[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/JvqQZEp.png[/img][/center] [color=FireBrick]"Well, well,"[/color] Remy said as he strolled down the gantry onto the floor of the 'Mech bay, eyeing the machinery up for grabs, [color=FireBrick]"let's go for a walk, babe, and see what we can see."[/color] Around his neck hung an unusual piece of 'jewelry,' a hand-sized piece of curved metal with few buttons and triggers along the top half. It was the weapons control stick for a Battlemech, specifically a [i]Hunchback[/i] HBK-4G. Remy pulled off the necklace and held the joystick in his left hand, his arm stretched out in front of him like a divining rod. Long ago, Remy had piloted a [i]Hunchback[/i], which he'd named 'Murder One.' It'd been shot out from under him, but he had pried the control stick out from the remains of the cockpit as a memento. Since then, he'd developed a bit of a superstition about it, having it installed in every 'Mech he'd piloted since then. He'd heard Comstar novices and some of the more superstitious 'Mech techs talk about 'machine spirits' and the almost supernatural bond between a Mechwarrior and his machine, and at some point, that talk had left a mark. As long as he kept that stick installed into whatever 'Mech he drove, 'Murder One' was still up and running. The pickings on the [i]Ankhanne[/i] weren't much to his liking. Apart from the commander's [i]Centurion[/i] and the Drac chick's [i]Dragon[/i]-- Remy never could understand why the Combine loved that 'Mech so damn much-- most of the 'Mechs on offer were lights. 'Murder One' rarely ever settled for anything less than 50 tons, having been a [i]Thunderbolt[/i], a [i]Warhammer[/i], and even a [i]Stalker[/i] in previous lives. And despite their speed and agility, most light 'Mechs were too fragile; facing much faster [i]Locusts[/i] suddenly sounded a bit more dangerous than he'd been expecting. A few well-placed laser hits would put most of these machines in jeopardy. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers, and 'Murder One' understood that. As Remy held out the old control stick, his steps drifted this way and that between the 'Mechs. [color=FireBrick]"How's about we play with some of the Cappies' fancy new toys?"[/color] he said as he approached the [i]Raven.[/i] While he'd never actually gone up against one in combat yet, he'd heard stories from the Fourth War about the Capellan Confederation's new light. The 'standard' [i]Raven[/i] became instantly famous for its electronic warfare suite, but this was one of the FedCom's refits, sporting a Large Laser instead. For a mission like this, it'd be a perfect light 'Mech hunter. He held Murder One's firing stick out, his finger on the trigger...but the trigger didn't pull. [color=FireBrick]"Yeah, you're right,"[/color] he nodded. It was shiny and new, but a little [i]too[/i] shiny and new. [color=FireBrick]"Looks real nice, but she's got no experience. Gotta find one that's been around the block and knows what she's doin'."[/color] Turning from the [i]Raven[/i], he passed the squat frame of an [i]Urbanmech[/i] and chuckled. Maybe if they were in a defensive fight in a city where he could set up in an ambush position, sure. But for a running fight against some of the fastest 'Mechs in the Inner Sphere, he couldn't think of a worse pick. [color=FireBrick]"How's about we do some sniping?"[/color] he asked out loud as the walked toward the [i]Panther.[/i] When he'd gone up against the DCMS as part of the Roughriders, he'd always been surprised at how much trouble [i]Panthers[/i] could be. Anything sporting a Particle Projector Cannon had the potential to mangle limbs, gouge out armor, even pop heads, and while the [i]Panther[/i] wasn't as nimble as the [i]Jenners[/i] they were usually paired with, they could still jump around enough to be a pain in the ass. Remy held out the firing stick again...and again, the trigger didn't pull. [color=FireBrick]"Yeah, never been too big on precision,"[/color] he admitted. [color=FireBrick]"Besides, we like that personal touch. Wanna get up nice and close."[/color] He turned away from the [i]Panther[/i], and his eyebrow raised at the pair of [i]Mongooses[/i]. They were good and fast, and packed a hell of a punch for something so light. On the other hand, they were basically an extinct 'Mech-- there weren't any factories left that made the [i]Mongoose[/i] or even made parts for it. Which meant that whoever piloted one of those two would almost definitely be cannibalizing the other for repairs. And it looked like the Free Worlder with the beard had picked one. Remy wasn't about to let Murder One get picked apart for scrap. [color=FireBrick]"Oh, now [i]there's[/i] a thought,"[/color] he said as he saw the [i]Javelin.[/i] [color=FireBrick]"Fast enough to close distance, jump jets to go where she needs, and missiles that let her punch above her weight class. I think...yeah, I think we may..."[/color] Remy held out Murder One's fire control stick... [color=FireBrick]"....have....."[/color] He put his finger on the trigger.... [color=FireBrick]"....a winner...."[/color] ....and he found himself turning away at the last second, the control stick now facing the [i]Firestarter.[/i] [color=FireBrick]"Ohhh, oh my oh my..."[/color] Remy said as a devilish grin nearly split his face in two. It was meant for anti-infantry work instead of hunting 'Mechs, but the [i]Firestarter[/i] was for his money one of the best lights the Inner Sphere had to offer. Fast enough to keep up with most other Lights, jump jets to make it good and nimble, a pair of Medium Lasers to slag 'Mech armor and Machine Guns to wreak havoc on internal structure with a constant spray of lead. And most famous of all, those four Purity L-series Flamers, which could incinerate infantry and lightly armored vehicles, clear huge swaths of forest and jungle terrain, and play hell on a 'Mech's heat management. It was 35 tons of pure mayhem. And for Overkill, it was perfect. [color=FireBrick]"So whaddya say, babe?"[/color] Remy grinned as he held out the firing stick of Murder One. [color=FireBrick]"This our new ride or what?"[/color] One of the AsTechs approached him with a concerned look. "Hey, ah, just so you know? The cooling system on this 'Mech is still on the fritz. There's a good chance you might fry yourself if you--" [color=FireBrick]"Ah, hell, kid,"[/color] he sneered. [color=FireBrick]"It's like they say, some like it hot."[/color] Remy aimed the firing stick at the [i]Firestarter's[/i] cockpit....and pulled the trigger.