"Hell hath no fury like a merc scorned." - mercenary aphorism
The Bardiche, high orbit over Scour
October 18th, 2966
The holotable in the briefing room came to life, lighting the faces of Jotunn Company as they stood and waited for Ketill to begin speaking.
"The time has come, everybody." Commander Schneider informed the Varangian MechWarriors. The image of Scour emerged once again. "Asher's Knights have been raiding the border worlds of the Magistracy for months now, but we have to assume they'll have their full strength ready for us."
The image on the holo changed, showing a geographic map of a region in the southern hemisphere.
"Scour's main resource, back when it had any real settlement on it, was a particularly nutrient-dense cave lichen that's a popular meat substitute and ingredient in ship rations. It got seeded in places that are closer to buyers where it also grows it better, so Scour fell by the wayside. However, the huge caves the first lichen farmers blasted and carved out are still down there. Asher's Knights have turned one such cave into a fortress." Ketill explained.
A red circle formed as the holo zoomed in again, though there wasn't a lot of detail. Cian could make out a rough hexagonal shape, with one of the sides likely being a gate of some kind, the side opposite the gate almost certainly being the entrance to the cave in question. The rest were definitely walls.
"Mercury Wing has spotted fortifications, leftovers from the first settlers. The turret emplacements are probably additions by the Knights; AC/2 quad-cannons and LRM-15 racks. They're not much of a threat to all of you, but they could pick Mercury Wing out of the sky if I sent them on an attack run. We're going to have to do this the old fashioned way, Varangians."
"Is it possible there's an alternate entrance to the cave? Someplace we could sneak in and flank them?" Asked Aimar from aboard the Halberd. The Colonel sounded concerned about this whole set up, and Cian could relate with them on that.
"There has to be, but we haven't found it. Keldair wouldn't put his peoples' backs to the wall without a way out. We're leaving that to the Fusiliers, but they'll be staying in orbit while Mercury keep an eye out for Knight's falling back out of the caves after we crush them." Ketill said. "Once Mercury spots them, the Fusiliers will drop in to make sure none escape."
The now Colonel Keldair had taken over the outfit after the former leader of the Knights died under mysterious circumstances. The leading theory was the last guy hadn't been fond of the idea of becoming pirates and paid for those scruples with his life.
"It's not just about letting none escape, is it, Commander?" Vishali asked rather pointedly.
Ketill, true to form, didn't shy away from the half-question, half-accusation. "No, it isn't. This was a direct challenge from a merc outfit of roughly equivalent size. We have history, and the MRB will be watching this engagement. Besides, it's been our inability to finish these sons of bitches off over the years that's given them the chance to attack innocent people. They're our responsibility, Major. The Canopians are just here to make sure the job is done after we break them."
"Or mop up after we fail…", Zahir muttered.
"We won't fail." Vishali chastised him. "What's the plan, Commander?" She didn't seem concerned about Ketill's motivations, but had merely wanted to hear him say it.
"As simple as could be. There's only one way in. Not much use trying to pull flanking maneuvers or feints. Time spent trying to find their back way out would just give them a chance to use superior knowledge of the terrain to launch hit and run attacks. This one's going to be as straightforward as could be, Varangians. We deploy our full strength, drive back any sorties they send out, take out the anti-air, smash down those walls, and dig the cowards out of their little cave. Are there anymore questions?"
No one had any. There really weren't any to have in a situation like this.
"Then we all know what's at stake. Get to it, Varangians." Ketill commanded, cutting the connection.
Cian looked up at El Cid, the Black Knight's violet and gold paint spotless. Maybe this battle felt extra weighty to the rest of the company because of the history they had with the Knights. Cian did not feel that history, but he did feel the gravity of it rolling off of his comrades. This was important to them, and thus, it was important to him. They were all Varangians. Cian would fight this out as he always did, without doubts.
Inaya was waiting up in the scaffolding of El Cid's maintenance cradle, standing near El Cid's right arm. A new L laser had been installed there, one of Diverse Optics' top of the line models, purchased among other things with the advance given by House Centrella. From the ground, Cian could see that Inaya had used a torch of some kind to burn a word into the length of the laser's casing.
