consumption levels in the realm of reasonable. I had to do less extensive piloting to throw off detection, and was able to go pretty much the direct route. I have about enough fuel left for 140 km of travel. Not much, but it’s enough to get the job done.

I stopped for the night and go about setting up camp, as I did so an idea came to me and thought it was cool. I needed to make a statement as the Stig, having a sign or something that spelled out what I felt would have been nice to have. Almost by instinct I clenched my fist and was surprised to find something within my grip. Confused, I look and clenched in my hand was a sign. Upon it was something written in Kanji. Taking a moment I scanned it into my Data Glove and was surprised to find that it was the very statement I’d been thinking, already pre-translated into Japanese. It seems, that as long as a juvenile prank is involved, ROB doth provide.

Sadly, weapons still cost points, so I spent those I had saved to purchase the grenades and ammunition. Satisfied with the preparations I had made, I tried my best to go to sleep. It was hard to do as I had a lot on my mind, but I wanted my rest. So I set my alarm and took a sedative from my drug packet. I was planning on taking only a small dose to help me on my way, but I guess it was stronger than I had assumed. I was out like a light 5 minutes.

I woke up at 3 pm and the sound of a blaring alarm. This was all well and good, but I’d set it to go off at 8. I’d slept clear through it...and slept 17 hours instead of 8! I freaked and scrambled to ready myself, I made a mental note to not use sedatives unless I could afford to sleep it. I had two hours before the executions. Two hours to study the map, come up with a plan, examine the enemy and get into town. In other words, I had to charge in blind and trust in dumb luck and divine providence to get me through it.

The one blessing I had was that the local information security was complete crap, which allowed me to basically hijack their own law enforcement surveillance network for my own ends. I was quickly able to plot out a direct route to the execution ground, and keep a close eye on the movements of their own men to avoid easy detection. Thankfully I didn’t actually have to go inside the city proper to pull this off. If I did, I had no doubt I’d have half the planet on my ass before I got within a mile. Never underestimate the tactical value of a well timed 911 call for good and ill. In this case, my good, their ill.

It took me a few minutes to set up, but was able to get a link in their telephone network and relay a call through a small town out in the ass end of nowhere. I had no doubt that they’d eventually be able to untangle the little knot I made, but by then it would already be kind of obvious now wouldn’t it?

----------------
*beep...beep...beep-click* “You have reached Emergency Services, how may I direct your call?”

“I see him! I see him right no-”

“Calm down sir, you need to make sense. Who do you see?”

“That guy that was on TV! The Stig! Him and his machine! They here in town!”

“Alright, sir? Are you certain that you-”

“YES I’m Certain! How many pint sized battlemechs on roller skates do you think are there are on this planet!?”

“Okay, sir we’ve just got the address where you are calling from, and we know where that is. We’re dispatching units, do not approach the assailant at any time. Tell people to stay away, local law enforcement has also been notified.”

“Okay, just get them here fa......”

“...Sir? You still there?”

”...Oh shit, I think he just saw...” *Click*
----------------

I repeated the call a couple more times, using the options of the Data Glove to change my voice, and the wording so it wasn’t exactly the same. If the comms channels were anything to go by, they redeployed half the planetary militia to hunt me down. Too bad for them, since said location was something in the ballpark of 400 miles away.

With care, timing, and pretty much everyone who’d be able to do more than scratch my paint off was off on a wild goose chase, I was able to sneak up on the execution field virtually undetected. It was then I got the scare of my life.

The square had trucks of course, probably to transport the poor bastards about to get shot, but they were being guarded. Now that might not sound like a problem, after all, I’m in a super awesome robot, easily capable of crushing infantry, or taking any APCs or cannon-fodder police vehicles they’d present as a challenge. The problem was that I wasn’t facing cannon fodder. It seemed that someone had thought ahead, and brung an awesome robot all of their own.

Standing before me, its attention focused on the prisoners was the form of the Combine’s iconic, and some would say namesake Battlemech. The DRG-1N Dragon, 60 tons suffering mounting a Class-5 Autocannon, a ten-tube LRM rack, and a pair of medium lasers just as a reminder that you suck. To make things worse, it carries more armor than my Gear masses and its 300 class engine was powerful enough to let it run down some Light Mechs, or my Hunter if I didn’t use my SMS.

It quickly occurred to me that it was here for two reasons. The first was purely symbolic. ‘The Dragon’ was gonna punish those who incite it’s anger. The second, was me. While they’re indeed, a bunch of hidebound suicide happy asshats, the Samurai of the Combine were not idiots, their ‘true love‘ notwithstanding, and as such, they believed that there was a good chance that somebody was going to crash this little party. I’d say the odds were one in one.

At 1555 hours, black and red uniformed members of the DCMS began to empty the trucks at gunpoint, and from the doors came a stream of white uniforms. Men and women, young and old, it seemed that the Combine didn’t differentiate, but it did seem like they were perfectly willing to make examples of entire families. From the way they were reacting, many of these people were obviously related. It fit the brutal, inhumane philosophy of this nation. After all, the best way to rid yourself of a weed, was to pull up the roots.

I never had much of an opinion for the Combine, aside from being a bunch of anachronistic morons, but that had always been from a gaming perspective. They were but one of many factions that helped screw up the universe, and in their own way were among the worst of the bunch. But this... I’m reminded of the old Japanese movies I’ve seen, how often those in power were the worst assholes you could imagine. All for pride, greed, and power, and I can safely say that this was the moment I right truly learned to hate the Draconis Combine. It followed these same edicts, and for the same reasons. that was more than enough for me.

Standing along the path to the execution ground was a small, loudly jeering crowd, well armed with over ripe vegetables, along with a small crowd of reporters, all probably assembled for the sole purpose of denying these people a dignified death. But what really got me, what caused me to slip my shit and react was when one of the soldiers decided it would be a good idea to bring the butt of his rifle down onto the neck of a crying six year old girl.

-----------

Chu-I Yamamoto looked on in distaste, days ago these people were but normal families living ordinary lives. Now they’re but moments away from having their lives snuffed out, like candles in the wind. All for the actions of a deviant that had dared humiliate the coordinator publically. As far as he was concerned, only the man in white should be standing here this day, not these poor people whose only crime had been obeying a madman who held them at gunpoint, and even then most were only tied to that unwitting treason by bonds of blood.

But he banished that thought from his mind and steeled his metal. He was a Samurai of the Draconis Combine, a servant of the Dragon, and it was his place to obey, and not question the dictates of his master. He would simply have to perform his duty, and then maybe see how much sake was needed to drown his regret.

These thoughts were cut short as a one of the infantry exploded into a mess of red gore, showing a cowering child in gore. Yamamoto jolted in his harness and immediately began to scan the trees, trying to locate the shooter, as nothing less than an Autocannon could cause that much damage with a single shot. His question was answered moments later by the sudden appearance of a ‘mech, the very same Extra-Light he was briefed by his superiors on. So the man in white was here, and he was charging forth like a red eyed Oni from hell. Though he would never admit it, Yamamoto didn’t know if he should have been impressed by the man’s courage or contemptuous of his overconfidence. What kind of fool challenged a Heavy Mech in such a light vehicle? Either way, at least these people would have their vengeance in the afterlife, and the thought of being the instrument of that vengeance stilled some of his lingering guilt.

He turned and trained his weapons on the oncoming mini-mech, but it had approached far faster than he had anticipated. The barking of a weapon sounded and he heard loud plinks coming from his front armor, and then dangerously close to his cockpit. As his pint sized attacker was within the minimum effective range of both his missile launchers and autocannon, he was forced to rely entirely on his single forward mounted Medium Laser.

A emerald lance of energy struck out at the speeding 7 ton machine, narrowing missing, instead striking struck the ground behind the Gear, boiling asphalt and turning the underlying concrete to molten slag. To Yamamoto’s surprise, the small ‘mech removed a cylinder from about its waist and threw it at his Dragon. A grenade on a battlemech? Who ever heard of such a thing? Thankfully it seemed to be a dud. Really though. What a ridiculous idea!

As his small enemy began to circle him, he moved to turn with it, not wanting to allow his more agile for a chance to find a blind spot. He was suddenly thrown off balance as his right leg seized up. Looking down at his foot, he saw that it was firmly stuck to the ground by what could only be called a giant blob of thick, grey goop.

A glue genade. Clever, but not clever enough. He pressed down on the foot pedal to lift his Dragon’s right leg and to his surprise finds that the goop was stronger than it appeared. He pressed harder on the pedal and finally it came loose, but the sudden upward thrust threw him off balance. Quickly he pushed down on the control stick and two foot pedals to bring a balance, but it was too little too late. He slowly toppled backwards and landed on his back with the loud boom.

He groaned slightly as he shook off the shock and disorientation from the fall, his face red with embarrassment. As he stood, he heard weapons fire from infantry and military APCs alike, but from the sound of it the little battlemech was at the advantage. He sneered. All because he allowed himself to be taken down by what amounted to a parlor trick. It was humiliating, and filled him with a white hot rage, a burning anger bubbling up from his gut, for if this event was being recording like the last, the entire Inner Sphere had just seen him fall on his can. Still, with much effort he was able to ignore his shame, swallow his anger, and take stock of the situation.

The APCs were no longer firing, with its free manipulator, the machine held a massive knife that was sheering off the barrels of the Heavy APC’s forward machine guns with pitiable ease. The infantry meanwhile were predictably starting to fall back, while the crowd had long since run off, though some of the media reporters had enough gumption to stick around and record the battle, not that it would matter for the entire event was probably being watched by the Coordinator this very moment.

As for the prisoners, they had long scrambled for the trucks and the possibility of escape. He personally didn’t blame them, but they would have to be stopped. Thankfully there would be plenty of time to run them down once this pest was annihilated. He just hoped he could vindicate himself before the order for him to join them was handed down from on high for his little trip up.

Gritting his teeth, Yamamoto took aim once more at the little battlemech. Target reticule on sight, he fingered both his forward laser and Autocannon, heedless of the danger it posed to the APC. A stream of rounds and a beam darted towards the machine, the laser went wide and fell long, barely almost vaporizing a fleeing infantryman who fell to the ground with a girlish shriek, the autocannon though, found its mark. While he sadly missed anything important, he was able to filet great chunks of armor from the machines legs.

Yamamoto had hoped such an impact would send the small machine flying, allowing him to finish it off at his leisure, but the pilot of the small mech was able to keep the machine upright and dashed off down a side street. His blood pumping, Yamamoto gave chase, completely disregarding the possibility of civilian casualties, but in the 500 years since the creation of the first Battlemech, staying out of the way of rampaging giant robots had become an almost instinctive talent, leaving the roads virtually clear of people.

The Gear weaved to and fro down the road, and Yamamoto followed not too far behind, but was having great difficulty compensating for the smaller machine’s size and superior agility, especially with his right foot still definitely sticking to the ground like he’d stepped in the Inner Sphere’s largest glob of bubblegum.

Mashing down the triggers, he let loose an Alpha Strike at the Gear, but with the ranges close range interfering with his tracking, and the fast movement of the machine making it almost impossible to target, he was hitting everything but the small Mech. His autocannon gutted a small corner store, his laser vaporized a small car, and the missiles only served to make the road look like the surface of some forsaken moon. It was like he was hitting everything but the damned Stig!

The machine continued weaving about about before leaning hard to the right and making a sharp turn down a new street. Infuriated, Yamamoto sped up, ignoring the precarious condition of his right foot, causing him to stumble. Barely avoiding another face plant, he could but glare as the Stig took advantage of the precious moment to zip down a side street.

He stopped and saw that his Dragon was too large to go down the street without damaging himself and wiping out the buildings in the process. It was moot however when his sensors show his opponent moving back onto the street to his left. He does a torso turn sees the machine throw down a grenade, quickly enveloping the street and then everything else within 30 meters, in a thick, black cloud of smoke. He sneered. Not smoke. Whatever this was, it was able to partially disrupt radar.

Once again, he fired off a alpha strike in the hope of striking his target. Explosions and thunder rattled down the street, but he saw no evidence of impact. The Stig’s response was more accurate, but only marginally more effective than his own. Light autocannon fire chipped ineffectually at his armor, followed up by a volley of eight missiles, that while more damaging than the projectile weapon, did little in the way of damage.

This return fire proved only to be a distraction though, as the Stig exploded from the cloud and in the mother of all humiliations, flew between the legs of his battlemech. Gritting his teeth, flushed with rage, he turned about to face his enemy, only to find his machine standing stationary, its autocannon hanging leisurely at its side held by a strap, while its hand was up in the air. Waving at him.

Waving? He blinked. Waving goodbye.

His eyes went wide as he looked down at his console, and the flashing indicators on his legs that indicated some form of magnetic charge had been planted.

