Aries' Reach

Periphery

August 24, 3064

            It was very windy and cold on Aries' Reach, at least according to the sensors onboard the Lexington, the main DropShip for the Shadow Warriors. The Shadow Warriors were one of the smallest, but greatest, mercenary groups in the Inner Sphere. The Shadow Warriors had only Heavy Mechs, and not many at that. The prize of their collection was a Mad Cat that had been captured during the Clan Wars. Why they were at Aries' Reach only their commander, Colonel James Shaston, knew and he wasn't talking. All that they knew was that the planet had been a hotbed for Clan Mech and weapons research.

            They all figured that was why House Davion had signed them on to come here, that they were to recover some research and then return to New Avalon with it. The must have been why Victor Steiner-Davion had signed them on. It was rumored that he had spoken with the Colonel in person so as to totally sign the contract.

            Colonel James Shaston walked across the Dropship bridge and then turned to his four lance leaders. Lance Commander Tanya, Black Lead. Lance Commander Alex, Skeleton Lead. Lance Commander Lucy, Vampire Lead. Lance Commander Luke, Dragon Lead. All four of them lead heavy lances and all four were needed to find what they had been tasked to find.

            The Colonel turned to LC Tanya and started speaking to her.

"Tanya, I want Black Lance covering the Isilis Valley. I want every square kilometer of that area mapped down to every nook and cranny!" He turned to LC Alex.

"I want Skeleton Lance on the Plains of Battle. I don't think that you'll face any there but I want you there all the same!" He then turned towards LC Lucy and LC Luke, the only twin Lance Commanders.

"I want the Vampires and the Dragons here, creating a perimeter to protect us." He then addressed them all.

"Need I remind you ladies and gentlemen that we are in the Periphery here! Out here live the bandits, ruffians and everyone else civilization has rejected! Some may be armed with BattleMechs and, as of such, I want you all on your guard! We can't afford to lose any of you!"

            With that the four Lance Commanders ran off to their perspective lances and Mechs. Alex ran to Drop Bay One and Skeleton Lance, consisting of a Mad Cat, a Loki, a Black Hawk and a Thor. Tanya went to Drop Bay Two and Black Lance, consisting of a Nova Cat and three Vultures. Lucy went to Drop Bay Three and Vampire Lance, consisting of four Catapult Mechs. Luke went to Drop Bay Four and Dragon Lance, consisting of an Argus, a Thanatos, and two Bushwackers.

            As the separate Drop Bay doors opened, and their perspective lances lumbered out into the cold air, a machine on a nearby hillside regesitered the launching of multiple Mechs, some of which were heading out towards the Clan research station. It sent a quick encoded transmission to the research base and weapons that had been cold for a long time started to power up.

            The research base was preparing to recieve them. With open PPC's.

[Author's Notes: This is the first chapter in the series and so it is probably won't be too good. Please review and send your reviews to me. I hope to have the second chapter finished sometime next week. Thanks everyone!]