Fionn was buried deep in thought for the rest of the interaction, offering only brief replies when spoken to. The time was getting nearer when he would once again pilot a GEAR. Most would probably view GEARs as a weapon or perhaps a tool. Some might even go as far as to attach sentiment to the mechs, establish a relationship of some sort to some soulless machine. 

Fionn sees them a little differently. To him GEARs are like metal golems, unmoving colossus that are animated only by the pilot. An extension of their will, his will. In a way they are similar to one’s limbs. They both require input from a brain, the pilot. They both operate as commanded. They both can both sustain damage, impairing movement if enough is taken. They both can be mended, and if destroyed, can be replaced. As long as the brain, the pilot survives, another GEAR can be obtained much as medical technology allows for some to get limbs of metal. 

In this way, Fionn ascribes no importance to specific GEARs, but to them as a whole. GEARs, for the most part, come carbon copy, but given the modular nature they can be customized. The essence of each pilot being captured by the equipment they chose. 

One could easily tell that Fionn liked the big guns by looking at his GEAR.  For direct fire, 20mm Rotary Cannon works well to riddle an enemy with holes and to suppress the ones that live. If terrain or another obstacle is in the way, a 120mm mortar can bypass that due to the low muzzle velocity. Things that go up, must come down as this weapon demonstrates by hitting the rarely fortified tops of targets. In the case of enemy Close Air Support, some Anti-Air missiles should at the least deter them. If any enemies get too close, a combination of arm mounted shotgun and combat claw would not make him completely helpless. All the other hardpoints will store more ammo so he can sustain combat longer and hopefully outlast the enemy if nothing else. 

Sensing everyone else getting up, Fionn snapped out of his thinking and joined the others. It was a brief journey to the GEARs and an even briefer conversation with the tech consisting of few questions with little note. Fionn gave a long look at his GEAR, disliking the clean appearance of it. Free of any flair or scar. It seemed so…sterile. Bland, lacking of any personality, but that is something he’ll have to change. Not through a paint job or adding art, he preferred to carry any scars he may get on the battlefield. If it does not need to be repaired, he preferred to leave it as is. For Fionn, it was better to earn these sorts of things than to have it given. Each wound a testament to his mettle worn like a badge, and in a way for him, it is. It is now just a matter of waiting for the battle, and of course surviving but that last bit tends to be an afterthought.

[hr]
GEAR loadout

20mm Rotary Cannon, ammo drum mounted to left hip hardpoint 

Anti-Air Missiles, right shoulder hardpoint

Breech-loading Mortar, left shoulder hardpoint. 6 anti-armor/3 frag/3 smoke rounds loaded

Automatic Shotgun, right forearm hardpoint

Combat Claw, left forearm hardpoint

Extra 20mm drum, back hardpoint

Extra 120mm mortar carousal, right hip hardpoint. 3 smoke/6 frag/ 3 anti-armor loaded

4 hand grenades (1 incendiary, 1 frag, 2 smoke), shield storage