Chu-I Yamamoto only had enough time to blurt out “Kuso” before his world turned while and upside down.

While it was only a couple moments, it felt like an hour as he slowly recovered from his dazed, almost punch drunk state of disorientation. He was half-way upside down, his mech having been thrown across the street by the blow, literally flipped in the air by the force of his legs exploding out from under him. His mech was resting precariously on an incline, against a three story building, half imbedded in wall. According to the readouts his legs were a total ruin, completely missing below the kneels. Even his torso armor was suffering, both from the sympathetic damage and the crushing impact.

The Stig had known the limits of his machine, while he’d known very little in turn. He was able to exploit his little mech’s strengths while playing off the weaknesses of his comparatively lumbering Dragon. He had to admit a begrudging admiration for his foe, even if it meant his death. Had he known the abilities of the little ‘mech, he was sure the results would have been different, but even then he had to admire his enemy’s skill.

The Stig’s attack, the smoke screen, all of it had been a distraction so he could plant heavy demolition charges on his legs. Such an attack took great skill, courage, and more than a fair share of complete insanity. His enemy was a rare breed, the kind of foe that every samurai secretly desired to face deep in his heart of hearts. While he was sure the order to use the garden would be coming down at any moment, at least he could die knowing he died a warrior facing a worthy doe..

A small smile crossed his lips. Though maybe there was still a chance. If the stig was to walk in front of his mech, he still might be able to line up a...

*CLUNK*

Slowly the Chu-I’s head turned to the side, bringing him eye to muzzle with his foe’s rifle-like light autocannon. Slowly he looked up into the machine’s single baleful red eye, and his shoulders slumped as he released a breath he hadn’t even known he was holding. Well, he thought to himself, so much for that idea.

Looking up at his enemy he nodded his head, acknowledging his defeat, and thumbed the reactor control, shutting down his fusion reactor, and with it his ability to move and use weapons. He did of course, leave the sensors and computers running off the emergency batteries. It would be foolhardy to not record as much as he could about this strange little machine. He simply hoped that his Battle ROM could give the next warrior to face this foe an honest chance.

Seemingly content in his victory, the Stig pulled a large sign seemingly from nowhere and placed it in the center he’d left when the satchel charges exploded, a symbol of his victory, before literally speeding off into the sunset, like the hero of some bad period drama.

Letting his curiosity have the best of him, he thumbed his targeting reticle and zoomed in on the sign. Upon it was writing, in japanese Kanji.

"Blame not the innocent for the actions of one. Shame upon he who does, for he has no honor."

He blinked, and much to his chagrin, couldn't help by smile. The Stig had come to save the prisoners. Their lives had been jeopardized by his twisted prank, so his honor demanded that he act. This declaration was an assumption of responsibility, this battle undertaken to restore his honor by saving their lives. He could only chuckle. Bad period drama indeed.

It was that moment that his radio crackled to life, the local militia informing him that they were inbound momentarily, with reinforcements to help him contain and destroy his enemy.

His response was far from kind.

-----------

With the job done I got the hell out of there as fast as possible, trying to be well and gone before the the CGC and DCMS could catch my scent. Thanks to my small size and GPS maps, l however I was able to shake them pretty well. Good thing too, as from the sound of his screaming, that Kurita mechwarrior was pretty peeved off at me. I kept going for as long as my fuel held out, eventually finding a nice copse of trees that I could park the Hunter under.

------------------------------

That sums up everything that had happened.

I had decided to stop for the night, using that 20 points I saved up to buy fuel as I went. If you’re wondering there how I got the satchel charges, I spent another point to pick them up on the fly. Now I’m now in my tent with the heater going and everything tarped up. Eating Spam.

Mmm... delicious imitation poly-meat... yum.

Oh yeah, IS Reactions

===

March 28th, InnerSphere.

Across the Inner Sphere, the day carried on as usual, with people doing normal routines and making an average living. Even the discussion of the signal that had been broadcast a few days prior was simply seen as a new fad to most, and like all fads, opinions varied.

Some were gleeful to see the Combine get its comeuppance, others were outraged, and other still were simply apathetic, but most thought that it would be a one time thing. After all, for someone to hijack the entire communications network of the inner sphere was quite the feat and not one easily repeated. As such, it came to many as a surprise when once again, their screens blanked out, and once again the Stig wreaked havoc live and uncut.

The new material was stunning, shocking, and inspiring to many, for good or for both ill. While not all took it to heart, those in the know knew better than ignore it.

===

March 28th, 3019, Atreus, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League.

Alongside a projector stood Janos Marik as the show came to an end. With it done and all communications restored, he turned and began to place a communique with the world that matched his namesake. Being a house lord had its perks as your call was given priority, and as such he gained his request promptly. Connected to his world, he contacted a member of the LLLC. This man was specifically his Chief Armorer, the man in charge of maintaining all of the Free Worlds League military production capabilities. More importantly, the man was in charge of all military R&D projects that were put forth for development and study.

“So what’s your opinion?”

Knowing exactly what Janos was referring to the man replied “It’s interesting, the machine’s capabilities were higher than we thought initially, especially in the area of armor. My researchers also have confirmed that the damage of the rifle was consistent to that of a heavy mech grade machine gun, but with far greater range. The other opinion is that it’s some form of micro autocannon. I’m more in favor of an extended range machine gun since it better fits the profile.”

“The grenades were of more interest to me. I don’t know about you, but I can see the use of throwing what is essentially a large bomb. Though I’d hate to have something hit one while I was still carrying it.” Janos grimaced as he contemplated the result of such explosion with a battlemech.

The Chief Armorer gave Janos a small smile, he did always have a refreshingly open point of view, even on more sensitive issues, both martial and of state. “I believe the technology is still worth looking into.”

“I agree,” he give the man a sardonic look, “It certainly is worth looking into, but it would have to be funded in-house. If we tried to sell the idea to Parliament, what would normally be a six month testing and development cycle would probably take twelve years.”
“Optimistic estimate,” the Armorer replied, a small smile crossing his face, “I believe we’d be looking at mass production sometime in, say, June... 3052.”

Janos could but chuckle in amused agreement. “I’ll do a personal request to a group I believe could do with a challenge.”

“I’ll have an ‘unofficial’ request for a concepts sent out by friday as well. In the meantime, we can still turn to them to fund a study into The Stig’s machine however.” the Chief Armorer reiterated “After its last showing, I doubt the possible benefits of such a ‘mech will remained unnoticed by the parliament, let alone the citizenry at large.”

Janos smiled at that “Indeed. We already have people lobbying for the funding and development of combat ultra-lights. That said, I doubt it will be that easy. It looks similar but from what I’ve been told by the analysts, it’s likely that they’ll need to reinvent the wheel on this one.”

The man nodded in agreement “We already have several teams working on a few designs. They should have some results worth looking at in a month or two...”

===

March 28th, 3019, Sian, Sian Commonality, Capellan Confederation.

“This is simply not good enough!” Maximilian Liao roared, as he cast the datapad containing the latest status report on the development of the new Ultra-Light designs to the ground. The kneeling man who had given him said report unsuccessfully fought a flinch as the device narrowly missed him, instead striking the floor less than a meter from his head with force enough to shatter its plastic housing.

“With all of the best technical minds in the Capellan Confederation focusing the totality of their efforts on the development of this one project, I expected something of substance to be in the first report. A concept, an outline, a child’s drawing in crayon, and not a vague promise of preliminary results in half a year’s time! Now you will explain to me in plain language, in term free of technical jargon, in terms so simple and free of excuses that an idiot child could understand them: Why it’s going to take so long?!” he demanded, his eyes boring into the man like a matched pair of Large Lasers.

The man’s head rose slightly, to the very limit of what was considered acceptable, his heart beating like a drum in his chest, and a thin sheen of sweat already gracing his brow. Managing to control his fear, at least in his language he replied with a perfect mask of subservient calm. “This humble servant does not know the specifics, Celestial Light, but if I were to make a presumption, it would likely have to do with the fact that they are seeking to not only a sound design, but to construct machines in several weight classes as well. So they may cover all possible avenues of development, to ensure that they may fill the requirements of any force you seek to build.”

Maximilian sniffed and sneered at the broken circuitry scattered across his floor. “The fools.” he muttered to himself, his voice so silent that even the man knelt before him was unable to make out what he was saying, “We have barely only begun to see the paths that this technology will open for us, and already they scatter to the wind in search of failure.”

Maximilian paced slightly around the room, thinkingly kicking the debris from his path as his mind filtered through the many thoughts that bombard him. All at once he felt the burning magma of frustration, anger, and disappointment, crash into the cold currents of his plots, plans, and desires. The result was like a vast explosion of steam like fury that threatened to overwhelm him and burst from him into a geyser of incoherent rage. his eyes drifted to the data pad resting on his throne. Slowly he walked over and lifted the pad to look upon it. The image was that of the Hunter Gear, the very machine that was keeping the ever so hoity Takashi Kurita from a pleasant nights sleep.

Almost affectionately, he ran his finger along the screen, tracing the gentle curves and harsh angles of the machine. It was perfect. It emboldened him to look upon it. His thoughts ordered themselves as he stared, and with clarity returned to him, he knew now what must be done.

Once more he turned to the kneeling man “Look at me.” he ordered. The man reluctantly raised his head, slowly and fearfully. “In the eyes,” the Chancellor clarified in a cold voice, both amused and irritated by the man’s fearful reluctance..

A pair of fearful eyes they met Maximilian Liao’s own. Slowly, he raised the pad in his hand, holding it next to his face to make in its importance abundantly clear. Harshly he pointed at it, the index finger of his left hand held at an almost 45 degree angle under his chin. “I told them to make me this, not a dozen machines for a dozen situations, but to emulate the capabilities of this singular battlemech. Now you explain to me why my engineers are disobeying a direct order from the Celestial Throne itself!”

The man’s head shot down, as he literally pressed his forehead against the cold marble. “I-I cannot, oh Divine Light!”

“I did not give you permission to look away!” Max all but roared.

The man’s head shot back up like rocket, his eyes wide and his body trembling with fear.

Slowly the Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation approached him, craning over and crouching ever so slightly to reduce the distance between their faces to less than a meter. “I know that somehow my words must have been misunderstood, so I will punish no transgressions this day, but you will tell the project leaders when you return. You are to tell them my words exactly. They are to cease work on all parallel developments, they are to combine their efforts and focus their work on one and one thing only. This!” Max held out the pad mere centimeters from striking him in the face with its surface.”

“The other houses have already seen the benefits! The potential advantages that this machine could grant them! Machines such as this are without a doubt the next great leap forward in mechanized warfare! A machine that blends the power and flexibility of a Battlemech with the tactical role of infantry! A machine that possesses the speed and firepower needed to thrive in a modern battlefield! They are small, mobile, and individually they are capable of going into places battlemechs cannot! In groups they could prove a threat to even assault class opponents! This technology will revolutionize warfare as we know it forever, and someone will master its secrets first! It! Will! Be! Us!”

He slowly withdrew the pad so the man could see his face again, and bashed the rage from his own, instead taking an almost serene smile and he opened his palm under the datapad like he was given some kind of gentle presentation. “There is no need to develop new concept. There is already one perfect design in existence, and they will put forth all of their efforts to emulate it. I do not expect a perfect copy, but they will show me nothing less than their best efforts. For the time being, this design is already all we need and they will make it for me. Do you understand?” Maximilian dismissively waves at the man and the intention was well understood.

The messenger nodded his head furiously, never looking away from his leader “Y-yes, Celestial Light.”

“Good” Max’s smile crossed over into near benevolence as he turned away “You may look away now.”

The man almost blurred as his face planted onto the polished floor. In fact, it was so fast that Max has almost expected the man’s movement to end with a sickly crunch, and possibly unconscious.

As Max returned to his throne, the messenger slowly stood up, and after giving one last bow, left to quickly deliver the orders he had just been given. Armed with these word, he was certain that the engineers would have a fire lit under their asses to complete their task as as quickly and as effectively as possible. If not, he’d order one lit in order to encourage their replacements.

He sat down and looked upwards, seemingly to the heavens and in deep thought as the servants cleaned up the debris scattered in the room. This day’s exhibition was illuminated both the capabilities of the Stig and his machine. Today showed that the Stig was in fact not merely a trouble maker, but also a man, an honorable man. Maximilian had in his own past committed deeds that others had suffered for, deeds that while necessary would be considered an evil by many. Such was a way of life, one could not afford to allow their morals to dictate their actions. The heart must be hardened, and the pleas for mercy ignored, but it did make him wonder.

