How Lola got her Supernova: a side story
Sep. 23rd, 2013 02:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gurrenbrigbondedIt was infatuation at first sight.
That special vintage Brim Ironworks armor plating, with that unmistakable dappled grey hue. Six extended range large Lasers, an expanded bubble cockpit design unique to it's particular production line–
A first generation assault Supernova, in mint condition!
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Supernova
Lola Helmar instantly knew she had to have it, and communicated this to Star Commander Hannah.
“You...want a second-line mech?” Hannah said in a slow, deliberately dull tone. “Instead of your Turkina?”
“Aff! That Mechwarrior Joshua has no idea what he has on his hands! Either they dragged that Supernova fresh out of a Brian Cache, or someone treated it like their pet falcon all these centuries! And now he's...he's...”
Lola spluttered. Her hands clenched at an illusory throat.
“Adding decals!!!”
Right in front of her eyes, Mechwarrior Joshua, clear as day, was engaged in the vile deed Lola described! Shamelessly, remorselessly, he was harraging a Tech that was spray painting a Remembrance passage onto the Supernova's leg through a stencil.
A long Remembrance passage. Onto a mint-condition, unstained Supernova.
“He must be stopped.” Lola snarled. “My pride as a Jade Falcon demands it.”
“Aff, Star Captain.” Star Commander Hannah confirmed.
“Some things cannot be countenanced.”
“You speak quite eloquently on the matter, Star Captain.”
“I am halfway tempted to challenge him to a Trial of Possession for that Supernova.”
“Your current assault mech could definitively outfight his, Star Captain.”
“But trashing that Supernova would go against all that I fight for! Stravag!” Lola Helmar punched a wall. “It will have to be hand-to-hand combat.”
“I have heard that Mechwarrior Joshua is extremely talented in the Circle of Equals. You would be fighting on his terms.”
Lola turned and firmly grasped Star Commander Hannah by the shoulders.
“The Battlemech is the foundation of our society, and second only to our genetics, the thing that makes us great!” She declared, eyes blazing. “I could not live with myself if I did not challenge Joshua, even if wound up losing–!”
She paused.
“Ah. Idea.”
%%%
Joshua set his tray down on the dining hall table, and dug in, kneading carrots, broth, and meatballs together, then gulping it down spoonful after spooful.
Then, while pausing to sip from a bottle, Lola snatched the tray out from under him, and began tasting it.
“What are you–!” Joshua blurted out, standing up with clenched fists.
Seeing Lola's rank bars, he hastily slide into an at-ease posture. “That food is mine, Star Captain!” He barked.
The mixture of food was vile, but Lola choked it down anyway. She swallowed, then smiled a truly malicious grin, the leer of a falcon who's seized something to take back to it's nest of chicks.
“And what of it, eyas?” She drawled. “This is the way of the bird of prey: if she sees something she fancies, she does not quibble over the feelings of others. She takes it for herself because her strength lets her! I did not think your sibko instructors were this sloppy in your training.”
“You–“ Joshua snarled. Then he deflated, and turned away to get another tray. Lola frantically tried to think of something that would escalate the conflict.
“Yes, run away, like a young chick whose feathers are molting! You will never win a bloodline like this if you do not seize what you desire from your lessers.”
She snorted for extra effect. “Fah, you shall be piloting second-line mechs for the rest of your life, quiaff?”
Joshua froze in his steps. Then he turned around, an intent look on his face.
“Neg, Star Captain. Neg.”
Both of them, at that moment, were extremely, pleased with themselves.
%%%
*Sock!*
Lola was dashed to the ground, sliding to the edge of the Circle of Equals.
Jaw aching, she picked herself up, and faced Joshua. She stumbled slightly, arms swaying like some kind of feral ape.
The young Mechwarrior's fist was still extended, legs bent into a low-stance, poised with perfect control. He exhaled, breath misting out in the cool air of the Mechbay they'd chosen to fight in.
Behind him was her prize, a masterpiece of vintage mech engineering. And it would be hers, as long as she lost by a narrow margin.
“Hyaaaaa!!!”
She rushed forward, and hammered at Joshua with powerful sweeping strikes. She took the offensive, holding nothing back, displaying the aggression of a true Jade Falcon–
–and leaving herself wide open.
She got in a jab at Joshua's throat that left him gagging. Then, with a fluid movement, he pushed her arm away and struck at her exposed stomach.
