A Davion is YOU!

6 , 2 , 4 , 1

3 , 5 , 5 , 1

Godogma wrote:He's a happy child loved by both parents and educated to the best of their ability in the traditions of the House Davion... He's studious and gregarious and enjoys the company of his parents and cousin as well as the family retainers.

Zeitgeist wrote:Psycko, you are awesome! XD Thank you for starting this RP so much/

Godogma wrote:Yeah, I'm going to have to have some examples of what you want. You asked for personality from a 10 year old... I described a 10 year old with very general stuff... *shrug*

Psyckosama wrote:FUCKING HELL. Damned thing ate my post... gotta rewrite. Hold on...

6 , 6 , 5 , 2

Psyckosama wrote:You have the distinct honor of being able to call yourself the single greatest political disaster of 3008.

You are the illegitimate child of Prince Hanse Davion's by the teenage daughter and heir to the Federation of Skye, Margaret Aten. During a political mixer held to help clear up some trade issues between the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns both your parents got a bit tipsy and the beautiful, teenaged Margaret in her drunken state decided to fall into bed with the dashing and equally drunk Hanse Davion. They agreed to never speak of it again. You clearly disagreed as you came into the world 9 months later screaming for all to hear.

Your birth created a great deal of chaos. While there was some pressure for your parents to marry, the political realities made it difficult to say the least and it strained relations between the two states, though your parents do seem close and both love you dearly. One of the largest problems facing them is Aldo Lestrade who has spent the last ten years screaming about how Skye has been "Sold" to the Federated Suns and the Archon herself to privately has some real concerns about the same question and the question of wither Skye would be better off with the Suns has come up for serious debate in some quarters.

Your parents share custody of you, often using it as an excuse to meet. You have become one of the best traveled children in the inner sphere, spending a great deal of time with both your families as well as the odd vist to "Aunt Katrina". While your father has recognized you as his daughter, neither your Grandfather or Father have yet to make you their heir due to the complicated political realities they both face...

It's currently 3018 and you're on Skye with your mother.

drakensis wrote:Despite the best efforts of her parents Ilysa Aten-Davion has not been entirely isolated from the political realities of her heritage.

It's quite hard to avoid hearing Aldo Lestrade at times and it doesn't take a political genius to realise that Michael Hasek-Davion (who she met on New Avalon in 3013 during his confirmation as Duke of New Syrtis and again the following year for daddy's coronation) considers her as politically convenient as a gun pointed at his own temple.

Unsurprisingly, Ilysa has grown up surrounded by extensive layers of security.

Her parents would be only too delighted for her not to have to deal with that, both having had rather more freedom during their childhoods, but that simply isn't a luxury that they can afford her. While most of Ilysa's education has been fairly standard for now, as a matter of necessity she has been taught other languages since almost her first words. She's as fluent as can be expected at her age in English, Scots Gaelic, Italian, German and Anglo-French, having been encouraged to exchange correspondence in all of these languages with her cousin Morgan Hasek-Davion or her honorary cousin Melissa Steiner.

Ilysa's somewhat more light of skin than her mother but otherwise resembles her quite closely, something that has pros and cons. Naturally she does not have any military training although she occasionally practises archery with young Melissa Steiner when visiting Tharkad.

Psyckosama wrote: You were born in 3008, the son of First Prince Ian Davion of the Federated Suns and Captain Natasha Kerensky of the Wolf Dragoons.

It seems that during the 'goon time under the employ of the FedSuns, Natasha and Ian hit up a pretty passionate physical relationship. You are the one in ten-thousand result of a failure of her contraceptive implant.

Your mother was a bit shocked, but your father was well pleased, and despite the reservations of the court, ask for her hand in marriage. She said thanks, but no thanks.

After some debate it was decided that you would be shared in custody. You would spend half your time on New Avalon, and half with the Dragoons, escorted by a full company of Davion Heavy Guard.

Your early childhood was idyllic. You traveled more than most ten times your age, seeing worlds strange and exciting. When you were not training with your sibkin and playing with Jamies children, you were learning the arts of state craft and finding all kinds of mischief with your elder cousin Morgan. It was wonderful, until it all came violently crashing to an end at the hand of the Draconis Combine.

