On a similar not, I'm putting together a background story for, well, me. Would this be a relevant thread to post in? Should we make a new thread for those who want to spin a little fiction about themselves and their background?
Funny how still the world got all of a sudden. Just minutes ago, my heart was pounding, my breath labored and my hands were shaking. I draw a deep breath, and let it out. I draw a second breath, but this time I slowly let out half of it. A slow and gentle squeeze. The moment seems frozen in time, the scene is so beautiful – everyone is enjoying the parade. Even the red and black of the Combine colors are soothing to me; the Draconis banners are framing the scene. The silence is shattered by a loud boom, and my right shoulder feels like it has been kicked. I adjust the scope back on my target. Most of the left torso is gone leaving a gushing red ruin. Silently I disassemble the gun, storing it away in a knapsack. Glancing around I make sure that I have left nothing of import behind, and I leave the rooftop just as sirens start blaring. A happy new year indeed.
Jonathan Paine was born in 3009 in New Oslo in the Kurita occupied Rasalhague. At an early age his mother, Marta Vigdisdottir Paine, died in an alleged hovercraft accident. Rumors had it that she had been part of an underground organization dedicated to driving the Kuritans off the planet. His father, Jon Knutson Paine, was a skilled battlemech technician. Devastated by grief, Jon left New Oslo with his young son and accepted a commission to work for ComStar at the regional capital planet Rasalhague.
The Draconis Combine, however, was not done with the Paine family. A regional Kuritan Tai-sa, Urizen Sakade, wanting to make a name for himself was engaged in rooting out enemies of the state. Jon Paine made an excellent mark. The premature death of his wife had left him a bitter man given to drink. Under the influence, he would rail against the “occupying snakes” and make dark threats against Kuritan officials and soldiers. Whether Jon Paine was actually involved in a sabotage act blowing up a local military transport or not was not clear. However, given the rumors regarding his dead wife belonging to the underground and a drunken rant involving a wish to “blow all the snakes to kingdom come”, Jon Paine was taken away for interrogation never to return.
Fifteen year old Jonathan Paine did not respond well to capture of his father, and together with some dubious friends plotted violent revenge. Exactly how events transpired is not clear, but during the following New Year’s celebration, someone shot and killed Tai-sa Sakade with a high powered sniper rifle. Pre-empting retaliation by the Kuritans, the local Comstar Precentor, Zilya Armanovitch, whisked Jonathan Paine away and enrolled him as an Acolyte.
Jon Knutson Paine, despite falling into drink, had taught his son well. Jonathan Paine already knew all the fundamental aspects of ‘mech maintenance and repair. ComStar quickly realized that the young man had a natural knack for optimizing ‘mech design, and he was quickly promoted to Adept status.
Indeed! I hope Laz doesn't mind that I'll be using the final, colored versions of these in my MWO sigs and whatnot :)
ETA: and JP, sorry buddy, I thought I had commented on your backstory. Really awesome stuff. It almost feel like there's more to come! Keep at it if that's the case! :)
Hope you don't mind that I co-opted your persona for this one, JP! :) Hope you like, folks!
-------
Nervously, the young mechwarrior shifts in his chair and glances about the room. Sweat runs down his back as he sits under a fan in the hot, dark, smoky pub, a hole in the wall named Shifter’s, on the backwater planet of Atria. An odd place for one of the top prospects from 3048’s graduating class at Nagelring, to be sure, and he knew it. But when one is fulfilling a dream, or seeking revenge, one will go to whatever lengths are necessary…
16 years gone, the images burned in his mind as clearly as the night it happened.
...
Jarred from sleep by the sound of an explosion and shattering glass, the child sprang from his bed and cautiously approached the window. The warm winds blew the curtains back, and the child let out a muted squeak of horror: three huge monsters, their red and black undersides lit by flickering orange from the burning forest, smashed their way through the trees towards the tiny hamlet that the child called home.
As the monsters crashed out of the cover of the burning forest, gunfire erupted from within the hamlet. The first, its long, insect-like legs carrying it quickly into the streets of the hamlet, spun side to side as its hull lit with sparks from machine gun rounds, ricocheting ineffectively. Fire belched from its stubby arms; the stutter of machine gun fire and the screams of the men torn apart by the mech’s anti-infantry weaponry filled the night.
The second and third monsters burst from the cover of the forest as the gunfire from the boy’s neighbors died out. Both vaguely man-shaped, the cockpit between the shoulders of the first glinted with firelight as it swept its glowing, red gun arm from side to side; the second, a behemoth with a mouth and teeth painted on the side of its massive torso, flexed its claw-like right hand. The boy was frozen with fear.
Suddenly he was swept up and away from the window. He squealed, before realizing that it was his mother, and not another monster that had snuck up behind him. “Quiet, now,” she whispered in his ear as she carried him toward the rear entrance of the house, “we’ll get out of here just fine, just trust mama.”
And then the world went white.
Slowly, consciousness returned. He coughed and rubbed his eyes. He could taste dirt and smoke. Where was he? His arm hurt. There was blood on his sleeve. He started to cry, and looked around. The prone, unmoving form of his mother lay on the dirt floor, eyes open.
“Mommy? Mommy, get up.”
Gently, and then more forcefully, he shook her shoulders with his good hand.
“DADDY! HELP! SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH MOMMY!”
No answer.
As the ringing in his ears started to subside, he could hear screams coming from somewhere outside the house. He looked around and realization crept in: the roof was just gone, the walls were rubble, fires burned what was left of the wooden furniture. The ground shook with the massive footfalls of the monsters, sending pieces of what remained of the walls tumbling to the ground. The staccato machine gun fire continued. He stumbled to his feet and set out in the direction he and his mother had been moving.
“Daddy? DADDY?”
Still no answer.
Making his way to what was once the rear entrance of the house, he stumbled into the night air, eyes darting left and right. In the glow of the firelight he thought he saw his father: he and three of his neighbors were cowering behind an upturned hovercraft, rifles in hand.
“Run for the woods, boy! Don’t look back!”
The boy stood, not comprehending, or perhaps too afraid to move. Suddenly, the ground shook with another massive footfall, and the men hiding with his dad yelled and opened fire. Looking in the direction of the pointed guns, he again saw the mouth and teeth and clawed hand as the monster spun toward his father and the other men. A beam of green coherent light spat from the arm of the monster, and the hovercraft ignited in a fireball, lighting the scene as if by daylight. The red and black dragon emblem on the monster’s leg shone in the firelight.
His father was gone.
He ran. Reaching the trees, the screams and explosions started to fade behind him. Still he ran. And ran.
…
“Perhaps we can start with a drink, friend?”
Snapped out of his reverie by the voice of the man standing before him, he rises quickly to his feet, unconsciously touching the scar on his arm.
“Absolutely, sir! An honor to finally meet you, sir!”
“No need for formalities, son. My name is Paine. I represent the Old Dragon Battle Group.”
“Fischer, General Paine. Axel Fischer. I was assigned to the Tikonov Republican Guards. I refused the assignment, though, so… I guess I’m just representing myself.”
Paine smiled. “Indeed. Your reputation precedes you. I, too, understand the draw to the more… informal life of the mercenary.
