He breathed in slow and even letting, letting the air enter and leave his body carefully. His eyes were fixed through the scope of the Minolta 9000 Advanced Sniper System. The rain and neon was almost enough to distract him as he scanned the crowd for the target but the water poured away from the barrel of his rifle off the windowsill above him.
His superiors demanded blood from the betrayer and he was more than happy to be the knife to exact the revenge. The crowd far below in the crowded streets thrummed and he scanned again but instead of the routine of finding nothing he locked onto a form as it exited a shop about 300 meters away.
The hair was grey…no, white and the body was strong underneath the heavy jacket with the collar turned up to try and shield themselves from the rain. The sniper gasped, blinking rapidly for a moment in surprise but then leaned in to the scope once more and watched carefully. The man turned, his white hair long and tied back with a large beard. The eyes seemed to turn up to meet the sniper, if only for a moment, glowing with an alertness the sniper had only seen in animals before.
The sniper stole a look away from the scope to look at the photo he had been given as part of the intel packet for the hunt and smiled to himself. It was definitely him and he had given the sniper an almost perfect shot. The breath exhaled from the sniper and he felt the trigger press into his finger as the sneer grew across his lips.
This would be how Raylan Vickers dies….
…
Mechwarrior: Stray
….
Chapter 1:
Dropship Blackstone
Outreach Spaceport
December 24th, 3057
0935 Hours
Raylan Vickers stood in the open mechbay door looking out at the skyline of Outreach before him. It had been almost a month since he had left the remains of his Clan behind on Arc Royal to join Kain's Cavalry. They had arrived on the planet of the Wolf's Dragoons a day earlier but came out of planetfall late due to an unexpected storm system in the area.
"Good morning, Captain." A voice called from the far end of the mechbay and Raylan turned to find he new commanding officer, Colonel Cassie Kain, making her way towards him, steaming mug of what passed for coffee in her hand. "Enjoying the view?"
"It is very different then Clan cities, Colonel. It is…very different seeing it outside of a cockpit." Raylan said earnestly, earning a small chuckle from Cassie.
"A little more imposing this way, isn't it?" She asked, standing next to him. It never struck Raylan just how much shorter the Colonel was than him until this moment, but he practically towered over her having at least a foot and half on her.
"That is one way of viewing it, yes." Raylan said. He was slowly working his way to Sphereoid speech, but was finding it much more difficult than when he was just performing an act. Now, he had to adapt to this new life he was beginning.
"Well, once Clara rolls out of bed we can head in and get you two registered and officially under contract with the Cavalry. I'd say we could start the recruiting, but we should probably wait 'til after the holidays." Cassie said, taking a small sip from the hot cup.
"Holiday? What is that?" Raylan asked, turning to face the Colonel who smiled at him.
"Honestly? More or less a few days without work and usually bonus pay." Cassie responded with a chuckle. "Not for me though. Just more time to sift through paperwork and look at requisition orders."
"That does not make sense. Would that time not be better spent with extra training?" Raylan asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Hey, its your time off too. If you want to train, you are welcome to do that. I mean, you probably won't have time because I'm handing you all the potential files for your recruits but, hey, its technically your time." Cassie said with a sly smile.
"Wonderful…" Raylan said as he heard the door to the mechbay hiss open again and turned to see Clara walking into, running her hand through her hair and yawning. "…ah, there's the sleeping wolf."
"Morning Raylan, Colonel Kain…" Clara managed to say through yawns. Cassie chuckled to herself again and handed Clara a cup, pointing to the small office the techs used.
"Coffees in there, Sergeant. Get it to go, we've got a drive to take ." Cassie said as she walked down the Blackstone's ramp to the transport hub nearby to arrange their ride to the Dragoon's Hiring Hall inside the city. Clara came back out and gave Raylan a smile.
"How are you doing this morning, Captain?" She asked with only a slight mocking tone in her voice. Raylan snorted a small laugh.
"Fine. I am glad to see you are adjusting to this quickly." He said, giving her the slightest of smiles. "At least one of us will be ready whenever we get out first job."
"I am sure you will get a hang of it soon, Raylan. No need to rush it. We are pretty far out of our element here." Clara said with a shrug.
"I certainly hope so…" Raylan said, looking up at the sky as it grew ever darker and lightning began to ionize the air. "…guess the storms not over yet."
"Angela said it's the season. Apparently it storms a lot here this time of year." Clara said and Raylan made a small noise of affirmation as the Colonel returned.
"Alright, my former Wolves. Follow me." Cassie said with a small motion of her hand as a taxi pulled up. "Best make it quick, too, I'd rather not get caught out in the rain."
"Feel practically naked going to this meeting without my dress uniform." Raylan muttered, picking at his civilian clothing in barely hidden disgust.
