Mantharaka

Planetside


" Alright, Lance ! Keep up the pace- we have an RV to meet ! "

And how, Jared reminded himself, staring at the speedometer readout on his HUD. His Atlas was definitely setting an example for the rest of the Lance, pushing itself to its max speed at the command of the Mechwarrior at the controls who very much had a mission on the clock he wanted to complete.

Trees- tall, rotund ones that looked like they could stop a truck- were getting knocked over like they were made of paper already. The ground that stretched out behind him was pockmarked with deep gouges and pits, left by the Atlas' feet. Everywhere and anywhere, the gargantuan machine was landscaping the terrain as it plowed its way ahead.

Which, to be fair, wasn't exactly lightning fast.

Or even fast at all...at least if you compared it to a Medium Mech. Atlases were 100 tons ( and then some ) of stone-solid multi-layered, ablative armor, and hundreds of missiles for the SRM Launchers all taking up their own spaces that were tucked around the towering, 80ft tall chassis of the Mech. Every step, was like a quake that made the ground under each foot ( wide enough to park a car ) shiver for a moment, before the other foot came down...and then lifted again to step ahead all over again.

It was more of a lumbering Mastodon than a Cheetah, albeit a superbly protected one. The hulking Machine had shrugged off Particle Cannon hits, and without even losing armor plates ! Nor had it ever been knocked off its stability base, either ! It was, aside from the Annihilator , or the King Crab, the toughest Mech on the battlefield anywhere. No Mechwarrior or Mechtech worth their salt could argue with that...

" Copy that, Skipper !. ", acknowledged Test-9, as his usual upbeat self. His Annihilator lumbered and stomped along, knocking whole trees aside that weighed several hundred pounds as though they just weighed nothing at all.

That was an Annihilator all right...gargantuan, beefy and powerful to a point of absurdity. The only other Mechs that could accurately say they were at the same level were the Atlas, the Bull Shark...and arguably the Banshee. Just...total walking buildings, all of them. Tall enough to block out the sun when you stood at their feet, and heavy enough to cause localized quakes whenever they stepped forward.

No matter how often you did stand there, or pilot one, no less, did that sheer mass fail to astonish you. It was...a constant, of the MechWarrior life.

" Holding lane as ordered...! "

...Still, it didn't have the speed of a Griffin. Or, the graceful dexterity of how a Griffin could launch itself high over the ground, with the boost jets mounted at the base of the legs roaring like a Saturn V rocket. Yes, an Atlas could do the same...but, the sheer amount of tonnage that it had to heft just wound up dragging it back down to a world-shaking landing before you could even realize you'd taken off.

Watching the thick forest of pine trees rolling past on either side of him, bouncing and coming back up with every step, Jared couldn't miss how he wasn't racing along, as he would if he'd taken that 55-ton Griffin along otherwise.

It was a great balance of speed, armor, and firepower all for a bargain for any mech underneath 60 tons. The SLDF versions ( the ones that the Black Market could scrounge up from wherever they could be found...ie, the most secluded, darkest corners of unpopulated worlds ), were, obviously, the cream of that brand, and easily bridged the gap between medium and heavy mech, with Jared having more than a few kills during his earlier days of commanding the Lance by riding an SLDF-salvaged Griffin. Actually...he still had that one ! It wasn't along for this op, needless to say, though, as the overwhelming, city-destroying firepower that an Atlas could lug around was the only chance they had at beating the Black Widow...

...but, that was ok. There was a time and place for agility, as much as there was one for raw brute force of an Assault Mech. An SLDF Assault Mech, no less. Though, the Griffin was SLDF as well...

breep...!

A loud , digitized chime burst from the Atlas's main control console. Jared blinked, as the section of his mind that'd begun to wander was pulled back to join the other one-quicker than a lightning bolt back, to what the task at hand was-

...Aha...!

Right on cue-

On his helmet's HUD, that cue wasn't missed. Perfectly synced with the Mech's systems, and by extension, with the Leviathan cruising so high above following her orbital patrol route as she kept a lookout for the Black Widow's own warship. All combined, they were united to give Jared a full coverage of the battlefield...

