His grandfather did say that coming to the Periphery was a mistake, a place of bad luck for people like them. He wasn't wrong, minor Federated Suns nobility setting up shop that close to Concordat space, small wonder when their native retainers stabbed them in the collective backs. But they should've known better than mess with a McLean, especially not William Tell McLean.

The day was burned into his memory. It wasn't foreboding, breakfast went off great being a rare day he could eat with his grandfather, father, mother and younger sister in the same room. It was his favorite; bacon, the king of breakfast meats far as he was concerned, piled high and cooked to perfection. It was a big day, after all, the last season was a living hell for him under the tutelage of the old veteran, Raju Montgomery, and it would soon come to a close Raju's contract was ending soon and Will was finally completing his MechWarrior training. Raju was a hard man during training but even during the relatively short time they've known each other Raju was second only to his grandfather in terms of respect, he could hold for someone. From the first day, he walked him through how to start a 'Mech up to a rather terrifying trip in the rumble seat of his Centurion, Raju was practically a second father to him; only he'll do proud one day. He'll go down as Raju's best pupil ever, he thought as he looked at himself in his bedroom mirror dressed in the ancestral cooling suit that he hadn't fully grown into yet the matching neural helmet on his study table. These pieces of equipment where as rare as hen's teeth these days but House McLean took good care of their holdings especially when it comes to their equipment and 'Mechs.

Chuckling to himself as he pull the overly long sleeves down and put on his gloves, confident that he'll ace his final assessment. No hand holding, no limiters on. Just him and the BJ-1 against whatever Raju cooked up in his grizzled old head. He had finally sealed up the suit when he heard a knock on his door.

"Who is it?" Will called, turning on his heel and walking over to the table his helmet laid.

"It's me brother!" came the voice of his younger sister, Wilma.

"One sec Wilma, I'm comin' out." Tucking the sleek helmet under his arm he crossed the room to the double doors that lead to the main hall of his wing of the family manor. As soon as he opens the door he was tackled by a 6 year old ball of energy his little sister locking one arm around his waist with her other clutching a plush Atlas he'd gotten made for her.

"Today's the day right?" Wilma looked up at him, big hazel eyes looking up at him. "You get to pilot Jacky?" she was practically jumping on the spot.

With a chuckle and a ruffling of her hair, he replied with cockiness only a teenager could muster.

"That's right sis, from today onward me and Jacky are gonna be the big boys on the block."

Stepping down to scoop up his sister and putting her on his shoulder.

"And yes you'll get to ride whenever you want." He said tickling her through her day dress to cut off the barrage of excited questions he heard several times over.

Wilma grabbed a handful of the deep brown hair they shared to steady herself as Will took long strides to entrance hall. Passing by a grand painting of the Blackjacks current and soon to be retired pilot. Wilhelm Mclean, their grandfather

"Grandpa looks scary with that face," Wilma commented as they passed it. It wasn't the first time she said it but as always Will humored her, she wasn't wrong either. Wilhelm Mclean had a hell of a scowl, one he wore pretty much at all times even when 50 years younger when the painting was made, the spitting image of both William and Wilma. A long narrow face gave him a look of being hard to phase giving how his eyes were he was probably staring a hole through the poor painter the family commissioned for the piece. His brown hair shaggy and pressed down from years of wearing a neural helmet. An intimidating man to be sure, and one who's shoes Will must fill to carry on the legacy, no pressure he was a McLean; he was born to pilot 'Mechs.

"You'll look pretty scary too when you become a MechWarrior too sis" Will quipped earning a whack to the head, not that it hurt much.

"Girls can't be scary! Mom said so!"

"They are when they pilot big 'Mechs" Will deadpanned, earning another whack.

"Miss Wilma do stop trying to give the young master a concussion" came the withered voice of their nanny, Clara. As they stepped into the main entrance hall in front of the grand stairway.

"He's being mean again!"

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Will stop agitating your sister please." Will turned to look up the stairs as his mother's voice preceded her, as per usual she was overdressed for the occasion. Her light brown hair done up in a decorated bun and wearing a flowing gown.

