#Warsong Corps

[wolf-among-mechs]

Mercenary Outset

Kastrup Starport Rasalhague  Free Rasalhague Republic  17 May 3049

A tall woman made of muscle leaned on the railing overlooking the arrival of small aerodyne dropship on the taxiway. She wore a grey and black camouflage pattern jacket over a black pair of pants. A holo encoded dog tag hung from her neck with the name “Asuka Hoshi”. The dropship outside looked much like a Leopard class one but modified for civilian use. Emblazoned with the mark of Neo Lund University on the sides.

“There she is.” Campbell said and raised his sunglasses. A hefty man with a black vest with flames, over a white shirt and a pair of dark grey jeans. Several silver chains hing around his neck. His blonde hair had been styled to spike upwards. “Hell of a school bus.” He chuckled and took another bite from a pizza slice.

“It's for the archaeology department. It's not to ferry people to the university.” Another woman next to him remarked. She wore a grey uniform with a purple sash and black half-cloak worn over one shoulder. It held a heraldic mark that was very easy to recognize in the inner sphere. It meant Davion, with a smaller subtitle that suggested that it was a branch family. She looked at Campbell at his greasy pizza slice. “When did you get that?” She asked in a suggesting that she could also go for a terrible greasy pizza right about now

“What? I grabbed it before the IHOP, if you want a slice get your own Emily.” Campbell replied after chewing it and shrugged.

“It is what we are meant to be guarding.” Asuka said as she propped herself up against the railing.

“Because the eggheads think they found remains of Kerensky’s Exodus fleet out in the sticks.” A wide and muscular man in a white tank top with dark blue jeans said and crossed his arms. “What do you think, Major?” He turned to look at her.

“About as likely as Jake can walk past the interplanetary house of pizza and not buy anything.” Asuka snickered.

“Hey!” Campbell protested.

“But they might have found something star league related and there are pirates and periphery hicks out there that will steal their shovels for alcohol or drugs or… whatever else.” Asuka continued.

“Like shooting fish in a barrel.” said a shorter, auburn haired woman currently smoking a cigarette. She wore a leather jacket and trousers.

“Not quite that simple Angelica. What they lack in technology they make up in creativity, numbers and audacity. Still. We should have an easy time.” Asuka said standing up to her full height.

“Should be a milk run.” Campbell said with a grin

“Well not now that you've jinxed it Jake.” Emily grinned at him.

“Well excuuuuuse me princess.” The sarcasm dripped in his voice more than the grease from the pizza in his hand. Emily shook her head with a chuckle.

The motley crew all shared one thing in common. Each of their shoulders had a round patch with a mark on it. A purple shield with black edge. Within it a wolf howling at three stars. The mark of the mercenary company “the Warsong Corps.”

“As long as you runts can keep it together we will have no difficulties. We will be a bit low on supplies but overall we are not exactly expecting to run into armies. An archaeological dig will not attract too much attention unless they find something. In which case we will call for help and dig in. Anyway, We got the Bifrost to carry us around.” Asuka said, repeating the mission brief to her companions.

“Because she’s the only one who can carry this made up five mech lance?” Jake asked and took another bite from the pizza.

“That, and so we can more easily take shifts of four and rotate.” Asuka ran a hair from her hair. “Maybe we will get to see some cool old lostech stuff while we are out there.”

“Hopefully they’ll save some of the fun toys for us.” Campbell said finishing the last of his pizza slice.

“Can’t wait to buy a shirt saying I went to the periphery and all I stole was this shitty t-shirt.” Amrus’ grin was as wide as his shoulders.

“That’d be a first.” Angelica said as she lowered her cigarette and tapped the ash of. “You, wearing a shirt.”

“He didn’t say anything about wearing it.” Emily was quick to remark. Amrus’ grin became impossibly wider. A laugh spread across the group of mercenaries. There was an eagerness among them. To go on a new adventure, experience new sights and earn a stack of C-bills.

“Two days until we launch. Better make a night to remember in town because we will not have a nightlife where we are going.” Asuka grinned. “But behave at least a little bit so we get to come back alright?”