Nobody, realistically, could sneak up on him here. Not when everything was operating as a concert...a wide net of observers , both electronic and otherwise, always scanning.

Always ready...

" Jared ! "

Sumire. Her always pleasant, clipped like it'd been treated with scissors voice filled the Atlas pilot's ears.

" Jared, respond ! ", the Navigator persisted. There was a note of urgency, ringing sharply as a Katana's edge as she spoke, and it immediately piqued the Atlas driver's attention.

Always got my back, don't you, Sumi...

Always...

He felt- strongly- the urge to actually say so by way of response...but this wasn't the place for it. They were still on the job, after all...

Drawing on his long-ago ( more or less ) military discipline from the Federation days, he compartmentalized the aforementioned drive to get personal ( for now ), and got professional. " Reading you loud and clear, Meyer. Send traffic. "

Aha- I can be a book-lover as well, you see

...She knows, but still...

Evidently, that was still true, because what Sumire had to say next now bore something else:

Something all Mechwarriors wanted to hear- that there was something real to go on.

" Jared...we're getting Heat Sigs from the edge of our probe's sensor range...! "

On the last second of hearing that, a trickle of adrenaline- liquid nitrogen- began to leak through Jared's blood. It was razor sharp, rapid as lightning , and no matter how many of these doses that he'd received over the many years that'd he'd spent riding a Mech, it did not fail to kick up his pulse.

So...there was someone out there after all.

And- well, that was where Sumire would come through. Again.

Like she always did.

"...Keep talking to me ", the Mechwarrior urged, as he watched yet more trees topple like matchsticks against the weight of his Atlas on his video feed. " I am all ears down here. "

Sumire did exactly that, and without missing a beat, as she always tended to do . " High atmosphere, descending fast. Sig strength is a match for Leopard MechCarriers...3 Lances worth..."

...3 , eh ?

"...And they're on course, based on their trajectory, right for the edge of your AO. "

" Jared...they're moving to engage !", the Taurian finished. Her voice's urgency, already strong, ratcheted up at least one more notch right then.

Ok, then...

More adrenaline began to flow, and with it, the Atlas driver's pulse sped up by at least a notch or so. The world ahead- and around- him began to...shift, and adjust, as his senses began to enter that heightened state of awareness that come from the concrete knowledge of that you knew, where the enemy now was.

Close, was where. Now, he knew. The enemy- the Black Widow herself, no less ! - was here now. She had reached the AO...

And, not just her. She'd brought two whole lances with her, at least. That was 8 whole Mechs worth of killing power...just as the Legion had deployed.

8 whole Mechs...that more than likely would be fully equipped and loaded with SLDF-grade gear. It was a known thing, after all, that the BWC had one of the highest kill counts of any of the myriad of PMCs roaming all over the 'Sphere, and given how few survivors she and her merry band of cutthroat murderers tended to leave behind...it only made sense that they were rocking SLDF technology...

Except, they already knew that.

Just once Mech-topsy on any of the Mechs that the BCW had melted or blown to slag across dozens of worlds would've revealed how they'd been struck by Pulse Lasers, or Gauss Guns- SLDF tech. Analysts from all of the Great Houses- and the Steel Legion itself, needless to say- had gotten a look at those smashed Mechs clearly obliterated by Star League weapons, and the realization that there was a rouge PMC on the loose with weapons of that level , that the whole 'Sphere would have to deal with...?

Oh, they knew.

They knew

"...Copy that, Sumire. ", Jared acknowledged, as he nodded by sheer reflex. He always did...whenever she told him something that really mattered. Something pertinent, and vital.

Like that.

It was the real kicker- not the SLDF weapons they were rocking ( everyone had been aware of that tidbit, for a while ), but...that they were here. That they were closing on them rapidly, and that they could be close enough to hit 'em before the day was out !

Depending, obviously, on where on the continent that they set down-

" Hang on...ok, ok. Looks like they're coming down on a course that will set them about...200 clicks from the Dobrev. ", the Tuarian supplied.

Ah...right on cue.

Perfect.

