"Big Bird is away, say again, Big Bird is away!"
Cavalli let out a sigh of relief - and then catching a flicker in the corner of his HUD, spun his Thunderbolt and spat a Gauss round into a skulking Scorpion tank.
The giant slug slammed into the vehicle's fender and sent it spinning away.
"Rook, this is Knight Lead. Hold off on the pick up for the rest of us - I spy some tasty salvage," Cavalli said.
Eyeing the twin palls of dark smoke rising in the distance he grinned.
"And I don't think these Democ Now pukes are going to stop us."
The unit has managed to expand, following their success on Enzesfeld and earlier recruitment of several dispossessed rebels from Donegal.
Bloodying the Democracy Now hired thugs, Cavalli managed to salvage a CRD-7W Crusader (turns out, these DM types were packing some serious gear!), two Galleons and a Scorpion light tank.
By rescuing the two carloads of nobles we came away with the 100 SP reward we can use to hire some new troops and buy some equipment.
New recruits:
Peder Hammarskjöld is a long term LCAF officer, who retired as a Kommodant at the close of the Civil War. An ardent Steiner loyalist he was disappointed to see the fall of Katherine and spent several months pottering around his place of discharge, Donegal, after the war.
Bored, he was lured back to work with the Donegal Jaegers in a consultancy role when suddenly the Jihad broke out.
With the Jaegers shattered he and a small band of former Lyran soldiers took to the Outlands to fight an insurgency and After assisting the Cavaliere he decided the merc life could be for him.
He will lead the new Fire lance from the captured Crusader.
Lottie Hausermann was a problem child - a trait that followed her for life. Born on Donegal to middle class shopkeepers she racked up a string of juvenile offences and was eventually offered the choice - enlist for two years or face a year of jail. She chose the military and what followed was a less than stellar record. Forced to go back through basic following a string of insubordinate actions, she was then effectively rushed through Advanced Infantry Training because her instructors were sick of "that wise arse" and then found herself assigned to the Donegal Militia's motor pool. Bored (she'd been told she would get to shoot stuff, not stand around a mechanic bay) she went AWOL, was subsequently caught, busted in rank and was on the verge of being cashiered (via a trip to the stockade).
While awaiting the results of her disciplinary meeting she happened across a drowning child -'Hausermann's heroic efforts were broadcast all over the planet after it emerged the child belonged to a senior Steiner government official. Her one request - make me a Mechwarrior.
Hausermann didn't finish her training - the Word of Blake dropped in mid way through (she was also on report in the Guard House at the time).
But her efforts to assist Cavalli and his unit impressed the, enough to sign her up.
Lucius Black is a merc's merc - he's served hitches with units such as the Kell Hounds right through to one lance cannon fodder in Taurian space over his 30 year career.
A native of New Avalon, he's not seen that world in a decade or more but now nurses a deep hatred for the Word of Blake and would only sign on with a unit that has no Blakist history.
The cigar chomping, rough talking image is a bit of an act and he can frequently be found reading obscure Terran literature in his off hours and is equally willing to supervise the unit's crèche. He and Hammarskjöld have started a relationship.
It's also rumoured Black's son is a Blakist, furthering his hatred for the "Toaster lovers"
Conal Blair never set out to be a Mercenary, instead the native of Enzesfeld did what generations of his family had done before him - served their lords. The eldest son of Count Adler Schneider's personal valet, he was gifted with entrance to a minor Mechwarrior Academy and later returned to a position in the Schneider House Guard. His Dervish was shot out from him during the Democracy Now attack and he only survived because the Cavaliers heard his radio for help and returned. It was a hard choice to give up his oath to House Schneider but Blair feels a debt of gratitude to Cavalli.
Jenna St George has revealed almost nothing about her background, save that she's originally a native of the FedSuns' Outback. She sufficiently impressed on the range at the controls of her Hunchback to secure a job, despite her refusal to speak about her past.
This suggests she's a deserter - but from where is still unknown.
Beautiful, with honey blonde hair and dark brown eyes, she also sports several nasty scars to her arms and torso.
Electra Riva-Singh was a talented test pilot for Kali-Yama on Kalidasa until recently, when her deeply conservative parents announced they had arranged a marriage for her and that she should cease her work immiedatly.
Fleeing her birthworld she washed up on the Mercenary's Star almost by accident.
Naive and wide world after a sheltered upbringing she approaches the merc life with a curiosity that borders on conducting a science experiment. Her TBT-7M Trebuchet was donated to her by kindly superiors at Kali-Yama as a leaving gift and she has decorated its cockpit with trinkets, including stuffed animals, toys, wall hangings and even incense holders she uses when not in combat.
Saladin - surely not his real name, but certainly the only one he answers to - is a mystery.
Rumour has it he is a native of the half barbarian periphery world of Astrokaszy.
It's suspected he's a former member of the Order of the Faithful, while other whisper he was perhaps an Arkab legionnaire or a member of the secretive sect of assassins in Kuritian space.
He is a talented tanker, infantryman and expert at close in, knife work and hand to hand.
He now leads the newly minted armour lance. But also frequently accompanies Cavalli as close personal protection, his long scimitar always at his belt.