I’ll be frank. We’ve got an operation planned, and we’ve heard that you might be interested in a snake hunt…”
Thanks for the kind words gents! I just do it for fun... I have too much time on my hands :) Don't delete Cynfire... I'd love to read anything that anyone around here wants to write! We're all pretty much on the same nerd level :)
I have one more on deck to make it a trilogy... Been a bit distracted lately :) summer holidays soon... Rainy days will give me an opportunity to write!
Well I was almost asleep when this popped into my head. I change the forsaken fourth's announcement so much that here it might be read. Yeah it's a 6am almost asleep poem, two hours later and here it is.
Anyway, I think it suits the fourth and might get a laugh. So here it goes, the poem of the fourth:
We walk into darkness, into the depths of despair, where only the bold do venture, without putting on airs.
With our sanity in question, we lengthen our gait, with a smile on our lips, we forsaken charge to our fate.
The battle enshrouds us, a sordid affair, wounds and torment, we grin and we bear.
No reinforcements are coming, we are given a mandate, though as good as dead, our assault shall not abate.
Calm surrounds us, we feel death’s snare, to heaven or to hell, we forsaken do not care.
More mechs approach, too many to contemplate, they are foe not friend, what's left of us must consolidate.
As we count the dead, we become aware, we've become quite good, when given hopeless tasks in warfare.
Even with our victories, all we see is hate, in the eyes of all others, it is the forsaken's fate.
Except for our fellow dragons, all must beware, for if we are paid enough, the forsaken become your nightmare.
Now with the Clans invasion of the Inner Sphere underway, lead by Clan Ghost Bear and Smoke Jaguar inside Draconis Combine Space. The Old Dragon Battle Group prepare to defend their home worlds from the Clans Ghost Bear and Smoke Jaguar. As their thoughts of their loved ones come to mind, this steels their resolve and they make an blood oath to rid the Inner Sphere of these invaders from Draconis Combine Space. They find the Katana's that were given to them by the Co-ordinator himself for their long years of service. They all sit in an circle facing each other and they draw the Katana blades inscribed with an ancient battle dragon upon it from their scabbards and they cut their palms with the blades. On a piece of paper in front of them they make an blood oath using their own blood as ink decreeing "Death to Clans Ghost Bear and Smoke Jaguar, they shall feel the fury our blades as we destory them."
Raven Starbinders birth family was a very wealthy and influential Noble Samurai Clan that supplied munitions, weapons, armor plating, light and heavy tanks as well as armored vehicles to the DCMS. They owned several factories on multiple world throughout the Draconis Combine. Raven's Samurai Clan had survived in the Draconis Combine for centuries and had gained a lot of power, wealth, and influence in the Draconis Combine. Due to their growing power and influence within the Draconis Combine the Internal Security Force felt that they were a threat to the Coordinator's power. So they sent their agents to quietly eliminate Raven Starbinder's Clan. A year before their deaths and when the Lord knew that his wife was pregnant with Raven Starbinder. He had suspicions that the Internal Security Force was ploting something against them thanks to their loyal Ninja retainer's Clan. He made preparations to setup a secret hidden trust fund, where he would take 10% off the top of all his earnings that he made each month from all his holdings. So to not raise any suspicions from the Internal Security Force, by then the trust fund was at 7 billion c-bills.
Upon Raven Starbinder's birth, the Lord asked his loyal Ninja retainer to adopt Raven as his own son for fear that they maybe killed by the Internal Security Force. He gave the loyal Ninja, the access codes to the secret hidden trust fund and told him that upon his son's 25th birthday the fund would be Raven's. Until then he had control over the fund and asked him to use it wisely to benefit his Clan and Raven's future. He also gave his loyal Ninja retainer a family Hierloom to give to Raven on his 25th birthday. The Order of the Star League that was given to his ancestor Lord Yamayousai Chikara 260 years ago by General Aleksandr Kerensky himself. For his act of bravery in defending the general in battle against Stefan Amaris's forces on Terra in 2765. He also gave a very old Star League Era Holorecording of the metal ceremony and a Hologram of his ancestor. The loyal Ninja retainer had no sons and only 3 daughters that were only 1, 2, and 3 years of age. The loyal Ninja retainer was honored to be asked to adopted his Lord's son as his own. His Ninja Clan originated from the Iga province of Japan, was relived to finally have an son and heir to carry on his Clan. After the death of Raven's Samurai Clan, the Internal Security Force seized all the Samurai Clan's assets and holdings which totaled at least 50 billion c-bills.
After the death of Raven's Samurai Clan, the Ninja Clan Jonin searched for any survivors and found 7 retainers and their families. He rescued them and they were very pleased when they heard the news that the son of their Lord had survived the ISF attempt to eliminate the Yamayousai Clan. They vowed to serve Raven and defend Ravenwith their lives. Their children would also serve Raven when they became of age. The Ninja Clan Jonin used the fund to help educated the children of the survivors and teach them the Ninja Arts.
During the 25 years of Raven's up bring, the Ninja Clan Jonin used the fund to enlarge the merchant shipping company that the Clan was using as a cover to keep the Clan hidden from the Internal Security Force. They had re-acquired some of the Samurai Clans original holdings like the munitions, armor, weapons, systems, equipment and armored vehicle factories over the 25 years.They had expanded their trade influence throughtout the Inner Sphere with trading partners in every one of the great house's territory. They had made some contacts within the Yakuza also during that time. All the while reinvesting into the secret hidden trust fund that Raven would receive on his 25th birthday. During the 25 years of growing up in the Ninja Clan as the son of the Jonin, Raven learned to pilot mechs in all weight Classes, Aerospace Fighters, and Merchant Skills on top of the Ninja Arts training as well as the use of Samurai Weapons and multiple fighting techniques. So Raven could counter and defeat any opponent that he feaced in unarmed or armed combat.
Raven was a child prodigy with a very high intelligence level and photographic memory, Raven had access to all the best teachers and tutors that the Inner Sphere had to offered as he was growing up. During that time the 3 daughters and the wife had grown to love and respect Raven as their own. Raven's adopted sisters also benefited from his trust fund as they were equally academically educated and trained in the Ninja Arts as Raven. All of Raven's sisters were very beautiful as well. The Clan obtained a copy of the Lostech (The Lost Star League Library Core from planet Helm) from one of their trading partners in the Inner Sphere. By the time Raven was 25, he had earned degree's in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Finance, Economics, Computer Science, Inorganic Chemistry, Metallurgy, Electromagnetics, Aerospace Engineering and Design. He was being taught the Lostech as he was gaining his degree's in Engineering as well. His life until the age of 25 was studies and practice of his skills.
Fifteen years before Raven's 25th birthday, Raven's adopted father embarked on ambitious project that would ensure the survival and prosperity of his Clan. He used one of the pirate raiders hideouts that he kept secret from the authorities, that was hidden in an asteroid field inside FRR territory. He bribed local planetary governor with one billion c-bills to lease 3 moons in the system and the rights to the asteroid field around the area. Raven's adopted father promised that there would be no more trouble from pirates from in his area as long as he was allowed here. The planetary governor took the one billion c-bills and shoke his hands in agreement. The one billion c-bills were a welcome sight for the planetary governor since the recent Ronin War, lots of infrastructure need to be repaired after that to restimulate the economy again. Every year after that the plantery governor would receive a 200 million c-bills for the planetary taxes on the 3 moons from the Company. That planetary governor became a good friend to the Clan. Also during that the time Ninja Clan Jonin continued to look for Lostech within the Inner Sphere sending his Ninja to obtain the information.