"... Adds up ", Jared acknowledged, as an electric charge began to slowly build through his blood. " Close enough to keep the trip from their LZ to the ship down to a few hours..."

"-and out of range of our shipboard weapons ". Frustration, however momentary, entered Sumire's tone.

" They're no fools. I'll give them that. " , agreed Jared.

He reached out, bringing the Atlas' arms up and forward with the effortless and fluid grace as if they were his own. The gigantic limbs, fists first, crashed against the trunk of an especially large tree that'd been looming up ahead of him, and for all its bulk, the oversized plant couldn't withstand the impact. With a monumentally loud creaking, cracking noise that that could send its vibrations even though the layers of super-dense metal armor plating that swaddled the Atlas' cockpit, the tree began to fall..

And then it hit. Leaves scattered, shooting skyward with a spray of dust.

"...What was that ?! ", exclaimed a unmistakably surprised Sumire. " Jared-! "

" What was- ?! "

The Federated Suns Mechwarrior didn't let her worry for longer than that, though- she had enough on her plate with him down here about to do battle against the full might of the BWC for that to happen...aside from how he was absolutely crazy about her.

So, he stepped forward ( verbally , that is ), and put a stop to her runaway anxiety: " Oh, that ? Big ol' tree blocking the way. Not anymore, though. Thank God we got a hold of those black market armature-enhancers from Cormodant, eh ? "

There'd actually been a slight grin tugging at one corner of his mouth as he said so, but...when nothing came back for several seconds, the Mechwarrior began to sense some uneasiness of his own beginning to creep over him. Not much, granted...but it was there.

And he couldn't ignore it.

After all...Sumire was always on point with her replies to whatever he had to say to her while covering the distance on the field. It was one of the constants of their relationship ( to name but one, at least ), and Jared couldn't really remember, off the top of his head, when something like this had happened last.

A drawn out, long-suffering sigh was the response to his casual reminder of how their clearing out the 'Sphere's Black Market stocks had come through for them yet again. A moment later, it was followed by an equally worn-out sounding , " ..Good God, Jared. Sorry about that...I-sorry. This whole thing with the BWC has got me on exposed nerves from head to foot...as if you couldn't tell. i KNOW YOU CAN, THOUGH. i SHOULD BE BETTER THAN THIS, AND i KNOW THAT. "

"...Hey, now...", the Federated Suns native gently admonished. " Hey...don't do that to yourself. That's just how you are: Always worrying about the things that are out there that can actually do some serious damage. That kind of thinking is how you don't get caught by surprise."

" Maybe...but I've gone overboard with it these recent days ", Sumire confessed, with more than a tinge of self-directed annoyance now beginning to show through.

That...now that was something else that she'd barely ever let slip, Jared realized at once. He didn't need to even think about for a moment, so used was he to the Taurian's normal self day by day. That was why, when she'd had those outbursts back on ship at the mere thought of fighting the BWC, it'd been a real blue moon moment for Jared- because she just wasn't like that. She just wasn't...

...But, then again..

Ahhhhh...!

Oh, come on, man.

How did you miss it...?

Mentally, the Mechwarrior kicked himself. Now, several pieces were falling together, and/but only now. How that was the case, eh couldn't right now, but it was like a light filer getting switched out- suddenly, everything looked different, even though he'd had that filer with him all along.

Sumire's worried about the " Pirate Point " jump navigation, to name but one. And, her fears about the " Locura " myth actually holding a degree of truth. Altogether, that all added up, and it was something that Jared really wished, now more than ever...that'd he'd noticed before.

But, why hadn't he, though..?

" Maybe you're finally rubbing off on me more than I thought...but...agh...I just...I just hate that I feel afraid of her ! I should've told you earlier...back on the 'Leviathan ' before you dropped- before you even told me you were planning to go head to head with her...", the Taurian swept on, accidentally crossing the tracks of Jared's thought train. The Federated Sun's man didn't object though- not out loud, though.

Let her finish, he reminded himself, as he steered his Atlas through a gap that stood between a pair of pointy-tipped boulders. There was a slight, reverberating krmmbl- deep and throaty, reaching all the way to where the Atlas pilot was seated, as one of the giant mech's legs brushed one of the sold rock formation, gouging it deeply, and scattering chunks everywhere.