"Well, I'm sorry to say most people in the Inner Sphere probably won't be as welcoming to Clanners, former or otherwise, as my people have been." Cassie said as they crowded into the back of the robotic controlled vehicle. Raylan and Clara sat in the far rear seat, facing the front while Cassie sat with her back against the "driver's" compartment.
"I can only imagine…" Raylan said, remembering the odd looks and glares he had been receiving since coming aboard the Blackstone.
"Cheer up, Raylan. Soon enough, at least according to the e-records, we'll be just two more mercs sailing the stars." Clara said, jabbing Raylan lightly in the ribs.
"Uh huh. Great." Raylan said, feeling the pull that had been growing in him for the past few weeks. He was Raylan Vickers of Clan Wolf, he felt that in the deepest fibers of his body, but that time was gone. The path ahead was dark and confusing, but it was the one he had to walk if only to keep his clan safe. He felt the small data drive that hung around his neck disguised as dog tags. It had become almost something akin to a nervous tick, helping him center himself as he found meditation almost impossible at the moment.
"Don't worry, Captain. I'm sure you'll feel better once you have a full lance under command and we see our first combat as a full unit." Cassie said, seeing Raylan toying with the hidden drive.
"You are probably right, Colonel. Maybe I am just a little antsy." Raylan said with a sigh, managing to muster a weak smile.
The rain started to drizzle against the tinted windows as they entered the city of Outreach proper. The grey skies gave way to a sea of neon and holographic ads, creating a dizzying array of lights and colors. Raylan watched outside at the crowds of people that moved about on the sidewalks and streets, seemingly aimless
The cab pulled up outside the Dragoon's building and Cassie led the pair of ex-Clanners inside. Cassie got the process started and then excused herself, saying she had other business to attend to well they were on planet. Raylan filed the forms quickly and precisely, avoiding revealing too much about his past combat experience as to not give himself away.
The clerk took the e-files from the PDA and plugged them in, telling Raylan it would take a few minutes to process the forms completely. Raylan took the time to stare out the window, watching as the rain beat against the glass in a steady rhythm. Beyond, the neon lights seemed to call to him to explore and become more at peace with the new path. He sighed and stepped away as he caught the clerk's reflection in the glass.
"Here you are Captain Vickers. Oh, and one of the higher ups sent along a…ahem…" She paused and leaned in closely "…doggy bag, if you catch my meaning, sir."
"I am afraid I do not, ma'am." Raylan said, not lying about his confusion.
"A care package, sir. From a…family friend." She said, giving him a small smile and wink. It dawned on Raylan in that moment and he nodded.
"Tell my…family friend…thank you." He said, taking the PDA and credit chip from the clerk with a smile.
"Of course, sir. And good luck out there." The clerk said before returning to her duties. Raylan, on the other hand, returned to the main lobby and waited for Clara to return as well.
It took about 15 minutes, but eventually Clara came out with a large smile and joined him in the lobby.
"Well that was easier than expected. Even got a stack of c-bills for the trouble." Clara said, chuckling. Raylan nodded.
"Same here. So, what do we do now? I can't imagine the Colonel wants us to wander around the city off leash." Raylan said.
"I suppose we just wait here for now." Clara said, flopping down into a plush arm chair near the main entrance. "So, I hear you're going to be doing some recruiting soon? Getting us some new squad members, huh?"
"Guess so. A squad can't be just the two of us, unfortunately. And I doubt Colonel Kain wants a two-man team." Raylan said, taking a seat across from her.
"Fair enough. Think the Colonel is going to put the fact we're Wolves in the flock?" Clara asked, looking around the room.
"I suppose it will have to be brought up at some point. We can not exactly have members of our lance shooting us in the back during a firefight because of prejudice."
"Can't say I blame them completely. Have you seen some of the trivids of the Rasalhague Republic? Or what's left of it, anyway?" Clara asked and Raylan shuddered.
"I've been trying to avoid it." He admitted. It had been almost 8 years since the invasion ended, but the Inner Sphere was still in the process of recovering from the juggernaut that had been the Clan war machine. Even now, he had overheard more than a little dissent about the arrival of Clan Wolf in Exile and their subsequent asylum on Arc Royal.
"Well, we'll just have to be careful. I'm looking forward to getting our first op, anyway. Itching to bring Hex out for a real fight." Clara said, referencing her brand new Hellbringer.
"No…Loki, not Hellbringer." Raylan thought, trying to get used to the Inner Sphere designations for omnimechs.
The Colonel appeared a few moments later, holding a credstick and smiling wide.
"Alright you two, now that you're registered and all that, I can formally welcome you aboard Kain's Cavalry. As such, I'll get you both fitted for uniforms and such. You'll also have to report to Doc Winters for an exam. But for tonight, we are gonna celebrate. Let's get back to the Blackstone and get the rest of the crew and hit the town." Cassie said, clapping both on the shoulder warmly with a wide smile.