The Ninja Clan Jonin started to mine the asteroid field for raw resources to build factories, spaceport, and drydock facilties for Dropship production on one of the moons that was desolate of life but very mineral and rare ore rich. Another moon was very volcanic and had very rare metals and ore's that could be extracted and refined, he build a ore and metal refinery on that moon. On the last moon that had an abundance of life with many different temperate zones they built their Corporate Headquarters and Home and they called their new company Starlight. They moved their entire Ninja Clan to that lush forested moon. On their home moon using the Lostech knowledge he started build two orbital capital shipyard drydocks capable of building Jumpships the scope of Monolith Class. The Ninja Clan Leader spent 4 billion c-bills during 7 years to build all the infrastructure, factories, Refinerys (Metal and Ore), Orbital Capital Shipyard Drydocks, Planetary Drydocks, and spaceports on two moons.
After 7 years of hard work and research they were ready to produce Dropships the scope of Overlord Class and Jumpships the scope of Monolith Class. They researched the copy of the Lostech Library they had got their hands on. They had the knowledge, resources and local workforce to start production. The Ninja Clan Leader hired the local planetary population and trained them over 7 years for this day. The local Planetary Governor was very grateful to the Ninja Clan Jonin for bring his planet out of economic depression and hiring his people giving them hope again. During the next 6 years they bulit 7 Jumpships of various classes including Monolith for various customers as well as the FRR Government. Also many Dropships of various classes including Overlord Class. They had made over 7 billion c-bills over that period and expanded their operation to another 2 Capital Shipyard Drydocks. Expanded into the Aerospace Fighter market making more factories geared towards that goal. The Ninja Clan Jonin asked Raven to design a Aerospace Fighter and Raven designed a Heavy Aerospace Fighter that had 2 Ultra AC5's, 8 Medium Lasers, 2 ER Large Lasers, 2 SRM 6 launchers, ECM unit, and 24 Double Heat sinks. The Ninja Clan Leader started to produce this fighter and name it Ravens Shadow (RVS-SDW). Also during the 7 years, Raven adopted father started to train some Aerospace Figher Pilots from the local planetary population.
In 3048, they heard of the attacks in the Periphery and moved their company to the southern region of the Draconis Combine. They used their 2 Monolith Jumpships and multiple Dropships to move all their manufacturing machinary from their factories on the desolate moon. The 4 Capital Shipyard Drydocks were modular so they were easy to disassemble and pack into the Dropships and Jumpships. The refinery on the volcanic moon was taken and all their computer systems on their Corporate Headquarters was taken as well. They left the empty factories, the buildings, and spaceports were left for the planetary governor. They moved to a planet where Raven's parents had very close friends. There they asked the planetary governor if they could lease 3 of the moons. When the planetary governor found out that Raven was the son of his close friends he allowed them to settle down in his system while keeping Raven's true identity secret. Many of the FRR engineers, contruction workers, labours, and Aerospace Fighter Pilots came with them because they wanted a better life than they had there. The new moons were very similar to the previous ones they had. One was very desolate, one was volcanically active and one was a forest moon with many different types of forests.
On the desloate moon they built 10 more factories and a spaceport as well as planetary capital drydock. A spaceport and living quarters as well as Corporate Headquarters on the forest moon. Their was an local asteroid field and Raven's adopted father mined precious stones, minerals and ore's from that field to build their new factories. They started to mine the desolate moon for ore's, precious stones and minerals as well as refine the materials to production standards.
They setup their Company again and it was running again within a year. The 4 Capital Shipyard Drydocks were setup in orbit of the desolate moon. They setup the refinery on the volcanic moon and the factories on the desolate moon. Corporate headquarters on the moon with different forest climates and build it on a very temperate zone. Living quarters for their engineers, construction crews, and labours on the moon as well. They still had 10 original factories that Raven's Samurai Clan owned in the Draconis Combine that produced armor plating, munitions, systems, equipment, armored vehicles, and weapons.
By the time Raven was 25 years of age, he was 6' 3'' in height with a very muscular body, but was much faster, more agile, and extremely dexterious compared to a man 1/2 his size. He had exceptional acrobatic skills, martial art skills and was as silent as the night. He had mastered the Mental and Spiritual aspects of the Ninja Arts. He learnt things at a very accelerated rate and never forgot anything he ever learnt. Raven was a genetic re-incarnation of his ancestor Lord Yamayousai Chikara in every respect. Raven's sister's who were 26, 27, and 28 were also 6' in height. They were very intelligent, athletic, and almost as equally in skill as Raven in the Ninja Arts.
On the day of Raven's 25th birthday the Ninja Jonin gave him a data pad and said "Here is your present from me happy birthday my son". The datapad had a button saying press me and when Raven did press the button he saw a large number scroll across the screen which totaled 7 billion c-bills. Raven was also given Katana made from Ferro-Steel w/ Diamond Weave and it had the Ninja Clans Emblem engraved upon the blade. The Diamond hard edge was razor sharp, the edge would never dull and it took 15 years to craft and perfect the blade. He also received an identical Monolith Jumpship and Overlord Dropship along with Aerospace Fighter support. The Ninja Clan often went into territories where lots of piracy happened so they armed and armored their Jumpship.
The ODBG had saved enough money to purchase a used but still in work condition Overlord Dropship and Raven offered to refurbish it for free and it took a few months but it arrived like it was straight off the shipyard drydock. With its armor plating replaced with new ones and the structural body strengthened. It weapons upgraded and heat sinks upgraded to Double heat sinks.
During the first wave of the Clan Invasion into Draconis Combine Space all the founders of the ODBG were killed in battle with the Clan forces. During that time the Raven's adopted father passed away due to illness, on his death bed he named Raven Starbinder his successor. Now Raven's is the Ninja Clans new Jonin and his name is Mokuyoru Karasu of the Silent Night Raven Ninja Clan. After the old Jonin passed away so did the wife a short time later. After that Raven asked his three sisters to take care of the day to day management of the Merchant Shipping and Manufacturing Company Starlight. They accepted the duties with honor, anything to help their younger brother and new Jonin of the Ninja Clan. The surviving son's of the original founding members of the ODBG did not want the burden of leadership. Now the ODBG needed to find a new leader and they held a trail of position. All the mechwarriors dueled each other in pairs using training mechs with low powered simulated weapons. Jonathan Paine came out victorious as the new General of the ODBG. He would give the rank of Captain to Divine Retribution and Sergeant Major/Quarter Master to Raven Starbinder because Raven had the merchant connections.
In return Raven Starbinder offered the ODBG the services of his Monolith Jumpship Eclipse and Overlord Dropship Midnight with 6 RVS-SDW's and 20 long range Mobile Artillary units they could use for their missions. The 20 long range mobile artillary units were produced by a factory that his adopted father owned. Raven was put in charge of the ODBG's finances and supplies. The new Dropship, Aerospace Fighters and Mobile Artillary units arrived in a few months, newly refitted with all the best weapons, engines, equipment, and armor that the Inner Sphere had to offer.