"...Shoot ! ".

And, he'd been so careful, as well. Turns out, that gap was narrower than he'd figured...although, at he'd still won the contest between him and the rocks.

" Hey- Sumire ? Ignore that- just knocked over some rocky outcropping...nothing major. Please...continue. "

Had it not been for how she was still midway through a emotionally charged outpouring, Sumire would probably have changed lanes ( so to speak ) quicker than a Toyota driver

Let her finish. She deserves to have me as the one person she can pour her soul out to if she really needs to...

Besides...the more I know and file away about this side of her, the better witty one liners I can woo her with back at our room...

"...A..a boulder, Jared ? Be careful down there- Yang will have your head if you get that Atlas dinged up unnecessarily ! Or even necessarily, beyond the bare minimum..."

Now, that was certainly on point. Jared couldn't argue with it, and he wouldn't have anyway,e ven if he wanted to. A bemused smirk, seemingly with a life of its own, became his mouth's new shape for a moment.

Meanwhile, though, Sumire wasn't done.

" Well...regardless...I...I just wanted you to know ", she confessed...as a warble emerged around her words.

"...that you were right. ", the Taurian finished. " You were right- fighting the BCW and taking them out is the only option we've got. We can't run, because she'll just hound us forever. We've got to beat them. That's how this has to end. "

" Let me say that one more time: We've got to beat them. Not the other way around...no way. Understand ? "

Oh, Jared did...but...there was something...off about how she'd finished that.

Something...yes, something almost desperate, actually. It was yet another shock to what was pretty much already a long train of abnormal quirks the ever-composed Taurian navigator was showing off with the glaring brightness of a supernova: Emotional, antsy, borderline paranoid...and lastly as she'd just revealed ( accidentally , that is ), a hint of desperation that the Federated Suns Mechwarrior not die while at the controls of his beloved Atlas on this particular go-around...

Still...

He couldn't leave her hanging like that.

He wouldn't.

" ..You remember that saying I told you about ? The one me and the other guys from my Unit lived by, while were serving with the FedSun Army ? ", he asked.

" The one..."

There was a brief, quiet pause, and then-

"...Yes, I remember ", Sumire admitted. There was still a lot of worry as she spoke- palpable as ever- but...also a note of hope.

" Can you repeat it ", requested the PMC boss.

She could, as they both knew, and she did as he trusted her to.

"...' Trust God, your Ultra Auto Cannon ( UAC ), and the MechWarriors at your side ' ", she recited, with a near-perfect cadence.

Another quick stop, and then came the rest:

" ' And that Leopard to carry you home when the fight is won and done. The sweetest ever ride. ' ".

...Perfection.

Just...perfect...

Truly...it was. She had nailed it.

As if...she was herself a FedSun Soldier. She got it right...

And...everything it brought along.

For a flash, Jared could go back through space, and glimpse the days of soaking up withering blasts of Particle Projection cannon bolts from the muzzles of the Capellean Confederation's mechs. Their fire- literally- scorching the plates of the Griffin Mech that he'd commanded back during those days. And, his own fire, going downrange while lighting up his HUD with the glare of the UAC's muzzle flash, and the chest-rattling echo of their roar..

Overwhelming lethality. Death at every corner. Was it so different today ?

...Not really. The flag was different, but the methods were the same.

...Desperate ? From Sumire Meyer ?

...Really ?!

Jared blinked- the Atlas crossed a narrow river, which sent waves shooting out both ways, and barely lasted a second, as the 100 ton Mech dwarfed pretty much anything and everything that lay around it.

The pilot at the helm, though...only barely noticed. Nobody could have surprised him with an ambush, granted...but, the rest of him was somewhere else.

Or rather...with someone else.


" Jared ?!

" Hey, Jared ! Are you here ?! "

Few folks could pull off the " meticulously annoyed to a fine point " tone off better than someone who was a career administrator , and Sumire was no exception.