Kurita’s actions, ordering the execution of families for an unwitting action performed at gunpoint by a few, in some cases almost entirely unrelated, individuals, were surely monstrous, but he had to ask of himself. While his decisions had all seemed necessary at the time, would they survive the clarity of hindsight? Would what he had done in the name of pragmatism survive his own judgement, and if not, then how would he balance justice and necessity to create a most serene and harmonious state?

He scowled, his father’s removal had certainly been necessary to put a stop to the damage he was causing to the Confederation. That was a time he could not afford to burden himself with mercy, and no matter how it pained him, he had no choice but to remove any who were suspected regardless of age and origin.

Slowly, he lifted his datapad and reset the recording, allowing it to begin anew. The Stigs actions however, they inspired him. He was beginning to wonder if there was something within him, a piece of his soul, of youthful ideals and enthusiasm, he thought was lost that had in fact simply been buried.

He wasn’t certain, however he was sure of one thing. Change was coming. He felt it deep within him, and it would appear as a flood that would wash through the Inner Sphere like a river. Perhaps the change would begin within him. But either way, when facing a river, one has but two options, to swim with the flow...or to drown.

-------------------

Romano Liao sat on her bed, her face split by a maddened smile as she watched the recording again, taking in every little detail she could get. The battle between the Dragon and the Stig’s own machine was a fight that sang to her heart.

The Stig was outmatched, his own mech dwarfed by his opponent. A quarter of the size of the Dragon, and hardly more than one tenth the mass, by all the laws of warfare, and by the laws of common sense, he should have lost. Instead, though talent and quick wit, he persevered, and in the end he won. Father had been correct when she said that these machines reflected the spirit of the Confederation!

She was sure that it would be seen as a major upset! One that would send a wave of shock across the Inner Sphere. She closed her eyes and imaged how the mighty mechwarriors in their halls must have felt in that moment, when the Stig slew the mighty Dragon, like a modern day reenactment of the tale of Saint George. A story of David and Goliath.

She could hear them laughing, considering failure a forgone conclusion. She grinned as that certainty was replaced in her minds eye by shock as the battle went the opposite direction, and the small machine toppled its great foe. She could see them thrown off balance as their foundations shook beneath them, falling to their knees, as they wept with their lamentations as the harsh realization dawned upon them that they were no longer the unchallenged kings of battle!

She hugged her pillow, her face flushed and her body literally tingling with excitement as she took a deep breath to bring herself back to the present. The first time she had seen the Stig in action... he seemed a madman, taking over that station like a filthy terrorist.

It was only when his plan succeeded and the great shame he laid upon Kurita was shown to the whole of the sphere that she realized his true purpose, and his true power. He wasn’t some mad jester who challenged kings to entertain the masses, nor was he some crazed fool who heckled the masters of the Inner Sphere for his own amusement. He was exactly the thing her father had come to realize. He was a force of change, a spirit of progress that would drag the base lies and corruption that had trapped humanity in this never ending cycle of stagnation into the view of all, to where it would burn under the light of truth.

She spared a moment to shudder. Still, some truths were best left in the dark. She had absolutely no desire to know the... appetites of Takashi Kurita and his ilk, no matter how obvious they might seem in retrospect. The very idea almost turned her off on mutton, the idea that it might have been ‘loved’ by a Samurai prior to meeting her plate.

Seriously, there was something very wrong with that family. They were simply not right in the head.

She banished those foul thoughts from her mind and gave her pillowy companion a strong squeeze. Oh how it excited her. In so many ways, many that she’d never felt before.

She had always lived in power, she could end a life with but a nod. She could sway her father to action with but a well dropped hint and a push in the right direction. She could create and put an end to conflicts in the name of unity. All of this, it was nothing compared to the power to sway the path of humanity itself. That was ultimate power, the power to drive mankind wherever one sees fit to do so. The Stig possessed such power, and the more she saw him in action the more in awe she became.

Slowly she was beginning to realize, that nowhere else in the Inner Sphere, nowhere else in the boundless universe would she ever find one who could look upon her in all her glory, and strip her of her eminence, leaving her naked of pride, but a simple woman, writhing under the power of his gaze.

She could only hope...that he would be gentle.

===

March 28th, 3019, Tharkand, Donegal Province, Lyran Commonwealth.

Katrina’s cool gray eyes took in the combat taking place, she couldn’t help but feel a bit of girlish glee as the small mech planted the satchel charges onto a Dragon. Only a moment later, she was forced to clamp down on a giggle as they exploded, sending the machine flying into the air in a most spectacular fashion.

With the show coming to an end she turned and looked upon the generals she had assembled earlier. It has been serendipity that they were present for the second ‘episode’, for she had called them to father the first. She’d hoped that she would be able to encourage them to see the benefits of making proper use of smaller units into the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces.

She got what she wanted and more from the footage. Most of her generals had been dismissive, expecting to see the Stig either run or get bowed under by weight of its foe. Instead they saw a superior pilot run his foe around in circles, out maneuvering his enemy until he was able to make one swift, sure, and extremely lethal blow.

To them it was a major upset. It defied all logic. The simple mathematics said that he should have been crushed like a grape, that he should have fled. Instead he attacked, and fought in a manner that made his enemies size a liability. It was a textbook example of how a superior pilot can destroy an overconfident foe, how a smaller and more nimble unit can destroy a superior machine. The Stig practically made the argument for her, and even the manner in which he won was a source of debate and contention.

The use of demo charges in combat was normally reserved for specially trained infantry units. It was effective but dangerous, as going up against a full sized Battlemech clad only in a flak vest and helmet was an intimidating prospect on the best of days. The Stig’s machine allowed him to live on the line, crossing into both worlds, of Infantry Tactics and Battlemech combat. The implications were staggering.

Still, after having watched it, she had to say, the Stig was clinically insane, or he had balls the size of an Atlas. In any case, her point was driven home in the most spectacular fashion. The reactions of the generals mainly were disbelief, shock, and in some cases outright denial. She could work with that.

“Gentlemen.”

The collection of men turned to face her, she could already see them trying to make their arguments, but her small smile was enough to make them die in their throats.

“I believe you all have some opinions you wanted to share with me?”

===

March 28th, 3019, Luthien, Kagoshima Prefecture, Pesht Military District, Draconis Combine.

Takashi glared lasers at the holo-screen as the broadcast comes to an end, then took a deep swig of the sake he was holding. An hour prior, he was merely waiting for information updates regarding the situation on Nowhere, and sadly, it had been The Stig himself who chose to debrief him, him and the rest of the Inner Sphere.

It was far worse than he had envisioned, what was meant to be a quick end to a small but incredibly irritating problem, had grown to be an open sore. As if embarrassing him once before hadn’t been bad enough, now the Stig had chosen to humiliate him a second time before the entirety of the Inner Sphere, this time moving beyond juvenile pranks and instead questioning his very honor!

With a heavy sigh he summoned a servant to record several orders on his behalf.

First was the release and apologies of his office to the ‘victims’ for their mistreatment and reparations to paid in full. In addition to they were to be, moved off planet to somewhere nice, nice and isolated where those contrary to his rule couldn’t use them as icons.

Second, was to bring in that the defeated Mechwarrior, Yamamoto, he was to be brought to Luthian for a personal debriefing with his Coordinator.

Lastly, he wanted the fools who read the order that ‘all others involved be liquidated’ to mean ‘kill everyone in the building and their next of kin’ to be striped of thier names, their title, their wealth, and summarily executed. While yes, some punitive measures had been necessary for submitting to the demands of a terrorist, that was a duty to be left to the local courts! He had been talking about the Stig’s production crew, his support team! No one could run such an elaborate production without assistance! What else could he have meant!?

Because of their criminal stupidity, the entire Combine had been publicly humiliated across the whole of the Inner Sphere! Because of their idiocy his honor, his honor, had been called into question due to their foolish, idiotic mistake! And worst of all, as much as he’d like to deflect the blame, a good and honorable lords accepts responsibility for the actions of his subordinates taken on his behalf.

Fuck it. He gritted his teeth and snatched the serving bottle from his attendant servant, and took a long drag. He’d have to order the ISF to do a full review of the entire command structure on Nowhere, from the lowest heishi to the Daimyo himself. Stupidity like that wasn’t individual, for something that fundamentally moronic to pass through the chain of command without being questioned, it had to be institutional.

The Stig may have won this day, and with the broadcasts working as they are, he can not afford to let the Combine, and especially himself, to made out as nothing more than honorless brutes.

===

March 28th, 3019, New Avalon, Crucis March, Federated Suns.

Hanse Davion watched the broadcast with interest as he witnessed the Stig and his little machine go up against a full fledged Battlemech for the first time. He was quite impressed. There was good reason that Battlemechs were considered the kings of the battlefield, and to see one beaten so soundly by something so small was an eye opener. Now, while he truly doubted it was because it was superior to the Dragon, it was more comparable to the stories he’d heard of Wasps taking down Atlases, a testament to the pure talent and ability of the pilot.

Still though, the machine did have potential, especially when used by an unorthodox pilot. Some of the moves the Stig had used were insane, idiotic even, but that said, Hanse was a follower of the old adage, that if its stupid, and it works, it’s not stupid.

Hanse felt no need to hide his stupid, ear to ear grin as the Stig proudly displayed his sign above the crippled mech. He could only wonder where he’d gotten it, but right now he was too damned amused to care.

He knew well how protective the snakes were about their honor, the Coordinator’s above all others. The statement, while simple and abrupt was a stain on the honor of the Combine, even more so, it was a direct and deeply biting attack on Takashi Kurita’s personal honor. It probably would have been less disrespectful, and ultimately even less painful to simply kick the man in the scrotum. If he hadn’t had Takashi’s complete attention before, he had it now. By all conventional logic, the Stig’s life expectancy had just been greatly reduced.

Or at least would be if he didn’t do anything about it. He was tempted to call the head of MI6, and order him to put his best effort into making contact, to offer him a place of privilege in the Federated Suns, but he doubted that the man would take it. While his mech was impressive, the fact he was able to hijack every monitor in the Inner Sphere even more so. He had a feeling that the Stig still had tricks to pull out of his hat.

Hanse turned his head towards the reports on his table. The very night of the first broadcast he’d sent orders to both the NAIS College of Military Science and the AFFS Strategy and Tactics division to start doing studies about how such a machine could be integrated into their military. On his desk was the confirmation that studies into the use of the Miniature Battlemech were under way.

While he had a feeling that most of the Successor States would be rushing into development, Hanse felt that was a bad idea. They were a very interesting and possibly useful new toy, but in all honestly he believe it was better to build something knowing ahead of time what you needed and how you intended to use it, rather than to build something and then try and find a place for it once its already being produced. Still, with today’s ‘exhibition’ he was sure that the application studies would be quite the read.

Hanse nodded in satisfaction and leaned back as he poured himself a glass of whiskey. With a smiled on his face, he raises the glass in toast of the white clad man and his wonderful little machine, as it rode off into the sunset...

===

March 28th, 3019, Terra, North America, Hilton Head Island.

Julian Tiepolo watched intensely as the credits rolled, bringing an end to the show once more. It had been hours since the broadcast, and once again Terra was buzzing about the mysterious Stig and his actions. In Comstar though, attention was instead focused on the broadcast itself. Looking around at his Precentors, he could see that this last example had been illuminating in more ways than one. This was especially apparent from Precentor ROM who hadn’t lost the sour look on his face since they’d first seen the Mini-mech take down that Dragon. If it were any other situation then he might have laughed.

Choosing to get things moving, he began with what he considered the most important fact “It seems the Stig and his associates are more capable than previously thought. Not only have they made a second broadcast, but they have done so in spite all of the precautions we have taken prior to now.”

The precentors nodded in agreement. Every one of them had ordered every HPG within their jurisdictions go through daily system checks, every one of them had ordered their HPG put on complete lockdown when the broadcast began, and every one of them had kept a close eye on people in and out of said facilities. So far nothing of these precautions had borne fruit. Julian looks at Precentor Derion “What’s the reaction of Takashi Kurita?”

“By all reports, uncharacteristically calm. In the last few hours he’s ordered the full pardon of those who were that were to be executed and issued a personal apology for the actions taken against them. Seems somewhere along the way his orders were misread instead of going after the intended targets, the Stig’s associates, they went after the people at the station and their families.”

Tiepolo nodded. “Anything else?”

“He’s order a full review of the command structure on the world of Nowhere and the execution of those responsible for the ‘misunderstanding’.”

ROM snorted derisively before Precentor Avalon took the floor “One thing we should take note of is the damage the Stig’s unit had sustained in the battle. He’s going to need to enact repairs at some point, which means some form of repair facility. He had yet to repair the damage from his first Broadcast.”

Derion nodded “We are currently keeping track of any large scale movements that would indicate a mobile base, or any purchase of military grade armor from what little Black Market exists on Nowhere. When he makes his next move, we’ll know about it.”