Anduril
"'Reforged shall be blade that was broken…'" Cian quoted to himself. He smiled. Whatever Inaya's intent, to Cian, it had nothing to do with the laser. It was Cian himself. He had been broken, time and again, and his time with the Varangians had reforged him. His new friendships, his new love, his new perspectives; all these things had shaped him into someone better. With this 'Mech, with this proverbial sword, he would fight to protect this new life, this new family, the nation that was Valdr's Varangians.
Cian climbed the maintenance cradle. Inaya had ascended to wait by El Cid's entry hatch in the back of the 'Mech's head. When Cian reached her, she threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight.
"You're coming back to me alive." Inaya ordered.
"I am." Cian agreed.
"I mean it." Inaya let him go, only to take his face in both hands. "You don't get to die out there. You're coming back. We have five future cats depending on us."
"Five? I thought it was…?" Cian began, then trailed off as he saw the glint in Inaya's eyes. "Right. Can't disappoint them."
Inaya kissed both his cheeks, then his lips, then pressed her forehead against his. "If you have anything to say, now's the time. No 'I'll tell you afterward' bullshit."
"Just that I love you and can't wait to adopt those cats." Cian said softly.
"I love you, too." Inaya whispered.
"Oh, and I like what you did with the laser." Cian added.
A reluctant laugh escaped Inaya. She released him once more, this time for good.
"Put it to good use out there, Strider." Inaya told him.
Cian wanted to go to her again, and this time to never leave her arms for anything. One day, perhaps. Not now. Slowly, like lead weights were in his boots, Cian turned and climbed through the hatch into El Cid's cockpit. He waved to Inaya, who waved back, then he closed it behind him and sealed it with a definitive thunk.
Cian stood just inside the door for several moments, taking several long breaths in and out through his actually was a new gravity to this fight, he realized. There wasn't just the Varangians to fight for, but this future he had planned; this bright, soft future whose entry fee was to wade through unforgiving battlefields. Cian resolved he would make it to that future, no matter what it took.
The familiar routine came next. Cian got El Cid's reactor warming up, did the diagnostics, checked to make sure all his emergency gear was in its proper place. It grounded and reassured him. This 'Mech, and his skill, had carried him through the worst days of Operation Killing Stroke. He was a far more experienced MechWarrior now, fighting alongside comrades of equal, if not greater, skill.
Cian settled into his pilot chair and pulled on his neurohelm. Outside, the elevator platform El Cid stood upon descended down into its armored cubicle.
"We are groundside in two, MechWarriors." Aimar said. "Final comm checks."
The process went swiftly. Lances reported to their leaders, who reported to Company commanders, who confirmed comm status to Colonel Izarra.
"Steel Actual, Steel One confirms all comms are nominal." Aimar said.
"Confirmed, Colonel. All connections are green on our end. All MechWarriors, you are cleared to power up." Ketill replied.
Cian flicked the appropriate switches. The Black Knights core spooled to life.
"Reactor online. Sensors online. Weapons online. All systems nominal." El Cid's battle computer said.
The platform under El Cid rotated to face the boarding ramp as the ship rumbled with the deceleration of the approaching landing. Just as the ship touched down, Cian flipped through his music, found a song, and hit play.
"DRAW YOUR STEEL AND SPLIT THE SKY! WITH ME, HEROES, WIN OR DIE!"
The boarding ramp went down. The grey-brown, rocky expanse of the dustball that was Scour was rolled out before Cian as he throttled El Cid down the ramp, forming up with the rest of Jotunn Company. As he stepped away from the Bardiche, Cian turned El Cid to look down the formation of the Varangians. For the first time since joining them, they were being deployed as a singular unit. Sixty BattleMechs, all glinting in the desert sun, violet and gold freshly painted, arranging themselves to prepare for the push on the Knight strongpoint.
The terrain was broken up by spars of rock jutting from the sand, mesas, dips and rises in the terrain. Though it wasn't visible from where they were, Cian had the Knight's stronghold painted on his HUD.
"All MechWarriors, this is Mercury One, I have visual on Asher's Knights forces, they are coming out to play."