As if that wasn't a thing ( and, it actualy was ) someon who made a hbit of being a loose cannon and a tad of a wildcard during combat tended to really rik them like nothing else and nobdy else could. Bascially...if you were a former Fecerated Suns officer now leading one of the most high profile PMCs that was running ops across the ' Sphere, then you were the exact kind of person to regulary give the aforementioned admin person fits.

Or, at least tick them off with your unpredictability and wanton acts of spontaneity.

Like...about now.

" Jared ! "

Again, that laser-precise voice of hers, that Taurian bred, honed by their service academies voice, blared from some point behind Jared , and to his right.

No doubt coming to find him- that was for sure. She'd already entered the room , it seemed , as well. But, the machine shop ( or, at least this one ), on one of the hangar subdecks, was a pretty sprawling and packed up space, what with the plethora of crates, tables, and other assorted heavy gear and gadgets needed for welding, kitbasing, and modding anything that was made of metal and polymers on ship that wasn't a mech.

Nobody was here at the moment...except the Federated Suns Mechwarrior.

And , evidently, that beautiful, if rule-and-protocol-loving Taurian known as Sumire Meyer.

' Oh...'

'...Clock's run out...! '

Jared did not flinch at her call...but he nearly did. He wasn't nervous...but...

' Its not ready yet...! '

Adrenaline...now it began to flow. Now , he began to feel the squeeze to finish his project...

Granted, it was so close to completion. Glancing down at it again, his gaze danced across it, and realized this was correct. But-

" JARED !? "

- he had perhaps a minute- or even less- before the clock would run out. Failing to beat that deadline...well, it wouldn't be a total disaster, exactly, but the element of surprise would be gone.

And, surprise was as valuable for what he had planned here, now. As well secured from any gunfire, missiles, or energy salvos aboard the armored halls of the ' Leviathan ' as he was...surprise was still worth its full weight, even with no one anywhere near him who would do him harm.

Well...not psychical harm, anyway...

" There you are ! Where have you been ?! "

'Uh oh '

Something chilly puled through Jared's blood- but, she still couldn't take his attention off the project sitting on the table before him. It was still spattered with paint, surrounded by brushes, and...well, was it finished ?

This was how he was finding out ? Who could he be sure ? Was he even ?

...' About to find out...', he had no choice but to acknowledge.

' And not the way I was planning, either..'

Breathing out slowly, he turned around swiftly, and was greeting by the ( always pleasant ) sight of Sumire standing a few feet away from him.

Always pleasant, yes, but not as he normally was. Rather than her usual outfit of that trim and official looking , opened up coat that came down to just past her waist, with dress slacks and boots, she was currently dressed much more casually: cargo slacks, running shoes, and and a pullover that had the logo of the Royal flight school that'd taught her to fly a leopard, back on Taurus.

Casual, practical, and thoroughly attractive. She couldn't help it- even when off the clock and out of uniform, she managed to look drop dead gorgeous.

And...at the moment,t also rather miffed as well.

" Jared ! ". The pretty navigator put her hands on her well-rounded hips, and fixed the Federated Suns Mechwarrior with a not-exactly-angry, but still impatient, and also penetrating look. " Really, now..."

" Did nobody ever tell you to not keep a woman waiting ? Everyone's already headed for the Hydroponic garden, and Doc Murad promised to do her sliced tomato bake dish again for us ! But...you're here ? Doing..."

" What...exactly ? "

For a second, she took those clear, striking eyes off him, and panned them around the space, taking account of how many boxes, crates, and barrels there were stacked and piled up around it, along with the assortment of welding, metalworking and soldering tools, and scanning, welding and splicing equipment. Cables and hoses, wires and cords lay coiled and stacked up from out of the tops of more crates, open ones, and racks of heavy metal slabs glinted under the harsh glare of several overhead lamps.

With a long-lived and deeply set sense of anylyzing and examination, Sumire figured out pretty wick that Jared hadn't been messing around with any of that, though. Even if he'd had been, then put everything back, there'd always be a trace of something that Taurian would easily detect- a burn mark here, a loose dangling socket-end there...etc. There's always be something to give something else away...

Speaking of which...giving thing away.