"Sounds good, Colonel." Clara said, smiling widely back.
"You will have to teach me what an Inner Sphere celebration looks like, Colonel." Raylan said, smirking to himself. "I doubt any of you freebirths could keep up with a trueborn warrior."
"Oh ho ho, is that so Captain? Well we'll see about that. Come on, get in the cab." The three piled in and returned to the Blackstone. Colonel Kain used the dropship PA system to call every member of the Cavalry to the mechbay and beamed at them.
"Alright Cavalry, its been a helluva year. We earned a ton of creds, we got some new gear and…"she looked at Raylan and Clara "…some new personnel. And now, as the year comes to a close, we got our bonuses!"
A cheer went up that caught both Clanners off guard, not comprehending what the idea of a bonus was or why everyone was so excited.
"And, with the registration of our two new mech pilots today, we can formerly welcome Captain Raylan Vickers and Sergeant Clara into our fold. As such, and with the end of the year, tonight we are all going out. My treat! So, get your shit cocked and locked and let's all party like it's the end of the world!"
Another cheer went up and the crowd separated quickly to finish whatever tasks they had to do in order to leave with the main group of Cavalry members. A broad shouldered woman with ashy blonde hair came over and punched Raylan in the shoulder jokingly.
"Heeeyyy, pup! Congrats and welcome to the family officially." She said, her voice cheery and friendly.
"Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel Hart. It is an honor to serve with you all." Raylan said, smiling back at Hart. She had been, by and large, the friendliest of the Cavalry members outside of the Colonel. She was the unit's X/O and leader of the infantry squad, the Flamehearts and one hell of an adrenaline junkie.
"Aw, come on Ray. Lighten up a bit. I know you're still getting used to the whole Inner Sphere thing and I know not all the Cavalry has been exactly…warm to you two, but trust me, nothing gets people friendlier than a few strong drinks together. Well, except maybe combat but I'm sure that'll come in time." She paused and leaned in, tightening her eyes into a fierce glare. "And I thought I told you to call me Mustang, Captain."
"Yes ma'am." Raylan replied giving a small smirk and fake salute. Mustang smiled and gave Raylan's face a couple of light slaps in jest before turning to Clara.
"You two are riding with me and the Flamehearts in Milo's little flyer. Nothing gets you pumped like that kids flying." She said, wrapping her massive arm around Clara's shoulders.
"If you insist, Mustang." Clara said, smiling but clearly uncomfortable in the large woman's grip.
"Awesome!" She turned across the hangar to a young, wiry man scrubbing the exterior of a Cavalry Attack Helicopter "MILO! WE GOT THE NEWBIES TO COME!"
"AWWW COME ON, MARISHA! I JUST CLEANED THE DAMN THING!" The pilot, Milo shouted back and Mustang laughed.
"TOO BAD KID! GET 'ER READY! YOU GOT 10 MINUTES!" Mustang shouted back before letting go of Clara and wandering off to prepare herself for the evening. Raylan and Clara shrugged at each other and climbed into the Cavalry.
"Kind of a convenient name, huh?" Clara asked Milo as he seated himself in the pilot's seat.
"Sure would be if the Colonel hadn't chosen it specifically because of the name. Hell, Honeybee probably would've been one two if it came in Medevac variety. As such, she had to settle for the Kestrel but ah well." He said, flipping the switches and spinning the rotors up. "Hope you two didn't eat a big lunch."
"Are you really that crazy of a pilot?" Raylan asked, buckling himself into the rumble seat behind the pilot's.
"Listen, I don't know how they do things in the Clans, but when you've gotta fly through a sea of flak rounds to try and hit an enemy 'mech with a flight of SRM's at 167 kp/h, you learn how to duck and weave. If people see that as "crazy" then that's their choice. I call it survival."
"Fair enough." Raylan said with a shrug as Marisha and the rest of the Flamehearts climbed aboard the Cavalry.
"Allllright, Milo. Colonel wants to go to the Red Fox Run. You remember that one, right? The one were you thought you were gonna get lucky and…-"
"Yea yea yea, I got it Mustang. I got it." Milo said, cutting off the Lieutenant Colonel's story before it got too embarrassing, Raylan assumed. The Cavalry VTOL lifted off the ground, pulled out of the Blackstone and rocketed up into the air as Milo called for clearance and received it just as fast.
Raylan was surprised at first, the ride was smoother than he expected and not at all the wild ride Mustang had advertised. Then, out of seemingly no where, Milo shot straight up until the rotors stalled out and they flipped upside down and straight down. The ground raced up to meet them as rain was like white streaks in the dark sky around them.
Then the blades kicked in again and they pulled up a few meters above the road, kicking up a mass of rotor wash to the annoyance of a group of pedestrians on the street. The VTOL rotated completely and, for a moment, Raylan felt his stomach leap up into his throat as his head faced the ground for a moment. The infantry troops cheered, hooting and hollering as they enjoyed every moment.