“Yes ma’am!” A ringing chorus came from the rest of the mercenaries.

[house-steiner-stays-winning]

In line with the ask games. Do tell. 🍕 Favourite drinks and foods. I'm curious to hear how they match up to a Steiner noble who I fight alongside with in the Warsong Corp. It is because of him our command dropship practically has a wine cellar and massive oversized refrigerators. along with a top of the line kitchen and chefs to work it.

Speaking of which. What kind of housing situations do you have? Since you are Steiner I am going to assume a castle.

And what else do you speak speak besides German, persumably.

And if you had a musical theme, heroic of villainous what would it be?

(By: @wolf-among-mechs)

Well, as for food and drink, I'm certainly a fan of wine on social occasions, but for my own enjoyment I drink largely non-fermented fruit juices, and my diet is largely consists of a mix of quick-to-eat finger foods and extravagant banquet fodder. My favorite, however, is a dish from the Federated Suns they call Salzburg Steak. It's a ground meat patty in a brown gravy, and my chef makes it in such a way that it's simply divine. I don't have multiple chefs, but that's more of a practical security concern than anything else. It's easier to vett and keep tabs on one chef than a whole kitchen of them.

As for my home, there are several. There's the family estate on Mertangard, a lovely lakeside palace with all the amenities one can expect from one of the wealthiest families in the Inner Sphere, from sprawling gardens to a state-of-the-art holo-entertainment theater. If you ask me, it's a bit garish, but it was designed by my great-great-great-however-many-greats grandfather, and so it's kept an ostentatious eyesore out of tradition. There's also the summer home in orbit around Solaris VII, since the Marten-Steiner family sponsors a fighting stable, we've got year-round access. There's also the ship I reside on most of the time, usually in low orbit somewhere nice, warm but not too warm.

As for my linguistic education, I speak German, Star League English, Japanese (to facilitate relations with House Kurita), and French (one of the top members of the family's Solaris Games stable is a descendant of Algeria, and I often invite him for social events.

My musical theme would be something from an old Flat-screen vid my uncle gifted to my sister and I one winter. The song is called The Imperial Suite and it has always spoken to me as a grand march of power and dominance, something I could use in theme music.

I hope this was useful to you, and would welcome any information about yourself or your Steiner friend in return. Till then, may your investments prosper and your coffers not run dry.

[wolf-among-mechs]

Major Asuka Hoshi

Current Assignment: Warsong Corps. Hellscream Lance, first company.

Current Mech: Marauder II (custom)

Asuka is the child of two mech techs in the Wolf's Dragoons who at an early age developed very highly aggressive tendencies. Noting that she had gotten into a knife fight at the age of twelve. Doctors concluded that had she had significantly higher pain tolerance and prone irrational anger by the same hormones, she also developed muscles at quicker rate than usual. Internally among the dragoons they were certain this was due elemental genes in her heritage.

Which in continuation has given her an exceedingly aggressive piloting style. She is known for diving recklessly into enemies and is often described as simply appearing among them and attacking with intense ferocity. Often known to cause panic or crippling coordination within a lance or star.

In person, Asuka appears very tall, by normal human standards anyway she is not near an elemental, with dark brown hair that she has coloured purple ends. Sometimes shifting the exact shade back and forth. She has multiple scars all over her body, several cutting scars in her face that have mostly healed made from knives or shrapnel.

She has been mercenary for a few years save for a few very intense years she was a member of Clan Wolf that she was technically born into but had not had the chance to join them. Regardless that came to an end when her old mercenary unit, the Warsong Corps captured her and claimed her as a bondswoman.

While she and her company has held something of a loyalty towards the Federated Suns, Rasalhague and the Lyran Commonwealth, they rarely enjoy staying for very long in the employ of one. They and she in particular have held a long standing animosity to the Draconis combine despite the fact that Asuka as taken in many teachings of Bushido and buddhist philosophy. She originally claimed that it was part of understanding her enemy. It is now certainly part of her. Her Japanese pronounciation has always been terrible and will likely continue to be. Most who can speak it have asked her to just speak english instead.