"Mother I'm having a military assessment, not going to a house Madeira ball." He called up as he handed his sister over to Clara ruffling her short hair once more.

"No, but you'll be making news and as the face of the family I must look my best at all times, as will you when you take over as head of the family." She wagged her finger as she stepped up to him to straighten his suit collar and hair. Earning embarrassed protests from Will.

"Come now Wilhelmina, Stop babying your son. He has a big day ahead of him." came the deep voice of his grandfather cane clicking on the marble as he walked from the opposite hall flanked by Will's father Damond. Damond Stuck a much less imposing figure than the older man. A professional desk jockey from the army he nevertheless kept the family funds in black and his mother in check form her flights of fancy.

Wilhelm stepped up to Will, looking assessing his grandson as he stood there dressed in his old cooling suit and neural helmet tucked under his arm, a wry smile cracked his grim features.

"You remind me when I was your age. Bet you feel ready aren't you lad?" He asked pointing his cane in Will's face who nodded in return.

"Ready as I'll ever be Grandad."

With a slow nod, the cane whipped across his grandson's thigh who jumped in place.

"Then report to the "Mech bay on the double, Hop to!" He barked as Will snap a salute and bolted through the main doors.

Blissfully ignorant of the incoming drop ship in orbit Will made his way to the on-site mech bay, a ten-minute jog turned into a four-minute dash as his excitement got the better of him. Skidding into a sliding stop in front of the family BlackJack as she stood in Bay one. Painted in the deep greens of his family's Coat of arms it stood looking more new as a machine nearly two hundred years old had any right to look. The old girl had taken some hits in her life but she's had good pilots in her sparing her the complete rebuilds most 'Mechs her age go through at least once.

Most are perplex why anyone would be proud as BlackJacks have a rather poor reputation of being a shoddy design. Of course, these are completely unfounded myths made by supremely ignorant officials who wouldn't know a good mech even if it stepped on them. The BlackJack is a perfect light skirmisher, two class two autocannons supplemented by four medium lasers gave it plenty of long and short range firepower to deal with mechs of the same weight head on. On top of that, she was quick and had good jump jets making her one of the more agile forty five ton 'Mechs out there. A good pilot could keep slower "Mechs at range while they lay down withering AC fire and jump in to finish the job with a salvo of laser fire. Only the Federated Suns have truly come to appreciate this chassis, but then again the other Great Houses are too far up their own asses to do anything right in the first place so not capitalizing on what the BlackJack has to offer is to be expected.

"Looking sharp there kid." Grinning Will spun on his heel to face Raju Montgomery, the grizzled veteran dressed in his cooling vest. "Ready too I take?"

"Born ready Mastiff, I'm getting my pass and you owe me a birthday present since you bailed out yesterday," Will said excitement cracking his voice.

Chuckling Raju turn his back to Will making toward the lift in the opposite bay that held his Centurion.

"We'll see kid. Mount up and let's get this show on the road. Time for Hessian's grandson to strut his stuff."

Nodding Will jammed on the neural helmet and hopped on the lif to the side hatch of the Blackjacks cockpit. Popping the hatch open he swiftly slipped in the seat. Strapping in and hooking his cooling suit's intake to the 'Mech's life support systems. Pressing the right buttons and flipping the right switches to make his BlackJack's fusion engine start to come to life as the Bitching Betty intones her startup sequence.

REACTOR ONLINE.

SENSORS ONLINE.

WEAPONS ONLINE.

ALL SYSTEMS NOMINAL.

He couldn't help but grin like a little kid as the information feed and hud was fed into him through his helmet and 'Mech started to become more of an extension to his body as if he gain forty five tones and sprouted giant machine guns for arms. He was practically giggling as he applies throttle to make the BlackJack stroll out of its bay and out to the parade grounds overlooking the 'Mech target field. he couldn't help but notice that there were two blips on his sensors a couple kilometers off deep into the training grounds. Raju's Centurion came on the side of him as they piloted their 'Mechs to the center of the parade field.