She bent over, gasping as her breath was driven out. She blocked Joshua's incoming knee with two hands...leaving her eyebrow open to a fist blow that left her ears ringing.
She staggered back. Her vision swam, Joshua multiplying and dividing himself in front of her.
“Come on!” She tried to slur. “Knock me out! Make it a convincing blow!”
Joshua obliged.
%%%
Water was drenched over her face. Lola opened her eyes to see the dour expression of Star Commander Hannah above her.
“Did I lose?” Lola asked, slurring her words slightly.
“Resoundingly so, Star Captain.” Hannah said levelly, extending a hand and helping her up. “You need not worry on that account.”
All but a few of the gathered warriors had dispersed. Those few, trothkin of Joshua, were standing around him, giving him hearty pats on the back and words of praise.
The Chief Tech stood close by making notations on his clipboard. He cleared his throat.
“As was bargained in this Trial of Possession,” He declared. “The victor Mechwarrior Joshua now gains Star Captain Lola Helmar's Turkina for his own. May it bring him victory in battle. Seyla.”
“Seyla.” Joshua and his comrades intoned.
Lola shook away the dizzyiness in her head and walked forward.
“An interjection, Chief Tech!”
“Planning to beg for your Omnimech back?” One of the nearby Mechwarriors jeered.
Lola ignored him. “With Mechwarrior Joshua taking possession of the Turkina, his Supernova is now released into the general pool of reserve mechs aboard this ship, quiaff? I hereby claim it for myself.”
The Chief Tech raised his eyebrows. “Ah, it is available now, Star Captain. However, we have more modern, frontline heavy and assault mechs in stock that you may prefer–”
“Neg. I am taking the Supernova.” Lola said briskly, ignored the persistent ache above her left eye.
The Chief Tech gaped for a moment. Then he lowered his stylus to his tablet and made a few notations.
“Aff. I believe it is now yours.”
Lola felt her cheeks splitting.
“Excellent! I want the Supernova's processor settings wiped clean and ready to input my brainwaves by 1700 hours!”
The Chief Tech looked more and more flustered. “Star Captain, reconfiguring the settings takes time on the older models: and to do so on short notice–“
“Are you all whimpering surat pups?” Lola barking, walking up and standing inside the Chief Tech's personal space. “I ask this question because I assumed you lot were Jade Falcon Technicians, who complete tasks instead of bleating about why they cannot!”
She thrust her face forward. “You lot are Jade Falcon, quiaff?” She shouted.
The Chief Tech flinched. “Aff, Star Captain! We'll–ah, we will get it done by 1700!”
He turned and scampered off , striding over to some lower ranked techs, grabbing their collars and shouting just as loudly to them as Lola had to him.
Lola turned to regard her new first generation vintage Brim Ironworks Supernova, and sighed in gratification.
“What–what is this?” Joshua said from behind her, confused. “Why are you pleased? Explain!”
“You never knew what you had, did you?” Lola said. “A priceless Battlemech, one of a kind and in pristine condition.”
She turned around and barred her teeth. “And now it is mine. And I will treat it far better than you did.”
“It...is priceless?” Joshua's face went purple with anger. “Then you deceived me just now!”
“It was a fair challenge, Mechwarrior Joshua. One that you proposed.”
“You goaded me into it, you honorless dog! Provoked me!”
“Goaded?” Lola said, face displaying nothing but innocence. “A strange accusation to make. You set the stakes and won the match, quiaff?”
Joshua made a tea-kettle noise. “I will meet you in the Circle of Equals for this!”
“For what?” Lola drawled. “For winning? For gaining a modern, up-to-date mech? Go on. Make that challenge, and see how quickly you will be mocked. It would amuse me.”
Joshua clenched at thin hair, his entire frame trembling. Finally, with a wordless vocalization of rage, he turned and stalked off.
Lola folded her arms across her chest and smirked as he went off.
Star Commander Hannah tapped Lola Helmar on the shoulder, and offered her a bandage for her skinned eyebrow.
“As meaningless a question as it is now,” she said quietly. “Do you think Joshua would have swapped his mech for yours if you had just asked?”
Lola frowned at the question. “A Jade Falcon warrior ordered to give his Mech to someone else? For no true logistical reason?”
She applied the bandage to her forehead. “That does not seems very Clan-like.”
