Location: Alabaster 3 - High Orbit

February 18th - 3049

Upon entering the hangar, Rhyan was greeted by a subtle hiss emanating from the vents. The moment the doors sealed behind him, the sterile, recycled air gave way to the unmistakable scent of oil and gunpowder. Technicians bustled about on the hangar floor, conducting final checks and rearming the lance he had chosen for the initial landing in this campaign.

"So, you're actually staying true to your creed, Sir?"

Rhyan turned to his left, finding one of the latest additions to his mechwarrior roster. Her heritage was evident in her pitch-black almond eyes, and her petite face was framed by sleek black hair, with bangs accentuating her delicate features. She possessed subtle beauty, her delicate face bearing the distinct marks of warfare despite her youth.

"Samurai, I always stand by my word. My boots are the first to hit the ground, last to leave it. It's all a Mercenary has. Ready to be tested in battle for the first time?"

Rhyan harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Draconis Combine, and the fact that Samurai hailed from that region of space had initially given him reservations about enlisting her.

"Eager to prove my worth, Lǎobǎn..." Samurai hesitated, blushing in embarrassment. "I meant, Lieutenant Colonel."

Rhyan wrinkled his nose but nodded, proceeding to inspect the lance preparing for battle. As he walked past the two light mechs, both Commando COM-3A chassis, adorned with the classic desert paint common to most Raptors mechs, he noticed distinctive details. One had a red sash, while the other displayed a kill tally on its left shoulder. Each bore the callsign of its pilot by the cockpit—Samurai and Fox.

Adjacent to the two light mechs stood a forbidding war machine, a Catapult equipped with dual PPC cannons. Sharing the same coloring as its counterparts, it boasted the name 'Ace' boldly written by its cockpit. The 65-ton heavy mech seemed to exude anticipation for the impending planetfall and hinted at a impressive nature.

Completing the lance, fully rearmed and prepared, was the largest weaponized mech in the Inner Sphere. Its classical skull-painted face and hulking humanoid form made its chassis instantly recognizable—the Atlas, the pinnacle of human engineering in warfare. Rhyan's personal mech, it was the only link to his heritage within the Lyran Commonwealth.