The RVS-SDW had 2 nose mounted Ultra AC5's, 2 nose mounted ER Large Lasers, 6 wing mounted Mediun Lasers, 2 wing mounted SRM 6's, and 2 top rotating turret mounted AMS units. It had 24 Double Heat Sinks installed and Inner Sphere XL Engine. The 2 Nose mounted Ultra AC5's had 4 tons of ammo and the 2 wing mounted SRM 6's had 2 tons of ammo. The Monolith Jumpship had 137 double heat sinks, 18 ER Large Lasers, 18 ER PPC's, 18 Gauss Rifles and 18 LRM 20's. All of the Jumpship weapons were located in the 3 docking bays on the port and starbard sides in hidden weapon blisters that were underneath the docking bays behind a very strong and thick blast shield doors. Three of each weapon type on each weapon blister. The had converted 2 of the 6 small craft bays into fighter bays each bay holding 9 RVS-SDW's in total 18 of them.
The Overlord Dropship had Double Heat Sinks. The weapons on it were upgraded to 6 ER PPC's, 6 Ultra AC5's, 2 AC20's, 12 Medium Pulse Lasers, 6 ER Large Lasers, and 3 LRM 20's with Artemis IV FCS. It also had Double Heat Sinks installed so it was much more heat efficient.
It was April of 3050 Monolith Class Jumpship Eclipse jumped into Luthien space and the Dropship Old Dragon's Wrath landed in the spaceport. Where Gen. Paine was ushered to meet the Coordinator about an urgent matter. The Coordinator ask Gen. Paine " I was wondering if you could help bolster the defences of the border world of Jarrett from the Clans.". Gen. Paine replied " I would be honored to help, if only to avenge the deaths of our Leaders to the Clans.". With that Gen. Paine headed back to the spaceport to prepared to leave.
With that the ODBG left Lutherin spaceport to dock with the Jumpship Eclipse to make their way to Jarett. They were under the command of Tai-Su Sonia Zev who lead the 9th Alshain Regulars. Clan Ghost Bear arrived under the command of saKhan DelVillar who commanded the Trinary Galaxy Command (310th Assault Trinary, 17th Battle Trinary) and Alpha Galaxy (1st Bear Guard). The ODBG was ordered to help bolster the green inexperience 9th Alshain Regulars, Sonia Zev order all units to gather in the northern continent of Jarett.
The ODBG landed their Overlord Dropships Old Dragons's Wrath and Midnight just outside the marshalling grounds in a clearing 25 km away. The brand new Overlord Dropships armed with 6 ER PPC's, 6 ER Large Lasers, 6 Ultra AC5's's, 2 AC20's, 3 LRM 20's with Artemis IV FCS, 12 Medium Pulse Lasers and Double Heat Sinks. They had 2 Companies worth of mechs (24 mechs), 20 Long range Mobile Artillary Units on board the Overlord Dropship Old Dragon's Wrath. There they proceeded to disimbark and head to the mustering area, it was an jungle environment. Two Lances stayed behind to guard the Overlord Dropships, while four lances proceeded to the mustering area Sonia Zev ordered the ODBG to stay in reserve while the 9th Alshain Regulars held the front, so they could do an rear guard to hold the enemy off long enough for an retreat. The fight began with a challenge from saKhan DelVillar, pitting one of the Regulars Commando's against a point of Elemental units. The Commado fought bravely but ultimatley lost. SaKhan DelVillar was so impressed with the Commando pilot that she took him as her bondsman. After that all hell broke lose and fighting began for the fate of the planet Jarett. The figthing was intense and the Clans Trinary Galaxy and Alpha Galaxy soon overwhelmed the 9th and Sonia Zev would order an fighting withdrawl.
That is when the battle for the ODBG began, they broke into Lances and each Lance was ordered by General Jonathan Paine to focus fire on one target at a time to maximize damage. Gen. Paine in his Atlas DDC spotted an Ghost Bear Assault Star heading his direction over 2000 m away and he singled out and Direwolf Assault mech which lead the charge. With the cover of ECM the Clan Direwolf did not detech the lance, when the Direwolf was in LRM range Gen. Paine ordered all LRM's to fire. Then a huge fire storm of 170 LRM's rained down on that Direwolf and the AMS fire from the other Clan mechs stopped 50% of the missiles but 50% got through and destroyed the right torso as well as the right arm. To Gen. Paine's right another ODBG Lance released 150 LRM's at the same Direwolf and destroyed the left torso and left arm causing the mech to explode as the XL Engine was destroyed. To Gen. Paine's left another ODBG Lance took out an Clan Timberwolf's right torso with ER PPC's, ER Large Lasers, and Gauss Rifles from range. The last ODBG Lance obliderated the center torso and cockpit of the same Timberwolf with ER PPC's, ER Large Lasers, and Gauss Rifles destroying the XL Engine. In a matter of a minute 2 out of 5 Clan mechs in the Assault Star fell to the ODBG. The Assault Star Summor stopped in it's tracks, by then it was too late another 170 LRM's rained down death upon it blow the left torso and left arm. The another 150 LRM's rained down on the damaged Summor, finishing it off.
After 30 minutes of intense fighting the ODBG managed to eliminate 3 out of 5 mechs from Clan Ghost Bears before their position was discovered, securing the 9th's safe withdrawl from battle. Gen. Paine ordered all ODBG Lances to move after every salvo of weapon fire to keep their position hidden from the enemy. Gen. Paine and the ODBG concentrated on one Star at a time effectively eliminating one at a time.
They are so amazing.
This is great stuff! Keep it coming!
On a similar not, I'm putting together a background story for, well, me. Would this be a relevant thread to post in? Should we make a new thread for those who want to spin a little fiction about themselves and their background?
I'd venture to say it would be JP. Enjoy building your background, I may think about that myself.
I'd love to hear it JP! I know you have a unique perspective on the Rasalhague movement.
Happy New Year 3024
Funny how still the world got all of a sudden. Just minutes ago, my heart was pounding, my breath labored and my hands were shaking. I draw a deep breath, and let it out. I draw a second breath, but this time I slowly let out half of it. A slow and gentle squeeze. The moment seems frozen in time, the scene is so beautiful – everyone is enjoying the parade. Even the red and black of the Combine colors are soothing to me; the Draconis banners are framing the scene. The silence is shattered by a loud boom, and my right shoulder feels like it has been kicked. I adjust the scope back on my target. Most of the left torso is gone leaving a gushing red ruin. Silently I disassemble the gun, storing it away in a knapsack. Glancing around I make sure that I have left nothing of import behind, and I leave the rooftop just as sirens start blaring. A happy new year indeed.
Jonathan Paine was born in 3009 in New Oslo in the Kurita occupied Rasalhague. At an early age his mother, Marta Vigdisdottir Paine, died in an alleged hovercraft accident. Rumors had it that she had been part of an underground organization dedicated to driving the Kuritans off the planet. His father, Jon Knutson Paine, was a skilled battlemech technician. Devastated by grief, Jon left New Oslo with his young son and accepted a commission to work for ComStar at the regional capital planet Rasalhague.