"So Mastiff, what do you have planned for me this time?" Will asked, bending his neck to pop out a crick that saddeningly formed.

"Something nice and straightforward on paper but as I've told you before-"

"Nothing is ever straightforward as it seems." Will intoned, completing that oft repeated lesson.

"So you have been listening. You might get through this after all then," Raju gave an amused chuckle. "I got a couple drones out in the field. They're decommissioned military with dummy fire rounds. It won't hurt your 'mech too bad but it will knock you on your ass if you let them hit. Your final assessment will be to hunt down every drone out there and come back without being knocked down. Hopefully, you can do this without messing up."

With a laugh, Will throttled the BlackJack into a jog as he headed out to the sensors blips calling out. "Seek and destroy, I'm on it Mastiff!"

Raju shook his head as he waited five minutes and throttled up after his student.

It was a solid two minutes of moving at cruising speed before he made visual contact with the first drone, an old Scorpion tank, the drone controlling it was on the slow side as it couldn't bring the turret to bear before two bursts of AC fire slam into the weak side armor of the tank knocking it out. Will brought the Blackjack into a wide turn his head on a swivel as he scanned for his other sensor contact and any possible shut down vehicles that the sensors couldn't pick up.

That first one was too easy, Will thought, Probably meant to get me cocky and lull me into a false sense of security so what's next can blindside me. Part of him was disappointed Raju set that up the other part was worried what the vet had in plan for him.

The other sensor contact soon beeped on his close-range sensors as it sped by him practically under his nose. Kicking the torso twist into high gear he tracked his prey. A Harasser hovercraft. Normally a complete nonthreat to a 'Mech that wasn't a Flea but just as annoying as one with its constant slipping and drifting. But no matter how fast they are, drones are predictable targets and for a McLean, it was small potatoes popping a hovercraft open. Only had to use one burst of a single AC.

Two down. What's next old man? Will asked himself as he recentered his torso and scanned for more threats. His caution was soon validated when a senor contact suddenly appeared right behind him in the thick brush of the forest. Not wanting to take whatever was behind him in the back he kicked on the "Mech's jump jets, leaping sideways a hundred meters while vectoring the jets to turn the BlackJack around to hose down the contact with his ACs. He was glad he chose sideways as two thunderous booms were soon followed by great plums of earth being kicked up where the 'Mech was just standing.

"A god damn Demolisher!?" Will shouted as his AC rounds, while powerful in their own right, were insufficient to take the heavy tank down with one salvo from the front.

Checking his heat gage to be sure he won't risk overheating jumping again he leaped forward to get behind the heavy tank while vectoring to face its rear, pumping two of his lasers into the rear armor of the tank. Not enough to kill it outright but enough to strip the old armor a bit. The tank's turret began to traverse to face him but he turned his torso and threw the 'Mech in reverse opposite of the traversing turret pumping as much laser fire as he could afford into the tanks hull armor.

He couldn't jump now, too hot form his lasers firing and a wrong move would lead him eating Assault class AC rounds in the face, not the healthiest diet anyone would agree. The dance continued. Will just ahead of the turning turret and its huge double barrels and the tank eating his lasers like they were flashlights.

"Just die already!" Will shouted as he fired a full salvo by mistake, his heat gage just on the threshold of overheating. The exposed bit of his face felt like they were in an oven, his brow and hair soaked in sweat. He'd pass out from heat stroke if he didn't cool down. His accidental Alpha Strike did melt a section of armor the size of his 'Mech's footpad he noticed. "Its now or never!" He yelled as he put his weight into a punting kick. The foot pad slammed into the side of the tanks weakened hull, staving the midsection as sparks flew and the internal engine ruptured and gushed out flames. The tank turret grounded to a halt and WIll yanked his foot out of the tank and went full reverse to avoid being caught up in any ammo cook-off.

Breathing heavy from the heat and the adrenaline high he sunk back into his seat easing his knuckle-white grip he had on the 'Mechs controls. "Where the hell does he find a Demolisher?" Will asked no one in particular. A deep breath in and out helped soothed his nerves some as he put the mech in a jog and got back to scanning. Troubles for "Mech warriors usually came in fours and that was only three.