In one strike of his PPC, Yorinaga Kurita killed your father and ended your blissful childhood existence. There wasn't even a recognizable body...

The year is currently 3014. You are on New Avalon.

Psyckosama wrote: In one strike of his PPC, Yorinaga Kurita killed your father and ended your blissful childhood existence. There wasn't even a recognizable body...

The year is currently 3014. You are on New Avalon.

Psyckosama wrote:

drakensis wrote:Despite the best efforts of her parents Ilysa Aten-Davion has not been entirely isolated from the political realities of her heritage.

Made especially striking after a kidnapping attempt when you were four. It failed miserably of course, but the fact they were able to get onto the grounds at all was the cause for a great deal of chaos.

Psyckosama wrote:

It's quite hard to avoid hearing Aldo Lestrade at times and it doesn't take a political genius to realise that Michael Hasek-Davion (who she met on New Avalon in 3013 during his confirmation as Duke of New Syrtis and again the following year for daddy's coronation) considers her as politically convenient as a gun pointed at his own temple.

Even Auntie Katrina is sometimes uncomfortable around you at times. It's nothing personal, and she's very kind, but the fact remains that your very existence is a threat to the unity of her state.

Psyckosama wrote:

Unsurprisingly, Ilysa has grown up surrounded by extensive layers of security.

Davion Guard on Skye and Skye Rangers on New Avalon....

Psyckosama wrote:

Her parents would be only too delighted for her not to have to deal with that, both having had rather more freedom during their childhoods, but that simply isn't a luxury that they can afford her. While most of Ilysa's education has been fairly standard for now, as a matter of necessity she has been taught other languages since almost her first words. She's as fluent as can be expected at her age in English, Scots Gaelic, Italian, German and Anglo-French, having been encouraged to exchange correspondence in all of these languages with her cousin Morgan Hasek-Davion or her honorary cousin Melissa Steiner.

And they've been talking about adding Japanese and Chinese for diplomatic reasons as well...

Psyckosama wrote:

Ilysa's somewhat more light of skin than her mother but otherwise resembles her quite closely, something that has pros and cons. Naturally she does not have any military training although she occasionally practises archery with young Melissa Steiner when visiting Tharkad.

Though there is talk of some personal defense classes and shooting lessons... just in case.

Psyckosama wrote:So anything you want to bring up with mummy on Skye before you start the big trip back to New Avalon next month?

Zeitgeist wrote:Nicholas Kerensky-Davion, despite being the bastard child of a mercenary, seemed to be the heir apparent to the throne of of Federated Suns by sheer virtue of being the currents First Prince's only child, which must have caused a quite a bit of a uproar in particular circles. After all, who knew what kind of ruler the son of The Hound and The Black Widow would turn out to be? Some sort of violent psychopath who hungers only for a war? A man who's more then deadly in a mech but a disaster at the courts?

Perhaps it was these very questions that gave Nich some sort of drive to surpass his peers. To prove that if his conception was a mistake, it was a serendipitous one.

Growing up with half his time in the court of a father who prefered the sword over the pen in his rulership of the most militarily powerful state in the Inner sphere, and the other half in the camps of the most badass mercenaries that humanity had ever known, was it any wonder that the boys first word happened to be 'Mech'? Idolising both of his parents, some of the best soldiers in the Inner Sphere, was it any wonder that his oldest dream was to become a great Mechwarrior like his mom and dad?

The half of his life that he spent with the Wolf Dragoons seemed to paradisical to him. No matter what planet the mercs found themselves on, it always felt like home when he was there, with his mother, the other mercs, and his Sibko. Despite the rather grueling, spartan nature of the dragoons training the prince born with a silver spoon in his mouth took to it like a fish to water. The training that he endured testing his body to it's limits then improving them, learning about various aspects of combat, the sense of comradrie he had with his Sibkin. They we're almost like the brothers and sisters he never had.

