CHAPTER 2

Lexington, Kestrel Combat Region,
Crucis March, Federated Suns,
January 16, 3074

It was one of those times when Neptune wished to be left alone, free from the weight of the Inner Sphere, He had been out doing various missions for the better part of the year, and he was in his bed, naked, balls deep in the girl of his dream, when his comset rang inconsiderately. He tried to ignore the miserable thing and focus on the spasming, writhing, jiggling, squealing beauty under his body, but the ring felt louder and ruder by each passing minute.

"Don't stop… ohhh God please don't stop…" Carissa moaned with a sense of urgency.

Things had been going well with Neptune. The encounter with the mercenary band Lexington Legends gave his life a jumpstart. A construction worker, he climbed up the chain of command practically in one bad mission. Bad, because they got their backs against the wall and barely escaped the Capellan murderers, then the lance commander he rescued allegedly 'KIA' and he suddenly found himself in the commander's place. He found the sudden 'death' rather skeptical, but intrigued with the new opportunity, he went on with it anyway.

The event also elevated his relationship with Carissa, from bartender-customer to passionate lovers. They had known each other for a long time. They were compatible with each other, and Neptune appreciated it. He liked it if she could match his high physical intensity. He loved how her toes curled in the state of pure pleasure. He loved seeing her arms splaying behind her head, grabbing the sheets and pillows and everything within her reach. He loved watching her adorable face contorted in pain and pleasure. And he loved her vocal reaction, unintelligible moans, groans, shrieks and screams in the throes of passion. He wanted to enjoy those for hours, and he knew she wanted the same thing.

But he knew who called him, and the repercussion if he didn't answer.

"I'm sorry," he rolled off her and grabbed his comset. "I have to take this."

Carissa rolled over and groaned in frustration. Neptune dashed to the next room and pressed the receive button. "Yes?"

"Neptune, Korra," his commander's voice crackled. "I'll see you at the base in 30 minutes."

"Can you give me like, 1 hour, Ma'am?" Neptune pleaded. "I'm in the middle of something."

"Transmission from Major Fernandes commenced in 30 minutes," Korra said sourly. "Our boss is going to give us our next contract. If you don't want to be here in 30 minutes, that's fine. I'll find somebody who can."

"Thirty minutes, Ma'am." Neptune disconnected the comlink, and sighed heavily.

Neptune returned to the other room to find Carissa sitting on the bed with half of her clothes on. He knew how this conversation would end before it even started. "I have to go to work," he said, putting on his goofy face to lighten the mood. "Rain check?"

"The last rain check hasn't even been cashed out yet," Carissa grumbled. "Where are you going this time?"

"Don't know yet," Neptune said as he put on his clothes. "I guess I'll find out in 30 minutes."

"You're always going away!" Carissa burst. "This is not the kind of relationship I expected when we started going out!"

"Babe, this is my job," Neptune replied. "I never said anything when you have to work double shift, or to cover for your friend, or to spend Sunday afternoon at the bar with horny dudes. I never said anything because it is your job, and you're good at it."

"Yeah, but my job doesn't include getting shot at by angry mobs!" Carissa rose from the bed. "You're going away for a few months and I'm sweating here by myself, wondering if you're alive or getting trampled under a battlemech! What are you trying to do here? Are you not taking this relationship seriously?"

"I am taking this relationship seriously, but last time I checked you were the one that suggested I go find a mercenary position!"

"That was before you are my boyfriend! How different it is to have a boyfriend that's never around and to be single?"

"Babe, I'm sorry, I don't have time for this argument," Neptune put on his shoes. "My commander expect to see me in 30 minutes. We will continue this conversation when I get back."

"I have to work in the evening," Carissa snorted. "I have a job too, remember?"

"OK, then tomorrow."

"If you're not shipping out tomorrow."

"Carissa, don't make this more difficult than it already is," Neptune said morosely. "I like to stick around with you all day, but I am a mechwarrior. My job is to drive a battlemech and go fight another battlemech, to get money. I'm good at that, just like you are good at mixing drinks and make customers happy. We have our places in this world."

"All I want is for you to take our relationship seriously," Carissa said in the earnest. "As of now, you go away for a few months, then come home to hook up with me, only to go away again a few weeks later. I know you know what it sounds like, and that's not the relationship that I want."

Neptune didn't have an answer for that.

"I promise, I'll find time to talk about this. But now I really have to go." He kissed Carissa on the forehead then headed for the exit.

Arriving at the mercenary base, Neptune had to endure awkward moment and lewd stares from the rest of the company. They knew what he was doing all afternoon, and they couldn't wait to blow it out in the open if Commander Korra was not already taken command of the briefing room.

"Finally able to drag your balls out of the bed, Neptune?" she growled.

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am," Neptune replied.

"I see this becomes a habit, Neptune. I will let it go since it doesn't hurt the team. But if this affects the team, I will see to it that it is gone. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Neptune huffed.