She is known to paint mechs in the mercenary company as a hobby, helping and actively making individual colour schemes for members to express their personality. When she is not doing that she sometimes paints with oil colours. Despite fire hazard of the heat her mechs she often brings colours, brushes, cloth, a canvas and an easel with her in the mech if the cockpit allows for luggage. Otherwise she sometimes just takes trips on hapitable planets to find a landscape to paint.

In addition to that she enjoys tinkering with mechanical parts which she often puts effort into working on a car or motorbike for her own amusement. As mechs are not ideal to 'tinker' with in the same way as a car. Not that it has stopped her from sometimes fine tuning it.

Her speech is slow and deliberate more often than not. While she is clearly influnced or even taught Clan styled English once upon a time and often such towards a clanner. She tends to loosen up when among spheroids and using contractions of longer words but maintains choices such as "do not" or "cannot" rather than "don't" or "can't". Her voice tends also to be very flat and monotone. Some people have called it robotic and void of emotions.

[wolf-among-mechs]

Audio log: Interrogation

C:\>dir

 Volume in drive C has no label. Volume Serial Number is 0568-1245  Directory of C:\ 3049-08-22 14:22 <DIR> Audioplayer 3049-08-22 13:41 <DIR> BattleROM 3049-08-22 13:41 <DIR> ChatterWEB 3049-08-22 13:41 <DIR> Documents 3049-08-22 13:44 <DIR> Games 3049-08-22 13:46 Holo-tag-Reader.exe 3049-08-22 13:40 Install.Log 3049-08-22 14:01 <DIR> New Folder 3049-08-22 14:06 <DIR> New Folder (2) 3049-08-22 14:05 <DIR> Pictures 3049-08-22 13:42 <DIR> Program 3049-08-22 13:43 <DIR> Program Files 3049-08-22 14:02 <DIR> TRO 3049-08-22 14:12 <DIR> Videos 3049-08-22 13:41 <DIR> WOLFDOS 2 File(s) 523 235 669 bytes 12 Dir(s)   520 390 078 464 bytes free

C:\>cd Audioplayer

C:\Audioplayer>Play

+================+ HOWL AUDIO PLAYER +================+

Available soundfiles: Music\Playlist:> "Best_of_Clan_Wolf" Music\Find_your_one_way.mp3 Music\Mirror_of_the_world.mp3 Logs\INTERROGATION_BOND-22-08-3049.WAV

+================+

Select a file to play or press escape to to quit.

Play> Logs\INTERROGATION_BOND-22-08-3049.WAV

+================+

File information:

AUDIO LOG: "INTERROGATION_BOND-22-08-3049" 

SUMMARY: Audio log recovered from Clan Wolf Audio archive regarding bondswoman “ASUKA HOSHI” of “WARSONG CORPS” taken on planet [UNDEFINED_PLANET_NAME] on 19-08-3049

SUBJECTS: 

Bondswoman Asuka Hoshi, Transcript designation: A 

Warrior William. Transcript designation: W

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Subject Asuka was heavily sedated following apprehension on [UNDEFINED_PLANET_NAME]. Injuring Point Commander Karloff (Elemental), amputating his left hand. Subject was then subdued with stun weapons. Then kept sedated during transport.

+================+

PLAY? [Y]/[N] >y PRINT TRANSCRIPT? [Y]/[N] >y

BEGINNING PLAYBACK...

+================+

A: [Female groaning noises]

W: You are finally awake.

A: [Female groaning that can be construed to something resembling “Huh?”]

W: I am William. Warrior of Clan Wolf.

A: …Colonel?

W: I am afraid that I am no Star Colonel. Heh.

A: Okay. You do not look like him anyway.

W: How are you feeling? You have been given quite powerful sedatives. Commonly used for Elementals during medical procedures. It will take a moment to wear off.

A: Huuuurgh…

W: Hm. To be expected.

A: Di… Did I dream? I remember… Being crushed by… Rocks. Over and over.

W: That sounds unpleasant. But as I said. Very powerful sedatives. Would you like some water?