Few children posssesed such a honest expression of glee after running laps at the head of the pack being followed by a battlemech, completely exhuasted. Of course, Nicholas wasn't always the perfect little grunt. Possessing a curiosity about his surroundings and a vigor that was rather strong even for children of his age, and he channeled in rather odd ways. Much to the chagrin of his mother, Jaime, and the bodygaurds assigned to him, whenever Nicholas wasn't participating in training, or trying to learn as much as he could about how the Dragoon's fought he was off trying to explore whatever world the mercenaries had landed on, often roping in Mackenzie Wolf or one of his siblings to go along with his adventures.

While he wasn't causing a headache for the Davion Heavy Guard and preparing to be Death itself in a Battlemech when he was older, he spent his time on New Avalon, where the House of Davion had decided the fate of countless people for centuries. When he became old enough to start his education, reading, writing, math, science, and other subjects, came to Nicholas naturally almost as if alien space bats had dumped the skills and knowledge of a full grown adult into his head.

Of course, no one is perfect. Nicholas's curisoities seemed to not just extend to new worlds, but to any piece of technology he could get his hands. He was always trying to take things apart and put them back together to seee how they worked, whether it was some priceless piece of technology or a remote.

Another thing was, what he gained in vigor and motivation, he lacked in things like subtlety and discretion, a notion that his uncle Hanse quickly tried to abuse him of before he started a diplomatic incident.

While at first Nicholas found life at the court somewhat boring compared to life with the Wolf Dragoons, and none of the kids at court seemed quite as close to him as his Sibkin was, that was soon rectified when he met fellow troublemaker Morgan Hasek-Davion. Despite being 3 years younger then him, Morgan found him to be fun companion to have when he stayed he traveled from New Syrtis to New Avalon, and Nicholas himself thought likewise of his cousin. It was somewhat lonely during the time Morgan was at New Syrtis with his father, and at times Nich wished to visit him, but his father always declined. Perhaps it had something to do with the demeanor of his father Micheal, somewhat offsetting to the young boy when the man was around.

When Nicholas heard the worst news of his life, that his father, the man who always seemed so self-assured about his victories that you had to believe he would win and so invincible that Nicholas couldn't think that someone could end him on the battlefield had perished he wasn't quite sure how to process it. Cycling between a sad satte of ennui and manic bursts of rage at first, eventually he settled down somewhat, but he didn't the same.

The young boy seemed less perpetually enthusiatic, more restrained, as if a great weight had been pushed on him. He threw himself into his school work or exercising to keep up with his Sibko's training while he was away from the 'goons, and tried to say as little as possible to the various media outlets that attempted to talk to him about how he felt about his fathers death

Before taking a look at the various mail he had gotten from people around the Inner Sphere expressing there sympathies for his loss, Nicholas resolved to write to messages.

The first he sent to his mother, telling her he loved her and asking her to stay safe because he didn't want to lose her two.

The second, he attempted to send to Yorinaga Kurita, or anyone in the combine that could forward to him. In it, he made his intentions clear. "One day, i'll become the most skilled mechwarrior there ever was. Then, when we meet I'll be able to kill you."

drakensis wrote:I'd imagine so. A clear majority of the collective nobility of the Inner Sphere would profit by controlling her so identifying those behind the attempt would be rather difficult.

Yes and I don't plan to conveniently die. (mind you, my death would probably give Aldo Lestrade a clear shot at offcially ruling Skye so I doubt she wants that).

And how do the Skye Rangers feel about me. (Given how deeply they were in certain people's pockets, I'm not sanguine about my safety around them).

Ugh.

"Mummy, can I ask Daddy if I can go to see his university when I'm on New Avalon. It's supposed to have a huge library now it's finished!"

Nicholas Davion. Just Davion.

Recognized and legitimized heir the moment you came screaming into the world.

One of the Black Widows once said you were an accident. He apologized once he was taken out of traction, though he never got full movement back in that shoulder...

Mommy calls you her little Freebirth and claims you were a blessing she didn't even know she wanted until you were there in her arms.

1 in 10,000... even by being born you showed everyone you could beat the odds.

Your mother thought your first words were the cutest thing and there are little videos of you going "Battamek! Battamek!"