Naturally they would. Remaining in the cave was just asking to get encircled and bottlenecked. No doubt the Knights would remain within range of their anti-aerospace defenses. This was going to be a 'Mech on 'Mech slugfest.
Colonel Izarra's King Crab advanced to the front of the Varangians. The hunched, one-hundred ton machine had a wide, flat top, its arms ending in the opening and closing pincer-like housings around a pair of AC/20s. The rest of Steel Lance followed close behind Aimar's 'Mech; an Atlas, a Highlander, and a Stalker. The eight remaining Heavy 'Mechs of Fafnir Company fanned out on either side of Steel Lance.
"Scouts and skirmishers, move out." Aimar commanded. "And remember; if they surrender, you accept. We'll still be taking their 'Mechs either way but there's no need for butchery."
"Easier said than done." Zahir growled.
"I'll blast you myself if you disobey a direct order, Three." Vishali chided Zahir, then to Yifeng, "keep in touch, Brass One."
"Will do, ma'am." Yifeng replied, guiding Brass Lance into the terrain ahead, joining Alfar Company and a Scout Lance from Valkyrie Company in the vanguard. The remaining 'Mechs began a slower advance, following predetermined route laid out on their HUDs. The Varangians were advancing with caution, keeping an eye on the surrounding, broken terrain. Mercury Wing was constantly circling overhead, keeping tabs on enemy 'Mechs, waiting like vultures for any of them to pass out of the protective cover of their anti-air defenses.
Iron and Silver moved ahead on the right flank of the Varangian advance. The steady thunder of El Cid's tread focused Cian's mind like a metronome of metal and destructive potential. When he began to see lasers, missiles, and AC shells flitting into the air up ahead, he was mentally locked in and ready.
"Contact, Iron One." Yifeng informed them, calm as could be.
"We're on our way, Brass One. Hang in there." Vishali replied.
"Varangians! Give these bastards hell!" Aimar roared, and even through the comms, Cian could hear the BOOM twin AC/20s unleashing fire and fury.
Iron Lance came around a sharp spar of rock that jutted up from the ground and saw the scout forces of the two merc commands getting mixed up, a confusing mass of swift 'Mechs zipping around, leaping onto the surrounding terrain, flanking and counter-flanking each other. Cian knew the heavier 'Mechs of the Knights would be closing in at the same time. He tracked an enemy Locust with Anduril, firing the new L laser at the little twenty-tonner as it tried to bring it's single laser and twin machine guns against one of Alfar Company's own Locusts. The enemy Locust lost both its M laser and one machine gun as El Cid's beam raked along its paper thin armor. The beam was noticeably brighter than Cian was used to, while its heat load was a tad lower.
The Alfar Locust managed to turn around and retaliate, finishing off the enemy Light 'Mech. In the midst of the battle, a single AC/20 shell from Aimar's King Crab practically burst apart a Knight Jenner. It was not one-sided, of course. A Knight Assassin managed to flank a Varangian Commando and disable it with precision attacks to the legs. Jiro's Jenner, already damaged, took autocannon fire from the incoming Knight main force, forcing the Bronze Lance MechWarrior to eject. As more 'Mechs began coming in on both sides, the terrain started making the close-up fight feel like the very barroom brawl that had been Cian's introduction to Asher's Knights.
"Knight reinforcements are here." Vishali warned, her PPCs and autocannon firing over the head of the fencing scout 'Mechs.
A pair of Knight Blackjacks leapt up onto elevated positions, sending AC/2 rounds down upon Iron and Silver while heavier 'Mechs advanced on the ground. An up-armored Thug, its PPCs replaced with L lasers, bore the brunt of the fire on Jotunn Company's side of the battle, joined namely by a Black Knight and a Marauder, with an augmented Lance of Medium 'Mechs behind them. Cian felt the familiar juddering of weapon impacts against El Cid's armor and replied with his lasers.
"Silver, break right for fields of fire. Iron Two, the moment you see an opening get behind that Thug. Three, make those fucking Blackjacks pay for thinking they're clever." Vishali commanded.