"What's next? A damn Atlas?" Another blip, behind him.

"No something half that weight."

Will's stomach feels as he reflexively fired his jets vectoring around the Class ten AC caught him him yelling and crashing into the treeline. Raju's Centurion was crouched down left arm supporting the gun arms elbow to stabilize his next shot. Sending a dummy round into Will's recovering 'Mech's side almost tipping over him again.

"I've should've known you'd pull this old man!" Will yelled as he forced his 'Mech into a sprint, Sending a snapshot burst of AC fire that made Raju ditch his aiming stance and over his cockpit with his shield arm unbeknownst to Will Raju was impressed, even more impressed as each burst started to drill into his arm. Shooting low to trip Will up he found that Will had fired his jets again gaining distance while still raining AC fire.

Will kept jumping back in short bursts pulsing his ACs into the centurions center mass he knew his most of his rounds were a dummy when his retaliatory burst only had two round explode properly. Raju messed with the ammo feed for this duel. Jumping back one more times he let the BlackJack slide across the earth and spread his feet out sustained fire. Raju was outranged and in the open, a turkey shoot. Aiming high he chained fired the ACs in single shot mode peppering the head with AC fire. Raju charged forward. Shield arm deflecting most of his fire as he took long shots at Will who either side stepped them entirely with his jumps or actually had his aim thrown off by a few solid hits to the arm by the dummy rounds. He's got it.

"Stop!" Raju called. Forcing his "Mech to take a knee his shield arm slacking slightly from the abuse it took. "I've seen enough."

"And?" Will replied he was low on ammo but he was gonna pour it all into Raju if he tried anything. There was still a good 500 meter distance between them. His finger wasn't even off the trigger.

"You're still rough around the edges but you have what it takes, Congrats kid, you have my personal seal of approval, you can now call yourself a 'MechWarrior proper." Raju called out, approval ringing clear in his tone.

Despite himself Will couldn't but offer a hoot of excitement and making his BlackJack do a 'Mech sized Can-Can dance while firing off what most of what remained of his ammo in the air. Though said celebration was soon cut off as an AC 10 round knocked the grounded leg out from under him sending him face first to the ground. Fortunately the seatbelts in the BlackJack were the best money could buy

"How many times have i told to now let your guard down pup!" Raju admonished. He could understand excitement but that sort of display gets people killed after all.

"Ow~ sorry Mastiff, Rule number one: head on a swivel at all times." Will replied pitifully as he forced his 'Mech back on its feet.

"Honestly I should bump you back to basics for that screw-up but for your exemplary performance I'll let it slide just this once." Raju jerked his 'Mech's metaphorical thumb over his shoulder " Let's head back. You got a ceremony to get to."

Nodding Will put jogged his mech over matching speed with the Centurion. They walked past Wills handy work, the smoldering wrecks of tanks past their prime. "So, how did you get that big ass tank anyway?"

"I got my ways. Don't worry 'bout it too much, Say, your family's going to the capital soon right?" Will nodded but smacked himself since Raju couldn't actually see that.

"Yeah, we'll be attending the Arano birthday Ball be weird to see Arano and Espinosa again after all this time, Guess me taking over for grandad is important enough to get an invite again. Speaking of birthdays."

"Hm?"

"What's my callsign? You said you have to earn that since you taught me everything I guess that means you gotta name me."

Raju mulled it over. True he had said that but he wasn't in the habit of giving names to his students, then again Will wasn't an ordinary noble scion. He'll have to think a bit longer on it.

"Tell you what kid. I promise to tell you before I head out. Think you can wait till then?"

"Just make good on that promise, unlike the last one to be there yesterday!"

"I told you I'm no good at-" A crackle of the open channel cut them off.

"Emergen-Underattac-unmark 'Mechs-"

Will and Raju's attention snapped to the emergency channels of the coms, that was the house guards.

