Now it's not as if I didn't have troubles of my own, what
with just coming off a particularly intense war only to be confronted by yet
another Xenomorph incursion, when a whole heap more landed on my plate.
I refer to a comm call from 'Her Indoors"...
"Get over here now!" says she.
I use the word 'says' advisedly, because my ears were still
ringing a good hour afterwards.
I of course mount up and head for her clan's war zone post
haste, after all my C.O. can only shoot me for abandoning my position.
Her Indoors
can do far worse if I fail to respond appropriately to one of her summons.
And so, I arrive to find that particular merry band of cut-throats
lounging about while the techs hammer the latest set of dents from their
erstwhile steeds. I'm introduced to a new friend my wife has made, a lady that
I haven't made the acquaintance of before.
I am a tad surprised when Her Indoors hustles us both into a
secluded foxhole and even more taken aback when I'm told to "do that
thing"... such instructions are open to all sorts of misinterpretation and
besides, said new female pilot looks less like she would drive a mech into
battle as she would stride there herself with a Red Ant tucked under each
arm...
Thankfully it was clarified that I was to do an interview
with her.
G.G. - Erm, OK, now I know whats happening, let's have name,
affiliation and serial number for the record.
Jas. - Jasmine Cait Sidhe Carter fighting for the Ranger
Raccoons this time, license number #32890
G.G. - So, You were fighting as part of the Heroes Ranger
Raccoons this war... is it your first dance with that clan or have you been
with them a while?
Jas. - This is the first clan war that I have participated
in but I have been with the group some months. They are a decent bunch and I am
glad they have accepted me in to their ranks.
G.G. - Glad to have you on board... but popular gossip has
it that this isn't your first clan. In fact, you've been around a little while?
Jas. - That is correct. I have been in several clans
starting with the Murder Bots.
I started with the Murder Bots in 3260 then went over to the
Karanian Empire in 3265 and stayed with them until 3273 when I went on a long
journey beyond.
I came back to fight with clan Overlords in February of the
year 3296 and stayed with the Overlords until 3305 when I went to the nameless
clan in April 3306 until September 3307 until I again heeded the call to
adventure beyond the galaxy we know and disappeared.
I reappeared again for the strangest time of all, Porktober
3324 and have been here since then with the Racoons.
G.G. - So hang on, the first time you hung up your spurs so
to speak, I hadn't even put my posterior in a pilots chair... are you one of
those early jocks who were fighting before we had even worked out how to fit
modular equipment into the mechs???
Jas. - Affirmative, that is correct.
G.G. - Woah... OK then, for the benefit of some of the
younger pilots out there, what was the transition like moving into the hardware
age? Was there a big difference when you suddenly had all this gear available
for enhancements?
Jas. - Aye it was difficult at first but being one of the
first we learned to adapt relatively quickly. We had to or we died, it was that
simple.
G.G. - So what was it that tempted you back from your
travels to climb in the cockpit and have large scale munitions flung at you
again?
Jas. - I never stopped having "large scale munitions
flung at me." I came back for a break from the REAL WARS...
You children have no idea what is waiting for us out there
but it is too soon.. the one you called 'Baby Elephant' knew and he sadly takes
that secret to the grave.
These "xenos" we fight they are just the scouts
for an even larger force beyond.
It is our loss that 'Baby Elephant' passed when he did, he
had good insight into tactics and clan personnel that he passed on to me in the
times we talked.
G.G. - Alright, moving on to more modern times, the viewers
are probably going to want to know how things went for you this war...
Jas. - How things went.. well things could have gone better.
I am a bit ashamed about my performance but as time progresses i will get
better
G.G. - Ashamed in what way?
Jas. - well in the beginning my performance was as a cold-blooded
killer. I could take human life with the best of them and my record stated
that... then I went to the wars and fought the xenos to save humans and now I'm
back.. to KILL humans. Something I'm not used to doing again... yet.
But I will get back into the groove. I have to.. to survive.
Me and the Ghostriders will have to become the coldblooded
killers we once were to survive in these backwards worlds .. that is.. until
the xenos REALLY arrive and then all of us who have been out there fighting...
well hopefully we all will return and things will change yet again.
G.G. - I've seen some of the mission tapes and in a lot of
cases you looked quite out-massed by a lot of the opposition... did any of the
medal prizes help towards offsetting any of that?
Jas. - Not at all. It was my pilots skill that helped turn
the tide of combat. They should be commended. The equipment only enhanced their
skills.
G.G. - The quality of the meat, not the metal eh?
Jas. - Affirmative, that is correct. The medal prize mecha
will help but not the equipment. I mean come on, who in their right mind arms a
mech with GARLIC?!?!?!?!
G.G. - Hey, you never know when vampire Xenos will arrive..
Jas. - They already have and it don't work on them because
it cant get through the armor.
G.G. - That’s why you use solid shot or lasers in your first
burst, then follow it up with the stinky stuff...
Jas. - No that’s when you use sunspo-- oh wait.. never mind.
Strike that from the recording please.
G.G. - Hmmm... sounds like I need to do some digging into
what you may have brought back from your travels....
<At this point she unholsters a Starleague issue pulse
laser>
Jas. - I wouldn’t recommend it.
G.G. - But I digress... there's another wave of Xenomorphs
coming in at the moment so we probably need to wrap up shortly...
<She holsters her weapon with a wry smirk and a nod>
G.G. - anything you are hoping to scavenge from the
battlefield at the end of this?
Jas. - Any intel on the main force that I can send back to
the front and whatever materiel I can to use in the efforts back here.
Maybe some heavier mechs to field to replace some of my more
aging units.
G.G. - c'mon... there must be something specific you are
keeping your scanners peeled for...
Jas. - Hmmm.. Jadoon, Jottun or Harrel since I run very lean
on Noides. That Nanite Swarm looks tasty too.
G.G. - Oh, you mean the Repair Swarm... yes very useful kit
that, has pulled my buttocks out of the high temperature situations on more
than one occasion. You just need to make sure they don't try to strip your body
for raw materials
Jas. - Indeed.
G.G. - Anyway, incoming, we need to close this off and suit
up... been a pleasure talking to you Jasmine.
Jas. - You as well. Sorry for pulling the hardware on a
fellow Hero.
Back to the raid!
GHOSTRIDERS TO THE ADVANCE!!!!!