In 3055, former Marik Captain Lucille Wren mustered out and, with long time friend Lorelei Falken, traveled to Outreach to become a mercenary. While working with several outfits, the pair saved up enough money to eventually form their own unit. After yet another disastrous blind date, one of about 20 such disasters in just a few months, Captain Wren decided to form her unit with entirely female personnel. As she argued with Falken, "The best MechWarriors in the galaxy are female anyway," pointing out the O'Bannon Sisters, Rhonda Snord, and Natasha Kerensky as her examples.
The Femme Fatales were formed in August 3057, and took their first contract to guard a toy factory that had been raided regularly due to its proximity to Tao Mechworks on Styk. They arrived in system Just as Operation Guerrero began. They were nationalized by the planetary government and participated in both the defense of the planet and the capture of Gan Singh.
Forces, Sept 3057:
Command/Strike Lance:
Captain Lucielle Wren, Born 3020 (Skills: 3/4): WVR-7M Wolverine. From Oriente, FWL
Mechwarrior Pendo Matsuura, born 3030 (skill: 3/4): OSR-2D Ostsol. From Memmingen, FRR
Mechwarrior Sgt. Monica Yakazi, Born 3033 (Skill 4/4): KIM-2 Komodo. From Togura, DC
Mechwarrior Miranda MacLeish, born 3037 (skill 4/5): Custom Griffin. From Alcor, FC(LC)
(the Griffin is a GRF-1N with 10 DHS, an ERPPC, and an LRM-15)
Battle/"Heavy" Lance:
Jr. Lt. Bianca Flowers, Born 3039 (Skills 3/4): BJ-3I Blackjack. From Aspogiros, FWL and Solaris VII, FC(LC)
(BJ-3 with Endosteel to add an extra DHS and max out the armor, MLs are moved from the arms to the side torsos)
Mechwarrior Sgt. Stephanie Kilgour (Skills 3/4): CRD-5M Crusader. From El Dorado, FC (FS)
Mechwarrior Elena Yakazi, Born 3040 (Skills 5/5): WTH-1 Whitworth. From Togura, DC
Mechwarrior Krista Dei, born 3037 (Skill 4/4): PNT-10K Panther. From Carmen, CC
Recon Lance
Sr. Lt. Lorelei Falken, born 3019 (Skills 3/3): SDR-9KA Venom. From Calloway IV, FWL
Mechwarrior Sgt. Ayukawa Romana, born 3025 (Skill 1/1): SCB-9T Scarabus. From Mallory's World, FC(FS) and Solaris VII, FC (LC)
Mechwarrior Anna "Indianna" Jones, Born 3032 (Skill 4/4): JR7-F Jenner. From Indicass, SIC
Mechwarrior Juliet Darkwater, born 3027, (skill 3/4): LCT-1E Locust. From Cate's Hold, MOC
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Union—class Dropship Fullerton
Inbound from Nadir Jump Point
Styk, Sarna March
22 September, 3057
Bianca Flowers stared out the window of the dropship at the starfield. The 19-year-old MechWarrior ran her fingers through the huge mane of bright red hair. Her green jumpsuit bore the new rank of a Lieutenant, a Lance commander. How do I get myself into these things? she wondered to herself. Just a month before, she had signed on with the new mercenary unit, the “Femme Fatales”. It was a golden opportunity, she thought at the time. But now she was commanding the Battle Lance in the all-female Unit—she hadn't expected to be so well received.
“All Femme Fatale personnel to the recreation deck.“
Bianca blinked and turned to go the two flights down from her quarters to the rec deck. She walked down the stairs. By the time she arrived, most of the other pilots were already there. Captain Wren had picked her pilots for their excellent skills, not their military discipline. As such, there was a great deal of teasing and fraternization among all the ‘Mech pilots, and no official ‘uniform.’ The unit was run in an informal, laid-back manner than vanished when combat started. Arriving at the rec room, she took a seat with the other pilots of her lance. Elena Yakazi was youthfully exuberant, outgoing, hyperactive and insufferably cute, and just barely 17 years old. Elena had refused the Combine's request that her ancient Whitworth should be updated and left the Sun Zhang academy only weeks before graduating, bringing her sister Monica along. She showed promise, but had never actually been under fire. Krista Dei owned a Panther, though where she got it from, being from Capellan space, was a mystery she refused to divulge. Kris, as she preferred to be called, had soft oriental features, a quick wit, and had a habit of creating silly nicknames for everyone in the unit. She was already calling Bianca "Bonka" and Captain Wren “Wrench", just for starters. She was only 19, the same age as Bianca, a crack gunner and excellent driver. Stephanie Kilgour was a Clan War Veteran from the 10th Lyran Guards, and drove a rebuilt Crusader. Her Marik model was awarded as a replacement for the older model she lost on Twycross. Stephanie was in her 30s, with sandy hair and an olive complexion. Her husband had been killed on Alyina, but she still wore his ring.