"What?!" Will shouted as he hit the jets. Shooting up high into the air to get a look over the tree line.

It was hell, the manor in flames burned out husks of the house guards combat vehicles, the BlackJack and Centurion were the only ones on the estate. Where they safe? He hit the ground hard the legs groaning as they took the shock.

"Everything's on fire! Mastiff we gotta go now!" Will shouted gunning his throttle to full Raju joining him they had the same top speed after all.

"Kid calm down, going in blind will get us both killed, we aren't armed for mech on mech combat!" Raju tried to reel him in but Will made his mech shrug it off and went for a long distance leap with his jets outpacing Raju.

"I still got my lasers and you have missiles. I'll scout ahead but I NEED to go!" Will shouted making long leaps leaving Raju in the dust.

"Kid Wait!"

It took him half a minute he was starting to build up heat from all the jumping but he couldn't afford to stop. Every second he wasn't there meant another second of his family at the mercy of whoever was attacking them. Every time he rose above the treeline the more desperate he got. He could see the celebration grounds in flames, the guest scattered or dead, why was this happening?! It was supposed to be a happy day! A dream come true, now it's a living nightmare. He made one final jump and cleared the training ground treeline he landed hard on something. An unmarked technical. Good one of those bastards down.

He sprinted to the front of the manor blasting anything that wasn't marked with the family crest. To they're credit the lighter vehicles turned and ran rather than face a pissed off BattleMech but he took the opportunity to kick the closest of them away, they would all pay for this. He was cycling every sensor reading he could while trying to hail any and all friendly units, a broadcast on an open channel made his blood run cold.

"Master William! Come in Please!" Clara's panic voice came in. Will wasted no time.

"Clara get off that channel now!" but it fell on deaf ears.

"We're in the west wing. Hurry Lady McLean is badly injur-" an explosion cut her off followed by a plume of smoke where their location was. This wasn't happening.

"Dammit No!" Will jumped over the lower wing of the manor. Only to see a gaping hole in were the west wing was...Wilma's room was in that wing shook his thoughts from then he locks eyes with two 'Mechs. A Hunchback and Firestarter painted a faded light purple with no markings, they seemed rough but not pirate rough. Didn't matter what or who they were, Will pulled the trigger and dumped four laser burns square into the Hunchback's rear armor. To their credit they reacted the second the sound of melting armor became apparent. The Hunchback twisted as fast as its chassis would permit its right arm coming around to fire its own burn across WIll's 'Mech, superficial damage at best but he can't be in front of that thing when it's hunch mounted AC comes around. He jumped forward , putting his BlackJacks foot out in a flying kick to the Hunchback's side torso hoping his momentum would help his mech knock over the heavier mech. It kinda worked. Forced it to its knee with is arm propping it up. He would've fired his lasers again point blank if not for the stream of flames and machine gun fire the Firestarter was putting into his side the machine guns would take a bit of solid connections to do any real damage to his armor but the flamethrowers threatened to push his mech over the threshold. Opting for another melee attack; Will lashed out with his foot connecting with the Firestarter leg kicking it out from under him and making it fall over on its side….into the manor.

"Damn it all!" He yelled kicking himself for endangering whoever might still be alive in this part of the manor but he had a fifty tonner to take care of; too slow as a single round of AC 20 fire slammed into his right arm nearly blowing it clean off and him off his feet. Will cursed loudly as he turned about, firing his lasers into the Hunchback's cockpit couldn't miss at this range and it was still immobilized. The melting of the cockpit canopy and the slumping over of the 'Mech rewarded him his first mech kill. No time to deal there's a Firestarter to fry next. The sound of jump jets alerted him and he wiped around where it should be laying but seeing only a pile of burning rubble. He looked and saw that the Firestarter had rocketed up over him and landed over the stone wall surrounding the manor.

