The Hammer Swings

Today's very interesting story was penned by our own Jochi Kondur a few months back.  Check out his YouTube here!

29 May 3052

1530 PVST

A strange calm descended as he powered down his Huginn.  The slight tremors caused by the adrenaline-based battle stim ebbed gently away and Jochi took the moment to mediate.  Unlike other mechwarriors who become addicted to battle stims containing various cocktails of psycho-stimulants and opiates, Jochi relied on a non-addictive synthetic stim replicated from his own adrenaline sample.

He gingerly balanced himself on top of his one-legged Raven to look over the rim of the caldera.  The Peregrine Medevac VTOL had landed and its paramedics were attending to the Urbanmech pilot who ejected.  As his eyes glanced over the legless remains of the heavily modified Urbanmech, he scoffed at the Draconis Combine crest alongside the emblem of the Tikonov Liao unit.  Well, at least they had not gone over to the Steiners and the Tikonov Republican Guards, he thought.

Jochi could see the second Peregrine Transport VOTL coming in a bit too hot and quickly ran for cover.  Damn if he is killed by this crash-prone lemon from Blackwell having survived the duel.  Through the dust, he made out a familiar figure, he was soon in a bear-like embrace of his friend Vasily. 

“Baxter will get your Huginn sorted out, he promised Zvolimir the Blackhand that you’ll leave Menke with a brand new Raven and he keeps his promise.” said Vasily.

THE DAY BEFORE

28 May 3052

1700 PVST

Jochi’s eyes met familiar faces but the once friendly townsfolk averted eye contact and scurried away as he led the prisoner transport detail through the backstreets of his hometown, Menke.  Chancellor Romano Liao had ordered the ancient and obscure execution method of 凌遲 for the prisoner’s crime of high treason.  Originally scheduled to take place on Sian, the McCarron clan had spent great expense and called in many favors to move the execution to Menke instead.  Baxter had tasked Jochi to select the public execution site, it was to be a public place but secluded enough such that only the most determined and resourceful press member would be able to locate it.  As the execution crew rushed to set up in the fading light, he saw the guards hastily administer massive amounts of opium to the prisoner, no doubt also an arrangement by the McCarron clan for their disgraced kin.

Jochi’s attention was soon drawn to the perimeter of the execution site.  A commotion had broken out between the guards and several off-worlders.  A grizzled veteran mechwarrior wearing a curious mix of a Draconis Combine crest alongside the emblem of a Tikonov Liao unit on his jacket voiced his insistence of the prisoner’s innocence.  Zhong-Shao Blackhand had warned Jochi to be on the look out for any suspicious characters and especially off-worlders who would plot to stop the execution.  He quickly made a recording of the curious veteran’s rant for the Maskirovka but was discovered. 

“Hey you there” shouted the veteran, “why were you recording?”

 “This recording will be sent for Maskirovka archival," Jochi barked back.  The veteran took offense at the young mechwarrior’s impunity and retorted “Next time I see you on the field, we're dueling.”                   

Uncharacteristically, Jochi replied to the grizzle veteran.  “We will duel after the execution is concluded.”  Perhaps he was more affected by PTSD or Post Tukayyid Stress Disorder than he was led to believe.

AFTERMATH OF TUKAYYID

27 May 3052

1900 PVST

Jochi and his 'Mech Tech team had been left behind on Tukayyid to make field repairs on salvageable mechs before they were shipped out to Purvo.  The monotony of their work was interrupted by the breaking news of sweeping arrests of mechwarriors from across all the Great Houses for high treason.  Jochi was queuing to enter the field mess hall when a strangely familiar voice said, “Jochi Kondur, you are wanted by Marcus Baxter”. 

Turning around he met the eyes of Aila, aide to his former CO who handed him his orders.  Jochi’s eyes widen as he read the order.  “Her Celestial Wisdom, Romano Liao orders Sang-Wei Jochi Kondur of the Gatekeeper Battalion to the Celestial Capital Sian and await further orders for the transport of a prisoner to Menke.”

“HE IS A GATEKEEPER!” hissed the woman angrily.  Baxter had to physically restrain the woman, apparently named Cat. 

“Her Celestial Wisdom, Romano Liao trusts the loyalty of the Gatekeepers and he is a friend to the McCarrons.  The McCarrons spent considerable resources to secure the prisoner’s transport to Menke or would you like your friend to remain in Sian for her execution?” asked Baxter.  The woman stormed back to her Nightshade Passenger VTOL.

“Zvolimir was quite insistent on getting you a new Raven as part of the deal to release you for the prisoner transport duty, is there a reason for that?” asked Baxter. 

Jochi thought back sheepishly to the accidental friendly fire incident caused by his piloting mistake on Tukayyid and replied, “Oh I don’t know, maybe he likes me.” 

Baxter cocked his head at the reply and said “I have a Huginn waiting for you on base, courtesy of the McCarrons from Archibald’s estate."