"Understood, One." Konomi said. Her quick, short Dragon finding a sliver of open space between the main bulk of the engagement and the right flank. The enemy Marauder tracked them, unable to stop Tiamat from getting too close for its PPCs to be effective.
"On it, One." Zahir said, his JagerMech turning its guns up to the elevated Blackjacks. One of them was immediately lit up with detonations from twinned AC/5s and 2s.
The Medium Knight 'Mechs saw Silver fanning out to their flank and followed suit. Vishali turned Mastani's weapons on the enemy Black Knight.
That left Cian to face down the enemy Thug in a game of superior firepower against heavier armor. Cian couldn't maneuver around the Assault 'Mech like he wanted to or he'd end up exposing himself to other Knights. He decided on a gamble, hammering the controls to let loose and Alpha Strike from barely one-hundred meters, blasting the Thug in the torso while running straight at it. Blue and silver armor melted away as El Cid's heat gauge leapt like a jumping flea, but within moments, the attack paid off. The SRM ammo stored in the Thug's right torso, most of it not yet fired, started cooking off, causing enough of a chain reaction to set off the missiles in its left torso as well.
To Cian's amazement, the Thug remained standing, a testament to the design's ruggedness. As Cian closed the distance it managed to tag El Cid with its undamaged L lasers. Cian had to make the tactical decision not to immediately return fire, accepting the damage from both the Thug's lasers and the AC/2s of one of the elevated Blackjacks. His heat was already dangerously high from the Alpha Strike and there was still more fight ahead.
So Cian simply attacked in a way that didn't require any heat.
El Cid left fist struck home, smashing into the Thug's right torso, wrenching it away along with the arm on that side. The Thug retorted with its remaining arm, dealing the Black Knight a bone jarring blow to the left shoulder. El Cid's right fist dealt the finishing blow, rending the Assault 'Mech's other arm away. The pilot, now with no weapons, ejected and left the ruined Thug behind.
Cian turned his attention on the Blackjacks, but saw one of them was already jump jetting away after being ravaged by Zahir's autocannons. Assured that the JagerMech could handle the other one, Cian next checked the Knight Marauder to see that Konomi was using Tiamat's reinforced arm housings to beat it to a pulp of shrapnel and fraying myomer. So that left the opposing Black Knight, which he sent a controlled volley of steady laser fire into, only shooting one or two weapons at a time while Mastani's PPCs kept its aim from steadying. The enemy Black Knight tried to reverse and gain some level of cover from its Medium allies on the extreme flank nearby, but El Cid and Mastani wore it down and shortly thereafter the Knight Heavy 'Mech was a smoking carcass on the ground.
Cian and Vishali had no time to celebrate their triumphs, for Silver Lance was faring poorly in a six-against-four fight against the Knight Medium 'Mechs. Even as Cian looked, Valeria's Trebuchet was falling, and Maya's Blackjack was face down in the dust. It was not an even exchange for a single enemy Centurion being taken out of action.
"Scratch Blackjack number two!" Zahir chimed in, the 'Mech in question tumbling painfully down the rocks it had been perched upon.
"Support Silver, celebrate later!" Vishali commanded.
Konomi, wordlessly, drew Tiamat away from the Marauder she had taken out of the fight, joining Iron Lance. As one, the Heavy 'Mechs brought their full fury against the enemy Mediums. Cian expected Shen and Nawali to pull back, but the remaining Silver 'Mechs reversed their backstepping retreat and threw everything their battered 'Mechs had against the Knights that had felled their Lancemates. A furious, sun-bright exchange of fire filled the air. The tables turned against the Medium Knight BattleMechs and after two had been felled, the remaining three tried to flee.
"Silver One and Four, keep them pulling back. Iron, on me. We're getting stuck in the main fight." Vishali commanded.
Iron Lance shifted their attention to the maelstrom at the center of the engagement, where the battle lines were blurring together. Cian could see both Varangian violet and gold and Knight blue and silver on the ground, not all of them bearing the telltale damage to the head that marked an ejection.
Cian struck an enemy Dervish in the back with his opening volley, the thin armor there giving away almost immediately. The Medium missile boat's jump jets were just starting to fire in an attempted retreat as Tiamat's autocannon tore into it, coring the Dervish and pitching to to the ground.