The Draconis Combine, however, was not done with the Paine family. A regional Kuritan Tai-sa, Urizen Sakade, wanting to make a name for himself was engaged in rooting out enemies of the state. Jon Paine made an excellent mark. The premature death of his wife had left him a bitter man given to drink. Under the influence, he would rail against the “occupying snakes” and make dark threats against Kuritan officials and soldiers. Whether Jon Paine was actually involved in a sabotage act blowing up a local military transport or not was not clear. However, given the rumors regarding his dead wife belonging to the underground and a drunken rant involving a wish to “blow all the snakes to kingdom come”, Jon Paine was taken away for interrogation never to return.
Fifteen year old Jonathan Paine did not respond well to capture of his father, and together with some dubious friends plotted violent revenge. Exactly how events transpired is not clear, but during the following New Year’s celebration, someone shot and killed Tai-sa Sakade with a high powered sniper rifle. Pre-empting retaliation by the Kuritans, the local Comstar Precentor, Zilya Armanovitch, whisked Jonathan Paine away and enrolled him as an Acolyte.
Jon Knutson Paine, despite falling into drink, had taught his son well. Jonathan Paine already knew all the fundamental aspects of ‘mech maintenance and repair. ComStar quickly realized that the young man had a natural knack for optimizing ‘mech design, and he was quickly promoted to Adept status.
[IMG]http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l280/ltarq/d_zpsfae47835.jpg[/IMG]
The next page.
Again Cyn. your artist is wonderful.
And the Last!
[IMG]http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l280/ltarq/MechWarrior_zpsfb28d067.jpg...
Oh that is cool enough to get set as my wallpaper
Indeed! I hope Laz doesn't mind that I'll be using the final, colored versions of these in my MWO sigs and whatnot :)
ETA: and JP, sorry buddy, I thought I had commented on your backstory. Really awesome stuff. It almost feel like there's more to come! Keep at it if that's the case! :)
I missed it in my excitement to post the final page. Here is the best part!!!
[IMG]http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l280/ltarq/Bestpart_zps4bf1a02a.jpg[/IMG]
Laz is getting wet sloppy kisses if I ever meet him IRL! :)
this is awesome stuff!
when you guys get moved to a division forum it would be cool to publish this to the site front page.
Hope you don't mind that I co-opted your persona for this one, JP! :) Hope you like, folks!
-------
Nervously, the young mechwarrior shifts in his chair and glances about the room. Sweat runs down his back as he sits under a fan in the hot, dark, smoky pub, a hole in the wall named Shifter’s, on the backwater planet of Atria. An odd place for one of the top prospects from 3048’s graduating class at Nagelring, to be sure, and he knew it. But when one is fulfilling a dream, or seeking revenge, one will go to whatever lengths are necessary…
16 years gone, the images burned in his mind as clearly as the night it happened.
...
Jarred from sleep by the sound of an explosion and shattering glass, the child sprang from his bed and cautiously approached the window. The warm winds blew the curtains back, and the child let out a muted squeak of horror: three huge monsters, their red and black undersides lit by flickering orange from the burning forest, smashed their way through the trees towards the tiny hamlet that the child called home.
As the monsters crashed out of the cover of the burning forest, gunfire erupted from within the hamlet. The first, its long, insect-like legs carrying it quickly into the streets of the hamlet, spun side to side as its hull lit with sparks from machine gun rounds, ricocheting ineffectively. Fire belched from its stubby arms; the stutter of machine gun fire and the screams of the men torn apart by the mech’s anti-infantry weaponry filled the night.
The second and third monsters burst from the cover of the forest as the gunfire from the boy’s neighbors died out. Both vaguely man-shaped, the cockpit between the shoulders of the first glinted with firelight as it swept its glowing, red gun arm from side to side; the second, a behemoth with a mouth and teeth painted on the side of its massive torso, flexed its claw-like right hand. The boy was frozen with fear.
Suddenly he was swept up and away from the window. He squealed, before realizing that it was his mother, and not another monster that had snuck up behind him. “Quiet, now,” she whispered in his ear as she carried him toward the rear entrance of the house, “we’ll get out of here just fine, just trust mama.”
And then the world went white.
Slowly, consciousness returned. He coughed and rubbed his eyes. He could taste dirt and smoke. Where was he? His arm hurt. There was blood on his sleeve. He started to cry, and looked around. The prone, unmoving form of his mother lay on the dirt floor, eyes open.
“Mommy? Mommy, get up.”
Gently, and then more forcefully, he shook her shoulders with his good hand.
“DADDY! HELP! SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH MOMMY!”
No answer.
As the ringing in his ears started to subside, he could hear screams coming from somewhere outside the house. He looked around and realization crept in: the roof was just gone, the walls were rubble, fires burned what was left of the wooden furniture. The ground shook with the massive footfalls of the monsters, sending pieces of what remained of the walls tumbling to the ground. The staccato machine gun fire continued. He stumbled to his feet and set out in the direction he and his mother had been moving.
“Daddy? DADDY?”
Still no answer.
Making his way to what was once the rear entrance of the house, he stumbled into the night air, eyes darting left and right. In the glow of the firelight he thought he saw his father: he and three of his neighbors were cowering behind an upturned hovercraft, rifles in hand.
“Run for the woods, boy! Don’t look back!”
The boy stood, not comprehending, or perhaps too afraid to move. Suddenly, the ground shook with another massive footfall, and the men hiding with his dad yelled and opened fire. Looking in the direction of the pointed guns, he again saw the mouth and teeth and clawed hand as the monster spun toward his father and the other men. A beam of green coherent light spat from the arm of the monster, and the hovercraft ignited in a fireball, lighting the scene as if by daylight. The red and black dragon emblem on the monster’s leg shone in the firelight.
His father was gone.
He ran. Reaching the trees, the screams and explosions started to fade behind him. Still he ran. And ran.
…
“Perhaps we can start with a drink, friend?”
Snapped out of his reverie by the voice of the man standing before him, he rises quickly to his feet, unconsciously touching the scar on his arm.
“Absolutely, sir! An honor to finally meet you, sir!”
“No need for formalities, son. My name is Paine. I represent the Old Dragon Battle Group.”
“Fischer, General Paine. Axel Fischer. I was assigned to the Tikonov Republican Guards. I refused the assignment, though, so… I guess I’m just representing myself.”
Paine smiled. “Indeed. Your reputation precedes you. I, too, understand the draw to the more… informal life of the mercenary.
I’ll be frank. We’ve got an operation planned, and we’ve heard that you might be interested in a snake hunt…”
Hmmm. (as I press the delete key) Guess the bar has been set fairly damn high.... J.P., Ferret superb job gentlemen.
Ferret - your writing sends shivers down my backbone!
For anyone else who wants to post, I recommed remembering that we are 2old2play - it is all about having fun and hanging out :)
Thanks for the kind words gents! I just do it for fun... I have too much time on my hands :) Don't delete Cynfire... I'd love to read anything that anyone around here wants to write! We're all pretty much on the same nerd level :)
Ya Cyn post your story!
btw, fun read as always ferret.
Can we get another story ferret or JP, so we can get more animation to view.
I have one more on deck to make it a trilogy... Been a bit distracted lately :) summer holidays soon... Rainy days will give me an opportunity to write!
Great read, glad you revived this thread! I can almost hear the campfire. :P
Well I was almost asleep when this popped into my head.
I change the forsaken fourth's announcement so much that here it might be read. Yeah it's a 6am almost asleep poem, two hours later and here it is.