Raylan did his best to appear at peace with the whole affair, even as his heart hammered against his chest like an autocannon. Clara was much more open about her fear, gripping the hand rail as if her life depended on it. Mustang watched on in amusement and gave Raylan a vaguely impressed look, although he was sure she could see right through him.
The VTOL set down a few moments later and Clara stumbled out of the vehicle, nearly falling on her face before one of Mustang's infantry crew, nicknamed "Chief" caught her and helped her catch her footing. Raylan stepped out and stretched out. Mustang walked by and gave him a slap on the shoulder, catching Raylan off guard.
"Not bad, Clanner. Come on, we'll show you how to drink here in the Inner Sphere." Mustang said, motioning over her shoulder with a wave. Raylan moved to her side and walked in with her as she strode up to the bar.
"Fairly certain I could drink you and your whole crew "under the table", I believe is the right saying." Raylan shot back.
"Oh, now its on. Here I'll start you off easy." She held up her hand with two fingers raised to the bartender, who quickly brought two dark amber colored drinks with foamy heads in chilled glasses to them.
"And what is this?" Raylan asked, raising the glass and sniffing at it, finding the scent bitter.
"Highland Stout. Comes from Northwind. Stronger than normal beer but weaker than what I normally drink. Drink up." She poured the liquid down her throat in a great chugging motion and Raylan was taken a back from the moment.
He followed suit but almost coughed when the drink hit his tongue. The smell didn't do the taste justice and he fought the liquid down his throat, but still finished it regardless.
"That was different." He muttered and Mustang laughed.
"What? Too strong?" She mocked and smiled "We can stop if you want."
"Nothing like that. Just, where I am from, drinks are generally appetizing." He shot back, giving her a smirk.
"Ohhh, I see. Hey barkeep!" She called and the woman came over. "Two Lighthorses, please, for me and my friend here. Make 'em strong."
"What is a "Lighthorse?"" Raylan asked as the bartender walked away.
"Mixed drink. Two parts dark rum and one part pineapple juice. Should be sweeter for you, pup." Mustang said and Raylan shrugged.
He took in the Red Fox Run finally and was surprised. It was almost quaint in comparison to the streets of Outreach which had been all neon and new looking. The interior was faux wood and inlays. Reproduction paintings hung on the walls and soft lights gave it a more familiar, homey feeling. It was placed in contrast to the rowdy crowd of mercenaries now partying in it.
The drinks arrived, smaller glasses this time, and both grabbed the drinks saluting each other with the glasses before downing the mix. Raylan liked this one more, the sweet taste sitting on his tongue pleasantly. He signaled this with a thumbs up to Mustang who laughed.
"Alright, next! Scorpions!" Mustang called out and the pair continued their "contest" from there. Finally, after almost an hour and a half of very strong, very sweet drinks, both were well inebriated and laughing at almost everything. They had settled into a routine of PPCs, the official version of 4 shots Everclear and Mustang refused to move from the Davion version of Brandy.
"Hey, Mustang…"Raylan slurred, looking across the bar at a woman he hadn't seen on the Blackstone previously "who's that over there?"
"Oh, that? That's Naomi Sasaki, kid." Mustang slurred back, slightly thicker before tossing back another PPC. "She's our resident mechcommander, so you'll get your objectives, routes and all that for you stompers from her."
"Mechcommander? What's that?" Raylan didn't try to put up his act, far to drunk to worry about anyone knowing he wasn't Inner Sphere.
"Basically, she'll keep your asses from getting blown off." Mustang said before giving Raylan a nudge in the ribs and sly smile. "I could introduce you two if you want, you dog?"
"Do not be a lecher…speaking of which…" Raylan's eyes wandered around the room and found Clara giggling in a booth with a pair of techs and one of Cassie's mech pilots named Angela Santos. The woman was very tan with dark hair and bright eyes that were increasingly dull at the moment.
"They look like they're havin' fun." Mustang said as she and one of her other infantry men took another shot and Raylan ordered another of the Lighthorses and a PPC as well. "Whoa, easy there big fella. Don't wanna have to carry you home. Trust me, Milo's piloting is not good on an alcoholic stomach."
"I am fine, Mustang. I am fine…" Raylan muttered downing the shot of the PPC in tandem with an infantrywoman nicknamed "Sage". The woman smiled and tipped her glass to Raylan before wandering away as Raylan stumbled his way to Clara's table and slipping into the sea, although the motion was more like falling.
"Raylan! Just the guy I was hoping would escape Mustang's clutches! You've met Angie, quiaff?" Clara slurred even heavier than he or Mustang had and the mix of Clan and Sphereoid speech was nothing more than amusing.
"Aff, Clara. I have. Nice to see you again Corporal." Raylan slurred.