Precentor Tharkand spoke up next “Which brings forth a point I think we should discuss. This broadcast has convinced Katrina Steiner to push for the better integration of lighter combat forces already present in her military. Defiance Industries has also begun an independent study into researching and developing practical Ultra-light Battlemechs.”

Looking around Tharkand asked “I would presume that the other states have been doing the same?”

All of them nodded. “Hanse Davion currently NAIS and the AFFS looking into the possible uses of this technology while factions within the Free Worlds League parliament are also Lobbying to have development on combat Ultra-Lights.”

Sain spoke up “Maximilian Liao has taken an especially keen interest in this technology, but from what I’ve heard it seems that his engineers are covering a dozen or so designs at once.”

“In other words, he’s spending a ton of money on something that probably will not work. That’s House Liao for you.”

There were chuckles all around.

Julian spoke up “It brings forth something more disturbing than the machine’s capability however. It seems that the Stig has encouraged something that hasn’t been seen for hundreds of years, something that we have attempted to stifle at every turn. With so many people exposed to them, it seems inevitable, and all the more reason for us to find him first, but the effects of these broadcasts is that people are starting to innovate.”

Faces that moments ago were amused were now grimm. For centuries they had done what they could to stifle innovation, progress and rediscovering lost technologies across the Inner Sphere. Now with this situation, with everyone being simultaneously exposed to events that showcased new technologies, it seemed that people would allow their imaginations to flow and create new technologies.

With such widespread exposure that was outside their control, it seemed that the task of suppressing it would be impossible. All they could do at this point is continue what they were already doing. Capture the Stig and gain the secrets to his broadcasting technology. With that discovery, all else would be meaningless, as they would control all means of communication in the Inner Sphere, and with it the flow of information. People will know only what they want them to know. They would only know the will of Blake.

===

March 28th, 3019, Tangatapu Zenith Point, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League.

The whoops echoed down the halls as the Dragoons watched the Stig take down the Dragon yet again. It was understandable. There really wasn’t much else for any of them to do while waiting for the jump ship to recharge and move onwards to the next system. It certainly was better than the endless simulations and reviewing old Battle ROMs.

Natasha Kerensky and Jamie Wolf watched together in his office and mostly enjoyed what they saw. It did however create questions.”

“Where did he get those satchel charges?” Jamie wondered aloud, “I keep looking and I don’t see them on that thing at any point of time prior to their use.”

Jamie Wolf rubbed his chin in contemplation. That was often how it was, too many questions and not enough answers to this puzzle. The more they watched this Stig in action the more clear it became that all was as it seemed to be.

Natasha kerensky spoke up in humor “Well. Regardless how he got them, his just went up a notch in my estimation. If we were still back home, I would bid him against a Star of Elementals anyday. Though if I was facing him, I’d trust nothing less than a Binary.”

“A binary?”

“....well...maybe a Trinary...at most.”

Jamie could only chuckle and asked “Don’t you think that may be a bit premature? We’ve only seen him in action twice.”

With a unwomanly snort she replied “Please, as if your machine alone determines the skill of a warrior. He not only took on a heavy battlemech in what looks like the free born spawn of a Battle Armor and a Scout Mech, and defeated it in single combat, he made masterful use of misdirection and used his capabilities to their utmost a while turning his foes own strength into a liability. You need more than a fancy ride to win. You need brains, skill and luck.”

Jamie nodded “A rare combination, one only found in the best”

Jamie rewound the video to watch the last portion of the show once again, his eyes locked on the screen as the Stig planted the sign. “But we must not forget how of honor and courage can bring out the best in anyone. Sometimes having something to fight for can win the day when nothing else can. Speaking of which it seems our employer has another task for us”

Looking over at him, Natasha asked “What does the purple bird man want now?”

With a smirk he answered “It seems he wants us to take it upon ourselves to test out the viability of mech scale grenades as weapons. It seems the Stig has inspired more than a few people, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this isn’t the last thing we’re called on to try out.”

She nods with her own smirk “Good... more toys for everyone. Been awhile since I’ve blown something up entirely for the hell of it

-----------------------------------------

Well...there you go. the reactions of the important people in control of the I.S. or at least have much to do with their future.

My reactions.

Janos: ...huh....cool
Katrina: Awesome
Max: Wow...He really likes the Hunter
Romano:........*shiver*
Kurita: Well...at least your doing right now...you samurai fuckbucket.
Hanse:...heh. He didn't say much..but it was obvious what he was thinking...kinda.
ComStar:....Crap.
Dragoons: HA! I got Natasha to bet on me ^-^

Now. Yes, I did leave out the points because I hadn't had time until I played reactions to really look at them...and I have ALOT.

The point tally is as follows.

Crank Calling: 10
Creative Battling: 10
Unknowingly backed up Katrina Stiener: 10
Make the FWL actually have a common goal for once: 10
Ecouraged Romano Liao to keep stalker crush: 10
Natasha Kerensky seal of approval: 10
Ambushing Execution: 10
Almost become Nobility: 10
Saving Lives: 25
Destroy Major threat (Dragon): 50
Destruction of City Property: 50
Take a level in "Fucked": 50
Publically made Takashi Kurita look like a complete and utter tool: 100
Inspire Innovation across the Inner Sphere: 100
Give Maximilian Liao 1D10 Sanity points: 500
Sign of Humiliation: 1000

Total: 1955....Congradulations. You have earned a prize.

Back to the Future Bonus: 88 points.

Total: 2043

So..yeah...I got over 2000 points. I can technically get an all new Gear. Or I can buy a butt load of weapons and mods.

The gears I can currently afford are as follows. Turns out I can't actually buy any gear varients unless I own the primary variant...so I'll just list the ones I can currently afford.

I can afford the Southern Gears and some others...but I think I'll stick with the northern stuff for now, though I will add Paxton.

HACS-01LG-SCT Cheetah: 1500
HACS-01MG-MP Hunter: 1500
HACS-02MG-MPS Jaguar: 2000
HACS-02HG-MPS Grizzly: 2000
PA-01 Warrior: 1500

As for the Hunter Variants...Turns out if I'm just getting a package as opposed to a whole new machine, it costs far less. The cost to me however is my Hunter is now a changed unit.

So the next list is the cost for a new unit / and cost for an upgrade.

HACS-01MG-FU Armored Hunter: 1800/800
HACS-01MG-AST Assault Hunter: 1500/500
HACS-01MG-EGN Engineering Hunter: 1500/500
HACS-01MG-C HeadHunter: 1500/500
HACS-01MG-HC Hunter Commando: 1800/800
HACS-01MG-PH Hunter Paratrooper: 1800/800
HACS-01MG-SCT Recon Hunter: 1500/500

Personally...while having a second machine is Cool...I'm more for upgrading it with mods and getting new weapons.
Of course there's the option of getting off world now...while I think I have done enough to not incur too much ROB dickness...there's always embaressing the Pesht Regulars to do, and then some. In fact...I might have to milk this world a bit more really.

Anyways...that's my day...gonna sleep now.

8:00 AM, March 29th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine

Entry 14

Morning. Slept pretty well considering the fact I have more then a few people who want my ass, for a variety of reasons. Not having people's lives on my conscience helps in that regard.

So, I read all of your opinions and ideas, and some would be LuLz worthy (I like the Comstar reading Mail idea) but I was to out of it last night to explain a few things.

The reason I mentioned some Gears, such as the Recon hunter and the Hunter Engineer, is because I discovered that while I can buy mods for them all, some of the mods have prerequisites.

For example, I have since two days ago learned I can't just buy the Flight Pack mod right off. In order to do that, I have to purchase a mod called "Areodynamic" which streamlines the Gear to fly through the air like it was made for it rather then like a brick. This fortunately is only required for the final incarnation of the Flight Pack mod, but if you look further and at the Aerodynamic mod itself, it's only applicable to certain gears, and not to all of them.

Another thing is that while having an upgrade for the Gear is generally a good thing, that doesn't mean it's the best thing to do. Due to the fact that mods can have prerequisites, there are mods that only certain models of gear (and their variants) are able to equip mods that are otherwise exclusive to that Gear.

The hunter Commando for example can only have the first version of the Flight pack mod, but none of the others, whereas the normal hunter can have all three. The Armored Hunter can equip not only every kind of armor you want, but also multiple types at the same time, along with things like "Stealth Mod" and "Camo-Mod". The Commando can have a variety of weapons and it too can equip different types of armor, but the Armored hunter is the only one that can be equipped with every kind of armor I have available to equip it with. not only that, but the Armored hunter it also can be modded to survive every kind of environment imaginable. Even the normal hunter can't do that, and it can be equipped with nearly everything.

The we come to the Exclusive Mods. Mods that onyl that variant of Gear can have due to what the Gear actually is made for. There are too many to list all at once here, so I'll give ones I think are really neat, or the most powerful.

Beware the Hunter Engineer, I know what the Mod will sound like but bear in mind...it's not anything like the game as far as taking things apart and putting it together...but damned it's close enough.

Also of note, you will notice that some mods are on the Gears seem to be universal, but remember that its the sequence that allows these Exclusives, not the mods themselves. you could make the Gears with all of the provided mods, but you wouldn't get what these particular mods can give you as stated.

Kinda like getting a video game pre-order as opposed to a normal game. You only get exclusive content if you get the package rather then just the game.

-----------------------------------------

Hunter - Super Hunter Mod: Basically..everything about the gear is taken to it's maximum. It's speed is increased to as fast as it can be, its agility, muscle power, amount of armor, sensors, balance, reaction and turn speed, everything..is upgraded to is maximum potential. The unit's capabilites are a near match for elite CEC units and Black Talon units, but lacking thier exclusive technologies. Cost: 3000 points. Provides the following mods: Reinforcement Mod - level 2, Power booster Mod - level 2, Fuel Efficiency Mod - level 3, Advanced Sensors Mod - level 2, Electronic Warfare Mod - level 1, Thought Interface Mod - level 1.

Armored Hunter - Indestructable Mod: The Armored hunter is equipped with "Durantanium", an increadibly advanced metal alloy that utilizes nano-technology and advanced metalurgical science in its creation. The material is made up of multiple layers of materials that allow the armor to defend the Gear against all forms fo attack upon it. Any and all weapons used against this gear find they're attacks only have a 20% rate of effect. This in turn makes the Gear immune to most infantry scaled weapons, and some vehicle scaled weapons. By Battletech rules (ROBs words, not mine) any weapon does less then a full point of damage...does no damage whatsoever. In addition, the armor is equipped with a three layers of self repairing Nano-machines. These machines can repair up to 50% of armor lost before requiring a "insert" to regain repair capabilities. Cost: 4000 points. Provides the following mods: All Evironmental Protection Mods, Reinforcement Mod - level 3, Power booster mod - Level 3, Self Repair Mod - Level 3.

Assault Hunter - Mech Hunter Mod: The Assault Hunter is given equipment that make it most effective at hunting and destroying Battlemechs. Increased speed and armor along with a reinforced chassis allow it to survive a frontal attack, while it is also given advanced weaponry otherwise only available normally to elite or heavier gears. In addition, it carries enough ammunition for its weapons to make the issue of being "out" a non-issue. Cost: 2000 points. Provides the following mods: Reinforcement Mod - level 1, Power Booster Mod, Advanced Sensors Mod - level 1, Electronic Warfare Mod - level 1.

Hunter Engineer - Minecrafter Mod: Equipped with advanced mining equipment, combined with the ROB given dimensional storage technology, and modified particle emitters, the Hunter Engineer is capable of deconstructing, storing, and fabricating on a personal scale. Whether it's digging into the ground, into a mountain, or even into a fortified castle brian, the engineer can dig, laser cut, burn, melt, disintergrate, and drill its way in. Want to save that material for something? You can save it with your Gear's personal pocket dimension. It can only carry so much, but it beats having to find a garage. Want to make something, so long as you have the materials and schematics in your Gear engineering computer, you can use those recipes to make what you need, and more. Cost: 4000 points. Provides the following mods: Reinforcement Mod - Level 2, All environemental protection mods, power booster mod.

Headhunter - 'Lelouche' Mod: Equipped with a command console, advanced electronic warfare equipment, access to information networks and sattelites, this Gear is able to control an entire theater of war across an entire region, if not an entire world. Rebellions, Revolutions, Coups, Invasions, all can be run from the cockpit of this unit with pin-point percision. War becomes akin to a game of chess by your perspective, and as the king you can lead your side to victory. Cost: 2000 points. Provides the following mods: Advanced Communications Mod - level 3, Electronic Warfare Mod - level 3, Advanced Sensors Mod - level 3.