Anyway, I think it suits the fourth and might get a laugh. So here it goes, the poem of the fourth:
We walk into darkness,
into the depths of despair,
where only the bold do venture,
without putting on airs.
With our sanity in question,
we lengthen our gait,
with a smile on our lips,
we forsaken charge to our fate.
The battle enshrouds us,
a sordid affair,
wounds and torment,
we grin and we bear.
No reinforcements are coming,
we are given a mandate,
though as good as dead,
our assault shall not abate.
Calm surrounds us,
we feel death’s snare,
to heaven or to hell,
we forsaken do not care.
More mechs approach,
too many to contemplate,
they are foe not friend,
what's left of us must consolidate.
As we count the dead,
we become aware,
we've become quite good,
when given hopeless tasks in warfare.
Even with our victories,
all we see is hate,
in the eyes of all others,
it is the forsaken's fate.
Except for our fellow dragons,
all must beware,
for if we are paid enough,
the forsaken become your nightmare.
-Ret, self-appointed minstrel of the forsaken.
Wow, thats really quite good.
Nice poem Divine, quite impressive.
Awesome!
great job on the poem Devine, I will add my story later.
As I step out of the cockpit I look around at the carnage
I have caused and think back to what got me to this
point. I never wanted to be a leader. As the second son
of a celebrated war hero, I just wanted to be left alone.
But the old saying is heroes are not born they are forged
from circumstances. You find out what metal you are
made of when life begins to hammer you.
Years ago, thinking my life would be content to just sit
by a lake and watch the sun go down, I remember
feeling put off having to inspect my fathers holdings on
a nearby moon only to be caught up in a hostel take
over. Later learning that it was a two prong attack and
my home was destroyed and a bounty placed on my
head for the sins of my father. Putting the pieces
together and following through to the end finds me
here. Looking out at a battlefield full of the fallen
mechs of my enemy taking in the smell of rocket fuel
and gunpowder. I am amazed at the constant inventions
men make to kill each other. I have fought all over this
inner sphere. Just to realize, sometimes you have to
fight to keep what you want the most.
Clans have come and this new threat makes the piety
squabbles of the houses pale in comparison. They don't
just want a planet they want everything and they
destroy everything in their path. Again, I find myself
picking up the torch leading my men against a new
threat. This time it is not a uncle, a neighbor, or a
vengeful suitor trying to increase wealth or obtain things
that was never theirs to begin with. Through my own
craftiness I come by some of this tech. Lets just say this
particular Star Colonel isn't real happy taking orders
from me. I think I am starting to gain her respect, at
first I thought she was cussing me, but turns out
Asterpais means star child. Actually as close a
complement you can get from a child of The Great
Father. Needless to say I'm taken aback.
Recently I have been taking contracts from the Old
Dragon Battle Group. A unit consisting of old Kurita
mechwarriors. It feels good knowing someone has my
back. I wonder sometimes, thinking I will be at the other
end of their weapons if they only knew that it was me
just a few months ago firing mine at them. I remember
my fathers friends saying they were only following
orders when asked about their heroism. War makes
strange bed fellows. The enemy of my enemy is my
friend. Isn't that the way it goes? I have adopted the
Forsaken Forth as my unit. Well there goes the com,
time to RELEARN my roll. ODBG HERE I COME.
Now with the Clans invasion of the Inner Sphere underway, lead by Clan Ghost Bear and Smoke Jaguar inside Draconis Combine Space. The Old Dragon Battle Group prepare to defend their home worlds from the Clans Ghost Bear and Smoke Jaguar. As their thoughts of their loved ones come to mind, this steels their resolve and they make an blood oath to rid the Inner Sphere of these invaders from Draconis Combine Space. They find the Katana's that were given to them by the Co-ordinator himself for their long years of service. They all sit in an circle facing each other and they draw the Katana blades inscribed with an ancient battle dragon upon it from their scabbards and they cut their palms with the blades. On a piece of paper in front of them they make an blood oath using their own blood as ink decreeing "Death to Clans Ghost Bear and Smoke Jaguar, they shall feel the fury our blades as we destory them."
Raven Starbinders birth family was a very wealthy and influential Noble Samurai Clan that supplied munitions, weapons, armor plating, light and heavy tanks as well as armored vehicles to the DCMS. They owned several factories on multiple world throughout the Draconis Combine. Raven's Samurai Clan had survived in the Draconis Combine for centuries and had gained a lot of power, wealth, and influence in the Draconis Combine. Due to their growing power and influence within the Draconis Combine the Internal Security Force felt that they were a threat to the Coordinator's power. So they sent their agents to quietly eliminate Raven Starbinder's Clan. A year before their deaths and when the Lord knew that his wife was pregnant with Raven Starbinder. He had suspicions that the Internal Security Force was ploting something against them thanks to their loyal Ninja retainer's Clan. He made preparations to setup a secret hidden trust fund, where he would take 10% off the top of all his earnings that he made each month from all his holdings. So to not raise any suspicions from the Internal Security Force, by then the trust fund was at 7 billion c-bills.
Upon Raven Starbinder's birth, the Lord asked his loyal Ninja retainer to adopt Raven as his own son for fear that they maybe killed by the Internal Security Force. He gave the loyal Ninja, the access codes to the secret hidden trust fund and told him that upon his son's 25th birthday the fund would be Raven's. Until then he had control over the fund and asked him to use it wisely to benefit his Clan and Raven's future. He also gave his loyal Ninja retainer a family Hierloom to give to Raven on his 25th birthday. The Order of the Star League that was given to his ancestor Lord Yamayousai Chikara 260 years ago by General Aleksandr Kerensky himself. For his act of bravery in defending the general in battle against Stefan Amaris's forces on Terra in 2765. He also gave a very old Star League Era Holorecording of the metal ceremony and a Hologram of his ancestor. The loyal Ninja retainer had no sons and only 3 daughters that were only 1, 2, and 3 years of age. The loyal Ninja retainer was honored to be asked to adopted his Lord's son as his own. His Ninja Clan originated from the Iga province of Japan, was relived to finally have an son and heir to carry on his Clan. After the death of Raven's Samurai Clan, the Internal Security Force seized all the Samurai Clan's assets and holdings which totaled at least 50 billion c-bills.
After the death of Raven's Samurai Clan, the Ninja Clan Jonin searched for any survivors and found 7 retainers and their families. He rescued them and they were very pleased when they heard the news that the son of their Lord had survived the ISF attempt to eliminate the Yamayousai Clan. They vowed to serve Raven and defend Ravenwith their lives. Their children would also serve Raven when they became of age. The Ninja Clan Jonin used the fund to help educated the children of the survivors and teach them the Ninja Arts.
During the 25 years of Raven's up bring, the Ninja Clan Jonin used the fund to enlarge the merchant shipping company that the Clan was using as a cover to keep the Clan hidden from the Internal Security Force. They had re-acquired some of the Samurai Clans original holdings like the munitions, armor, weapons, systems, equipment and armored vehicle factories over the 25 years.They had expanded their trade influence throughtout the Inner Sphere with trading partners in every one of the great house's territory. They had made some contacts within the Yakuza also during that time. All the while reinvesting into the secret hidden trust fund that Raven would receive on his 25th birthday. During the 25 years of growing up in the Ninja Clan as the son of the Jonin, Raven learned to pilot mechs in all weight Classes, Aerospace Fighters, and Merchant Skills on top of the Ninja Arts training as well as the use of Samurai Weapons and multiple fighting techniques. So Raven could counter and defeat any opponent that he feaced in unarmed or armed combat.