"You too, Cap. I like you two. I saw how your kind fought and I can now completely say you party just as hard. Hell even the techs are getting into it!" Angela said motioning to the two mech techs that were laughing at something the other said.
"Well that's good. Clara do you remember that guy in our star back in REVIVAL? What was his name? The one in the Kit Fox?"
"Ohhhh, Rexa? The one who fell off the cliff?" She asked and Raylan nodded. Clara grabbed Angela on the arm and smiled wide. "Oh my God, you will love this, so…"
Clara told the story of her and Raylan's ex-teammate who somehow managed to fall of a cliff in a Kit Fox and land flat on his back in a city full of Free Rasalhague Republic infantry and mechs. About half way through, the four that had started where cackling and had gathered a larger crowd, including most of the other mech pilots and infantry. By the end, everyone was laughing and Raylan and Clara were in tears, hanging off each other.
"You two oughta drink more, it's a riot." One of the infantry men said, holding his sides. Even the massive ex-Kuritan mech pilot simply known as "Tau" was laughing.
The night went on and by the end, Raylan and Clara had gotten a cab back to the Blackstone, Raylan having to hoist Clara onto his shoulders and carry her into the ship as she couldn't walk more than two steps. He couldn't walk forward straight but managed to stumble his way to her bunkroom and lay her in the bed. He stood up and let out a breath before turning and making for the door. He took a step forward, watched the world go black and slumped to the ground.
Raylan woke up the next morning early and clawed his way out and back to his own room, his head pounding and world swimming. He made a mental note that drinking with the crew was fun but the next morning was full of consequence. Raylan felt like only a minute had passed when there was knock on his door and the Colonel walked in.
"Well, looks like you enjoyed yourself Captain." She said with a laugh.
"Yes sir, remind me never to challenge Mustang to a drinking competition again…" Raylan muttered, shielding his eyes from the lights.
"Noted. Follow me, Raylan, we've got some work to do today." Cassie said, motioning for the former Clanner to follow. He did so after a moment and the pair walked to the Colonels office, finding Mustang, Milo, Doc Winters and the woman he had seen last night, Naomi Sasaki already there. "Alright, so this is our new command structure. I'm pretty sure you all know each other but I'll run down the list for Raylan's benefit. Alright so, you're familiar with Mustang, she's in charge of our Infantry and Clean-up operations. Milo is in charge of our air forces and surveillance, Doc Winters…well that should be obvious and, hopefully, unneeded, and Naomi is our tactical lead. She's the one in charge of full operation."
"A pleasure." Raylan said nodding to everyone. They all nodded back and Cassie placed her hands on her desk.
"Right, so I know we're not at full strength but we need to start thinking about our next contract. We made enough to get by but more than 5 months and we'll be hemorrhaging money. So, I've got a few job offers lined up." The Colonel opened up the holographic display and it displayed brief outlines on three contracts. One was a standard corporate defense contract, the unit would provide security for the main factory and convoys to and from the spaceport. Another was pirate elimination in the periphery, a boring job for anyone with any combat experience under their belt. Finally, a job offer from the Outworlds Alliance was asking for a mercenary unit to take on other merc units on the world of Alegro. The Alliance had been suffering from internal strife for years and the Land Barons on Alegro had seen fit to use the time to try and seize control and property from the others on the planet through force. It had devolved into basically a wasteland of warring fiefdoms.
There was a moment of silence while the other members of the command structure read over the contracts. They all stepped back afterwards and waited. Cassie nodded, more to herself before continuing.
"Alright, I'm favoring the Outworlds Alliance job. Longer contract, further away from home but the pay and salvage rites are better. Plus, it never hurts to have friends in Periphery States and this would be a government sanctioned job." The Colonel said and got a nod from Doc Winters and Mustang.
"I dunno about you all, but I became a merc to get a way from politics…" Milo said, folding his arms over his chest. "…I'd rather take the defense job."
"The defense job is on an iceball, kid. Bad weather would put you on the ground all the time and lessen our surveillance by a large amount." Mustang said back.
"Pirate hunting wouldn't be bad to get our new members up to speed on how we operate as a unit, though. I know its not exciting but we could think of it as a training op." Naomi said, looking up from her PDA at Raylan. "No offense, Captain."
"None taken. I understand I operate in a way completely…alien to you. That being said, I would much rather face a better trained opponent. Pirates were the first units we fought during Operation: REVIVAL and I can fully say we won't learn how to function together from fighting them." Raylan said, noting that no one flinched at the mention of his combat history.
"Then, what would your vote be, Captain Vickers?" Cassie asked, although Raylan was sure she already knew.
"My vote is also the Outworlds Alliance job. If I understand how this mercenary life works, more money is always the better option, right?" He asked
"If the risk is worth the reward." Naomi said with a sigh. "I'll start gathering mapping data and formulating attack plans. Colonel, alert me immediately once Panther Lance is up to strength."