Hunter Commando - One Gear Army Mod: The Commando becomes a lone wolf. It has all of the ammo it needs, the equipment it needs, and backup it needs to make it fight a war all on its own. Equipped with basic ECM, rienforcement and equipped with highly efficient fuel consumption, this machine is able to last far longer then normal. So..aside from being able to lasst in the field for a long time..what's so special about it. How about the fact that by spending points it can call on airstrikes, artillary, a squad of Gears for a time, Air cover, and even Ortillary. This gear is litterally able to fight a war all on its own, because it has the tools and the backup it needs to do so. It helps that it has a shitload of weapons as well, and decoy technology and even Holofield technology. Cost: 4000 points. Provides the following mods: Reniforcment mod - Level 2, Advanced Sensors Mod - level 1, Communication mods - level 2, Environemtal protection mods - Extreme heat/Extreme Cold/High Pressure/High Gravity, Electronic Warfare Mod - level 1.

Hunter Paratrooper - Iron Man Mod: The Paratrooper is heavily modified to be aerodynamic, and capable of true flight. It's ability to fly is given by an advanced flight pack system that is effective underwater, in an atmosphere, and in space. Though the weapons it is equipped with are minimal, its capabilities and utility far outshine what it lacks in weaponry. Weaponry however is moot as I can simply summon what I need in the midst of battle. The one downside is that the machine is that it's a fuel guzzler, the consumption is at the twice rate as the standard. Thus 500km range for the engine is 250 km for the pack. Despite this however, the machine is fully flight capable and able to fly nearly 1000 km/h. Cost: 4000 points. Provides the following mods: Aerodynamic Mod, Environmental protection mods - High pressure/Vacuum/Radiation, Flight Pack mod - Level 3.

Hunter Recon...note about this...there's too many of the Recon to list here...and all are pretty cool. So I'll just list my favorite.

Hunter Recon - Assassin's Creed Mod: The gear is an assassin. equipped with Stealth and Holofield technology, sound dampening, advanced sensors and ECM/ECCM, and weapons made to kill without being seen or heard. The Creed custom as this hunter describes itself was modified to sneak past enemy defenses, sensor nets, fortifications, and security to get at any one target of the pilot's choosing. Weapons to penetrate armor, weapons to strike at range, and then dissapear unnoticed. The Creed is upheld by the machine, into the 31st century. Cost: 3000 points. Provide the following mods: Rienforcement mod - level 2, Electronic Warfare Mod - Level 2, Stealth Mod - Stealth Armor, Stealth mod - Holofield, Power Booster mod - level 2, Airdrop mod - level 1.

-----------------------------------------------------

So as you can see...no gear is useless. In fact, some of the worthless ones are actually worth more then the fully combat capable ones.

I looked around to the gears I couldn't buy (Like NuCoal) and their machines/variants have more or less the same mod packages, it's just for a different machine. So there's not hundreds of exclusives or anything (thank god). I count a total of 28 exclusive mods based on variant and Gear type (scout, medium, heavy, etc). so in the end it becomes a matter of taste, but the more expensive the Gear, the more expensive the Gear Mod package. Gear mods stay the same regardless of what gear I put it on.

So...for the time being I'm sticking with the basic hunter until I get more points to spend for additional units. Upgrading is all well and good..but I prefer multiple units.

So...since I'm keeping the Gear...I have three options. I can buy a new gear, I can save up for the mod kit, or I can just upgrade what I have already.

I'm personally for saving for the mod kit. Though there are mods it doesn't provide that I will get such as fuel efficiency, and of course new weapons.

As for Trolling....well...now that i finished what I needed to do...I don't need to hang around the region anymore...I can go south, east or west, and they all lead to the ocean, and lots of forests, tundra and mountains, or I go north where the desert is. If I stick around, or go in any direction but north, I will be found out a there are villages and towns and small depots and bases all along the region. Make my life very short, especially with forces moving en mass to find me now. So I'll head north to where the desert is. the one problem is that north happens to be where the main base on the planet is, and is near the edge of the desert and between me and Keldesso. there are lots of "smarter" things I can do...but if I have to do stupid to get points and stay on ROBs good side, and so on....then that's what I have to do.

Anyways...it's 9 AM now. gotta eat.

End entry

10:00 AM, March 29th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine

Entry 15

I haven't forgotten about the "Personal" mods guys . I merely focused on the Gears due to the fact that as I move along I'm likely gonna need new equipment. Most of this was just a presentation.

On that note...I have thought about going "Incognito" actually, but if I wanted to do that, I should have done it when I was "unknown". now with military everywhere, and on the look out for me and my "associates" they likely will be doing I.D. Checks, checkpoints, random searches, etc, as I go along. I don't even have any form of Identification for this universe, which means I'd have to 'make' one or obtain one somehow.

*rubs head and hair* Might spend the points on an ID if I can buy one.

On the note of fusion engines for my machine, hate to break it to you all but Heavy Gear doesn't have Fusion power on the same level as battletech. In fact, thier Fusion is still around the "heavy vehicles, and ships only" area. Gears/Frames/Apes/etc do not have the option for fusion. I suppose I could find a Fusion powered car and try something...but really..that'd be something to do down the road. Besides, I don't have the knowledge to do "that" kind of work, since fusion is outside fo Heavy Gear experience when it comes to mechs.

As for the desert...it seems to be arid flats at first, then it shifts to sand then a mix between those two before going to sand and then aird again. So...yeah.

Anyways, I was just asking for opinions since while I have my own ideas, I'd have like some input.

Anyways...I'm gonna save as well. I'll buy a gear next time. For the time being...I'm gonna get my armor back, re-arm, and refuel...and get a few personal mods, one new weapon..and depending on what i get..a few weapon mod.

I'll try to keep it under 500 altogether.

I'll start looking at my options.

end entry

1:00 AM, March 29th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 16

Well...I spent 500 points exactly. I was surprised by that actually. I thought I might be going over as things added up. Turned out I didn't .

I now have full armor on all locations, I have full ammunition for all the weapons I used, Grenades have been replenished, and I have a full tank of fuel.

I did buy a new weapon for the Gear. I was divided between this and a Bazooka. I'll get the Bazooka later. I have bought the small Sniper Laser rifle.

Highlights on the new weapon. It does less damage then a small laser. By BT rules it likely only does 1 point of damage. It also has a limit on how many times it can be fired. It comes with Energy Capacitor (E-Cap) and it carries only 20 shots. I can however eject the E-Cap and reload it so ammo is merely the problem. Ammo isn't even that much of a problem as I know how to recharge an E-Cap with my Gear's engine. Heat is negligable since HG weapons do heat pretty well. So what is soo great about the weapon?...as you might have guessed...the range.

Oh god the range. I can hit a target at 1000 meters. Burns a nice sized hole in what I hit. This will definately get everyone's attention next broadcast should I use it.

I then got a few weapon mod. I got "Ammo-Lock Removal" for my Autocannon. So I can now double tap the weapon, though at a cost of ammo and accuracy. That's fine however because I got something to make up for it.

I bought two personal abilities. One was a single point of "Luck". I'm definately gonna need it. From what I read, it basically does one of two things. I can either activate it myself for a specific event or action, or it self activates when I am about to die. If it's the second one (Death) then the luck point does...something...out of nowhere (punny ) that saves my life from said attack. I could still get hurt from it, but I won't die.

The other thing is "Precise Shot". It's...I guess you could call it a feat that increases my skill with ranged weapons in or out of a Gear. So my gunnery just went up..or down in BT's case.

Then we got to equipment. I found I can buy I.D.s and so I got myself a Draconis Combine Identification. I don't know if it's fake or not. I'm assuming ROB either made it real or it's a really good fake.

I got myself 4 sets of new clothes. Normal wear for work and just to wear so I no longer stick out like I did. Also ulitarian clothing for when I need to "actually" work. They are useful in most work situations.

Lastly, got myself a firearm. Took your advice and got a Rifle. I wanted something that would be useful in combat and in normal everyday stuff...so I got myself a Dartland Premiere 9mm sniper rifle. It's a top of the line rifle made only for my use, made for my grip and hand. So it's more accurate then a normal rifle. I also got a Scope to go with it, and a silencer. Plus many boxes of ammunition.

So I'm covered for the most part. Better move on before I give in and spend all of my points. I currently have 1543 points.

Now I got to plan out my trip north in detail.

End Entry

1:00 PM, March 29th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 17

Okay. I just...got out of a small conversation with ROB. It was illuminating on a few subjects. One of which regards items given. Like that sign, and all of this stuff that was suggested.

I basically asked him how it worked and he replied that it was entirely dependant on the situation. He wasn't gonna give me stuff when I'm in the middle of battle of an "event" unless it was a spur of the moment thing at the time and would result in something Funny/awesome/trolltastic. For the most part I have to "plan" for my trolls and actually do them. Doing them will earn me points in a big way, but the catch is that often the things I do have to be...crazier then normal.

One thing I asked was ""So If I wanted to say... hijack a jumpship and surf it into the surface of the planet, would you... say... provide me with a Gear sized cowboy hat and a steel cable laso large enough to wrap around the neck of the Jumpship?"

Simple answer was "yes".

He would provide even for minor things, such as stupid youtube videos making fun of important people. Well...I'll probably make use of that

No, the ID doesn't chang emy appearance. It's just a normal ID card. It would be cool if I could change forms, but It can't do that. Sorry.

About aiming/shooting targets, I can't speak for Battletech, but for myself, I can generally hit what I aim at. The things that make me miss are either, a moving target, I'm moving, its far away, aiming while being shot at, the usual stuff that applies. Plus...while it seems ROB might have some semblance of "Rules" in play due to the fact that this universe is based on a board game, I can for the most part aim at specific parts. So can everyone else here though. So don't count on them not doing the same as I do and go for the weak point.

As for swapping machines, I haven't tested it since I don't have a new machine, but from what I understand, the machine itself has a connection to a pocket dimension where it is stored in the condition it goes in as. Unless I repair it, if it's missing a leg when it goes in, it will still be missing when it comes out. Also, I can't be inside of it when it goes in. If I go in, I won't be coming out. Like being locked in a trunk while holding the key.

As for going to other realms and places...I have to leave first, and as I mentioned when I first came to this universe...I can't direct where I go. ROB chooses, not me. Think of this like a Tardis, only the Tardis is sending me places to get in trouble instead of to help.

Finally..regarding the sheep...I'll use that when I can have the most effect, not random posters of it that can just be torn down . something more...permement. I have an idea...already shared it with ROB...he loved it...but I gotta leave first. I'm gonna keep that a secret .

Now...regarding the trip. I checked all of the roads and towns with my GPS and I was right. Roadblocks, checkpoints, searches, etc. They're even doing sweeps of the forest from the air for hidden enclaves or something. So I gotta go ASAP. I aint got no other vehicle to drive, and while there are vehicles that I can purchase from Heavy Gear...none of them are civilian, even if they're close to it. So I have to go by Gear.

I'm going to get going from where I am and head east, then swing back north west to skirt the forest, then cross a small line of road which is pretty deserted and head north to the desert. I'll make a new entry when I get there. Should be about...sunset when I get to the desert..or starting to be sunset.

End Entry

7:00 PM, March 29th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.


Entry 18

I'm here at the edge of the desert. It's going to get dark in an hour or so, so I might just hunker down for the night after this entry.

I couldn't just hijack a vehicle and drive it just so you all know. One, I don't feel right doing it (I ain't Carl Johnson or Nico Bellac) and two, I don't trust not getting caught in it. I decided to do the safer option, and it paid off. The Gear was built with the desert in mind, so sand and heat won't adversly affect it.

Oh. Speaking of Desert.

*Loading Picture*



Pretty...ain't it.

Anyways, I also got a somewhat low def picture of the planet Geography. So here's Nowhere.

*Loading Picture*



Yeah. So I'm the Red dot between the two black dots. One above is the military base, the one below was the city I made a ruckus at. I'm about 500 miles away from that now, and the base is about 500-600 miles. Keldesso is about 1000 or so miles away.

Just refueled so I'm down to 1495 points.

Tired...need to get out of this suit.

End Entry

7:45 AM, March 29th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 19

Awake. So glad I have equipment from Heavy Gear. All built in mind for the desert in day and night. few hours ago I was disturbed from sleep when something was poking at my tent. Was very creeped out by the fact that something was trying to get in. I got more creeped when it then jump onto the tent. I used my gun as a hammer and knocked it off and away with a crack. I heard the thump and though I didn't know it at the time, that was that. Killed it. It wasn't until the morning sun came that I opened up and looked around. Saw this.



Yep. Big freakin scorpian. May not look it, but this thing is two feet long.