Hannah snorted. “Neg.” She replied. “It does not.”
That special vintage Brim Ironworks armor plating, with that unmistakable dappled grey hue. Six extended range large Lasers, an expanded bubble cockpit design unique to it's particular production line–
A first generation assault Supernova, in mint condition!
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Supernova
Lola Helmar instantly knew she had to have it, and communicated this to Star Commander Hannah.
“You...want a second-line mech?” Hannah said in a slow, deliberately dull tone. “Instead of your Turkina?”
“Aff! That Mechwarrior Joshua has no idea what he has on his hands! Either they dragged that Supernova fresh out of a Brian Cache, or someone treated it like their pet falcon all these centuries! And now he's...he's...”
Lola spluttered. Her hands clenched at an illusory throat.
“Adding decals!!!”
Right in front of her eyes, Mechwarrior Joshua, clear as day, was engaged in the vile deed Lola described! Shamelessly, remorselessly, he was harraging a Tech that was spray painting a Remembrance passage onto the Supernova's leg through a stencil.
A long Remembrance passage. Onto a mint-condition, unstained Supernova.
“He must be stopped.” Lola snarled. “My pride as a Jade Falcon demands it.”
“Aff, Star Captain.” Star Commander Hannah confirmed.
“Some things cannot be countenanced.”
“You speak quite eloquently on the matter, Star Captain.”
“I am halfway tempted to challenge him to a Trial of Possession for that Supernova.”
“Your current assault mech could definitively outfight his, Star Captain.”
“But trashing that Supernova would go against all that I fight for! Stravag!” Lola Helmar punched a wall. “It will have to be hand-to-hand combat.”
“I have heard that Mechwarrior Joshua is extremely talented in the Circle of Equals. You would be fighting on his terms.”
Lola turned and firmly grasped Star Commander Hannah by the shoulders.
“The Battlemech is the foundation of our society, and second only to our genetics, the thing that makes us great!” She declared, eyes blazing. “I could not live with myself if I did not challenge Joshua, even if wound up losing–!”
She paused.
“Ah. Idea.”
%%%
Joshua set his tray down on the dining hall table, and dug in, kneading carrots, broth, and meatballs together, then gulping it down spoonful after spooful.
Then, while pausing to sip from a bottle, Lola snatched the tray out from under him, and began tasting it.
“What are you–!” Joshua blurted out, standing up with clenched fists.
Seeing Lola's rank bars, he hastily slide into an at-ease posture. “That food is mine, Star Captain!” He barked.
The mixture of food was vile, but Lola choked it down anyway. She swallowed, then smiled a truly malicious grin, the leer of a falcon who's seized something to take back to it's nest of chicks.
“And what of it, eyas?” She drawled. “This is the way of the bird of prey: if she sees something she fancies, she does not quibble over the feelings of others. She takes it for herself because her strength lets her! I did not think your sibko instructors were this sloppy in your training.”
“You–“ Joshua snarled. Then he deflated, and turned away to get another tray. Lola frantically tried to think of something that would escalate the conflict.
“Yes, run away, like a young chick whose feathers are molting! You will never win a bloodline like this if you do not seize what you desire from your lessers.”
She snorted for extra effect. “Fah, you shall be piloting second-line mechs for the rest of your life, quiaff?”
Joshua froze in his steps. Then he turned around, an intent look on his face.
“Neg, Star Captain. Neg.”
Both of them, at that moment, were extremely, pleased with themselves.
%%%
*Sock!*
Lola was dashed to the ground, sliding to the edge of the Circle of Equals.
Jaw aching, she picked herself up, and faced Joshua. She stumbled slightly, arms swaying like some kind of feral ape.
The young Mechwarrior's fist was still extended, legs bent into a low-stance, poised with perfect control. He exhaled, breath misting out in the cool air of the Mechbay they'd chosen to fight in.
Behind him was her prize, a masterpiece of vintage mech engineering. And it would be hers, as long as she lost by a narrow margin.
“Hyaaaaa!!!”
She rushed forward, and hammered at Joshua with powerful sweeping strikes. She took the offensive, holding nothing back, displaying the aggression of a true Jade Falcon–
–and leaving herself wide open.
She got in a jab at Joshua's throat that left him gagging. Then, with a fluid movement, he pushed her arm away and struck at her exposed stomach.