"Of course, Commander. You'll be the first to know." The Colonel clapped her hands together. "Alright, I'll get the rest of the paperwork in order and start arranging for transport as well as getting in touch with our contact in the Alliance. Raylan, you and I will head out in two days to find our recruits. Mustang, make sure the infantry is ready for woodland and "open air" combat. Milo, I want Warhorse and Honeybee set for fast moving. I'm almost positive they'll have LRM carriers on site to try and shoot us down and I won't have that. Doc, I'll need your honest assessment on casualties we could face later. Let's get a move on."
The group separated and Raylan headed for the mechbay to check on Ghira, his Cauldron Born he had received before leaving the Clan. He had asked if the paintjob, and all black camo affair would be a problem but the Colonel ensured him that they would just make his lance's color scheme match. The only real difference between his and the normal Cavalry scheme was the gold, which he wasn't opposed to adding. In fact he had planned on adding the gold trim to it before they left. With a shrug, he headed over to one of the techs and asked if they could put the adjusted paintjob for Ghira and Hex on their list and she responded that it wouldn't be a problem.
The next few days past uneventfully in Raylan's eyes, although the dropship Blackstone was a buzz with a flurry of activity. Finally, the day came for Raylan to go with Colonel Cassie Kain and find their last two mechwarriors. He had read through the files three times but found them all wanting in the end. He knew he would have to pick from the lot but he wasn't pleased about it.
"If it helps, Raylan, I had a few people join on just from walk ins. So there is always hope." Cassie said as they pulled back up to the Red Fox Run. Raylan shuddered as the memory of the hangover washed over him. They had arrived 15 minutes early for their first potential to show up.
"So, how does this work?" Raylan asked as they entered and found a booth to sit in. Cassie ordered two coffees and smiled at the waitress who gave Raylan a hesitant look. "My units were assigned by the Galaxy, no one below had a say."
"Don't worry, I'll take the first few and then you can take over. Does that sound fair?" Cassie asked, sipping the hot coffee gently.
"Sure. I'll observe and jump in when I need." He also took a sip of coffee, finding the bitter drink carried tastes of caramel, hazelnut and chocolate. A much better mix than he had experienced before. "And what do we do about my…heritage."
"I'll take care of it. And if worst comes to worse…well…" Cassie patted the large pistol on her hip and gave Raylan a wink. Both made idle chat while they waited until the first candidate entered and sat down. He was a large man, Lyran descent, Cassie claimed and Raylan took note.
The whole process seemed boring and pointless to Raylan, questions that didn't seem to go anywhere and answers that left even more to be desired. It seemed more like a show than anything but Raylan did his best to pay attention.
Raylan took over the questioning about 45 minutes in, leading the charge and moving through potentials and walk ins a like with an ease that surprised even himself. The answers began to irritate him even more but he pushed through and watched the recruits carefully. The answers to the question of his Clan heritage ranged from disbelief, to anger, to indifference to fascination although neither revealed who exactly was a Clanner and most seemed too dense to figure it out themselves.
"This is getting us nowhere, Cassie." Raylan said leaning back in the booth seat, arms folded across his chest. "You are the expert at this, show me how a professional would sort through this mess."
"With pleasure." Cassie said, shifting papers around and tossing multiple stacks into the trash next to them. "These two. They were honest, upfront and didn't seem to react negatively to you."
"Alright…" Raylan muttered and looked over the files more carefully. One was a woman named Alexa Reyes, an ex-Capellan Confederation mechwarrior who had seen action at the end of the Clan Invasion and some border disputes afterwards. Her record wasn't spotless, but had high marks in gunnery and piloting. Her superiors noted that she had been a fine pilot but often disputed orders if they went against a personal code she held. Raylan made a mental note to ask about that more carefully when and if they met again. It might be something they could work with. The second was a man, although Raylan would call him a boy, named Jason Wybjorn. He had been a Free Rasalhague Republic native who had been displaced during the Invasion and joined the military under a false name and age at 15. He had missed the invasion by only a year, graduating from a Draconis Academy with commendation for piloting but a noted lack of gunnery precision and a hot temper. A risk, but far better than anyone else they had seen yet.
Raylan paused, finishing his third cup of coffee, and let out a sigh before rubbing the bridge of his nose. He nodded and Cassie summoned both to take a seat. Reyes was a tall, wiry woman whose eyes were intense but seemed calm and focused. He could see the muscle on her body and made a mental note that she was physically adept. Wybjorn was short, stocky and somewhat fidgety, something Raylan passed off as nerves for an interview. His record had mentioned he hadn't had as many jobs as Reyes.
