Mecoptera

> DO NOT let into private data. DO NOT let access lab. DO NOT let access cloning tech. DO NOT CLONE. DO NOT be at mercy of.
>
> Editi

> ...he's under no illusion's that he's not an asshole. I mean, sure he'll turn a man into a lampshade, but he'll do it because he's a petty dickhead.
>
> Carcer Carmine

## The Pilot

Albrecht Ryman was born in Switzerland to a French mother and Swiss father on October 21st, 1974. Ryman spent most of his early childhood traveling throughout Western Europe, following his parent's business interests wherever they may lay. This constant travel prevented Ryman from forming any concrete bonds with anyone else, stunting his social development, and forcing him into a relatively solitary youth.

This solitary life, coupled with his parent's affluence, did however, spur on interests in computing from an early age. These interests did not go unnoticed by his parents, specifically his father, who did their best to foster this interest the best they could. Ryman, who had little else to do with his time, took to all manor of computer-based fields, becoming competent in the workings of even the higher end computers of the time.

Ryman's parents returned to Switzerland around the time of his 18th birthday, and during their few years there, Ryman himself was called up for conscription. Finding no adequate way to excuse himself, he was forced actually undertake basic training, where he did little but make life hell for everyone around him.

After being dismissed, Ryman was invited to join his father's company as the head of IT, where he remained until suitfall, which presumably did little to help business. After which, through means known only to him, he came into possession of a suit pod, which led to his induction into AC.

### Personality

Abrasive and a dedicated pragmatist, Ryman is rarely liked by those who he fights along side, but his talents offset his otherwise repulsive personality. Somewhat cowardly, Ryman prefers to avoid confrontation where possible, and where not, tip the odds firmly in his favour through any means at his disposal.

### Appearance

Lanky, and emaciated, with short grey-blonde hair, and dull blue eyes. Ryman dresses casually, rarely changing out of his oil stained t-shirt and cargo pants, otherwise dressing like a remarkably boring office worker.

### AC

**Robo/Meido-Ryman:**
Ryman-Prime thinks surprisingly little of him/her, for them being literally the same person. Perhaps Ryman doesn't much like looking into a mirror, or maybe the sight of him/her just conjurers up bad memories? Whatever the case may be, the two are capable of working together, albeit with a lot of yelling involved.

**Mark Wolfe (Silver Knight):**
Though Ryman's feelings on him are somewhat accurately summed up by the nickname 'boyscout', Ryman has begun to see Knight as less and less of a 'lovable' idiot and more and more as a dangerous menace to society at large. Though his naivete is not unique among the ranks of Armoured Corps, SK's high rank (whether merely ceremonial or not) does little to assuage Ryman's growing concerns that the robotic swordsman's accomplishments are starting to make him a little too big for his boots. Nevertheless, Ryman remains certain that Silver Knight's gullibility can be played to his advantage... so long as he remains under close watch.

**Micheal Linz-Vocher (Mammoth):**
Ryman has few strong feelings on Micheal, other than the very, very strong feeling that it was a mistake to ever allow him to carry nuclear warheads. Though, that's a feeling that Ryman would have for anyone who carried a number of multi-megaton nukes around on their back for multiple years.

Beyond that, Micheal seems to be a fairly dependable person, with few idiosyncrasies that would make him difficult to work with. Ryman can't help but get a funny sense of deja vu whenever he sees his suit, though.

**Hanai (Tail Gear):**
Mark's angry shapeshifting cheerleader. Ryman doesn't think particularly highly of her supposed talents, nor of her as a person. At best, he tolerates her. At worst, he wishes he'd let the killbots finish the job.

**"White Falcon":**
Although having never met White Falcon prior to the events surrounding Libra, Ryman had heard some stories about him, though never placed much stock in them. However, after he tried to kick a man who was rescuing the remains of his best friend out of orbit (and subsequently disabling him), Ryman can confirm first hand that most of the stories aren't true.

### ACMP

**Belphegor:**
Ryman has a strange relationship with his oversized demonic son. One marred by the latter's inability to hold a conversation that's not about the ethics of eating an entire cow in one bit, and the former's inability to treat any ongoing relationship as anything other than a means to an end. Despite that, and their diametrically opposed careers, the two maintain some degree of contact, though it remains polite at best.

### Phoenix Collective

**Gavin Malkin (Intersect Thunderbolt):**
Despite still being very annoying, Ryman would be forced to concede that Gavin's death would likely be detrimental to his ongoing operations, if for no other reason that he would be a likely suspect in any murder whether or not he was actually responsible. Furthermore, through Fireteam Vertex, Ryman can still make some use of his ~~suicidal tendencies~~ questionable skill in close quarters combat.

**Carcer Carmine (Marauder):**
Although Ryman likes to tar all of Phoenix with the same brush, Marauder is probably one of the only ones that Ryman would make an exception for. Though the two have had a fair share of arguments and/or insult sharing matches, Ryman considers him to be one of the most professional mercs he's met.