I was very much "eek" about it. I hate giant bugs and arachnids. On my scale of 1-10 on being creeped out, I was at 11. I used a pipe to basically lift and fling the thing away. I know that sounds very wimpish, but c'mon. If this thing were...freakishly huge like a Rad Scorpian or something, then I wouldn't look at it like a bug, I would look at it like an animal or monster. That'd be much easier to deal with. This was just a really big freakin bug (and yes, I know it's an "arachnid". I don't care. It's big!).

Anyways...enough freakout.

As far as the DCMS having drones and Satellites and so on...I'm not dealing with the US military here guys. Sure they exist...but on a world like this...unlikely. I don't see them using what satellites they have watching the jump points to look for me, which is way harder to do in comparison. The DCMS's favorite counter insurgency tactic is normally "brutalizing the population" and find people who are guilty only because they do things that the DC doesn't like, not to mention that people in the DC (and this universe in general) are unthinking sheep that graze unless told to do otherwise by thier shepherds. For the most part people of this verse have no real initiative, creativity, or will of thier own. They just live thier lives however they can, content with how the universe is unless they are in the military. If they are in the military they are "told" what is good and bad for them and thier nation and often times blindly follow the doctrine of thier "lords". This has only ever resulted in the un-ending wars and conflicts and acts of brutality, loss and more stupidity that is Battletech. Only the Rasalhague District and Draconis March areas likely would have units that have any experience in actual Counter-Insurgency. Nowhere is a backwater Agri/whatever world on the ass end of the combine next to the periphery which is literally next to "Nowhere". This part of the DC isn't war torn or constantly fighting, so the chances of hard fighting units existing here that actually know what they are doing beyond what basic training has given is unlikely in my opinion. Mechwarriors and ASF pilots are likely the only people to worry since they have the engines of modern warfare. That's me though, You guys have the benefit of simply looking up the info in the books and know for certain what thier "skill/tech level" is...I only got what I can see in front of me.

Dispoable weapons? uh...some? Of course I can just drop and leave my weapons if I had too. Only a few weapons in the Heavy Gear verse are considered truly disposable, but for the most part they are pretty much a "make the most of it" society. Considering they live on a desert world and neccesary resources are not plentiful, they have the mentality to waste nothing. Even thier disposable weapons aren't really all the disposable, they are regarded due to the materials being cheap and easy to come by, but they are still saved if they can help it.

As for the gears...yeah. Thought about it. It's a toss up between getting a Grizzly or getting the Commando Variant. I likely will get the Grizzly though. I like more armor and weapons.

Well...into the desert I go. I'm already humming the "Dune" theme song.

End Entry

12:30 PM, March 30th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 20

I decided to spend a moment to let you guys know what's going on. For the last five hours the trip was more or less uneventful, which I liked, until about an hour ago when I saw some sand clouds rising in the distance. This wasn't a sand stomr, more like sand coughed up by moving vehicles.

I decided to avoid contact and continued from a northern parth to north east. That worked as the vehicles continued down the way they were going...until I detected something from that direction. It was a pair of aircraft. One was heading directly south, the other South East.

Looking at my GPS data, I say the cloud of vehicles was moving south west. They were military in nature, but they were too big to be a search party. It looked more like a Convoy, but the vehicles were way larger then any truck. I didn't know what I was looking at until I saw the fuel and ammunition trucks, along with a large, treaded, flat bedded vehicle that had a Battlemech laid down on it. I don't know what model it was, but the size says medium class. If I had to guess, I'd say Hunchback. It has the...big shape on the one shoulder. Yep..it's a Hunchback. AC-20, 20 points of doom. The two aircraft are likely just spotters for trouble as the group moves through the desert.

With that in mind...I continued straight west from there towards the more rocky portions of the desert. I was intent on hiding away until the group passed further away from me. I had no intention of taking on any mechs today. I wasn't in the mood to get my ass blown up.

I'm now currently hiding behind a large rock. I'll wait here an hour or so before moving on. In the mean time...I have to honestly say...I'd rather be home right now or in Florida then riding in a mini-mech in the desert. As cool as this is...I want to be safe. Regardless of my previous actions I just don't feel like being he stig at the moment...maybe I had time to think about all of this and now it's hitting me...but still.

...here it comes. Aircraft...

*silence*

*AFK*

back. Sorry about that. I waited ten minutes and am now on the move again. I'm not using my SMS though. I don't need a dust cloud, so I'm doing some old fashioned running.

It passed about a mile north of me, but it's still heading south east, whichmeans when it comes time to get back to its group it WILL see my SMS path as the group will be further south as well. So I might as well make it away as fast as I can before I get drawn into something.

I'll be back when nightfall comes.

End entry

6:30 AM, March 31st, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 21

I'm in hot water now.

I'm on the verge of a freakout just so you know. I'm calm now because it isn't happening yet but when it happens...yeah...I hope I don't screw this up.

Last time I told you I saw a helicopter flying over and did my sneaking thing.

I identified the helicopter as an H-7 Warrior, not very powerful or well armed/armored, but enough to screw up a careless moron's day.

Making my way north-northwest, I continued running until I felt it was safe enough to use the SMS and make my way fast opposite of military forces. It was by providence I suppose that I saw a small range of rocky mountains about 70 km away from where I started running because it was nearing night and I needed to rest. You'd be surprised how much stress can wear a man out.

I had to mostly walk and run around the range once I was there since the terrain was too uneven for it to be of use. Still, it was ideal since it was tight enough and uneven enough to deny any but to the most rugged of ATVs. I can't expect that from mechs and helicopters though, so I went up higher where even mechs would have trouble making movement without problems of balance. Only the helicopters would provided trouble if they found me. It was also possibly providence that I found a small cave to hide out in for the night. It was too small for my Gear however, so I had to camouflage that. Fortunately I had desert camo, so I set up and night came.

I finished eating and was about to get to sleep when I hear in the distance the sounds of rotors in the air. The helicopter followed me! I went to the entrance to the cave near the Gear and looked out. I saw nothin in the black sky, even the moon was barely able to provide light. I heard it however, and then I remembered...and turned on the nightvision in my helmet. Nightvision visor...awesome. It was plain as day then, and there was the warrior hovering slowly about 600m away. It hovered and moved around for the next ten minutes without a spotlight or anything. That's when I realized that it was sweeping the area with something else. Sensors. It was probably using infrared or Thermal or even Magscan to find me...do helicopters (non-scout varients anyways) even have magscanners? I didn't know but I went under the camo and climbed into my Gear. I didn't activate however since I didn't need to produce heat or anything, and watched as the copter looked around for the next hour. It didn't come near me in all of its searching and in the end left back to the desert. It was obvious to me however, they knew I was here and were coming.

I used the GPS to keep track of the copter as it returned to its point of origin and found that it was the convoy base. Now that it wasn't moving I saw it much more clearly. It only had the two VTOLs and a few support combat vehicles such as APCs and refueling trucks. Ammunition trucks were also present as there was a large carrier like vehicle reloading an APC. So they had a mobile munitions carrier. They also had a few Battlemech mobile repair platoforms for the four mechs. I couldn't tell what they were since they were covered up for protection against sand. I knew one was a Hunchback though. One was taller and two were smaller. Two mediums, and two lights, or one heavy, one medium and two lights. The distance was 134.65 miles. So they were quite the distance really.

Bearing this in mind..I made the decision to stay in the cave instead of leaving. My instincts tell me it would have been the best thing to do, though not neccesarily the safest. I go to bed, pilot suit on and helmet off and tried to sleep, but failed. Having an enemy nearly find you has a way of keeping you awake and paranoid. I ended up taking that sedetive again, and it hit hard. This time though I used a lower dosage, no need to repeat the last episode where I overslept.

I awaken, and it was about 7 hours of sleep. I felt rested enough to get packed and moving. It was a good thing I only took out the tent, sleeping bag and stove because just as I started, I heard rotors again. I get in my gear and still under cover, and stay still, hoping for a repeat last night. 2 minutes after it got there and started scanning...my luck ran out. Next thing I know, the rock formation around me explodes and shreds my tarp. I wasn't hit fortunately but I was now visible.

"Ah-HA! Found you!" was all the pilot of the helicopter said before he unleashed four SRMs and a barage of AC-2 fire on my position (I swear I flashed back to Fallout 3 and a super mutant when I heard him say that). The AC-2 his first and the armor on my legs get chipped all to hell, but still functional. Thank ROB I purchased that armor repair. The SRMs...to my shock were right on target...but did no damage whatsoever...they missed...he had me dead to rights, they were right on target and they MISSED. That's when I get indicators of small damage all over my Gear from small shrapnel impacts and realized..it was a "Near Miss". The pilot was all "What the Hell!?" about that too, but I didn't give him the chance to try again. I started running forward and and readied to unleash my Autocannon on him. He was 100 feet away in mere seconds, point blank really, and I fired, and with the limitations removed, I double tapped him. It was...for a moment as if I missed since my shots went high and missed the body completly, plus I was trying to go for the cockpit so I totally missed. I was angry and readied to dodge and shoot again before he blew up my ass when suddenly his top exploded...and he prompty fell out of the sky. He yelled in panic and landed on his belly, and I then saw what happened. My miss wasn't a miss at all. I hit his rotors, and now he is grounded.

My accidental victory was short lived when suddenly I saw the other Warrior coming in to aid his grounded comrade. He fired his AC-2 at range and missed, and I was already taking cover. Under cover I waited unti he was in range for all of my weapons before coming out and firing. I came out from his right and he was already firing. His AC-2 strikes against my chest, which banged loudly in the confines of my small cockpit, but he totally missed with the SRMs. I replied with an alpha strike of my own. The autocannon chips away at the armor on the nose of the aircraft, then moreso when the rockets strike. A few hit off to the side but most of them hit the front where the autocannon made holes already. Next thing I know...the second Warrior blows up and comes crashing down to the ground. It wasn't very well armored, luckily for me.

The battle over I head back to the first warrior and sure enough, cockpit was empty. Escaped to who knows where, nearby or not. I looked for a bit however, just in case and then noticed the dust clouds about 7 miles away. Using the GPS I spotted the pilot that escaped. He was making his way down the mountain with a damned jump pack and was about 300 yards away, but at that dust cloud 7 miles away was that Lance of mechs. I got a good look at what I was facing, two mediums and two lights. I see the Hunchback, but I then saw that there was also a PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk, and the lights comprised of a PNT-9R Panther and a WSP-1A Wasp along with it.

So I have three jump capable mechs, and a ground pounder. So...I have a skirmisher, a sniper, a frontliner, and a heavy weapons mech. ...ya~ay...

and they'll be here soon.

dammit...

End entry

1:00 PM, March 29th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 22

Welp. I got away from that.

I was sitting there on the mountain, lementing the fact that I hadn't listened to my brain and instead listened to my desire. Choosing to sleep instead of finding another, less compromised location to go to. I was interupted from my self depradation when I realized that I still had more or less the element of surprise on my side. The lance, while headed towards my direction didn't seem to be heading toward my current position. They were heading towards the downed Helicopters instead. I could run...but if I did, they would likely find me quickly as this terrain was too rough even for my SMS to be fully effective. They had a definate advantage in mobility over me without that, especially since three of these were jumpers. So...I would have to do something to really throw them off...and I came up with yet another crazy ass plan. One I think ROB would allow me to succeed at since it would simply be...awesome...and stupid to do. So I started to implement my plan, but I didn't have much time.

As the lance came closer the Stinger and the Phoenix Hawk Accelerated towards the mountain at high speed while the Panther and Hunchback continued at their top speed. They came to the base of the mountain and started to jump in addition to their ascent. The Phoenix Hawk played the walking gun platform while the Stinger acted as the spotter. I found it...somewhat amusing that this Valkyrie/Veritech wannabe was actually colored a deep red with white stripes. Which stuck out like a sore thumb in this desert environment. While they were looking for me I fiddled around with the Warrior helicopters.

After I laid my surprise, I hid away in the cave from before. Most of my active systems were powered down so they couldn't find me, and it worked long enough for the whole lance to come up the mountain. I needed them to get into position though, so I had to take the chance and let myself be bait. As I came running out of my cave, I could see that the Stinger, Pheonix Hawk, Panther and Hunchback were more or less all in the spot I needed them to be. It was a simple matter of Keeping them there. So I came out however, they all started to turn. The Stinger decided to stay back for some reason while the Phoenix Hawk and Panther started firing. The Phoenix Hawk lashed out with bright blue beams from its large lasers and a shot from the PPC barked lightning from the other. All of them missed however, instead melting and exploding the landscape around me as I ran down the mountain at them. I think the Stinger pilot noticed something was off first, since she jump jetted away the a few moments after her larger comrades missed. With my radio on I think she was trying to tell them the same as well. It was too garbled for me to get clearly, but it was a "woman" pilot. Which in DCMS is rare as hell and is actually...understandable...on the point of her not being part of the battle. They probably ordered not not to be.