She bent over, gasping as her breath was driven out. She blocked Joshua's incoming knee with two hands...leaving her eyebrow open to a fist blow that left her ears ringing.
She staggered back. Her vision swam, Joshua multiplying and dividing himself in front of her.
“Come on!” She tried to slur. “Knock me out! Make it a convincing blow!”
Joshua obliged.
%%%
Water was drenched over her face. Lola opened her eyes to see the dour expression of Star Commander Hannah above her.
“Did I lose?” Lola asked, slurring her words slightly.
“Resoundingly so, Star Captain.” Hannah said levelly, extending a hand and helping her up. “You need not worry on that account.”
All but a few of the gathered warriors had dispersed. Those few, trothkin of Joshua, were standing around him, giving him hearty pats on the back and words of praise.
The Chief Tech stood close by making notations on his clipboard. He cleared his throat.
“As was bargained in this Trial of Possession,” He declared. “The victor Mechwarrior Joshua now gains Star Captain Lola Helmar's Turkina for his own. May it bring him victory in battle. Seyla.”
“Seyla.” Joshua and his comrades intoned.
Lola shook away the dizzyiness in her head and walked forward.
“An interjection, Chief Tech!”
“Planning to beg for your Omnimech back?” One of the nearby Mechwarriors jeered.
Lola ignored him. “With Mechwarrior Joshua taking possession of the Turkina, his Supernova is now released into the general pool of reserve mechs aboard this ship, quiaff? I hereby claim it for myself.”
The Chief Tech raised his eyebrows. “Ah, it is available now, Star Captain. However, we have more modern, frontline heavy and assault mechs in stock that you may prefer–”
“Neg. I am taking the Supernova.” Lola said briskly, ignored the persistent ache above her left eye.
The Chief Tech gaped for a moment. Then he lowered his stylus to his tablet and made a few notations.
“Aff. I believe it is now yours.”
Lola felt her cheeks splitting.
“Excellent! I want the Supernova's processor settings wiped clean and ready to input my brainwaves by 1700 hours!”
The Chief Tech looked more and more flustered. “Star Captain, reconfiguring the settings takes time on the older models: and to do so on short notice–“
“Are you all whimpering surat pups?” Lola barking, walking up and standing inside the Chief Tech's personal space. “I ask this question because I assumed you lot were Jade Falcon Technicians, who complete tasks instead of bleating about why they cannot!”
She thrust her face forward. “You lot are Jade Falcon, quiaff?” She shouted.
The Chief Tech flinched. “Aff, Star Captain! We'll–ah, we will get it done by 1700!”
He turned and scampered off , striding over to some lower ranked techs, grabbing their collars and shouting just as loudly to them as Lola had to him.
Lola turned to regard her new first generation vintage Brim Ironworks Supernova, and sighed in gratification.
“What–what is this?” Joshua said from behind her, confused. “Why are you pleased? Explain!”
“You never knew what you had, did you?” Lola said. “A priceless Battlemech, one of a kind and in pristine condition.”
She turned around and barred her teeth. “And now it is mine. And I will treat it far better than you did.”
“It...is priceless?” Joshua's face went purple with anger. “Then you deceived me just now!”
“It was a fair challenge, Mechwarrior Joshua. One that you proposed.”
“You goaded me into it, you honorless dog! Provoked me!”
“Goaded?” Lola said, face displaying nothing but innocence. “A strange accusation to make. You set the stakes and won the match, quiaff?”
Joshua made a tea-kettle noise. “I will meet you in the Circle of Equals for this!”
“For what?” Lola drawled. “For winning? For gaining a modern, up-to-date mech? Go on. Make that challenge, and see how quickly you will be mocked. It would amuse me.”
Joshua clenched at thin hair, his entire frame trembling. Finally, with a wordless vocalization of rage, he turned and stalked off.
Lola folded her arms across her chest and smirked as he went off.
Star Commander Hannah tapped Lola Helmar on the shoulder, and offered her a bandage for her skinned eyebrow.
“As meaningless a question as it is now,” she said quietly. “Do you think Joshua would have swapped his mech for yours if you had just asked?”
Lola frowned at the question. “A Jade Falcon warrior ordered to give his Mech to someone else? For no true logistical reason?”
She applied the bandage to her forehead. “That does not seems very Clan-like.”
Hannah snorted. “Neg.” She replied. “It does not.”