A: Please.

[Sound of pitcher being picked up. A glass filled with liquid. A glass is then put down on a table.]

W: There.

[A glass is lifted from a table. Somebody drinks recklessly.]

A: Thank you.

[A glass is put down on table]

W: I am one of the warriors you fought a few days ago. I was piloting the Ice Ferret at the time.

A: The what now?

W: The Ice ferret. A Medium Omnimech, It was the prim-

A: Hey woah woah. You lost me. What is an Omnimech?

W: Hm… Well an Omnimech is a superior evolution of the Battlemech that allows for modular loadouts that can quickly be changed by technicians. However, Asuka, I must ask. How much do you actually know of us? You knew the words batchall and sibko. But… You do not know exactly what they mean.

A: Uh… Oh Hey. Where are my dogtags?

W: It along with your other possessions were taken as isorla. Ours by right of battle.

A: Could I have it back? It is pretty important to me. I have had it since I was born. Mercenary stuff.

W: I see. It bore a striking similarity to the ones we have.

A: Uh… I was born into the unit Wolf’s Dragoons. You must have heard of them.

W: Aff. I do. Interesting. I suppose that explains why you knew of some of our words.

A: Yeah. I was entrusted with the knowledge of the Clans… You guys? After proving myself as a reliable warrior and ally to my kin. Not exactly common knowledge. They told me a few things. That you were descendants of Kerensky’s and the SLDF’s Exodus before the succession wars. Batchall means something like… Challenge to duel. You are supposed to bid for it. Uh.. Sibko something like your kith and kin. A lot of your culture revolves around honour. They showed me a picture of a.. Timber wolf? Your technology was vastly superior to that of the inner sphere. That the Dragoons were essentially a scouting mission.

W: Aff… And this is not common knowledge then? But how come you attacked us if you are a member of the Dragoons?

A: Maybe among founders of the Dragoons. Natasha, Jaime, my mother and father. Nobody outside them knows I am pretty certain. I challenged you because I did not have any other contact protocols and I was pretty certain you were going to start shooting my wards. As their leader I thought my best course of action was to challenge you to honourable combat.

W: Tell me. Do you think what you did in the battle was an honourable act?

A: I did it to protect my wards. I gave them the chance to escape and learn about their new enemy. To warn my kith and kin. Since you were on the path of conquest. Sounds honourable enough to me.

W: Yet you lost the batchall and your sibko left without you.

A: I said I would challenge you in exchange for them.

W: That is not how that works. You bid low aff. But their fate would await The result of the batchall.

A: You sent aerospace fighters after the dropship!

W: Because you broke zellbrigen!

A: What the hell is a zellbrigen!?

W: It is the rules with which we duel under!

A: What rules!? Oh… wait duels? As in one on one?

W: Aff!

A: What? You would have just come at me one on one?

W: Aff. Those are the rules of zellbrigen.

A: Well… Dang it. If I knew that I would not have shot at the rest of you.

W: Your tactics were… let us just say a bit dezgra quiaff? Trampling and striking like a rabid beast. Beyond the wasteful and reckless shooting. But from the way you talk right here and now. I think that may be a result of not knowing better and being raised poorly.

A: Dez what? I do not mean to be rude but do you have a guy who is fluent in English. I have no idea what in the goddamn you are saying half the time.

W: Are you mocking me? I speak English! It is the sacred tongue of the great founders! Do not sit there accusing me of being incapable of the English language while you sully it with your uncouth mouth freeborn!

A: Okay okay geez. Calm down. I am sorry. I simply... do not follow a lot of your terms.

W: Clearly. As I said. You have been raised poorly. But there may be hope for you yet.

A: Right. Okay. Let us start over. I was supposed bid all of us to a fight for the chance to escape. For it to be honourable?

W: Neg. You would not have to. Bidding low is a mark of honour. To fight with lesser number is a greater achievement.

A: …Huh?

W: Let me tell you instead what is going to happen to you. You have been taken as bondswoman by me. Though we will have to confer with the loremaster. Your heritage does make things a bit more complicated. They will need to ascertain your genetic heritage and help determine your fate. The Khan may also be interested to hear what you know.