After everyone else was seated, Captain Wren entered. Lucielle Wren was 37 years old, young for a mercenary commander. She had built the unit from funds in an inheritance after serving a stint with the Marik Militia. Wren drove a modernized Wolverine. She was tall and striking, with a charismatic air about her. She inspired confidence, even in this untried unit. Standing next to her was Lorelei Falken, the unit's Executive Officer and commander of the recon Lance. She stepped up to the small podium and began.
“Ladies, your attention please.” immediately, all chatter stopped. All eyes were on her. " As you know, we were hired by the New Britain factory complex here. New Britain, as you know, builds toys and models that are shipped throughout the Inner Sphere. Not normally a factory hiring protection, but it lies close to the Tao BattleMech factories on Styk. We were hired to protect against potential wayward raids on the factory by the zhanzheng de guang or Liao raiders. Well, we have news—we've been nationalized. Just last week, the Capellan Confederation and Free Worlds League launched an attack on the worlds of the Sarna March. Several have already fallen, and Styk is bound to be targeted in the next wave."
That set off a commotion immediately. Everyone in the room was speaking at once. Wren held up her hands. "Hold it. Hold it. Lori and I have been discussing this since the news came in a few hours ago. We hopefully have answers to your questions, but please speak one at a time.”
"Has our contract changed?" was the first question, coming from Miranda MacLeish.
Well, I have discussed it with the planetary command and with our employers. Our contract basically remains the same. We are still going to be the defenders of the New Britain factory and the surrounding town. We will have a Liaison officer with the planetary authorities, but we will not be under their direct command. We will be required to help in the general defense of the planet, but our position will still be the city of New Britain, or the factory, if attacked. So it's technically changed to a Planetary Defense rather than Garrison, but the difference in our pay will be made up by the Styk government. However, we're still guarding the same place. As for the FedCom troops, Katherine Steiner has declared the Steiner half of FedCom as the independent 'Lyran Alliance‘ and is pulling all Steiner troops back there. The 3rd Donnegal jumped out on the 17th. When the 3rd left, Styk declared independence and started hiring mercs on Outreach. That was the day we left, two jumps ago."
“Wait a minute,” Bianca interjected. “If the 3rd Donnegal has pulled out, whats defending Styk besides us?”
"Supposedly, The Styk Commonality has hired a motley crew of lance to company-sized merc units, much like ourselves. There is also about a regiment of reservists in the planet's Militia – with tanks, infantry, and maybe a battalion worth of castoff ‘Mechs. The other mercs should be arriving in the next few days. We just happen to be one of the first to arrive."
“I have a question,” Elena piped. "It's a bit embarrassing, but what about ourselves? Several people in the unit are from Marik and Liao space. Does anyone still harbor loyalties to their old units. You, ma'am, and Lt. Falken are from Marik space, and Kris is from Liao. You all served in their militaries. Lt. Flowers is also from Marik space. I just want to know if you'll fight the armies of those you used to serve with.”
Silence filled the room. Monica looked like she wanted to crawl under a chair and hide. All eyes turned and stared at Elena. It was the sort of question you just didn't ask. Mercs fight for who they were paid by.
"I think Elena actually has a valid concern. Surely those down on the planet will share and voice those concerns.“ All eyes turned to Lorelei Falken. "I will say only that I left Marik service in 3055, when Thomas Marik started clamping clown on the freedoms we used to enjoy. Two years of mercenary work has only cemented my dislike of Thomas, and would fight his armies if we have to. My loyalty is to this unit now."
After a moment, Wren spoke. "I agree that Elena has a valid concern, and I won't fool you that I have trepidations about possibly fighting my old friends in the 7th Marik Militia. However, this company is my unit, my creation. I won't get us a tarnished reputation on our first assignment if I can help it. If we are attacked by Free Worlds troops, we will fight back."
"I never had any real loyality to the League," Bianca stated. "Where I grew up it was more the Periphery than Marik space anyway, and I made my reputation on Solaris, and personally avoid politics."
All eyes turned to Krista. “Gosh.“ she stated, stammering just a bit with embarrassment, "I just left Liao service. I never expected to be fighting them, at least not so soon. I was just sick of the constant ‘evil Davion' mentality of the military. I'll fight them if they fight us, though. I’m a merc now, loyal to my paycheck."
"Well, now that that is settled, lets get back to business. To be honest, Styk is going to be attacked, and soon. Face it, we may have the highest concentration of new technology ‘Mechs on the planet. We need to get a lot of practice in as soon as possible. We may have as little as two weeks before a raiding force smashes down on us. Maybe less time than that.
"We will practice in Lances against as many computer simulations as possible to defend the complex. I want this unit performing like a well oiled machine before we have to go into combat.
“Are there any more questions?" There were none. "Okay, dismissed."