Raven was a child prodigy with a very high intelligence level and photographic memory, Raven had access to all the best teachers and tutors that the Inner Sphere had to offered as he was growing up. During that time the 3 daughters and the wife had grown to love and respect Raven as their own. Raven's adopted sisters also benefited from his trust fund as they were equally academically educated and trained in the Ninja Arts as Raven. All of Raven's sisters were very beautiful as well. The Clan obtained a copy of the Lostech (The Lost Star League Library Core from planet Helm) from one of their trading partners in the Inner Sphere. By the time Raven was 25, he had earned degree's in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Finance, Economics, Computer Science, Inorganic Chemistry, Metallurgy, Electromagnetics, Aerospace Engineering and Design. He was being taught the Lostech as he was gaining his degree's in Engineering as well. His life until the age of 25 was studies and practice of his skills.
Fifteen years before Raven's 25th birthday, Raven's adopted father embarked on ambitious project that would ensure the survival and prosperity of his Clan. He used one of the pirate raiders hideouts that he kept secret from the authorities, that was hidden in an asteroid field inside FRR territory. He bribed local planetary governor with one billion c-bills to lease 3 moons in the system and the rights to the asteroid field around the area. Raven's adopted father promised that there would be no more trouble from pirates from in his area as long as he was allowed here. The planetary governor took the one billion c-bills and shoke his hands in agreement. The one billion c-bills were a welcome sight for the planetary governor since the recent Ronin War, lots of infrastructure need to be repaired after that to restimulate the economy again. Every year after that the plantery governor would receive a 200 million c-bills for the planetary taxes on the 3 moons from the Company. That planetary governor became a good friend to the Clan. Also during that the time Ninja Clan Jonin continued to look for Lostech within the Inner Sphere sending his Ninja to obtain the information.
The Ninja Clan Jonin started to mine the asteroid field for raw resources to build factories, spaceport, and drydock facilties for Dropship production on one of the moons that was desolate of life but very mineral and rare ore rich. Another moon was very volcanic and had very rare metals and ore's that could be extracted and refined, he build a ore and metal refinery on that moon. On the last moon that had an abundance of life with many different temperate zones they built their Corporate Headquarters and Home and they called their new company Starlight. They moved their entire Ninja Clan to that lush forested moon. On their home moon using the Lostech knowledge he started build two orbital capital shipyard drydocks capable of building Jumpships the scope of Monolith Class. The Ninja Clan Leader spent 4 billion c-bills during 7 years to build all the infrastructure, factories, Refinerys (Metal and Ore), Orbital Capital Shipyard Drydocks, Planetary Drydocks, and spaceports on two moons.
After 7 years of hard work and research they were ready to produce Dropships the scope of Overlord Class and Jumpships the scope of Monolith Class. They researched the copy of the Lostech Library they had got their hands on. They had the knowledge, resources and local workforce to start production. The Ninja Clan Leader hired the local planetary population and trained them over 7 years for this day. The local Planetary Governor was very grateful to the Ninja Clan Jonin for bring his planet out of economic depression and hiring his people giving them hope again. During the next 6 years they bulit 7 Jumpships of various classes including Monolith for various customers as well as the FRR Government. Also many Dropships of various classes including Overlord Class. They had made over 7 billion c-bills over that period and expanded their operation to another 2 Capital Shipyard Drydocks. Expanded into the Aerospace Fighter market making more factories geared towards that goal. The Ninja Clan Jonin asked Raven to design a Aerospace Fighter and Raven designed a Heavy Aerospace Fighter that had 2 Ultra AC5's, 8 Medium Lasers, 2 ER Large Lasers, 2 SRM 6 launchers, ECM unit, and 24 Double Heat sinks. The Ninja Clan Leader started to produce this fighter and name it Ravens Shadow (RVS-SDW). Also during the 7 years, Raven adopted father started to train some Aerospace Figher Pilots from the local planetary population.
In 3048, they heard of the attacks in the Periphery and moved their company to the southern region of the Draconis Combine. They used their 2 Monolith Jumpships and multiple Dropships to move all their manufacturing machinary from their factories on the desolate moon. The 4 Capital Shipyard Drydocks were modular so they were easy to disassemble and pack into the Dropships and Jumpships. The refinery on the volcanic moon was taken and all their computer systems on their Corporate Headquarters was taken as well. They left the empty factories, the buildings, and spaceports were left for the planetary governor. They moved to a planet where Raven's parents had very close friends. There they asked the planetary governor if they could lease 3 of the moons. When the planetary governor found out that Raven was the son of his close friends he allowed them to settle down in his system while keeping Raven's true identity secret. Many of the FRR engineers, contruction workers, labours, and Aerospace Fighter Pilots came with them because they wanted a better life than they had there. The new moons were very similar to the previous ones they had. One was very desolate, one was volcanically active and one was a forest moon with many different types of forests.
On the desloate moon they built 10 more factories and a spaceport as well as planetary capital drydock. A spaceport and living quarters as well as Corporate Headquarters on the forest moon. Their was an local asteroid field and Raven's adopted father mined precious stones, minerals and ore's from that field to build their new factories. They started to mine the desolate moon for ore's, precious stones and minerals as well as refine the materials to production standards.
They setup their Company again and it was running again within a year. The 4 Capital Shipyard Drydocks were setup in orbit of the desolate moon. They setup the refinery on the volcanic moon and the factories on the desolate moon. Corporate headquarters on the moon with different forest climates and build it on a very temperate zone. Living quarters for their engineers, construction crews, and labours on the moon as well. They still had 10 original factories that Raven's Samurai Clan owned in the Draconis Combine that produced armor plating, munitions, systems, equipment, armored vehicles, and weapons.
By the time Raven was 25 years of age, he was 6' 3'' in height with a very muscular body, but was much faster, more agile, and extremely dexterious compared to a man 1/2 his size. He had exceptional acrobatic skills, martial art skills and was as silent as the night. He had mastered the Mental and Spiritual aspects of the Ninja Arts. He learnt things at a very accelerated rate and never forgot anything he ever learnt. Raven was a genetic re-incarnation of his ancestor Lord Yamayousai Chikara in every respect. Raven's sister's who were 26, 27, and 28 were also 6' in height. They were very intelligent, athletic, and almost as equally in skill as Raven in the Ninja Arts.
On the day of Raven's 25th birthday the Ninja Jonin gave him a data pad and said "Here is your present from me happy birthday my son". The datapad had a button saying press me and when Raven did press the button he saw a large number scroll across the screen which totaled 7 billion c-bills. Raven was also given Katana made from Ferro-Steel w/ Diamond Weave and it had the Ninja Clans Emblem engraved upon the blade. The Diamond hard edge was razor sharp, the edge would never dull and it took 15 years to craft and perfect the blade. He also received an identical Monolith Jumpship and Overlord Dropship along with Aerospace Fighter support. The Ninja Clan often went into territories where lots of piracy happened so they armed and armored their Jumpship.