A: Bondswoman?

W: Aff. You will serve me and be loyal. If you have any useful skills you will be asked to use them for Clan Wolf and myself. 

A: So… I am a slave?

W: Neg. Nothing of the sort. You will have plenty of autonomy. But you have the option of bondsref, that is to say. You may refuse by forfeiting your life.

A: Cool I get to choose between dying and being a slave with a better name. I beg your pardon if I do not sound highly enthusiastic about my choices.

W: If you prove yourself worthy, you may be adopted into Clan Wolf as a warrior. I personally believe it would be a waste to not give you the opportunity. I do not like wasting chances.

A: And what do I have to do in order to do that?

W: Should you accept. You will carry a bondcord around your wrist. Three coloured stands to represent combat ability, which is something I actually do not question at this moment. The other two represent integrity and loyalty. When you have proven to me that you have all three in sufficient quantities. I will cut the cord and you will be abtakha. A new warrior in Clan Wolf.

A: So I can help you invade the inner sphere?

W: So you can help us enact the great father's will and make the entire galaxy a better place. The Inner Sphere has suffered from petty self destructive wars that almost destroyed humanity that continued well after the founders' exodus. The succesion wars as you called them. We are going to put a stop to all of that. As the great father intended.

[Several seconds of silence]

[A glass is filled with liquid. A pitcher is put on a table. A glass is lifted from the table.]

A: I like that thought.

W: Good. Present your arm and you will be made bondswoman.

[Rustle of clothing articles]

A: Does it mean I can have my stuff back?

W: Do not concern yourself with those.

A: I am very concerned with those. Not having my dogtags dishonour my heritage. Not having my daishō dishonours my promises. Not having my sidearms dishonours… okay I just liked those guns and would like them back. What about my mech?

W: You will have to earn them back somehow then. Save for your tags. I am going to hand that to the loremaster to see if they can make anything out of it and then return them to you. Failing that. A blood sample will be taken to ascertain your genetic heritage. That will give us a better picture. As for your mech. Perhaps you can enlighten the technicians what it actually is and maybe recover it.

A: Good thing I know my way around a wrench then. So am I supposed inherit something?

W: Neg. It is to ascertain whether you truly are of Clan Wolf or not. But in the meantime. To help you learn more of the Clans… I am going to grant you access to the Chatterweb. So that you may learn from other warriors. I believe it will help you. You appear to be the kind that learns on her feet.

Audio recording stopped.

Reason: Following audio contains sensitive private password information. Access requires [Star-Colonel] level clearance or Sysadmin priviliges.

Press any key to continue. . .

C:\Audioplayer>_

[wolf-among-mechs]

Inspired by the ongoings ongoings in the battletech tag as of late I've decided to throw my own lot into the tumbled HPG network.

So hello to each and everyone this broadcast may reach.

I am Major Asuka Hoshi of the Warsong Corp. I have been part of almost my entire career of this mercenary company which has close ties with Wolf's Dragoons. Which is where I started. The journey has been a little bit complicated to put it mildly. My position is that of a mech warrior. I have been worked as a lance leader and a mech tech, mostly for my own mech. I've fought outside of a mech numerous of times. I've fought on Solaris and under almost every banner of the inner sphere... Except house Kurita they do not like me very much. But all of them have shown me a face of betrayal at least once.

Naturally my view of the inner sphere and beyond has been through the mech cockpit. But I would lie if I said I didn't find a certain joy in seeing everything from artillery, logistics, aerospace combat, infantry and vehicles all coming together in concert. There is an art to it. One of far more complexity than painting mechs in my spare time.

I would love to talk about different mechs, vehicles of all manners as well as the small details around the business of war. At least from the mercenary side of things. I do not know how the houses affairs differ from what I see in this regard. Presumably, not very much when things get down to it. In the meanwhile I will peruse the contents of the network and speak my mind on matters.

Until then friends, remember. My guns may be for sale but my honour sure is not.