In the heart of the chaos, Steel Lance was leading the charge against the bleeding edge of the Knight's main formation. Aimar's King Crab felled a Knight Griffin with two AC/20 shells as Cian watched. The Varangian Highlander was practically buried under a torrent of missiles from both a Stalker and a Catapult on the Knights' left flank, spinning to the dirt.
Vishali led Iron Lance around a small mesa, covering them from the Knights, emerging around it to face an Orion that was stationed to cover against precisely this maneuver. Heavily armored the Orion might have been, but it could not stand against the full might of Iron Lance, and soon Iron was treading the Orion deeper into the dust as they walked over it to fully engage the enemy flank. They were behind both the Catapult and the Stalker, the rest of the Knight advance spreading out beyond that. Up a shallow rise was a Warhammer painted in Celtic knotwork flanked by a Panther, a Griffin, and another Catapult, though this one had PPCs where the other one had LRM racks. The mixed support Lance was raining PPC blasts into the fray below.
"That's Keldair." Vishali said.
"I'm not exactly swimming in ammo, Major." Zahir warned.
"Then you'd better make your shots count, Iron Three. Focus what you've got on the Panther." Vishali said, kicking Mastani into gear. "Varangians!"
"Varangians!" Cian repeated, firing all three L lasers at Keldair's Warhammer, two of the beams striking in the left arm and leg. The Warhammer's twin PPCs swiveled his way, and Cian was rewarded for his initiative by one of the shots striking his already weakened left arm, his HUD going wild with disruption.
It was a dangerous gambit. Iron Lance was battered from the fight so far, while it appeared the Knight Command Lance was relatively untouched. Even if all they could do was draw the enemy Lance's fire, it would give the Varangians in the thick of the fight a reprieve.
The Panther jetted to the side, making itself a difficult target for Zahir's ACs. Konomi sped wide across the rise, trying to use Tiamat's speed to distract at least of the enemy as she poured out AC/5 shells and long-range missiles. Vishali engaged the Catapult, lasers and PPCs crisscrossing in the air as the two support 'Mechs dueled at range.
Cian had not intended to face down Colonel Keldair himself, but here he was. The Colonel had bested Vishali one-on-one in the arena on Galatea, but he had not faced a survivor of Operation Killing Stroke, a near ten-year veteran of the FWLM, and most importantly of all, a MechWarrior who had a beautiful Head MechTech he loved more than anything to get back to alive.
The PPCs were the key. Cian moved perpendicular to Keldair, trusting his fellow Varangians down the slope in the main engagement to keep him from getting shot in the back. The twin PPCs, two M lasers, and an SRM-6 launcher chased Cian as he ran El Cid along, replying with a steady, controlled stream from his L and M lasers. He was skating along between sixty and eighty percent heat, a careful balance every Black Knight pilot either learned quickly or died not mastering, staying in a range that would allow for one last full Alpha Strike before shutting down.
El Cid's left arm, with little ceremony, simply fell away under a missile's impact. Cian grit his teeth and focused through the interference of the PPCs, trusting his aim, trusting El Cid, and reply with Anduril. He was reward by seeing Keldair's left PPC develop a fault along the barrel's entire length, the weapon crackling bright, then fizzling out as it failed to fire. Cian would accept losing one M laser for that.
The Panther was down, but Zahir was calling out in alarm as the damaged but still alive Blackjack returned to the fray, outranging him now that he had burned through his ammo. With only a pair of M lasers to fall back on, Zahir was forced to try to close to keep the Medium 'Mech's attention. The Blackjack, in turn, added the surviving two of its for M lasers to its AC/2s. Having more armor than the Jager, the Blackjack now had both more firepower and more protection than its heavier opponent. Zahir's already damaged 'Mech was rapidly falling apart under the attack.
"Shit. SHIT! I'm losing power, I have to punch out!" Zahir cried.
The JagerMech went uncannily boneless as Zahir ejected from it. Cian couldn't watch it fall, so focused was he on Keldair's Warhammer, but he was endlessly relieved Zahir managed to punch out.