The half of his life that he spent with the Wolf Dragoons seemed to paradisical to him. No matter what planet the mercs found themselves on, it always felt like home when he was there, with his mother, the other mercs, and his Sibko. Despite the rather grueling, spartan nature of the dragoons training the prince born with a silver spoon in his mouth took to it like a fish to water. The training that he endured testing his body to it's limits then improving them, learning about various aspects of combat, the sense of comradrie he had with his Sibkin. They we're almost like the brothers and sisters he never had.

Especially Jamies children who were your constant playmates, though all of the Dragoon children are extremely close.

You are your mother's child that's for sure, and they comment often about a strong genetic legacy. What that means they don't explain... but your mother says she'll tell you when you're older.

While he wasn't causing a headache for the Davion Heavy Guard and preparing to be Death itself in a Battlemech when he was older, he spent his time on New Avalon, where the House of Davion had decided the fate of countless people for centuries. When he became old enough to start his education, reading, writing, math, science, and other subjects, came to Nicholas naturally almost as if alien space bats had dumped the skills and knowledge of a full grown adult into his head.

There's talk about you being a genius actually.

And they got you a teacher to help you with that too... and keep you from doing something dangerous.

You're six. You'll learn.

You met Uncle Micheal only a couple times, but he seems to be a very unlikable man, whom seems to view you as a massive political inconvenience.

When Nicholas heard the worst news of his life, that his father, the man who always seemed so self-assured about his victories that you had to believe he would win and so invincible that Nicholas couldn't think that someone could end him on the battlefield had perished he wasn't quite sure how to process it. Cycling between a sad satte of ennui and manic bursts of rage at first, eventually he settled down somewhat, but he didn't the same.

Your uncle and grandmother did thier best to comfort you even through their own pain. Your mother wanted to be there but couldn't.

You have yet to return to the Dragoons and it looks like that due to worry for your condition your uncle may refuse to allow it.

There was talk that he should take over as First Prince, but he refused, accepting only the title of Prince Regent until you come of age.

He refuses to disgrace his brother's legacy by stealing his son's birthright.

He loves you like you were his own son.

Before taking a look at the various mail he had gotten from people around the Inner Sphere expressing there sympathies for his loss, Nicholas resolved to write to messages.

The first he sent to his mother, telling her he loved her and asking her to stay safe because he didn't want to lose her too.

He responded with a short message.

"Then on that day, I shall face my death with great honor, young prince."

Psyckosama wrote:

drakensis wrote:I'd imagine so. A clear majority of the collective nobility of the Inner Sphere would profit by controlling her so identifying those behind the attempt would be rather difficult.

Yep. Though you have a feeling your parents know who was behind it.

Psyckosama wrote:

Yes and I don't plan to conveniently die. (mind you, my death would probably give Aldo Lestrade a clear shot at offcially ruling Skye so I doubt she wants that).

Katrina is very kind to you and somewhat protective. She obviously doesn't blame you for the accident of your birth. Though she seems to be perpetually annoyed at your parents for the inconvenience they've caused her. Your mother even sometimes has the good sense to look a bit apologetic about it, not that she'd change a damned thing.

Psyckosama wrote:

And how do the Skye Rangers feel about me. (Given how deeply they were in certain people's pockets, I'm not sanguine about my safety around them).

Actually they're pretty loyal. You're damned near the company mascot.

Oh sure, some of them have political leanings but most seem to place the bulk of their loyalty in you.

Psyckosama wrote:

Ugh.

Your father patted you on the head and apologized. Sorry pumpkin, but you have to learn how to speak Snake and Crazy.

Psyckosama wrote:

"Mummy, can I ask Daddy if I can go to see his university when I'm on New Avalon. It's supposed to have a huge library now it's finished!"

Of course, darling!

drakensis wrote:
Adults! Always keeping secrets from me. It's not like I'd go all creepy child-assassin! (Hire one, possibly, once I had enough pocket money).

I will try very hard to be a good friend to Melissa, although I know that that's not much reassurance.

Well that's good news. I shall play up to that.

