How is my baby? (Pregame 2 LA Hangars)

[GM Yuusha]

(Open to the first 3 PCs to join)

One by one the mechs were being brought online and checked over. With gravity restored they could be worked upon much more easily.

Captain Kaala was tapping her foot with her arms crossed as she waited for her baby's turn. The 'baby' in question was over ten metres tall, made of metal and capable of melting apart tank armour. In other words it was not anything that could be mistaken for a baby. Yet the Wolverine, Lakshmi's Lucky Strike, meant as much to her as a child to a parent.

That was why she was so frustrated. It had been months since she'd last gotten to use it. In a few days they'd land and she'd be using it a great deal then, but it wasn't soon enough. At the very least she could make sure it passed all its diagnostic tests.

"Come oooooon."

She muttered to herself as the technicians nearest her busied themselves on a Cicada. She wanted to crush it like it was one. It was delaying her getting into her cockpit.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

Next to Captain Kaala stands Sergeant Hayes. The even smaller redhead is anxious to see her own Battlemech. Although it helps that is also interested in the mechs that pass them by.

"Who was the Cicada assigned to again?" Cat muses quietly to herself, while she observes the mech's loadout from over where they stand.

[Lakshmi Kaala]

"Zoey in First Company. The Cavalry lance." She was about to explain why, but actually Catherine didn't need it. Time for a pop quiz. "You know why, right?"

The small sergeant's presence was helping to distract Laks and keep her calm. She still looked quite impatient to someone that knew her so well though.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

"Because the bug is fast and carries a good long ranged punch. Textbook cavalry." Catherine replies promptly and suggests further. "Although I think dual MGs are not really the best choice of support weaponry."

[Lakshmi Kaala]

She'd nodded in agreement and made a satisfied sound. The young girl had definitely earned her promotion.

"Not against other mechs or even armour, you're right, but... what about infantry? What else does that lance have?" Lakshmi asks, continuing to challenge Cat's tactical skills.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

"Cavalry rarely meets infantry and one MG is enough for that. The CDA-3C is built around its PPC. It should not operate alone and not be the mech of the lance to deal with small targets. Only good thing about the MG is the negligible heat profile and the 3C really needs that, but two of them is just too much dead weight. For most unplanned situations one MG is enough of a contingency. " Catherine gets a little heated herself, before calming down again nearer the end of her little rant. Then she finally ponders the last question. "The other mechs ... ah. They are all slower and none of them have any anti infantry weaponry. That is a problem. The Cicada is a dedicated long range Mech and should stay at range. It shouldn't be the sole anti infantry option in the lance."

She blinks and turns her gaze away from the machine before them to look at her captain. "Laks? Why is it?"

[Richard Winter]

Through the mechbay wandered Richard in despair. He had been assigned a mech and theorethically told where it was, but the Mechtechs seemed to rearrange the mechs every few hours. That or Richard had a damn bad sense of direction.

As he passed the two women, he gave a quick salute and asked," I hate to interrupt, but have you seen a Vulcan around here anywhere?"

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

That result in a slow back and forth shuffle of the small redhead, as she peers through the rows of docked war machines until she spots a familiar silhouette. Snapping out her right arm, she gestures towards the Battlemech she had spotted.

"There's a Vulcan. Only one registered in the company." She turns and raises her gaze all the way up to his nametag and rank insignia. "Second Lieutenant Winter."

[Lakshmi Kaala]

"Cavalry rarely meets infantry and one MG is enough for that. The CDA-3C is built around its PPC. It should not operate alone and not be the mech of the lance to deal with small targets. Only good thing about the MG is the negligible heat profile and the 3C really needs that, but two of them is just too much dead weight. For most unplanned situations one MG is enough of a contingency. " Catherine gets a little heated herself, before calming down again nearer the end of her little rant. Then she finally ponders the last question. "The other mechs ... ah. They are all slower and none of them have any anti infantry weaponry. That is a problem. The Cicada is a dedicated long range Mech and should stay at range. It shouldn't be the sole anti infantry option in the lance."

She blinks and turns her gaze away from the machine before them to look at her captain. "Laks? Why is it?"

