[D11 EA] First time in the Saddle (Hanger, Expecting)

[Klaus von Zinzer]

I really hope this is a good idea. Or at the very least doesn't explode in my face.

They were beginning to ship off some of the cheaper mechs in some kind of barter, which meant that a window of free mech time was open


"Thank you, I appreciate this" Klaus mentions to Esmeralda

[Ezmeralda]

"Hey Klaus," Easy said as she walked over swinging her hips, "You said something about wanting to have some mech pilot training?"

[Klaus von Zinzer]

"Well, not me exactly" Klaus replies mildly. He smiles a touch at the Ez's flirtation, but does not remark on it further.

"You seemed like the best choice"

[GM Yuusha]

A young woman with eye catching auburn hair walks in and looks around. She lifts a hand to wave toward Klaus as she spots him. Heading in the direction of Klaus and Ezmeralda, she checks out the mechs in their bays on the way.

[Ezmeralda]

"Okay, so... her then?" she nodded towards the young lady, "I'm Ezmeralda. Your mech instructor for the day." She gave Klaus a look that implied she wanted to verify that it was just a day.

[GM Yuusha]

"Oh, hi." She flashes Ezmeralda a big smile as she stops a couple metres away. "I'm Lia Guttenburg."

[Klaus von Zinzer]

"Lia is interested in becoming a mech pilot." Klaus confirms. "And is curious about merc life. I figured that it doesn't hurt to have another pilot backing is up in a pinch"

[Ezmeralda]

"That so? You done much training? I can clear you to do a short course in one of the lights but only if you've logged some sim hours first," she said making clear her expectations.

[GM Yuusha]

"Not a drop of formal training. Only a few simulations for fun. Erm..." She tried to recall the mech names. "A Locust, a Commando and a few times in a Griffin. That was fun." She focuses on Klaus. "I don't know about becoming a mech pilot. I'm more interested right now in simply feeling what it's like to actually pilot one. I don't know if I'd be any good as a pilot, but I do want to hear about merc life." Her focus switches to Ez. "Maybe I could ride with you and do some sims that you suggest? You could tell me about merc life." Lia seemed to like the phrase 'merc life' after hearing it.

[Klaus von Zinzer]

"Well, we will make you one of us degenerates yet." Klaus jokes, doing his best to hide a smile behind his hand.

"Ezmeralda can speak to a lot of that I believe. And we could make do with a trio of combat redheads"

[Ezmeralda]

Ez laughed. "Ah, that's your game," she looked at Lia, "Remember underwires conduct heat or melt. The best stuff to wear is actually marketed directly at Mechwarriors. Lyran brands are generally the best thanks to Katrina Steiner and her ilk." She cast Klaus a wink.

"Today we won't be firing so things should be cool. We'll take the Panther out," she started moving towards it, "It has jump jets which should be fun for a first run."

[GM Yuusha]

Lia is startled by this new information. She lifts her arms a bit and looks down at her chest. "Oh. Is there a changing room nearby?" She crosses her arms. "I'll probably need something to wear. I didn't know it got that hot."

She starts after Ez as she heads toward one of the mechs. "Are you sure? I don't want to... you know. Get burned."

[Ezmeralda]

"It'll be fine, well, ditch the coat. I'll take you shopping later. It'll be fun," she says reassuringly, "It only gets that hot if you are firing weapons. A lot. Or your trainer has a cadet's Chameleon on hand."

She signals to some techs that she intends to use the mech for training.

[GM Yuusha]

Lia waves to Klaus since she was heading away. "Catch you later Klaus."

She shrugs out of the coat, swinging it over her shoulder. "Alright. Chameleon's a type of mech then...?" She checks, following closely behind Ez.

One of the techs gives the sergeant a thumbs up. Nobody was using the Panther. A junior tech runs over to provide some support to ensure Ez's neurohelmet would work with it.

[Ezmeralda]

"Yup, famous old training mech. Purposefully over-gunned and underequipped to handle the potential heat load," she explained, "The entire point is too teach heat management and effective weapon range brackets." She began to make her way up the ladder to the cockpit, "Not ideal for combat, though it can handle any situation to a limited degree. Those things are saunas on legs. This one just gets there when you push it."

[GM Yuusha]

"Oh, gotcha. So, what does this one have?" She points to the big arm weapon.

Lia follows Ez up the ladder in such a way that it was clear she'd climbed things before. Certainly not the completely useless noble type.

[Ezmeralda]

"That is a Parti- Wait, what sort of jank is that?" she did a double take looking at the arm, "Ahem. That is a large laser and this might be a we ran out of working particle cannon parts refit model." She leaned to one side to check the rest of the armament. "Yeah, otherwise it seems standard issue with a short range missile four rack launcher in the chest there." She pointed as she got up top and opened the cockpit before taking a seat on the opposite edge so that Lia could get a good look at it.

[Klaus von Zinzer]

Klaus discreetly backs off and sees if there are any curious onlookers.

[GM Yuusha]

It was indeed a field refit the Militia had made. It was based on an earlier and now extinct Panther chassis. It worked, which was the main thing, and it was cheaper.

Not that Lia knew any of that.

"Okay, so, big gun on the arm and short range missiles in the chest. Got it." She slides into the cockpit carefully yet confidently. Of course she has a good look around. "Wow. There's both less and more than I thought. A lot must be in the, erm, neuro-controls, right?"

Back on the ground the mechtechs were getting on with ongoing repairs and maintenance. There was no sign of the Chief Mechtech. A few of the assistants sometimes paused to check what was going on with the Panther, however they were mostly used to trainees getting a ride first to see how they responded to being in a battlemech.

[Ezmeralda]

"A good amount, yeah," she said with a smile, "A lot of the leg and arm movement is controlled through it. I've been told it is part of what makes quad mechs feel so weird. Though I've never used one." A long pause, "I do think I have seen a Scorpion before... but years ago."

"Anyways. You have your hatch access, some rations, med kit," she says pointing them out on the console, "Screen toggles, throttle, comms panel..." she patted right between Lia's legs, "That is the emergency eject, not a handhold. Then you have your main consule front and center which has most of the principle monitors and controls. And lastly on the right, if you can see past my behind, is the weapons displays, main comms, and life support. While further down are the joystick, coolant controls, ignition, fire extinguisher, lights, and ejection controls."

"Still with me?" she grinned at her.