Well hopefully I can at least learn from more traditional (pre-Liao and Kurita) sources so I don't have to stomach their propaganda.

Excellent. I shall go back to drawing a tank. And by drawing I mean the best approximation I can manage of a technical schematic - if possible I'll have taken a tape measure to a tank (I must have had the chance to do this) - with a pencil and a ruler.

Psyckosama wrote:

I will try very hard to be a good friend to Melissa, although I know that that's not much reassurance.

It does help though. You and Melissa play games like warrior princess where you go around hunting monsters in the woods as a team. The Brave Archon and Courageous First Princess hunting DRAGONS!

There are people who find the idea very appealing on both sides of Terra...

Psyckosama wrote:

Well that's good news. I shall play up to that.

Those who would normally be marginally aligned with Free Skye see you as a good monkey's paw to hang over Katrina's head to get their demands past. After all, you make the argument "Well if you won't listen maybe Hanse Davion will..." a very valid and potentially dangerous negotiation position.

Psyckosama wrote:

Well hopefully I can at least learn from more traditional (pre-Liao and Kurita) sources so I don't have to stomach their propaganda.

Of course. They were thinking MI6 actually.

Psyckosama wrote:

Excellent. I shall go back to drawing a tank. And by drawing I mean the best approximation I can manage of a technical schematic - if possible I'll have taken a tape measure to a tank (I must have had the chance to do this) - with a pencil and a ruler.

This is seen as insanely cute... and there are benefits to being the daughter of the First Prince.

Dr. Banzai actually sits down with you and gives you constructive criticism and you just chat with the super-genius of NAIS...

So, young lady, what are you trying to make?

Code:

Aten

Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: Tracked
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-D-D
Production Year: 3024
Cost: 1,018,250 C-Bills
Battle Value: 678

Power Plant:  150 I.C.E.
Cruise Speed: 32.4 km/h
Flanking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Armor:  Standard Armor
Armament:
    1  Autocannon/10
    2  SRM-6s
    2  Machine Guns
Manufacturer:
    Primary Factory:
Communications System:
Targeting and Tracking System:

================================================================================
Equipment          Type                        Rating                  Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      25 points                5.00
Engine:            I.C.E. Engine                150                      11.00
    Cruise MP:  3
    Flank MP:  5
Heat Sinks:        Single Heat Sink            0                        0.00
Control Equipment:                                                        2.50
Lift Equipment:                                                            0.00
Turret:                                                                    1.50
Armor:              Standard Armor              AV - 120                  7.50

                                                      Armor     
                                                      Factor   
                                              Front    28       
                                          Left/Right  24/24       
                                              Turret    24       
                                                Rear    20       

================================================================================
Equipment                                Location    Heat    Spaces    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 SRM-6s                                    FR        8        2        6.00
Autocannon/10                                T        3        1        12.00
2 Machine Guns                              T        0        2        1.00
@MG (1/2) (100)                              BD        -        0        0.50
@SRM-6 (15)                                  BD        -        0        1.00
@AC/10 (20)                                  BD        -        0        2.00

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)  Wt.  Ov  Armor:      4    Points: 7
3          0      0      0      0      2    3  Structure:  2
Special Abilities: EE

drakensis wrote:
I imagine that they do.

Privately I'd be so much more happy if they weren't the ones championing the relatively oppressive social structure on many Skye worlds.

I suppose I shall have to soldier on.

Looks like this:

And as best I can I'll have worked out things like estimated cost, rough size and shape of the major components and how to fit them together. (Not that, given I'm ten and have no engineering background, that it would be more than a concept unless someone with experience does the hard work).

Psyckosama wrote:

drakensis wrote:
I imagine that they do.

Oh yes indeed. In fact some are even trying to help promote these games and that attitude

Psyckosama wrote:

Privately I'd be so much more happy if they weren't the ones championing the relatively oppressive social structure on many Skye worlds.

Your father agrees.

Psyckosama wrote:

I suppose I shall have to soldier on.

Duties duties duties...

Psyckosama wrote:

Looks like this:

Age of War Retro!