"Alright, you two seem to be the best candidates for what we need. Captain Vickers and I just have a few more questions not covered previously." Cassie began, looking to Raylan calmly. "Captain, if you'd please…"
"Right. First of all, Reyes, your file looks good but it does have disciplinary marks for disobeying orders from superiors. When question you replied the orders "violated your code", could you elaborate on that for me?" Raylan asked, looking eyes with the woman.
"Of course. I believe in honor, sir. I am an artillery shooter, my Catapult is practically designed for it. Being said, I've seen what a full flight of LRM's can do to the surrounding area. Those orders were to fire into areas that had noncombatants in the area or on already crippled opponents. I refused to do so."
"I can understand that. It is similar to a code I carry myself. Your want to preserve civilian infrastructure and life is commendable."
"Thank you, sir." Alexa responded, and Raylan smiled. She was a professional and he liked that.
"I noticed you are ex-House Liao. That doesn't happen often. Clean break or is there something we should know about?" Cassie asked and Raylan saw Alexa shift uncomfortably. "I'm not accusing you of anything, Reyes, but you understand I have to protect my company. We are mercs, after all, and bad rep is bad business."
"I uh…well…" The woman paused and took a deep breath. "…I ran into some trouble due to an…unfortunate run in on R&R, ma'am. It won't effect you or yours should I be hired."
"Right. Well, I'll hold you to that." Cassie said, nodding slightly. Both Cavalry members turned on Wybjorn and the young man shuddered. "As for you, is this your real name or the alias you used to join the KungsArmé?"
"You know about that?" Jason asked, his skin turning slightly paler than before.
"Its our job, kid, now answer the question." Cassie responded leaning forward. Jason gulped down the lump in his throat.
"Officially, yes that is my legal name now but no it wasn't always. I could tell you my old name, but I don't think it matters much anymore."
"If its legal, I suppose not. Raylan, all yours." Cassie said, shrugging and leaning back again.
"Right, it says you pilot an Archer but have low marks in gunnery precision. How is that? I cannot imagine a missile boat trying to lob volleys without at least average aim." Raylan said and saw the man's eyes narrow.
"I don't think those records are completely accurate. My gunnery is just fine but my ex-commander probably marked them lower to try and earn more credit from our last job."
"I am afraid I do not understand." Raylan said, looking at Jason calmly. "Elaborate for me."
"My ex-commander was a glory hungry piece of…well he was a scumbag. Our first and last op together, he had me and my buddy lobbing volleys into an enemy stronghold. I tallied 2 kills on light mechs, plus vehicles and buildings. My buddy did similar damage. Then the bastard ordered us to charge. So we did. Long story short, they had an assault mech waiting. Tore my buddy's mech in half but we managed to get it internal. Then that bastard strolls in, takes the last shot claims total victory for himself while saying my friend's lack of piloting skill got him killed. After that I…well I left the KungsArmé. Been wandering ever since."
Cassie and Raylan exchanged glances but finally the Colonel just shrugged and nodded her approval. Raylan turned back to the recruits and looked at them seriously.
"Final question for both of you, how would you feel about working with Clanners?" He asked, stating it matter of factly.
"Ha, if that ever happened I think I'd probably punch the bastards right in the jaw for what they did to Rasalhague. Dirty bastards practically steam-"
"You mean how would we feel working with you, Captain?" Alexa said, cutting Jason off as he gaped in a mix of awe and horror at Raylan, who smiled.
"Ah, finally. And what gave me away, Reyes?" Raylan said looking at her with curious eyes.
"Well, to be honest, the way you talk. Although to be fair, not many people as young as you have completely white hair and beard. Though I would've thought hair that long and stubble went against Clan dress policy."
"It would, if I was still a member of the Clan. I, too, left of my own volition along with a compatriot who will be your lancemate, should you accept the offer. And, of course, my heritage doesn't offend you too much."
"Not at all. We all have pasts, and that shouldn't effect a working relationship in the future. My Cat is yours, if you'll have me." Alexa said and the Colonel extended her hand.
"Welcome aboard, Private. We'll get you signed and ready soon. We'll be on a dancefloor sooner than you'd think." She turned to Jason after releasing Alexa's hand so she and Raylan could shake, finding his jaw still hanging open. "And you, War Bear? Will you let a war you had nothing to do with cloud your sight and possibly your employment?"
"You…you are from Rasalhague Colonel? How can you work with one of the monsters that invaded our country and pillaged our people?" He guffawed. Cassie shrugged.
"I wasn't part of Rasalhague when the Clans hit. Not my people, not my land. Besides, last time I checked, the Wolves did a better job at keeping damage to a minimal than any Successor State had before it. Surprisingly surgical from 70-ton war machines." She chuckled.
"And what of loyalty? He freely admits to leaving his Clan to come here. Doesn't that make you nervous?" Raylan could see the kid was loyal, a good trait if it could be redirected.