Cian turned El Cid to go straight up the rise. The Warhammer had two fewer tons of armor than the Black Knight, so Cian decided he'd done enough damage to make the push. Keldair would either have to abandon his position, charge to meet Cian, or hold his ground.
The Warhammer remained in place, Alpha Striking with its remaining weapons at Cian.
"Come on, you son of a bitch! COME ON!" Cian found himself roaring as he continued to trade fire with the Warhammer. The Blackjack was advancing on him, its AC/2s silent. It must have gone through its one ton of ammo. Cian shifted course, continuing to shoot at Keldar. The Blackjack's lasers caused Cian's entire world to turn bright green for a moment as they washed across the canopy in front of him, but so far it held. Cian put the Blackjack between himself and the Warhammer and was rewarded by a PPC blast striking the Medium 'Mech square in the back. The Blackjack dropped and Cian resumed his charge at the Warhammer.
Missiles struck El Cid's head. Cian was close enough that Keldair could open up with the Warhammer's machine guns; not so dangerous against armor, but good for shredding internal structure and finding gaps in protection that wasn't yet fully broken. But the Warhammer was flagging, the reduced rate of fire from its PPC telling Cian he'd destroyed some heat sinks.
Machine gun rounds pelted the canopy in front of Cian. Cracks were forming. All it would take was one more PPC blast, and then, in a brutal irony, he'd go out just like his father did. That thought drove Cian to what was almost certainly a stupid move.
Once again, Cian unleashed an Alpha Strike. The heat gauge climbed eagerly, Cian knew his machine. He knew it was going to overheat. It just needed to…
The SRM ammo in the Warhammer's right torso started exploding. It set off the machine gun ammunition in the center torso, all of this combining into blasting the remaining PPC away just as it was lighting up to return fire.
El Cid went into emergency shutdown, the air in the cockpit feeling like a sauna. Sweat was pouring down Cian's body, his cooling vest barely feeling like it was helping, though he knew it was the only thing keeping back heat stroke or worse. Cian expected the Warhammer to finish him off, but it didn't. It sat there, upright, spewing smoke and sparks. It, too, had overheated.
With more heat sinks left intact, El Cid was the first to regain full power. As the systems came back online, Cian raised Anduril, pointing it toward Keldair, watching his heat gauge with one eye, waiting for the Warhammer to make a move with the other. Repeatedly overheating could seriously damage a 'Mech, and he'd be a sitting duck if the fight turned against the Varangians. He had to wait until the very last moment.
The Warhammer moved.
Cian fired.
Had he been using one of his old L lasers, the heat would have been too much. But Anduril, blessed Anduril, spiked the heat back up to 99% of acceptable range. The blue beam cast forth like a spear hurled from an avenging angel, searing into the Colonel's cockpit, burning the man to ash in a matter of instants. It wouldn't undo the harm the Knights had caused by turning pirate, but it was a damn sight better of an outcome than letting the bastards continue.
Keldari's Warhammer crumpled, and with it, so did the morale of the remaining Knights. They maintained their cohesion surprisingly well, falling back for their stronghold in a fighting retreat, harried the entire way by the Varangians. A trail of severed 'Mech parts and fallen machines from both merc commands marked their passage. Cian joined in the chase, and in levelling the stronghold's walls and turret emplacements. The Varangians that were in the best shape led the charge into the caves themselves, harrying the fleeing Knights all the way out of their predicted escape route.
The dropships of the 3rd Fusiliers quickly made planetfall. Between the 'Mechs and the weapons mounted on the DropShips, the remaining Knights were easy prey. Though Aimar had told them to accept any offers of surrender, the Knights clearly knew that the noose or the firing squad awaited all those guilty of piracy, no matter the nation that captured them. Asher's Knights, once storied mercenary company with a history stretching back to the Second Succession War, fought their last battle in a nameless dust plain on a technically nameless rock, reduced from honorable soldiers of fortune to desperate, despicable criminals. No one, Cian suspected, would be mourning their passing.
As the last Knight fell, a looming quiet settled over the battlefield.
"Iron Three, are you alright?" Konomi asked the moment the threat was ended
"I'm alive, Two. A little banged up from the landing but I'll be ok." Zahir replied.
