[session 0 - pre story]
July 3066
Northern districts of New Carbonear, Baccalieu
Calvin ray got out of the car the had picked him up and dropped him off out the front of the Tech Wizards headquarters north of New Carboneer. It was surrounded by junk yards with piles running to three stories in night, cranes, recycling furnaces and the sound of heavy machinery. The first three floors were wide and dark filling a city block, springing forth from this base was a tall round needle of office floors reaching up about 20 stories into the sky. The black stone and glass building was like some archaic wizards tower in a jungle of metal.
It was austentacious and stylish at the same time, much like its owner. He walked up to the door of the foyer and waited.
"Welcome to the Wizards tower Mr Ray" the building announced as it opened the door. He stepped out of the warm noisy air into the cool dim structure as the door closed behind him. The heavily tinted glass gave the street outside a faded and unreal look, he turned as the gentle hum of a drone caught his attention and a light from above lit the area ahead.
"Please follow the light and all will be revealed" announced the same pleasant voice, this time from above.
"Man Scoggin you take this style thing way to seriously..." he murmured. The building didn't talk back, he expected it too.
He follow the light through what seemed to be a large office foyer, past a rung of elevator doors, then in the distance some doors opened to let in a blinding white like like some door to the afterlife.
Of course, more style, his eyes had adjusted to the dark light so of course it seemed like the light of heaven.
He stepped through to a massive chamber polished black walls, lined with glass and lit like a temple, the walls lined with four battlemech on each side. Like some guardians of old they started small and increasing in size towards the back.
"Man this guy is loaded"
The rotor drone was visible now, it descended and spoke "Mr Scoggin says these units are not for you, these are our sales models for the discerning buyer, your cat that is as heavy as the worlds oceans awaits beyond" it sounded cryptic.
"This way please" it sang as it moved to the other end of the chamber.
He followed.
The first two guardians standing either side of him were both Commandos, 25 tons of Lyran engineering. The one on his right seemed to be a standard 2D configuration with 10 SRMs and a medium laser. He had fought many and they carried a powerful Alpha. The opposite one was a 4H, mounting two medium Lasers and bristling with 60 single shot rocket launchers. Cheap, nasty and effective, much more in character with Periphery sensibilities.
Next two in line was a Vindicator, the Capalan birds mech that was akin to a camel. The horse designed by committee, functional, deadly, but ugly as sin. Next to it, he stopped. Whistled long and stared. A Liberater stood strong and proud, painted undercoat green and slightly blocky, but functional. It looked like Scoggin had altered the configuration slightly, replaceing the wrist LRMs with Rockets. "Hey robot, this one mine, your boss had hinted I may get the proceeds of our work as my reward." He said as he pointed at the mech.
"This model common is for the diserning buyer, your cat is the gift of the Wizard himself"
Ray rolled his eyes, "Seriously Scoggin! Ok, robot, lead on"
Next up, woah, a Huron Warrior, it seemed standard configuration too, gauss rifle and all. Quite the sight, well outside his price range. Across a 4H Hunchback stood silently, he had seen them in action up close on their last battle with the Lancers on Kendal. Aurelius' had crushed a Commando literally with his bare hands. Severing its leg through to its crotch with the AC 20 before crushing its torso into its legs with a slam from his fists from above. Brutal.
Finally, a Thunderbolt, 65 Tons of serious metal stood to one side, and an Atlas, 100 tons of pure death stood on the other. It stalled his stride. It was like waking between Thor and Death. Discerning buyers indeed, there was enough firepower in this room alone to nicely fit out a company size force, invade some backwater world and live like a king for the rest of your life.
Finally he reached the end door and stepped through. This room was less sales yard and more workshop. Large with bays to fit four mechs, two on either sides and one large hanger bay door was open at the far end. Two of the bays had Liberators in them and a third had Jörmungandr itself, Scogins 75 ton Marauder and personal ride. In the middle a black tent had been set up with what appeared to be comfortable seating, drinks and refreshments. He approached and saw a seat was taken. As he reached the pavilion he saw it was Tania, his old friend. She was sipping a glass of champaign and wearing a navy blue dress.
"Tania!" He said with more surprise than he meant, she smiled, he felt awkward.
"Um, nice dress" she stood up, leant over and kissed him on the cheek.
"You mean better than seeing me in the bathers I normally wear in that pod of mine" she winked.
He blushed. Seeing her in an elegant dress like this was more alluring he had to admit than the coolant vest and short pants he was used to seeing.
She pointed at the Liberators, "some serious hardware there, look closely at that central weapon mount." He looked closely where she had pointed. In place of the central large laser these units had two.
"How is that even possible" she turned and pointed at the other mech in the bay.
"I think it's one of those Binary Lasers he mounts on that Dragon of his" "Jörmungandr you mean" he cut in reflexively. "Yeah you boys and naming your toys" she reached over and grabbed another champaign glass and passed it to him, "cheers" they clinked glasses, stared into each other's eyes and sipped.
A door opened, Scoggin strode in his arms wide in a generous pose, wearing his black robes and trapping of his senatorial status.
"My friends thank you for coming and your patients over these last two months."
He shook both of their hands with vigour and seemed excited.
"As you can both see I have the mechs I promised each of you in return for you efforts" they glanced at each other uncertainly.
"Ray, for assisting in recovering an intact DI, and Tania for access to Ironmounger gyro technology". He grabbed their hands and walked them over, to the mechs.
"The space saved by the more compact gyro alows me to fit a Blazer rifle into the centre torso." From the front he pointed up at the distinctive twin barrel laser pointing out from the centre torso. He walked them under the unit towards the back, and pointed up at some large vent outputs on each of the side torsos. "To mitigate the massive het output of the Blazer I have mounted twin Active Coolant heat sinks, still not as good as the ones you get in the inner sphere but cheaper, more repairable and available for our needs"
He walked them around the sides, "Finally she has a set of 10 tube Rockets on each arm, I had the space and they tend to come in handy. I call her the Lynx, designation LIB-LX. they are both prototypes based of Jörmungandr over there, but Cumming in at only 40 tons. Questions?
"When do we get to try them out?" questioned Ray, "Damn strait" shot Tania.
"Right now if you would like, change rooms over there, the trail yard is setup and ready to go." Scoggin pointed to small room near the mechs with two suit and neurohelmets hanging from the wall. Tania set off in a run "race you!", Ray couldn't help it and gave chase. Scoggin smiled turned and strolled over to Jörmungandr, and started climbing the gantry. Time to see what his latest inventions could do.
