I was writting this thing waayyyy back when I was dating Star, so you can understand some of the references. There's 2 parts, its not really THAT long, and I never finished it (Lost interest)
Enjoy?
PART 1
A barren wasteland stretched out before Adam. Broken buildings on the horizon and red dust in the wind. This had once been a Steel Viper Settlement before Clan Jade Falcon had their way with it. Skyscrapers lurched to the side, some buildings were still on fire, it couldnt have been that long ago.
"Adam, damage report," it came through crackling on his radio. He flipped the swtich to respond.
"I cant tell that much yet. A few missle scorches here and there, anything could've blown up that bulding, theres a few broken mechs. Just scouts." One giant clawed foot of Adam's own mech crunched down on the cockpit of a ruined Cougar. It was flattened under the massive weight. Adam's was an assault class mech, a Star Adder. Modified here and there for personal preferences. He thought back to the Daishi he used to pilot. He lost it when he had to do an alpha strike to destroy an enemy platoon, it overheated and the core cracked. He managed to eject before it went critical but it still hurt to look down and see his weapon of mass destruction go up in a ball of crimson flames. But this mech had more meaning to him personally. Twin PPCs, 4 LRMs, 2 gauss rifles, and a flamethrower for any fool that thought his puny mech could get into this beast's grill.
"Fine, keep us updated on what you find. We will send in some Crossbow to back you up. Over." The link went silent and he flipped two switches. One to turn off the comlink and the other for a fan. This planet was remote, and hot. He didnt want to be here, but he needed money.
"Being a freelance merc isnt all I thought it would be..." Before all this Adam had been part of Steel Viper. One of the few to pass its rigorous training programs. Steel Viper was infamous for a 2% pass rate, and Adam did it on his first try. He did missions everywhere for them, mainly defending against Jade Falcon, but after so many years he decided to leave. The Vipers werent thrilled with that. Their radical isiolationism joined with their love of Adam's skills made them vehemetly against the decision. He gave them back the Crossbow he himself had been piloting, they gave him a good amount of credits (Out of respect) and he left for another planet.
He eventually joined with the Star Adder clan. He meshed well with the awesome military might of the Adder's. After only a few missions, he was promoted to Star Colonel and given a massive pay raise. With this money and what he had saved, he bought the Daishi through connections. For the next few years he spent his time on the front lines encased in his enormous metal armor. Then things slowed down for Star Adder and Adam. With recent activity, people were afraid of the clan. After a year of "normal" life Adam got the itch all mechwarriors do for battle. He took his solemn leave of the military and went freelance.
So here he was. Hired by the Steel Vipers who werent to happy that he had joined another clan in his abscence, and knowing that they had to pay him by the hour. Jade Falcon was still at ends with them and when a city got wasted, they wanted someone who they could rely on to get revenge. Adam took a cigar from his shoulder pocket and lit it up.
"Come on out you pansies...that Star Adder got you scar..." He almost sensed before the missles hit. The Star Adder was faster than it looked and he did an easy evasion. He flipped the ComLink back to life.
"Where the hell are those Crossbows!? When I was in this army I got to the destination as quickly as possible!"
"...We cant all be as good as you sir."
"Your DAMN right you cant! I think its a catapult. I cant tell where the missles came from. Almost scuffed my paint job. Ill try to flush them out while you lazy sons 'a bitches get out here."
"Sir, is all the trashtalking necisary?"
"Dont ******** question a superior officer."
"You quit the Steel Viper army..."
"Okay. Dont ******** question the veteran with an assault class mech who could easy kill you with 1 well placed shot."
"Yes sir."
Rookies, he thought. They'd be a little gruff too if they'd been through as much as him. He pushed the buttons on each side of his control throttles and his PPCs started to charge. The familiar crackling noise came down through the metal above him.
"Its been waaay too long." He unleashed the first shot on an already leaning skyscraper, the way it would fall could bring out hidden enemies in the eastern rubble. The second shot his placed into a fuel station, and the resutling shockwave could mess with null signature defenses. There was a ripple in the air and in that split second Adam was on top of the cougar. His gauss rifles fired through the very center of it and with the core breached, it glowed golden. It exploded behind him while he ran for cover in the smoke. Two catapults had been driven out by his earlier skyscraper move and they werent very happy. The duo unleashed a payload of missles totaling 8 and they screamed towards him. They pierced the think smoke and there was a series of dull explosions.
"We got him right? You were locked on as well?"
"Yeah, all 4 from me. Even if they werent all direct hits he is gonna be crippled. Now we just..." The second pilot couldnt talk through a face full of shrapnell. 2 missles had barreled directly into his cockpit. A split second of searing heat and pain, and he was dead. The 1st pilot was so spooked he just unloaded everything into the smoke ahead. Missles and bullets ripped through the air like hornets from hell, and he couldnt tell if he was hitting or not. When his ammo reserves were empty he turned around to run only to be face to face with 2 Clan Steel Viper Crossbow mechs. Each had dual laser cannons pointed right at him.