"You ain't getting away from me!" wasting no time he fired his jets and landed atop the stone wall seeing the Firestarter making a beeline for open ground. Looking at his hud he saw that he had one burst of his left AC in him. He took aim, fired, and saw that he had fired the last of his live rounds right in the back of a Firestarter moving full tilt at 900 meters, the explosive rounds buried themselves into its back critting the core and setting off what would be an impressive explosion if he wasn't on a blood high. He pivot around to look at the burning section of his home scanning with his zoom optics. Nothing, he'll have to go in on foot, jetting down for a soft landing (for 'Mech standards anyway) he resisted the urge to core out the Hunchback out of spite. They'll need the money an intact chassis would bring to have a hope of recovering from this.

"Damn kid hell of shot back there" Raju intoned having finally gotten to the west wing. "Who ever attacked us didn't bring much looks like you got the only 'Mechs of the force. But the mansions a total wash they were here to kill and kill only."

Not really hearing Raju WIll powdered his 'Mech down and deployed a rope ladder to get down from the standing mech. He'll worry about getting back in later. Making a mad dash to the open wound of the building. He didn't like it.

Raju had opted to rally what was left of the House McLean forces and try to figure out just what the hell happened, what he could gather from the survivors was that all but one of the retaining families under House McLean were present for Will's coming of age/becoming the new pilot of the family 'Mech. A high ranking officer just to happen to be part of said missing family and just so happens to be in charge of the orbital sensors that track passing dropship traffic. It was a classic betrayal if Raju had ever seen one family hired a pirate band of mercs to come in and smash the place up and hopefully catch them weak enough to kill and seize House holdings and assets. He'll have to take care to not let this happen with future clients, the mother was full of herself sometimes but the McLeans were good people as far as nobles go. Having directed surviving 'Mech Techs to haul his Centurion, Will's Blackjack, and the pirate Hunchback back to the 'Mech bays to rearm and repair he made way in in search of his student and praying he hasn't done something stupid.

It didn't take long however. He saw him in the east wing standing in front of his Grandfathers portrait a duffle bag over his shoulder and clutching a bloody plush 'Mech to his chest with his helmet. He was staring at the younger image of Hessian.

"They're all gone." Will's voice was low and hoarse, he's probably been screaming bloody murder until recently, probably gonna affect his voice for a long time to come. He looked hardened. Mouth pulled into a tight scowl. Raju honestly thought he was looking at a young Hessian right there and then.

"So what are you gonna do now?" Raju asked, even though he knew the answer. He knew the look the young scion had.

"House McLean is dead, there's nothing for me here, only option is to go away and let fate decide how I live now. It's just gonna be be me and Jackie from here on in." Will felt a hand on his shoulder, he didn't shrug away.

"I just want you to know that you're family wouldn't blame you. You did good today and I'd wager you'll be as every bit of a soldier your old man was."

"I'm gonna wander the Periphery, probably freelance gonna have two if I want to keep Jackie going. I'll be selling all non sentimental McLean assets so you'll be paid in full as per your contract." He looked down stroking the plushie with his thumb. "Maybe one day we'll meet again, maybe we'll even work together on the same job, I'd hate to be on the opposing side to you." He gave a hollow laugh, trying to find his old humor but its withered and died in that moment.

Raju stayed silent for a minute and started walking away down the hall. "I'd like that Bullseye!" He called out as he picked up the pace, as he figured he had the young 'MechWarrior hot on his heels. He chuckled.

"Bullseye? You sure? Aren't callsigns like that looked down upon in merc circles?"

"Sure they are, But you fully earned it, even before today you're probably the best shot with autocannons I've seen since your old man. Keep it up and you'll be a triple Marksman just like him." For a moment he saw some of Will's old light back in his eye.

"We'll see Mastiff but I'll make damn sure I do you good, you're the best money can buy after all"

"You're doing pretty good so far I'd say." First the first time in hours the two felt like things haven't gone to hell in a handbasket.