Psyckosama wrote:

And as best I can I'll have worked out things like estimated cost, rough size and shape of the major components and how to fit them together. (Not that, given I'm ten and have no engineering background, that it would be more than a concept unless someone with experience does the hard work).

They actually assign it to a team of doctoral students to develop it into a workable design with some professional over-site.

Only real flaws are its a bit slow, has limited range, and the armor is nothing exceptional. There's been some talk in passing about how it would be a relatively decent medium tank for militia units. There's a chance it might actually get built.

Like I said, benefits to being the daughter of the first prince.

drakensis wrote:
I can believe it.

Based on her write up so does my mother.

Yes. Ad they're only going to get heavier.

I will explain that it's not expected to be the super-tank to defeat all comers (still working on that one ) but something that can be built in numbers and play anvil for a hammer made up of Vedettes and other light tanks. Plus through the mysteries of battletech physics twice as many fit into a dropship as compared to a Bulldog or Manticore.

Psyckosama wrote:

drakensis wrote:
I can believe it.

The Sandovals actually sent you two chibi suits of armor and a mock up dragon suit for one of your hapless bodyguards to wear while you "slay" him.

It's large and red, and somewhat sinuous...

What?

Psyckosama wrote:

I will explain that it's not expected to be the super-tank to defeat all comers (still working on that one ) but something that can be built in numbers and play anvil for a hammer made up of Vedettes and other light tanks. Plus through the mysteries of battletech physics twice as many fit into a dropship as compared to a Bulldog or Manticore.

Surprisingly astute planning for a 10 year old.

You are a chip off the old block!

Daddy celebrates by taking you to the beach (he loves spending time with his little girl) and promising you the first unit off the line as your personal trophy.

Psyckosama wrote:He also is going to license it to the companies owned by your mother's family for free as he believes they have every right to it. Some of his execs are annoyed but rightly keep their mouths shut.

Psyckosama wrote:You receive a message from Missy stating that for the sake of her pride, she refuses to be outdone! She'll build her own tank!

Zeitgeist wrote:OOC: Sorry this psot is shorter then the last one I'm having a bit of a case of writers block, probably because i'm trying to ride this at one in the morning.

With any luck, he'll live up to his legacy. He knows his father would have wanted him to be a great ruler, and to take care of the people of Federated Suns. That the country was something he loved enough to dedicate his life too, and even die for. One day, Nicholas promised, he was going too lead the Federated Suns to even greater prosperity, and make his ancestors proud.

Nicholas Davion learned two things that day. One, that he shouldn't be ashamed that his birth wasn't planned to happen. The other thing he learned was that his mother was a very scary woman.

Now if only his mom will let him in one, the boy thought, imagining himself scything through mooks in a Atlas just like dad did.

Of course. Mackenzie's a bro, and Lynn and Bridget are pretty cool.

"You said that about the Freebirth thing too." He saids with a sigh, looking a little dissapointed. "Can't know your secrets, can't fight like you do till i'm older....being a grown up must be awesome." Despite a bit of a complaining, he had to admit that he was pretty happy they though he was like his mom.

Nicholas did his level best to make sure that it didn't go to his head, but that didn't stop him from doing everything to confirm the talk. "Hey, if I'm a genius, I have to do even better, right? Because learning stuff is supposed to be easier for me, I always have to make sure I'm studying as hard as the other kids are. I don't want people to think i'm just coasting along and doing this well because i'm smart." He said as he cracked open another book about the fall of the star league> It seemed like he pay specific attention to this era.

OOC: I want to ask if he goes by the name of Banzai, but somehow I doubt that they would have him teach nicholas when there were so many more productive things too do. Still this gives me a someone to give ideas too. In fact I think i'll give one now. Are you familar with this: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Gauss_Rifle Are you familiar with this sort of weapon? By the way, do they have CASE systems? I didn't find a set date for them on sarna.net.

When Nicholas learned that it was not only okay to break stuff then rebuilt it, but that he was going to get a teacher just so he could do it better, he was wondering if his family was giving him his birthday presents early.

