BoTH Chpt 28

==Blood on the Horizon - Chapter 28 -==
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===Woman behind the Voice===
Date: January 15, 3002
Location: En route to New Syrtis. ETA 40 days
"So, it looks like we'll be in transit for thirty-six days or so," I looked around. "Are there any places that we can use for training in the icy conditions on New Syrtis?"
 
"You'll have to convince a noble or someone with some pull to allow us to do anything," Sheppard shrugged. "Otherwise, we can use the sims and that'll be about it."
 
"It might be more trouble than it's worth," Peterson commented from where he was snuggled up in a Zero-G swing. "One of the benefits to being a new merc unit is that no one knows what to expect from us yet. And the last thing we want to do is give a potential enemy a look into how we fight."
 
"He's got a point," Sheppard nodded. "Even though we've only got some mechanized infantry and a lance of 'Mechs, it's still the kind of thing that people will want to look into."
 
"Especially pirates," Sergeant Packer finally spoke up. "Despite what most propaganda says, pirates are effective precisely because they have excellent intel gathering. They position people in just the right places to get access to the nature of the defenses at hand. Then they strike where they know the defenses won't be and take what they want, killing everyone who stands in their way."
 
"Well, the plan is to focus on anti piracy operations for our first few contracts," I responded. "My hope is to negotiate good salvage rights and see if we can get some experience under our belts before moving onto other contracts."
 
"Taurians are always looking for decent units to deal with pirates," Sheppard said after a moment of thought. "But they might be a bit suspicious of us at first."
 
"Yeah," Packer chuckled. "They don't look too kindly on those of us from the Fedsuns. But they know not to alienate too many merc units, so we shouldn't run into too many issues outside of a few bars."
 
"Well, considering I was hoping to recruit some more people while we were on our next contract, let's hope that they aren't too spiteful."
 
<{"Warning, docking is in progress, please remain in your designated area."}>
 
"Whoever recorded Bitchin' Betty's voice lines is making a lot of money." I remarked.
 
"You have no idea," Peterson chuckled. "I've heard stories from other units that she even recorded lines in Mandarin, Japanese, and German. She really wanted to be everywhere."
"I wonder if her family still charges license fees for it," Sheppard stroked the bits of stubble that were beginning to grow on his chin.
"I doubt we'll ever find out," I shrugged. "It's not like she's still alive and hanging out somewhere."
 
"You never know," Packer disagreed. "The universe is an unusual and strange place. The oddest things show up when you least expect it sometimes."
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===Hiring an Armor Crew===
Date: February 28, 3002
Location: New Syrtis, Capellan March Capital, Federated Suns
 
"Let me know the bill once you're all done," I looked at Sheppard and the small group that would be heading to the hospitals on New Syrtis. "Y'all should just focus on getting healed up."
 
"You got it, boss," a cheerful man in a wheelchair replied. "I can't wait to get up on my feet again!"
 
"Just take it slow," I smiled. "We're not gonna throw you to the wolves just yet."
 
"Why not?" the man laughed. "I'd make fantastic bait. Anyone here interested in a wolfskin coat?"
 
"Hush you," his wife smacked him in the back of the head. "Sorry about him, his sense of humor is awful, but it grows on you after a bit."
 
"Better humor than falling off the deep end," Sheppard grinned. "Hey stumpy, I'll take you up on that offer, I've always wanted to see what wolf tastes like!"
 
"You'll have to catch me first!" he wheeled off down the sidewalk.
 
"He's gonna want to get in a tank once we've got one," Sheppard turned to me after the husband and wife duo were out of earshot. "The guy's got a helluva story about his time in the service."
 
"Oh," I raised an eyebrow. "What's it about?"
 
"It's the sort of story that if you didn't have the Battleroms to prove it no one would believe it," Sheppard began. "Richard used to be the gunner for a Scorpion (Tank), and what was supposed to be a skirmish on the border between his unit and the Crappies turned into a near battalion on battalion battle."
 
"Seems normal so far," I replied. "I assume it gets better from here?"
 
"You have no idea," Sheppard shakes his head. "It's a foggy day and neither side has a clear picture of what the other is up to, when out of the fog steps an Awesome. Now, the rest of his lance is already engaged with other 'mechs, but that doesn't stop him or his driver, they begin exchanging fire with the Awesome at extreme range, and then as the battle lines close, they decide to get up close and personal."
 
"Up close and personal with an assault 'mech?" I asked.
 
"They were ordered to pull back a couple of times, but Richard and the driver ignore the orders, directly taking one PPC to their front armor and narrowly avoiding the other two before a miracle happened when the Awesome tried to stomp on them. The 'mech slipped and fell forward, crumpling part of their Scorpion, but their guns were still functional. So they ripped the cockpit to shreds with their AC/5 and then tried to pull out of there. They limped back to friendly lines, but Richard's legs were the price paid for taking out the enemy CO."
 
"I'll see what I can find for him," I said after a minute of processing a long story told in short format. "What was his wife's name?"
 
"Naomi?" Sheppard asked. "She was the driver, why do you think she married him? They were the only two people crazy enough to stick with each other after taking on an 80 ton assault 'mech in a Scorpion of all things."
 
"I did hire her too, right?" I turned to Peterson.
 
"They're a package deal," he smirked. "And I'm glad to have them with us, not often you get some experience tankers who are crazy enough to pull that sort of shit."
 
"Can I get a copy of the Battlerom?" I asked.
 
"It's in every officer school in the Capellan March on what not to do as an Combat Vehicle crew," Sheppard replied. "We can find you a copy."
==Chapter Note==
*;Author's Note : The story told towards the end is something that actually happened on one of my Megamek games. A Scorpion crew took on an Awesome and headcapped it while being kicked at in the game and won. Remember, sometimes, dice do crazy things, and it simulates how similar things can happen in real life.
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Chapter 27