The next few years seemed to passed by too quickly. All those small contracts dealing with pirates and war criminals, meeting back up with Mastiff and seeing Victoria and Kamea again, surprised they remembered him, Kamea was still the same old stary eye girl he remembered. Reminded him of his sister to be honest. Victoria...she changed, she still had that confidence, any student of Raju, thats a given; but he could tell she was hiding something she was always sizing him up at first he thought it was cause he was one of Raju's best, like her, but the day of the coupe came and it all made sense. F C*in' bitch, she's gonna pay, she and her shithead father. Next thing after that a medbay dark man looking over him with two Asians nearby. An unlucky merc company that lost their leader in the bombing on Coromodir. Granddad was right the Periphery is just bad luck for folks like them. Cause now, here he sat the ripe old age of 22 sitting in his BJ-1 in the old Leopard's 'mechbay, neural helmet between his knees and Wilma's favorite plush in his hands. It's staring back at him with is yellow slits, it's seen better days but McLeans take care of their stuff. He kisses the top of its head.

"Wish me luck Wilma, Got some Miners that need help today."

Simple job on paper, Clear out corporation forces that were being overly hostile to local miners. Garrison was pretty lite probably some poorly maintained mechs. But the desert would prove a problem, can't rely too much on lasers and using jump jets. And Glitch's PPC would have to be used a sparingly as possible. He'll have to be on top of my game. It'll be his first drop as the "official" commander of Bullseye's Marauders, how he Wish he could change that but too much paperwork. Its funny. he's easily the youngest person on the ship but turns out having a lick commander's instinct in you and having a ship full of slackers gets you the boss' chair, oh well private cabin even if the bed is nowhere as good sleeping as in the cockpit...could just be him on that though. The others seem nice enough though he questions the logic of signing for a loan with that high of an interest rate but hey, he flew solo all of his short career.

Yang's cool he's a 'Mech Tech even if he's a Capellen he's always gonna be cool in Will's book. Darius is ok, he did tell the others to pull him out the handbasket. Sumire….well he's still figuring that out. Good pilot though even if her hatred of birds is weird, Clara loved birds… His lancemates are their own brand of crazy. First was Dekker, ex military, nobility but somehow the second he became a merc his luck went to hell faster than mine. Will thought

He liked Raju a lot though so he pretty much defers to me even when he first came in, Good with anything fast, leans more toward moving and shooting rather than scanning area.

Glitch is a damn maniac; Like you'd only see her type in pirate bands. So she's kinda scary to be around not too bad of a shot with PPCs but she needs to stop Alphaing all the damn time.

Behemoth was probably the last to accept him. To be fair he was edging her out of her leadership role of the Lance but he was just better at it than she'd ever be. Mean right hook. Both in and out of the mech, Don't piss off.

Medusa is our back up scout/technician. A quiet guy likes to tinker with medium Lasers but really not much else noteworthy when he's not trying to rewire their coffee machine to make lates. Sumrie almost threw him out the airlock for that. Deavion blend tea is better anyway so no skin off his nose.

Will's musings are interrupted as the turbulence of atmospheric entry begins, setting down the plushie, its made from the same material as Solaris 7 fuzzy dice. It'll survive the worst of a 'Mech cockpit and puts on his helmet. Checking his cooling suit, finally grew into the damn thing too, was connected to the life support he radios the lance.

"This is Bullseye, everyone buckle up and sound off I want y'all off as soon as touchdown." The order came naturally as he goes about the startup sequence

REACTOR ONLINE.

"This is Behemoth, ready op."

SENSORS ONLINE.

"This is Dekker, ready op."

WEAPONS ONLINE.

"This is Glitch, ready op!"

ALL SYSTEMS NOMINAL.

Will felt more of his old smile return, 6 years since that day and the countless drops he's done in that time, he still lives for this, he was born for it after all.

The Dropship momentum comes to a halt and Will feel himself become weightless as the BlackJack drops 10 meters onto the pale sandy earth. He bends his neck to get rid of a crick. Something was gonna happen, he gets cricks when something happens, Oh well just shoot it in the face, that always works. Mustering his best impression of his granddad he gives the order.

"Form on me. We're doin' this quick and clean and back before teatime, one with the most kills gets extra cake. Ya hear me!?"

"Yes commander!" His lance answers him, he chuckles.

"Alright then, MOVE OUT!"

Maybe his luck will change someday.