"Jade Falcon scum, you will cease this and come with us for questioning. Resist, and we have no problem killing you right here." What choice did he have? He turned the Catapult to standby and lowered the ladder into the harsh wind. It was in stark contrast to his air conditioned and minty fresh cockpit. It was scorching hot, and felt like the skin on his bones would melt away at any moment. When he touched the dirt finally he looked up at the catapults and then back to the smoke.
There before him was the Star Adder. Unharmed. Not a scratch on it. He noticed it had both the Steel Viper AND Star Adder logo's on the right arm, but it had a massive green star on the left shoulder. The pilot was approaching him smoking a cigar.
"How...how could you not get hit!?" Adam punched him in the face.
"Cas Im a pro. I used the other cougar you had stalking me as a sheild. You guys think your little hit and run tactics would work on me? It would take way more than 8 missles to destroy my Star."
"But we...you.." he was trying to talk through the pain of his broken nose. "The green star, what clan is that!?" He looked up and saw Adam staring into the distance. He smiled a little.
"Aint no clan. Its the best damn girl Ive ever met. But it isnt your concern." He made a fist with one leather gloved hand. "THIS fist thats gonna connect with your throat in a second, now that is your concern." The Jade Falcon soldier screamed and right before the punch hit...
"Sir, we need him for questioning." The cold eyes of the Steel Viper reminded Adam he needed to follow orders to get payed. He kicked the Falcon in the head, knocking him out.
"If that kick didnt knock him retarded, have fun asking him whatever you want." He tossed the stub of his cigar to the winds and it dissapeared among dust and bits of rubble. "I can go?"
"Yes sir. Although I think Command wanted a word with you before you left the planet again." The other soldier was hauling the Jade falcon's unconious body to his crossbow.
"More work?"
"I dont think so sir.
"Psh, its gonna be their beurocratic s**t again. Fine Ill go and listen. I want my money and to head back home..." He pulled out his wallet and looked at the picture of him and a girl. "This Star Adder is fine, no doubt. But shes the only Star for me."
PART 2
The lights in the council room flickered for a moment. Perigard Zalman, Khan of Clan Steel Viper looked down where the main light shown on a single person. He had known him ever since he passed his first test (No small feat in Steel Viper.) They used to call him their ultimate weapon. The hope of the Vipers. Armageddon in an iron shell. various nicknames from battles, but Zalman had met the other side of this person. He practically raised him, he had been a father figure. He looked down at his one time pupil Adam, now as a mercenary and less of a son.
He still had that same cocky stance, like he was ready to take on the world. He used to stand that way becuase he was the best Viper, now why did he look that way? Confidence came off him in waves. No longer the 18 year old from before, he was a 20 year old man now. He had seen more combat than anyone in the Viper army by now. He was taller but still had the same spiked black hair with white highlights. Zalman had actually suggested he do it as a joke but Adam thought it was cool. A pack of cigars up on his shoulder. "I told him to never smoke damnit." Zalman thought. The boots, the mechwarrior outfit lined with machinery and a side-arm, and the look in his eyes that said, "Yeah, Im that good. I can kick everyone's a**. Then their dad's a**." But this wasnt a meeting to catch up.
The other councilors had arrived. Steel Vipers took Mercenary jobs very seriously. And when that Merc happened to be Adam...
"So what, do I have to sit here and listen to you drone on about how you want me back?" Adam broke that silence and lit a Cigar up.
"No smoking in here Adam." Said Zalman.
"Im not a Viper anymore, do I still have to follow that rule? Im pretty sure your safe from second hand smoke up there on your high horse."
"You want to get payed?" Adam sneered and put it out. Zalman smiled a little. Same Adam.
"Fine, on that matter, the going rate was 1000 credits an hour for your work plus expenses to the mech. It only took you 30 minutes to get to the target and eliminate hostiles, so your only going to get 500."
"Thats not enough! I need money to get home damnit! make it a little over 1000 and you have a deal."
"Blame your own efficiency. Your mech was inspected and you werent hit once, and your ammo was already replaced. Take your 500 or leave it, merecenary." Zalman emphasized that word. Becuase no one had forgiven Adam for abandoning them. The Falcons had taken the opportunity and attacked them ever since. And it was true, the Steel Vipers had never been the strongest of the clans. Without Adam they were much weaker.
"Fine Ill take the money. Just transfer it to my account. Any chance I can get a lift back home?" The silence told Adam the answer.
"Funny how a war hero decides to go somewhere with his life and everyone that used to call him friend turns their back on him." He turned, kicked the exit door open, and walked past a pair of stunned guards.
(The end, damn my inability to finish stuff)
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