Ryman's good opinion of Carcer is compounded by the laundry list of work that Ryman has had him undertake. Though these tasks are often met with... mixed success, Carcer has proven to be a reliable choice for mercenary work.

**Loose Sexkiller (Reach Heaven Through Violence):**
An absolute fucking lunatic. Usually, Ryman would have some reservations about Phoenix mercs, but he can't help but feel that Loose is far too insane to actually backstab anyone. He's a capable combatant, able to shred through almost anything in his way. Provided someone can point him in the correct direction, he can even avoid killing friendlies.

**Elena Wagner (Weltraumlicht):**
Ryman knows very little about Elena beyond her supposedly legendary marksmanship, of which Ryman has many reservations. After all, he quite easily outshot her while paintballing. Maybe that's just what passes for talent in PC?

**Stan Geraldo (Murasaki Tensei):**
Kinda weird, but too stupid to be harmful, Ryman sees Stan as a kind of edgy guy who's a little too thirsty for glory. No, not that Glory. After the attack on the helicarrier left him badly wounded and missing an arm, Ryman felt at least some responsibility for the injury, and used the opportunity to build a spare arm for him - A favour Ryman feels as though as been repaid after swindling a whole base out of him for relatively very little.

**Maria Clarke (Sangria Prowler):**
Another of the group of mercenaries Ryman considers to be reliable. Ryman has had little interaction with the pilot beyond purely business arrangements, though has witnessed first hand some of her outbursts against Cylops (PBUH) and Buio, which Ryman found endlessly amusing, and slightly sad.

**Fuchs Jäeger (Kirin):**
A weird merc with cat features and a passion for getting on his nerves. Ryman isn't particularly fond of Fuchs, nor appreciative of her talents. Also, as a native German speaker, Ryman finds her name positively befuddling.

### The Engineers

**Tommy Wilder (Carrier Prime):**
If Ryman had to describe his and Tommy's relationship in two words, those two words would be "Friendly competition", which then would be followed up by a number of assurances that he was rather far ahead in every conceivable metric. Ryman enjoys Tommy's company, to a point, though has a strange feeling that he's trying to headhunt him.

The two share a mutual interest in stealing any valuable or rare stuff not nailed down, which Ryman hopes may at one point lead to a far more productive relationship.

**Editi (Carrier Prime):**
The other half of Carrier Prime, who in Ryman's (and likely many others) is far and away the more dangerous half. Editi doesn't make Ryman quite as uncomfortable as she does others, and he is willing to work with her; just not after lunch.

Ryman considers her to, at the very least, be more than a little unstable, though he can empathize with her "unfair" branding as a psychopath.

### Moqaddas

**Alvilda Elofsdottir (Valkyrie):**
Beyond being frustrated at her impromptu role as the peacekeeper between himself and Gavin, Ryman has a lot of respect for Valkrie both as a soldier and a person. Being especially grateful for her help with the Satandrone incident, as ineffective as her attempted solutions have become.

**Othinus (Valkyrie):**
Insufferably smug, but capable, which somehow makes it worse. Ryman finds her to be the more annoying of the two, and though he wouldn't trust her with anything important, her technical capabilities are sufficient, at least.

### GIMD

**Hani/Hanai-2 (Tanchozuru):**
Too moral for Ryman's taste. Plus the whole sister/clone thing she's got going on with Hanai creeps him out more than a little. Though she's obviously a good doctor, Ryman can't help but feel that any accidental physical contact might result in diabetes. Given her behavior in combat, Ryman expects to not have to suffer her long.

**"Monk":**
After first formally meeting at the Christmas party, Ryman and Monk have had a fairly warm, cordial relationship, formed on a bedrock of mutual appreciation for the other's work. Monk, for Ryman's cooking show, and Ryman for Monk's ability to save everyone's lives in the nick of time.

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## Mecoptera

> Those who play with the devil's toys will be brought by degrees to wield his sword.
>
> Text displayed on suit startup

The Mecoptera, Ryman's mech, is a huge lump of metal that threatens to fall apart at any time. It's covered in a thick layer of olive drab paint (into which is carved somewhat out of place nordic runes), and an even thicker layer of zimmerit near the engines and stabilizers. The Mecoptera looks almost crablike when moving on the ground, using it's stabilizers as makeshift legs to scuttle along the ground.

Bearing a wide array of communications and sensor equipment welded onto the hull, or laid into special enclosures that are themselves welded onto the hull, the Mecoptera's primary role is to provided tactical and strategic electronic warfare and intelligence support to friendly forces.

The Mecoptera is also equipped with a complement of drones, including a handful of heavies for defense, some scavengers for repairs or construction, and a pair of avatar drones that carry more communications and sensor equipment to extend the range of his comms, and to increase the total communications throughput the Mecoptera is capable of handling.

To further expand the Mecoptera's mission profile, it is also equipped with the Stinger Howitzer, one of the most powerful weapons in AC's arsenal, to allow it to shell enemy forces from range.