"Alright people, we've got fellow Varangians who need tracked down or pulled out of their 'Mechs. Let's get to it." Aimar commanded solemnly.
Cian turned El Cid back the way they had come. Not all those who needed removed from their machines would be alive when it happened. This was the soldier's lot, after all. Victory was rarely as sweet as one would hope for it to be. Even so, the Varangians had answered the Knights' challenge and won. A group of pirates had been removed, no longer able to threaten the innocent. It was one they could be proud of, and for once, a worthy cause to die for.
The Bardiche.
October 19th, 2966
Nine Varangian MechWarriors were dead. Among them were Valeria and Jiro from Jotunn Company. Half the survivors were injured.
Only when the last Varangians, alive or dead, had been recovered did Aimar finally recall the 'Mechs to their ships. Canopian salvage crews that had been on standby were en route to help sort through the scrap and get it aboard the appropriate ships. For his part, Cian was utterly exhausted. Wearing his prosthetics for more than twenty-four hours straight while operating a 'Mech had his limbs chafed and sore, to say nothing of his back from being stuck in the pilot seat, then his head and neck from the neurohelm. For all that, he was still alive, and right then all he wanted to do was get on the ship, take off his prosthetics, and sleep for a week.
Cian walked El Cid into the maintenance cradle, using just his flesh and blood arm as much as possible to shut the 'Mech down, unbelt himself from his seat, and remove his neurohelm. He was dragging both feet to the exit hatch and climbing out of it onto cradle scaffolding was just about the most difficult thing Cian ever had to do.
The moment Cian was on the scaffolding, Inaya was there, and the MechWarrior found himself enfolded in strong arms.
"Chief…", Cian managed to croak, wrapping his good arm around her.
"Shut up. Just…just let me hold you for a few seconds, god dammit." Inaya entreated him, biting back a sob.
It occurred to Cian that the Varangians probably hadn't taken losses on this scale for a very long time.
Cian had liked Valeria. Guiltily, he had to admit he'd never cared much for Jiro, but that wasn't the point. They'd both been part of Jotunn Company, their three Lances fighting alongside each other with implicit trust. Like or dislike had nothing to do with it. They'd been siblings in arms, and they'd fallen honorably, for whatever that was worth. Cian couldn't summon tears for the fallen. Those had drained dry long ago, long before he even knew the Varangians existed. All the same, he would hold them in his heart, and in his memory, and he would honor them for the indelible parts they had played in his life.
"Chief. I'm sorry, but I really need to not be on my feet." Cian tried not to beg.
Sniffing hard, Inaya wiped her eyes. "Right. Fuck. I'm sorry. Here, get up the ladder and I'll help you."
Cian did as she said. When he was at the top, Inaya surprised him by stepping in front of him.
"On my back." Inaya commanded.
Cian nodded. He threw his arms around Inaya from behind and let her lift him off the ground, sighing with relief as the pressure went off his bad leg.
Inaya carried Cian through the ship, all the way to his room. She helped him remove his prosthetics, and though they were both still sweaty and grimy for different reasons, they flopped down together on Cian's cot. The MechWarrior was in an odd position. He craved sleep, but he also wanted to stay awake and feel this contact with Inaya, this reminder that he had made it through the fight, that he had come back to her as he'd promised.
"After this contract is up." Cian broke the silence.
A few beats passed.
"I won't ask you to promise me." Inaya replied at length.
"I promise. I'm making it to the end of this tour and then I'm done." Cian swore.
"You better fucking mean it, Cian Serrano." Inaya whispered, grip around him tightening. "I swear to god…"
"I mean it." Cian said. "I owe it to you. And those five future cats."
"Six." Inaya corrected.
"Six?" Cian parroted.
"Call it hazard pay." Inaya said.
"Six cats." Cian said.
They lay there for a while, and Cian found he couldn't fight off sleep any longer.
"I love you." He said.
"And I love you." Inaya replied.
As Cian fell asleep, he felt many things; love, fear, wonder, grief, so many other things he couldn't even name. But all of it was his; his choice, his life, his to hold onto or let go of. That alone told him he was right where he was supposed to be.