Well, it wasn't as if he was planning on hiding it from her for good. But, it was still an issue of-

" See something you fancy around here ? Besides me, obviously. "

As suave talk went, Jared had himself heard worse from the countless cafes and food stalls that dotted the Megacities the Company often visited. He usually found them cringe-y and pathetic, worthy only of an 1980s kid's cartoon...but, every now and then...one came by that he figured he could re-use.

Mostly just for the heck of it. it was always funny to watch Sumire roll both eyes at them...like she was doing now.

Exhaling as well, she closed those eye for a moment, opened them, and then finally ( and quite bluntly ) asked : " Jared...what on God's Earth are you hiding behind you ? If you just wanted more hours to yourself to paint your collection of 2022 Ford Mustang models, you could've just said so ! "

She huffed slightly again, clearly still kind of upset...but there was a hint of bemusement showing through- tug of a smile, a glint of the eyes...etc. All telltale, and all giveaways.

She wasn't that mad...not yet.

" Its not as if you need my permission ", she went on, " but...couldn't it wait till...you know... after- "

" ...This ? ". Jared got there first. He spun deftly to one side, reached out and gently grasped the " thing " that Sumire hadn't gotten a good view on.

Turning back toward her, he held it up.

" I could, sure...but really...why wait for something like this ?! "

A smile- a real one, not just a tug on the corner- began to expand for the Federated Suns Mechwarrior. A geyser of...well, what he could describe as " positivity " began to well through him, as he watched Sumire's response.

Her brows shot up, and she blinked with a " Woah...that's impressive ! " kind of way. Those amazing eyes reflected that even more, with a special kind of glint- a borderline astonished kind, that is- appearing, fresh and strong.

It was a near 180 from her earlier " Come on...what is keeping you ?! " mood that'd been all over her just moment before. To be frank, Jared was good either way- she just couldn't stay upset with him for long- but...to be even more honest, witnessing her pleasantly surprised ?

Now, that took the velvet cake.

" I...woah. My God, Jared..."

"...You made this yourself ?! "

The PMC boss nodded firmly, while doing his utmost to contain that grin- women didn't like smugness. Then again...he couldn't 100 percent help it. It wasn't arrogance- not really. It was just...him and honesty. He couldn't lie to himself and pretend that it didn't feel good- warm, wholesome, and kind of satisfying- to pull something off that Sumire off guard, but for a good reason.

' ...Oh...yes. '

' She's digging it '

Confidence began to grow through the Federated Suns Mechwarrior that he had actually hit this out of the park after all, as that dawning amazement and sense of having gotten impressed that was growing across the Navigator's face. That, and the way she leaned forward, then stepped forward as well...all to get a better view of...

The model of a Leopard Dropship that Jared was holding up.

One that he'd been just on the tail end of putting the finishing touches on- tips of the steering tail fins, the anti-burn paint job covering its belly, and ( most complicated of all ), the logo of the Flight School emblazoned on its side: That Bull Head, colored ruby red, and surrounded by 4 gold stars.

Even the cockpit- the bridge, up front, had the signature cyan blue tint. Personally, Jared was still not fully satisfied with how that's turned out...but...nothing more could be done about it now.

But, regardless-

" I...my God... "

Slowly- almost reverently- Sumire reached out...touching her fingertips against the cool metal surface of the model. Not grabbing it, not even gently, but she clearly couldn't resist the urge to at least get a feel for it.

How could she not, after all ? A lifelong Leopard pilot, who still had strong notes of fondness and nostalgia whenever she got to speaking about her days of learning how to control one ? Who couldn't relish the chance to bring back those good memories, if you were the special man of her life ?

Jared knew he couldn't.

How many times had a Leopard swooped down to save him and his Lance, when their control panels were flashing red with damage alarms ? When there were multiple enemy lances closing down on them, determined to exact vengeance for the objective they'd failed to stop the Legion from destroying ? The Leopard had been there. A gleaming metal, God-sent angel of rescue turning while burning its engines out to reach them before it was too late ?

The Leopard. That's what it was.

And she'd devoted years to learning how to master one.