I shifted and used my SMS a bit here and there to increase my speed and made myself a mobile target as I got closer and closer. They were missing badly as well, but not backing down, that was until the Hunchback, with its AC-20 pointing at me, made them move aside. I veered here and there like a chicken running from a predator as it fired...and missed...barely. I was tossed into the air and managed to land it, and not only land it but I managed to get below them on the mountain, exactly where I needed to be. Now had all three mechs trained on my machine, facing all of thier weapons in certain death.

"Looks like you bit off more then you could chew little man...now surrender...or we'll take you apart piece by piece." spoke the pilot of the Hunchback. I could almost see the haughty smirk on his face.

Time to wipe it off.

One really important thing of note...Mountains covered with loose soil and nearly two tons of high explosive missile warheads...do not mix.

"BOOM!!"

That was their reply from me as I triggered the charges I placed on the two tons of SRMs I placed on a particularly loose plane of the mountain, and as they turned to see what had just transpired, what met thier site was a slow but large wall of dirt falling at them.

I could tell they panicked a bit since they suddenly were accelerating but into each other, I on the other hand was already running towards the tallest rock pillar I could climb up. By the time the avalanche had reached the mechs, the Pheonix Hawk and Panther pilots suddenly remembered they could jump and did so. The Hunchback tried to run out of the way, but as I had mentioned in my last entry...or the one before that...this mountain had rough terrrain, even for a battlemech. So it was of no surprise to me that of all of the mechs, this one got hit. I watched it get slammed in the legs as tons of dirt and rock crashed upon it, to the pilot's credit, he had managed to keep his balance despite the tide but it was a losing battle. He lost balance eventually and fell onto his back and began to be carried down the mountain at a high speed.

I decided to take advantage of this and hitch a ride, jumping onto the chest of the mech as it passed by and began to keep my balance as we rushed down the mountain with the flood of the earth.

Then...I decided to allow my troll to come out.



I rode down the whole mountain with that playing, "Surfing" the wipedout mech. Yeah..I can sooo see this going over well for Takashi and the DCMS.

Eventually we reached near the bottom, and I dismounted with the song still in play. Deciding to be more of a troll, my gear...Danced....like Micheal Jackson to the song, moon walking and spinning and whipping arms and legs...which ended with me humping my Gears groin at the decidedly trashed head of the Hunchback.

Then as the song came to an end...I took off before the others could catch up.

Now I'm in the desert, hidden in a sand dune. I used what little desert survival knowledge I learned from ROB as a Gear pilot of Terra Nova to basically use the desert as camouflage.

Well...that was fun .

How you all doing so far?

End entry

1:30 PM, March 29th, Nowhere, Pesht District, Draconis Combine.

Entry 23

I can see Hanse doing that, along with most of the March and Rasalhague district.

I didn't consider that...that dance I did would in fact showcase a bit on how agile this machine really is. Not to mention due to this, I have to wonder what that did to my gear's developing AI. Naughtiest Mech in the Inner Sphere.......

I asked ROB about the episode, and though he didn't respond at first he eventually said "It's coming". So I then realized that this isn't over yet. I also realized that I might be looking at the first episode to be covering a large period of time rather then just being "Live". He more or less said "Pretty Much" and told me it would be live when it counts.

Anyways, I can see from GPS that the Mobile base is moving to the Lance rather then the otherway. The mechs that weren't wreaked dug out what was left of the Hunchback and are tending to the pilot with what they have. Seeing him laying there in pain has given me a bit of regret, you usually don't see the results of your actions in battle, and it's never good when you do. I'm currently ignoring the feeling and focused on this.

I got points out of it.

50 - beating a battlemech

100 - for doing it with an avalanche

25 - for the song

50 - for coming up with and executing the trap correctly

10 - for the dance

So a total of 235 points gained, bringing the total to 1730 points.

I decided to get the Bazooka, not at this moment just so you know, but considering the mechfest I just had, I think some heavier firepower is needed rather then a longarm.

The other reaon for the purchase is that I had an idea, it's stupid, but if I don't do something then that mobile base is gonna chase me until I run ragged. Plus from what I've heard they're getting reinforcements now that they know I'm here. I don't know how much but I know quite a bit of VTOLs and Armor are heading to me from the south. They intend to encircle and surround me while this lance chases me around. So I'm gonna take them out first, tonight. It's gonna involve alot of running, and shooting, particularly shooting of high powered missiles at munition carriers.

For now though...the tempratures of the desert has climbed a few degrees and I'm breath hot air. So I'm gonna catch a nap. See you all later.

End entry.

THIS IS NOT CANON. THIS IS FOR FUN. I MADE IT IN BEFORE APRIL FOOLS IS OFFICIALLY OVER IN THE UNITED STATES. DO NOT TAKE SERIOUSLY, I SURE AS HELL DIDN'T. ENJOY!

----

Inner Sphere, April 1st, 3019

As the various peoples of the inner sphere rose once more for the day, regardless of what world they hail, there were many expectations. Jobs to gain and lose, deals being the same, family members would be born and die, the usual intricate web of life. Little did they know…today would be anything but usual.

===

Federated Suns, Crucis March, New Avalon, Hanse Davion’s personal chamber

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Hanse looked over to the clock and saw that he was a good hour and a half before his first appointment for the day. It was the group of technicians that were supposedly able to figure out a way to allow mech movement without myomers. A bit of technology gleaned from the various episodes of the Stig in action. It would boost their capabilities quite a bit if they could make machines that no longer relied on the artificial muscles, a lot of different new trees of technology could emerge if successful.

Taking a shower, and then getting dressed, Hanse walked into the dining area where he always had his meals and the servants were ready to take care of his needs. Only to stop when he noticed their stares. Their stares were the faces of people in various levels of surprise. It only got more so when head of intelligence walked in with the morning report and nearly tripped on his own feet when he saw the prince.

“….Okay, I know I’m handsome when I clean up, but does someone want to explain all of the staring?”

With a bit of blinking and a slow movement of a servant with a mirror, he saw where this was going. He took it and looked upon his reflection, and then he blinked, then again, and then a third time. Wheels turning in his head he puts down the mirror and walks back to his bathroom.

With a full squad and a group of people specializing in counter-espionage, they went into his bathroom and searched it top to bottom, finding nothing. One man however came out with the shampoo bottle and handed it over. It had something written on the side, easily missed if one was too tired to notice as he was.

“Enjoy your new colors. It will be a real blast. Sincerely, the Stig”

He couldn’t help but chuckle and reply “I’m going to have to get him back now. Otherwise I won’t be the Fox anymore” And brushes his hand through his clean, and shiny head of rainbow themed hair.

===

Free Worlds League, Marik Commonwealth, Marik, Janos Mariks Dining room

Janos had a sour expression on his face as he stared at his food and asked “What the hell is this?”

The servant looked confused and said “It’s Rainbow Salmon with citrus and a helping of mash potatoes and corn sir. As you requested.” The man desired a simple meal as it had come from time to time. This was one of his favorites but the disgust the Marik had assured the servant that this time it wasn’t.

“Then why does my Salmon taste like rubber, the potatoes like toothpaste and the corn like candy then?”

This threw everyone off as the official food taster came over “That’s impossible. I tasted it myself but mere minutes ago!” and with Janos’s permission attempted to taste it again…only to spit it out as he and Janos made the realization…the salmon was in fact rubber.

Further more, the mash potatoes were in fact a mixture of several tooth pastes and the corn was in fact candy. Before the taster had confirmed that the food was not only not poisoned and safe for consumption but also…real food. How it was switched out for this in mere seconds in front of everyone…defies belief.

Looking the food over the man saw writing burned into the underside of the rubber fish. Janos read it.

“Sorry for the bad taste in your mouth, but I couldn’t resist this day. April Fools. Sincerely, the Stig”

After a few days, when everything had calmed down, Janos would reflect, and see that it was actually pretty well done as a prank. It was ultimately harmless, but it also made him realize that he had some very large holes in his security. After all…is someone affiliated with that man could do this while he was on the other side of the Inner sphere, then what could his enemies at home do?

------

Lyran Commonwealth, Donagel District, Tharkand, Katrina Stiener’s Office

Katrina Steiner was not in a good mood. She wasn’t in a bad mood either, but she was definitely not in a good mood. It all started off well enough. She woke up, got dressed, did her morning affairs of state, ate lunch, and now was doing her evening work. That’s when things took a sudden nose dive.

She listened to some noble prattle on about the state of things in the Rasalhague district due to the actions of that man. She would be paying more attention and making notes in her head, were it not for the fact that her underwear suddenly decided to dissolve into nothing. At the moment she was currently going commando…and her chair had somehow been replaced with a new chair with a vibration function. One that was going at full speed.

While outwardly she was keeping her composure, inwardly her stomach was doing leaps and she felt the heat rising up in her body. Made worse due to the chairs design and that certain parts were being…stimulated. At first she was confused as hell from the sudden loss of under garments and the chair suddenly moving as it did, only to be enlightened soon after by a note found on her chair as she looked around it for an off switch.

“Sorry for coming out of nowhere for this, but you seemed so stressed out that I felt you needed something to…relieve your tension. So I sent you the tea…or was it the chair? Happy April fools. With Love, the Stig.”

To make it worse, it happened just as the meeting was getting underway and it was one she couldn’t reschedule or leave for due to being over HPG and Live…so she had no choice but to soldier on and try to keep herself from giving in, which was very hard. Many times she felt herself moan, once was loud enough to make the man ask her about her health and give some recipe for temperatures. She assured him she was fine, but it looked like the man wasn’t buying it, not that he could say so.

When it was over she left the office and went to her bedchambers to get rid of the incredible tension of the day. She also made a note to ask about the possibilities of assassinating the Stig…for a time when it might be needed. Possibly by Atlas foot. Or Dropship.

===

Draconis Combine, Pesht Military District, Kagoshima Prefecture, Luthien, Palace’s private training yard

Takashi took a breath as he pulled out his sword and readied himself in a stance. He stared at the empty space before him and visualized. In his mind’s eye he visualized a man, a man coming at him with blade. With a sudden speed, Takashi slashed and cut the man asunder. Then he slashed another opponent, then another, and another.

For several minutes he continued his exercise and turned to the practice dummies. These representations of men were brand new, recently made by some company that specialized in ultra realistic training equipment. They were certainly that, they looked like various warriors from Japan. Shinobi, Samurai, Soldiers, etc. He smiled; they would give him a greater work out as he would strike precisely. He took a stance, visualized his strike, and dashed forwards. He roared out a Kia and struck, only to be shocked as the dummy screamed in utter agony and blood spurted out of the cut he had made.

He backed off in terror as the dummy began flailing around and sprayed…what seemed to be liters of blood everywhere from the cut. It flailed and then slumped…then fell to the ground. Blood continued to pour out of the wound, creating a puddle of red. The guards were already by their coordinator equally in shock at the random event. Suddenly the other dummies were by the dead one and one pointed at Takashi “You have killed our Comrade. Prepare to die!” and pulled blades out of nowhere.

Takashi’s eyes widen from incredulity as the demonic dummies and his guards had begun an impromptu battle in the training yard and blood started flying everywhere. It was surreal, and Takashi touched his faces as blood splayed upon him and wondered if this were a dream. The sudden attack and clash of swords from a dummy showed it was all too real. He defended himself and killed three such dummies before they were all put down. His men were injured, but none killed. Tired from the unexpected battle a Dummy laid across the ground from him, note in hand.

Retrieving it and reading it Takashi went from confusion and horror…to utter rage.

“Dear Coordinator. I hope you found my gift to your liking. I find that if a warrior is ready to kill, then he must be ready to be killed himself. It’s no good to prepare for battle if your enemy doesn’t fight back. So I had these dummies specially made for you. They wouldn’t have killed you; they aren’t good enough for that. Plus the weapons are made of dull duraplastics. I hope you have learned where to strengthen yourself. Signed…the Stig.

PS: Happy April fools. I doubt your training was normal this day.”

Takashi’s only reply was a roar and vow of holy vengeance.

===

Capellan Confederation, Sian Commonality, Sian, Liao Palace

Romano hugged her stig pillow as she murmured about “my preciousssss” and various other disturbing things that rattled about in her mind. She was disturbed however when he door abruptly opened, rather loudly, and in entered an annoyed Cadence Liao. “Sister…if you are done playing with dolls, we are expected. Do not make us late.”

Romano glared daggers at her sister as she let go of her precious person/pillow and stood up “and you dare think this an excuse to enter my private chambers.” She replied quietly, with deadly intent.