He had to admit it was favorite class, and the fact that it was both a hands on activity and somethign he enjoyed helped him progress a lot. It also made him get a bit more creative, wondering what he could build without using soemthing else as a template. One day while he was studying magnets with his teacher, the young prince brought up something that had been on his mind. "Hey teach, you can move objects, especially metals, a great speeds using magnets, right? With enough powerful electromagnets you should be able to send a shell at a target at much faster then using a autocannon, or other normal ballistic weapons, could using combustible propellants. It would probably be best using a ferrous nickel-iron alloy slug, and it would likely take a lot of space, not to mention it would take a good amount of energy from capcitor to power it. Might want to put it in a specialized container to redirect possible explosive forces from a direct hit to hi it...but the power of a gun like that would be incredible. A long range ballistic weapon, much lonfer then any autocannon, that generates a miniscule amount of heat due to the nature of the weapon, and well....think of the amount of sheer damage a gun like that could do to a battlemecha just from the sheer kinetic energy alone from the veleocity of such a large round..." He said, imaginging a battlemech with a gauss rifle sniping enemy mech's.

Let's. hope. The last thing the court needs is for him to start taking lessons in eqitquite from the black widow company...

Thats really too bad. I hope Morgan doesn't mind if I tend to view Uncle Micheal in the same way, as a massive political inconvience....not that i'd ever tell him that.

It helped quite a bit to be reminded that he still had lots of loved ones who were grieving also, and he did his best to reach out to them too. He had learned that life was short, and he had to make the most of it.

Learning that he might not be allowed to go back to the Wolf's Dragoons, and that people wanted Hanse to step up as First Prince....and that the man wouldn't ever think of taking his future title away from him was a wake up call. He couldn't keep on pushing people away and trying to avoid talking about the death of his father. The man wouldn't have wanted that, and as the future leader of the Federated Suns he owed it to his subjects, and his father along with all his ancestoers who sacrificed there live for the country to show them that he deserved the title. Nicholas began to come back to his old self, putting up a stiff upper lip and returning to his usual cheerful, overactive self. When it began to near the time thast he was usually sent to the Wolf Dragoons, Nicholas told his uncle said that he was sure Hanse would make a great first prince, but he was extremely thankful that he would still be able to take the throne like his father wanted him too.

He also said that when the time came, he wanted to go see his mother, and his sibk-err, friends along with the rest of Wolf's Dragoons, and promised to do anything to show him he was in his right mind.

He knew that his mother was right...she often was, and her words helped Nicholas find the strength to get back to his natural demeanor. His father had died for something great, the nation of the Federated Suns, trying to cover the retreat of his men, and he would have wanted his death to inspire others, not throw them into the pits of despair.

In his letter back to his mother, he told her he needed to hear that, and said she shouldn't be sorry that she wasn't hear with him. She had duties to the 'goons, and it was enough to knoing he she loved him. Besides, he would see her again soon enough when he back to the 'goons...

He also decided to tell her about the letter he had sent to Yurinaga and the reply he recieved, knwoing he should probably tell her what he did instead of hiding it even if it got him in trouble.

When Nichiolas had sent the message he hadn't expected a reply, at the most some jeer about him not being up to snuff or picking on his age, much less something like that. While the adult stuck in the back of his mind knew it wasn't true, the boy had childishly kept imagining Yurinaga has some great and terrible villain, not simply another soldier on the other side of a war. Yet here he was taking him seriously, even going so far as implying there was honor in facing him to the death. Part of him wished he could ignore it, keep on building up Yurinaga has some sort of mosnter in hsi imagination to be vanquished for killing his father, but he couldn't even if he hated the man. Nicholas wasn't quite that petty.

Giving a sigh, Nicholas decided that to write a second, final letter to Yurinaga. In it, he promised to follow his father's example by fighting his battles honorably, so when the Suns and the combine came to blows while he was on the throne they wouldn't have to face a dishounourable opponent. He also made sure to let him know he had heard of Yurinaga's skill, so Nicholas knows he was too good a mechwarrior to die before he himself had a chance to kill him in a duel. With that, Nicholas tried to bury affair till he could make good on his promise, making sure that in the meantime he would become skilled enough to do so.