And still did. There were more than enough flawless extractions on her record- ones that Jared could personally attest to - that all spoke for themselves. It'd been her life for so many years, long before joining the Legion...

And, it still was.

Hence, it was special. Like her.

"...This...this is good, Jared ! ", exclaimed the Taurian. Her expression, and her tone, and the way she was holding and carefully tilting the _th scale model of the Eraser-looking Leopard around, letting the glare of the overhead lights sparkle off its shiny ,chilled surface.

" What's it made out of ?! "

" Glad you asked, ", the Federated Suns man replied, standing from where he'd been seated by the side of the heavily laden, scorch-mark-kissed worktable. Soreness- not overwhelming, but strong, and palpable- pulsed through his legs, though he did his utmost to ignore it, and straighten them out.

"...To be honest ". He stepped closer, well within " personal space " for the Taurian. Needless to say, she had no objection. " I...actually just used what alloys I could find lying around here. Didn't think anything else mattered aside from how well paint would take to it, and how easy it'd be to slice though. "

" Well...I'd say you were right on both counts ", afire a clearly impressed Sumire. She held the model up higher, to get a good long look at the dropship's belly- painted a stark, brilliant red.

" And...you even got that right...", she murmured. " The Crimson underside...to give hope to ground pounders and a sign that the Taurian Concordat is here..!"

She paused for a split moment, then looked over at Jared with a contrite, apologetic expression. " Oh..! Sorry..."

To be frank, that unexpected slip-of-the-tongue didn't actually bother the FedSun man as much as it could've. Obviously, though, it did to an extent- that reprehensible monster, Ostejaard , had been a Taurian officer through and through ( emphasis on " had been "...owing as much to his getting vaporized by the Legion on Coromodir VII via sabotaging his Assault dropship, as it was to him going full-on AWOL against his own government ). On the other hand, though, he'd been utterly a rouge element, clearly not really representing what the Taurian Government stood for and what its plans were...mostly.

Again...mostly. The Bulls ( as the Taurians were often known ) had been doing a heck of a lot of saber-rattling after the Perdition Massacre...which they'd had the gall to blame the FedSuns for ! Had it not been for the unearthed proof that the Augirian Directorate had been the real string-pullers behind the atrocity , there was a pretty decent chance they'd actually have gone for a fight against the FedSuns, full-scale.

Or...maybe not. Protector Calderon was a lot of things, but stupid enough to go head to head with a Major power like House Davion wasn't one of them.

And, anyway...Jared's momentary flash of anger- boiling, lava-like, slow burning, rising though his legs, as always- was purely directed at that loose cannon who'd chased them like a shark after blood for weeks, screaming bloody murder, till they finally put him down. It'd been the least he'd deserved for gunning for those civilians' heads on Smithon, or triggering a famine on Panzyr..

Outwardly, though...he voiced none of that out loud.

None of it. There was no need...

Rather, he breathed deep, and then spoke:

" Truth be told, Sumi...its red because I know that's your favorite color. Kind of on the nose , even for a Taurian...but I wanted it to be special. "

A tug on his mouth's corner emerged then, followed by a full on grin.

Comprehension dawned on the beautiful Navigator's face- blossomed, you might say. Brows rose, eyes widened- she got it.

Yeees...I knew you would.

Obviously...you're like that.

And you'd love-

A smile- bright, real, and not too wide- that he got right at that moment, was all the real confirmation that he could've asked for.

She even laughed- a rare sound, though not because she was dour by nature. But, because she virtually did not ever do so with the others around. She claimed and believed that it " wasn't suitable while on the clock ", and " someone needed to be the buttoned-down one 24-7 "...aside ( mostly ) from their boss.

Then again...they weren't here now.

Nobody here, but the two of them.

And, with that as the case...

"...I think I can safely say the following: You're definitely sweet. "

" Oh...God. You've just ruined the ' rough and ready ' persona I've been enjoying ", came the faux protest from the Federated Suns man.

A slight laugh came with it, and he shamelessly enjoyed it. Why not ? It was just them...and as it all turned out, that " special project " he'd been beating away at for over two weeks...had finally borne some delectable fruits:

Her genuine joy and amusement. God knew she'd been committing herself hard enough to his company to earn some reminders that someone cared.