“It does when it’s father himself that expects us to be there. Now let’s go.” Then turned and walked off. Romano stalked after her and kept trying to light her sister on fire with her eyes until they reached the throne room where the object lay under a cloth. Maximilian Liao wasn’t there at the moment, as he would have joined them later. It was their “duty” to see what this object was about.

“Well…let’s see what it is already!” yelled Romano, wanting to get it over with. The cloth was pulled and the sisters stared…and blinked a few times while their minds caught up with them “….pies?”

On the table were pies…lots and lots of pies. Staked up on little pallets that allowed the table to hold as many as 200 pies. Though both Liaos present weren’t against the dessert food…the question of why there was so many came to the fore “…what the hell?” asked Cadence who then spotted a note among the pies. The guard gave it to them and it was in code, Romano was shocked and sputtered in anger as she recognized it “That’s my personal lendence Code!!!” Lendence code was basically the same as encryption but made by the Liaos only. The sole purpose was to allow super secret communiqués between family members and their assets. Each family member had a unique code as well.
Romano read and quickly deciphered it…only to stare emotionlessly. Slowly she turned to the pies and dropped the note. Then in a flash she hugged the pallets and in a growl said “MINE!”

Cadence’s eyes widened, as did everyone else’s when she reacted this way “What?”

“These are all MINE!”

“…Why?” Cadence drew out the word.

Romano answered in reverence and as a woman in deep love “Because they’re from him. My Precious one.” Cadence swore here eyes were twinkling like stars were upon them.

Cadence then walked over and picked up the note to read and Romano…leaped for it “NO! THAT’S FROM HIM TOO!” and got the note first. “Romano! Who is this from!?”

“I will never Tell!” she kept the note protectively and hissed at her.

Cadence made to grab the note only for Romano to jump back…and accidently hit the table. The pallets were already somewhat off balance for being stacked 10 pies high, and one group fell…right onto Cadence. Covered in various berry pies she wiped her face off of Cherry pie.

“Look at what you've done!!” Romano screamed like she had just lost a child. Cadence simply replied…by calmly picking up a pie and looking at her sister…who had enough sense to start backing off.

===

Max sighed as he started to finish the papers on the desk. The work on the prototype was coming along but not as fast as he wished. But you can’t rush perfection, so he allowed the engineers and technicians to do their work to the best of their abilities. Their first Ultra-Light Mech, code named “Striker” would be finished in a few weeks for its trials. He could hardly wait. He was about finished when a knock came upon his door.

“Enter” he replied calmly. Though his mind was excited, his work wasn’t. Perhaps he could get a walk out of this or something; people always came when something wasn’t as it should be.

A haggard looking servant entered and quickly bowed “Your grace, you presence is much desired in the throne room.” His tone urgent and spelled with it great peril.

Max looked up and noted the way the servant said his words “Desired? And why is this?”

“Your daughters are fighting lord.” Max could only sniff at that, those two were always at odds. Though in the end he would indeed settle the matter, he would draw out a bit more. “And why would I need to stop the fight between these two this time?”

“They are…having a food fight…in your throne room sire.”

That made him take pause “………a what!?”

===

He rushed to the throne room and opens the door; on the other side…max saw only anarchy. The room was covered in various colored and textures of foodstuff. Reds, blues, greens, oranges, purples, every color imaginable. There was also Pies. Lots and lots of pies. Flying across the room. On one side was…who he thought was Cadence, but she was covered from head to toe in creams and berries for him to really tell. The only reason he thought so was due to the style of clothing which was unique to her apart from the palace staff. Romano was less apparent, but her shouts and screams made her stand out. She too was covered from head to toe. The two were drawing battle lines and applying infantry tactics as the fruity projectiles were launched with coordination. He got near his throne and finally came to his senses

He shouts “WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!!?”

Only to unexpectedly be struck by a near dozen pies from both directions at once.

When the throwers of both sides realized who the target was, all fighting stopped immediately. People were in shock and some had dropped to their knees as they realized who it was they just put a ton of pies on.

Max just slowly wipes his face off of crème pie and stares at everyone.

So it came to pass that “The battle of Sian” had passed…with a few casualties, and Maximilian coming out on top as he rallied his forces. This day would be known in future generations as “The battle of Pie Run.”

===

Free Worlds League, Marik Commonwealth, Tangatapu Zenith Point, Wolf’s Dragoons Jumpship

Jamie could only stare, and feel his eyebrow twitch as he tried and tried again to get working on his computer. He had several documents to work on before they jumped again and without warning his computer went haywire. Every time he started typing a music video played. Then it stopped when he did. At first he thought it was an unusual glitch and saved his work, then restarted…only for it to keep happening.

Now, after several hours he was trying to do this report, and damned this video every time he tried. The computer techs were working frantically to find the source of the video. He had learned that it wasn’t just his computer, but everything was affected. The holo-vision screens, the electronic books, even the damned battlemechs. Every time they were turned on that same video and song came on.



“Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around, and desert you!”

He growled as the damned song started over again. It was a catchy tune, a real ear worm…but he had shit to do dammit!

“Never gonna make your cry, never gonna say goodbye, never tell a lie, and hurt you!”

A technician runs into the office “Sir we found the source!”

Jamie sighs in relief “Where is it?” to which the technician simply does the unexpected. He takes his computer and forces it into shutdown. Immediately radio chatter sounds off with exclamation of the song stopping.

Jamie blinks “It was my computer...”

“Yes sir. We found this in the mail pile and it…explained it.” To which a letter was placed on the table.

Jamie reads it and when he’s done he has look that was torn between amusement and anger.

“Dear Jamie Wolfe. I figured you of all people would appreciate some music from ancient Terra. Hope you enjoy my gifts. Happy April Fools. Signed, the Stig.”

He sighs and holds his face with hands.

===

Sol System, Terra, North America, Hilton Head

Julian Tiepolo Looked around, eyes tired and body sagging from stressed as the world was in chaos. Normally reserved and calm, the organization, inner sphere wide, was in total chaos as the whole HPG system had activated, as such was the case with the broadcasts of the Stig and his associates, but this time they couldn’t shut it down, and worse, it wasn’t the episodes but something much worse.

“Feeling under appreciated by those of the female persuasion? No more! X-Stends Self Surgery Product will make you be the Big man in life! No matter how little you seem. Order Now from Terra!”

He growled in frustration. At this rate, Terra would be known as the Porn capital of the Inner sphere, and Comstar’s would be in shreds as people would complain to the heavens about all of the Mail spam and bad product sells being done with their network. All due to one letter. An actual paper letter!

“Dear Precentor, I felt bad. With the capability to share across all known space my deeds and actions, it became apparent that it should be used for more worthwhile things. Like the sharing of culture and knowledge…so I decided to do so. Starting with Terra. I’ll have to use your network for a bit though. Thank you. Oh, and about that plant I sent…it’s not really a peppermint plant. Happy April fools.
Signed, the Stig.”

“…What Peppermint plant?”

===

Clan Homeworlds, Kerensky Cluster, Strana Mechty

Star Captain Brian breathes hard as heat washes into his Timberwolf cockpit. He weaves and dodges around the rocks as his opponent attempts to get a bead on him. This Trial of Grievance was heating up more then he wanted but the bitch in the Summoner wasn’t giving up. His own honor was riding on winning this battle.

“You think your wolf pride will win this battle!! My Falcon pride will not ALLOW IT!!” screamed Star Captain Mesha.

“For the last time, WE DID NOT SPRAY PAINT A WOLF FUCKING A FALCON ON YOUR MECH!!! We have more sense then that! And YOU KNOW IT!!!” he finished with blast from his PPCs. Artificial lightning thunders through the air, one beam missing but the other hitting near the cockpit. Chunks of armor fly off molten and in pieces. It was enough to throw off her landing as she was in midair.

He closes in and prepares to finish her off, only for the Summoner to rise up faster than he anticipated and take aim with all of its weapons. Both warriors had their fingers pulling the trigger when a horn sounded the battle over.
“What!? The battle isn’t over!! I have not ha-“

Only to be interrupted “Star Captain Mesha. The circumstances…had necessitated the need to end this battle. Both warriors come to the Mech garage.”

Though in protest, both warriors do as they were told. It was there that they saw why they were stopped.

“…what the?” Brian said in awe as he looked upon the greatest work of vandalism ever done. Mechs, the garage, everything was covered in…something profane and disgustingly graphic. Some were simple. “INNER SPHERE RULES, CLANNERS DROOLS!!”

Some were accompanied by pictures. “MOMMA BOYS!” was one which had a picture of a clan mechwarrior hugging an iron womb and hearts coming out of his head.

Some were…just…questionable. “IF A WOLF AND A JADE FLACON MATE, WOULD IT MAKE A JADE WOLF!!?” and it shows a rather…nicely drawn wolf in green coloring and shades.

While he was shocked by the scene, Mesha was enraged “WHO DID THIS! THEY MUST PAY FOR THIS INSOLENCE!”

“Calm yourself Captain” came the voice “We don’t know who did it, but we have learned that this hasn’t just happened here, but all over.”

Brian blinked and asked “Our garage wasn’t the only one hit?”

“No…I said all over. As we speak, we’re getting reports from all of over worlds that this has taken place. This is a mass execution that matches any military action, and couldn’t have been anything less.”

Both were in shock at that “…all over...who could have possibly done such a thing.”

“We don’t know…all we know...is that he’s called…The Stig.”

----Snippet of and idea I just thought up. Non-Canon. Enjoy----

3020, July 17th, Lyran Commonwealth, Donagel District, Tharkand, Melissa Steiner's Bedroom

A small sigh escapes her lips as Melissa tries to figure out the problems before her. Math was a subject she knew would be necessary for her life, but that didn't mean she enjoyed it. Unlike most her age, she was already learning Algebra and starting to learn the finer points of advanced mathematics. It was often the source of her headaches as the numbers and equations thum in her brain. She was about to take on a particularly difficult problem when a knock came from her window.

Looking over, she saw that the thumping was made by the beak of a large bird. A Raven at that. It had something in its beak that looked like a box. It dropped it and then pecked at the window more intensely. Blinking, she wandered over to the window and opened it. The action causes the bird however to take flight and leave. She felt a bit sad about that, until it came back and hovered just in front of her window. She looked at the flapping animal with interest and childish wonder. It was the first time such an animal was so close to her. Landing on the window sill, it caws lightly before pointing at the box with its beak. Looking at it, Melissa saw that there was a small letter on it, and it was addressed to "Melissa Steiner". She blinked and her breathing became excited. She looked towards the bird flew and wondered.

The window closed and on her bed with the box, the bird was sitting on the wooden frame near her. she found that it was obedient and followed her commands to a point. It was a trained bird, and especially intelligent as it seemed to understand what she was saying. The box remained unopened, and with her attention on it, she read the note. It was in fine calligraphy that was in a simple script, making it easy to read.

"Dear Princess Steiner, This box before you is a gift. Contained within is the power to make dreams come true. While as a princess there isn't much you cannot have, there are things in this wide universe beyond even the reach of those at the highest height. People have limits on what they can and cannot do, of what they can and cannot see. The gift within, it is able to remove such limits, but only as far as you are willing to allow it. Whether you tell your guardians of this or dive headfirst into an adventure is up to you. The only true limit is the one people place upon themselves, and I would ask 'what is your limit?'. With best wishes, Rob."

She blinked and read the note again, letting the words roll around in her young mind. A gift that will remove all limits and make dreams come true? Does it mean that it will remove...inhibitions? Seems strange, some stranger named Rob giving someone a gift and doesn't tell what the gift is exactly? Sounds suspicious, very much so. She should tell her guardians and her mother about it. "but..." she says out loud, she thought a bit more before looking at the bird. "...You think I should open it?"

The bird opened its wings slightly and chirped a bit before pecking the box. It looked her in the eyes and strangely...she was enticed. "Alright. Lets look then." With a smile she unlocks the box and slowly opens it up. Looking through a small crack, she saw only black from within. Opening it more she still sees only black. With a small swallow she opens it all of the way...and light erupted from the box. The room was bathed in bright blue, and was visible from even outside, as if a PPC were fired indoors. The light disappeared as quickly as it came.

---

The door for the bedroom was bashed open almost immediately as Soldiers rushed into the room. They looked and saw that the princess was at her desk writing, but now looking at them from the sudden entry. Sharp eyes looking for anything out of place, they quickly found there wasn't. Still, they felt it prudent to remove the princess from the chamber until it was certain there was no such danger. Being carried from her room fast, none of the guards noticed a small necklace across Melissa's neck. On it, a golden scarab. On the back was a name

"Melissa Arthur Steiner Heterodyne"

---

Outside the Raven looked on as the soldiers searched the room and outside. Opening it's wings, it takes flight away from the palace from the young master. As it flew it said one word. "REJOICE!!!"

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Yeah...I could see that ending SO well