"Alright, then. Everybody's here, so let's start the briefing. We got another contract from the 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry. This time we are going to Outworlds Alliance. Yes, this is an extended mission. We could be there for a year, possibly more."

Neptune could see his relationship with Carissa slipping away.
Korra turned on the main screen to show Major Fernandes, the mercenary's main Davion liaison.

"Greeting, Legends. As you may have heard, the Federated Suns has a sensitive job in Outworld Alliance. We have reports that over the last few months, DCMS activity in the FedSun – Outworlds Alliance increases. We don't now the nature of this increase, but MIIO had some data that DCMS Yakuza is behind this activity. We don't know what Yakuza is looking for at Outworlds Alliance. The Department of Military Intelligence wants this investigated, but if we go to the Outworlds Alliance, things can get complicated.

"That's where you come in. A mercenary unit reinforcing one of the warring families at the periphery.

"You will drop off at the world of Pummelo at the border of Davion – Kurita – Outworlds Alliance. The world is plagued with skirmishes between the Davion-backed Langmore family, the Kuritan-backed Okita family, and local Navarro family. You will support the Langmore family, but your real mission is to gather intelligence of what the Yakuza wants in this petty world.

"So sit tight and enjoy the local hospitality. You'll be in for a long ride. Protect the Langmore family as if it were your mission, but open your eyes and ears. I want to know what the Yakuza is after. But unless they draw first blood, under no circumstanced should you engage the Okita family. We do not want this to escalate into full-blown controversy.

"The contract is attached. If you accept, sign and return to me. A Davion jumpship will pick you up at Nadir point in 3 days, along with logistic and ammunitions. Be there on time or you void the contract. Any questions, ask the jumpship's captain. He can provide you with all the need-to-know basis.

"Good luck, Lexington Legends."

Korra turned off the screen. "That's our next mission. It's an open mission, meaning it ends until Fernandes says it ends. Now I want your battlemechs and your most valuable articles on the dropship by the end of today. We'll leave tomorrow morning to make it to Nadir point in 3 days. Question?"

Nobody said anything.

"Spend your last day at Lexington wisely. If you're not here tomorrow, considered yourself fired, and you will never work for any mercenary unit again."

The JM7-D Jagermech stood at the ready in the hangar, as if waiting for Neptune to take it to battle. The twin UAC-5 / ER Large Laser combo looked like a couple of assault rifles, pointing directly at him. Unlike its smaller, 65-ton siblings, the JM-7D looked more buffed with 4.5 tons of extra Ferro Fibrous. And the double heat sinks protruded from the spine of the mech, giving it an animalistic look of the otherwise trashcan-like body.

Three other mechwarriors waited by the feet of the Jagermech. They were Neptune's lance mates. Alec, a skinny tall man, standing as tall as Neptune, and Joezen, a short stocky old fella, rode the classic JM6-DD Jagermechs. Ian, standing somewhere in between the two lance mates at the end of the spectrum, piloted a powerful JM6-DG Jagermech, with 2 Gauss rifles capable of laying waste to any mech in one salvo.

"Trouble with the old lady, Boss?" Alec quipped as Neptune approached.

"We're going to be at the periphery for a lengthy period of time," Joezen added. "How are you going to break the news to her?"

"That is none of your concern," Neptune walked right past his three lance mates. "Your only concern is to get your battlemechs to the dropship."

"We all have the same favorite bartender, Boss," Ian snickered. "You are not the only one that goes to Redmond. We care about our favorite bartender, and we care about you."

"Let me tell you my experience," Joezen spoke like a teenager patronizing his little brother. "I once was in a situation like you. Things got complicated, and I had to choose between a mechwarrior career and a family man. I mean, what are you gonna do? On one side, battlemechs. Gotta go with battlemechs. On the other side, woman, with this big, round, succulent…"

"Alright, shut up, shut up," Neptune grumbled as he started climbing his mech. "You heard the Commander. Load up your mech to the dropships."

"Joezen and Alec have a point, Sir," Ian chimed in. "We don't know when we return from this one. How are you going to handle that with your girlfriend?"

"Look, I'll handle my girlfriend," Neptune said dryly. "Your job is to do what I say in combat. Now load your mechs to the dropship. Then spend your last night at Lexington wisely. Don't be late tomorrow or you'll be left without a job and without a mech."

"Yes Sir," the three replied.

Neptune watched as his three lance mates dispersed toward their mechs. He slipped into his Jagermech, cockpit, immersing himself with the buttons and toggles and screens. His hand drifted toward the joystick inadvertently, and his finger grazed the trigger. His mind brought him back several months ago to Sarna March where he spent nights after nights shooting at incoming VTOLs and bombers. It was a satisfying memory to relive, watching those four barrels lit up the night, capped with a flare of explosion at the end of its trail.

But none of those fun recollection could fill the hole in his heart. He knew Carissa wouldn't like this. He had to find a way to salvage his relationship with Carissa, if there was something to salvage at all.