The ODBG had saved enough money to purchase a used but still in work condition Overlord Dropship and Raven offered to refurbish it for free and it took a few months but it arrived like it was straight off the shipyard drydock. With its armor plating replaced with new ones and the structural body strengthened. It weapons upgraded and heat sinks upgraded to Double heat sinks.
During the first wave of the Clan Invasion into Draconis Combine Space all the founders of the ODBG were killed in battle with the Clan forces. During that time the Raven's adopted father passed away due to illness, on his death bed he named Raven Starbinder his successor. Now Raven's is the Ninja Clans new Jonin and his name is Mokuyoru Karasu of the Silent Night Raven Ninja Clan. After the old Jonin passed away so did the wife a short time later. After that Raven asked his three sisters to take care of the day to day management of the Merchant Shipping and Manufacturing Company Starlight. They accepted the duties with honor, anything to help their younger brother and new Jonin of the Ninja Clan. The surviving son's of the original founding members of the ODBG did not want the burden of leadership. Now the ODBG needed to find a new leader and they held a trail of position. All the mechwarriors dueled each other in pairs using training mechs with low powered simulated weapons. Jonathan Paine came out victorious as the new General of the ODBG. He would give the rank of Captain to Divine Retribution and Sergeant Major/Quarter Master to Raven Starbinder because Raven had the merchant connections.
In return Raven Starbinder offered the ODBG the services of his Monolith Jumpship Eclipse and Overlord Dropship Midnight with 6 RVS-SDW's and 20 long range Mobile Artillary units they could use for their missions. The 20 long range mobile artillary units were produced by a factory that his adopted father owned. Raven was put in charge of the ODBG's finances and supplies. The new Dropship, Aerospace Fighters and Mobile Artillary units arrived in a few months, newly refitted with all the best weapons, engines, equipment, and armor that the Inner Sphere had to offer.
The RVS-SDW had 2 nose mounted Ultra AC5's, 2 nose mounted ER Large Lasers, 6 wing mounted Mediun Lasers, 2 wing mounted SRM 6's, and 2 top rotating turret mounted AMS units. It had 24 Double Heat Sinks installed and Inner Sphere XL Engine. The 2 Nose mounted Ultra AC5's had 4 tons of ammo and the 2 wing mounted SRM 6's had 2 tons of ammo. The Monolith Jumpship had 137 double heat sinks, 18 ER Large Lasers, 18 ER PPC's, 18 Gauss Rifles and 18 LRM 20's. All of the Jumpship weapons were located in the 3 docking bays on the port and starbard sides in hidden weapon blisters that were underneath the docking bays behind a very strong and thick blast shield doors. Three of each weapon type on each weapon blister. The had converted 2 of the 6 small craft bays into fighter bays each bay holding 9 RVS-SDW's in total 18 of them.
The Overlord Dropship had Double Heat Sinks. The weapons on it were upgraded to 6 ER PPC's, 6 Ultra AC5's, 2 AC20's, 12 Medium Pulse Lasers, 6 ER Large Lasers, and 3 LRM 20's with Artemis IV FCS. It also had Double Heat Sinks installed so it was much more heat efficient.
Nice raven. Has that jacket feel for a novel or movie.
It was April of 3050 Monolith Class Jumpship Eclipse jumped into Luthien space and the Dropship Old Dragon's Wrath landed in the spaceport. Where Gen. Paine was ushered to meet the Coordinator about an urgent matter. The Coordinator ask Gen. Paine " I was wondering if you could help bolster the defences of the border world of Jarrett from the Clans.". Gen. Paine replied " I would be honored to help, if only to avenge the deaths of our Leaders to the Clans.". With that Gen. Paine headed back to the spaceport to prepared to leave.
With that the ODBG left Lutherin spaceport to dock with the Jumpship Eclipse to make their way to Jarett. They were under the command of Tai-Su Sonia Zev who lead the 9th Alshain Regulars. Clan Ghost Bear arrived under the command of saKhan DelVillar who commanded the Trinary Galaxy Command (310th Assault Trinary, 17th Battle Trinary) and Alpha Galaxy (1st Bear Guard). The ODBG was ordered to help bolster the green inexperience 9th Alshain Regulars, Sonia Zev order all units to gather in the northern continent of Jarett.
The ODBG landed their Overlord Dropships Old Dragons's Wrath and Midnight just outside the marshalling grounds in a clearing 25 km away. The brand new Overlord Dropships armed with 6 ER PPC's, 6 ER Large Lasers, 6 Ultra AC5's's, 2 AC20's, 3 LRM 20's with Artemis IV FCS, 12 Medium Pulse Lasers and Double Heat Sinks. They had 2 Companies worth of mechs (24 mechs), 20 Long range Mobile Artillary Units on board the Overlord Dropship Old Dragon's Wrath. There they proceeded to disimbark and head to the mustering area, it was an jungle environment. Two Lances stayed behind to guard the Overlord Dropships, while four lances proceeded to the mustering area Sonia Zev ordered the ODBG to stay in reserve while the 9th Alshain Regulars held the front, so they could do an rear guard to hold the enemy off long enough for an retreat. The fight began with a challenge from saKhan DelVillar, pitting one of the Regulars Commando's against a point of Elemental units. The Commado fought bravely but ultimatley lost. SaKhan DelVillar was so impressed with the Commando pilot that she took him as her bondsman. After that all hell broke lose and fighting began for the fate of the planet Jarett. The figthing was intense and the Clans Trinary Galaxy and Alpha Galaxy soon overwhelmed the 9th and Sonia Zev would order an fighting withdrawl.
That is when the battle for the ODBG began, they broke into Lances and each Lance was ordered by General Jonathan Paine to focus fire on one target at a time to maximize damage. Gen. Paine in his Atlas DDC spotted an Ghost Bear Assault Star heading his direction over 2000 m away and he singled out and Direwolf Assault mech which lead the charge. With the cover of ECM the Clan Direwolf did not detech the lance, when the Direwolf was in LRM range Gen. Paine ordered all LRM's to fire. Then a huge fire storm of 170 LRM's rained down on that Direwolf and the AMS fire from the other Clan mechs stopped 50% of the missiles but 50% got through and destroyed the right torso as well as the right arm. To Gen. Paine's right another ODBG Lance released 150 LRM's at the same Direwolf and destroyed the left torso and left arm causing the mech to explode as the XL Engine was destroyed. To Gen. Paine's left another ODBG Lance took out an Clan Timberwolf's right torso with ER PPC's, ER Large Lasers, and Gauss Rifles from range. The last ODBG Lance obliderated the center torso and cockpit of the same Timberwolf with ER PPC's, ER Large Lasers, and Gauss Rifles destroying the XL Engine. In a matter of a minute 2 out of 5 Clan mechs in the Assault Star fell to the ODBG. The Assault Star Summor stopped in it's tracks, by then it was too late another 170 LRM's rained down death upon it blow the left torso and left arm. The another 150 LRM's rained down on the damaged Summor, finishing it off.
After 30 minutes of intense fighting the ODBG managed to eliminate 3 out of 5 mechs from Clan Ghost Bears before their position was discovered, securing the 9th's safe withdrawl from battle. Gen. Paine ordered all ODBG Lances to move after every salvo of weapon fire to keep their position hidden from the enemy. Gen. Paine and the ODBG concentrated on one Star at a time effectively eliminating one at a time.
Part 1