Actually...no, wait. That wasn't it. Well, partially...but, with all honestly...Jared just loved her. At the end of the day, and at the beginning and the middle of it as well...that's all what it came down to.

Do something nice. Becuase she needed a sign of that love and attention that she could hold onto...

And keep.

Speaking of s-

Well, that was as much as his conscious thoughts went, because an impulse took over right at that moment. He recognized it, but...why fight it ?

Why ?

Because...what it had him do, was seamlessly step forward, closing the final distance between them...

Without missing another beat, he slipped both arms around her- careful not to bump her, lest she accidentally drop the model-, pulled her up against her, and kissed her deeply.

Just...went for it. Mentally diving through the sensation of it, with eyes closed. Tasting it, and feeling the softness of her lips...

" Mmmph..! "

Was she caught off guard ? Of course she was...there was no doubt. But...it was the good kind of surprise. The pleasant, " I have no problem with this " kind of surprised.

Moreover, she proved the point the best and only way she could: Kissing him back. Kissing him back, and just as he was kissing her.

Deeply ? Passionately ? Falling through it ?

Yes to all of the above.

She put her arms around him as well- stopping just long enough to put the model down on the table again-, and hugged him hard. Wrapped both arms around him, and pulled him against her as much as he was pulling her against him. Immediately, there was the juxtaposition of their bodies , as they molded together: Hers shorter, more slender, and with the soft, ample mounds that were her breasts...against the solid, toned pectoral muscle of the Federated Suns' Mechwarrior's chest.

It was the flip side of every relationship coin- the psychical. They already understood how to navigate the waters- often choppy, confusing, but ultimately calming and comforting waters- of the words and emotions of a relationship...but the other side of said coin mattered just as much.

Some might call it shallow to say, but they didn't care. They had a dynamic- healthy, enjoyable, and equal. That's all they needed.

...Eventually, the need to breathe forced their mouths apart. Still, they remained a milimeter away from one another, and their eyes didn't open for at least another moment.

"...So...are you sure we can't just hide out here ? ", Jared asked, having actually been half-serious about it.

"...Honestly ? I wish we could. I really do ", murmured the Taurian. She smiled again, closed her eyes, and let her lips tap tantalizingly against Jared's.

" But...they'd just send someone after us ", she reminded him, sounding as reluctant as Jared knew he himself was.

...Sometimes, I hate when she's right.

Well, at she is when it matters...

"...Sure feels right, though...doesn't it ? ", he ventured.

" Yes...it sure does. ", came the softly spoken response. " So right. The best kind of right, actually "..

Only her, aside from Jared, could know how right that was. It was one of those perfect moments...as opposed to its more evil cousin: the same kind of best moment, but one with a looming prospect of having to " get back to work " right around the corner.

Sadly, now was one of those moment. It was...because they couldn't stay here forever. And, even if they could, it wouldn't be right to do so. There was a whole team out there waiting for them to arrive, and with Jared ans the boss of the whole company,y and Sumire as the Chief Navigator, it would be pretty gaping of a absence for them both.

Then again...there was always a solution to be found. If he couldn't think of one, then-

" I'll put it to you this way, though ", whispered the Taurian. " If we hustle down there now, and get it all over with...well...then I can guarantee you get w whole night sleep. "

Well...

Well now...that told a whole story, all on its own.

Images- pleasant memories - flashed through the Federated Suns Mechwarior's mind, and he did not - again- fight the hint of a grin that appeared on his mouth.

A whole story had been told, with a handful of words just now. He knew full well what Sumire was planning to do, and it was more than ok with him.

What did few hours of mild partying have against that ? Not much, if Jared was honest with himself. Which, he had made it a point to be. He knew what he liked...and who he liked...and, that someone knew she liked him as well. There were many ways to show it, but...

This was...one of the best.

Still...that didn't mean that he couldn't-

"...Sounds like a plan to me, Sumi ", he agreed, letting his tone become

He kissed her again.

No hint or preamble- he just did it. Not as long as earlier, granted, but long enough to savor it.

And, he knew she was as well.