"Captain Vickers reasons for leaving Clan Wolf in Exile are known to me and, even so, they are his and his alone. I have no doubt he will serve me loyally and without question because I am his superior officer. Isn't that right, Raylan?" She asked and Raylan sat rigidly straight.
"I die on your command, Colonel." Raylan said, calm and without leaving room to question. Jason turned to him and glared daggers. "I understand your anger, Jason, but it is misplaced. You have potential and if your story is true, which I do not doubt, you could be a great boon to our unit and my lance. I have to know you will not shoot me or my friend in the back during an op."
"And how do I know I can trust you?" Jason asked, his voice full of venom.
"I will not ask you to do anything I would not do myself, Jason. I seek no glory and no victory that would cost you, Reyes or Clara your lives. You will have every opportunity to show your skill and earn your legacy as I have earned mine but know this…" Raylan leaned in close, narrowing his own eyes to glimmering slits of malice. "…if you do anything to endanger my lance or the Colonel's command, I will put you in the ground before you can pull the trigger."
There was a moment of silence and Jason's expression lightened visibly. He nodded to himself and sat back looking at Raylan carefully.
"I've always felt like I could get a good read on people, Captain, and I believe you are telling the truth. So, I will work for you, if you'll have me. Perhaps you can convince me not every Clanner is a bloodthirsty monster."
"I look forward to that, Wybjorn." Raylan extended his hand and after a moment of hesitation, Jason shook it firmly before shaking the Colonel's hand as well.
"Well, with that out of the way, I expect you two to report to the Dropship Blackstone by 1600 hours tomorrow with your mechs. Like I said, we have an op we'll be setting out for within the week and I'd prefer not to keep our contract holder waiting."
"If I may ask, Colonel, where is our first contract going to be?" Alexa asked as Raylan and the Colonel stood to leave.
"Outworlds Alliance. Fightin' other mercs for the government back Land Baron on the world of Alegro. Easy work and salvage without many surprises, hopefully." Cassie responded and nodded to both of them before leaving.
"So, I guess that went well…" Raylan said as he and the Colonel got back into a cab and headed for the spaceport.
"Better than I expected. Honestly, I thought Wybjorn was gonna reach across the table and fight you. Are you sure you want him in your lance?" Cassie asked as the streets of Outreach rushed by and a Centurion marched in one of the large causeways through one of the rows of buildings, its shadow looming over them as it did.
"He has passion, and passion is good. If I can earn his respect, I care little about his past or allegiance. After all, you pay his checks. It wouldn't be good for him to blow his commander away when all the data is recorded and sent to Naomi live." Raylan said, watching the medium battlemech march away out of the back window of the cab.
"That's a fair point. Nothing talks stronger than c-bills in the end." Cassie said with a sigh.
"Does it really not bother you? What happened to Rasalhague, I mean?" Raylan asked, looking at the Colonel carefully. She shrugged.
"No more than anyone else I suppose. I mean, sure it was painful to see my home world under assault, but it hadn't been my home world for many years. The Rasalhague Republic, despite its name, never felt free to me or my family. I just made the choice to move on and make something better."
"Do you regret it? Do you ever feel…" Raylan paused, trying to think of the correct phrase. "…homesick?"
"No, not really." Cassie said after thinking about it for a moment. She seemed to understand what Raylan was asking even if he was being dodgy about it. "The Cavalry is my home. The men and women under my command are my family. If I am doing right by them, I figure that I'm doing alright. Besides, who says any of us can't go home eventually?"
"So, no regrets what so ever?" Raylan asked and Cassie shook her head.
"I've fought with the LCAF, the Grave Dancers and then founded my own company. I've seen good men and women chewed up by war and spit out as corpses. I've dragged my own name through the mud to keep my unit afloat. If I regretted leaving some world half the Sphere away out of some familial pride, I'd be a damned foul mercenary commander. Loyalty is what you make of it, Raylan. And I chose that mine would be for the people I fight and die with."
Raylan didn't respond, turning and looking out the window silently as he thought on what the Colonel had told him. He had been a member of the Clan his whole life and part of the indoctrination process was that the Clan was everything and that they were serving a far higher purpose. He still felt adrift and lost, but somehow he understood and was comforted even slightly by the Colonel's logic.
Raylan watched as the dropship Blackstone grew larger and larger while the cab approached. The massive, sphereoid ship was his home now. Perhaps if he thought of the cavalry as a Clan; as his Clan; it would make the whole transition that much easier. He nodded to himself, locking the thought down as he and Cassie climbed the ramp into the dropship and he made his way to his room, deciding he would try once more to meditate as the Ghost Bear Star Colonel, Cole Woods, had taught him.
Hopefully this time he would be able to focus and center himself, a feeling he had missed the past three weeks. Raylan passed by his Cauldron Born and smiled as he watched a pair of techs painting the gold streaks into the black camouflage. These were small steps, but Raylan felt like soon he would feel right at home.
….