"You're right, but that's the design." In other words there wasn't too much that could be done about it. "The rest of Cavalry Lance can't deal with infantry easily and there may be other lances that get ambushed by ground pounders. Twice the anti-infantry firepower ensures we can quickly eliminate them from forests and rubble. It's better on a fast design than a heavier mech." She makes a thoughtful noise. "We don't face infantry much."

She stopped when Richard asked his question. The salute is lazily returned. She does eventually nudge Cat. "Salute." She'd hardly been a role model however.

"Looking forward to getting out Richard?" She had memorised the man's name.

[Richard Winter]

"Ahh thanks" he looked in the direction Cathrine had pointed.

When Laks addressed him, he replied, "Yup, it's time to earn my pay again. Just a few more million C-Bills and I can afford a sweetheart of my own." he joked a bit.

[Lakshmi Kaala]

This topic greatly interested Laks. It would no doubt interest Cat too.

"What would you get?" She immediately asks, tone suddenly very serious. This was an incredibly important matter.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

Catherine listens closely to Kaala's explanation and nods to most of her friend's points. "Too bad that bug can't jump though. It has to run up against any entrenched bogeys, rather than being able to simply jump over and spray them from behind."

Being reminded of her lack in conduct, Catherine snaps off a quick salute. "Ah. You're welcome Lieutenant." She gives him a smile when he jokes. "Hope you get a good one then. A fixer upper for cheap would be great. Save loads of bucks and really make it your own."

She then waits for his answer to Laks question, quite interested to hear it too.

[Richard Winter]

"Well, I'm kind of undecided on that, so many mechs, so few c-bills.... in my current role as a scout, a fast, well armored and jumpable mech would be quite good. The Vulcan already does a good job, but I'd rather be heavier. "He mentally went through a list. "Right now I'm focusing on a Marauder, although it's going to be a little difficult to get 6 million C-Bill and a salesman." He grinned.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

"Oh wow, that is a solid choice, but you are going biiiig ... on your wallet. Eyeing a 2R? That'd be my favourite choice before customization and it is a great base for that too." The little redhead mech nut is chirping up excitedly. "But finding one of these for sale will not be easy. Who'd be insane enough to let go of such a hot gem?"

[Richard Winter]

"If I find someone who has a 2R sitting around in their shed and wants to sell it, I will go to the nearest church and apologize for all the years of ingratitude and unbelief." He laughed

"But if i do, I hope for someone who has a lot of debt and is very very old" he answered still grinning.

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

That response draws some laughter out of Catherine. Today seems like a good day for her. Here she is surrounded by Battlemechs, so this is a place closer to Heaven.

"That surely would be a religious experience." The small Mechwarrior agrees with a giggle. "Holy book of the Marauder: The hidden 2R revelation."

[Lakshmi Kaala]

"You'll want a Royal next. You'd never find a seller." Laks gives her opinion. "Nice as a 2R would be. Ano, you prefer slower mechs with bigger guns then Richard? Scout Company not your thing?" He was a newcomer and his mech had been assigned, but were they not making good use of his skills?

[Richard Winter]

"Ohh it's more of a dream than a realistic goal, Captain. The scout company is fine, it's just that light mechs have a habit of blowing up at the first contact," he said half-jokingly, half-seriously.

"Of course you can also choose the middle, Mediums of course have the best of both worlds, pleasant firepower and mobility, although I like to say that you can discuss with big guns badly. No matter how fast you are, as soon as an AC/20 hits you, the fight is mostly over for you if you are in a lightly armored mech."

Richard reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, holding them out to ask if anyone would like one.

[Lakshmi Kaala]

"Yeah, no shit. Lights shouldn't be engaging head on against heavier mechs. Keep your distance and use speed and cover. You just joined up." She grins cheekily. "It'd be a wasted investment if you blew up at first contact."

Laks waved a hand energetically in front of herself as she shook her head negative. "Iie, kekkoudesu." She instinctively responds. "No thank you."

[Richard Winter]

"Didn't plan on that captain" he said "But as the saying goes big boys want to play with big guns" a big smile across his face.
He went on to get a cigarette from the pack and pointed to the Wolverine. "I understand that's your sweetheart there, isn't it Captain?"

He waited for Cat before lighting his cigarette to see if she wanted one, even though that was highly unlikely.